hinder a good mind the one by vexing and tormenting it by need the other by calling seducing it from vertue and honsty by delights and delicacy A hedghog foreseeing a tempest hideth himselfe in the earth so when a chaung of fortune happeneth the minde is to be fortified with precepts of philosophy As an archer somtimes hitteth the white sometimes shooteth neare it so fortune sometimes seaseth vppon our selues and sometimes vpon our goods Maximus apud Stobaeum ser 18. As a glasse sheweth what the face is so fortune sheweth what the man is Euripides apud Stob. 88. Grasse so long as it is greene doeth couer the mountaines and adorne the medowes and through the beauty doeth delight and refresh the eies of the beholders but when the heate of the sunne hath dryed vp the moysture and consumed it then it is many times made fewell for the fire so as long as fortune smileth and giueth health riches friends honours and dignities so long man florisheth his acquaintance are delighted and refreshed by him and all men behold him with admiration but when the heate of persecution hath scorched his glory or the frost of aduersitie hath pinched his wealth or the infirmity of sicknesse hath decayed his health thē he fadeth as a flower and many times he becommeth fewel for the fire of hell F. Ioan. a S. Gem. lib. 3. de vegetab et plan cap. 26 The vse and abuse of a thing PRometheus seeing a Satyre kisse the fire at the first sight of it admonished him that if he touched it it woulde burne him but if he vsed it as it should be vsed it was profitable both for the heat and light so the same thing as thou vsest it is either dangerous or profitable Plut. If many be made drunke with wine not therefore are the vines to be digged vp by the rootes as Lycurgus caused thē but rather more water is to bee vsed to allay the wine so if many abuse Poetry it is not forthwith to be banished but a caution is to bee vsed that it may bee wholsome Idem As in the nature of thinges those that are the most beautifull doe soonest wither decay as Roses Lilies Violets when as other last longer so in the life of man those thinges that are most florishing are verie quickly abused and diuerted into a contrarie vse Plinius lib. 9. cap. 15. The fish Polypus otherwise a stupide creature vseth great cunning intaking other fishes so many men are very wise for their owne lucre and gaine but in other things very blockish brute beasts Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. As wines poured into vessels made of the tree Taxus become mortall and dead-in so wholsome erudition and instruction falling into a pestilent and bad nature becommeth hurtfull and dangerous Plin. lib. 16. cap. 11. As the salt sea water is vnwholesome to drinke but yet carieth a ship better then the fresh riuer which is wholesome for drinke so euery thing hath his vse if it bee vsed in the right kind As the Phylosopher that sent the tongues sent the best and the worste meate so riches are verie good if they be well vsed but starke nought if otherwise Plutarchus Wine doth comfort those that are in health and liue moderately as the scripture saith it maketh mery the hart of man but if he drinke it that hath a feuer it bringeth death and destruction vnto him so it commeth to passe that the same thing vsed diuersely doth bring life to one and death to another Origenes in libro Iudic. homilia quinta As the satiety of hony procureth vomit so good things being not wel vsed become hurtful Greg. Nazianzenus li. 1. de Theolo Riches ALthough it is necessary needful to eat for the reliefe sustentation of the body yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt And although the life of man consisteth in the bloud yet too much abundance of bloud is the cause of death oftentimes killeth men so riches although they be necessary for the maintenance of life yet superfluity of temporall goods is no lesse hurtfull to the soule then too much meate to the body or too much bloud to the life Lod. Granat lib. de Deuotione A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carieth his mony in gold for so is he richer and is troubled with lesse weight so the Lord doth lighten his children laying vpon them but easie burdens but yet sufficient and that which may content them ibidem As those kingdoms cities which the diuell shewed to our Sauiour Christ vpon the mountaine were not true riches but fantasticall and sightly in the eye euen so all the riches honours and glorie of this worlde are no perfect goods but fained dissembled as saint Iames saith a vapour that appeares a while and in a moment is dispersed As the full gorged Faulcon wil not know her maister and turne vnto him so the rich man that is pampered with prosperitie doth forget God and doth separate himselfe from him Euen as the children of Reuben and Gad desired Moses that he would leaue thē there in the country of Iordan where was good feeding for their cattell neuer caring to go to the land of promise in like maner there are many that refuse the kingdome of heauen promised them in perpetual possession for the loue of riches and corruptible goods they enioy in this false world Stella de contemptu mundi As in good and sauory meates poyson is often receiued and they that haue eaten thereof are forthwith ready for the graue so sweet are the riches of this world to such as loue them yet vnder them is death hidden because they make a man proud and vicious which bringeth him to eternall death Ibidem As the children of Israels Manna would haue corrupted and beene filled with vermine if it had bin saued so this worlds vaine riches are no way sooner lost then by too much sauing them ibidem As smoake mounted on high is quickly out of sight euen such is prosperity it beares a shewe for a while and at length comes to nothing ibidem As vpon the mountaine of Gilboa perished the noble and great men of Israel so doth prosperitie lead men vp as it were to a mountain and suddenly thence tumbles them headlong downe ibidem As the Gentiles vainely adored the Idoll Mercurie each of them carrying a stone in the honour of their Idoll euen so they that honour worldly prosperitie steale the honour which is due to God and bestow it on a base Idoll ibidem As a wise man is not hurt of a serpent because he keepes him farre from him but a foole taking him by the taile is bitten so riches being receiued of a wise man doe not hurt him because hee knowes how to vse them but if a foole lay holde on them they bite him because he gripes them too hard Clemens Alex. lib. 3. paedag cap. 6. As a land flood is soone vp and soone downe so
