labour is not for base and contemptible things but for true honours the Kingdome of God and the vnspeakable glorie thereof Whence it doth manifestly follow that seeing nothing in this world is more abiect then sinne nor any thing of more excellency and magnanimitie then vertue Princes and great ones are much to bee blamed if they suffer themselues to be ouercome of any sinne or doe depart from the more noble life of vertues and contemplation Yet it is to be obserued that this vertue of Magnanimitie is in this world mightily obscured and troden vnder foote by the blindnesse of men For albeit many are by nature magnanimous yet because they make great account of the prosperities and honours of this world forgetting the more sublime and excellent honour of vertue it selfe and chiefely of Fortitude which consists in this That a man doe vanquish himselfe and also forgetting that most high reward which in heauen is prepared for them that giue themselues to a spirituall life Thus whilest they magnifie the things of this world and are with all their hearts and strength occupied in them they disesteem that in which true Magnanimitie consisteth namely Vertue and the contemplation of heauenly things And they hence take a pretext and colour of this their complacency worldly comportment from the common vse and practise of this kinde of life amongst the most high and noble persons who for the most part ire besotted with these sublunarie and base fooleries nor in the meane time doe they obserue that the truly-wise do laugh them to scorne euen as those most high celestiall Princes and all the Courtiers of his Court the least of whom hath a greater regall pompe then al the Caesars Courts of this brittle world which onely is as it were but a little village and yet doth so delude their vnderstandings From this will manifestly arise thus much That in very deed they are most abiect and vnworthie of honour albeit they are held for great in this world who doe not exercise all their powers in the spirituall life and seruice of the most high King and God from whom onely they may obtaine those so excellent benefits which in heart they so much desire It is also euident that Princes and great ones haue a greater Obligation to this vertue of Magnanimitie and to all that proceeds from the same and therefore it may truly be said that for this Obligation and Magnanimitie all doctrine which concernes a spirituall life doth more appertaine to them then to others whose pusillanimitie and weaknesse of minde doth not lift vp themselues to desire and procure so difficult and great matters Surely if it be a base thing for Princes and Great ones to be exercised in gatheting vp the small crummes of Sugar that fall from the ballance much more abiect and base it is to place the minde in the vaine sweetnesse of delights and prosperities of this world seeing hence doth follow not onely obliuion but also the perdition of the most high honour and glory for the which was giuen them that great and generous minde they haue and that mightie power and great place they hold Of all these things that most glorious King of the vniuersall heauenly and earthly Court our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen a most cleare example who offered his most regall person to innumerable iniuries and afflictions for those wonderfull things of heauen who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame Heb. 12.2 and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God who also with a minde truly great and glorious Mat. 4.10.6 despised the Kingdomes of this world when they were offered him Surely I know not by what title or right he will call himselfe an illustrious Lord in this world who spends his life in acquiring the honours of this world seeing he may behold his King to desire death whereby to set him free from the vaineâ— loue of mundane honours and transferre him to heauenly honours Againe I know not how he dare number himselfe amongst great and excellent men who lets fall his heart vpon things so abiect and base seeing in very truth that abiect things are farre distant and vnfit for sublime great and generous spirits This Magnanimitie ought singularly to induce Noble and Heroicke persons neuer to commit sinne seeing sinne is the most abiect vile thing in this world in respect that it is aduersant to the fidelitie they owe to God and vilifieth them in the sight of God and all good men Surely no tongue nor hand of another man can so affect vs with any iniurie as our owne sinnes doe defile and shame vs which we daily commit before God before whom we are euer present This Magnanimitie also must haue this effect in great ones not to feele any aduersitie from whomsoeuer it come seeing it cannot hurt a wise man any further then he will in his minde estimate it But a true magnanimous esteemer of things doth not reckon any thing for any great euill which doth not concerne the soule for all the rest where that is had must be committed to obliuion and where that hath past away it must no more moue vs then that which for the vilitie of it