giuen vs an vnderstanding to know his law so hath he giuen vs a wil to follow him and his law so far foorth as our nature is capable thereof When vnderstanding and the affections agree THe vnderstanding and affections doe agree when the wil followes or forsakes shuns or receiues nothing but what iudgmēt hath first determind to be good or euill and when iudgement determineth nothing before it be aduised by reason and whō reason adviseth not before she haue conferred things one with another throughly examined them Which property she takes from consideration and when consideration hath nothinge without requiring it of memory And when memory will keepe nothing but what is committed vnto it by knowledge and vnderstanding These rules obserued there is an vpright gouernment in the soule which otherwise by the affections comes to ruine and subuersion What the affections are WE may cal the affections those motions of the soule wherby the heart is stirred vpp to the following after good and eschewing of euill as loue hope ioy sorrow indignation compassion Ielousy feare and manie such the number where of is infinite not in respect of their own nature but in respect of vs that are not able to comprehend them These affections haue great agreement with the quality and temprature of the bodies wherein they are and therefore as the bodies wherein they are doe more or lesse perticipate of heat colde drouth or moysture so do the affections rise or decline according to the nature of the forsaid qualities For which cause wee ought to bee moderate in eating and drinking for as we are either temperate or intemperate so the affections of the soule will bee more moderate or immoderate and the perturbations which they bring with them wil also be greater or lesse more easie or vneasie to be prouoked or appeased Why affections are in the Soule AFfections are appointed of god to remaine and haue residence in the soule for two causes first to the intent they may as pricks waken and stir it vp from being asleepe opprest with the heauinesse of the body least peraduenture it shuld be negligent in the care of good things such as are most expedient and profitable for it And secondly to the intent they might as bridles stop the hasty course wherinto the soule is some time caried so that it were like to perish but for the hand of some other affection that restraines it as we see in the desire of of wealth or coueting of honor wee may run into auarise or ambition both which vnlesse they be moderated with iudgement and discreation proue dangerous enemies to the tranquillitie both of soule and bodie For euen as by the corruption and inequalitie of the humors are ingendered those diseases that infect and annoy the bodie euen so by the disorder corruption and vneuen proportion of the affections doe spring the maladies and diseases that peruert and contaminat the soule Which diseases are farre more dangerous and mortall then those of the body in so much as they are not so easily discerned and therefore not so easilie nor so soone cured as the other may be What griefe is it lurking in the bodie but will at sometime or other either by the countenance or some other accident discouer it selfe that a remedie may be sought for it but the soule being inuisible and not subiect to externall sense lies manie times in manie persons dangerouslie sick hauing her glorius essence spoild and defaced by vice and yet those that are the owners of such a soule thinke themselues the soundest men in the world This happens by the head-strong wilfulnes of the affections who are oftentimes so feirce and vncōtrolable as they ouerwhelm reason virtue by which the soule receiues medicine and preseruation but then they are no more called affections but passions or perturbations What Passions or perturbations are PAssions or perturbations are vyolent motions which vnlesse restrained carrye the Soule headlong into many mischiefes The groundes that they proceede from are false opinions which perswade vs otherwise of things then they are in deed And these false oppinions are alwayes accompanied with these foure thinges immoderate desire vnbridled ioy immeasureable griefe and extreame feare which do carry the soule hither and thither and in the ende so subdue the reasonable power thereof as they make it seruile and obedient vnto the sensuall appetite of the wil as we haue examples in Histories how some haue grown mad through anger some kilde themselues for griefe some died with immoderate ioye and other some languished through a fond and impatient desire But all passions which are in the body are not of this nature there are some which are good and necessary and do properly belong vnto the body euen from the first creation which are not to be reproued nor can be taken away without the vtter ruine of humane nature as the