tongue confessing at the last that they coulde find none other thing but that God was incomprehensible and vnmeasurable Chrystomus hom 28. operis imperfecti As no man can measure the winde or weigh the fire so no man can attaine vnto the vnsearchable iudgementes of the Lorde Euen as one standing vppon the shoare doth see the Sea and yet doth not see the breadth and depth of it so the Angels and all the other elect which bee in heauen do see God reallie yet they can not comprehende either the depth of his greatnesse or the altitude of his eternitie Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducis peccatorum Euen as there can be found nothing more bright and visible then the sunne yet nothing is lesse seene then it by reason of the excellency of his brightnes and the weaknesse of our sight so there is nothing in it selfe more intelligible then God yet there is nothing in this life lesse vnderstood then he for the same reasons Ibidem As that painter when he depainted the funerall solemnitie of a certaine kinges daughter pourtraied her kinsfolkes with heauie countenaunces and her mother more sorrowfull then the rest but when he came to delineate the father he did couer his face with an artificiall shadow signifying thereby that his Art did here faile him so when we speake of God and the deepe mysteries of his diuinitie vnder awe of admiration we are to lay our hands on our mouthes and to adore him with ineffable and chast silence Ibidem God is not the Authour of sinne AS the Sun which is made to illustrate and enlighten things cannot obscure and darken them so God who is righteousnesse it selfe cannot do vniustly Origines lib. 3. contra Celsum As the wicked doe naughtily entreate the goodnesse of God so God dooth vse to good ende the euill workes of the vngodlie Eusebius Emissenus hom 4. de Epiphania As the Smith is not the cause why the iron rusteth nor the progenitour of a liuelie bodie is the cause of the filth and blemishes it afterwards gathereth so neither God although he make and order all things is the cause of any sinne and wickednesse in them Mercurius Trismegistus in Pymandro As it belongeth vnto God being onely good to bee the cause of euerie good worke so it is vnmeete and incongruous that he should be supposed the authour of anie euill Fulgentius lib. 1. As a maister that would try his seruant whether he bee good or badde setteth in place where he may come to sweet meats and money now if this seruant take any his maister compelled him not to doe ill but laid open his bad disposition so also God giuing vnto men occasion to sinne if they will sin hee doth not make them to sinne but manifesteth the maliciousnes of their hearts Chrisostomus homil 46. operis imperfecti As the sun is not hurtful although it seemeth so vnto weake and bleard eies and as hony is not bitter to the tast albeit sick folke deeme it so so God is not euill nor carelesse of mens actions albeit wicked reprobate men think him so Chrisost hom 7. in Ioan. As it is no wonderfull thing to make a goulden bracelet of golde but it is admirable to make pure goulde of base lead so to make good of good is a thing of no such wonder but to extract vertue out of vice this is diuine God out of the wickkednes of the vngodlie done against the righteous doth extract their profit yea out of our owne faultes hee doth produce our welfare for by it he worketh in vs contrition and by his fauour we bring forth the fruits of repentance Pintus in Eze. cap. 38. The patience and longanimity of God AS God patientlie suffered Ionas to bee swallowed of the Whaile not that hee should perish but that he being cast vp agayne might more submit himselfe vnder the mightie hande of God and more glorifie him so God from the beginning hath beene patient in suffering man to bee swallowed vp of that great Whaile who was the authour of preuarication not that he shoulde finally perish but that hee might prepare him to seeke for that saluation of which Ionas was a signe Irenaeus li. 3. contra haereses cap. 22. An housholder doth not suddainly cast forth a faithful seruant but desireth him to stay so the Lord long suffereth if any one hath beene faithfull vnto him August sermone 146. in Lucam As Cities and Common wealths doe nourish hangmen and executioners of iustice by whome they may execute offenders malefactors not praising the office of the hangmā but tollerating his ministry for necessary vses so God the great magistrate and iusticer of this world doth suffer tyrants and oppressors as certain hagmē that by them hee may take vengeance of vngodly men and afterwardes deliuereth the tyrants vnto torment so God punished the children of Israell by the Assyrians Theodoretus ser 6. de Graecarum affectionū curatione Gods Prouidence AS a King when hee would keepe any man safe from daunger placeth him in his pallace that not onely the walles of the King but also the eyes of the King may defende him from his enemies then the which guard none can be safer so the heauenlie King by the same prouidence doth defend his Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducis Peccatorum As the sun doth not only illuminate heauen the sea and the earth but shineth also thorow a windowe or a little creuice and doth cast light into the inmost place of the house so the diuine prouidence doth not only preserue great things but also respecteth the very least that are in the earth Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 7. stromatum As wee knowe that there are men in a ship that directly sayles into an hauen although we see none of them by reason of the right guydance of it so we know that God is the gouernour of all thinges by his prouidence albeit we cannot see him with our carnal eyes Theophilus Antiochenus lib. 1. ad Antolycum As an house decaieth without an inhabiter as a ship perisheth without a Pilot and as the body dyeth being forsaken of the soule so all thinges go to wracke and ruine without the diuine prouidence Lactantius Lib. 3. cap. 20. As a Wagoner directeh his chariot and a Pilot his ship so God guideth all his creatures Philo. lib. de Somnijs As wee knowe that there is a soule in a mans body by the motion of the body albeit the soule bee inuisible so God by his prouidence and ordering of all thinges is apprehended although by no eye hee can be discerned Theophilus Antiochenus lib. 1. ad Antolycum As an Eagle caryeth her young ones vpon her winges and as a mother carieth her child in her armes so God supporteth his Deuteron cap. 1. cap. 32. As God respecteth a litle bird of the sea called Alcyon that in the midst of winter hee sendeth a calme for fourteene dayes which the Mariners call Alcyon dayes til she hath hatched and fledged
