great dispute among Phisitians what should be the cause of the Paroxismes or fittes in Agues and once I my selfe being troubled with a tertian Ague in Italie in the Cittie of Como there came two Phisitians my deere friends and a Doctor of Diuinitie all at one time to visite me and euen then I stood in expectation of my fit After many complements discourses about my sicknes at last I demaunded these two Doctors of Phisicke that they would resolue mee in one doubt about my disease they aunswered with a good will Well sayd I you both conclude and it stands with good reason that this sicknes of mine proceedeth from excesse of choller now I would know of you when my fit is past is the choller all disguested consumed and voyded away or no If it be consumed why dooth my Ague returne if it be not consumed why dooth mine Ague depart The Phisitians here aunswered one contraâ—ie to another for the first sayd it was disguested Why then returneth mine Ague For this cause quoth he the Ague proceedeth not onely of choller but of choller putrified corrupted and poysoned Now sir the choller poysoned is consumed but other choller which remaineth is not corrupted but by the next paroxisme it will be corrupted Well sayd I what thing is that which corrupteth poisoneth that good choller which before was not corrupted It seemeth strange to me how so much precisely should be corrupted and the other beeing so neere lying by it or rather vnited with it yea mingled in it not to be infected In truth I remember not what he aunswered but I am sure he satisfied none of vs all The other Doctor of Phisicke sayd it was not consumed but nature feeling the force of that poyson vnited her selfe to fight against it and so allayed most of the vehemencie vigour and malignitie thereof and hee gaue an example of a pot of water set on the fire for quoth hee if the coales be couered with ashes the hote water cooleth blow the fire and it warmeth and boyleth let ashes returne or the fire die the water returneth to the first coldnesse So quoth hee the poyson of the choller by natures might is ouercome when the Ague departeth but after that those spirits and forces which nature had vnited are dispersed the fire is quenched and choller againe corrupted But quoth the other Phisitian so the sicknesse should neuer depart for if your choller be still in cooling and heating and nature now fighting now ceasing when I pray you shall this combat be finally ended Marry sir quoth his fellow Doctor in this sort nature mittigateth the forces of choller this fit and allayeth them now nature in the meane time is strengthned with good foode and the humour either purged or quailed with phisicke and so by little and little it is quite disguested Not so said the other for then the second fit should alwayes be lesse then the first and the third lesse then the second and so forward to the last but this is false for his third and fourth fits were much more vehement then either the first or second And besides by this declaration no man should euer die vpon an Ague For if in euery fit the sicknesse ceassed not vntill the humour were allayed then certainly in Agues which are mortall the fitte shoulde neuer passe which is most false With this the Doctor of Diuinitie who was a very good Philosopher and for that he had beene much troubled with maladies he was like manie wrangling Gentlemen a petty-fogging Phisitian at his owne costs as they be petty-fogging Lawyers thorow theyr owne sutes Why said the Diuine may we not hold that the Ague is in the liuer and hart No quoth the Phisitians both that cannot be because no Phisitian euer held that any Ague was in partibus solidis that is in the hart liuer c. except the Hecticke Well said the diuine I say not that it is in the hart and liuer immediatly for that I will confesse perforce must be choller but I say the fountaine and spring the roote and crigen to reside in the liuer the which immediatly causeth corrupted blood and inflamed choller for they beeing extraordinarily corrupted themselues with vehement heate cannot but engender blood spirits and humors of like infection and corruption And by this way I aunswere the first doubt that when the Ague ceaseth choller is diguested Why then returneth it againe Marie sir because the hart and liuer beeing out of temper in that space of time engender so many more peruerse humors as opprâ—sse nature so vehemently and dangerously that shee must imploy all her might to resist them abate them extinguish them In truth Maister Doctor said I this opinion I like very well and I will confirme it for since mine Ague first beganne these Phisitians haue inculcated nothing so much vnto me by word and deede as to coole my liuer to this effect all their syrrops and waters of Endiue Sicory and Barley tended And with this discourse wee ended our dispute mine Ague the which with this pleasant conference passed away Fiftly Plato auoucheth that Agues haue ages Plato in Dialog de Natur. like men as also consummations and ends vvith whom Galen consenteth This sentence of Plato Valesius a worthy Phisitian explicateth in this maner As there are two sorts of diseases sharpe and Valesius de Sacra Philo. cap. 7. cronicall both which haue theyr decretory daies but not alike for the sharpe haue odde dayes especially seauen the cronicall twenty