Characters UPON ESSAYS MORAL, AND Divine, WRITTEN For those good Spirits, that will take them▪ in good part, AND Make use of them to good purpose.  
LONDON Printed by Edw. Griffin, for john Gwillim, and are to be sold at his shop in Britaines-Burse. 1615.   

TO THE Honourable, and my much worthy honoured, truly learned, and judicious Knight, Sir Francis Bacon, his Maᵗⁱᵉˢ General, Increase of honour, health, and eternal happiness.  
WORTHY Knight, I have read of many Essays, and a kind of Charactering of them, by such, as when I looked into the form, or nature of their writing, I have been of the conceit, that they were but Imitators of your breaking the ice to their inventions; which, how short they fall of your worth, I had rather think than speak, though Truth need not blush at her blame: Now, for myself unworthy to touch near the Rock of those Diamonds, or to speak in their praise, who so far exceed the power of my capacity, vouchsafe me leave yet, I beseech you, among those Apes that would counterfeit the actions of men, to play the like part with learning, and as a Monkey, that would make a face like a Man, and cannot, so to write like a Scholar, and am not: and thus not daring to adventure the Print, under your Patronage, without your favourable allowance, in the devoted service of my bounden duty, I leave these poor Travels of my Spirit, to the perusing of your pleasing leisure, with the further fruits of my humble affection, to the happy employment of your honourable pleasure.  
At your service in all humbleness NICH: BRETON.   

To the Reader.  
READ what you list, and understand what you can: Characters are not every man's construction, though they be writ in our mother tongue: and what I have written, being of no other nature, if they fit not your humour, they may please a better: I make no comparison, because I know you not, but if you will vouchsafe to look into them, it may be you may find something in them; their natures are divers, as you may see, if your eyes be open, and if you can make use of them to good purpose, your wits may prove the better: In brief, fearing the fool will be put upon me, for being too busy with matters too far above my understanding, I will leave my imperfection to pardon, or correction, and my labour to their liking, that will not think ill of a well meaning: and so rest  
Your well-willing friend, N.B.   

WHo reads this Book with a judicious eye,  
Will in true judgement, true discretion try,  
Where words and matter close and sweetly couched,  
Do show how truth, wit, art, and nature touched.  
What need more words these Characters to praise,  
They are the true charactering of Essays.  
I.R.   

IN words of worth, to speak of these Essays  
Let this suffice, the work itself will praise.  
C.N.   

SOme have an humour, that to discommend  
They know themselves, they know not how to mend.  
Other correct, what they do think amiss:  
While in their own conceit the error is.  
But true judicious wits, and honest minds,  
Will give their censure in some better kinds:  
And say but truth, that cannot be mistook:  
Wit hath well labour de learning in this Book.  
R.B.   

Ad Authorem.  
HE that shall read thy characters (Nic: Breton)  
And weigh them well; must say they are well written.  
They taste the lamp: much reading, observation,  
Art, matter, wit, all worthy commendation.  
Some weave their lines of such a slender thread,  
They will not last so long, as to be read.  
Thou hast so spun, so weaved; thy words, thy lines  
They please us most being viewed, a hundred times.  
W.D.   

In laudem operis.  
Word's are the pencils, whereby drawn we find  
The picture of the inward man, the mind.  
Such thoughts, such words; such words, such is the man.  
Say; is this Spirit a Plebeian?  
That like the singing Lark doth mount so high,  
We cannot reach them with an earthly eye.  
W.P.   

WHile I Essay to character this Book,  
And th●se charactered Essays o'relooke:  
I herein find few words, great worth involve:  
A Lip●o● style, terse Phrase: and so resolve,  
That as a Stone's best valued, and best prized,  
When best in known: So this, when best revised  
I.B.   