deserues to be committed to forgetfulnesse Vnto all these things which I haue spoken great men and Rulers ought to inuite and moue their subiects by all possible meanes and that for many reasons First for that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords did so Secondly for that chiefely euen for this cause principalitie and power is giuen vnto them in the earth seeing all good gouernment is to this end disposed of God vnto which good gouernement they stand obliged Thirdly for that vnto great men is due a great and excellent societie which cannot bee vnlesse their people be godly and vertuous Furthermore amongst all men vertue and good life is most glorious which things of a suretie no Preacher can with so great facilitie and such felicitie plant in any Region or Kingdome as those that gouerne it if they would marke and do the things wee houe declared and those that will not so doe but thinke that the studie of vertue religion and contemplation are vnsutable for Princes and great persons I may say as the blessed Apostle saith That they are worse then Infidels For as the soule and spirituall life is by so much more louely by how much the whole world with the riches thereof is to be preferred before a basket of dung as our Lord taught vs who led a life full of calamities and died a death full of sorrowes and ignominies teaching vs to liue a spirituall life and little to esteeme of this corporall so those that are greatest amongst men ought to chuse and bee exercised in the greatest and best things that is in consummating a spirituall and heauenly life contemning the vaine glory of this world as a thing most vnworthie of a generous
Truth preserue the King Pro. 20.28 and by Clemencie is his Throne established But if a vicious and wicked King who hath not that care of iustice and pietie which becommeth him doe Raigne drawing his subiects by his wicked example to exorbitances and sensualitie of life to carelessenesse of Religion and contempt of pietie casting themselues by the imitation of him into the infectious gulphe of Impietie and Impuritie of life what then can be expected but that Quicquid delirant Regès plectentur Achiui King and Subiects shall both smart for it What other thing can bee hoped for authoritie fayling vertues dying raigning and raging but the hastening of Gods seuere iudgements who vsually plagueth King and people for their sinnes with no lesse censures then extermination and ruine of the whole Weale-publique For we must not think that God is so bound to any limitations of time as that he cannot cancell change and order the times as best serueth for the setting forth of his glorie But such and so insearchable are the riches of his wisdome that he seeth cause sufficient of subuersion of Kingdomes and States where we blind beetles conceiue a perpetuitie And contrarily where wee deeme by certaine coniectures that Kingdomes are not long lasting there he determineth a longer continuation of them for reasons best knowne to his heauenly wisedome And this is it which the wise King witnesseth Pro. 28.2 That for the transgression of the Land there are many Princes thereof but by a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a Realme also endureth long But what transgressions these are and at what time it pleaseth him by ruinating of Kingdomes to take vengeance of these sinnes wee must not precisely and rashly determine because the Cup of indignation is in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord and hee powreth is out at his appointed tiâ—e Nor it is for vs to knowe the times and seasons Act. 1.7 which the Father hath put in his owne power But forasmuch as all the Learned hâ—â—e obserâ—ed that there are three special sinnes in holy Scripture noted causing the ruines of Kingdomes one is Impietie subuerting the Church another is Iniustice subuerting the Politie and State and the third Lecherie subuerting the Family and the house The infection of euerie of which teacheth to another euen as the Pest which infecting one he infected doth also infect another the poyson dispersing it selfe whilest there is any subiect to worke vpon Wee may hence conclude That where these sinnes which by the Diuine Oracle are fore-runners of Kingdomes changes and desolations are most regnant predominant and rise there will the ruine and destruction not slowly follow This I haue noted before as also that Aristotle ascribing the falls and ruines of Kingdomes to the sinnes of Kingdomes collects them all summarily into this one of Inequalitie as if the vnproportioned distinction and difference 〈◊〉 degrees of honour and dignities and the adâ—â—â—cing of vnworthie persons to titles and places of Honour others much more deseruing neglected and cast off were a sinne of all others most dangerous for the rooting out of people and râ—â—â—â—ting of Kingdomes But how true 〈◊〉 vâ—rtue this is I will not dispute This is it that I dare constantly â—vow that the causes and occâ—rences going before any notable change or ruine of a Kingdome are chiefly and alone confined and contained in the exorbitant