shall converse very long with him before you shall know what is in him he will shew a countenance of friendship although he intendeth revenge he can trayne his purposes afarre off to vndermine where hee pleaseth hee will praise where he spiteth and disprayse where he loveth for a further proiect hee can observe his times better than we for his plots and marke fitter occasions to effectuate his iâ—tent he can winne ground in a mans affection by some small conversation and after prevaile in what he list when he hath got the advantage In sine he can dissemble better his owne passions and vse himselfe therein more circumspectly than we can doe Wherefore I thought good to trie if a little direction would helpe â—ur Countriemen to counterpoise their native warinesse and open the way not to become craftie and deceitfull which is vitious but how to discover other mens passions and how to behave our selves when such affections extraordinarily possesse vs the which is the chiefest poynt of prudence and fittest mean to attayne vnto religious civil gentlemanlike conversation which is vertuous Whereunto especially this discourse of Affections aymeth albeit for more compleate doctrine I have handled almost all those questions which concerne the Passions in generall But for all this I would not have any man to thinke that I am of opinion that all Italians and Spaniards go beyond all Englishmen in subtiltie and warinesse for I have found divers of our Nation whom I beleeve neyther Italian nor Spanyard câ—uld over-reach in what negotiation soever but onely I meane that for the most part those Nations surpasse ours in a certaine politique craftinesse the which Nature first bred in them Education perâ—ited Vertue amendeth and Art discovereth The which I have endevoured first of all as I thinke to draw into forme and method according to the principles of Sciences hoping that some other will hereby take occasion eyther to perfite mine or to attempt a better my desire is the good of my Countrie the effect every mans prudent carriage the last end the glory of God whereunto all our labours must tend and all our actions be directect and therefore to him let these little sparkes be consecrated to kindle the â—ire in his most holy Temple in tremore sperando To the ternall and aeternall Vnitie FLame of bright love and beauty thou whose beames Reflected heere have so â—â—bellished All Creatures finding how my fancy fed Vpon this earthy circles glimmering gleames Not else reclaimable from those extreames Centrally drewst my heart to one faire head Enamelled with browne blew white and red So to allure it to those heavenly Reames Purify all the Passions of my Minde And light my vnderstanding So may I Reede foorth and heed what Passions heere I find Kindle my will and heave it vp for why Even as thy love like fire drawes vp my love Right so my love like fire will mount above To the Author IN Picture they which truly vnderstand Require besides the likenesse of the thing Light Posture Height'ning Shadow Culloring All which are parts commend the cunning hand And all your Booke when it is throughly scan'd Will well confesse presenting limiting Each subt'lest Passion with her source and spring So bold as shewes your Art you can command But now your Worke is done if they that view The severall figures languish in suspence To iudge which Passion 's false and which is true Betweene the doubtfull sway of Reason ' and sense T is not your fault if they shall sense preferre Being tould there Reason cannot Sense may erre B. I. The first Booke of the PASSIONS of the MINDE wherein is declared the essence of Passions The end and profite of this Discourse wherein are declared the Passions and Affections of our Soules CHAP. I. THERE can be no man who works by right reason but when he first intendes his worke he aymeth at some end he levels at some good viz. either to instruct the wit with doctrine move the will to virtue delight the minde with pleasure or in fine direct the Reader to do some thing that may be either commodious to himselfe or profitable to the common weale This Treatise therefore of the Passions of the Minde cannot but carry with it a goodly and faire glosse of profite and commoditie not onely because it concerneth every mans particular but also for that there be few estates or conditions of men that have not int'rest in this matter the Divine the Philosopher the curers both of the bodie and the soule I meane the Preacher and Physitian the good Christian that attendeth to mortification and the prudent civill Gentleman that procureth a gratefull conversation may reape some commoditie touching their professions and in sine every man may by this conse to a knowledge of himselfe which ought to be preferred before all treasures and riches The Divine herein may first challenge his parte because the inordinate motions of Passions their preventing of reason their rebellion to virtue are thornie briars sprung from the infected root of original sinne the which Treatise wholy concerneth Divines and all the deformed broode thereby ingendred the Passions likewise augment or diminish the deformitie of actuall