Wisdom.  
WISDOM is a working Grace in the Souls of the Elect: by whom the Spirit is made capable of those secrets, that neither Nature, nor Reason, is able to comprehend: who, by a powerful virtue, She hath from the divine Essence, worketh in all things, according to the will of the Almighty: and, being, before beginning, shall exceed Time, in an eternal proceeding: She is a Light, in the Intellectual part, by which Reason is led to direct the Senses in their due Course, and Nature is preserved from subjecting herself to Imperfection: in the Creation, She was of Council with the Trinity, in the pleasing of the Deity, in the Redemption, the Inventer of Mercy, for, the preservation of the Elect, and in the Glorification, the Treasurer of life, for the reward of the faithful, who, having committed to her Care, the carriage of the whole Motion, finding the disposition of earth in all the Children of her Womb, by such a Measure, as she finds fitting their quality, she gives them either the grace of Nature, or the glory of Reason: While being the Mother of the Graces, She gives them that holy Instruction, that, in the knowledge of the highest Love, through the paths of Virtue, makes a passage to Heaven: Learning hath from her, that knowledge without the which, all knowledge, is mere Ignorance: while, only, in the Grace of Truth, is seen the Glory of understanding: Knowledge hath from Her that Learning, whereby, she is taught the direction of her Love, in the way of life: Understanding hath from her that Knowledge, that keeps Conceit, always in the Spirits comfort: and Judgement, from Understanding, that Rule of justice, that by the even weight of Impartiality, shows the hand of Heaven in the heart of Humanity: in the Heavens, She keeps the Angels in their orders, teacheth them the Natures of their Offices, and emploies them in the service of their Creator: in the Firmament, She walks among the Stars, sets, and keeps them, in their places, courses, and operations, at her pleasure, She eclipseth the light, and, in a Moment, leaves not a Cloud in the ●kie: in Her Thunders, and Lightnings she shows the Terror of the Highest Wrath, and in Her temperate Calms, the patience of his Mercy: in her frosty Winters, she shows the weakness of Nature, and in her Sunny Springs, the Recovery of Her health: in the Lovers of this world lives no part of her pureness, but, with Her beloved She makes a Heaven upon Earth: in the King, she shows her Grace, in his Council her Care, and, in his State, her Strength: in the Soldier, she shows Virtue, the truest Valour, in the Lawyer, Truth, the Honour of his Plea, in the Merchant, Conscience, the wealth of his Soul, and in the Churchman Charity, the true fruit of his Devotion: She lives in the World, but, not the world's Love, for the worlds unworthiness, is not capable of her worth: She receiveth Mammon, as a gift from his Maker, and makes him serve her use to his Glory: She gives Honour, Grace in Bounty, and, manageth wit, by the Care of discretion: She shows the Necessity of difference, and, wherein is the happiness of Unity: She puts her Labour, to providence, her hope, to patience, her life, to her Love, and her Love, to her Lord: with whom, as chief Secretary of his secrets, she writes his will to the World, and as high Steward of his Courts, she keeps Account of all his Tenants: in Sum, so great is her Grace in the Heavens, as gives her Glory above the Earth, and so, Infinite, are her Excellencies, in all the Course of her Action, and, so Glorious are the Notes of her Incomprehensible Nature, that, I will thus only Conclude, far short of her Commendation: She is God's Love, and his angels Light, his Servants, Grace, and His Beloved's Glory.   

Learning.  
LEarning is the life of Reason, and the Light of Nature, where, Time, Order, and Measure, square out the true Course of Knowledge; where, Discretion, in the Temper of Passion, brings experience to the best fruit of Affection: while, both, the Theoric, and the practic, labour in the life of judgement, till, the perfection of Art, show the Honour of understanding: She is the key of knowledge, that unlocketh the Cabinet of Conceit, wherein are laid up the Labours of Virtue, for the use of the Scholars of Wisdom: where every gracious Spirit may find matter enough worthy of the Record of the best Memory: She is the Nurse of Nature, with that Milk of Reason, that, would make a Child of Grace, never lie from the Dug: She is the Schoolmistress of Wit, and the gentle Governor of Will, when, the Delight of understanding, gives the Comfort of Study: She is unpleasing to none that knows her, and unprofitable, to none that loves her: She fears not to Wet her feet, to Wade through the Waters of Comfort, but, comes not near the Seas of Iniquity, where, folly drowns Affection, in the delight of Vanity: She opens her Treasures to the travailers in Virtue, but, keeps them close from the Eyes of Idleness: She makes the King Gracious, and his Council, judicious, his Clergy, Devout, and, his Kingdom, prosperous: She gives Honour to Virtue, Grace, to Honour, Reward, to Labour, and, Love, to Truth: She is the Messenger of Wisdom, to the minds of the Virtuous, and, the Way to Honour, in the Spirits of the Gracious: She is the Storehouse of Understanding, where the Affection of Grace, can not want Instruction of goodness, while, in the Rules of her directions, Reason is never out of square: She is the Exercise of Wit, in the application of Knowledge, and the preserver of the understanding, in the practice of Memory: In brief, she makes Age honourable, and, youth Admirable: the virtuous, wise, and the wise, gracious: Her Libraries are infinite, her lessons without number, her instruction, without comparison, and her Scholars without equality: In brief, finding it a labyrinth, to go through the grounds of her praise: Let this suffice, that in all Ages she hath been, and ever will be, the Darling of wisdom, the delight of wit, the study of virtue, and the stay of knowledge.   

