heauens for vs Titus 3 that is for our loue For after that the bountie loue and humanitie of our Sauiour Christ appeared towards men he saued vs for no desert of ours neither for anie works of iustice that we haue done but according to his owne mercy thorough the washing of regeneration and renewing of the spirit which he plentifullie powred vpon vs by our sauior Iesus Christ that iustified by his grace we might be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Which saying is certaine and vndoubted and by all meanes to be imprinted in the mindes of men Seeing therefore God beareth so great loue good will to mankinde and that his fauour and hartie affection was so great that besides the vse and commoditie of all thinges he bestowed his onelie begotten son to be the redeemer of mankind that by the death and resurrection of Christ he might obtaine grace and reconciliation it is verie meete and the rule of equitie and gratification of a good turne receiued requireth that euerie one place all his hope and truste in him that we giue him great praise and euer to appâ—oue our liues and manners to him please him with a faith not vaine and idle but guarded with the workes of charitie consecrate our selues wholie vnto him by denying vngodlinesse and carnal lustes and walke soberly iustlie and godlie in this worlde expecting the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the great God Titus 2 and of our sauiour Iesus Christ our lord who hath giuen himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purchase him a chosen people to him selfe Rom. 5 making them followers of good works And then when we haue laide this sure foundation to good life by the helpe and comfort of the Holie ghost we shall bee at peace and quiet in our mindes shaking off the terror and feare of death making our entrance to immortalitie blessednes by the guide of our captaine Christ Iesus For death is not the destruction of the bodie but a renuing of it not the queÌ„ching of nature but the entrance into a new life and the gate or first going into the heauenlie Citie and eternall life Of the certaintie of which no man should doubt or distrust the promise of God because the truth it selfe which cannot erre Psal 61 115 Rom. 3 perfourmeth faithfullie that which he promiseth for God is true and euerye man a lyar that is God deceiueth no man faileth no manne nor frustrateth any that haue a firme faith and trust in him he promiseth not slightlie as men doe which breake their promises frustrate their couenantes and with a certaine coosening deceit breake their contracts but he is constant stable faithfull and payeth and performeth assuredlie all the promises he maketh but euery man is a lyer that is deceitfull craftie vnconstant slipperie light vncertaine mutable doubtfull wauering cousening fraudulent vaine captious disloyal and which speaketh one thing standing and another sitting so vncertainlie that one cannot relie vppon him Which faults are farre remooued from his Diuine maiestie as in whome no humaine affections doe abide vvherefore vve must leane vnto him with a certain faith and laie on him al our prayers hopes and desires whether danger destruction death or confusion hang ouer vs. For all troubles by his fauour and presence are aswaged all sower and bitter thinges are made sweet Faith in him driueth awaie feare of death and all feare and trembling is taken out of our heartes For the loue of him we despise and contemne all delights and pleasures of this life By his vertue and helpe we suffer sorrowe and discommodities vvhich compasse vs about euerie moment Strengthened with a firme hope and expectation of immortality we cheerefullie depart the prison of this world and by the conduct of Christ are brought to a blessed habitation And with lesse griefe are we separated from the socierie of this bodie and abode in this life and our last conflict with death doth make vs lesse doubtfull wherein almost all men haue a distrust and a kind of desperation besiegeth their minde but that we are sure by the merites of Christ redemption and grace is prepared for vs. For the mediator betvveene God and manne Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs and washed away our sinnes with his bloud Iohn 1 and by the power of his resurrection hath brought righteousnesse vnto vs. For Christ was deliuered for our sinnes Rom. 4 as Paule saith and is risen againe for our iustification So that confirmed by the resurrection of Christ as with a pledge we hope vvee shall be saued and raised againe by his power Phil. 3 For hee as the Apostle saith shall transforme our vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious bodie according to his power wherewith he can subdue all things For albeit according to the doctrine of Paule the earthlie house of this our tabernacle must be destroyed as a ruinous building 2 Cor. 4 and 5. which by loosenesse of the iointes and fastnings and by plucking awaie the rafters is ouerthrovvne which building we haue of God not made with hands but eternall in heauen for God that raised the Lord Iesus wil raise vs also by him and will make vs partakers of the glorie of the generall resurrection which most certaine hope worketh this in vs that we suffer our selues to be drawn vnto him with lesse corruption and void of all pollution Of the Nature conditions and manners of Women and why that sex when they are angrie are more