Statesman sinks indeed under Miserie or Dis-favour but the blind judgment of the world censureth him either Knave and so suffering it as from the hand of Justice or one Embarqued in the Ship of Fooles that hath sprung some Leake betraying it to unpittied Shipwrack 3. But in that most censurable Profession of Physick this false Rule doth most of all over-rule mens Judgments Let a Miscarriage come from any point of the Circumference as scarce a Poinâ— but it may viz. From Tenders Patient Morbi malo Dolo the Juristâ— may lend the Physitians the word the jugglings of the Disease late Application of meanes or inconstancy under the timeliest c. as from any of these besides many more it may yet it shall be surely center'd on the Physitians weaknesse Inadvertency or Rashnesse On the contrary blind Successe shall carry the Credit from the most knowing Advice as my Lord Bacon in Lib. 4. de Augment Scient Where he joyneth the States-man and Physitian in the same unfortunate subjection to such Censures Omnes aliae propemodum Artes Scientiae virtute sua Functione non Successu aut Opere judicantur Advocatum ipsa agendi dicendi Facultas non exitus causae commendat Gubernator Navis c. at Medicus fortasse Politicus vir habent aliquas actiones proprias quibus Specimen Artis virtutis suae liquidò exhibeant sed ab Eventu praecipué Honorem aut Dedecus reportant iniquissimo prorsus Judicio A Catholike verity fit to be translated into all Languages where the Art is cherished it amounteth to this almost all Arts Sciences are censured according to their able or faithfull undertakings The able pleading not fortunate speeding in the Cause commendeth the Lawyer the Mariners skill joyned with care frees him from all the blames of miscarriage Onely the poore Physitian and very often the Polititian have no Actions truely so much their own as might render them esteemed able and wise but their Credit be it good or bad depends chiefly on the Successe and Event but through the Injustice of their Judges Thus far that wise Observator And truly doth not Experience vote with him The word Fortunate Physitian comprehendeth all abilities and is enough to make a Tooth-drawer or Corn-cutter passe for a generall Physitian and a Carduus Posset for a universall Medicine 4. But lastly in private mens Actions what are the usuall Censures and how worded Let an Enterprise be never so discreetly undertaken or followed if it fall short of Successe or Expectation presently you may here I wonder a man would be so indiscreet and rash or so blind as not to foresee the Danger Inconvenience or Inevitable Miscarriage I wonder hee could think it would prove otherwise Here that of Pliny as indeed it holdeth in al the former Instances is of Probatum-Authority and unquestionable verity Est oâ—ninò iniquum sed usu receptum qnod honesta Consilia vel turpia prout malé aut prosperé Cedunt ita vel probantur vel reprehenduntur Indé plerumque eadem facta Diligentioe modò Vanitatis modò libertais modò Furoris nomen accipiunt Lib. 5 Epist 21. It is a custome not lesse usuall then unjust that the same Counsells good or bad are so â—alled onely as they succeed or miscarry Hence it comes to passe that the same actions are variously named diligent or vain bold or mad But bring this Ballance to the Quest of Reasons Examination and we must confesse no false weights injure more in the mutual Commerce of Tradesmen than this false Ballance doth Providence and Merit To make Job the poor less Innocent than Job the Wealthy wee see did displease God and injure Job Cato was of so constant a judgment as to passe it for the Conquered against the Successefull Conquerer Nay the Gods themselves herein truely verifying the Character rigidi Servator Honesti For the Poet testifieth of him Victrix Causa Dijs placuit sed victa Catoni Though on the Victors smile the Gods Cato i' th Cause allowes no odds And Tacitus will beare him out in the constancy of his Judgment with that in Histor 1. Nam saepe honestas Causas Perniciosi exitus consequuntur A good Cause and Miscarriage meet oftner than Hills more agreeable therefore to the Scales of the Sanctuary it is to invert the Rule and to account Goodnesse Successe and Prosperous Impiety but a deplorable Impunity for a Moment succeeded by Miseries as easelesse as endlesse Essayes THE BEST HUSBANDRY VIndica Te tibi Tempus Reserve thy Selfe and to thy selfe thy Time One would think were the beginning of Saint Pauls not Senecas Epistles So little doth it vary from the Apostles charge