bountie when our Liberalitie is on such bestowed by whom there is no hope that it should be required THe third and last marke whereby a true generous Disposition is distinguished is Fortitude or stoutnesse being indeed the argument of a prepared or composed minde which is not to be dismayed or disturbed by any sharpe or adverse thing how crosse or contrary soever it come Excellently is this Fortitude defined by the Stoicks terming it a vertue which standeth ever in defence of equitie not doing but repelling an injurie Those Heires of true Honour who are possest of this vertue dare oppose themselves to all occurrents in defence of reputation preferring death before servitude and dishonour If at any time as many times such immerited censures occurre they die for vertues cause they meet death with a cheerefull countenance they put not on a childish feare like that Baendite in Genoa who condemned to die and carried to the place of execution trembled so exceedingly that he had two men to support him all the way and yet he shivered extremely Or as Maldonatus relates how he heard of those which saw a strong man at Paris condemned to death to sweat bloud for very feare proving out of Aristotle that this effect may bee naturall But these whose generous spirits scorne such basenesse never saw that enterprise which they durst not attempt nor that death which could amate them where Honour grounded on Vertue without which there is no true Honour moved them either to attempt or suffer But now to wipe off certaine aspersions laid on valour or fortitude wee are not to admit of all daring Spirits to be men of this ranke For such whose Ambition excites them to attempt unlawfull things as to depose those whom they ought to serve or lay violent hand on those whom loyall fidelitie bids them obey opposing themselves to all dangers to obtaine their purpose are not to be termed valiant or resolute but seditious and dissolute For unlesse the enterprise be honest which they take in hand be their Spirits never so resolute or their minds prepared it is rashnesse but no valour having their actions ever suted by dishonour Sometimes likewise the enterprize may be good and honest the cause for which they encounter with danger vertuous the Agents in their enterprize couragious yet the issue taste more of despaire than valour Example hereof wee have in the Machabees in the death of Razis one of the Elders of Ierusalem a lover of the City and a man of very good report which for his love was called a Father of the Iewes One who did offer to spend his body and life with all constancie for the religion of the Iewes yet being ready to be taken on every side through the fury of Nicanor who so eagerly assaulted and hotly pursued him he fell on his Sword yea when his bloud was utterly gone he tooke out his owne bowels with both his hands and threw them upon the people calling upon the Lord of life and spirit that he would restore them againe unto him And thus he died Whence Augustine that devout Father and most excellent light of the Church concludeth that this was done magnè non benè more resolutely than rightly for hee was not to lay violent hand upon himselfe though there were no hope of safetie but imminent danger in respect of the furious and bloudy enemie Now this Fortitude whereof we here discourse as it is grounded upon a just foundation so it never ends in basenesse or rashnesse in Basenesse as in not daring in Rashnesse as in too inconsiderately attempting It is so farre from any act of Despaire as it hopes so long as it breathes for to despaire is to entertaine the extremest act of feare which is farre from her condition Now to discourse of the aime or end whereto all her actions are directed it is not any peculiar interest which moves true resolution so much as publike good For such whose aimes are glorious are ever conversant in redressing wrongs ministring comfort both by advice and assistance to such whose weaknesse hath felt the power of greatnesse For as in every good man there is naturally implanted a desire of goodnesse so in every valiant man there is a native desire to gaine honour by redressing injuries yea admit no honour were to accrue unto him by endevouring to right or releeve such as are distressed yet for vertues sake which is a sufficient reward to her selfe he undertakes the taske For Charitie being a good and a gracious effect of the Soule whereby mans heart hath no fancie to esteeme value or prize any thing in this wide world beside or before the care and studie of God so inflameth a well-disposed man as his desire is only to doe good whereby he might in so doing glorifie God the beginner and accomplisher of all good Now there are many motives to excite men to valour as may be collected from Histories properly and profitably tending to this purpose But the usuallest motive is Anger being indeed the Whetstone of Fortitude Or the Princes presence as wee reade of the Macedonians who being once overcome in battell by their enemies thought the only remedie to animate their Souldiers was to carry Philip being then a childe in a cradle to the field thereby stirring up the zeale of loyall and faithfull Subjects to defend their innocent Prince and this Whetstone so sharpned their swords that indeed they won the battell Or the renowme of Ancestors as the people of Tangia in America alwayes in their warres carried the bones and reliques of their memorable predecessors to encourage their Souldiers with the memory of them to avoid and eschew all timiditie So Tacitus reports how the Germans inflame their spirits to resolution and valour by singing the memorable acts of Hercules Or the sound of warlike alarmes as the Nairians in India stirre up their people to battell by hanging at the puâ—mels of their swords certaine plates to make a noise to animate and incense them to warre So Aleâ—ander the great hearing Antigenida that excellent â—rumpetter sound his trumpet to battell was stirred up in such sort to fight that his very friends were not secure from blowes which stood about him Or the passionate effects of Musicke as S. Basil recounteth one Timothie to be so excellent in Musicke that if he used a sharpe and severe harmony he stirred up men to anger and presently by changing his note to a more remisse and effeminate straine he moved them to peace both which effects he once produced in Alexander the great at a banquet Or opinion of the enemies crueltie as in the yeere 1562 appeared in Agria a City in Hungaria engirt with long siege by Mahomet Bassa with an Army of Turkes amounting to threescore thousand and battered with sixtie Cannons in the Citie were only two thousand Hungarians who with incredible valour repelled thirteene most terrible assaults resolved to endure