fierce then Men conceiue anger sooner chide more vnmeasureablie and are sooner ouercome with any affection then men And by the waie in what sence this saying of the Wise man it to be taken The iniquitie of a man is better then the good deedes of a Woman Chap. 60. THe cause why not onelie comicall Poets Orators and Philosophers vvho were alienated from true religion but also the Wisemen and Prophets of the Hebrues who were indued plentifullie with the knovvledge of Gods word do so much euery vvhere inueygh and speake against women was because the wickednesse and dishonestie of diuers of them deserued it And albeit all are not stained with these imperfections neither are all vvomen found to be shrewes and skoldes for there are some matrones who by the benefite of education indewed and decked with manie great giftes of Nature are nothing inferiour nor giue any place to verie excellent men yet the indifferent sorte of women as Citizens and countrey Gentlewomen and the common scum of Women as the basest sort are so proud so foolish so shrewish so imperious our their husbandes Esdras 3. Cap. 4 and for inticements of the flesh pronenesse to lust of such an vntamed and vnbrideled concupiscence that they may vvell bee tyred but neuer satisfied with the acte of Venerie yet so that some are farre more inclined and their affections more addicted that vvaies then othersome are And albeit
City blest He that an others life doth like must needs his own deteft And both these folks without desert do fondly blame the place When both their minds are in the fault which chaÌ„ge in euery case Very truly in mine opinion doth the Poet blame mans minde and laieth all the fault vpon his rashnesse and vnconstancy for when it is led by worldly affections and not by reason it is tossed no otherwise then a ship in the rage and storme of the sea which is euery moment subiect to change Whereby it commeth to passe that what kind or trade of life soeuer he embraceth doth not constantly continue therein to the end but museth which way he may coÌ„passe another which he hopeth wil be more profitable to him whereas 〈◊〉 chaÌ„ ging his state of life altereth not his affections nor taketh away his cares because these things consist not in affaires of his calling but do only rise from the motioÌ„s of his mind For whether a man change his solitarines to company or alter pouerty to riches and plenty his mind is neuer the quieter because hee hath not put away those troublesome motions which are altogether repugnant to reason It hapneth to these men as Plutarch and Basile affirme Ad Lucap 1 as it doth to those that commit themselues to the main ocean sea to the end they may come to some wished porte for they are no lesse troubled with sea sicknesse lightnes of the braine and vomiting in a tal ship theÌ„ if they had gone in a slender barke So that their sicknesse is alike in both because flegme choller do accompany theÌ„ in both So those that would change their state of life cannot obtain traÌ„quility of minde vnlesse they wholy shake off their affections and gouerne all their actions with the rule of reason Therefore Seneca saith very wel I take the first argument of a staied mind to be ability to staÌ„d at a stay with it selfe wherfore I am glad Lucillus quoth he that thou dost not run about and wander here and there For that man that would be euery where is no where So that it will nothing auaile to go beyond the sea to change from one city to another nor to followe somtimes this and somtimes that kinde of life For if thou wouldst auoide those discommodities 〈◊〉 trouble thee it behoues thee not to absent thy selfe from that place where thou art but to alter thy selfe from that which thou art pacifying thy mind shaking off naughty affections and guiding al thy actions studies with reason counsaile and wisedome For Coelum non animum mut ant qui trans mare currunt They change the aire but not their minds which go beyond 〈◊〉 sea And we must fight against these troubled affections which do distract our minds into so many sundry opinions 〈◊〉 leapeth backe from his intended profession vp on euery light occasion with the word of God and his healthful doctrin because it only maketh a staggering and wauering mind to become constant yea andc on tent also with a mans state and calling so that we shall neither forsake it nor loath it nor yet ambitiously or couetously enter into any other Flie the company and fellowship of the wicked Chap. 36. FLie the fellowship of 〈◊〉 wicked as a most dead ly pestilence Lib. 3. de ira for maners as Seneca saith are learned of our companions and as the bodie catcheth diseases so vices by lewd speech do possesse the mind and infect it in such sort that the aire is not more healthful for the first then honest company is for the latter Brute and wilde beasts may serue vs for a lesson for they being vsed and acustomed to the companie of men become gentle and tame and as the nature of honesty indueth hir followers with vertue so the condition of naughtinesse and dishonestie doth corrupt and desile her louers with vice 2 Cor. 15 Wherfore Paul the Apostle least any one should bee seduced from the truth the hope of saluation the trust to obtaine immortality and from the sowndnes of maners diligentlie warneth the louers of religion that they conceiue not their opinion to perswade themselues no part of man liueth after corporall death nor