of us to Redeem our time And the Arguments wherewith he enforceth this best Husbandry are the severall strokes of his Watch by which he giveth us notice how time passeth Magna pars vitae elabitur malé agentibus maxima nihil agentibus tota aliud Great part of our lives is spent ill most idlely all impertinently some of our daies Businesse snatches from us others Necessities of life subduct too great a part we dream away sadly lessening the wonder of the seven Sleepers Many of us though but lesse Time sleeping more because all our lives long which they did not Mischiefes on the bed or sleep in the bed or Actions as vain and light as the Feathers of the bed share our most precious time in which only we have a propriety are most prodigall of that which alone authorizeth a Covetousnesse and whereof a greedinesse is not illiberal Vainly we complain of shortnesse of life when wee complaine of want of Passe-time a word Pliny Senior would have blest himselfe to have heard when he chid his Nephew for the idlenesse of walking with a Poteras inquit has Horas non perdere You might one would think saith he spend your time better as if he would allow none to walk in Fields or Gardens but Herbalists none but such as viewed the Earth as a Book to whom the leaves of Plants were as instructive as those of Paper But not onely Pliny but every usefull Book seemeth to upbraid the ill Husbandry of this truest Treasure our Time Were not the businesse of Eternity to bee done here in this Moment of life even to a Rationall and Nobly aiming Soule the enriching of our Intellectualls were far a Nobler Imployment than the Tâ—iler of Selfe-applauding Husbandry or the most pleasing variations of Sensuality and Delight At the former part of which Paradox me-thinks I heare some Mammonite Cavell saying What Boâ—k-worm dareth tell us of ill Husbandry I of time since our subtle Interest impregnateth each Minute with Emoluments accrewing to us by their multiplication We let slip not a day without being tributary to the Heap till like Progression in Arithmetick the Successor is able to purchase all the Predecessors and the last yeare of our lives out-liveth the Improvements of all the former Sure
dixerit contradicunt ut famam aliquam ex alieni nominis Ruina possint aucupari I have seen many saith hee in a peevish crossenes contradict what ever another Physitian hath said or done though never so Judiciously Pertinent that on the Ruines of anothers Fame they might build their owne He is in short but an authorized Mountebank that will speak good of none and do good to few and that by chance Indeed I think this Ape Doctor might have done the Apes cure that the story mentioneth an Ape did on a Physitian that lay dangerously sick his Servants perfect in that of the politick Directory Tacit. Hist 1. Servorum Manus subitis avidae tanquam apud Senem festinantes catching what they could from no long continuing Master The Ape in this imitating them getteth the Doctors Cap and came and sate downe by the Physitians bed side which made him fall into such a Laughter as broke his Aposteme and occasioned his Recovery Such a cure and Magistrall against Melancholy beyond the Syrup would our Dr. be no doubt in his Formalities not but that degrees or fair trialls of mens Abilities are commendable Politick Shiboleths discerning betwixt names and things that no ingenuous man will decline or disparage whose Conveniences sute with them but when such externall Additions are all the reall worth we may say of such A Formalist claro sese deformat amictu it is hard to say whether the degree doth more misbecome him or he dishonour it for that of Dr. Primrose is an undeniable Truth Non solet enim Qui hodie Doctor non est cras scilicet futurus repento fieri propterea doctior neque si eo gradu abstineat fiet Doctor quodam indoctior lib. 1 de vulg Erroribus c. 2. That is Hee that writeth Dunce on the Vespers or Eve of his Doctorship doth not alter his Copy and go out Scholler next day though he commence Dr. nor is he the lesse learned or Physitian that hath not wrapt his Abilities in Scarlet which often times blusheth for the ignorance it covereth according to that following truth in the same Author and Chapter Plurimi enim Medicastri hujus Artis ignari aut ea levissime imbuti empto in peregrinis Academijs Doctoris Titulo aut saltem se emisse simulantes sic ementito Honore superbi domum redeunt ut Civium Sanguine Divitijs saginentur which because the fault is not confined to Italy take in English many