Princes graciously affected towards the poore afflicted and persecuted Christians Yea God moved the hearts of those who naturally are most remorselesse or obdurate in commiserating the estate of his afflicted Which may appeare by the Iaylor in the Acts who washed Saint Pauls stripes and wounds O how comfortable were these passions or passages of affliction these tortures or torments the trophies of their persecution The blessed memoriall whereof shall extend the date of time receiving a crowne of him who is the length of dayes So as King Alexanders Stagges were knowne an hundred yeares together by those golden collars which by the Kings commandement were put about their neckes or as King Arthurs bodie being taken up somewhat more than six hundred yeares after his death was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of ten severall wounds which appeared in his skull so these glorious stampes of their passion shall appeare as trophies to them in the day of exaltation because as they lost their lives for the testimony of the Gospell they shall finde them recorded in the booke of life receiving the crowne of consolation for the deep draught which they tooke of the cup of affliction And reason there is we should disvalue our lâ—ves for the profession of our faith since forlorne and miserable is his life that is without faith For if the Heathen whose future hopes were fixed on posterity and not so much as the least knowledge of eternity dis-esteemed their lives to gaine them renowne or propagate their countries glory much more cause have we to subject our lives to the censure of death having hope after death to live in glory It is reported that the body of Cadwallo an antient King of the Britains being embalmed and dressed with sweet confections was put into a brazen image and set upon a brazen horse over Ludgate for a terror to the Saxons and Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians commanded that after his decease his skin should be flayed from his bodie to make a drum which they should use in their battels affirming that as soone as the Hurgarians or any other Enemies should heare the sound of that drum they would not abide but take their flight This moved Scipio to appoint his Sepulcher to be so placed as his image standing upon it might looke directly towards Africa that being dead he might still be a terrour to the Carthaginians If respect of Pagans to their Country or an eye to popular glory did so inflame them as their Countries love exceeded their love of life surviving in their death and leaving monuments of their affection after death how lightly are we to value the glory of this life if the losse thereof may advance our Fathers glory or ought tending to the conservation of this life being assured by him whose promises faile not by such a small losse to gaine eternity Now as it is not the death but the cause of the death which makes the Martyr we are to know that to die in the maintenance of any heretical opinion is Pseudo-martyrdom for howsoever those Arrians Manichees and Pelagians those Macedonians Eutichees and Nestorians yea generally all Hereticks were constant and resolute enough in seconding and maintaining their erroneous opinions yet forasmuch as the cause for which they contended was Heresie tend it might to their confusion but never to their glory for as honey-combes saith learned Tertullian are by Waspes composed so are Churches by the Marcionists and consequently by all Heretickes disposed in whose Synodals or conventicles many thousands are perverted none converted or to the Church of Christ faithfully espoused Whereas Truth which may be pressed but not oppressed assailed but never soiled like the greene Bay-tree in the midst of hoarie winter or a fresh Spring in the sandy desart appeares most glorious when her adversaries are most malicious bearing ever a countenance most cheerefull when her assailants are most dreadfull Neither only in this glorious act of Martyrdome but in all inferiour workes the affection of the minde as well as the action of the man is to be considered for God himselfe who hath an eye rather to the intention than action will not approve of a good worke done unlesse it be well done As for example when the Pharisie fasted prayed gave almes and payed tithe of all that he possessed he did good works but he did not those good workes well the reason was he exalted himselfe in his workes without attributing praise unto him who is the beginner and perfecter of every good worke for his fasâ—s were hypocriticall and not of devotion his prayers ineffectuall because they sounded of Ostentation his almes unacceptable because exhibited only for obseruation and his 〈◊〉 abominable being given to celour his secret oppression for which cause did our 〈◊〉 pronounce a woe upon them saying Woe unto you Pharisies for 〈◊〉 tithe Mint and Rue and all manner of herbes and passe 〈◊〉 â—â—dgement and the love of God these ought yee to have done and not to leave the other vndone Whence it appears that the worke it selfe was approved but the manner of doing it reproved for that they preferred the tithing of 〈◊〉 and Rue before the judgement and love of God yea so they preferred it as the one was performed while the other of more serious and consequent importance was omitted Whence we are cautioned that in our workes of Mortification we doe nothing for any sinister or by-respect but only for the glory of God to whom as all our Actions are properly directed so are they to have relation onely unto him if we desire to have them accepted Is it so that this Actuall Perfection is to be acquired by Mortification wherein is required not only the action but affection And that we are even to lay downe our lives if the cause so require to promote the glory of our Maker Tell me then Gentlemen how farre have yee proceeded in this spirituall progresse Have yee unfainedly desired to further the honour of God repaire the ruines of Sion and engage your owne lives for the testimony of a good conscience have ye fought the Lords battell and opposed your selves against the enemies of the Truth Have yee shut the doore of your chamber the doore of your inner Parlour I meane your heart from the entrance of all earthly affections sensuall cogitations and expressed true arguments of Mortification the sooner to attaine this high degree of Christian Perfection Have yee made a covenant with your eyes not to looke after the strange woman a covenant I meane with your hearts never to lust after her Have ye weaned your itching and bewitching humours from affecting forraine and out-landish fashions which howsoever they be to fashion conformed they make man of all others most deformed Have ye done with your reere-suppers midnight revels Curtaine pleasures and Courting of Pictures Have yee left frequenting Court-maskes Tilt-triumphs and
conversant in that holy Exercise ibid. 378 Circumstances observable in workes of charitie and devotion ibid. Objections and resolutions upon the ground of Perfection 381. lin 16 Of the Contemplative part of Perfection 382 A Corollary betwixt the Heathen and Christian contemplation 384 Examples of a contemplative and retired life 387 A three-fold Meditation of necessarie importance 1 Worthinesse of the soule 2 Vnworthinesse of Earth 3 Thankefulnesse unto God who made man the worthiest creature upon Earth 389 Of the Active part of Perfection 391 No contagion so mortally dangerous to the body as corrupt company is to the soule 393 Two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation 1 The Author of our creation 2 The End of our creation ib. A foure-fold Creation 394. lin 8 The fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure Heathen Philosophers ascribing the creation of all things to the foure Elements 396. lin 6 Their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers ibid. The End of our creation 397 Singular precepts of Mortification 399 Idlenesse begetteth security properly termed the Soules Lethargy 400 A Christians Ephemerides or his Euening account 401 The Active part of Perfection prefer'd before the Cōtemplative 403 No ARMORY can more truly deblazon a Gentleman than acts of charity and compassion 404 The Active preferred before the Contemplative for two respects the first whereof hath relation to our selves the second to others 407 408 Ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted with a comparison by way of objection and resolution betwixt the