sinnes they blinde reason they seduce the will and therefore are speciall causes of sinne whereuppon among Divines grew that common distinction of sins that some are of Passion others proceede from ignorance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others from malice and wilfulnesse Finally Passions are meanes to help vs and impediments to withdraw vs from our end the Divine therefore who specially entreateth of our last end and of the meanes to atchieve it and difficulties to obtaine it muâ—â— of necessitie extend the sphere of his knowledge to this subject of our Passions and for this respect of Divines they are See Thom. cum Scholasticis in 12 q. 22. alios in 1. part vbi de hâ—mine divinely handled The Philosopher as well naturall as moâ—â—ll the one for Speculation the other for Practise wade most profoundly in the matter of our Passions The naturall See the Philosophers in the second and third de Anima Philosopher contemplating the natures of men and beasts sensitive soules for Passions are common to both consequently enter into discourse about the actions and operations thereof for without the knowledge of them it were impossible to attaine vnto the perfite vnderstanding of either of them The morall Philosopher describing maners inviting to virtue disswading from vice sheweth how our inordinate appetites must be brideled with fortitude temperance he declareth their natures their craft deceit in what sort of persons they are most vehement and in whome more moderate and to be briefe he spendeth wel nie in this disputation all his morall Philosophie in teaching how they may be vsed or abused The christian Orator I meane the godly Preacher perfitely vnderstanding the natures and proprieties of mens passions questionlesse may effectuate strange matters in the mindes
base and drudging life Besides if all creatures by the instinct of Nature endevor so much to win theyr full and compleat perfection why should we degenerate so farre from our owne nature as not to accomplish that we lacke marke but the seede cast into the ground how it laboureth to die after to live how it fixeth his rootes pierceth the ground to enioy the Sunne and ayre erecteth the stem springs the huskes issues the eare yeelds with the wind and never giveth over till the corne bee brought to a full maturity we see how new wines beere and all liquors worke by boyling the rawer parts expelling the dregs reducing themselves to a due temper proportionated mixture and perfection if these insensible creatures so industriously labor to come to theyr end shal not we endevour to atchieve our end and felicity If they according to theyr small ability imploy theyr naturall talentes why should not wee endued with so many graces procure our owne good and perfection Why standeth God at Apoc. 3. 20. the doores of our heart beating but to enter in Why doe Gods servants crye out vpon our negligence but Iere. 25. 34. to bring vs to diligence Why doth God punish many in the prime of theyr yeeres in the fatte of theyr fortune in the glory of theyr prosperitye but to advertise vs by theyr examples of the inconstancy of this world and that wee might learne to bee wise by theyr losses to be vigilant and carefull by their carelesnesse Some more Impediments I could deliver as the many occasions offred dayly to do ill the great readinesse of matter and favourers thereof the insatiable desire possesseth our heartes of inordinate pleasures the admirable diligence in procuring temporall treasures the extreame delight all men conceyve in theyr owne actions the great account and estimation they do make of them how soone they despise or abase the enterprises of others how perverse and obstinate they live in their own opinions I could I say make long discourses vpon these particular obiects but that they may all be reduced to selfe-love inordinate Passions the world and the divell of which we have intreated largely before onely I will here adioyne the reason and cause of all this Treatise why we having so many meanes so forcible so divine Mat. 7. 15. 20. 16. 1. Pet. 4. 18. so continuall so supernaturall to serve God to follow Vertue to fly sinne and scarce halfe so many impediments leading vs to vice and vngodlinesse yet for one that doth well thousands doe ill and for one that goes to Heaven almost a million goes to hell and that the difficulty may seeme more apparant adde another consideration questionlesse all vniversall effectes proceede from vniversall causes as we see all men die therefore we gather that all have a Nature corruptible all men are subiect to Passions preventing and dissenting from reason therefore we inferre that Nature is corrupted even so since most men doe ill and few good and after this tenour in all Countries and Nations therefore we must finde out some generall cause Some will say that this proceedeth from originall sinne whereby our nature remayned corrupted and therefore prone to evill slow to good this reason indeede toucheth some remote cause but yet it doth not fully satisfie first because we have set downe all the internall effects and impious of-springs of originall sinne and yet they can not amount or countervaile the number of those helps we have to do good Besides it ought to be declared how originall sinne hath so infected nature that it is so feeble to vertue and so strong to vice for all the wounds which internally moove vs to sinne reside either in the wit will or sensitive appetite the which we have conferred with those stayes both God and good nature hath bestowed vpon vs to do well Furthermore by the passion of Christ his merits grace originall sinne is forgiven vs who by baptisme have put Gala. 3. 