Medicasters pretenders to Physick buy the degree of Doctor abroad and come home and sel it for the Lives and Monyes of their own Countrymen As for the true Abilities of our Valentian Dr. his naturall Philosophy what is it if Hee have tasted of Aristotles well but a Systeme of vulgar Errours which hee endeavoureth to maintain against all opposers with a sic dicit Aristoteles though Quae dicit Aristoteles what Aristotle doth say is so much a question that Charity must assign which limme of the contradictions frequent in his works is most probably his Opinion and most agreeing to the sence of so great a Master of Reason as in himselfe Detraction it selfe will confesse he was But such Philosophers as this Dr. wrong an Author worthy of esteem for many things in misunderstanding his Truths and themselves in blindly beleiving the Errours of the compiler or compiling of those works that bear his Name It is I confesse a Philosophy too generall to know too little and beleive too much and for Physick our Doctor is pertinaciously either a Gâ—lenist or Paracelsian but he is too raw to be Judicious in either too wilfull to be a Conciliator of both His Ethicks you have heard are Pride and her Traine Scorne of others admiring himselfe and benefiting none c. so that here is scarce left any thing of this titular Motion but the Cap and Scarlet containing in THem for Intellectualls Ignorance for Moralls Insolence MEDICINALL Observations Characters Containing 1. A Live Dissection of Selfe-killers and their Accessories or of Patients and their Tenders OR A Commentary on that part of Hippocrates his first Aphorisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. NOthing more ineffectualls nothing more discredits the Physitians Endeavours than the Patients Practise and Tenders unserviceableness Hippocrates did wel to front his Axiomaticall Experiments his book of Aphorismes with the grand Miscariages in the practise of most able Physitians among which his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 including the Patient and attendants among the Causes seemeth to arraigne the Patient of self-destruction and the loving discourtesie of Friends and Tenders of kinde hastening the Sick to a Cure of all diseases They and the Diseases of the Mindes of Patients continue or end their bodily infirmities too soon to sum up which would be a Nosography and tract of Diseases as large as any treating of the Bodies distemper I shall rank them therefore into such as precede and go before they fall sick such as accompany their sicknesse and such as follow Among the first are 1. Blindenesse in their Choice 2. Lamenesse in their Addresse by the first to som Physitians they come too soon by the latter they oft come to the best too late the first may be one of those two Infirmities of sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dimnesse that contrary to that Patient of the grand Physitian that took Men for Trees taketh Trees for Men or else-Heel makers Carpenters or such wooden Practitioners would never be taken for Physitians 2. The other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they see afar off but not at hand So do men discern I know not what fitnesse in men that come from farr but in our owne Country-men they can see nothing but what is ordinary in both proceeding from false principles of Judgment and choice and that either from themselves or others 1. To themselves novelty and boasting are set up as great Arguments of Abilities First for Novelty New-come is the onely welcome to his Fancy give him any that come but last Tide from Gravesend come but now over in the Packet Boat that hath but English enough to write Mee cure all these Diseases par la Grace de God Our Patients head aketh presently and he maketh all the hast home to pisse to send it to this All-Things because nothing he can understand who cured him he saith next under God of that our Physitians were faine to fling their Caps at and so soon that he had not time to know the Disease before it was cured Whether this famous man keep to private practise or mount he taketh it ill of any of his Friends that will not bee sick on purpose to send to him O what a rare Country were this Island cryeth he presently if it had but as good Physitians as Remedies He seeth none of his own Country-men to be compared to your travelled out-landish man who maketh nothing to shew his skill in curing of a Disease to procure it on