desire of eating drinking and such like yet these are not so necessary neither but that they likewise stand in need of gouernement or else they quicklie run into superfluitie How affections become passions AS the earth when it swalloweth in stead of supporting the water when it drownes in stead of refreshing the ayre when it stifles in stead of comforting and the fire when it burns in stead of warming are no longer accounted profitable but pernitious euē so the affections when they once turn from that good end and purpose for which they were annexed to mans nature they are no longer profitable but hurtfull nor any longer to bee called affections but perturbations As for example hope was giuen vs to seeke after God our soueraigne good in whom alone we find all delight rest and pleasure but if this hope presume too farre it is no longer hope but presumption In like manner feare is giuen vnto vs to stande in awe of Gods iudgements but if this feare passe his appointed limits it is no longer feare but despaire How to remedie passions THe last remedie againste the passions of the Soule is to preuent and hinder them that they take not roote in vs but so soone as they begin to stir to bridle them by the authoritie of virtue and reason which we shal the sooner accomplishe if we perswade our selues that the good and euil of this life which are the causes that our mindes are depriued of all content are indeed neither good nor euil and consequentlie that they ought not to breed passions within vs. For to iudge vprightly what is honour wealth riches beautie and such like but good thinges in opinion onely and not in deed And what is pouertie sickenesse imprisōment and such like but euill only because we imagine thē so to be and not that they are so in their owne nature It was neuer or very seldome seen that passions did arise in vs for that which is the true good of the soule but onely for that which fooles doe falslie call good and Philosophers tearme the goodes
danger of dishonour or reproofe likely to happen vs by some vndecent or enormous action or an indignation conceiued against our selues after the commiting of any dishonest crime prolocution of anie foolish and absurde word or the expressing of anie vnciuill or rude gesture Two kindes of Shame THe first is a good shame whereby we are ashamed of euill The second is a bad shame whereby wee are vnder colour of modestie restrayned from performance of some good and laudable action because against right and equitie wee feare to displease a multitude or dare not withstande the authoritie of him that is mightie As Pylate that faine would haue pronounced our Sauiour guiltlesse and yet because he feared the people gaue sentence vpon him against his owne conscience Rules of good shame IF at a feast thou be inuited to drinke more than reason or thirst requires be not ashamed to refuse it If a babler or ignorant fellow seek to staie thee by discoursing of vain and tedious matters bee not ashamed to shake him off If thy friend or any man else either in act or purpose offend bee not ashamed to reproue him If any man make a request vnto thee that is either vnlawfull or not in thy power to performe shame not to denie him If any man aske thee a questiō wherin thou art ignorant shame not to confesse thine ignorance that thou mayest be instructed If any man withhold thy due shame not to challenge it Effects of bad shame THese are the effects of bad shame Cowardlines Impudencie liberty to sinne base Flatterie oppression neglect of benefite betraying of ones self hate of the world and prostitution of the sences What Sobrietie is SObrietie is properlie called a moderation in diet a thing so esteemed of wise men as Augustus the Emperour neuer vsed to sit downe to meat before others had halfe dined and was the first againe that rose from the table Pythagoras seldome or neuer drunk wine Socrates wold alwais spil the first pitcher of water that he drue for himselfe to this ende as he saide that he might acquaint his sensuall appetite to expect a conuenient time of reason What Frugalitie is FRugalitie may be said to be a moderation in expences vnder which title many haue beene so sparing and neere themselues as they haue incurd great shame and infamye As Lewes the eleuenth king of France who was of such a niggardly and pinching disposition as after his death there was found in his chamber of accountes a bill of expences wherin was set down twentie souse for two new sleeues to his olde doublet and fifteene deniers for grease to grease his bootes What Order is ORder is a conuenient disposition of all thinges according to their worth and dignitie into that place at that time as shall seeme most requisit The world is called Mundus which signifieth a well disposed order of all thinges by beholding of which wee may learne to keepe