Panacea called of Apothecaries Oppopanax hath a remedie for all diseases so the death of Christ is powerfull agaynst all hurtfull affections and dangerous desires Prior pars siâ—mil ex lib. 25. Plin. cap. 4. As Christs coate was without wemme so his life was without crime As without the Sunne there shoulde bee continuall night so without Christ there shoulde bee euerlasting destruction Clemens Alexandrinus ad Gentes As an Husband-man dooth cast his seede not in this corner and in that corner of his lande but casteth it euerye where throughout his whole lande so Christ commendeth the doctrine of pietie to rich and poore learned and ignoraunt to the strong and weake albeit hee knoweth what successe it shall haue Chrysostom Hom. 45. â—n Matthew As the soule is the life of the bodie so Christ is the life of the soule Petrus Chrysologus sermone 19. As at the comming of the diuell all nations mourned so at the comming of the Lord Iesus all people reioyced Arnobius in Psal 46. As an aduocate pleading for an offender taketh vppon himselfe the cause and faultes of him whome hee patronizeth as if they were his owne when notwithstanding hee is guiltlesse so Christ beeing without sinne tooke vpon him our transgressions and suffered for them as if they had beene his owne Chrysostome Sermone aduersus haereticos tom 5. As in a redde hote sworde there are actions and perfections of two natures the yron cuttes and the fire burnes so in Christ there is two Natures his Diuinitie and Humanitie and both haue their actions and perfections Damascenus lib. 3. cap. 15. defide As the Vnscorne by touching poysoned water with his Horne maketh it wholsome whereuppon Naturalistes saie that before hee drinkes hee putteth his Horne into the Water so Christ by his Humanitie hath made the poysoned Waters wholsome and hath purified our soules from infection Iacobus de Valentia in Psalmum 42. As Golde and a Pearle make one Ring so GOD and man make one Christ Themistocles hauing offended Philip the King of Macedonia and coulde no waye appease his anger meeting his young sonne Alexander tooke him in his armes and mette Philip in the face Philip seeing the smyling countenannce of the childe was well pleased with Themistocles euen so if through thy manifolde sinnes and heynous offences thou prouoke the heauie displeasure of thy God insomuch as thou shalt tremble for horrour take his onelie begotten and welbeloued sonne Iesus in thine armes and then he neither can nor will be angrie with thee It is written that the blood of a Lambe dooth appease the cruell rage of a fierce Lyon so the bloud of the immaculate Lambe Christ dooth pacifie the wrath of God When the brethren of Ioseph had solde him to the Ismaelites to pacifie their Father Iacob they brought his Coate all to bee bloudyed so if wee will appease GOD our Father wee must bring vnto him the blouddie Garment of his sonne The Adamant though it bee so harde that nothing can bruse it yet if the warme bloud of a Goate bee powred vppon it it bursteth so although the heart of the Atheist vnbeleeuer be so hard that neither reward nor reuenge can mollifie it so stoute that no persuasion can breake it yet if the grace of God purchased by the bloud of Christ do but once touch it it renteth in sunder and is enforced to acknowledge an omnipotent and euerlasting Iehouah Astrologers say that the Sunne passeth through these three signes Leo Virgo and Libra so the Sonne of righteousnesse Chryst Iesus in the lawe came as a Lyon threatning and destroying in the time of grace he came into the lappe of a Virgine in great humilitie and at the daie of iudgement hee will come in Libra to giue to euerie one according as he hath deserued As Theseus beeing guided by Ariadnes threede which shee tyed at the entrance into Dedalus Labyrinth escaped all the daunger and errour of it euen so wee must make Christ the doore by which wee must enter into the Labyrinth of all our affayres and tie Rahabs threede at this entraunce and followe it all the waye that so wee maie bee safe and goe in and out and finde pasture As the life of Christ is the life of life so the death of Christ is the death of death It is reported that the Lybard vseth a strange kind of policie to the Ape He lyeth downe vpon the ground as though he were starke dead which the Apes seeing come altogether and in despight skip vpon him This the Libard beareth patiently till hee thinkes they haue wearied themselues with their sporting Then sodainly hee likewise leapes vp and catches one in his mouth and in each foote one which immediatly hee killeth and deuoureth so Christ being laid in the dust the diuell insulted ouer him and trampled vpon him but he like a liuely Libard starting vp on Easter day astonished the soldiours set to keepe him which were the Diuels Apes and made them lie like dead men As blind Sampson by his death killed the Philistins when they were playing the Apes in mocking and mowing at him so Christ by his death destroyed the diuell Straliger writeth that the Chamelion when he espies a serpent taking shade vnder a tree climes vp into that tree and le ts downe a threed breathed out of his mouth as small as a Spiders threed at the ende wherof there is a little drop as cleare as any pearle which falling vpon the Serpents head kils him so Christ climing vp into the tree of his Crosse le ts downe a threed of bloud issuing out of his side like Rahabs red threed hanging out of her window the least drop whereof being so pretious and so peerelesse falling vpon the serpents head kils him The wilde Bull of all thinges cannot abide any red colour therefore the hunter for the nonce standing before a Tree puts on a red garment whome when the Bull sees hee runnes harde at him as harde as hee canne driue but the Hunter slipping aside the Buls hornes sticke fast in the Tree as when Dauid slipped aside Sauls speare stucke fast in the wall so Christ standing before the Tree of his Crosse puts on a redde garment dipt and dyed in his owne bloud as one that commeth with redde garmentes from Bozra therefore the Diuell and his Aungels like wilde Bulles of Bazan runne at him but he shifting for himselfe their hornes sticke fast in his crosse as Abrahams Ram by his hornes stucke fast in the briers thus is the diuell caught and killed A Dragon indeede kils an Elephant yet so as the Elephant falling downe kils the Dragon with him an Elephant kils Eleazar yet so as Eleazar falling down kils the Elephant with him so the diuell killing Christ was killed of him When Mahomet the second of that name besieged Belgrade in Seruia one of his Captaines at length got vp vpon the wall of the Citie with banner displaied A noble Bohemian espying this ranne to the Captaine