Knowledge.  
KNowledge is a Collection of understanding, gathered in the grounds of Learning, by the instruction of Wisdom: She is the exercise of Memory, in the actions of the Mind, and the imployer of the Senses, in the will of the Spirit: she is the Notary of Time, and the trier of Truth, and the labour of the Spirit in the love of Virtue: she is the pleasure of wit, and the paradise of Reason, where Conceit gathereth the sweet of Understanding. She is the King's councillor, & the councils grace, Youth's guard, and Ages glory: It is free from doubts, and fears no danger, while the care of Providence cuts off the cause of Repentance: she is the enemy of Idleness, and the maintainer of Labour, in the care of credit, and pleasure of profit: she needs no advice in the Resolution of Action, while Experience in observation, finds perfection infallible: It clears Errors, and cannot be deceived, corrects Impurity, and will not be corrupted: She hath a wide ear, and a close mouth, a pure eye, and a perfect heart: It is begotten by Grace, bred by Virtue, brought up by Learning, and maintained by Love: she converseth with the best capacities, and communicates with the soundest judgements, dwells with the divinest Natures, and loves the most patient dispositions: Her hope is a kind of Assurance, her faith a continual expectation, her love an apprehension of joy, and her life the light of Eternity: Her labours are infinite, her ways are unsearchable, her Grace's incomparable, and her Excellencies inexplicable: and therefore, being so little acquainted with her worth, as makes me blush at my unworthiness, to speak in the least of her praise: I will only leave her advancement to Virtue, her honour to Wisdom, her grace to Truth, and to Eternity; his glory.   

Practice.  
Practice, is the Motion of the Spirit, where the Senses are all set to work in their Natures, where, in the fittest employment of Time, Reason maketh the best use of understanding: She is the Continuance of knowledge in the Ease of Memory, and, the Honour of Resolution in the effect of judgement. She plants the Spring, and reaps the Harvest, makes labour sweet, and patience, comfortable: She hath a foot on the earth, but, an eye at heaven, where the prayer of faith finds the felicity of the Soul: in the fruit of Charity, she shows the nature of Devotion, and in the Mercy of justice, the Glory of government. She gives Time honour, in the fruit of Action, and Reason, grace, in the application of knowledge: She takes the height of the Sun, walks about the world, sounds the depth of the Sea, and makes her passage through the waters. She is ready for all occasions, attendeth all persons, works with all instruments, and finisheth all actions: She takes Invention for her teacher, makes time, her servant, method her direction, and place her habitation: She hath a wakeful eye, and a working brain, which fits the members of the body, to the service of the spirit: She is the physicians agent, and the Apothecary's benefactor, the chirurgeons wealth, and the Patients, patience: She brings time, to labour, and care, to contentment: learning to knowledge, and virtue to honour: in Idleness she hath no pleasure, nor acquaintance with Ignorance, but in Industry, is her delight, and in understanding, her grace: She hath a passage through all the Predicaments, she hath a hand in all the Arts, a property in all professions, and a quality in all conditions: in brief, so many are the varieties of the manners of her proceedings, as makes me fearful to follow her too far in observation, lest, being never able to come near the height of her commendation, I be enforced, as I am, to leave her wholly to admiration.   