27. Ephes 5. 6. Tit. 3. 5. Eze 33. 12. Ioel. 2. 25. Ephes â— 5. Eze. 36. 26. Psal 33. 8. Psal 90. 13. on Christ he hath restored vnto vs his former favours adopted vs for children changed hearts of stone into hearts of flesh fortified our soules against vice enabled our faculties against sinne protected and guarded vs about with Angels for our defence against Sathan that our feet should not be stayed in the way of vertue by blocks stones our ghostly enemies cast in the narrow way that leadeth to heaven to hinder our voyage or frustrate our designements Therefore to conclude this matter I resolve my selfe that we have more meanes to do good then occasions to do ill and them also of their nature to be more forcible and potent neverthelesse for foure reasons more men are wicked then vertuous first for lack of prudent meditations secondly for ill education thirdly for palpable present delectation lastly for defect of due prefervation I meane first that men miscarrie so often in this peregrination for lack of good consideration because most of those meanes God hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon vs require a certaine meditation and ponderation for they be like hot coales the which you may take in your hands and presently cast away without burning because all actions welnie require time or space for their operations but if you hold them a while you shall feele their effects So it falleth forth in the mysteries of our faith he that meditateth burneth he that perfunctorily runneth over them scarse feeleth their heate In meditatione mea sayth David exardescit ignis in my Psal 38. 3. prayer fire is kindled because meditation bloweth the coales by consideration whereunto followeth the flame of love and affection for otherwise what profit can we take of the inconstancie of our lives and certaintie of our deaths of the severe and infallible iudgement of God the inexplicable paynes of hell the ineffable ioyes of heaven if we never consider them What availeth vs to have the scriptures that God punished in this life so many with extraordinary deaths that by sinnes we are spoyled of grace wounded in nature disenabled to goodnes incited to ilnes if we never ruminate them in our minds or ponder them in our considerations Questionlesse it were to swallow meate without chewing which rather endammageth health then restoreth the lost forces Wherefore I like well those wise godly men which every day allot themselves a certaine time stinting their howers for meditation propounding before the eyes of their consideration now one mysterie now an other now the passions of Christ then the pangs of death now the strict iudgements and punishments of God then the eternall delights layd vp for vs in his heavenly Paradice these therefore like fruitfull Psal 1. â— trees planted by the river sides render their fruites in due season these arme themselves in the morning to resist all encounters which may occurre the day time these be
to his divine providence an inclination facultie or power to conserve it self procure what it needeth to resist impugne whatsoever hindereth it of that appertaineth vnto his good and conservation So we see fire continually ascendeth vpward because the coldenesse of the water earth and ayre much impeacheth the vertue of his heate heavie substances descend to their centre for their preservation the hare flieth from the houndes the partridge hideth her selfe from the tallent of the hawke and in fine God hath enabled every thing to eschew his ennemy and enioy his friend Whereuppon grew that protrite distinction of a triple appetite naturall sensitive and reasonable the first we finde in elements and plants the second in beasts and men the third in men and angelles the first Philosophers call a naturall inclination the second a sensitive appetite the third a reasonable or voluntary affection neverthelesse the naturall inclinations of inanimate creatures and the sensitive appetites of living thinges dissent in some points because they with one motion eschew their contraries procure their owne good and obtaine that they need as for example the fire by the same motion ascendeth to heaven getteth his place and flieth from earth and water as contraries the boyling water set from the fire cooleth it selfe and withall expelleth the vnnaturall heate Men and beastes with one appetite prosecute the good they desire and with an other they slie the evill they abhorre as for example with one appetite a man desires good wine and with another detesteth ill wine An other difference besides there is because men and beasts in their appetites have a