assembly of people going backward of purpose and seeing euery one laughing him to scorne asked them alowd if they were not ashamed to mocke him for going backward when hee walked whereas they did so all the daies of their life As if hee should say that no man followed the right course of life but rather that all liued contrary to that they ought For all men desire to be in a happy estate Hecopus hic labor est But few take the right course to attaine to it It is commonly said that wise men differ from fooles in this that they set vp a marke to shoot at these shoot their arrows vp into the ayre at random without any certain marke And again that good men differ in this from the wicked that some propose to themselues a good end others an euill end some that which is good indeed others that which is good in shew only Many set vp no marke or end at all to which they should direct the course of their life but fall from one kinde of life into another as chance offereth without any certaine end or purpose Some direct the course of their life to some end as to a marke but because they mistake one thing for another they neuer attaine to that they desire Others though they see what the marke or end is to which they should direct the course of their life which is felicitie yet as men who vse to take vpon them blind-folded to finde out a post or hillocke or such like wander vp and down without finding that they secke so they being made blinde by their affections which as Plato saith bee very euill counsellers and clogged with worldly cares and carried away with vnsatiable desires bestow their labour in vaine and can neuer finde that they seeke for And though all men desire one thing that is a happy estate yet the great difference we see in the course of their liues argueth their mistaking some other thing for that they secke after by meane whereof they can neuer attaine to the end of their desires Let vs looke into mens labours and consider what the things bee for the obtaining whereof they imploy all their trauell and study for that seemeth the thing which they take for felicitie or a great meane to the attaining of it For euery man naturally desireth that which he thinketh to be good Three things I obserue that the most part of men greedily hunt after and leaue no stone vnturned as the prouerbe is to attaine to them Some desire to liue in pleasure many seeke for riches others labour for honour and glory in these things according to their seuerall inclinations they put their felicitie But how farre they are from the true felicitie shall hereafter if God will appeare rather by the common iudgment of men that will vse reason for their guide than by Logicall arguments and by examples of them whose miserable estate and vnfortunate end hath discouered the error of their disordered and licentious life that by seeking felicitie where it was not they found in felicitie where it was By whose example after Diogenes counsell wee may become wise by another mans harme for he is wise very late that is made wise by his own harme For as Seneca saith Longum iter per praecepta brene efficax per exempla The way by precepts is long by examples short and pithy And first to beginne with Pleasure wherein some learned men of account among the ancient Philosophers as Epicurus and others seeing how willingly men are drawne to pleasures held that felicitie or soueraigne good should consist They reasoned thus That action is the end or felicitie of man to which by nature of his own accord he is most willingly ledde But all men of their owne accord are most willingly led to pleasures Therefore Pleasure is the end or felicitie of man But the Epicures were in this greatly deceiued for man as in the substance of his body participateth with brute beasts so in his spirituall essence which is a reasonable soule hee participateth with Angels And though hee be by the worst part of his nature giuen to pleasure yet reason reprehendeth and blameth his brutish affections But the cause of this dissention in mans nature the Philosophers saw not only Christian Religion sheweth why his affections are repugnant to reason If felicitie as the Philosophers affirme bee the proper action of man then can it not bee in Pleasure for that is common with him and brute beasts but after them it must bee an action peculiar and proper to him alone And seeing that man is made of two distinct natures though by the great wisedome of the Creatour wonderfully vnited together it is more reason that his felicitie should bee agreeable with the best part of his nature which is a reasonable soule and resembleth the Angels that are made after the image of God than with the worst part of his nature which resembleth and is of the like substance to brute beasts But he that will enter into the due consideration of mans felicitie must haue respect to both his natures the body and the soule both which it must in a sort touch yet according to the proportion and difference of excellencie that is betweene them the one representing the image of God being immortall the other participating with brute beasts being subiect to death and corruption Such a felicitie as consisteth in the momentany pleasures of this life the Indian captiues may challenge The Indians haue a manner when they haue taken one of their enemies prisoner whom they meane not presently to cate not to imprison him as the vse is in these parts of the world but they bring him with great triumph into the village where hee dwelleth that hath taken him and there place him in a house of some man that was lately slaine in the warres as it were to re-celebrate his funerals and giue vnto him his wiues or sisters to attend vpon him and to vse at his pleasure They apparel him gorgeously after their manner and feede him with all the daintie meats that may be had and giue him all the pleasures that can be deuised When hee hath passed certaine moneths in all manner of pleasures like an Epicure and is made fat with daintie and delicate fare like a Capon they assemble themselues together at some festiuall day and in great pompe bring him to the place of execution where they kill him and eate him This is the end of this poore captiues pleasures and the beginning of his miseries whose case is nothing inferiour to theirs who enioying the pleasures of this life for a small time wherein they put their felicitie are rewarded with death and perpetuall torments For as he was taken prisoner by his enemies so are they captiued by the Diuell who feedeth their humours with variety of pleasures that he may at length deuoure and destroy them both body and soule Many examples are