Patience.  
PAtience is a kind of heavenly Tenure, whereby the Soul is held in possession, and a sweet temper in the Spirit, which restraineth nature from exceeding reason in passion. Her hand keeps time in his right course, and her eye pierceth into the depth of understanding: She attendeth wisdom in all her works, and proportioneth time, to the necessity of matter: She is the poison of Sorrow in the hope of Comfort, and the paradise of conceit in the joy of peace: Her tongue speaks seldom, but to purpose, and her foot goeth slowly, but surely: She is the imitator of the Incomprehensible in his passage to perfection, and a servant of his will in the map of his workmanship: in Confusion, She hath no operation, while she only ●arieth her conceit, with the consideration of experience: She travails far, and is never weary; and gives over no work, but to better a beginning: She makes the King merciful, and the Subject loyal, Honour gracious, and, Wisdom glorious: She pacifieth wrath, and puts off revenge, and, in the humility of charity, shows the nature of Grace: She is beloved of the Highest, and embraced of the wisest, honoured with the worthiest, and graced with the best: She makes imprisonment, Liberty, when the mind goeth through the world, and in sickness finds health, where death is the way to life: She is an Enemy to passion, and knows no Purgatory; thinks fortune a fiction, and builds only upon Providence: She is the sick-man's Salve, and the whole man's preserver: the Wiseman's staff, and the goodman's Guide: In sum, not to wade too far in her worthiness, lest I be drowned in the depth of wonder, I will thus end, in her endless Honour: She is the grace of Christ, and the virtue of Christianity, the praise of Goodness, and the preserver of the world.   

love.  
LOve is the life of Nature, and the joy of Reason, in the Spirit of Grace; where virtue drawing affection, the concord of Sense, makes an union unseparable in the divine apprehension of the joy of Election, it is a ravishment of the Soul, in the delight of the Spirit: which, being carried above itself, into inexplicable comfort, feels that heavenly sickness, that is better than the world's health, when the wisest of men, in the swooning delight of his sacred Inspiration, could thus utter the sweetness of his passion: My Soul is sick of love. It is a healthful sickness in the Soul, a pleasing passion in the Heart, a contentive labour in the Mind, and a peaceful trouble of the Senses: it altars natures in contrarieties, when difficulty is made easy, pain, made a pleasure, poverty, riches, and imprisonment, liberty: for the content of conceit, which regards not to be an abject, in being subject, but to an object: it rejoiceth in truth, and knows no inconstancy, it is free from jealousy, and feareth no fortune: it breaks the rule of Arithmericke, by confounding of number, where the conjunction of thoughts make one mind in two bodies, where neither figure, nor cipher, can make division of union: it sympathies with life, and participates with light, when the eye of the mind, sees the joy of the heart: it is a predominat power, which endures no equality, and yet, communicates with reason, in the rules of Concord: it breeds safety in a King, and peace, in a kingdom, Nation's unity, and Nature's gladness: It sings in labour, in the joy of hope, and makes a paradise in reward of desert: it pleads but mercy, in the justice of the Almighty; and but mutual Amity, in the nature of Humanity: In sum, having no Eagles eye, to look upon the Sun, and fearing to look too high, for fear of a chip in mine eye, I will in these few words, speak in praise of this peerless virtue: Love is the grace of nature, and the glory of reason, the blessing of God, and the comfort of the world.   

Peace.  
PEACE, is a Calm in Conceit, where the Senses take pleasure, in the rest of the Spirit: It is Nature's holy day after Reason's labour, and Wisdoms music in the Concord's of the mind: It is a blessing of Grace, a bounty of Mercy, a proof of Love, and, a preserver of life: It holds no Arguments, knows no quarrels, is an enemy to sedition, and a continuance of Amity: It is the root of plenty, the Tree of pleasure, the fruit of Love, and the sweetness of life: It is like the still Night, where all things are at rest, and the quiet sleep, where dreams are not troublesome: or the resolved point, in the perfection of knowledge, where no cares, nor doubts make controversies in opinion: it needs no watch, where is no fear of Enemy, nor Solicitor of Causes, where Agreements are concluded: It is the intent of Law, and the fruit of justice: the end of War, and the beginning of Wealth: It is a grace in a Court, and a glory in a Kingdom, a blessing in a Family, and a happiness in a Commonwealth: It fills the rich man's coffers, and feeds the poor man's labour: It is the Wiseman's study, and the Goodman's joy: who love it, are gracious, who make it, are blessed, who keep it are happy, and who break it, are miserable: It hath no dwelling with Idolatry, nor friendship with falsehood, for her life is in Truth, and in her, all is Amen. But lest in the justice of Peace, I may rather be reproved for my Ignorance of her worth, then thought worthy to speak in her praise, with this only Conclusion, in the commendation of Peace, I will draw to an end, and hold my peace: It was a message of joy at the birth of Christ, a song of joy, at the embracement of Christ, an assurance of joy, at the death of Christ, and shall be the fullness of joy, at the coming of Christ.   