sixty eightie a hundred so there are two prerogations or courses of life the one is common to many the other to fewe and such as are of a most liuely constitution both of them haue theyr Clymactericall or decretory yeeres The first wee number by seauen and nine the latter wee count by tenne and the last period is a hundred and twenty To this Discourse of Valesius lette vs adde a certayne poynt of experience and doctrine of Galen Galen lib. r. de diebus decretorijs c. 22. who in the decretorie dayes of a feuer which numbreth by seauen specially he will tell you the fourth day whether the Agew will leaue the patient the seauenth or whether hee shall die vpon the seauenth day or no and also withall hee teacheth to foretell the very houre of death vppon the seauenth day Last of all out of these considerations we may gather as much as will sufficiently I hope satisfie the Question proposed in the beginning of this Section viz why in these Clymactericall yeeres men commonly die To which I doe aunswere That for euery sixe yeeres or eight men still gather vppe more or lesse humours which prepare the way for an Agew in the seauen or nine As wee sayde before when the fitte is past the heart and liuer prepare humours for the next ensuing and in case they be not sufficient in the seauen they multiply to the nine if in this they faile then they passe to the foureteene then to eighteene c. And for this cause Physitians councell theyr Patients to purge in the Spring and Authumne to hinder the increase of humours albeit they feele themselues nothing diseased at all This we may declare by the example of them who are infected with hereditary diseases as the gowte or the stone for albeit they euidently appeere not till olde age yet in all the progresse of their yeeres the partes and humours infensibly are prepared Or wee may say that in sixe or eight yeeres the liuer and heart which are fountaines of bloud and origens of humours are so infected and corrupted that in the last yeere they engender more vnnaturall superfluous humours than can stand with the right and naturall constitution of the body But some will say by this opinion a man should euer be sicke for hee shoulde neuer want corrupted humours wherein sickenesse consisteth To this I answere first that health consisteth not in indiuisibili in an indiuisible poynt so that it admitteth not some few peccant humours withall but hath a certaine amplitude like as if into a But of strong Canary Wine a man euery moneth shoulde put in halfe a pinte of water euery day a spoonefull at the moneths end yea the yeeres end the Wine woulde be almost as potent as at the first yea and perhaps more if it bee well helped Secondly wee see that Custome breedeth qualities and alterations so insensibly as in long time till they come to a full growth they can hardly be perceiued Thirdly I doubt not but hee that hath for example the first foureteene yeere of his life for his Clymactericall in the precedent yeeres shall gather more corrupted humoures then hee whose Clymactericall yeere is nine and fortie and also feele himselfe proportionally more weake albeit hee can not well perceiue for I my selfe haue knowne a man almost with halfe his lungs rotten with a consumption and yet boldelie auowch that he was strong for Ab assuetis non fit passio Some will obiect that wee see by experience many menne die within the space of a day or two who before were as sound and whole as coulde be neyther in their vrine blood or pulse appeared any signe of sickenesse or superfluous humour To this I aunswere that such a man was eyther oppressed with some vehement Passion or some violent exercise or some other extrinsecall cause which accelerated peruerted and extraordinarily augmented the humour and so caused death for as I saide aboue although a man considering the common course of his dayes can not passe his prefixed time and Clymactericall periode yet by many meanes he may shorten it Much more I coulde say prò and contrà for this Declaration but because it were something too Physicall and not so necessarie for this Morall Treatise therefore I will bury it with silence for this poynt in very trueth is so intricate that I perceiue the best wittes are exceedingly troubled to extricate themselues out of it And therefore as this I esteeme probable so I woulde giue any Physitian most hearty thankes who in few woordes woulde teach mee a better way I sayde in briefe for I haue seene some such long tedious Discourses as I loathed to peruse them doubting lest the vncertaine profit would not repay the certaine payne Finis