of the Church Eloquent and when she began to speak spoke no lesse learned then her Opposers In the second Century Justin Martyr Tatianus Irenaeus c. as I finde them Marshalled In the third Tertullian Origen who it is said writ 6000. Books Clemens Alexandrinus the Christian Plutarch as one calleth him quoddam Promptuarium mansuetioris literaturae Minutius Foelix Cyprian who Saint Austin saith robb'd the AEgyptians of all their Gold and Jewels their Arts and Learning when he joyned himselfe to the Israel of God and set forwards to the Heavenly Canaan In the fourth Basil Nazianzen Chrysostome with whose name as the ablest Barrester in the cause of Heaven the best Spokes-man for Christ to his Spouse and who was among the Fathers as Paul among the Apostles for all manner of Abilities I end the List of Champions for pious Learning though thence downeward afford many more Even every Age hath had Champions for the Truth armed at all points against Sophistry and men qualified with all Abilities of Embassadours for Heaven that contented not themselves with good meanings towards Heaven or holinesse of life alone to be all required in men chosen for such weighty Trusts as the Oracles of God by them to be defended and explain'd onely by the Scripture it selfe and the private Interpretation of their own Conjectures but used all helps of divine and humane Learning of all whom we may use those words in Ecclesiasticus 44. verses 4. 6. 7. that they were leaders of the people by their Counsels and by their Knowledge and Learning meet for the people wise and eloquent in their Instructions c. and were the Glory of their times verse 7. Come we now to the last and lastingest Friend Learning hath and that is Reason which when it sheweth the usefulnesse thereof in defence or perswasion of Truth if it leave not its Opposers convinced it will aggravate their Obstinacy and argue their blindnesse incurable for it 1. The usefulnesse of it in the defence of truth see by Athanasius his want of it at one plunge against the Arrians where his want of that part of it which is the Languages more particularly his skill in the Hebrew put him to needlesse shifting distinctions Whereas it is Proverbs the 8. 22. Wisdome was with God from the beginning which wisdome by both is confessed to be meant Christ And they urged the Septuagints Translation Created mee and so denyed the Divinity of Christ he had easily evaded the Sophisme without a puzzle of distinctions had he known the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified to possesse as well as create Without question were one to enter Discourse or Dispute it is not ones Truly I concieve this is the meaning of the place and I believe it is faithfully translated by such and such pious men that undertook the work will silence a man be he friend or foe to truth that appealeth to Originals Then for Deductions how easie to impose Sophismes on one that knoweth no kind of Logick or form of Reasoning which any love but they that dispute for Victory not Truth that care not how they silence an Opposer though it be by Impertinencies so they be lowde enough and nimbly enough urged Come to others that on good grounds enough require some concent of History Ecclesiasticall or Civill for the explaining of some places of Scripture What shall my Friend do that knoweth no History but some ten or twelve Sinces in his Almanack How long since the World was created and when Coaches came into England that dareth not lay a wager whether Edward the fifth was before Edward the third tell not him of Councells that knoweth none or at least beleeveth none but his Common Councel calleth all Popish Traditions but what the Churchwarden and his Predecessors can remember Will such a one be fit to deale with one versed in History Ecclesiasticall and Civill Councells Law Canonicall and Civill weapons of use for Truth as well as sometimes against it but of no use to our Artillery-ground Man that never saw any Service never read any but his own Sides Arguments meeting with any other he denyeth conclusions careth not for Councels Fathers Schoolmen Reasons all usefull in their course so much as for one ignorant Neighbours opinion seconding his owne for no otherwise indeed will he like any Judge you how fit such a one would be to defend his Faith against Scholastick opposition Let Saint Pauls judgement be taken who made not more fit by his hand then Pen by Institution then Instruction for this weighty calling He would have his Bishop which if no more then Pastour the more to our purpose one holding fast the faithfull word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince Gainsayers for both which how contrary to this Canon unfit are the illiterate Rabble Such whose Giftishnesse in Exhortation amounteth to a perswasive power indeed but to what Of their Auditors to depart the Church and spend their times better then in hearing such holders forth of words that they never were taught nor ever in themselves can teach in stead of holders fast of words taught Convinced gainesayers and wranglers they are in stead of convincers of such as the Apostle would have his Bishops the tenth Verse of that Chapter compared with Jude verses 10. 