manners vngodly corruptions and sinfull liues of Kings and people Therefore that I may free my Conceit from this imputation of placing a fatall necessitie of Kingdomes ruines in any fabulous or vngrounded far-fetcht Almanacke of the Philosophers dreames or coniectures of some latter Writers I will plainely shew That I doe not First found any opinion herein vpon the diuination Responses and Oracles of Deuils wherewith many Wise men haue beene deluded Secondly nor doe I binde them to any celestiall influences as many Philosophers haue done nor Thirdly to Harmonie as was Plato's opinion nor Fourthly to Augures Southsayers Astrologers Witches Chaldaeans nor that foolish and deuilish conceit of Iamblieus who calculating to know the name of the Emperour that should succeed Valens caused the Greeke Alphabet to be written in the ground putting vpon euerie one of the letters a barley-corne and in the middest a Cocke so that the letters where the Cocke scraped the barley should signifie his name hee desired Fiftly nor to dreames either naturall deuilish or diuinatorie by the vertue and influence of starres who moued with vnderstanding of thinges to come affect the Braine with impressions and representations of future euents Sixtly nor to the curious obseruation of yeares and moneths as Boain doth who affirmes that if wee obserue wee shall finde the most notable changes of States and deathes of great Princes for the most part to haue fallen in the moneth of September Seuenthly nor yet absolutely and infallibly to the numbers of fiue hundred seuen hundred and two hundred and fiftie of which I haue spoken Eightly nor yet to Comets and blazing starres albeit strange and vn-accustomed euents doe often follow them In none of these I place any absolute necessitie of deuining of Kingdomes changes yet doe I not denie but these and such like predictions haue their vses oftentimes and particular applications to the alterations of Kingdomes adding this That not one of those predictions and rules by which Antiquitie hath presumed to iudge of the fals of Kingdomes is so necessarie as exactly to conclude the point of ruine howbeit God many times suffers Nature to haue her due course and many strange euents to succeed according to such predictions rules and obseruations as are declared From whence wee must learne to take heed of presumption vpon such vncertaine grounds to iudge of certaine ruines of States but rather with patience to expect such end as God in his most wise counsell hath resolued auoyding all such curious searchings as our dull apprehensions cannot reach Yet is not our infirmitie so farre to dispriuiledge vs as that because we cannot diue into the secrets of such hidden predictions and causes we should vtterly abandon all care of Gods terrible comminations holy fore-warnings wherby he seekes to acquaint vs with future euents and calamities to the end to disturne vs from sinne that we may auoide the direfull vengeance of his wrath and thinke them to be of that vn-resistable necessitie that God cannot out of the greatest will worke the greatest good but rather to cast our eyes vpon his soueraignâ— bountie which is infinite and vnâ—â—luable in price to all such as in due time seeke vnto him by true repentance From whence alone is the most true leuell and avâ—â—e of Kingdomes preseruations and felicities as from the contrarie their ruines and infelicities to be setled iudged and determined knowing as a learned Diuine hath concluded that no future euents can of themselues be knowne of any vnderstanding Zâ—â—â—h â—e opâ—r 6.2 saving the Diuine to whom all things are present and therefore I conclude that
all false and diuellish diuinations which the Scripture forbids ought to be farre from all good Christians namely 1. That of the obseruation of the flying of foules Deut. 18.10 2. That of dreames 3. That of forceceries or lots 4. That of Pythonists Leâ—it 19. and diabolicall inspiration 5. That of illusions 1. Sam. 21. and fained apparitions of the diuell Thus if we will wisely consider of the precedent discourse wee shall find many arguments rules and obseruations touching most probable coniectures of Kingdomes ruines and changes and such as the wisest Antiquaries and Sages of all times haue not lightly weighed and cast of the euents of such things in many pregnant and notable particulars answering the ground of the same rules obseruations which are as lights to guide our iudgements the better to conceiue what shall fall out in the changes of Kingdomes and ruines of States though not to diuine of things to come against Gods power and authoritie and also spurres to incite vs to abandon such things as haue euer brought with them the Countries ruines where they were committed that we seeing a fâ—rre off the rod of Gods anger shaken at vs and his sword readie to bee drawne â—ay meete him by a repentance neuer to be repented of And tâ—at we of this Nation for whose good this taske slender as it is was vndertaken may take the profit that was intended by it let vs apply it to our present times and deare countries wherein