that the whole frame of our bodies and soules do altogether perish as the brute beast which the wicked and such as are forsaken of God doe earnestly put into the minde of the ignorant and so by this most daungerous opinion doe turne their wauering minds from the certain vndoubted and most wholesome doctrine of Christ Whereby we may see the Apostle by al meanes laboureth to draw Christians from the conuersation of such who by their subtile doctrine do draw the ignorant into errors for thus doth hee illustrate and lay open his exhortation by a sixe footed verse of Menander Corrumpunt bonos more 's colloquia praua Good maners are quickly defiled with filthy lewd speeches We must bridle our tongues not onely from filthy but also from idle words Chap. 37. NOwe if wee heare Christ condemne idle words that is vnpâ—ofitable vain friuolous Math. 1â— and to no purpose and which are spoken to the profit neither of the hearer nor speaker Ephes 5 so that hee will require an account of them in the day of iudgement how much more then as Paule saith are vncleane and scoffing wordes filthy mirth vnhonest iestes and vncomelie talke to be detested which do greatly hurt good maners To be short taunting mockes and biting speeches which as they leaue a bitter remembraunce of them in the minde and like waspes flyinge awaie from vs dooe leaue their stinges behinde them in vs are the onelie causes of hatred and debate amongste vs. For as soone as the matter commeth once to multiplication of wordes and figuratiue and crooked speeches are wrested to and froe it commeth in the ende to a bloudy battell and after that pricked on with manie accidentes they are stirred on to an extreame hatred and vnappeasable anger which when it is once inwardlie conceiued and deepelie imprinted in their heartes then doeth it moste shewe it selfe when all thinges seeme to bee husht and forgotten Moreouer contentions rage of euill speakinge and skoulding doe more displease the Apostle Paule then can be expressed Cap. 4 for he warneth the Galathians to abstaine from such vicious and naughty affections not suffering those biting quips to be vsed among theÌ„ nor any tauntes or desire to back bite least while they one bite quippe and vexe another they after the maner of beastes doe one teare and consume another in peeces 1. Cor 1. Hee also doth the same with the Corinthians whom he louingly exhorteth to mutual agreement in the name of Iesus Christ exhorting theÌ„ that through hatred and dissention they fall not out among themselues but that they agree and be of the same mind opinion Paule taketh his example from Christ which by so many means teacheth them to be louing charitable one
pains diligence both in citie countrey Now bicause our Sauior Christ at 12. yeares of age shewed great note of his towardlines amongst wise men and spake manie things earnestlie and to purpose vvhen he vvas asked aâ—â—e question would ansvver mildlie and modestly without any shewe of arrogancie or pride which vices are wont to bee in the ouerhastie foolhardie and rashe wits of youth I interpret Christ to haue great reason in this action to do it to the end our yong men following his example should shew some sign of their towardlines in their youth giue some hope to their parents and others that they are like to become vertuous But because they haue need of a conductor which as a guide may shew them the vvaie I wil shew them the path wherin they shal go what examples of life they shal follow and to what authors they shall addict themselues wherby they may come to perfect knowledge or at leastwise come neare vnto it What Authors we may best vse to file the toung and instruct the mind and what artes ought most especiallie to be learned Chap. 12. TAke vnto thee such choice Authors that thou mayst set them before thee as most honest to read and profitable to follow For it is a verie foolish thing in imitation or emulation not to follow the best patternes Sowing hath taught vs that in the verie nature of it in which we are vvont to commit the best and finest vvheat to the furrovves of the earth The same also is vviselie regarded in grafting in vvhich vve take the best and fruitfullest siens or shootes and graft them on another tree Yea and which is also wont to be obserued and kept in painting Musick Poetry Oratorie in al which the curious aemulator doth desire to imitate the perfectest patterns such as are don at an inch 1 Cor. 12 And this doth Paul also teach vs to obserue in those things that belong to godlinesse and the giftes of the spirit that wee might attaine and come to those things that are most powerfull and excellent For vvhosoeuer frameth either his studie or course of life after this sort shall neuer repent himselfe of his labour paines bestovved theron This also is a common practise amongste them that addict themselues to anie kind of superstitious liuing and of such also as are â—ude of speech which because it is not in vse among the learned are forced to take great pains to vnlearn their Barbarisme In which practise methinkes the mother and nurse of good learning Italie and the learned Greece are much to be praised vvhose custome France the Low countries cease not to follovve in that they laie before their youth the best patterns of learning For by this means it falleth out theâ—r youth are not onely indued with puritie of vvords and elegancie of speech but also quicklie