12. 13. setteth out to the full the illiterate Townes new Teacher there are many there is a Rabble intimated not selected ones instituted ordained rightly called c. unruly and vaine talkers here is two expressive Epithets for this Rabble and those are rude and ignorant unruly and vaine what is wanting in solidity you shall have in noise And because Opposita juxta se posita magis elucescunt shadows best set off the lighter parts of the Picture it can be no digression to follow the Apostles methode in delivery of his Cautions for election of men sufficient for these things who I hope in fine to the unmuddied judgement it will appeare meant the Literate which is as in the above mentioned place to shew their contraries I will therefore pursue it a little further Jude limmes me-thinks these Gospell Dark Lanternes lights I cannot call them without it be Ignes fatui Fooles fires Wills with a wisp c. as our very Teachers Meteorology wordeth them the Apostles words are verse 10. These speak evill of the Things they know not the latter part of the Verse belonging principally to Ranters Here behold againe Ill Language and Ignorance as their Matter and Forme coupled what is it but making the old Adage Canonicall knowledge hath no Enemy but Ignorance Then in the 12. Verse hee saith they are Clouds without Raine good for nothing but to keep the Sun from the Earth so are these Teachers hinderers of that Light and knowledge they cannot attaine to themselves To say truth though some call their profound Ignorances New Lights they were better Anabaptised into
the Appellation of Extinguishers carryed about with every winde And indeed if Privations could have Rationes formales the very essence of them or immediatè consequens Essentiam as the Metaphysitians word it that which is but one degree from their Essence is their inconstancy And how can it be otherwise Since very ordinary Sophistry turneth their braineâ— and vicissitude of successes their hearts you may know very well by them where the winde sitteth And the two Poles of their own Motions are Male-contentednesse or Profit Their Judgements leaning to one of these Cardinall Points even when wee see no wind almost stirring These are the weather Cocks not on but against Steeple houses as Churches are styled in our new Childrens Dictionary or if Lights only in that Property of Flame that yeeldeth to every Puffe of winde but I forbeare to swell this discourse into a Commentary on that Character of St Judes by them whom it concerneth counted Apocryphall and leave them to the censure of the Judicious and their owne Consciences in that Character of Saint Austine Lib. 3. de Schismatibns and cited by Calvin Isti filii mali Qui non odio Iniquitatum Aliarum sed studio Contentionum suarum infirmas Plebes Jactantia sui Nominis irretitas vel totas trahere vel certe dividere affectant Hi sunt Superbiâ— tumidi Pervicaciâ vesani Calumniis insidiosi Seditionibus temulenti Qui ne Luce veritatis carere ostendantur umbram rigidae Severitatis suae assumâ—nt ad Sacrilegium Schismatis occasionem Praecisionis now because we may subscribe to that of Salomon Nothing is new under the Sun and because some such people have been cast on our Shore the Iland indeed suffering Shipwrack as I may say when they landed take the Character in English neere the sense of it and Saint Austin complained of a Generation that not so much to reforme the Faults and Errours of others as to confirme their own having ensnared the silly vulgar by the dazle of their fame in some plausible or other seek to engage or divide them They are saith Hee swelled with pride madly obstinate treacherously slanderous and even reeling with Sedition Yet least they should seem to want the true Light They eat the shaddow of austerity of Life over their Sacriledge of Schisme and for the justifying of their separation Thus far Saint Austine and I