conveniences of Action and Knowledge 406 407 Action is the life of man and Example the direction of his life 409. l. 3 Wherein the Active part of Perfection consisteth 410 Active Perfection consisteth in Mortification of Action and Affection Mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect to these three distinct Subjects 1 Life 2 Name 3 Goods illustrated with Eminent Examples of Christian resolution during the ten Persecutions 411 412 Not the act of death but the cause of death makes the Martyr 414 No action how glorious soever can be crowned unlesse it be on a pure intention grounded 415 Mortificat in respect of name or report is two-fold 1 In turning our eares from such as praise us 2 In hearing with patiēce such as revile us 418 Scandals distinguished and which with more patience than others may be tollerated 424 425 c. Mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance pitching upon two remarkable considerations 1 By whom these blessings are conferred on us 2 How they are to be disposed by us 427 Vain-glory shuts man from the gate of glory 428 An exquisite connexion of the precedent Meditations 430 The absolute or supreme end wherto this Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it solely resteth 434 Singular Patternes of Mortification in their Contempt of life and embrace of death 439 440 The reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole Booke 439 The Heart can no more by circumference of the World be confined than a Triangle by a Circle filled 442. lin 23. Though our feet be on Earth our faith must be in Heaven 445 A pithy Exhortation A powerfull Instruction clozing with a perswasive Conclusion 453 454 455 A Character intitled A Gentleman THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN YOVTH Argument The dangers that attend on Youth The vanitie of Youth display'd in foure distinct Subjects Three violent passions incident to Youth Physicke prescribed and receits applied to cure these Maladies in Youth YOVTH HOwsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason that there be divers Climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time sure I am that in mans age there is a dangerous time in respect of those Sinne-spreading Sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule And this time is Youth an affecter of all licentious liberty a Comicke introducer of all vanitie and the only Heire apparent to carnall securitie This it was which moved that princely Prophet to pray Lord forgiue mee the Sinnes of my youth Sins indeed because the youthfull sinner is ever committing but never repenting usually provoking God but rarely invoking God This is hee who Snuffeth the wind with the wilde Asse in the desart being like the Horse or Mule which hath no understanding by giving Sense preeminence aboue Reason and walking in the fatnesse of his heart as one wholly forgetfull of God He may say with the Psalmist though in another sense Vt jumentum factus sum apud te upon exposition of which sentence it is laudable saith Euthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as Beasts to shew our humility but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensualitie Many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwracke to the inconsiderate and improvident Soule during her sojourning here in this Tabernacle of clay but no time more perillous than the heat of Youth or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires being as ready to consent as the Devil is to tempt and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemie upon the least assault It is reported by Eusebius that Saint Iohn meeting a strong young-man of good stature amiable feature sweet countenance and great spiri◠straightway looking upon the Bishop of that place he said thus unto him Christ being witnesse and before the Church I commend unto thee and thy care this young man to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline Whom when the Bishop had received into his tuition and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought S. Iohn againe and againe gives his charge and contesteth his fidelity and afterwards he returnes to Ephesus The Bishop takes the young man home brings him up as his owne sonne keeps him within the limits of his dutie intreats him gently and at last baptiseth him and confirmes him Afterwards upon remitting something of his care and giving freer reines to his libertie the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoake of tuition and falls into bad company who corrupt him diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes First they invite him to banquets then they carry him abroad in the Night afterward to maintaine their profuser expence they draw him to theevery and so by degrees to greater wickednesse being now made Captaine in this theevish company At last Saint Iohn returnes and saith Goe to Bishop give me my depositum which I and Christ committed unto thee in the Church which thou governest The Bishop was astonied thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received and yet durst scarce distrust the Apostle But as soone as Saint Iohn said I demand the young man and soule of my brother the old man hanging downe his head sighing and weeping said ille mortuus est he is dead How and with what kinde of death said Iohn Deo mortuus
they give advantage to him with whom they have to deale of making his owne bargaine upon such Termes as shall best please him for how should one mans judgement equall a whole judicious Counsell So as in dealing with cunning persons wee must ever consider their ends to interpret their Speeches and it is good to say little to them and that which they least looke for The other sort tie themselves something more strictly or precisely to their Commission for these will be loth to disgresse from it in matters of weight and substance but rather in some impertinent ceremony or circumstance as wee read in the generall Historie of Spaine that there came two Embassadours out of France unto King Alfonfe the ninth to demand one of his daughters in mariage for their Soveraigne King Philip one of which Ladies was very faire and named Vrraca the other nothing so gracious and called Blanch. They both comming into the presence of the Embassadours all men held it a matter resolved that their choice would light upon Vrraca as the elder and fairer and better adorned but the Embassadours enquiring each of their names tooke offence at the name of Vrraca and made choice of the Lady Blanch saying that her name would be better received in France than the other For matters of such indifferencie as these it is not to be doubted but they are left to the discretion of the instrument but for affaires of State as they require due deliberation in discussing so require they the joynt assent and approbation of the State ere they come to concluding THere are likewise publike imployments wherein Gentlemen upon occasion may be interessed which extend themselves to military affaires in which as it is not the death but the cause of the death which makes a Martyr so it is not the action but the ground of the action which merits the name of valour That act of Razis in taking out his owne bowels and throwing them upon the people it was an act saith S. Austin that tasted more of stoutnesse than goodnesse For what could that act of his benefit his Countrey wherein could it adde spirit to the distressed Maccabees wherein allay the heavy burden of their affliction or minister the least releefe in the time of their persecution That act of resolution by that noble Bohemian as it tasted