attaine to the knovvledge of the matter The Authors iudgement on Heathen writers Chap. 13. ALbeit there bee manie vniust iudgers of causes vvhich doe exclude and hisse out of al schooles prophane Authors as they improperlie call them and will not that any examples either to file the toung or frame a good life to bee fetched out of them yet are there Poets and Orators both comical tragicall and historicall which may helpe the studious youth to the knovvledge of vvords and matter to the noble and liberall Sciences and to sounde and perfect discipline yea they doe open a speedie and easie passage to all of them Deseruedlie therefore and for great cause are these studies renowmed vvith the names of humanitie and more excellent learning because they doe indue our tender and young youths with curtesy meeknesse and pleasing conditions From these studies also men of more yeares and riper discretions do gather honest delightes and shake off the troubles of this life vvhich are readie to ouervvhelme them in their businesse And hence it came that Saint Basil surnamed the great inuited and willed his cousins not onelie to read holie and sacred writers but also earnestlie to peruse the vvorkes of Orators and Poets Of Poets and what profit youth and age get by reading them Chap. 14. HOvv exact an instructer of toung maners an Orators kinsmanne a Poet is by which name is meant a teacher of the liberall artes and of good life Horace in these verses follovving shevveth Os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta figurat Lib. 2. â—d August Torquet ab obsoenis iam nunc sermonibus aurem Mox etiam pectus praeceptis format amicis Asperitatis inuidiae corrector irae Recte fact a refert orientia tempora notis Instruit exemplis inopem solatur aegrum which is The Poet frames the tender mouth of euery stutting child He turns his cares â—â—oÌ„ silthy words makes his speech more And after that he frames hâ—s hart with precepts aâ— a friend mild His churlish speech his enuious looks and angry heart amends His good deeds tels his youth instructs w e patterns that be plain He comforteth the needie man and him that pines vvith paine And after he repeateth certain profitable precepts as not to vse youth too seuerelie not with threatnings or imperiouslie least they be weary of wel dooing but rather with that moderation art that horse keepers and breakers doe their stout horses whoe by gentle handling and stroking of them doe bring them to mount and reare vnder them and with a kinde of artificiall playe Vir. gecâ—g 3 as Virgil saith Insultare sâ—lo ac gressum glâ—merare superâ—um which is To prance on ground and amble out aveâ—â—â— statelie pace Neither do the delights of these studies stirre vp the mindes and courages onlie of young men but is also of great vse vvith the ancient if at anie time they haue leisure to breath themselues from their busines abroad and to cease from their serious and waightie assayres elsewhere Cicero and Fabius doe vvitnesse that there were an ancient kinde of Poets renowmed in former ages before Theophrastus Iab 10. cap. 1 for it is manifest they vvere the first that brought the rude runnagate and wilde men liuing like beasts into a ciuill kind of life societie In arte Poâ— which Horace also finely expresseth in theseverses Syluestres homines sacer interpresque Deorum Caedibus victu foedo deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire tygres rabidosque leones DicÌ„tus Amphion Thebanae conditor arcis Saxa mouere sono testudinâ—s prece blan da Ducere quo vellet Fuit haec saptentia quondam Publica priuatis secernere sacra prophanis Concubitu prohibere vago dare iura maritis Oppida moliri leges incidere ligno Hic honor nomen diuinis vatibus atque Carminibus venit Good Orpheus thâ—nterpretor of all the gods did fear The sauage men frâ—m murdrous facts and liues that filthie were And for that cause was Lyons fierce and Tygers said to tame And Amphion that builded Thebes
hath also had the name With sound of lute and pleasing words to moue stir the stones And lead theÌ„ where so ere he wold such force had wisdom once To seuer each mans goods apart the sacred from prophane To prohibite adultery and wedlocks rites explane To build vp townes make good lawes which were ingrau'd in wood And thus they honord Poets once and verses that were good Of the vse and profit of Histories Chap. 15. SEeing that a historie that is a faithfull narration of thinges done hath no lesse profite then delight for besides the pleasure we take in reading it doth it not bring vnto vs also most plentifull fruites of wisedome Therefore it is verie meet and requisite that euerie man do exercise him selfe therein For that the fruite of a historie is verie great Titus Liuius incidently declareth in these words It is a historie that in the knovvledge of things is most profitable and fruitfull there mayst thou see and behold documents of al examples laid vppe as it were in some excellent monument thence mayst thou gather that which thou thy selfe and thy familie may imitate and there mayest thou finde waies how to auoide bad enterprises and dangerous euents And when one demanded Zenâ— by what meanes a man may bee happie if saith he thou behold attentiuelie the age that went before thee that is If thou diligentlie marke the Noble acts of thy Elders and their excellent vertues For a historie as Ciâ—ero saith is the light of truth the