our bodie which is a little world in vpright and eeuen manner without confusion The opposites to Temperance VPon the right hand it is accompanied with intemperance and vpon the left with Stupiditie which are as two blinde guides and looke vnto which soeuer of them temperance giueth consent to follow shee straightway loseth the name and title of Vertue and is branded with the stampe of Vice What Intemperance is INtemperance is an ouerflowing of voluptuousnesse against reason and the health of the soule seeking no other contentation than in that thinge which bringeth delight and pleasure to the senses as appeares by the example of Vitellius Emperour of Rome who had serued in to his table at one supper two thousand seuerall kind of fishes and seauen thousande sortes of feathered foules or of Phyloxenus who wished that he had a neck as long as a Crane that the taste and pleasure of his meates and drinkes might continue long before they descended into the stomach How we may be intemperate WE may bee intemperate foure manner of waies First in apparell when we either couet that which is too costlie or to haue more store than is sufficient so that the moathes rather consume it with eating than we with wearing Secondly in meate and drink whē we are lauish and superfluous or ouer nice and curious Thirdly in veneriall and other corporall pleasures whether tasted of by the eie the eare the hart hand or any other part and fourthly in giuing way to our passions as ioye feare anger c. without stop or controulment What Stupiditie is STupiditie is a numnesse or chilnesse of the senses so that we neither haue feeling of any pleasure nor are moued with any desire but this is a defecte hardly or neuer seene amongest men especially hauing health of body and therefore we will passe it ouer come to Fortitude the third branch of Vertues first issue Whence Fortitude hath her denomination THis vertue of Fortitude taketh her denomination neither frō strength of bodie hugenesse of limbes toughnesse of armour walled townes multitude of souldiers nor any other munification of place or aduauntage of time but from the generositie and greatnesse of courage which like a holy and spirituall fire liues in the heart and from thence sendes heat vigour through the whole bodie enabling it for the execution of difficult and mightie deedes Why it is annexed to mans nature THe seedes of all vertues are originally adioyned and fixt to mās nature but by reason of the degrees of growth which the body hath they cannot shewe themselues in anye perfection before they be aduaunced and set forward by the help of Time labour and instruction so that Fortitude is annexed to mans nature for 3. especiall causes First that as his Creator after whose image he is fourmed and made daily expresseth and sheweth forth wonderfull workes for the benefite of his creatures so is he born to drawe neere vnto him in similitude of goodnesse and might haue in his soule a kinde of naturall instigation to pricke him forward by all lawdable high and laborious actions to profite those amongst whom he liueth Secondly that knowing the excellencie of his owne nature the stock from whence he is deriued hee might not care for mortall goodes nor feare the contrarie but think himselfe worthie of eternall happinesse and be prouoked with great corage to desire the same Thirdly that he might feare to degenerate from so high and noble a lignage by committing anye base or ignoble deed vnbeseeming the excellencie thereof What Fortitude is FOrtitude is a firme stability and resolution of minde whereby neither for feare of death it selfe nor anye other inconuenience that may befall vs we turne aside from the way of Vertue and Iustice but after good consideration had remain stedfast and immoueable against all the worlde in our thoughts and purposes Two sortes of Fortitude THe first is employed in the compasing and perfourmaunce of great deedes for the loue of vertue and the other in suffering for the same
may seeme contemptible rather then deseruing any good opinion Hatred what HAtred is an offence rooted in the hart by continuance of time where we study to doe hurt and mischiefe to him with whom we are offended The ground and roots from whence it springs are Offence and anger Offence is a certaine greefe of the heart which commeth thorough the touch of some euill that agreeth not with our nature Anger is a boiling of the bloude about the hart frō which ascend fumes and hot vapors that disturbe the brain and distract the countenance so that the party so inflamed becoms frantike and beside himselfe till he bee reuenged on that which was the cause of his anger and hereupon anger is calde a short madnesse but if it be more then momentarie it is called no longer anger but hatred There are two kindes of hatred good and bad good when we hate