more of true valour so it reared a columne of perpetuitie to his ever-living honour which exploit is thus recorded When Mahomet the second of that name besieged Belgrade in Servia one of his Captains at length got up upon the wall of the City with banner displayed Another Bohemian espying this ran to the Captaine and clasping him fast about the middle asked one Capistranus standing beneath whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soule if hee should cast himselfe downe headlong with that dogge so he termed the Turke to be slaine with him Capistranus answering that it was no danger at all to his soule the Bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe down with the Turke in his armes and so by his owne death only saved the life of all the City The like worthy exploits might be instanced in those heires of fame the Rhodians in the siege of their City the Knights of Malta in their sundry defeats and discomfitures of the Turks the inhabitants of Vienna who being but a handfull in comparison of their enemies gave them not only the repulse but wholly defeated their designes This Valour or Fortitude which indeed appeareth ever in the freest and noblest minds is excellently defined by the Stoicks to be A vertue ever fighting in defence of equitie These who are professors of so peerelesse a vertue are more ready to spare than to spill their aimes are faire and honest free from the least aspersion either of crueltie or vaine-glory for as they scorne to triumph over an afflicted foe so they dislike that conquest unlesse necessitie enforce it which is purchased by too much bloud The Salmacian Spoiles rellish better to their palate for they are so full of noble compassion as the death of their enemy enforceth in them teares of pity This appeared in those princely teares shed by Caesar at the sight of Pompeys head and in Titus that Darling of Mankind in those teares hee shed at the sight of those innumerable slaughters committed upon the Iewes Now as my purpose is not to insist on the postures of warre so I intend not to dwell upon every circumstance remarkable in martiall affaires but upon the maine scope of military discipline whereto every generous and true bred Souldier is to direct his course Let your aime be therefore Gentlemen to fight for the safetie and peace of your Countrey in the defence of a good conscience which is to be preferred before all the booties of warre for as you have received your birth and breeding from your Countrey so are you to stand for her even to the sacrifice of your dearest lives provided that the cause which you entertaine in her defence be honest without purpose of intrusion into anothers right or labouring to enlarge her boundiers by an unlawfull force For howsoever the ancient Heathens were in this respect faultie being some of them Truce-breakers others violent intruders or usurpers of what was little due unto them wee for our parts have learned better things being commanded noâ— to take any thing from any man but in all things learne to be contented But of all enterprizes worthy the acceptance of a Gentleman in this kinde if I should instance any one in particular none more noble or better deserving as I have elsewhere formerly touched than to warre against the Turke that profest enemy of Christendome the increase of whose Empire may be compared to the milt in mans body for the grandure of it threatens ruine and destruction to all Christian States drawing light to his Halfe Moone by darkening of others and shewing even by the multitude of his insolent Titles what his aimes be if the Lord put noâ— a hooke in the nose of that Leviathan Praise-worthy therefore are those glorious and no doubt prosperous expeditions of such English and other Christian Voluntaries as have stood and even at this day doe stand engaged in personall service against the great Turke for these though they perish in the battell shall survive time and raise them a name out of the dust which shall never be extinguished These are they who fight the Lords battell and will rather die than it should quaile These are those glorious Champions whose aime is to plant the blessed tidings of the Gospell once againe in that Holy Land which now remaines deprived of those heavenly Prophets which shee once enjoyed of those godly Apostles which she once possessed of that sweet Singer of Israel with which her fruitfull coasts once resounded O Gentlemen if you desire imployment in this kinde what enterprize more glorious
too late when it comes to the bottome so it may be with discretion used when it is at the top for I approve of his opinion who would have a Gentleman neither to hoord up niggardly nor lash out lavishly For as the former argueth a miserable and ignoble minde so the latter sheweth a minde improvident and indiscreet both which are to be so avoided that a meane betwixt both may be duely observed For as I would have a Gentleman even in arguments of outward bountie shew whence he was descended so would I have him keepe a Hawke left his too free disposition be â—hrough necessitie restrained So as in matters of expence I hold his resolve authenticke who said I will never spare where reputation bids mee sâ—end nor spend where honest frugalitie bids me spare It is a good rule and worthy observation for whosoever spares when with credit and reputation hee should spend is indiscreetly sparing and whosoever spends when with honest frugalitie hee may spare is prodigally spending Now in government of a Family as I would not have you too remisse so I would not have you too severe towards your Servants I meane and those who have received their several charge from you this it was which moved the Apostle to exhort masters to put away threatning adding this reason For know that even your Master also is in heaven neither is there respect of person with him Therefore it was Saint Augustines prayer unto God that he would root out of him all rashnesse frowardnesse roughnesse unquietnesse slownesse slothfulnesse sluggishnesse dulnesse of minde blindnesse of heart obstinacie of sense truculencie of manners disobedience to goodnesse repugnance of counsell want of bridling the tongue making a prey of the poore shewing violence to the impotent calumniating the innocent negligence of subjects severitie towards servants harshnesse towards familiars hardnesse towards neighbours Hence note how in this holy Fathers repetition and enumeration of many grievous and odious sinnes he toucheth severitie towards servants as a hainous and egregious offence and not without great cause for if we be taught not to muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and that we are to spare the life of our beast much more ought we to have mercie over such as partake with us in the same Image which wee have equally from him received by whom we live move and have our being I approve therefore of them who put on the spirit of mildnesse towards such as are deputed or substituted under them bearing with one anothers weaknesse as those who have a compassionate feeling of humane infirmities not laying such heavie burdens upon them as they themselves will not touch with their finger but will in some measure partake with them in all their labours But of all other vices incident to masters there is none more hatefull in the sight of God and man than the unthankfulnesse or disrespect of masters towards their servants when they have spent their strength and wasted themselves in their service These like the Grey-hound in the fable may well say that they see nothing can please but that which doth profit when they were young