spirituall essence and a bodily substance the body being made of clay most excellently compact together with a wonderful and vnspeakeable wisedome in which hee inclosed with a maruellous league of societie another spirituall nature that is the Soule the one sort hee called Angels the other Men. Both which he endued with a singular wisdome knowledge To this man he gaue for his habitation this goodly great Theater adorned with such variety of excellent things and placed him in the most delectable and pleasant place of all the earth which in respect of the florishing and fertile soyle beautified with goodly riuers and fountaines was called Paradise not to bee an inhabitor onely of this lower part of the world but to bee a spectator of his Creators wonderous works thereby first to know the great glory of his parent and progenitour and then to loue him aboue all things and the time being expired in which hee had appointed him here to liue hee should passe from hence to him where hee should continually enioy his glorious presence and life euerlasting But some of those Angels being puffed vp with pride through the goodly gifts wherewith God had adorned them so much forgot their due obedience that they thought themselues equall with him that made them Whereby they so greatly prouoked his displeasure that he expulsed them from the number of his ministers and reiected them from his presence This fall was so grieuous to them and the hatred so great which they conceiued against God for the same that they presently began to doe all things contrary to his commandement by all manner of meanes to offend him to derogate from his glory what they could and as much as they might to deface and corrupt this goodly frame of the world which hee with so great wisedome had made And when man persisted yet in the same estate in which he was placed from aboue supposing they had no better meanes to detract from the glory of God than if they could lay a plat to take man from him and draw him into their societie they presently put their deuice in practice and fraudulently deceiuing him with false promises and hope of greater preferment they made him reuolt from God and breake his commandement which he had giuen him to make proofe of his obedience and to follow that course and counsell which they had framed against God to his own ouerthrow When man had thus shaken off his obedience where before he led in this pleasant Paradise a most happy life free from all euill and hurtfull things the earth of its owne accord bringing forth all things plentifully hee was driuen out of this delectable place and with heauie cheare enforced to seeke another dwelling where hee must get his liuing with the labour of his body and with the sweat of his browes and fell into the punishment appointed by God for breach of his commandement that is death and damnation bereft of that rule and dominion and of all the principall ornaments which he had bestowed vpon him And where all the meane causes of things euen from the vppermost heauen vnto the lowest part of the earth depended each vpon other in such an exact order and vniformitie to the production of things in their most perfection and beauty so as it might well bee likened to that Aurea Catena as Homer calleth it by the grieuous displeasure which God conceiued against man hee withdrew the vertue which at the first hee had giuen to things in these lower parts and now through his curse the face of the earth and all this elementatie world doth so much degenerate from his former estate that it resembleth a chaine rent in peeces whose links are many lost and broken and the rest so slightly fastened as they will hardly hang together by meanes whereof the heauens and second causes do now farre otherwise work in mans corrupt nature and in this elementary world than they did before But the son of God hauing compassion vpon man that had thus grieuously sinned and was fallen into this miserable estate though by his own will yet not through pride or ambition nor by contempt of Gods commandement but was deceiued by the fraud and subtilty of the diuell cast himselfe down before his Father with all humilitie and besought him for mankinde and obtained this fauour that they should not be condemned to perpetuall punishment And yet to satisfie the iustice of God which was immutable hee offered himselfe to fulfill all that obedience which God required of man and so pacified his Father that hee procured him to make a decree to send him to bee a protector and defendor of mankinde against the tyrannie of the diuell When man was thus restored into fauour againe yet not with recouery of those goodly gifts and ornaments which he had lost the diuell beginneth to rage and to practise all manner of meanes to intrap him againe and when he perceiued that hee could not deceiue all hee handled the matter so that the benefit of this promise might come to a very few and that the greater part of the world should perish with him by drawing them from the true knowledge and worshipping of God to superstition and idolatrie Now to returne from whence we digressed seeing the felicitie or soueraigne good wee seeke for concerneth not the body only but the soule also and that the soule dyeth not but after it hath woond himselfe out of this prison it eyther liueth in perpetuall felicitie or infelicitie this happinesse cannot be taken for a temporall thing that is enioyed during this mortall life only but must be euerlasting and without end For what profiteth it a man to haue all the world saith Christ Iesus if hee lose his soule Whereby it appeareth that the Philosophers and Heathens that had not the true knowledge of God nor beleeued in him nor his promise could not attain to the felicity of man which in farre the greatest part consisteth in the ioyes of the heauenly life But contrariwise by their infidelitie they suffer eternall damnation and extreme misery And then it followeth necessarily that none but Christians and those which beleeued in the promise of his comming can attaine to this felicitie or soueraigne good which haue an assured hope to bee saued by the merits and passion of Christ. For they only that are regenerate and not the Heathens after the passage from this life are to enioy the heauenly life and then they to whom the things are giuen wherein that part of felicitie confisteth whilest we are in this world both being ioyned together are in the estate of perfect felicitie But first before wee come to shew our opinion of this soueraigne good or felicitie let vs peruse the course of mens liues that by obseruing what the things bee that men most desire in this life they may the more plainely discouer their errour and direct themselues to a better course Diogenes in a great