keeper of time the life and strength of memory the mistris of our life the messeÌ„ger of antiquity in which al things are written finely and plentifully and as it ought to be faithfullie according as it vvas atchieued and doone And as for the holie Bible doeth it not lay open vnto vs a large field of Histories and shevve vnto vs plentifullie thinges done of olde From vvhence vvee may gather profitable instructions and fitte patternes of a good life of which manie of them do laie open to our eies and vnderstanding the vvonderfull iudgements of God and doe vvarne euerie one of vs hovv detestable a thing before God is Idolatrie the contempt of gods word the irreuerent regarde of him and the truste in any other but him alone Of Comedies Chap. 16. A Comedie is a neere kinsman to a hystorie and a glasse of mans life in vvhich one may see and behold his maners affections the expresse image of all his life vnder the person of another man and may marke and obserue thereby his ovvne vices and vertues yea and that as Tullie sayth after a pleasant elegant ciuill wittie and mery fashion vvhich kind of exercises almoste all Nations vse in their ovvne tongue and that sometimes vvith such a large scope and libertie of speech that as Horace saith libertie among players became a vice because they vvere thereby more prompt to follovv vice For they did not in this their libertie onelie defame the common and base sort of people but also disquieted rulers and great menne euen in the open Theaters of their Cities and sharpelie taunted them in vnseemlie rimes Yet if they had done this thinge without anie reproch or staine of the good name of them that were good and had not so inueyed against them with their seditious verses but had sharpened their tongues against them onely that had deserued it then might it seeme tolerable because the touching of suche sores might perhaps haue brought the sicke to repentance and haue put them in mind to haue regarded their duties The Dutchman cals this licence Batementen that is in English Priuate plaies and the rime or meter their Enterludes end in Rym oft Dychte that is rime or meter Now these delights and pleasures of vvit ought to be learned betimes while we are young and not after vve are stricken in yeares because these studies agree best vvith flourishing youth albeit the auncient may sometimes delight themselues therevvith hauing had a good smacke of it before in their youth For those thinges that are wholsome and profitable to vertue and honestie let not him that is growne to a good age no nor hee that is olde and farre stricken in yeares be ashamed to learne for to learn good things there is no time too late and to forsake vice neuer out of season Of eloquence and the art of speaking which is needeful and profitable for all men what Language soeuer hee speake Chap. 17. RHetoricke or the Art of Oratorie whose office is to speake aptlie distinctly finelie and with choise words and graue sentences to intice and inflame the minds of his auditorie is most needfull and profitable for such as execute the office of preaching rule in a Commonvvealth beare the office of Magistracie for such as are appointed to bee Maiors or sherifes in Cities and which must liue among discordes strifes in a campe sedition and vprores in a Citie and Commonwealth vvhose parts it is and whose authoritie requireth to appease the furious minds of a â—ude multitude and to rule them with good counsell words of authoritie For subiects are not alvvaies brought to obedience by threatninges feare violence crueltie svvord and punishment no they must not go so farre vnlesse the matter cannot be appeased without those bloudie remedies but they must be reclaimed from wicked enterprises to their duties by faire words holsome exhortations and countenances ful of grauitie and constancie The selfe-same wisedome and discretion ought maisters of families to vse tovvardes their seruantes and teachers of children tovvardes their schollers To what Artes the studies of humanitie do open vs the waie Chap. 18. THe studies of humanitie and liberal sciences doe not onelie polishe the toung with intising wordes and sweet sentences but also auaileth to get the proâ—itable and necessariâ— Artes of this life to wit Physicke Surgeriâ— and the Ciuill Lavve and in which the minde of man taketh great ioy and pleasure Phylosophie not onelie humaine but also Diuine vvhereby through Christe to come to the knowledge loue and Faith in God For all Artes in vvhich manne diligentlie exerciseth himselfe must be referred hither and onelie ayme at this white The professors of vvorldelie wisedome couâ—de neuer attaine to this vvho wandering from the veritie did thrust into mennes minds falshood for truth vaine conceits for sounde opinions forgerie for synceritie doubtes for certaintie and harmes for helpes and all because they wanted the spirite of God Now seeing that among all other artes there are onlie three which bring not onelie honour and profit to the professours albeit profite shoulde not bee so much regarded but also is of great vse to maintaine the liues of the common sort of people thou muste betimes deliberate vvhich of them thou haste a desire to follovve and to vvhich by Nature thou art moste apte and sitte Theologie that is the knovvledge of Diuinitie giuen by the inspiration of the holie Ghoste frameth the minde to godlinesse and instructeth thee