we liue and take such measure of our selues and times thereby as becommeth honest and vnpartiall Iudges and if we be such as we should be then must wee be such as I wish with all my soule we might bee and that is that we may be but such as may iustly contend with Pagans and Heathens for sinceritie integritie and pietie such as the seuen Ambassadours commended in their seuerall Commonwealthes vnto King Ptolomie Plutar. lib. de Exiliâ— euery one vanting of the vertue of their State by the comparison of three excellent things 1 The Ambassadour of Romes commendations were That their Temples were honoured their Gouernours obeyed their wicked punished What honour is now done to Temples with vs or to the soules of the Temples God and his Ministers is so little that if that little were not in some sinceritie it were nothing the obedience to the spirituall Gouernours so little that none but the little ones and crawling contemptible wormes doe them any albeit the holy Ghost hath giuen a charge to obey them that haue the ouersight of vs Heb. 13.17 and submit to them for they watch for our soules The punishment of little ones and little sinnes is not omitted but great men and grosse offenders who dare touch 2 The Ambassadors of Carthage vanted that their Nobilitie was valiant to fight their Commonaltie to take pains their Philosophers to teach I will leaue the application 3 The Sicilian Ambassador his praises were that their countrie executed Iustice loued Truth and commended Simplicitie 4 The Rhodian Ambassador said that their old men were honest their young men shamefast and their women peaceable 5 The Ambassador of Athens That they consented not that their rich should be partiall their people should be idle their gouernours should be ignorant 6 The Lacedaemonian Ambassador That with them there was no enuie for all were equall no couetousnesse for all was in common no idlenesse for all did labour 7 The Ambassador of Sicyonia iustly gloried in these That they admitted no Strangers inuenters of new toyes that they wanted Phisitions to kill the sicke and Aduocates to make their pleas immortall I will not aduenture to make the comparison nor to lay my square to this building but will leaue the particular application to each religious and iudicious conceit concluding it with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 10.15 I speake as to them that haue vnderstanding Iudge you what I say Neverthelesse my hearts desire is and my prayer euermore shall be that England might be such as may truly glorie if not in these morall respects yet in that which is farre better euen that as it hath receiued from God infinite and vnspeakable benefits and deliuerances benefit vpon benefit and deliuerance vpon deliuerance God hauing watched ouer it to doe it good Isa 5. not hauing more blessings to do for his Vine but that he hath done sauing the continuance of the same mercies so it might not onely neuer forget such admirable fauours but also in the sincere profession of the Gospell of eternall peace and holy conuersation such as becomes the glorious Gospel of peace it may out-strippe not onely all Nations of the world 1. Pet. 2.9 but all times future present and past as a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called it out of darknesse into this maruellous light That Conuersions and Ruines of Kingdome may be knowne before hand not by Apodicticall and demostratiue necessitie but by Topicall probability WHereof let this be the foundation That there is euer a reall relation of the cause and the effect insomuch that euermore sufficient causes being put there must follow the effect of necessitie Physitions deliuer precepts of Art by which diseases against nature may be cured or eased Why should not then a wise Gouernour of the Re-publique foresee the Sun-setting of a Kingdome why should he not procure the good of it Or if the furie of iniquitie be so great and the streame of impietie so strong that by no wisedome it can be withstood yet why should hee not obtaine so much as a skilful Physition doth who by the decretorie daies and from the cause of the disease doth fore-iudge of the death of a sicke patient in what sort it shall be And albeit that as touching the secrets of the diuine prouidence for the most part they are insearchable for who knowes the minde of the Lord which thing also Reason teacheth vs yet in the meane time by obscure tokens it sometimes sheweth his effects sometimes by prophetical answeres foreshewing the translations of Empires and sometimes by miraculous ostents So saith Iun. quast pol. 5. Before the destruction of Domitian a Crow cried in the Capitoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are well Suetonius So Vultures renting in peeces the young vnfeathered Eagles portended death to Tarquinius Superbus Alex. ab Alexandro 5.12 So Snakes shewed the captiuitie of Croesus Here. dot 1. So in the Citie of Aurenge when the foundations of certaine edifices were laid a propheticall stone was found wherein was written in foure French verses all the calamitie which arose after the destinie of Henrie King of France Tar. Bizarr de Bello Pann So a brasse â—â—ble was found in the riuer by a boy playing in which the miserie and calamitie of the Citie of Swetssons before it came to passe was described Maieri in Annal. fol. 275. But in these things