of their pleasant instruments their sweet wine the mony also which they have in their purses commeth from thence And that they may have the fruition of these pleasures at the full they make themselves Prelates of Churches This is not sayth he to adorne the spouse of Iesus Christ but this is to risle her this is not to preserve her but to destroy her this is not to defend her but to give her to theeves for a prey The magnificence of these men was farre differing from the poore estate of Saint Peter and Saint Iohn that had not a penny to give to the lame man that asked their almes at the Church dore Which putt◅th me in minde of a pretty taunt given to a Pope by a Frier that glorying in his riches exalted himselfe above Saint Peter Pope Sixtus the fourth being exalted from a poore Franciscane Frier to that dignitie brought a Frier of the same order into his Treasurie and shewing to him his great wealth and riches sayd Looke Frier I cannot say as Saint Peter did Gold and silver have I none No truely quoth the Frier no more can you say as Saint Peter sayd to the lame and sicke of the palsey Arise up and walke The like taunt the Archbishop of Cullen received for the like pride of a poore husbandmā who as he was at plough in the fields seeing a great troupe of horse-men well armed after the manner of the Princes of Germany passing by asked of the formost company who it was that came after being answered that it was the Archbishop of Cullen this countrie fellow fell into a great laughing and being asked why hee laughed Because quoth he Saint Peter the Prince of Prelates lived poorely to leave his successours rich Word being brought to the Archbishop what this fellow had sayd hee meaning to excuse justifie himselfe Doest thou not know quoth he that I am both a Bishop and a Duke and have both the jurisdictions Thē the fellow laughed more than he did before and being demanded the cause I pray you Sir quoth hee let mee aske you this question If the Duke shall happen to be in hell where shall the Bishop be One reporteth of a Priest that used to have a net spread upon his table where he dined that he might the rather by that meanes resemble Saint Peter that was a Fisherman to whom Christ sayd when hee followed him that he should take men This Priest by his diligent preaching which hee used so long as he was kept bare was at last advanced to a Bishopricke and when he came home to dinner being a Bishop finding the net spread upon his table after his usuall manner Now take away the net quoth hee to his servant I have taken that which I fished for The world hath too many such fishers But where hath beene found in these latter ages among Prelates that contempt of worldly pompe and pride that was in that great Clerke Origen the fame of whose excellent learning and singlenesse of life being brought to the ◅ares of Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour he sent for him to come to Rome and commanded the Proyost of Egypt to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey When this Provost had provided him a ship and all things necessary and beheld him but simply apparelled he prepared for him divers garments in the most honest and comely sort that Philosophers then used But Origen would receive no part thereof not so much as hose or shooes but like as hee used alwayes to goe from his child-hood that was in a single garment of cloath and bare-foot so went he to Rome And when at his arrivall there were brought to him a Mule and a Chariot to use which hee best liked he answered That he was much lesse than his master Christ who rode but one day in all his life and that was upon a silly asse◅mare And therefore he would not ride unlesse he were sicke or decrepit so as his legges might not serve him to goe And when hee was brought into the presence of the Emperour and his mother the Emperour with most gentle countenance embraced him as he kneeled and enforced him to stand upon his feet His mother also saluted him with the like courtesie and rejoyced much to see him The Emperour beholding his native gravitie and sterne countenance judged him in his heart to bee a reverent personage Then demanded he of him what he professed And when hee answered Veritie the Emperour asked him what he meant thereby It is the word quoth he of the living God which is infallible The Emperour asked which is the living God and why hee so called him Origen answered that hee did put that distinction for a difference from them whom men being long drowned in errour did call their gods whom they confesse to be mortall once and to have died But the God whom he preached was ever living and never died and is the life of all things that bee like as hee was the creatour of them And when the Emperour had required him to declare the unitie of God the creatour hee devoutly lifting up his eyes after a short meditation with an incomparable and compendious eloquence forthwith opened that mystery in such wise that as well to the Emperor his mother as to all the standers by it seemed they were brought out of a long sleepe and then began to see things as they were indeed and that which before they honoured and esteemed were but vaine dreames and imaginations The Emperour after a little pawse sayd to Origen that hee much marvelled why men of such great and wonderfull knowledge should honour for God a man that was crucified being but of a poore estate and condition O noble Emperour sayd Origen consider what honour the wise Athenians at this present doe to the name and image of Codrus their last King for that when they had warres with their enemies who had answer made by the Oracle of Apollo that if they slew not the King of Athens they should have the victorie Codrus hearing thereof preferring the safeguard of his people before his owne life tooke to him the garments of a slave and bearing upon his shoulder a burden of stickes he went to his enemies campe and there quarelling of purpose with some of them and in the prease hurting one with his knife he was by him that was hurt striken through the body and slain which being known to the enemies they being confused raised their campe and departed And for this cause the Athenians have ever since had the name of Codrus in reverence worthily and not without cause Now then consider most excellent Prince how much more worthily with what greater reason and bounden dutie ought wee and all men to honour Christ being the Sonne of God and God who not only to preserve mankind from danger of the Divell his ancient enemy but also to deliver man out of his darke and stinking dungeon