dealeth with the woorth and value of vertues is to knowe the price and dignitie of them that comparing them betweene themselues he may see which is to bee preferred before others and render and tender to euerie one her due honour ibidem Euen as wee make greater account of an heape of Gold then of Siluer and doe more esteeme an eye then a finger so also it is meete and requisite that with greater endeuour and diligence wee shoulde applie our selues to the worthier vertues and with the lesser to the lesse worthie lest we disturbe the spirituall businesse Idem lib. 2. Ducis peccatorum As in all thinges as well artificiall as naturall there are founde some truel and some seeming and appearing so but are not so in deede and as there is both true Golde and that which is false lawfull money and counterfeite coyne true Gemmes and false Gemmes so also among Vertues some are true and some that appeare to bee so but are not so in truth ibidem As the foule Toade hath a faire stone in his heade the fine Golde is founde in the filthie earth the sweete Kernell lyeth in the harde shell so Vertue is manie tymes harboured in the heart of him that most men esteeme mishapen As the precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outwarde appearance but that which seemeth blacke but beeing broken powreth foorth beames lyke the Sunne so Vertue sheweth but bare to the outwarde eye but beeing pierced with inward desire shyneth like Christall Faith AS a childe that learneth his first elements ought to beleeue that his maister teacheth him and not to aske the reason whie this Letter is called A and that B so in the mysteries of Fayth wee must not aske the reason howe this may bee and that may bee but wee must giue credite to the Scriptures Lodouicus Granat in lib. de deuotione As he that hauing neuer seene glasse before seeing a curious and an excellent vessell made of it and set before his eyes can not bee induced to beleeue that it was made of a certain kind of straw and sand and that only by the breath of man so is it in matters of Fayth being considered of by the light of reason ibidem As wee cannot imitate nor well vnderstande the Arte of Bees in making their honie combes and tempering their honie nor the Arte of Spiders in weauing their Webbes nor the Arte of Silke wormes in spinning their Silke so much lesse can wee imitate the diuine workes or comprehende in our reasonable vnderstanding the mysteries of Fayth ibidem If thou hast life thou hast heate so if thou hast a liuely Fayth thou hast good workes Nazianzene As fire cannot be without heate nor the Sunne without light so a iustifying Fayth cannot be without iustifying workes As a riuer commeth from a fountaine so faith commeth from the Lord. As water maketh the earth fruitfull so fayth enricheth the soule with good works As the Carbuncle shineth in the night and in darknes casteth light vnto the eies so faith shineth in the darknes of heresie and in the night of persecution neither can it be ouercome or extinguished of either As there are twelue kindes of a Carbuncle so there are twelue Articles of our saith Isidorus As a garment touched with the stone Amiathon doth resist fire if you hang it ouer the fire it will not burne but become brighter so the soule beeing endued with Fayth dooth resist the heate of persecution and by it becomes more glorious Isidorus As Quicksiluer is the Element or matter of all mettals according to the Philosopher so Faith is the foundation of all vertues As the Almond tree flourisheth before any other tree so Faith ought to flourish before any other vertue As we cannot liue without the elements so we cannot attaine knowledge without Faith Clemens Alexandrinus li. 2. Stromat As nothing is delectable vnto men without light so nothing is acceptable vnto God without Fayth Origenes lib in Iob. As a light is not lightned of Oyle but is nourished by Oyle so Fayth doth not growe of workes but is nourished by workes Chrysostomus hom 18. operis imperfecti Hope EVen as an Anchor fastened into the earth keepeth the shippe safe which stayeth in the midst of the waues and maketh it that it feareth not the billowes of the raging sea so liuely Hope being firmly fixed vpon the heauenly promises preserueth the minde of the righteous vnremoued in the middest of the waues of this world maketh it that it contēneth and despiseth al the storme and tempest of the winds Lod Granat lib. 1. Ducis peccat Euen as a sonne in all his troubles and necessities which happen vnto him trusteth and affiaunceth his repose in his Father especially if he be riche powerfull that his helpe and fatherly prouidence will not at any time faile him so shoulde man haue this heart of a sonne to God his father who both can and will helpe his children better then all the fathers in the world Idem lib. 2. Ducis peccatorum As a ship by the anchor is kept from the violence of tempests so the soule by Hope is kept from the rage of temptations F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 9. de Artificib reb Artif cap. 70. As a staffe doth support a man so doth Hope ibidem As the husbandman soweth his land in hope of fruit so men performe the duties of Christianity in Hope of heauen Macar hom 14. As a Merchant taketh paines to furrow the vast Ocean in hope of earthly gains so a christian strugleth through the waues billowes of this life in hope of heauenlie reward Basil in Psal 1. As the hope of a crowne and victorie maketh the discommodities of war tollerable so the hope of heauen maketh the griefes and turmoyles of this life portable Chrysost lib. 3. de prouidentia dei As an helmet defendeth the head so Hope defendeth the soule idem homilia nona in priorem ad Thessalonicenses As pillers support and vpholde earthly buyldings so Hope supporteth and vpholdeth spirituall buildings Laurentius Iustinianus in ligno vitae cap. 2. de spe As it did not hurt Rahab to dwell with the people of Iericho but her faith kept her safe so sinne doth not hurt them that in Faith and Hope doe expect their redeemer Macarius hom 31. As without sustenance the body would sinke so without hope the heart woulde burst As Abraham begat Isaac so faith begets hope Charity AS the Phisitian hateth the disease yet loueth the person of the diseased so we must loue that in our neighbour which is good and made of God and abhor that which man and the diuel haue made euil Lod. Granat lib. 1. Ducis Peccat As the members of the same body albeit hauing diuerse duties and functions and differing also in forme do tenderly mutually loue one another be cause they liue by one the selfe same reasonable soule so much more ought faithful Christians to loue one another who