betwixt gluttonie and scarcitie fortitude betwixt desperat boldnesse and superfluous feare called timiditie Men commonly by nature are more enclined to one of these extreames than another as most men are giuen to couetousnesse few to prodigalitie more to eat too much than to eat too little more to be afraid when they need not than to be too bold when they ought to be afraid If then thou trie thy selfe not vehemently inclined to any of these passions yet sometimes to exceed in one extreame sometime in another commonly the securest way to be practised is to incline thy selfe to that extreame which men by nature most vehemently abhorre as prodigalitie scarceuesle in diet boldnesse in daungers But if thou perceiue a vehement inclination to the one extreame procure to bend thy selfe as farre to the other for so thou shalt with more facilitie come to the middest as commonly the Philosophers declare by the example of a crooked staffe the which to make straight we bend to the other side and make it as crooked contrariwise as it was before The second rule to moderate passions we may learne Solus in illicitis non cadit qui se aliquando a licitis caute restringit Gregor lib. 5. moral hom 35. super Euan. of Socrates who to bridle extraordinarie and vnlawfull pleasures was accustomed to abstaine from lawfull and not prohibited For if one be addicted to drunkennesse he shall with more facilitie ouercome this passion if he abstaine from strong drinkes he most affecteth euen at such times as lawfully he may vse them The third rule to flie occasions which may incense the passion whereunto we are inclined for occasiones factunt latrones a commodious and fit occasion to steale maketh oftentimes theeues which otherwise would haue been honest men wherefore he that committeth himselfe to sea in a boisterous tempest deserueth to suffer shipwrack he that willingly without necessitie dealeth with infected persons may blame himselfe if he fall into their diseases so hee that is giuen to lasciuiousnesse and vseth riotous companie may condemne his owne wilfulnesse if his passions rebell and ouercome him For this cause God commaunded that the Nazarites which were consecrated to him should drinke no Wine not any thing that might cause drunkennesse and least they should by eating grapes or great reisins be allured to the Num 6. drinking of wine he commaunded them they should neither eat grapes nor reisins So hee that will not bee guided by affectiōs must diligently auoid occasions Yet this rule ought not to be vnderstood vniuersally for it is conuenient to find out occasions to exercise some passions as to seeke the poore to practise the passion of pitie to visit the sick to shew compassion to exercise learning to ouercome feare But in such passions as Nature more than willingly would follow best it were to flie occasions as he that will liue chast must eschew much familiaritie with suspected persons and vniuersally with all women not looking vpon them nor touching except necessitie or good manners in some few cases requireth The same may be said of gluttonie pride and such like whereunto our corrupt nature is much inclined yet if some man by experience haue prooued such passions not to be very rebellious and that for most part he hath ouerruled them he may be something the bolder yet let him not be too confident for the Fox often seemes to be dead to seize more assuredly vpon his prey The fourth remedie for noble spirits singular of baser mindes abhorred yet of both worthie to be practised may be drawne out of the very poyson of passions that is when a most vehement and rebellious motion assaulteth thee when the fiercenesse and tyrannie thereof welnigh possesseth thee when thou art almost yeelding consent vnto it then turne the force of thy soule with as much indeauour as thou canst to the contrarie and with one naile driue out another make of tentations 1. Cor. 10. 11. 2. Cor. 8. 9. a benefit let vertue in infirmitie and weakenesse of resistance be more perfit and ennobled For as in warres the valiantest souldiours in greatest incounters are best tried so in most vehement passions the resolutest minds are best prooued For Iosephs chastitie had neuer been so glorious if his vnchast ladie had not so vehemently allured him to defile the bed of his lord Iobs patience had neuer been so conspicuous if the passion of griefe and sadnesse had not so violently seized vpon him Abrahams fortitude had neuer beene so heroicall if the death of his onely sonne had not cut in a manner his heart strings asunder This meane to mortifie passions I take to be one of the most forcible and important remedies that men can vse especially for two causes the first for that by these contrarie acts are bred in the soules certaine habites helpes stayes or inclinations most opposite vnto our passions and therefore the passions being strong they cannot be ouercommed but by the might of excellent vertue for as the deeper a tree is rooted in the ground it requireth greater force to pull it vp euen so the greater possession the passion hath taken of the soule the greater vertue it needeth to supplant it It seemeth that Iob after Iob. 13. 15. so many temptations practised this remedie when he said Etiamsi occideret me in ipso sperabo Although God kill me yet I will hope in him For questionlesse those pains and pangs did incite him to desperation the which with contrarie trust in God he most valiantly suppressed Another cause may be yeelded for that many passions proceed not onely from the inclinations of nature alterations of humours but by the very suggestion of the diuell who watcheth his oportunitie to take men at an aduantage and to induce them to sundry inordinat affections for which cause they are called very often in Scriptures vncleane spirits because they leade men into vncleane passions and actions The diuell therefore seeing his temptations so valiantly resisted his poysoned darts rebounding into his owne breast I meane his illusions redound to his owne shame and confusion dareth not be so bold another time to inuade so strong a sort but with all his troupe will flie from it as a swarme of filthie flies dare not approch neere vnto a boyling pot Resistite diabolo fugiet à vobis resist the diuell and he Iames 4. 7. will flie from you The fift remedie not inferiour to the precedent is to resist passions at the beginning vse the remedie for vertue that Pharaoh practised for tyrannie in killing all the infants of the Iews least they should encrease too much and so ouerrun his countrey While the sore is greene seldome surgeons despaire but festred once they hardly cure it so passions while they knocke at the doore of our mindes whilest they are a little entertained if you expell them not quickly they will allodge longer with you than you would haue them And the most easie