this fearefull dreame he asked 〈◊〉 friend of his whether he knew in all his domâ—…on 〈◊〉 man called Phocas He answered that there was a 〈◊〉 man of that name in his army in Illyria And desirous to know the cause why hee enquired so 〈◊〉 for such a man the Emperour told him his dreame You 〈◊〉 not quoth the other feare any such matter in him for besides that hee is a man of meane estate and 〈◊〉 condition hee is also taken for a cowâ—…d Hee will bee quoth the Emperour the more cruell for that It chaâ—…ced that this phoâ—… was advanced from one degâ—… to another untill hee became the principall man of the whole army at such time as the people of Constantinople other places were in greâ—… mislike with the Emperour for his covetousnes By which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Illyria chose phâ—…cas for their generall to condust them to Constantinople against their Emperour where according to his dreaâ—…e he killed the Emperouâ—… his wife his five children and was his 〈◊〉 in the Empire And afterward being 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 for so horrible a murder Phocas sent to the Bishop of Rome that if he would abâ—…olve him of that crime hee would give him the Supremacy over all other Bishops and make him head of the Church which the Bishop did and here began his authoritie over other Bishops But this high title added to the large possessions great riches of that Church hath wrought that effect as all men know and was notably presaged by some supernaturall power as it seemeth in a prodigious sort For at the time that Constantine the great if it bee true that some authours report gave to Sylvester the first then Bishop of Rome and to his Successors the City of Rome with the Emperours Palace called Lateran and divers other Cities and Provinces in Italie there was seene an hand without any body writing upon the wall of the Lateran much people being present reading it these words Hodie venenum Eâ—…lesie infusurus est Some say a voyce was heard from heaven This day he will powre poyson into the Church Sithence which time the Popes have usurped such soveraignty over the Emperours that they pronounce themselves to bee greater than the Emperours and so much greater as the Sunne is greater than the Moone that is sixe thousand sixe hundred fortie and five times and somwhat more pretending also a title to the Empire in the vacancie saying That the Emperour holdeth the Imperial crown of men but the Pope holdeth of God as though they knew not that all power coÌ„meth from God And what was it but the love and desire of riches that made the Popes kindle the fire of Purgatorie knowing that money cannot be coined without fire and a furnace They that thinke externall goods saith Aristotle to be the cause of happinesse deceive themselves no lesse than if they supposed cunning playing on the Herpe came from the instrument and not from the art For as a body is not said to bee perfect because it is richly arrayed but rather because it is well proportioned and healthfull so the mind well instructed is the cause that both her selfe and the body are happy Which cannot be said of a man because he is rich in gold and silver It is not possible saith Plato that a man should bee good indeed and very rich both at one time but he may wel be happy good both together And to say that a rich man is happy because he is rich is foolish and childish and unhappy are they that beleeve it Beleeve me saith Seneca thou canst not be rich and happy And this propertie is joyned to the riches and possessions of this world that seldome it happeneth to men long to enjoy those goods which with much travel they have gotten The labour to get them is long but their use short And he that taketh greatest pains to gather them hath oftentimes least use and pleasure of them And hee it is that thinketh himselfe most happy by having them whose body is charged with vice and heart laden with cares They bring pride to those that have them covetousnesse to get them care to keepe them and finne to enjoy them And those goods that are gotten by shift are for the most part lost with shame For it falleth out by daily experience that what the wicked father getteth with care and sorrow the unthrifty sonne wasteth with pleasure and negligence And the wicked children inher it the worst of the fathers that is Riches and are dis-inherited of the best which are Vertnes Riches saith one and honestie seldome dwell together under one roofe And yet what is more coÌ„monly said He is an honest man for he is worth five hundred pounds or a thousand pounds as though it were a strong argument to prove a man honest because hee is rich Which by the opinion of these and other wise and learned men and by daily experience falleth out for the most part cleane contrary I have great possessions saith Menander all men call me rich but no man calleth me happy but hee that is rich Men said Thales are by nature inclined to vertue but riches allure them to vice and in stead of happinesse they bring care and sorrow And as they that are sicke of the dropsie the more they drinke the thirstier they are so the more men abound in riches the more they desire to have Povertie is the nurse of vertues and riches of vices Democritus was wont to say to him that desireth not riches a little wil seeme much for the desire of small matters maketh men rich Which agreeth with the Poet Qui nibil affectat mirum omnia possidet ille He that covets nothing possesseth all things For no man ought to esteeme himselfe happy for that he hath more than others or that for the same hee is esteemed more worthy of honour though hee bee lifted up with a wind of vaine glorie by men of little vertue for his power and patrimonie if he look throughly into the matter he shall find himselfe the slave of his own riches For little availeth it to happinesse to have large territories great store of land and sumptuous houses richly furnished and to have his minde oppressed with cares and his desires corrupted with coverousnesseâ—… which bringeth infamy to the owner and little goodnes to the necessitie of life Socrates to one that said It were a great thing if a man might have all things that he desired answered But it were much greater not to desire at all He that will make himselfe rich must not adde more money to that he hath but must decrease and diminish his desire of having and thinke that it is all one to have and not to desire For it is no paine to lacke but to him that hath a desire to have And this among other evils is incident to rich men who having gotten reputation or honour by their riches