to bee wise and eake to loue is scarcelie graunted to Ioue aboue As stars abound in heauen Hares in Athon and Bees in Hybla so loue is full of slightes The sting of a Serpent by continuance enuenometh the whole body he that is charmed of the Torpedo by procrastinatiō runneth mad so the pricke of loue by delay is vncurable As Anacreon who spake by experience and writ by proofe calleth loue a tyrant mischieuous cruell hardie vnkinde foule vngracious cursed wicked the cause of all mischiefe the forgetter of reason the father of frenzie the disturber of the minde the enemy to health the sinke of sorrowe the garden of griefe and to conclude a confused Chaos of miserie so that if it might be seene with bodilie eyes or be an obiect to our exteriour sences the Basiliske is not more feared nor the Cockatrice more auoided then loathsome loue woulde bee eschued and detested so Miltiades the Athenian was wont to say that of al the plagues wherewith the gods did afflict mortall men loue was the greatest in that they sought that as an heauenlie blisse which at last they found their fatall bane As Demophoon was false in loue to Phillis Aeneas to Dido Iason to Medaea Paris to Oenone so true in loue was Charites to her husbande Lepolemus Cornelia to Gracchus Iulia to her Pompey Artemizia to Mausolus Panthea to Abradatus Portia to Brutus Alceste to Admetus Penelope to Vlisses Sulpitia to Lentulus Hipparchia to the Philosopher Crates and Macrina to her Torquatus As Iupiter enforced Apollo to flie his kingdome Paphos and to liue exilde in Thessalie so loue there constrained him to keepe king Admetus sheepe As Cupids dart caused Diana to loue the swaine Endimion and Calisto to loue Ioue so it caused Clitia to loue Phoebus and Cloris Mercury As swouning mortifieth euery member as pestilence infecteth euery part as poyson pierceth euery vaine so loue if in time it be not looked vnto will bring body and mind to vtter confusion As the vertues of loue are many so the inconueniences are infinite There is no cloth so fine but Moathes will eate it no yron so harde but rust will fret it no woode so sounde but wormes will putrifie it no mettall so course but fire will purifie it so there is neyther Man nor Woman so free but loue will bring them into thraldome and bondage As Lordship can brook no mateship so neither can loue according to that verse Dame Venus and Kingdoms can no riualitie suffer As the wisest man said Caniicles 8. that loue is strong as death and zeale is cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fiery coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drown it so all writers with one mouth haue confessed that the godliest men that euer were the wisest that euer were the valiantest men that euer were haue beene brought by loue to most outragious impietie to most extreame folly and most vile villanie That there haue beene none so stoute but loue hath made them stoupe none so wise but loue hath made them fooles none so shamefast but loue hath made them bold They haue recorded that loue is aboue Lord or lawes aboue prince or priuiledge aboue friend or faith Where loue leadeth no Maister is made account of no King cared for no friend forced of no dutie respected no honesty regarded but all things done according to the passion which preuaileth ouer vs so that they haue thought that loue is some heauenlie influence and no earthly accident Selfe-Loue THere is no creature that more feruentlie loueth her yong ones then an Asse and an Ape so many vnlearned idiots doe more esteeme their owne vanities scurrilous pamphlets then any other mans graue and learned writings As they that walke in a wrong path the further they go the worse it is for them so it is for them that go forwardes relying vpon selfe-loue Not as Phisitions do cure choler by bitter things so we must put away anger by anger Plut. If one eye little letters too much they offende the eyes so they that wrathfullie and of selfe-will and selfe-loue regarde small matters are enkindled to greater matters more ragingly Idem As Mares seeing their own shape in the water are driuen into madnesse as saith Columella so some too much louing thēselues and admiring their owne doings through insolency become almost mad The Emmot is an industrious creature and laboureth for no body but herselfe so many mortall men do only care for themselues and regard their own busines As euery mans disease seemeth most bitter vnto himselfe so euery mans discommodity doth especially greeue himselfe As the dropsie groweth through too much aboundance of matter and moisture as Auicene writeth so pride contempt of God commeth through too much self-loue F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 6. de homine membris eius cap. 5. Affections AS that tēpest is more dangerous which suffereth not to arriue in the hauen thē that which forbiddeth to saile so those motions of the mind are more great greeuos which carry vs away headlong then those that disturbe our reason and hinder our quiet Plut. in Moralibus As by Circes cups men were suddainly transformed into wild beasts so affections doe make a man suddainly to bee another then he is ibidem As in a great storme a ship is not stayed except the anchor bee surely fastened so in the great hurly burly of businesse sound reason must season the minde that it bee not caryed awaie of affections Ibidem As the sayles are to be proportioned according to the greatnes of the ship so our desires are to be moderated according to our abilities ibidem As the shoe is wrested after the wringing of the foot so euery mans life is of that sort as the affections of his mind are ibidem As thou in vaine drawest pure water out of a muddy well so thou canst not be pleasant to others or pliable to thy selfe except thou purgest thy minde of euill affections ibidem As horses wel ordered manned do of their own accord go the right way albeit the Cochemā doth not vse the rains so the affections beeing accustomed to reasons managing and moderating doe not assay any filthie or dishonest thing eyther in dreames or in diseases albeit reason be in an extasie Ibidem As hee that hath sowre and dead wine can neither make wine nor vineger of it so according to Zenoes opinion the first motions of the minde are neither good nor euill Ibidem As an open mossy place doeth expell nothing that falleth into it so a minde endued with a vicious bashfulnesse is open vnto nothing but to filthie affections Ibidem As they that cannot abide candle light are much lesse able to abide Sunne shine so they that are troubled with small matters are much more distracted with greater Ibidem As those diseases of the bodie are more grieuous which breake forth into wounds and swellings so are those affections