War.  
WAR is a scourge of the wrath of God, which by famine, fire, or sword, humbleth the spirits of the Repentant, trieth the patience of the Faithful, and hardeneth the hearts of the ungodly: it is the misery of Time, and the terror of Nature, the dispeopling of the Earth, and the ruin of her Beauty: Her life, is Action, her food; Blood, her honour, Valour, and her joy, Conquest. She is valours exercise, and honours adventure, Reason's trouble, and pieces enemy: she is the stout man's love, and the weak man's fear, the poor man's toil, and the rich man's plague: she is the Armourers Benefactor, and the chirurgeons agent, the Coward's ague, and the Desperats overthrow: she is the wish of Envy, the plague of them that wish her, the shipwreck of life, and the agent for death; The best of her is, that she is the seasoner of the body, and the manager of the mind, for the enduring of labour, in the resolution of action: she thunders in the Air, rips up the Earth, cuts through the Seas, and consumes with the fire: she is indeed the invention of Malice, the work of Mischief, the music of Hell, and the dance of the Devil: she makes the end of Youth untimely, and of Age wretched, the City's sack, and the Country's beggary: she is the captains pride, and the Captives sorrow, the throat of blood, and the grave of flesh: she is the woe of the world, the punishment of sin, the passage of danger, and, the Messenger of destruction: she is the wise man's warning, and the fools payment, the godly man's grief, and, the wicked man's game: In sum, so many are her wounds, so mortal her cures, so dangerous her course, and, so devilish her devices, that, I will wade no further in her rivers of blood, but, only, thus conclude in her description: she is God's curse, and Man's misery, hell's Practice, and earths Hell.   

Valour.  
Valour is a Virtue in the spirit, which keeps the flesh in subjection: Resolves without fear, and travails without fainting: she vows no villainy, nor, breaks; her fidelity, she is patient in captivity, and pitiful in conquest: Her gain is honour, and, desert her mean, fortune her scorn, and folly, her hate: wisdom is her guide, and conquest her grace, clemency, her praise, and humility, her Glory: she is youths ornament, and ages honour; natures blessing, and Virtue; love: Her life is resolution, & her love, victory, her triumph, truth, and her fame, virtue: Her arms are from antiquity, and, her cote, full of honour, where, the title of grace, hath her Heraldry from heaven she makes a walk of war, and a sport of danger, an ease, of labour, and a lest, of death: she makes famine, but abstinence, want, but, a patience, sickness, but a purge, and death, a puff: she is the Maintainer of ●arre, the General of an army, ●he terror of an Enemy, and the ●ory of a camp: she is the Nobleness of the mind, and the strength of the Body, the li●e of ●ope, and the death of fear▪ with 〈◊〉 handful of men, she overthrows a multitude, and with a ●daine amazement, she discom●tes a Camp: she is the revenge ●f wrong, and the defence of ●ight, Religion's Champion, and, ●ertues choice: In brief, let this suffice in her commendation: she ●rengthened David, and conquered Goliath, she overthrows her enemy's, and conquers herself.   

Resolution.  
REsolution is the Honoure● Valour, in the quarrel of Virtue, for the defence of Right, an● Redress of Wrong: She, beate● the March, pitcheth the Battle plants the Ordinance, and Maintains the fight: Her Ear is stop● from Dissuasions, her Eye aim●● only at Honour, her hand takes the Sword of Valour, and her heart thinks of nothing, but victory● She gives the Charge, makes the Stand, Assaults the fort, and enters the Breach: She breaks the Pikes, faceth the Shot, damps the Soldier, and defeats the Army: She looseth no time, slips no Occasion, dreads no danger, and, Cares for no force; ●he is valours life, and virtues ●oue, justice Honour, and, Mer●ies Glory: She beats down Castles, fires Ships, Wades through the Sea, and Walks through the World: She makes wisdom, her Guide, and Will, ●er Servant, Reason, her Companion, and Honour, her Mistress: ●he is a Blessing in Nature, and a beauty, in Reason, a Grace in In●ention, and, a Glory in Action: ●he studies no plots, when her platform is set down, and defers ●o time, when her hour is pre●xed: She stands upon no helps, when she knows her own ●orce, and in the Execution of her ●ill, she is a Rock Irremoveable: ●he is the Kings Will, without Contradiction, and the judges ●oome, without Exception, the scholars profession, without Alteration, and the soldiers Honour without Comparison: In Summ● so many are the grounds of he● Grace, and the just Causes of he● Commendation, that, Leauin● her worth, to the description 〈◊〉 better wits, I will in these few words, conclude my Conceit● her. She is the stoutness of th● heart, and the strength of th● mind, a gift of God, and, th● glory of the World.   