certaine pleasure and delectation paine or griefe the which affections can not be found in any inanimate creatures This delight or payne God imparted vnto vs that wee might thereby be stirred vp to attempt those actions which were necessary for vs or flie those inconveniences or harmes which might annoy vs for who would attend to eating or drincking to the act of generation if Nature had not ioyned thereunto some delectation A pregnant proofe of this may be seene in sicke men who having lost their appetites loathe nothing so much as meate Heere we may beginne to discover the coasts of Selfe-love for God having so bountifully granted vs meanes to provide for such thinges as were needefull and to avoyde such things as were harmefull adioyning pleasure to the one and paine to the other wherevppon ensued that having a reasonable soule the which like an Empresse was to governe the body direct the senses guide the passions as subiects and vassalles by the square of prudence and rule of reason the inferior partes were bound to yeeld homage and obey Then Selfe-love vpstarts and for the affinitie with sense for the causes alleadged in the precedent chapter will in no case obay reason but allured with the baite of pleasure and sensualitie proclaymeth warres and rebellion against prudence against the love of GOD in so much this tyrant prevaileth that if reason commaund a temperate dyet she will have exquisite and superfluous dishes if reason will be contented with a meane decent attire she will have gorgeous and above her state and condition In summe from this infected love sprung all the evils welnie that pester the world the which Saint Augustine Aug. lib. 22. deciv cap. 2â— With saint Augustine consenteth Plato 5. de legibus And Arist 9. Eth. c. 8. doth gather together yet leaveth out many Mordaces curâ— c. griping cares perturbations moanes feares madde ioyes dissensions strifes warres stratagems angers enmities falshood flatterie theft rapine and a number more which there he reckneth and I to avoyd tediousnes omit Yet by this may also be vnderstood that famous distinction more practized than knowen of many I meane of two loves the one that buildeth the citie of Ierusalem the other the citie of Babylon Aug super psal 64. that is the love of God buildeth the cittie of the predestinate Selfe-love the cittie of the reprobate that repaireth the ruines of Angelles this filleth the infeâ—â—all dennes with Divels for charitie and the love of God being the base and foundation of all goodnesse without which all vertues are dead and not availing to life everlasting rendreth a spirituall life animating the iust to serve God flie vice follow vertue with which vertues and good workes Gods church is replenished and Sathans synagogue emptied Contrariwise Selfe-love following inordinate affections inticeth the cittizens of Ierusalem to prosecute pleasures vnbridle their senses enioy the roses till they flourish not to let wither the Mayie flowres of their flesh haleth the poore soules from the libertie of Ierusalem to the captivitie of Babylon thereby casting the children of God into the thraldome of Sathan By this it appeareth howe God gave every man an inclination to love himselfe yet subordinated to reason and how by the pleasure of sensualitie it is growne to such a head that rather it ruleth reason than reason ruleth it Selfe-love then may bee defined an inordinate inclination of the soule affecting too much the pleasures of the body against the prescript of right reason this may well be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 olde Adam the law of the flesh sensualitie the enemie of God the spring of vice the roote of impietie the bane of godly conversation the obiect of mortification the sincke of sinne ever craving never concent tyrannizing over the greatest and overthrowing the least How the Passions may be well directed and made profitable CHAP. III. IT hath beene declared I thinke sufficiently howe most men inordinately followe the vnbrideled appetite of their sensual passions yet no doubt but they may by vertue be guided and many good men so moderate and mortifie them that they rather serve them for instruments of vertue than foments of vice and as an occasion of victory than a cause of foyle For Christ our Saviour in whom neyther sinne nor inordinate affection could fall no doubt was subiect to these passions Tristis est anima Matth. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. mea sayth he vsque ad mortem My soule is sadde even vntill death And Coepit pavere toedere He beganne to bee afrayde and heavy Feare and heavynesse no doubt are passions of the mind yet because in Christ they were prevented with reason and guided by vertue neyther alluring him to sinne nor ingendring vitious Hieron ep 22. ad Eustoch quem sequuntur scolastici Psalme 4. Philip. 2. habites therefore of Divines they rather were called propassions than passions Moreover the Scriptures exhort vs to these passions Irascimini nolite peccare Be angry and sinne not Cum metu tremore salutem operamini with feare trembling worke your salvation And therefore it were blasphemous to say that absolutely all passions were ill for so the Scriptures should exhort vs to ill The reason also commonly allowed of Philosophers and Divines most pregnantly prooveth this veritie for if the motions of our willes be