more burdenous which through griefe make the life tedious it is a disease of the minde to beleeue that all things are made of moates in the Sun but yet it doth not plague the mind so much as couetousnesse doth ibidem As childish complaintes doe easilie vanish awaie so toyish desires the matter beeing taken away doe soone fade Ibidem As the chaunging of the Moone or a sharpe winde or the ebbe of the sea or any such light change of thinges doth take life from a sicke and weake man so euery smal offence doth disturbe weake mindes corrupted by affections when as they that are of a strong heart and a resolute minde do not feele any such matter As no creature neither tame nor wilde doth yeeld to that reason which it wāteth so neither any affection Seneca As many wilde weedes springing vp in a field are euill and naught of themselues and yet are signes of a fruitfull ground if it were tilled so the affections of the minde being euill of themselues doe argue no ill wit if it were tilled with hole some instructions Plut. in Moral As angrie dogges barke at euerie noyse but are quiet when they heare a voyce knowne and familiar vnto them so the diseases of the minde when they rage they cannot be restrained except the speaches be known familiar vnto thē which may correct them being moued Ibid. As the body is not capable of pleasures except it bee well ordered so the minde doth not participate of true pleasure except it be free from feare and other affections ibidem As diseases although but small in the beginning do stil grow worse and worse if they be letten alone so if but once thou admit euill affections although they bee but of small moment and validity they will encrease and growe to greater heade Seneca As a man hath alwaies remedy at hand against the poyson of serpents to wit his spettle which they beeing touched withall or a little hot water beeing cast vppon them they flie awaie and if it enter into their mouthes they die so wee alwayes carry a present remedie about with vs against al pestilent desires if we knew how to vse it Wee must looke for it in our mindes As there are serpēts that meet with vs in the woodes and some lie lurking at home in our houses so some affections are mannaged by reason and shew themselues reasonable some lie lurking in our workes and shew themselues vnreasonable Marcus heremita de lege spiritali As they are to bee freed from fetters that haue a long iourney to goe so they are to bee withhelde from immoderate affections that directlie woulde go vnto God Theodoretus de spirituali animae resurrectione As the foure humors of the body heate coldnes drines and moisture are the causes of all welfare and ill fare in the body so the foure principal affections of the mind loue hatred ioy and griefe are the causes of al ioy and annoy in the mind Richardus Victorinus de statu interioris hominis c. 34. As they that kill the heade of a Serpent kill the whole bodie also so they that cut off the first motions of ill affections kill the whole rabble of them Procopius in Exodum As there is no sire so hot but it is quenched with water so there is no affection so strong but it is weakened with reason He that hath been burned knoweth the force of the fire he that hath been stoung remembreth the smart of the Scorpion so he that hath endured the brunts of fancie knoweth best how to eschewe the broyles of affection As thou art wary in thy trauell that thou dash not thy foote against a stone or a pricke so in thy life bee wary that no affection rule thee that may offend Epictetus in Enchiridio cap. 53. As saylers doe applie themselues to the chaunges of the windes so doe wise men to the affections of the minde Aristonymus apud Stobaeum sermone 1. De prudentia As Tarquine when hee walked in his Garden did with a wande strike off the heades of Poppie so wee must especiallie resist the stronger and more powrefull affections of our mindes Angelus Politianus de ira As they that liue vnder a Tyrant are in bondage and seruitude so are they that are ruled by headstrong affections Philo lib. quod omnis probus sit liber As they that are ruled by good lawes liue in peace so they that are ruled by sound reason and not by vnruly affections liue in rest and tranquility ibidem As Noahs Arke did admitte all kinde of creatures which Paradice did not so mans bodie doth admitte all vnrulie and vntamed affections but admitteth not vertues worthy of praise Idem lib. de plantatione Noae As a sparrowe tied by the leg assaying to flie is pulde downe by the string to the grounde so the minde beeing not freede of affections endeuouring to flie to the knowledge of celestiall thinges is helde down by affections and cast to the earth Maximus lib. primo de charitate If the eye bee troubled it cannot exactlie see his obiect so if the heart bee disturbed with affections it cannot well beholde the truth Basilius in Psal 33. epistola 1. As a foule polluted glasse cannot receiue the impressions of pictures presented before it so a soule dimmed and darkned with carnall affections and wordly cares is not capable of spirituall illuminations Idem Epist 64. As too much wine maketh drunke so the affections of lust sorrowe and wrath hauing expelled reason do bring madnes Idem in cap. 5. Esayae Brethren AS in a paire of scales when one goes vp the other goes downe so one brother ought to yeeld vnto another aduanced to higher dignity Plut. As in Arithmeticke figures of lesser value being added to greater doth multiplie them in like maner are multiplied thēselues so one brother dignifieng another encreaseth the honour of hun that is dignified and adorneth the dignifier with the splendour of his dignitie ibidem As those fingers that can neither write nor play vppon an instrument are moued with those that write and play so one brother shoulde bee like affected to another ibidem If thy weapons breake or bee taken from thee thou mayst repaire them againe or get thee other but thou canst not get thee another body so thou maist find other friendes but not other brethren Ibidem Of the same first matter elementes arise most repugnant and opposite betweene themselues so many times of the same parentes brethren are bred of most contrarie dispositions As Caine and Abell Ismael and Isaac Esau and Iacob Amphion and Zetis Eteocles and Polynices Titus and Domitian As ciuill seditions are better transposed to enemies then bestowed on our own countrimen so it is better and more equall respectiuely to enuy and maligne others then our own brethren although it is not good to enuy or maligne any body Plut. Admonition AS wee cast bridles vpon horses not in the race but before they runne so