this of that great Egyptian Sage Trismegistus Of the same iudgement as concerning religion and diuine things that they are the onely grounds and causes of prosperitie and felicitie were the Assyrians Chaldaeans Babyionians Else why should the King of Niniue that most ancient potent King Ion. 3.7.8.9 so diuinely order his repentance humiliation to God vpon that only short Sermon of Ionas Yet forty dayes and Niniue shal bee destoyed that man and beast were commanded a solemn fast putting on sackcloth crying to the Lord and that euery man should returne from the wickednes that was in his heart for who can tell if God will turne from his fierce wrath that we perish not Had not this beene in vaine but that they iudged that Religion and Pietie was the cause of felicitie In like sort when Samaria was taken by Salmanassar 2. Reg. 17. and the Iewes caried away into Media and Assyria the land being giuen to be inhabited vnto a people ignorant of the true worship of God who were deuoured of Lyons because they feared not the Lord did not they attribute this to the ignorance of seruing the true God by which onely thing they conceiued they might be deliuered from that iudgement But if they had not beleeued that temporall euils befall the wicked from God and temporall good things are giuen to the godly they would neither haue done thus nor would the euent haue answered their actions The same things are recorded of the Chaldaeans and Babylonians concerning their opinion of religion in that kind For thus an anciēt Historian writes The Caldaeans being the most ancient of the Babylonians Diod. Sicul. did obtaine that place in the Commonwealth which the Priests did in Egypt for they were deputed to the worship of their Gods philosophyzed all their life time and were accounted most skilfull in Astrologie Many by a certaine diuination fore-told things to come and as well by auguries and sacred things as by ceraine other signes were wont to interprete both euil auguries diuinations and coniectures to be disturned from men and good ones to befall other men which thing we see more plainly deliuered by the diuine Oracle For when Nabuzaradon the chiefe Steward to Nabuchadnezzar Ier. 40.2 had set the Prophet Ieremie at libertie he spake thus vnto him The Lord thy God hath pronounced this plague vpon this place now the Lord hath brought it and done according as hee hath said because ye haue sinned againse the Lord and haue not obeyed his voyce therfore this thing is come vpon you So we see he iudged that temporall punishments were inflicted vpon men Nations for their sins Besides the Kings of the Assyrians Chaldaeans and Persians were also Priestes nor could they obtaine the Kingdome except they had beene of the companie of their Magi who were Priests and instructed in their learning for Nemo regnare potest nisi inter Magos sit iudicatus Philo. No man could raigne there vnlesse he were iudged to be amongst their Magi or Priest Whereby they gaue to vnderstand that in Religion and Pietie consisted the felicitie of Kings and Kingdomes And Clemens Alexandrinus reports Cl. Alex. l. 7 that it was the custome amongst all the learned Nations that hee who should be King must also be a Priest so much they iudged religion to import the felicitie of Kingdomes Hence it is that Xenophon writes Xenop 8. Paed. that the Persians accounted them most happy that were most godly but the societie of the impious to be most vnhappy If we descend to the Grecians we shall find them all of one iudgement in this point namely that all felicitie depends vpon pietie Plato whom they call the God of Philosophers in many places shewes That by Prudence Goodnesse men are brought to beatitude and happinesse without which prudence and piety no good thing can befall men but all good blessings are turned vnto euill And therefore in the end of that most sweete and ingenuous Dialogue which he frameth betwixt Socrates and Alcibiades he concludeth Nemo foelixesse potest nisi sapiens bonusque sit No man can be happie that is not wise and good Plato in Gorg. To which purpose in another place he saith That no man who is vicious can be happie and that the world was contained and preserued of God for good men and therefore of the Grecians was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faire because it abhorres all sinne committed by any nor could it admit of any sinne within it seeing it is faire and beautifull but sinne is a thing incomposed deformed and brings ruine and reproach with it And the wise saith he do deliuer that Heauen and Earth the Gods and Men are knit together in a certaine societie and friendship and with a modest or nature temperance and iustice To spend no more time amongst the Grecians whose sayings are to this end infinite let vs conclude with the Romans the wisest happiest most