able and fit to endure labour they were respected whereas now being old infirme and helplesse either to themselves or others they are sleightly regarded Whereas if they were thankfull masters these whom they once loved for profit sake in youth they would now love in age in respect of the profit they reaped by their youth But alas doe we not see how nothing is more contemptible than an old Serving-man He may say he was a man in his time but that is all There is no man that will know him since his blew-coat knew no Cognizance the losse of his Crest makes him hang downe his crest as one crest-fallen so as the poore Larke may boast of more than he may for every Larke hath his crest saith Simonides but he hath none To redresse this as in humanitie you ought so I know such as are Generously disposed will that those who have deserved well under you being now growne aged yet unpreferred may by your care be so maintained that their service of Labour may be made a service of Prayer offering their sacrifice of devotion unto God that great Master of a Houshold that he in his mercy would give a happie successe unto all your endevours Now as the Labourer is worthy of his wages for cursed is he that defraudeth â—he labourer of his hire so there is an especiall care required in every servant to looke unto that which is given him in charge For the better discharge whereof it is injoyned you that be Masters not to be too remisse in your care and overseeing thereof for much oversight is usually committed for want of a good overseer Admonish your servants that they intend their charge suffer them not to idle but in their peculiar places to doe that which they in dutie are to performe and you in reason are to expect Wherein as they proceed in diligence so are you to require their care with a cheerefull thankfulnesse If it be your lot to have such an one as Iaakob was as rare it is to finde such an one as he was reward him not with a bleare-eyed Loah for a beautifull and faire Rahel I meane abridge not nor scant not their wages for this is a discredit to your selfe and a discouragement to your servant If he say These twenty yeeres I have beene with thee thine ewes and thy goats have not cast their young and the rams of thy flocke have I not eaten Whatsoever was torne of beasts I brought it not unto thee but made it good my selfe of mine hand diddest thou require it were it stollen by day or stollen by night I was in the day consumed with heat and with frost in the night and my sleepe departed from mine eyes Thus have I beene twenty yeeres in thine house and served thee fourteene yeeres for thy two daughters and six yeeres for thy sheepe and thou hast changed my wages ten times If I say hee hath thus served you and shewne faithfulnesse in that charge over which hee was appointed reward him with a bountifull hand and encourage his care with your best countenance Whereas contrariwise if you meet with such a Servant that saith in his heart My master doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the servants and maidens and to eat and drinke and to be drunken you are not to use remisnesse to such a Servant but to cut him off lest you give example unto others by your indulgence to be of the like condition In briefe as a good servant is a precious jewell tendring the profit and credit of him he serveth so an evill servant whose service is only to the eye and not for conscience sake is a scatterer of his substance whom he serveth aiming only at his owne private profit
my opinion there is no meanes better or surer to weane man endued with reason from being too much captived or enchained with these pleasures than to consider what benefits redound from moderate Recâ—eâ—tâ—on and againe what inconveniences arise from immoderate delight therein First then let us consider the end for which Recreations were ordained and wee shall finde that they were rather intended to beguile time than to bestow our selves on them all our time Though many too many there be who will not sticke to say with him who sported himselfe in the warme Sunne Vtinam hoc esset vivere would to God this were to live would to God this Recreation were a Vocation this pleasure my trade forever No as Recreation was at first intended for refreshing the minde and enabling the body to performe such offices as are requisite to bee performed so is it not to bee made a Trade or profession as if we should there set up our rest and intend nothing else Consider therefore the Benefits which redound by a moderate or temperate use of Recreation FIrst it refresheth or cherisheth the minde accommodating it to all studies clearing the understanding which would be easily depressed if either with worldly cares or more noble and generous studies wholly restrained It is said of Asinius Pollio that after the tenth houre he would be retained in no businesse neither after that houre would he reade so much as any Letter Of Cato likewise that he used to refresh his minde with wine the like of Solon and Archesilaus that they would usually cheere their spirits with wine yet whosoever should object drunkennesse to Cato might sooner prove that crime honest than Cato dishonest So as whether we beleeve the Greeke Poet It is sometimes pleasing to be a little madding or Plato who in vaine expulsed Poets the bounds of his Common-weale or Aristotle That there can never be any great wit without some mixture of folly we shall finde that even the gravest and most experienced Statists have sometimes retired themselves from more serious affaires to refresh and solace their tired spirits with moderate recreations The Poet excellently describes a man buried in the deepe slumber of contemplation after this manner He dies pent up with studie and with care So were the Anchorites and Hermites in former time being wholly divided from societie yea so immured as they seemed to be buried living Whose conversation as questionlesse it argued a great mortification of all mundane desires so it ministred matter of admiration to such who given to carnall libertie wondred how men made of earth could be so estranged from conversing with inhabitants of earth But to leave these and imagine their conversation to be in heaven though their habitation was on earth we perceive hence how beneficiall Recreation is to the minde in cheering solacing and refreshing her if used with moderation How it lessens those burdens of cares wherewith shee is oppressed revives the spirits as if from death restored cleares the understanding as if her eyes long time shut were now unsealed and quickens the invention by this sweet respiration as if newly moulded Neither is this Benefit so restrained as if it extended onely to the minde for it conferres a Benefit likewise to the bodie by enabling it to performe such labours Taskes or Offices as it is to be imployed or exercised withall There are two proverbs which may be properly applied to this purpose Once in the yeare Apollo laughes this approves the use of moderate Recreation Apollo's Bow 's not alwayes bent this shewes that humane imployments are to be seasoned by Recreation wee are sometimes to unbend the bow or it will lose his strength Continuall or incessant imployment cannot be endured there must be some intermission or the bodie becomes enfeebled As for example observe these men who either encombred with worldly affairs so tye and tether themselves to their businesse as they intermit no time for effecting that which they goe about or such as wholly nayled to their Deske admit no time for Recreation lest they should thereby hinder the progresse of their studies See