would the Infection had stopped with the Period of its Description or Life of the Describer but Christs oportet Silenceth our Vtinams Offences must come therefore let vaine wishes goe I now proceed to the conclusion of Learnings usefullnesse in the defence of Truth What stout Defenders of the Faith can we expect they should be that swound at a Syllogisme purge both wayes at a Dilemma and are ready to make their own Testament if they see a Greek one Where hath Error sâ—aled Truths Walls but where it found them thus slenderly guarded Whereas on the contrary what defiance to Rome hath the Church of England bid from her Universities What Champions able to grapple with their proudest It were no Arrogance to affirm Bellarmines Cause and Writings have been enervated more by the Church of Englands learned Fathers and Doctors than by any or all of the other reformed Churches and what greater Triumph than to beat Adversaries at their owne Weapons If they appeale to Fathers why we have legitimated our Church as well as they if not more if to Councels we decline not those that are incorrupt If to Scripture we are for them I am sure have been in all Languages and Translations But I passe to that other usefulnesse of Learning in the perswasion of Truths How unfit is he to be the Almighty his Spokes-man that cannot Pen a Petition for himselfe to his fellow Creature man He can doubtlesse ill Descant or enlarge on that Majestick Preface Thus saith the Lord that goeth to a Scrivener to make him an Humbly sheweth although to one so illiterate too that needeth it may be the same help to have it read is the Art of divine Rhetorick the most easie Trade of all Trades must tugging at an Ore require a Prentiship and shall Prentise and Master be equally gifted for Preaching Wee think not Porters fit to send to or come from Princes and shall such or those of no higher qualifications be fit for Gods Embassadours Would no Town chuse him Recorder that knoweth not to write or read his Name and shall such a one bee sufficient to take charge of Souls to plead our Cause we can scarce finde any able enough and shall any serve to plead Gods and that with refractory man Doubtlesse as Divinity hath much Assistance from humane Learning in this one halfe of a Divine viz. The power of perswasion so all it can get is little enough to deale with the Ignorant peevish and rebellious sort of men Whose Godlinesse is gain Creed sense and Happinesse sensuality with whom in their pure Naturals Heaven and that inestimable Jewell in the Gospell are Bables and Hell a Fable Consider but the Task of the divine Oratour and judge you what Abilities are requisite and whether Saint Paul were not in some such Contemplation when he cryed out Who is sufficient for these things Logick must lend him Analysis to make usefull division of this divine Bread Rhetorick is the hand as Logick is the knife to reach it home when divided to every hungry Soule It is not every one that holdeth the Plow can sow this Seed whistling to a Teem and the voice of this Charmer are turned to severall Notes It must be a search after acceptable words that must furnish Salomons Preacher as hath been said he must have those Mucrones Sermonum Goades of the wise that will prick up the drowsie and forward the lazy hearer Rhetoricall Topicks are such Whetstones that even the Sword of the Spirit that two-edged Sword hath often used Nor hath it waved the use of other parts of humane Litterature you shall finde Poetry despised onely by such whose knowledge arrives but to the understanding or liking of wofull Ballads part of Saint Pauls reading and by him quoted Titus 1 12 out of Epimenides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Crâ—tians are alwaiâ—s Lyars c. and let me crowde into a Parenthesis Aquinas his reason from the Glosse Doctor Sacrae Scripturae accipit Testimonium veritatis ubicunque invenerit Our Expositor Paul saith he of Sacred Scripture taketh Testimonies of the truth where ever hee findeth them If among Dicta Gentilium the Sayings of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 15. 33. Out of another Poet viz. Menander saith Hierome he hath that cited place evill communication corrupteth good manners Sure Learning was no such Noli me Tangere in the Apostles account when the Heathen Poets were not onely part of his reading as may be replyed before his Conversion but afterwards used as hand-maid to divine Truth Lipsius is of my mind in his Cent. 1. 99. Epist In Platone Trismegisto Arriano