As the Cedar tree is vnfruitful stiffe so a proude man is vnfruitfull and obstinate Basilius in psal 28. As a blind man may be easily discerned of all so may a proude man that knowes not the Lorde for the beginning of pride is the ignorance of God be easily known as beeing depriued of his greatest lighte Chrysostomus hom de Ozia As the shippe that hath passed many waues and escaped many tempests at the length shipwracking in the very hauen doth loose all the treasure it contained so the proude Pharisie after that he had vndergone the labours of fasting and had performed the exercise of many notable vertues through his pride and arrogancie made shipwracke of them all in the very hauen Idem hom de profectu Euangelij That body which hath lost a good temperature is subiect to diseases so that soule that hath lost humilitie is endāgered with pride rashnes weaknes and foolishnesse Idem ser contra desperationem et superbiam As he that is frantik knowes neither himselfe nor those thinges that are before his feete so a proud man neither knowes him selfe nor any man about him ibidem As couetous men the more they receiue the more they stande in neede of so a proude man the more he is honoured the more honour he desireth Idem hom 1. in secundam ad Thessalonicenses As they that are swelled are not in good health so they that are proude are not in their right wits idem hom 17. in 1. Timoth. As in an heap of wheat the chaffe lies higher then the wheate not that it is worthier but bicause it is lighter being lighter it getteth the higher place so in this life a proude man is lifted aboue an humble man not for his merite and vertue but for his vanitie and false opinion of himselfe and being vaine of himselfe he preferreth himselfe before those of whō hee is excelled in vertue Hector Pint. in c. 15. Ezech. As pride is the beginning of all vices so it is the ruine of all vertues Isidorus They that are sicke of the dropsie by reason of the grossenesse of their bodies seeme to bee in good estate notwithstanding they be full of nothing but water and such euill humours which in the ende are the cause of their death so they that are proud by reason of their ouerweening cōceits seeme to be in greate reputation and credit when before God they are most abominable and detestable Couetousnesse AS fire when there is more wood cast on burneth more fiercely so couetousnesse the more wealth it hath the more it desireth Lod. Granat lib. 2. ducis peccatorum As drink in a dropsie is the cause of greater thirst so riches in couetous men are the causes of greater auarice Ibidem As the hollow spoute receiueth much water yet retaineth nothing but aire so the couetous man gathereth much wealth and yet possesseth nothing but cares As the fish Polypus vseth great skill in taking of other fishes being otherwise a stupide and foolish creature so many men are very wise for their owne lucre and gaine but in other thinges very blockish and brute beasts As vultures doe smell three daies before hande where any deade carkasses will fall and doe flie thither so greedy gapers after liuings doe many yeares before hand long for the death of the possessors Plin. lib. 10. cap. 6. Couetousnesse is like the serpent Hidaspis the more it sucks the more it is a thirst eating men aliue as the Crocodile and it is a vice of as dangerous allurement as the place where the Syrens sitte and chaunt their preiudiciall melody There is a certaine thorne among the Indians the iuice of which being sprinkled into the eies doeth bring blindnesse to all liuing creatures so the dust of golde beeing cast into the eies of men doeth make them starke blind As phisitians say that colde doeth hurte the bones the sinewes and the teeth so Paul doeth say more breefly because he is the master of breuity that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Chrysost hom 75 in Matth. As bees flock vnto a hony deaw so couetous men hunte after the smell of gaine Plutarchus in Moralibus Meminit eius etiam Maximus sermone 12. As great fishes deuoure the small so couetous cormorants eate vp the poore Basilius hom 7 exameron As gluttons cannot spare any thing from their owne bellies so couetous men cannot spare any thing from their owne purses Idem hom in ditescentes As the sea is neuer seen without waues so the mindes of couetous men are neuer without perturbations cares daungers trembling and feare Chrysostom Hom. 36. in Matth. As a moath doth corrupt a garment so doth couetousnes eat and rust a wretched soule Idem hom 48. As the man of Chios solde his best wine to others and drunke the deade wine him selfe so doe couetous men they enioy the worst of their wealth and keep the best for wormes moathes and rust Plut. As an itchy scabby place standeth need alwaies of friction and rubbing so the thirst of a couetous minde is neuer quenched idem As they that fall a sleepe through heauinesse dreame of sorrowfull things so they that hunt after wealth and are couetous doe dreame of vsury extortion enhaunsing of rentes and such like dishonest gripings Idem As adulterers loue other mens wiues and contemne their owne so some men are more delighted with searching after other mens goodes then with enioying their owne idem As the roote of a reede beeing beaten small and laid vpon the root of ferne doth bring forth a stem and also as the roote of ferne beeing beaten small and laide vpon the root of a reed doeth extract a stalke so in like manner the desire of money doeth driue out of the soule the loue of wisdome and wisdome doeth driue out of the soule the loue of money As among the Myconians baldnes is no vnseemly thing because all are borne bald there so amongst Londoners pride and vsury and among lawyers couetousnes and bribery are counted small faults or rather none because these vices are as a generall murraine among them As an Adamant doth draw iron from a lodestone so the loue of mony doth draw men from christian piety doth call them away from all goodnes neither doth suffer them to sticke vnto Christ In the I le of Chios the face of Diana is placed aloft whose countenance seemeth heauy to those that enter in but chearefull to them that goe out so certaine sordide illiberall pesauntes doe with heauie countenaunces entertaine their friendes fearing least they should put them to cost and shoulde aske any thing of them but they are chearfull at their departure Plin. lib. 35. cap. 5. As the Emmots of India do onely keep the gold digged out of the cauerns of the earth but doe not enioy it so a couetous rich man neither himselfe enioyeth his riches neither vouchsafeth the vse of them to any other Plin. lib. 11. cap. 31. et Herodot lib. 3. Horseleaches and