Apoph Rom. The second point of prudence in passions is to conceale as much as thou canst thy inclinations oâ— that passion thou knowest thy selfe most prone to follow and this for two causes first for credite secondarily for many inconueniences that may thereby ensue It impeacheth questionlesse greatly a graue mans credite a great mans authoritie and a ciuile mans good conuersation to be subiect to some one only inordinate passion for such a corrupt iudgement hath now so much preuailed with men yea and euer hath ben that they will contemne the whole for some one notable defect as for example if we see a picture of a man or woman drawne with exquisit colours great proportion and art yet if there be but one eye one arme yea or one finger out of square men will say the image is spoyled for that one defect yea the first thing almost we marke is the improportion or disquaring of that part How many prize almost nothing their geldings because they lacke their tailes eares mane or good colours Euen so we trie by dayly talke that commonly men descant vpon other mens doings they will say such a nobleman is resolute in warres goodly in person but subiect to choller too much addicted vnto his owne iudgement such a maÌ„ excelleth in learning yea but pride ouerruleth him such a Senatour iudgeth profoundly but is impatient in hearing of causes such a man raigneth in the Pulpit but blinded with couetousnesse such a man passeth in Musicke but is buried for the most part in the tauerne such a man giueth great almes but attendeth too much to good cheere and in fine there is no man so well qualified but alwayes the world will condemne him because they iudge him stained with some passion therefore great prudence wisemen account it for graue and great persons not to lay their passions open to the censure of the world Many inconueniences may follow if others know what passions men are subiect vnto for if thy enemies would bee reuenged of thee no fitter meanes they might sleightly vse than to procure some way whereby thy passions should be stirred and put in execution for by often ministring matter thy passions would easily subdue thee as a Spanish souldier and a Dutchman after many bragges of their valour and feats of armes aptly insinuated for sayd the Spanish souldier with one Spaniard a hundred buttes of wine I would kill a whole armie of Dutchmen because I would set my wine at night in such a place where I knew the Dutch troupes should lodge and then I know they would neuer leaue drinking while there remained any wit in their braines and so buried with drinke it were no great masterie to despatch them all Nay quoth the Dutchman without any man I would destroy a troupe of Spaniards onely by sending against them a multitude of women for they might easily make of them a massacre like Paris or an euensong of Sicilie at midnight in their beds These two knew well the inclinations of both Countries and consequenly perceiued the way how one might ouerthow the other yet although they were simple and souldierlike discourses for many things may be in common auoided which in particular may be hardly escaped neuerthelesse they knew how easie a thing it was by ministring matter to passions to cast a baite with a hooke to draw them into their owne ruine But some would be glad to know how a man might well conceale his passions so that the world should not iudge him passionatâ— I answere that this question yeeldeth some difficultie for hardly can a passionate man bridle so his affections that they appeare not But yet if he be neuer so passionat and would but follow a litle direction I thinke he might albeit not wholy yet in great part auoyd the infamie of a passionate person The way may be thus in great assemblies or at such times as most men marke our actions wordes and gestures then if a man haue an occasion of choler indignation lust pride feare or such like passion if he refraine but a little all those will at least suspect that he permitteth not his passions wholy to ouerrunne him For all historiographers which Basil in hom de legend lib. Gent. write of Alexander the great highly commend his continencie and especially moued with the carriage of himselfe when Darius wife and her daughters were taken prisoners and subiect to his power they being beautifull he in the prime of yeeres yet because he would but scarcely looke on them hee woon for euer the name of Continencie Besides it were good to dispraise in words before others that passion thou art most addicted vnto for by so doing thou shalt