quantity of the gift and the more he giveth we iudge the better he loveth and the more the greatnes wealth of the Prince is the greater gift will ever seeme lesser But in iniuries contrariwise the greatnes of the person offended mightily augmenteth the excesse of the offence and therefore in sinne the person of God beeing of infinite Maiesty the iniurie and offence almost is infinitely aggravated for if a base peasant beate a Gentleman the iniurie is greater then if he beat his fellow peasant if he beat a Knight the offence encreased if a Baron more excessive if an Earle it ascended if a Duke more enormious if the Kings sonne more trecherous if the King himselfe more horrible if the Emperor more execrable so that the like offence done to different persons in dignitie according to their higher degree and preeminence is iudged more grievous and iniurious The which if we extend to God it wanteth all proportion and measure For as his Maiestie surpasseth all in greatnesse and dignitie so the iniuries offered him are matchlesse and incomparable with any kind of iniquitie The 14. Motive to Love which is Hatred IT is admirable how gealing frostes cause springs and welles which in Sommer be exceeding cold in the depth of Winter to smoake with heate for the vehemencie of the frost and coldnesse so glueth and environeth the earth that the hot vapours which are engendred within it partly retyring from cold repercussions partly stopped from passages the pores of the ground being shut vnite themselves againe with the water and so cause warmenesse We see by experience that raging Mastives who if they were loosed one at another they would fight till death whereas in presence of the Bull or Beare they ioyne in friendship and both eyther by sensuall consent or naturall instinct vnite themselves in one to assault their common adversary The like wee finde among politike Potentates and Princes who easily ioyne in league and amitie with them who are in dissention or warres with their professed enemyes And holy Writte recounteth a case not much different from this of Herod and Pilate who bare no great good will to our Saviour and therefore of foes they fell into friendship Wherefore in all vproares and commotions riots and rebellions all Nations can testifie that hatred of subiects against superiors vniteth them in one and causeth revolt against the State as we reade of David to whom when he fled from the face of Saul resorted all they who were amuro animo crossed or afflicted and he was their 1. Reg. 22. Captayne The reason of this may easily be rendred for first resemblance as I sayd above causeth love now all they which hate our enemyes resemble vs in that passion and consequently are apt obiects to be beloved Againe profit and commoditie cause love in this case the vnion of haters against their common enemie is a re-inforcement of their strength and an enabling of them more easily to subdue their adversaries Finally as every man iudgeth his owne cause good and his enemyes bad so he is easily induced to thinke the case alike of all them who are at like debate with his adversary and therefore thinke as innocents they ought to be desended and protected How shall thou and I ioyne â—n hatred O God of concord I may say against sinne we may linke ourselves in vnion but alas sinne is a certaine nothing and I love it too well and therefore hardly can herein find occasion to love thee Yet in truth if a man be resolute against sinne there is no mortall enemy in the world who should more detest and abhor his enemy then he should sinne for nothing God ever hated or can hate but sinne the causes and effects thereof For nothing can dishonor God but sinne nor nothing really damnifie man but sinne The The Devill mortally hateth O most mercifull bountifull and amiable God thy sacred Maiesty and also all mankind but why hateth he thee because thou hates his arrogant pride envie and malice and therefore with condigne punishments torments him But what can his hatefull poysonfull hart exhale out against thee either to afflict thee with paine molest thee with sorrow abate thy blessednes or diminish any way thy glory He can as much prevaile against thy might or as much impaire thy greatnes as an Emets blast the mountaines of Hircan or Caucasus and for that in effect he can do nothing yet in the excessive malice of his affect he will do all he can wherefore knowing that man is bound both by nature grace gratitude vassaladge and many other titles to love honour and blesse thee and that by obediently Gen. 3. 1. 1. Paral. 21. 1. Iob. 1. 2. Zach. 3. 1. Math. 4. 3 9. Luc. 8. 12. Act. 5. 3. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Ephes 6. 11. 1. Thess 2 18. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Apoc. 2. 