honour.  
Honour is a Title of Grace given by the spirit of Virtue, to the desert of Valour, in th● defence of Truth: it is wronged in baseness, and abused in vn●worthinesse, endangered in wantonness, and lost in wickedness It nourisheth Art, and crownet● Wit, graceth Learning, and glorifieth Wisdom: in the Heraldry of Heaven, it hath the richest Coat, being, in Nature Allied, unto all the houses of Grace, which in the Heaven of heavens, attend the King of kings: Her Escutcheon is a heart, in which, in the shield of faith, she bears on the Anchor of Hope, the Helmit of Salvation: she quarter's with Wisdom in the Resolution of Valour, and in the line of Charity, she is of the House of justice: Her Supporters are Time, and Patience, her Mantle, Truth, and her crest, Christ treading upon the Globe of the world: her Impreze, Corona mea, Christus: In brief, finding her state so high, that I am not able to climb unto the praise of her perfection, I will leave her Royalty to the Register of most Princely spirits, and in my humble hearts thus only deliver my opinion of her: She is virtues due, and Grace's gift, valours wealth, and Reason's joy.   

Truth.  
TRuth is the Glory of time, and the daughter of Eternity: a Title of the highest Grace, and, a Note of a divine Nature: she is the life of Religion, the light of Love, the Grace of Wit, and the Crown of Wisdom, she is the Beauty of Valour, the brightness of honour, the blessing of reason, and the joy of faith: her truth is pure gold, her Time, is right precious, her word is most gracious, and her will, is most glorious: Her Essence is in God, and, her dwelling with his servants, her will in his wisdom, and her work, to his Glory: she is honoured in love, and graced in constancy, in patience admired, and in charity, beloved she is the Angel's worship, the Virgin's fame, the Saints bliss, and the martyrs crown: she is the King's Greatness, and his Counsels, Goodness, his subjects Peace, and his kingdoms Praise: she is the life of learning, and the light of the Law, the honour of Trade, and the grace of labour: she hath a pure Eye, a plain hand, a piercing wit and a perfect heart: she is wisdoms walk in the way of holiness, and takes up her rest, but, in the resolution of goodness: Her tongue never trips, her heart never faints, her hand never fails, and her faith, never fears: her Church is without schism, her City without fraud, her Court, without Vanity, and her kingdom, without Villainy: In sum, so infinite is her Excellence, in the construction of all sense, that I will thus only conclude in the wonder of her worth: she is the Nature of perfection, in the perfection of Nature, where God, in Christ, shows the glory of Christianity.   