make men beleeue in deed that thou abhorrest much that â—ice questionlesse if the passion be not too pregnantly known such words will blemish a great part of mens conceits for according to the Italian Prouerbe Buone parole cattiui fatti Ingannano li sauij li matti That is Wordes good and workes ill Makes fooles and wisemen leese their skill I say not this because I would haue a man to doe one thing and speake another but that if he cannot but sometime of fragilitie slide it may bee a good way to recall him againe and not to fall so often if he speake in dispraise of his owne fault for men will be ashamed to commit often that they themselues dispraise eagerly and besides it repaireth anew his credit almost cracked with the former passion The third point may be Not to vex and trouble thy selfe too much wheÌ„ a passion seizeth vpoÌ„ thee but diuerting thy mind from it and restraining thy consent as well as thou canst from yeelding vnto it and in short time thou shalt see it vannish away as wee prooue in daily temptations of ire sadnesse loue lust and such like which fall and consume away euen by themselues either because the humour which was mooued returneth to his former seat or the impression made in the imagination deminisheth or the attention of the soule destracted with other matters faileth or some other passion expelleth it or the deuill ceaseth to tempt either I say all these or most of them mittigat consume and wholy subuert that passion which before so troubled vs and seemed insuperable The fourth poynt which ought principally to bee considered and well waighed of those whose passions are most vehement and inordinate is this that they which perceiue in themselues such disordered affections ought first to know the root of them to bee selfe-loue and the greater they find the boughs of their passions the greater and deeper root let them bee assured lieth hidden vnder the bottome of their soule for which cause such men must persuade themselues to haue great difficultie to vertue and extreame facilitie to vice that as they loue pleasures of the body exceedingly so they hate all that may hinder or oppose it selfe thereunto mightily That they bee blinded as battes in their owne
hold him for a simple man that cannot sound a drunkards soule euen to the bottome IIII. Discouery of Passions in gesture THis subiect is very ample and would require almost a whole booke but I will onely touch superficially some chiefe points The gestures of the body may bee reduced vnto these heads motions of the eyes pronuntiation managing of the hands and bodie manner of going A rowling eye quicke in mouing this way and that way argueth a quicke but a light wit a hote cholericke complexion with an vnconstant and impatient mind in a woman it is a signe of great immodesty and wantonnesse The reason hereof I take to be for that such quicknesse proceedeth from abundance of hote spirits which cause good apprehension but because they are not corrected by modesty and vertue it seemeth the subiect letteth them range according to their naturall inclination which tendeth to quicknesse and lightnesse Heauie dull eyes proceed from a dull mind and hard of conceit for the contrarie reason therefore wee see all old persons sicke men and flegmaticke slow in turning their eyes Eyes much giuen to winking descend from a soule subiect to feare because it argueth a weakenesse of spirits and a feeble disposition of the eyelids To stare fixly vpon one either commeth from blockishnesse as in rustickes impudencie as in malitious persons prudence when from those in authoritie incontinencie in women Who open their eyes and extend them much commonly be simple men but of a good nature Eyes inflamed and fierie are the natiue brood of choler and ire quiet and peaceable with a certaine secret grace and mirth are children of loue and friendship In Voice THere came a man to Demosthenes desiring his helpe to defend his cause and told him how one had beaten him Demosthenes answered him again saying I doe not beleeue this to bee true thou tellest Plutarâ— in Deâ—ost me for surely the other did neuer beat thee The plaintife then thrusting out his voice aloud said What hath he not beaten me Yes indeed quoth Demosthenes I beleeue it now for I heare the voice of a man that was beaten indeed whereby we may see how he coniectured by the lowdnesse of his voice the iust indignation of his mind For indeed men in ire and wrath shew by their pronuntiation the flame which lodgeth in their breasts Wherefore Cato gaue counsell That souldiers in the warre should terrifie their enemies with vehement voices and cries A small trembling voice proceedeth from feare and such an one commonly haue Plutarc in Ro. Apoph great Oratours or at least it were good they should haue in the beginning of their Orations for thereby they win a certaine compassion and louing affection of their auditors Much more might be said of this subiect but for that it concerneth specially physiognomie and naturall constitution of the organs and humours of the bodie therefore I will omit it Managing of the hands and bodie IN discoursing to vse no gestures argueth slownesse too much gesticulation commeth of lightnesse mediocritie proceedeth from wisedome and grauitie and if it be not too quicke it noteth magnanimitie Some men you haue