enuious mindes are knowne by their maners Gluttonie AS corporall fasting doth lift vp the spirit to God so superfluitie of meate and drinke doth cast and sinke it downe Lodo. Granat lib. de deuotione As the spirit when it is full of deuotion doth inuite the hart to spirituall and diuine thinges so the bodie being full of meate doth draw and hale the same vnto corporall and vaine matters ibidem As ships of lighter burthen do swiftly sayle through the sea but those that are ouerloaden with many burdens are drowned so fasting maketh the soule light that it lightly saileth ouer the sea of this life that it mounteth aloft and beholdeth heauen and heauenly thinges but being ouerburdened with too much meat and drinke the spirit groweth sleepie and the bodie heauy the soule is captiuated and made subiect to a thousand miseries ibidem As a soldior that is ouerloaden can hardly mannage his weapon so that man can hardly watch at his prayers who is gluttonously filled with superfluitie of meates Ibidem As much water is the cause of moorish groundes fens myres and muddy places where nothing engendreth but Toades Frogs Snakes and such like foule vermine euen so excesse of wine procureth brutish wicked and beastly desires many sensuall appetites and other sinnefull qualities Ibidem As Trees which are planted or cut in the full of the Moone do but ingender worms loose their owne vertue and perish the like doeth excesse of eating or drinking for when the bellie is full it nothing but encreaseth the wormes of sinne in the soule consumeth the whole man and cutting him off from God makes him die and wither in wickednes Stella de contemp mundi As the wals of Babilon were ouerthrown by Nabuchadnezar euen so doth surfeting by meat or drink destroy all the vertues abiding in the soule ibidem As Mathematicians circumscribe all things within a center and a circumferēce so many do circumscribe al pleasure within their bellies Plut. in Moralibus Aristotle saith that the fish whom the Grecians cal ovoç hoc est Asinus of al other liuing creatures hath the hart in the belly so gluttons haue theirs Clemens libro 2. paedag cap. 1. As a cloude doth obscure the beames of the Sunne so gluttony doth dimme the splendour of the minde Nilus oratione 1. aduersus vitia As birdes that haue weighty bodies are vnapt for flight so gluttons with their fleshy panches are vnfit for contemplation F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 4. de natalibus volatilibus cap. 35. Anger AS a drunken man cannot do any thing wisely and with reason of which he doth not afterwards repēt him as we read of Alexander the great so when as a man is disturbed and troubled with anger and blinded with the smoake of this passion he cannot rest neither take aduisemēt which to day although it seeme iust and reasonable vnto him yet to morrow when the fury of his passion shall be ouer he shall confesse that it was vniust and vnreasonable As in a tumult we doe not heare what is spoken vnto vs so angry persons doe not admit other mens counsell vnlesse reason speake within which appeaseth the hurlie burly of the mind Plut. As a tumour ariseth by a blowe of the flesh so effeminate and weake persons doe most of all swel with anger as women and old men idem The Barbarians do infect their weapons with poison that they may do double hurt so angry folks do againe and again poison their tongues with venemous words idem As the first messengers are not forthwith beleeued as Phocion of Athens hearing tel of Alexanders death saide if he bee deade to daie hee will bee dead to morrowe and for euer so wee must not presently beleeue anger saying vnto vs he hath iniuried me but wee must protract the time for manie daies make further inquiry idem As the body is shaken and corrupted with a long cough so the minde is exulcerated with often anger idem As a child through vnskilfulnes doth often hurt himselfe when hee would hurte another so many times anger doth hurt it selfe when it would wrong others idem As we doe not bridle horses in the race but before they runne so they that are subiect to anger are to be admonished by reasons before they fall into danger Idem If one fire be ioined to another the flame becommeth the greater so anger by anger is not appeased but is more prouoked Chrisost hom 12. operis imperfecti As Asses bite and kicke so angry people raile and fight Idem hom 3. in Ioannem As winter is ful of stormes so is an angry mind full of perturbations idem hom 9. ad pop Antioch Vineger infecteth a vessell if it long stay in it so anger corrupteth the heart if it make any aboade in it Augustinus Epistola 88. A scald head is soone broken so a womā and a child are soon angry Sen. lib. 1. de ira As lukewarme water asswageth inflammations so gentle and milde wordes doe quench anger Anthonius parte 2. sermone 53. As the sunne for fortie yeares neuer saw Episius eating so it neuer saw Iohn the Anchorete angry Idlenesse AS the Milesian garment did not become Hercules when hee serued Omphale after he had put off his Lions spoiles so neither doth it befit a ciuil man after his magistracy to giue himselfe vnto idlenesse and voluptuousnes Plut. As the birdes called Martinets are alwaies either flying or lying still vppon the earth because they want feet so some are too vehement in both extremities they are either too busie or too idle they keepe no meane Plin. lib. 10. cap. 39. As they that walke and play crankes vpon ropes if they be but a little carelesse fal down and so perish so they that walke in this life if they giue themselues but to a little idlenesse they are throwne headlong into folly Chrisost hom 3. de Ozia As rust doth putrifie iron so idlenesse doth corrupt the wit and disposition of man Ouid. lib. 5. de tristibus elegia 12. As water continually entring into a ship by some secret leak doth at the last drown it through the carelesnes of the Mariners so by idlenes and slothfulnes euil thoughts and concupiscences are so long multiplied till the ship of the heart yeelding vnto them be endangered with finne Bernard serm de S. Andrea As in standing water venemous wormes are engendered so in an idle soule ill thoughtes and hurtfull concupiscences are bred Laurentius Iustinianus lib. de perfectionis gradibus cap. 9. Birds that are couped vp soone growe fat so by lazines the body groweth corpulent and the mind vnfit for any good exercise Seneca epist 122. As too much bending breaketh the bow so too much remission spoileth the minde Seneca Rust doth fret the hardest iron if it bee not vsed the Moath doth eate the finest garment if it bee not worne mosse doth growe on the smoothest stone if it bee not stirred so impiety doth infect the wisest wit if it