the Vices which wee perceiue to bee in our selues or in others and bad as is before defined How to suppresse hatred TO suppresse hatred is to moderate anger and to bee troubled with neither is to take heed that we be not thirstie after reuenge for as anger goes before it so reuenge followeth if in time it be not preuented Reuenge what REuenge is a motion of the hearte whereby it doth not onely turne aside from that which offendeth but labours withal either to repell and vanquish it or to punnishe him that is the cause thereof For two causes menne ought not to desire reuenge First because God hath said vindicta mihi vengeance is mine and therfore it is rebellion to offer to pull that priuilege out of his hands And secondly because it is a greate part of folly and iniustice to thinke we are reuenged of an iniurye when wee haue punnished the body of him that offered it knowing the soule and affections are the chiefe cause which are out of our reach and the body but the soules instrument and therfore he that in furie and rage tyranizeth ouer the body for anye offence is offered him doeth as the dog that bites the stone and suffers him that caste it to passe away vntoucht Hurt what HVrt is when in our owne person or by the meanes of others thorough mallice or enuy wee study to empouerish wound maime or hinder another man whom in dutye and religion we are bounde to pardon helpe and succour for he that will forgiue shall be forgiuen and he that will shew mercie shall haue mercy but to the cruel like measure of cruelty shal be extended This branch of Enuie differeth from reuenge in this that reuenge alwayes followes vpon some offence but hurte is oftentimes practised vppon a malicious and hatefull stomach without any precedent quarell or displeasure and therefore this kinde of enuie is called the enuie of the diuell who hates and striueth to hurt the whole race of mankind not for any damage they can doe vnto him but vppon an inueterate hatred Why it is easier to hate then loue BEcause hatred findeth a better soile in our harts and a more apt foundation to be laid vpon than loue doth and that for two reasons First because of the corruption of our nature which sauours more of Sathā who is enuious hatefull and a lyer then of God who is loue truth and charity And secondly because the infirmity of our nature wil not permit vs to inioy any good thing in this world that is pure and of long continuance but suffreth vs onely to haue a little taste and sence thereof hereupon men say that pleasures seruices and good turnes are made of feathers and therefore easely caried a way by reson of their lightnes but offences euils and displeasures are made of lead and therefore by reason of their weight they sinke downe and lodge in the bottome of the heart How to detest enuy Consider that enuy is the badge and cognisance of the diuell for the diuell is not better knowne then by his enuious disposition and therefore such as giue place in their heartes to this vice are discouered to bee the seruants of the deuell if seruants of the diuel they are enemies to god if enemies to god they become subiect to eternall damnation Consider likewise that enuie is the transformer of men from the perfectiō of their first creation in their first creation they are amiable milde and gentle but through enuie they growe sterne rough and impatient hauing their eies sunke into their heades their browes wrinkled their cheeks pale and wanne their teeth grinning like dogges their tungs hissing like serpents their ioynts trembling and their whole body leane and vnsightly Enuy is also tearmed the mansion of error the hell of minde the pricke of conscience and the sting of corruption and by the opinion of some helde for sinne against the holy ghost for that it wilfully and of malicious stomack impugneth the graces bestowed vppon gods children Yet of all other sinnes it is accounted the iustest for that it taketh vengeance vppon it selfe for although it leuell the dart of mischiefe against others yet it woundes it selfe ann is to the hart of man as the worme bred in the tree to the wood therof by whom at laste it is deuoured but say it were not of that nature but that enuy were very pleasing and plausible in it selfe yet knowing that God wil be reuēged vpon it as appeares by the example of Caine for his enuy towarde Abell of Saul for his enuy toward Dauid of the sonnes of Iacob for their enuy toward their brother Ioseph of Ammon for his enuy towards Mardocheus it is to be loathed and abhord but being so that it consumerh the heart drieth vp the body vexeth the mind and indangereth the soule what can be thought more detesteable How to auoid Enuy. THe onlie remedy againste Enuie is charitie to doe vnto others as wee would bee doone vnto our selues this virtue of charirie spreades it selfe into two partes