alwaies fidling about their garments either prying for moaths binding of garters pulling vp their stockings that scarcely when they goe to bed they are apparelled this proceedeth from a childish mind and void of conceits and if you deale with men in companie it also sheweth a little contempt of those with whom you conuerse because it seemeth you little attend what they say Some cast their heads now hither now thither as wantonly as lightly which springeth from folly inconstancie Others scarce thinke they doe pray except they wrie and wrest their neckes which either commeth of hypocrisie superstition or foolishnesse Some gaze vpon themselues how proper bodies they beare how neat and proportioned legs sustaine them and in fine almost are inamored of themselues so they are pleased with their owne persons but this gesture displeaseth commonly and proceedeth from pride and vaine complacence in going To walke maiestically that is by extending thy legs foorth and drawing thy body backe with a slow and stately motion in all mens iudgment vsually issueth from a proud mind and therefore deserueth dispraise except in a Prince a Generall of an army or a Souldier in in the sight of his enemies because this manner of pasing sheweth an ostentation of the mind and that a man would set foorth himselfe aboue others which sort of vaunting few can tollerat because they can hardly suffer that men should so farre inhance themselues aboue others To trip to iet or any such light pase commeth of lightnesse and pride because such persons seeme to take delight that others should behold their singular sort of going Fast going becommeth not graue men for as philosophers hold a slow pase sheweth a magnanimous mind and if necessitie requireth not a light pase argueth a light mind because thereby wee know how the spirits are not sufficiently tempered brideled whereupon followeth lightnesse of bodie and inconstancie of mind V. Discouerie of passion in Praysing I Almost neuer knew man discontented to heare his owne praise and few there be who can tollerat to be dispraised wise men doubt with Antisthenes the Philosopher that when wicked men praise them they haue committed some errour and reioyce with Hector to be praised of vertuous men for their good indeuours It were wisedome not to praise any man exceedingly but especially before a multitude for that good men change their estates What Emperor in the beginning was better than Nero and who in the end more vitious Salomon surpassed all his predecessours in wisedome yet afterwardes fell into extreame follie Wherefore it were wisedome to vse superlatiues very rarely and say such a man is vertuous but not most vertuous So therefore praise good men that thou reserue a caueat for their errours Besides commonly proud men cannot abide their equalls should much be commended for the praise of the one obscureth the glory of the other as I haue obserued by experience they either openly or secretly will seeke to disgrace him and discouer some defects the which impeacheth more his credit than your coÌ„mendation aduanceth his reputation because that men be more prone to conceiue ill than good of others therefore one said wisely Calumniare semper aliquid haeret speake euill for euer some thing remaineth that is either a full persuasion or a sinister suspition Some men when they haue done any thing worthy of praise they either like hennes goe cackling in regard of their new layd egge that is blazing their owne works or indeuour by secret insinuation or grosse industrie that others should commend them as the Italian Poet did who hauing made an Epigram which much pleased his fancy shewed it to some of his friends praysing it about the Skies they presently demaunded who was the Author then he for very shame of pride would not tell them that it was his but with a
those vigilant virgins which attend with their Matth. 25. lamps lighted the comming of their heavenly spouse these be those carefull housholders which prevent infernall Matth. 24. 43. Luk. 12. 39. theeves lest they should rob their treasures these be those which live ever in peace and tranquillitie of Phil. 3. 20. minde who dwelling in earth converse in heaven The second reason and principall is ill education of the which we have spoken before yet I must say here with holy scripture that as it is impossible for the Ethiopean to change his skin so it is impossible for youth Iere. 13. 23. brought vp licentiously to change their ill maners for vse breedeth facilitie facilitie confirmeth nature nature strongly inclined can hardly be diverted from her common course but followeth her vitious determination It is a wonder to see how custome transporteth and changeth nature both in body and in soule the which may well be proved by the young Maide the Queene of India sent to Alexander the great the which being nourished from her youth with serpents poison had so changed her naturall constitution that if she had bitten any Aristot. ad Alexand. Vide Hieronimum Cagniolum de institutio principis § 7. man he presently died as Aristotle affirmeth that by experience he had proved even so as serpents poyson had changed her body so ill maners alter the soule and as her teeth poysoned that they bit so wicked men those soules with whom they talke Corrumpunt 1. Cor. 15. 