how pale and meager they looke how sickly and infirme in the state of their bodies how weake and defective in their constitution So as to compare one of these weaklings with such an one as intermits occasions of businesse rather than he will prejudice his health 〈◊〉 serving times as well for recreation and pleasure as for imployment and labour were to present a spectacle of Iuius Dwarfe not two foot high and weighing but seventeene pound with a Rhinoceros Tiger or Serpent of fiftie cubits long such difference in proportion such ods in strength of constitution For observe one of these starved worldlings whose aimes are onely to gather and number without doing either themselves or others good with that they gather with what a sallow and earthy complexion they looke being turned all earth before they returne to earth And what may be the cause hereof but their incessant care of getting their continuall desire of gaining being ever gaping till their mouthes be filled with gravell So these who are wholly given and solely devoted to a private or retired life how unlike are they to such as use and frequent societie For their bodies as they are much weakned and enfeebled so is the heat and vigour of their spirits lessened and resolved yea their dayes for most part shortned and abridged the cause of all which proceedeth from a continuall secludiâ—g and dividing themselves from company and use of such Recreations as all creatures in their kinde require and observe For if we should have recourse to creatures of all sorts wee shall finde every one in his kinde observe a recreation or refreshment in their nature As the Beast in his chace the Bird in her choice the Snaile in her speckled case the Polypus in her change yea the Dolphin is said to sport and play in the water For as all things were created for Gods pleasure so hath he created all things to recreate and refresh themselves in their owne nature Thus farre have wee discoursed of moderate recreation and of the benefits which redound from it being equally commodious to the minde as well as the body the body as well as the minde to the minde in refreshing cherishing and accommodating it to all studies to the understanding in clearing it from the mists of sadnesse so the body in enabling it for the performance of such labours tasks or offices as it is to be imployed or interessed in It now rests that wee speake something of her opposite to wit of immoderate recreation and the inconveniences which arise from thence whereof wee shall but need to speake a word or two and so descend to more usefull points touching this Observation AS the wind Caecias drawes unto it clouds so doth immoderate recreation draw unto it divers and sundry maine inconveniences for this immoderation
Scholler and a Begger too The Age is blinde doth plainly show Yet how contemptible Riches that worldlings Idoll hath ever beene to these whose conceits were not engaged to pelfe nor their affections to desire of having may appeare by the admirable contempt of divers Pagans towards riches preferring a voluntarie povertie before all worldly possessions This might be instanced in Anacharsis who refused the treasure sent him by Croesus in Anacreontes who refused the treasure sent him by Polycrates and Albionus who refused the treasure sent him by Antigonus The like indifferencie towards riches appeared in the admirable and inimitable patience of Zeno who hearing all his substance to be drowned by shipwracke upon the Sea Fortune quoth he bids me to addresse my selfe to Philosophie more speedily The like in Mimus who threw his goods into the Sea saying Packe hence yee evills for yee were hinderances to me in my pursuit after better goods it is better for me to drowne you than be drowned by you Whence it was that Demetrius was wont to say That nothing could be more vnhappie than that man to whom no adversitie ever happened for that opinion even amongst the Ethnicks hath been generally held for most authentick That nothing can be truly said to be good or evill but a good or evill minde Now whereas we have sufficiently proved that no true friendship can be but only amongst good men I meane morally or civilly good and that ayme in the profession of friendship or Acquaintance is either to better them or be bettered by them wee are in like sort to make this our ayme or supreme end that having made choice of such whose eminent parts deserve our respect and acceptance wee are to imploy our time in conversing and conferring with them the better to enable us in imployments publike or private Neither is this only the absolute ayme or end of friendship for so we should inferre that our acception or intertainment of friends had reference only to our owne private ends without relation to him with whom wee have entred the lists of Acquaintance We are therefore to have an eye to these especiall offices of friendship being such as deserve our observation and imitation if so be wee deserve the name or title of friends First is if wee see our friend doubtfull or unresolved to advise him if afflicted to comfort him if sicke or restrained to visit him if weake in estate or impoverished to releeve him if injured to labour by all meanes to right him and in all things to be helpfull to him supplying his necessitie by apparent testimonies of our approved amitie It is reported that on a time Duke Godwin bringing up a service to Edward the Confessors Table he chanced to slip with one of his feet but to recover himselfe with the other whereupon presently he used these words in the Kings hearing One brother supports another O quoth the King so might I have said too if Godwin had not beene meaning that he was the cause of his brothers death whose life was a staffe to his state but his fall a weakning to his feet Certainly every faithfull friend should be as a Brother or as in a naturall body one member ministers aid and succour to another where the head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee nor the foot to the hand but every one in their distinct and mutuall offices are ready to execute their severall duties So I say should friends and Acquaintance be one to another not in preying or feeding one upon another as if all were fish that came to net for this were to make no difference or distinction betwixt friend or foe but for some intendment of private benefit to dissolve the strict bond of friendship Whereas a friend being indeed a mans second selfe or rather an individuate companion to himselfe for there is one soule which ruleth two hearts and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies should be valued above the rate of any outward good being such a happinesse as he giveth a relish to the dayes of our pilgrimage which otherwise would seeme like a wildernesse for the world as it is both to be loved and hated loved as it is the worke of the Creator hated as the instrument of temptation unto sinne ministers some few houres of delight to the weary pilgrim by the company and socieâ—ie of friends recouâ—se and concourse of Acquaintance without which comfort how tedious and grievous would these few yeeres of our desolate pilgrimage appeare How highly then are wee to value the possession of a good friend who partakes with us in our comforts and discomforts in the frownes and fawnes of fortune shewing himselfe the same both in our weale and woe It is written of Sylla that never any did more good to his friends or more harme to his enemies Which princely courtesie to his friends could not chuse but increase them howsoever his extreme courses towards his enemies might seeme rather to inrage