firste into the loue which we owe vnto God and secondly into the loue which we owe vnto our neighbours How we ought to loue God With al our soule with al our strēgth with all our power that is chiefly and aboue all other things for he saith our sauiour Christe that loueth not mee more thē eithes father or mother wife children sister or brother hath no part in me nor I in him Fiue reasons why we ought to loue God First Iure preceptions because hee hath commanded it Secondly Iure creations because he hath created vs. Thirdly Iure redemptionis because he hath redeemed vs. Fourthly Iure sanctificationis bicause he hath sanctified vs. Fiftly Iure Amoris because he hath so loued vs that he hath not only giuē vs all things necessary for this life but hath prepared eternall happinesse for vs in the life to come How to loue our Neighbor We must loue our neighbour as our selfe for he that saith he loueth God and hateth his brother is a lyer and there is no truth in
affection of the hearte that imbraceth a man more for his own sake then for any commodity may be expected from him mercinary loue which is likewise of two sorts the first in respect of him that receiueth a benefit louing the person for the profite that comes from him and the second in respect of him that bestoweth a benifit when he doth it more for reward and recompence then for the loue of him to whome he doth it The difference betweene the loue of vertue which is called true-loue and loue of Concupiscence THe loue of virtue is without yrkesomnesse or intermission the loue of Concupiscence is momentarie and oftentimes breedeth a loathing in the minde The loue of vertue is without feare or care the loue of Concupiscence is accompanied with griefe vexation and labour The loue of vertue wisheth a like affection in all others as is in it selfe but the loue of Concupiscence harboureth euill Iealousie Iealousie what Iealousie is a feare which a man hath least another whome hee would not should enioy something which he striueth to keepe peculiar to himselfe and this may be good or bad according to the obiect whereon our fancie or desire is fixte Desire what DEsire is the delay which is made between our liking conceiued of some good thinge and the fruition of the same The effect of Loue. The effect of Loue is of manie to make one as chiefly appeares bv marriage whereof there are foure kindes Marriage of honour mariage of loue mariage of labor mariage of griefe Mariage of Honor. MAriage of honour hath three degrees the highest between good and mans nature the middle most betweene God and the soule of man vnited by grace and the fruition of glory the lowest betweene God and his Church when they are both made one mysticall bodye and these three kindes of marriage are supernaturall and appointed of god after an vnspeakable manner Marriage of loue MAriage of Loue is a faithfull contract betweene a good man and a vertuous Woman or the coniunction vnitie and society of religious and zealous people grounded vppon Grace peace and Concord Mariage of Labour MAriage of labour is when any mā or woman marrieth more for couetousnesse and lust than for Vertue chastitie or good report or where two are matched together betwixte whom there is no equality of age birth or manners Marriage of griefe MAriage of griefe is the coniunction and familiaritie betweene the Wicked and reprobate whereof still ensueth wretchednesse and miserie The preseruation of mariage THe preseruation of mariage consisteth in the dutie of the Husband to the Wife and of the wife to the husband The dutie of a Husband THe duty of a Husband towarde his wife must bee confirmed by these nine circumstances First in louing hir aboue other women Secondly in gouerning her graciously Thirdly in perswading her more by reason than authoritie Fourthlye in not vsing her roughlie or iniuriouslye before others Fiftly in admonishing her often Sixtly in reprehending her seldome Seauenthly in striking her neuer Eightly in prouidnig for her carefullye lastlye in louingly deuiding of his authority with her especially in matters that concerne her sex The duty of a wife The dutie of a wife toward her husband standeth in these obseruations following First she must loue him and none other but him Secondly she must not depend too much vpon her wealth beauty or nobilitie of birth but haue her chiefest care bent vpon those things that sitte nearest to her husbands hart as the integrity of manners and mildnesse of behauiour and conuersation Thirdly as the Persians when their enemies came rushing vpon them receiued them with silence and contrariwise if they were set vppon with silence made head againste them with open mouth euen so a discreet Woman must hold her peace when hir husband exclaimes with choller and contrariwise if hee vtter not a worde she must labour to cheere