Time.  
TIme is a continual Motion, which from the highest Mover, hath his operation in all the subjects of Nature, according to their quality, or disposition: He is in proportion, like a Circle, wherein, he walketh with an even passage, to the point of his prefixed place: He attendeth none, and yet is a servant to all; he is best employed by wisdom, and, most abused, by folly: He carrieth both the sword and the sceptre, for the use both of justice, and Mercy: He is present in all Invention, and, can not be spared from Action: He is the Treasury of Graces in the Memory of the wise, and, brings them forth to the world, upon Necessity of their use: He openeth the windows of Heaven, to give Light unto the Earth, and, spreads the cloak of the Night to cover the Rest of labour: He closeth the Eye of Nature, and waketh the spirit of Reason, he traveleth through the mind, and is visible, but, to the Eye of Understanding: He is swifter than the wind, and yet, as still, as a Stone, precious in his right use, but, perilous in the contrary: He is soon found of the careful Soul, and quickly missed in the want of his comfort, he is soon lost in the lack of Employment, and not to be recovered without a world of Endeavour: he is the true man's peace, and the thieves perdition, the good man's blessing, and the wicked man's curse: He is known to be, but, his being unknown, but only in his being, in a being above knowledge: he is a Riddle not to be read, but in the circumstance of description, his name, better known then his nature, and he that maketh best use of him, hath the best understanding so him: he is like the study of the Philosopher's stone, where, a man may see wonders, and yet short of his Expectation: she is at the Invention of war, Arms the Soldier, Maintains the quarrel, and makes the Peace: He is the Courtier's Playfellow, and, the soldiers Schoolmaster, the Lawyer's Gain, and the Merchants, Hope: His life, is Motion, and his love Action, his honour, Patience, and his glory, perfection: He masketh Modesty and blusheth Virginity, honoureth Humility, and graceth, Charity: In Sum, finding it a world to walk through the wonder of his Worth, I will thus briefly deliver, what I find truly of him: He is the Agent of the Living, and the Register of the dead, the direction of God, and a great Worke-master in the world.   

Death.  
DEATH is an ordinance of God, for the subjecting of the world, which is limited his time for the correction of Pride; in his substance, he is nothing, being but only a deprivation, and in his true description, a name without a nature: He is seen, but in a picture: heard, but in a tale: feared, but in a passion: and felt, but in a pinch: He is a terror, but to the wicked, and a scarecrow, but to the foolish: but to the wise, a way of comfort, and to the godly, the gate of life: He is the case of pain, and the end of sorrow, the liberty of the imprisoned, and the joy of the faithful: it is both the wound of sin, and the wages of sin, the Sinners fear, and the Sinners doom. He is the Sexton's agent, and the Hangman's revenue, the rich man's dirge, and the Mourners merry-day. He is a course of time, but uncertain, till he come, and welcome but to such, as are weary of their lives: It is a message from the Physician, when the Patient is past cure, and if the writ be well made, it is a supra sedeas for all diseases: It is the heavens stroke, and the earth's Steward, the follower of sickness, and the forerunner to Hell. In sum, having no pleasure to ponder too much of the power of it, I will thus conclude my opinion of it▪ It is a sting of sin, and the terror of the wicked, the crown of the Godly, the stair of vengeance, and a stratagem of the Devil.   

Faith.  
FAITH is the hand of the soul, which layeth hold of the promises of Christ in the mercy of the Almighty: She hath a bright eye, and a holy ear, a clear heart, and a sure foot: she is the strength of Hope, the trust of Truth, the honour of Amity, and the joy of Love: she is rare among the sons of men, and hardly found among the daughters of women; but among the sons of God, she is a conveyance of their inheritance, and among the daughters of Grace, she is the assurance of their portions. Her dwelling is in the Church of God, her conversation with the Saints of God, her delight with the beloved of God, and her life is in the love of God: she knows no falsehood, distrusts no Truth, breaks no promise, and coins no excuse, but as bright as the Sun, as swift as the wind, as sure as the rock, and as pure as the gold, she looks towards heaven, but lives in the world, in the souls of the Elect, to the glory of Election: she was wounded in Paradise, by a dart of the Devil, and healed of her hurt, by the death of Christ jesus: she is the poor man's credit, and the rich man's praise, the wiseman's care, and the good man's cognizance. In sum, finding her worth, in words hardly to be expressed, I will in these few words only deliver my opinion of her: She is God's blessing, and man's bliss, reason's comfort, and virtues glory.   

Fear.  
FEAR is a fruit of sin, which drove the first Father of our flesh, from the presence of God, and hath bred an imperfection in a number of the worse part of his posterity: It is the disgrace of nature, the foil of reason, the maim of wit, and the slur of understanding: It is the palsy of the Spirit, where the Soul wanteth faith, and the badge of a Coward, that cannot abide the sight of a sword: It is weakness in nature, and a wound in patience, the death of hope, and the entrance into despair: It is children's awe, and fools amazement, a worm in conscience, and a curse to wickedness. In brief, it makes the Coward stagger, the Liar stammer, the Thief stumble, and the Traitor start: It is a blot in Arms, a blur in Honour, the shame of a Soldier, and the defeat of an Army.  
FINIS▪