than appease them For as remembrance of benefits argues a noble nature so forgetting of injuries having in the meane time power to revenge implies a bravely resolved temper Whence it was that Themistocles when Symmachus told him hee would teach him the art of memory answered hee had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse saying hee could remember enough but many things he could not forget which were necessary to be forgotten As the over-weening conceit of himselfe indignities done him by his foes opposition in the quest of honour and the like all which a great minde could hardly brooke being so illimited as he can admit of no corrivall in his pursuit of honour But to descend to the greatest benefit which proceeds from friendship Commerce and Acquaintance we shall finde how miserable the state and condition of this flourishing Iland had beene whose Halcyon dayes have attained that prerogative of peace which most parts of Christendome are at this day deprived of had not the friendly compassion and devout zeale of sundry learned and faithfull instruments of Christ delivered her from that palpable blindnesse and Heathenish Idolatrie under which she was long detained captive S. Ierome in the end of his Dialogue against the Pelagians writeth thus Vntill the very comming of Christ sayes he the Province of Britaine which hath beene oftentimes governed by Tyrants and the Scottish people and all the Nations round about the Ocean Sea were utterly ignorant of Moses and the Prophets So that then by the testimonie of S. Ierome all our Religion was superstition all our Church-service was Idolatrie all our Priests were Painims all our gods were Idols And to appropriate to every Nation their peculiar god there was then in Scotland the Temple of Mars in Cornwall the Temple of Mercurie in Bangor in Wales the Temple of Minerva in Malden in Essex the Temple of Victoria in Bath the Temple of Apollo in
so much lamented for that is of necessitie and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow being if spent as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse but their sudden or inopinate departure Whereto I answer that no death is sudden to him that dies well for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life how it was passed or disposed than to death how short his summons were or how quickly clozed Io. Mathes preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of Naim by Christ within three houres afterward died himselfe The like is written of Luther and many others As one was choaked with a flie another with a haire a third pushing his foot against the tressall another against the threshold falls downe dead So many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man to draw towards his last home and weane him from the love of earth Those whom God loves saith Menander die young yea those whom hee esteemeth highest hee takes from hence the soonest And that for two causes the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth the other to crowne them the sooner with Happinesse in Heaven For what gaine wee by a long life or what profit reape wee by a tedious Pilgrimage but that wee partly see partly suffer partly commit more evils Priamus say more dayes and shed more teares than Troilus Let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us in respect of the bodie that after her returne to earth it may be gloriously re-united to the soule to make an absolute Consort in Heaven Thirdly and lastly for the goods or blessings of Fortune they are not to command us but to be commanded by us not to be served by us but to serve us And because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest who in the desires of this life is the neediest and he the richest on earth who sees little worth desiring on earth we are so to moderate our desires as I have formerly touched in respect of those things we have not that wee may labour to over-master our desires in thirsting after more than we already have likewise so to temper and qualifie our affections in respect of those things we have as to shew no immoderate sorrow for the losse of those we have but to be equally minded as well in the fruition of those wee have as privation of those we have not For of all others there is no sorrow baser nor unworthier than that which is grounded on the losse of Oxe or Cow or such inferiour subjects Neither incurre they any lesse opinion of folly who carried away with the love of their Horse Hound or some such creature use for some prize or conquest got to reare in their memory some Obeliske or Monument graced with a beauteous inscription to preserve their fame because poore beasts they have nothing to preserve themselves for howsoever this act seeme to have some correspondence with gratitude labouring only to grace them who have graced us rearing a stone to perpetuate their fame who memoriz'd our Name by speed of foot yet is it grosse and so palpable to those whose discretion is a moulder of all their actions as they account it an act worthier the observation of an Heathen than a Christian. Cimon buried his Mares bestowing upon them specious Tombs when they had purchased credit in the swift races of the Olympiads Xanâ—ippus bewailed his Dogs death which had followed his master from Calamina Alexander erected a Citie in the honour of Bucephalus having beene long defended by him in many dangerous battels And the Asse may well among the Heathen be adorned with Lillies Violets and Garlands when their Goddesse Vesta by an Asses bray avoided the rape of Priapus But howsoever these actions among Pagans might carry some colour of thankfulnesse rewarding them by whose speed fury agilitie or some other meanes they have beene as well preserved as honoured yet with Christians whose eyes are so clearely opened and by the light divine so purely illumined would these seeme acts of prophanenesse ascribing honour to the creature to whom none is due and not to the Creator to whom all honour is solely and properly due In briefe let us so esteeme of all â—he goods and gifts of Fortune as of Vtensils fit for our use and service but of the Supreme good as our chiefest Soâ—ace For he who subjected all things to the feet of man that man might be wholly subject unto him and that man might be wholly his he gave man dominion over all those workes of his so he created all outward things for the bodie the bodie for the soule but the soule for him that shee might only intend him and only love him possessing him for solace but inferiour things for service Thus farre Gentlemen hath this present discourse inlarged it selfe to expresse the rare and incomparable effects which naturally arise from the due practice of Moderation being indeed a vertue so necessary and well deserving the acquaintance of a Gentleman who is to be imagined as one new come to his lands and therefore stands in great need of so discreet an Attendant as there is no one vertue better sorting his ranke not only in matters of preferment profit or the like but in matters of reputation or personall ingagement where his very name or credit is brought to the tesh Looke not then with the eye of scorne on such a follower but take these instructions with you for a fare-well Doth Ambition buzze in your eare motions of Honour This faithfull Attendant Moderation will disswade you from giving way to these suggestions and tell you Ambition is the high road which leads to ruine but Humilitie is the gate which opens unto glory Doth Covetousnesse whisper to you matters of profit Here is one will tell you the greatest wealth in the world is to want the desires of the world Doth Wantonnesse suggest to you motives of Delight Here is that Herbe of Grace which will save you from being wounded and salve you already wounded In briefe both your expence of Time and Coine shall bee so equally disposed as you shall never need to redeeme Time because you never prodigally lost it nor repent your fruitlesse expence of Coine because you never profusely spent it Thus if you live you cannot chuse but live for ever for ever in respect of those choice vertues which attend you for ever in respect of your good Example moving others to imitate you And for ever in respect of that succeeding glory which shall crowne you THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of Perfection Contemplative and Active The Active preferred Wherein it consisteth Of the absolute or Supreme end whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth PERFECTION WE are now to treat of a Subject which while we are here on earth is farre easier to discourse of than to finde for Perfection is not absolute in this life but