him with comfortable speeches Fourthly she must not discouer her husbands imperfections Fiftly she must not vpon any displesure forsake her husbands bed Sixtly she must be free from all suspicion of incontinencie Seuenthlys she must be no gadder abroad Eightly she must be modeh in attire Ninthly shee must be secret as touching houshold wants and affaires Tenthly she must be ashamed to vtter anye dishonest speeches floutes or iestes or to giue eare vnto them 11. She must be patient and wink at many things done by her husband 12. She must be carefull to bring vp her children 13. She must be faire spoken and curteous to her neighbours 14. She must apply her hands to good huswiferie and her mind to the knowledge vnderstanding of gods word Lastly she must not forsake her husband either for sicknesse pouerty or any other casuall affliction How to detest luxury COnsider that the obiect whereto it tendeth which is the corporall fruition of vnchast persons is thogh candied with a faire outside inwardly the receptacle of vile and corruptible basenesse That lust is neuer satisfied but alwais poore euen in plenty That the pleasure thereof is momentary but the punishment eternall That it defileth the temple of the holy ghost which is mans bodye consecreated vnto Christe by his precious bloud That it is no sooner enioyed but it breeds annoy that it weakens the powers of the soule and filles the body with many diseases that it shortens the life and shadowes a good report That there is not so riche a treasurie but Luxurie will draw it dry that it is a fire whose substance is Gluttonye whose flame is pride whose sparcles are corrupt speeches whose smoke infamy whose ashes filthinesse whose end is hell Remember the iudgementes of God executed vpon lustfull persons as the sudden death of Onan the plagues sent vpon Abimeleck king of Egipt thogh but in thought he pretended lewdnes toward Sara Abrams wife the sworde of dissention that neuer departed from the house of Dauid for taking the wife of Vriah the violent death so Ammon by his owne brother and many other examples which may terrify bring vs in detestation of his sinne How to auoide Luxurie The best remedy againste Luxurie is Chastity which is of foure sorts eyther of Nature as of such as are borne Chast or by Artes of such as are made chast by men or by praier and industry as of such as haue made themselus chast for the kingdome of Heauen or by marriage as of such as liue chastly in Wedlock Mat. 19.12 Chastity what CHastitie is the brideling of lust vnder the yoke of reason or a cleere disposition of the bodye without the filth of concupiscence it is the beauty of the soule the ioy of heauen and the best Iewell on earth To preserue which Iewell without flawe or blemish is to auoid the causes wherewith it is foild as first to cast out of the minde all wicked and vnchaste thoughts Secondly to auoide filthy communication Thirdly not to frequent the company of lewd and lasciuious persons
decent cariage of the body wherby such as are so disposd are said to be men of a good presence or men of a faire behauior Secondly it wil appeare outwardly in things belonging to ourselues as sobriety of diet or in thinges belonging to others as in comely entertainment well gouerninge of our house and family and such like The difference betweene wit and Wisedome AS a tuneable Instrumente in the hand of a an vnskilfull musition so is witte to manie men in it selfe verie ripe and pregnant but because they know not how to vse it therfore it stāds them in little steade so that wee may define wit to be a faculty of the minde whereby men vnderstand and knowe much good but oftentimes they neglect to follow it but wisedome wee may tearme to be that correspondencie of the powers of the soule when will and vnderstanding knowledge practise goe together Why wisedome is said to be the light of the minde WIsedome is said to be the light of the minde because as the bodie hath two instruments to direct it which are the two eies euen so Prudence to giue both minde and bodie better direction is likewise said to haue three eies The first is the eye of memory with which she beholdeth time past The second is the eie of vnderstanding with which she beholdeth time present And the third the eye of prouidence by which she takes a vew of thinges to come Two sortes of Prudence THe first kinde of Prudence may be said to be that ripnesse of knowledge and experience which men haue in worldlie matters and so Machevile may be said to be a wiseman but such wisdome is accounted foolishnesse before God 1 Cor. 3 19. And in the end intangles the owners in their owne craftinesse as appeares by the desperate end of Achitophell 2. Sam. 17.23 The second kinde of Prudence is that knowledge which is had in deuine matters touching the vnderstanding of Gods word and the