friends which agreeth with Plinie that in the courts of Princes the idle and vaine name of friendship onely remamth In the courts of Princes I do confesse there is a conuersation of persons but no confederation of will For enmitie is holden for naturall and amitie for a stranger In Court the manner is whom they deprave in secret the better to deceive to praise them openly The Court is of such nature that they that doe most visit them the worse they intreat them and such as speake best to them the more evill they wish them They which haunt the Courts of Princes if they will be curious and no fooles shall finde many things whereat to wonder and much more whereof to beware And to another question whether the Court be deare or good cheape he answered Some things in the Court are at a good price or to say it better very good cheape that is cruell lies false newes unhonest women fained friendship continuall enmities double malice vaine words and false hopes of which eight things we have such abundance in this Court that they may set out Boothes and proclaime Faires In the Court saith he there be few that liue contented and many that be abhorred In the Court none hath desire there to die and yet wee see not any that will depart from thence In the Court we see many doe what they list but very few what is meete In the Court all dispraise the Court and yet all follow the Court and the fashion of the Court is if a man be in fauour he knoweth not himselfe and if the same man be out of fauour no man will know him This life at Court is no other thing then a languishing death a certaine vnquiet life without peace and principally without money and a certaine purchase of dammage and offence to the body and of hell to the soule which mooued one to say Excat aula qui vult esse pius It may be wished that the Spanish Court which he meaneth had a priviledge or speciall prerogatiue to vse these manners alone An Italian compareth the life of Courtiers with that of Sea-faring men saving that there is in them this difference that the Sea-man commeth to the end of his purpose by sayling well and the Courtier to his by doing ill Zenobia the noble Queene of Palmerines is reported to haue had a well ordered Court as appeared also by her answer made to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius who making warre vpon her offered her conditions of peace and demaunded her sonne to bee sent to him for a pledge I meane not to satisfie thy request said she for I heare thy Court is replenished with many vices where my Palace is furnished with sundrie Philosophers from whom my children draw doctrine one part of the day and erercife the knowledge of Armes the other part Of such men one thus noteth their nicenesse Horum aliquis vest is operosa tegmine cultus Molliter alivedem flectit sparsamque renodat Casariem laxos patitur flaitare capillos If these men would haue more respect to inward vertue and lesse to externe vanity and not be so curious in decking their bodies that they neglect to adome their minds nor to effeminate themselues to the delicitenesse of tender women but rather to foâ—…me themselues to the comelinesse of manly men for the outward habit of the body for the most part discouereth the inward disposition of the mind they might better find the way to felicity To him that slike is as cloth and gold as brasse it is no matter what vesture he hath so as accoram be observed for it is the minde and not the habite that giveth grace to a man and yet there may be betweene them and others a difference in habite and a respect had to the dignitie of the place and person pride and vaine-glory may be as well covered with base apparell as with gorgeous attire as appeared by the taunt which Socrates gave to Antisthenes the Philosopher for this man used to weare bare apparell as it were in contempt of the vanitie of gay garments and when he walked in the streets as he chanced to meete men hee would set out to the shew a hole in his cloke whose manner when Socrates had observed I see quoth he thy pride and vanitie thorow the hole of thy cloke Let us leave Courtiers entertaining their Ladies and follow other mens pathes in examining a little the estate of Princes for whom only in the judgement of men it seemeth Felicitie was created for he that considereth what the things be that bring a man to a quiet contented and happie life will thinke that fortune hath provided for them above all others most plentifully What maketh a man more had in admiration in this world then riches dignities dominions libertie to doe well or evill without controlment abilitie to exercise liberality to have the fruition of all manner of pleasures both of body and mind They have all things that may be desired for a mans contentment whether it be in sumptuous apparell and ornaments of the body or in the varfelicitie and happinesse which whosoever will onely consider superficially must needs confesse that they alone triumph ouer all those things which are the cause of other mens sorrow and trouble But if we will behold the matter neere hand weigh it in equall ballance we shall find that the same things which we think to be the meanes to attaine to felicity and to make them happie is the cause to many of their infelicitie and unhappinesse The danger they are in by the greatnesse of their estate and malice of their enemies seemeth to detract from their felicitie and giueth them just cause of suspition and feare It appeareth by histories that there were Emperours that durst not goe to bed untill they first caused their beds corners of their chamber to be searched for feare lest they should be slaine when they were asleep Were it not better said Inlius Caesar to die once then to liue in such continuall feare and suspition They command all and yet many of them seeme as though they were gouerned by one or two which is much disallowed of diuers State men And it is said in the Prouerbs that safetie commeth of many Counsellers and that good counsell commeth of God And the Philosopher aduiseth Princes not to commit all their matters to any one Counseller alone for no man can alwaies of himselfe rightly consider and know all things and in reasons that are contrary one to another discerne which is best and therefore he that followeth his owne opinion alone is rather accounted proud then wise Through such an opinion of his owne wisedome Lautrec is reported to haue lost the kingdome of Naples from the King his Master and all that he had in Italie because he would not aske nor follow the aduice of them that were wiser then himselfe The ordinary guard of