10. serving thee with humility and charity he shall attayne vnto that happy felicitie whereof he and his complices for their demerites are for ever deprived therefore as well to rob thee of thy due honour and service as also to hinder him from the atchievement of his eternall happinesse with all mayne and might lyke a roaring Lion raging with yre and famished with hunger of mans perdition he rangeth abroad seeking whom he may devoure how he can possibly impeach thy glory or mans salvation and therefore from the beginning of the world vntill this day and to the worlds end will ever continue the enmitie betwixt the seede of the woman and the seducing serpent Ah my God! I know full well that all the Devils in hell combined in one howsoever they spit their spight nay belch out their infernall gall against thee yet all their forces and substances natures and what else they have if thou wouldst but say the word in a moment would be consumed to nothing But thine intent is that we should fight with him who with so many advantages impugneth vs yet by the assistance of thy grace with honour and reputation we should resist expunge and triumph victoriously over him for that victory is more glorious and that glory more illustrious where adversaryes are strongest and our forces 2. Cor. 12. 7. feeblest Nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur and Iobs vertue and thy grace were much more conspicuous in his botches and biles in his dunghill and ashes in the Iob. 1. slouds of his losses and inundation of his crosses then when thou blessedst him with seaven thousand Sheepe three thousand Camels a multitude of Oxen and Asses when thou bestowedst vpon him an ample family and a happy issue of Sonnes and Daughters when thou garded protected and with thy fatherly providence compassed himselfe family lands and livings on every side But vnlesse I vnite my forces with thy grace or rather thou with thy favorable assistance ioyne with me alas I am as vnable to encounter such a potent adversary as an Emet a Lion a Pigmey a Giant who
brimstone from heaven vpon those infamous citties of Sodome and Gomorrha Sinne many examples more I could bring out of the old Testament as deaths of private men Princes submersions of armies dispersions of Countries mortalitie of thousands famin warres plagues captivities and imprisonments for no other cause inflicted than wickednesse and sinne but let vs only fixe our eies vpon the Sonne of God nayled vpon the Crosse and we shall see how sinne mangled his body and afflicted his soule those nayles teares streames of blood exclamations gall and paines are monuments of sinne and memories of our perverse and wicked life 26 Above all other evils incident to an evill life of great force to restraine our vntoward willes from vice is the extreame iniurie we offer to God by sinne transgressing his lawe perverting his order disposition and providence iniuring his infinite goodnes which ought of all creatures to be beloved despising his Maiestie to which as to their last end all men ought to direct their actions And finally shewing our selves vngratefull to his love the which ought to be affected with all submission obedience and gratitude 27 What can more deterre men from wickednesse then their owne private losse or move them more to vertue then their owne present gaine By vice our soules are spoyled of their riches their most precious robes heavenly attire by vertue they are apparelled by vice they are wounded even to the centre by vertue they are healed by vice they are impoverished by vertue enriched by vice they are defiled by vertue cleansed by vice they become dennes of devils by vertue seates of Angels 28 But some will obiect the soule is spirituall and her losses cannot so well be perceived but if we had some palpable sensible motives to draw vs from vice to vertue then the case would be altered But sensible reasons want not and no day or hower passeth wherein appeareth not some silent sermon or reall perswasion to avoyd sinne and follow goodnes Do we not see dayly men dye is not death of the body caused by the death of the soule is it not an effect of Adams originall disobedience Whence-from proceed so many diseases plagues and pestilences that Phisitians braines are troubled to know their number for the multitude or reduce them to method they are so disordered But say what brought first hunger and thirst sweate and labour toyling and moyling into this world but our forefathers gluttonie What made so many poore men such a number of beggars but Adams originall theft what causeth our dayes to be so short that many drop away in the very prime of their yeeres few come to the time their complexion requireth the strongest scarce arriveth to a hundred yeeres but our progenitours inordinate appetite of Divinitie and consequently of eternitie finally the terror of death ever imminent the dayly crosses in common conversation the distonsorted courses of the heavens with their influences tempests and stormes contrary to the generation and increase of fruites of the earth the disobedience of beasts the cruelty of men the craft and cosinage we dayly prove all descend from sinne and well admonish vs that if one sinne deserved so many so long so great punishments what will a multitude 29 Wicked men do not only by offences iniurie the maiestie