33. bonos more 's colloquia prava and acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentes nature therefore in tract of time Psal 139. 4. over-runne with so many weeds of wickednes abhorreth extreamely to supplant them loathing so long molestfull and continuall labor and therefore contenteth her selfe rather to eate the blacke beries of briers then the sweet cherries of vertue for this cause those children have a double bond to their parents schoolemaisters which distill even with milke into their mouths the sweet liquor of pietie vertue and good manners Quâ— semel est imbuta recens servaâ—it â—dorem testa diu â—laccâ—â— Of liquor first which earthen pot receives The smell it doth retaine for many dayes Whereunto agreeth that vulgare axiome of Philosophers Omnis habitus est difficilè separabilis à subiecte The third reason is present delectation for that we hope is future that pleasure worldlings perceive is present sensible delectation feedeth the corporall substance of sences and therefore we easily perceive it but vertue affecteth the soule not after so palpable and grosse manner therefore they despise it wherefore mens soules by inveterated customes vsed to sensuall and beastly delights either not beleeving or mistrusting or rather doubting of spirituall ioyes they neglect and for the most part care not for them contenting themselves with their present estate not looking any further and so as beasts they live and as beasts they dye according to that saying Home cum in honore esseâ— non intellexit Psal 48. 13. 21. comparatus est iumentis insipientibus similis factus est illis and so become sicut equus mulus in quibus non est Psal 31. 19. intellectus Finally the lacke of preservation hindereth our spirituall profite because I conceive our soules without prayer meditation the Sacraments of Christs church exercise of vertue and works of pietie not vnlike a dead body which for lack of a living soule dayly falleth away by putrifaction leeseth colour temperature and all sweetnesse and becommeth ghastly loathsome and stinking even so the soule without those balmes God hath prepared as preservatives it will be infected with vices and stincking with sinnes therefore those which neglect these benefits are not vnlike sicke men which know where medicines lie but will not seeke for them or receive them These foure causes I take to be the principall enimies Math. 11. 3â— of our spirituall life howbeit I doubt not that Christs yoke is sweete and his burthen easie if men would consider the meanes and accept those helps God hath bestowed vpon them But all meanes and helps which ordinarily we proove may be reiected by a wicked will Prov. 1. 24. Isa c. 5. 62. 2. Matth. 23. 37. and a hard indurated heart may resist the sweete calling of God Quia vocavi renuistis extendi manum meam non erat qui aspiceret By these Scriptures and many more we may easily Acts 7. 51. Mat. 11. 21. inferre that neither lacke of meanes nor lacke of grace hindereth vs from dooing well but our owne perverse and wicked will let vs but runne over two or three examples and we shall even touch with our fingers the certaintie of this veritie Consider but Adams fall how many meanes he had to do well and yet how basely he fell he first by Gods especiall grace was indued with so many internall gifts of vertues and knowledge that easily he might have observed that commandement the inferiour parts were subordinate by originall iustice to the superior so that passions could not assault him he had all beasts and the whole garden of Paradice with all the hearbs and trees at his pleasure therefore the precept was not so rigorous for what difficultie were it for a man to abstaine from one tree having the vse of thousands He knew most certainely how by eating into what a damnable estate he cast himselfe and all his posteritie wherefore the event might have taught him to prevent the cause but above all the perfit knowledge of the sinne he committed against God the extreme ingratitude disloyaltie and treacherie might have bridled his mouth from that poysoned Apple which brought present death of the soule and after a time a certaine death of the body But all these helps countervailed not his negligence in consideration and his ill will seduced with ambition Let vs take an other familiar example which dayly occurreth more common than commendable a woman married which breaketh her fidelitie promised to her husband marke but what helps she hath to restraine her from this sinne I omit the Sacraments of Christs Church the threatnings of death Gods iudgement and hell the enormious offence she committeth against God the abuse of his benefits the breach of his law the contempt of his grace the remorce of conscience the wounding of her soule and spoyling of the same all these and many more common helps graunted to all sinners I will speake nothing of albeit I thinke them sufficient to with-hold any ingenious heart from prevarication only let vs weigh those particular meanes she hath to abstaine and withdraw herselfe from this offence as the great iniurie she offereth her husband the breach of love betweene them the infamie wherevnto she for all her life shall be subiect the stayne of her kinred and friends for her fault redoundeth to their discredit as her good to their reputation the shamefastnesse wherewith God hath