because he seeth that those benefits and graces which doe leade men to the happinesse of this life will be to some an hinderance to the true felicitie of the heauenly life and therefore he taketh from them the occasions wherewith they may offend him and leadeth them in the exercise of such things as stand them most in stead to serue him For the Lord saith Justin Martyr wil not honour his children with worldly happinesse for a reward of godlinesse for those things which bee subiect vnto corruption cannot bee a recompence to good men for their vertue When God sendeth aduersitie it is to exercise vs if hee afflict vs with pouertie it is to make vs to deserue better when hee blesseth vs with plentie so much the more ought wee to giue him thankes doe him seruice yeeld him praise and glory and obedience if hee chastise vs with sickenesse or any other way wee ought to thinke his meaning is to amend and make vs better for God for the most part suffereth aduersities to vse their force against such as are most strong not to tempt them aboue their power but through exercise the better to confirme them If we obeyed God as becommeth vs it is certaine that things should bee ruled here after such fashion as we should be contented Well then let vs admit that all those good things before spoken of which engender felicitie meet together in very few or none at all yet neuerthelesse let vs pray to God to bestow vpō vs so many of them as it shal please him to thinke meet for vs and vse our endeuour to passe our time in such felicity as is agreeable with our humane condition which as we said before is improperly called felicity or at least with as little infelicitie as may be But if his pleasure be otherwise then to beare his crosses patiently alwayes looking vp to the true felicity For he that falleth into a ditch and cryeth God helpe without employing those meanes which he hath giuen him for his help may lie there long before he come forth therfore we must vse those means which God hath giuē vs. He hath endued vs with reason to iudge of those things that be subiect to our sences and as a necessary meanes by which we should sustaine and gouerne this corporall life By this reason wee are taught to discerne betweene good and euill betweene vertue and vice Reason sheweth vs felicitie and what it is to be happie but our stubborne and vnruly affections will not be obedient to the iudgement of reason sithence our nature did degenerate being corrupted by originall sinne Therefore Gods grace must assist vs otherwise our endeuour is nothing for in this so great imbecillitie of nature and by the subtill practices of the diuell who lieth in waite to hinder and peruert our good intents and purposes our power and forces are very little so as wee be no otherwise able of our selues to doe those things which are requisite to the attaining of felicitie then as a body that is made weake with long sicknesse is able to go who is by and by weary and if any chance to thrust him euer so little he falleth to the ground so our strength and force is often ouercome with the vehemencie of our affections and often ouerthrowne by the subtiltie of the diuell Yet neuerthelesse we must not desist nor be discouraged but vse our indeuour and force such as it is and call to God to supply our defects with his grace Our principall consideration and care must be daily to praise and glorifie God to meditate often vpon him and to be thankfull for all his benefits which is our proper action and end in this mortall life as hath beene said and the means to bring vs to the ioyes of heauen which is our greatest good and beatitude or true felicitie Then how to passe thorow this vale of miserie and troublous life as plaine and smooth a way and with light burthen as our endeuour can finde and God will permit I liken a quiet life and meane estate voyd of worldly cares to a plaine way and that which is interrupted with greedy desire and hunting after riches and honours and reputation with such like perturbations to a rough and vneuen way full of hils and stones and they that possesse them to be laden with a great burthen and therefore trauell painfully in respect of the other to the end of their iourney To bring this to passe we must purifie and cleanse our minds from our corrupt and vncleane affections that we may be the better able to see and desire those things which be good indeed and auoid those things that be good in shew onely wherein morall vertues are very necessary for by them our vnruly affections and vnprofitable desires are bridled or suppressed or at least moderated which are the chiefe cause of an vnhappy life They mooue mens desires to pleasures to riches to honour and glory which hath beene shewed before by many examples and sayings of wise men to be the cause of infelicity they stirre vp pride enuy hatred malice desire of reuenge feare and such like perturbations and vnquietnesse of the mind and will neuer suffer the soule or mind to be in quiet and rest which is contrary to felicity and a happy life which consisteth not in fleshly pleasures nor in the abundance of riches or possessions nor in principality or power but in a contented and quiet mind void of sorrow and feare which cannot be obtained without Gods speciall grace and gift and his assistance to our endeauours The counsell which King Dauid gaue to his sonne in his death-bed is meete to be followed of all men Thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind for the Lord searcheth euery mans heart and vnderstandeth all the thoughts of mens minds If thou seeke him thou shalt find him but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer And Tobit gaue this counsell among other things to his sonne My sonne set our Lord God alwaies before thine eyes and let not thy will be set to sinne or to transgresse the commandements of God doe vprightly all thy life long and follow not the wayes of vnrighteousnesse for if thou deale truly thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee and to all them which liue iustly Blesse thy Lord God alway and desire of him that thy wayes may be made straight and that all thy counsels and purposes may prosper And if thou desire to know whether thou be happy or not examine thy selfe whether thou be glad merrily disposed of a quiet conscience without feare of worldly things and content with thine estate whether thou be neuer pensiue or melancholike for the lacke or losse of any worldly thing whether no hope in gaping for any thing to come troubleth thy mind whether day and night thy mind be pleased and in