of God but also they abuse his gifts and benefits not only like Scorpions they kill their mother before they be hatched but also like vngratefull debtours oppugne their creditours with their own goods for the vngodly vse that will God gave them to love him to hate him that wit he bestowed vpon them to meditate vpon his law commandements they pervert by thinking how to transgresse them that hart he imparted to affect their neighbours in pure love and charitie that they defile with malice and dishonestie that tongue he lent them to vtter his prayses that they blot with othes and blasphemies those hands he framed as flowing conduits to feede the poore those are wholy imployed to avarice and rapine and to be briefe that vniversall body and soule which ought to have bin kept in holines and sanctification they abuse to offend God with sinne and prevarication 30 To conclude all creatures which God created for the vse of man and as servants attended vpon him as their maister all they I say exclaime against a vitious life they are so many trumpets which cease not to sound the abuses we offer them by offending their Maker the Sunne giveth the light to worke works of light not to live in the shadow of darknes the Moone with her fecunditie inviteth thee to bring forth fruites of iustice and not iniquitie the harmonie of the heavens the multitude varietie brightnes of so many Starres and Planets exhort thee to subordinate thy soule to God to adorne thy minde with vertue to give good example and shine vnto men by a godly conversation Isay 24. 23. for otherwise in signe of revenge before the day of Mat. 24. 29. iudgement they will withdraw theyr beames fall from heaven vpon thee shew themselves as disdainefull to behold Mark 13. 24. sinners as sinners were carelesse to enioy the benefite of their influences and operations to the glory Wisd 5 18. Armabit creaturam ad vltionem immicorum of God and the profite of their soules By this it appeareth what abundance of meanes God hath imparted to vs to the intent all difficulties in the way of Vertue might with facility bee over-commed some be internall some externall some of grace some of nature some instructing the vnderstanding some inclining the affection some continuall some by turnes and to be briefe no man can say that God hath beene a niggard with him but that he hath beene vnanswerable to God The Impediments to Vertue MAn in this world standeth in the middest betwixt God and the divell both pretend to win him to their Kingdomes God to eternall pleasure Sathan to eternall payne God by his power could quickely deliver him and breake all the bondes and chaynes wherewith the divell did or doth bind him but his wisedome thought good not to admit any man of wisedome and discretion to his friendship without his ownâ— consent for as Saint Augustine saith Qui creavit te sine te non iustificabit te sine te He that created thee without thee that is thy consent or cooperation will not iustifie thee without thee that is thy consent cooperation Wherefore wee see Christ in Scriptures so often asked them whom he cured in body and healed in soule Vis Iohn 5. 6. Mat. 9. 2. 22. Luke 8. 50. sanus esse confide crede and such like speeches which signifie that hee would not cure any but them who were willing wherefore God would not oppose all his power and might against our ghostly enemies but onely such sweete meanes as might procure our assent and yet able to overthrow all the troupes of our adversaries he beats at
those vigilant virgins which attend with their Matth. 25. lamps lighted the comming of their heavenly spouse these be those carefull housholders which prevent infernall Matth. 24. 43. Luk. 12. 39. theeves lest they should rob their treasures these be those which live ever in peace and tranquillitie of Phil. 3. 20. minde who dwelling in earth converse in heaven The second reason and principall is ill education of the which we have spoken before yet I must say here with holy scripture that as it is impossible for the Ethiopean to change his skin so it is impossible for youth Iere. 13. 23. brought vp licentiously to change their ill maners for vse breedeth facilitie facilitie confirmeth nature nature strongly inclined can hardly be diverted from her common course but followeth her vitious determination It is a wonder to see how custome transporteth and changeth nature both in body and in soule the which may well be proved by the young Maide the Queene of India sent to Alexander the great the which being nourished from her youth with serpents poison had so changed her naturall constitution that if she had bitten any Aristot. ad Alexand. Vide Hieronimum Cagniolum de institutio principis § 7. man he presently died as Aristotle affirmeth that by experience he had proved even so as serpents poyson had changed her body so ill maners alter the soule and as her teeth poysoned that they bit so wicked men those soules with whom they talke Corrumpunt 1. Cor. 15. 33. bonos more 's colloquia prava and acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes nature therefore in tract of time Psal 139. 