come follow me we reade he was very sorrowfull for he was very rich So miserable and inextricable is the worldlings thraldome when neither the incertainty of this life nor those certaine promises made unto him in hope of a better life can weane him from the blinde affection of earth Necessary therefore it is that he who desires to attaine this Active Perfection unto which all good men labour moderate his desires towards such things as hee hath not and addresse himselfe to an indifferencie of losing those things which hee already hath for he whose desires are extended to more than hee enjoyes or who too exceedingly admires what hee now enjoyes can never attaine that high degree of Active Perfection The reason is no man whose content is seated on these externall flourishes of vanity can direct his Contemplation or erect the eye of his affection to that eternall Sunne of verity whom to enjoy is to enjoy all true Perfection and of whom to be deprived is to taste the bitternesse of deepest affliction Now how are we to enjoy him Not by knowledge only or Contemplation but by seconding or making good our knowledge by Action for we know that there is a Woe denounced on him who knoweth the will of his Father and doth it not when neither his knowledge can plead ignorance nor want of understanding in the Law of God simplicity or blindnesse Wee are therefore not only to know but doe know lest ignorance should misguide us doe lest our knowledge should accuse us Behovefull therefore were it for us to observe that excellent precept of holy Ierome So live saith hee that none may have just cause to speake ill of you Now there is nothing which may procure this good report sooner than labouring to avoid all meanes of scandall as consorting with vitious men whose noted lives bring such in question as accompany them This was the cause as I formerly noted why Saint Iohn would not stay in the Bath wih the Hereticke Corinthus O how many and with much griefe I speake it have we knowne in this little Iland well descended with choicest gifts of nature accomplished of their owne disposition well affected who by consorting with inordinate men have given reines to libertie and blasted those faire hopes which their friends and Country had planted on them how requisite then is it for every one whose thoughts ayme at Perfection to consort with such as may better him and not deprave him informe him and not corrupt him For if there be a kinde of resemblance betwixt the diseases of the body and the vices or enormities of the minde what especiall care are we to take lest by keeping company with those who are already depraved wee become likewise infected Men would be loth to enter any house that is suspected only to be infected which if at unawares they have at any time entred they presently make recourse to the Apothecary to receive some soveraigne receit to expell it And if men be so afraid lest this house the bodie which like a shaken building menaceth ruine daily should perish what great respect ought to be had to the soule which is the guest of the body Shall corruption be so attended and tendred and the precious image of incorruption lessened and neglected God forbid specious or gorgeous Sepulchres are not so to be trimmed that the cost bestowed on them should cause the divine part to be wholly contemned To remove which contempt if any 〈◊〉 there be I will recommend to your devoutest meditation these two particulars First who it was that made us Secondly for what end he made us To which two briefly we intend to referre the Series of this present discourse For the first we are to know that no man is his owne Maker It is he that made us who made all things for us that they might minister unto us and to our necessity ordaining these for our Service and himselfe for our Solace He it is who hath subjected all things to the feet of man that man might wholly become subject unto him yea and that man might become wholly his he gave man absolute dominion over all those workes of his creating all outward things for the body the body for the soule and the soule for himselfe And to what end Even to this end that man might only intend him onely love him possessing him to his Solace but inferiour things to his Service Now to dilate a little upon this great worke of our Creation we may collect from sacred Scripture a foure-fold Creation or Generation The first in Adam who came neither of man nor woman the second in Eue who came of man without woman the third in Christ who came not of man but woman the fourth in us who came both of man and woman For the first as he had from Earth his Creation so it shewed the weaknesse of his composition the vilenesse of his condition with the certainty of his dissolution For the second as she had from man her forming so it figured their firmenesse of union inseparable communion and inviolable affection For the third as he came only of woman so he promised by the Seed of the woman to bruise the Serpents head who had deceived woman and restore man to the state of grace from which he had fallen by meanes of a woman For the fourth as we came both from man and woman so we bring with us into the world that Originall sinne which we derive both from man and woman the sting whereof cannot be rebated but only through 〈◊〉 who became man borne of a woman But in this great worke of our Creation we are not to observe so much the matter as quality and nature of our Creation For the matter of our Creation or that whereof we be composed what is it but vile earth slime and corruption So as howsoever we appeare beautifull specious and amiable in the sight of man whose eye is fixed on the externall part yet when the oile of our Lampe is consumed and wee to dust and ashes reduced we shall deserve no better inscription than this Behold a specious and pretious shrine covering a stinking corps Wherefore ought wee to observe the internall part and the especiall glory wee receive by it for hereby are we distinguished in the quality of our Creation from all other creatures who governe their actions by Sense onely and not by Reason Hence it was that that divine Philosopher gave God thankes for three especiall bounties conferred on him First was For that God had created him a reasonable creature and no brute beast Secondly For creating him a man and no woman Thirdly For that he was a Grecian and no Barbarian This it was which moved that blessed and learned Father Saint Augustine to breake out into this passionate rapsodie of spirit Thy hand could O Lord have created me a stone or a Bird or a