lay thy hand upon his head and ducke him under the water and never suffer him to rise againe Men have changed the inward habites of their mindes as they have done the outward habites of their bodies Every age nay rather every yeare bringeth forth new fashions so likewise that friendship and honesty which in our forefathers times was wont to bee performed with faith and plaine meaning is now out of the fashion and therefore not esteemed cunning dissimulation with faire words and large offers with little performance is now all the fashion Ioyne thy selfe therefore in friendship with very few and bee circumspect and curious in thy choyce and if it be possible bee beholding to no man more than hee is beholding to thee for a faithfull friend is hard to be found the bare name onely remaineth the thing is obsolet and growne out of use So long as thou hast no need thou shalt find friends ready to offertheeal mnner of courtesies but if fortune begin to frowne upon thee a tempest chance to arise they will find quarrels to leave thee and cover their infidelity with thy fault and give thee cause to say with Ovid In mediis lacerâ puppe relinquor aquis I am in a torne ship left in the midst of the Sea It is a hard matter for him that is in poverty to find out a kinsman or friend for no man will confesse that he appertaineth in any sort to him that needeth any helpe fearing lest hee will by and by aske something of him David calleth such men table friends And that is one coÌ„moditie which poverty bringeth that it sheweth who loveth thee But to him thou meanest to performe the part of a faithfull frieud thou must observe these two things to helpe his necessities and to comfort him in adversity But the manner of friends in these dayes is to deliver words by the pottle and deeds by the pinte They that call themselves thy friends will looke for performance of friendship at thy hands though they wil performe none to thee For every man looketh for honest dealing in another though he meane to use none himselfe To this declination the greatest comfort to the life of man is come by the generall depravation of manners for where can a man find greater comfort in adversitie than in faithfull friends who also double the joyes and pleasures of prosperitie That was never more commonly in use which Latimer spake in his Sermon to reprehend the want of love and charitie Yee have a common saying said hee every man for himselfe and God for us all but ye might more truly say every man for himselfe and the Divell for us all one for another and God for us all Martiall finding the infidelitie and inconstancie of love and friendship giveth this counsell Si vitare velis acerba quadam Et tristes animi cavere morsus Nulli te facias nimis sodalem Guadebis minus 〈◊〉 minus dolebis If thou wilt bitter accidents avoyde Nor let thy minde with sad things be annoyd No man too neare unto thy breast retaine So shalt thou more rejoyâ—…e and lesse complaine Prosperitie winneth friends but adversitie proveth them as the touch-stone tryeth Gold And over-great friendship not considerately united is many times the cause of great hatred Men cannot bee better warned to trust to themselves than by Aesops fable of a Lark which discovereth the common coldnesse of friendship in their friends causes A Larke saith hee that bred in the corne went forth to seeke meat for her yong birds that had feathers when the corne was ripe and willed them to hearken what was said in her absence and tell her at her returne The master of the corne perceiving it ripe willed his son to desire his friends the next day earely in the morning to come reape downe his corne The sonne did as hee was commanded and when the Larke returned her little ones trembling for feare told her what newes they had heard desiring to be removed to another place but shee bid them be quiet and feare nothing and went forth the next day againe to seeke for meat the master looketh for his friends and when hee saw that none came hee willed his sonne to goe to his kinsfolkes and desire their helpe to cut down his corne the next day when the Larke returned shee found her young ones in the like feare againe but understanding what they had heard she willed them to have no feare for kindred said she will not bee so hasty to helpe with their labour at the first call and departed from them againe The day following when the master had in vaine expected the performance of his kinsfolks promise also Away quoth hee with friends anâ—… kinne fetch two hooks to morrow early in the morning one for mee another for thee and we will reape the corne our selves Which when the Larke understood of her young Now it is time to bee gone said shee and removed her nest By which fable men are warned not to stay for their friends help in that they can do themselves And hereof springeth a common error that men consider not rightly of the nature of friendship which can be perfect but between two and those vertuous persons And where is no conformitie of manners there can bee no perfection of friendship for contraries can hold no consent nor unity together because their affections must be joyned together and his friend must bee preferred before all others as it were two bodies made one which moved Alexander the Great to say to Darius mother that desired pardon upon her knees for mistaking Ephestion for the king that he was also Alexander For if a man have many friends it may chance that one may have cause of joy by some great good fortune happened to him and another at the same time may have cause of sorrow by some evill accident or fortune Both which contrary passions cannot bee in him together and therefore hee cannot bee like friend to them both But one may be a friend to many by degrees according to the merit or estimation hee hath of them which he may also with honesty dissolve if by their demerites he shall find just cause and bee not bound to continue it by some good turne received and not requited Many by acquaintaÌ„ce only or by some courtesie shewed for civilities sake are more ready to challenge a further friendship never promised or professed as due to them by his voluntarie kindnesse than forwardly to requite that already received Yet neverthelesse true love and friendship hath respect onely to his friends necessitie without merchandize or feneration as one sayth Charitas non quaerit suum But seeing the affected name of a friend is so common and the act or matter so rare I wish thee to make choyce of a few companions with whom thou wilt passe thy time to avoyd the tediousnes of a solitary life such as bee inclined to honest