mysterie of our saluation which is called true wisedome and though the drift hereof especiallie tend vnto that end yet is it not without a sharp insight also and an able discretion in such thinges as appertaines vnto this world but it vseth this but as a seruāt or handmaid to the other And this is that wisedom which Solomon so greatly cōmendeth and so largely beautifies and sets forth in his booke of prouerbes accounting all other knowledg but as vanity in respect of this When petition was made to the oracle of Apollo to know what people or nation in the wolrd was the wisest best learned the answer was that the Hebrews were the wisest mē for that they had the knowledg of the true God and so had not the rest The daughters of prudence or Vertues third issue THough we may well say that all other vertues take their beginning from Prudence as the head and fountaine of the rest without which they are altogether vnprofitable yet for the better vnderstanding of her gracious effectes which shee bringeth foorth in the hearts of men it shal not be amisse to consider that from her doe springe proceed these fiue peculier vertues namely consultation vigilancy dillygence prouidence and constancy all which are made manifest vnto vs in that one example of the fiue wise Virgins recorded in the 25 Chapter of the Gospell after S. Mathew Firste they had consultation in preparing and prouiding themselues to meet the bridegroome Secondly they had prouydence in regarding the length of time and so furnishing thēselues accordingly with oile Thirdly they had vigilācie in watching for the houre of the bridgromes cōming Fourthly they were dilligent in triming their lamps lastly they were cōstant in that though they wayted long yet they were not weary of their labour So that by these necessary and helpful effects which follow wisedōe we may gather other vnnecessary hurtfull accedents which it may run into if not ruled and tempered as it should be The maimes to Prudence THere are three speciall euills which wisedome may indanger it selfe with all if it be not carefullie looked vnto The first is temerity or rashnes when it either giues councell or puts in execution anie thinge before mature and serious consultation be had or when vpon a sudden determination it concludeth vpon thinges vnknowne for knowne vncertaine for certaine The second is credulitie when it ouerlightly beleeueth or giueth credit to any thinge it heareth and doeth not first examine the circūstances of euery matter nor confer and lay them together that so the truth may by sifted out The third is curositie which appears two manner of waies First when we pry into thinges forbidden or couet to know more than God hath thought good to reueale vnto vs. As Aristotle that died for griefe because he could not finde the natural cause why the sea did ebbe and flow or of those men that now a daies by their curious questions striue to knowe what god did before he made the world or why he gaue not man such a soule as mighte not sin with a number such like impious and vnlawfull demaundes And secondlie when we seek to be renowmed in shewing and expressing what power of wisedome we haue in triflles and thinges of no moment as he that spent much time and labor in making a locke and a chaine of three and fortie linckes that was in waight no more but one graine or wheat corne so that it being tied about the necke of a flye she was able to drawe it after her Anno Regno Elisa 21. The opposites to Prudence EVerie vertue holdes the myddle betweene two extreames so that on the one side prudence is beset with ignorance and on the other with craft or subtletie And as the one is vicious in respect of the defect so the other is odious in respect of the excesse the one is so farre from knowledge as it knowes nothing or verie little and the other is so fraught with skil and experience as it turnes the vse thereof to many most vile and vngracious purposes What ignorance is WE may call Ignorance an vnskilfulnes both in human and deuine matters what we haue to doe or what wee haue to leaue vndoone what wee haue to choose and make much of or what wee ought to reiect and auoid The effects of Ignorance IT takes awaie the sight of the minde as blindnesse dooeth the sight of the bodie it makes a man prodigal whē he should be liberall couetous when he thinkes to auoid superfluitie if a man be meane it makes him fearefull superstitious vnprofitable needie slothfull and vnfit for any thing If hee be mightie it makes him arrogant rash cruell talkatiue inconstant and giuen to voluptuousnesse and luste It is the spring of all errours bad opinions and absurd behauiors and as by wisdome men are renowmed and had in reputation so by ignorance they become base contemptible and of no reckoning Yet it is better than subtletie because that which is misdoone through