4. over-runne with so many weeds of wickednes abhorreth extreamely to supplant them loathing so long molestfull and continuall labor and therefore contenteth her selfe rather to eate the blacke beries of briers then the sweet cherries of vertue for this cause those children have a double bond to their parents schoolemaisters which distill even with milke into their mouths the sweet liquor of pietie vertue and good manners Quâ— semel est imbuta recens servaâ—it â—dorem testa diu â—laccâ—â— Of liquor first which earthen pot receives The smell it doth retaine for many dayes Whereunto agreeth that vulgare axiome of Philosophers Omnis habitus est difficilè separabilis à subiecte The third reason is present delectation for that we hope is future that pleasure worldlings perceive is present sensible delectation feedeth the corporall substance of sences and therefore we easily perceive it but vertue affecteth the soule not after so palpable and grosse manner therefore they despise it wherefore mens soules by inveterated customes vsed to sensuall and beastly delights either not beleeving or mistrusting or rather doubting of spirituall ioyes they neglect and for the most part care not for them contenting themselves with their present estate not looking any further and so as beasts they live and as beasts they dye according to that saying Home cum in honore esseâ— non intellexit Psal 48. 13. 21. comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis and so become sicut equus mulus in quibus non est Psal 31. 19. intellectus Finally the lacke of preservation hindereth our spirituall profite because I conceive our soules without prayer meditation the Sacraments of Christs church exercise of vertue and works of pietie not vnlike a dead body which for lack of a living soule dayly falleth away by putrifaction leeseth colour temperature and all sweetnesse and becommeth ghastly loathsome and stinking even so the soule without those balmes God hath prepared as preservatives it will be infected with vices and stincking with sinnes therefore those which neglect these benefits are not vnlike sicke men which know where medicines lie but will not seeke for them or receive them These foure causes I take to be the principall enimies Math. 11. 3â— of our spirituall life howbeit I doubt not that Christs yoke is sweete and his burthen easie if men would consider the meanes and accept those helps God hath bestowed vpon them But all meanes and helps which ordinarily we proove may be reiected by a wicked will Prov. 1. 24. Isa c. 5. 62. 2. Matth. 23. 37. and a hard indurated heart may resist the sweete calling of God Quia vocavi renuistis extendi manum meam non erat qui aspiceret By these Scriptures and many more we may easily Acts 7. 51. Mat. 11. 21. inferre that neither lacke of meanes nor lacke of grace hindereth vs from dooing well but our owne perverse and wicked will let vs but runne over two or three examples and we shall even touch with our fingers the certaintie of this veritie Consider but Adams fall how many meanes he had to do well and yet how basely he fell he first by Gods especiall grace was indued with so many internall gifts of vertues and knowledge that easily he might have observed that commandement the inferiour parts were subordinate by originall iustice to the superior so that passions could not assault him he had all beasts and the whole garden of Paradice with all the hearbs and trees at his pleasure therefore the precept was not so rigorous for what difficultie were it for a man to abstaine from one tree having the vse of thousands He knew most certainely how by eating into what a damnable estate he cast himselfe and all his posteritie wherefore the event might have taught him to prevent the cause but above all the perfit knowledge of the sinne he committed against God the extreme ingratitude disloyaltie and treacherie might have bridled his mouth from that poysoned Apple which brought present death of the soule and after a time a certaine death of the body But all these helps countervailed not his negligence in consideration and his ill will seduced with ambition Let vs take an other familiar example which dayly occurreth more common than commendable a woman married which breaketh her fidelitie promised to her husband marke but what helps she hath to restraine her from this sinne I omit the Sacraments of Christs Church the threatnings of death Gods iudgement and hell the enormious offence she committeth against God the abuse of his benefits the breach of his law the contempt of his grace the remorce of conscience the wounding of her soule and spoyling of the same all these and many more common helps graunted to all sinners I will speake nothing of albeit I thinke them sufficient to with-hold any ingenious heart from prevarication only let vs weigh those particular meanes she hath to abstaine and withdraw herselfe from this offence as the great iniurie she offereth her husband the breach of love betweene them the infamie wherevnto she for all her life shall be subiect the stayne of her kinred and friends for her fault redoundeth to their discredit as her good to their reputation the shamefastnesse wherewith God hath