he offered us his grace so plentifully and yet will we not receive it He that standeth in a high place letteth down a rope to help him up that standeth beneath so God hath let downe his grace to us to lift us up to him but wee will not take hold of it and therefore it may bee feared if we bee not more circumspect lest our common adversary entangle us with his rope that hee may plucke us downe to him Wee may be wondred at not without cause as the Emperour Constantius marvelled at his people that were newly become Christians I marvell said hee how it commeth to passe that many of my people are worse now than before they were Christians The best we can hope for if we amend not our maners is that God will chastise us and the most we can desire at his hands is that if he punish us by some of his ordinary meanes he will use a fatherly correction upon us and when hee hath beaten his children cast the rod in the fire Wee have beheld these many yeares in great tranquility under the flourishing reigne of a most happy Prince the troubles and afflictions of our neighbours by which we have beene warned to reforme our lives and to be thankfull but with how small effect is too apparent and therefore it may be feared lest the time will come that wee shall have cause to say to our neighbours Vivite felices quibus est fortuna per◅cta I am sua nos alia ex al◅is in fata vocamur Live happy you whose fortunes are full grown We have no fate to looke to but our owne Petrarks saying could to no time bee more aptly applyed that hunters and fowlers used not their endevour with greater diligence to lay nets and snares for wilde beasts birds than crafty men layd for the simple and plaine meaning And therefore said he if thou wilt not be deceived either dye or deale not with men which agreeth with Pionano his countrey man Con arte con inganno Si vive mezzo l'anno Con inganno con arte Si vive l'altraparte Hee therefore that would enjoy that happinesse which may be found in this life must live in the feare and service of God and alwayes lift up his minde to the true felicity which cannot be injoyed in this world but in the life to come He must desire God to bestow his benefits and graces upon him by which he may eschew and be free from those things that are hindrance to felicity and that he will blesse his labours and indeavours that are taken in hand and leadeth the right way to the attaining of happinesse Hee must arme himselfe with patience quietly to receive such afflictions and crosses as it shall please God to send and lay upon him and perswade himselfe he doth all for his good to draw his love from these worldly vanities to the contemplation and desire of God and his heavenly kingdome which is our end and sovereigne good and beatitude He must purge and cleanse his mind from those impure motions and affections that intice and allure men to the deceivable lusts and brutish pleasures of the flesh than which pleasure after Demosthenes there is not a more capitall enemie given of nature to man and after Demosthenes no evill can happen to that man which hath layd temperance and continency for a foundation of wisedom He must also beware and be very circumspect that he bee not overcom with inordinate desire of riches nor with ambition and desire of honor and glory whereunto for want of due consideration the most part of men are commonly carried headlong by a false and flattering shew of happinesse And if it shall please God to blesse him with worldly wealth honourable estate for they are his blessings to them that come rightly and justly to them he must use them to that purpose for which they were ordained and given him for the estimation of things and their use and abuse maketh them helpefull or hurtful to happinesse of life He that knoweth how to esteem and use riches honourable estate as he ought neither will desire them if he have them not nor feare their losse if he possesse them knowing that he may live well and happily without them as things not necessary to felicity For the greedy desire of riches possessions the ambitious passions common almost to all men in aspiring to honorable estate the cōtinual fear of their losse doth so torment and unquiet our mindes that whereas by the due estimation of riches and honour and such like delights of men with an upright judgement we might leade a pleasant and happy life wee contrariwise by a sinister opinion heape upon our selves grievous torments manifold cares and vexations so as wee seeme to seeke of purpose for the causes and meanes how to bring our selves into an unhappie and miserable estate for all the troubles and perplexities that travell our fraile bodies our selves are the cause of them and for the most part we goe out to seeke them For thus fares it with men of all estates first to desire one thing and then another without end or measure never satisfied or contented and therefore never happy He must estimate these things that will live happily not after the common custome and opinion of men but by a right and reasonable censure and content himselfe with his estate to which God hath called him whereunto he shall the more easily bee perswaded that will compare the dangers and troubles of high dignities and honourable estate with the security and quietnesse of meane callings and bestow some time in reading the monuments of wise and learned authors whose counsell he shall find to contemne the things wherein by an erroneous opinion men set their felicity as meere vanities and the frumpes of fortune and that a little is sufficient to the happinesse of life Yet providence is to bee used by a wise and ◅rugall man after Isocrates counsell To remember things past to doe things present and to beware of things to come For he is no lesse worthy of blame that provideth not that which is necessary than he that never ceaseth to get more than is sufficient And though no estate of life be excluded from felicity for that the chiefe part cause therof proceeds from the minde yet abundance of riches honorable estate hie dignities are more subject to those things that are hinderance to happinesse than the meane and inferiour estates are which whosoever will attentively observe will be the more readily induced to beleeve with Saint Paul that Godlinesse is great riches and sufficient to lead us to the felicity happinesse we seeke for For that bringeth with it a contempt of worldly vanities so much esteemed of the multitude peace of conscience and a contentation of mind wherein felicity consisteth Which was rightly espied by the Poet that the vanities of this world as riches pleasures