flourishing Empire of all others Cicero the Prince of Orators determineth it thus Cic. Orat. de Arusp How desirous are we to be in a nored of our selues Fathers conscript yet neyther haue we ouercome the Spaniards with numbers nor the french with strength nor the Carthaginians with craft nor the Greeks with Arts nor to conclude with the domestique or nariue sense of this ayre and earth the Italians and Latines but with piety and religion and by this onely wisedome that wee haue acknowledged that all things are ruled and gouerned by the power of the immortall Gods by this onely haue we vanquished all Nations and Countries So then I will close this discourse with the authoritie of a graue writer Dion Halicar l. 2. de Rom. concerning Romulus his institution of the Romane Re-publique When Romulus saith he had obserued that there were certaine causes of the felicity of Weale-publiques vpon which it was vulgarly agreed but yet granted but to a few to attaine vnto them First the fauour of the diuine powers which being present all things doe prosperously succeed Secondly temperance hand in hand with iustice by which two it commeth to passe that men hurt themselues lesse mutually consent together the better and doe not measure felicitie by their filthy pleasure but by honestly and goodnesse and lastly military valour by whose helpe other vertues subsist he did not suppose that any of these good things came of their owne accord but vnderstood that a Citie was made godly temperate iust and strong in battell by right lawes and emulation of honest studies Therfore he gaue great diligence chiefely to these things enterprising and commencing all his actions before all things from the worship of the Gods not suffering his Citizens to thinke or speake any thing but well and excellently of that diuine and blessed nature The same Author saith that all men to whom the pietie of the Romans was vnknown may cease to admire of their happy successe in watres
seeing they neuer tooke armes but vpon most iust causes which thing did chiefly procure to them the fauour of the Gods So that it is most euident that all Nations with ful consent haue deereed this truth that all felicitie and happinesse temporall eternall hath his dependaÌ„ce root from Vertue Religion and Pietie Therefore the Ciuilians teach that the first precept of the Law of Nations Pompon was Religion towards God the second obedieÌ„ce to parents country the third defence of our self ours the fourth not to insidiate or lie in wait and beguile another From whence wee collect that all deceits iniuries and death it selfe is to be suffered for religions sake our Parents Countrie but together with life Countrie and Parents all thinges are to be esteemed of no worth in respect of our Religion and Dutie to GOD and that is the first precept of the Lawe of Nations Besides the same Ciuilians testifie Vlpian That publike Law consists in Sacred thinges Sacred persons and Magistrates so that Ius status the Law of state or standing as the Politicians cal it hath his life from Sacred thinges and persons And therefore the Common-wealth ruines and cannot stand for hence is it called Status without Sacred thinges and persons And this is it that Cicero speakes Pietie is the foundation of all vertues which pietie towardes God being taken away faith and societie of Mankinde and that one most excellent Vertue Iustice must needes also faile Hence the same Author perswades Cicero de leg 2. Let this from the beginning of all men bee beleeued that the Gods are the Lords and Moderatours of all thinges and that the thinges which they doe are by their power and prouidence done and that they highly deserue of Mankinde and that they behold what kinde of man euery one is what he doth with what minde and what pietie hee reuerenceth Religion and that they take an account of the godly and impious So saith another historian writing of Zaleucus a law-giuer It behoues them that wil inhabit a Citie Diod. Sic. 1. 11. Biblioâ—h to beleeue that there are Gods and that they are chiefly to bee worshipped as the first and most excellent benefactours of mortall men from whom onely are giuen to Mankind Posteritie Riches Vertues and all good thinges And also it behoues them to performe and offer vp to them a minde expiated and pure from all improbitie and blemâ—sh for the Gods will not with a cheerefull eye behold the polluted Sacraments and gifts of the flagitious and sinfull person but the iust and innocent institutes and the holy manners of mortall men are by the whole Diuinities embraced Hence I conceiue it is impregnably concluded by consent of all Nations and wise men and from the Oracle of God himselfe that Kingdomes and Common-wealths and all felicitie euen of temporall prosperitie depends vpon Religion and Pietie as the infallible ground of all Gods blessings 12 Of thinges that ruine Republiques THE thinges that ruine Kingdomes are of two sorts First Diume for this World is transitorie mortall and the place of mortall thinges so that no part of it but is subiect to mutation Yet of these changes and mutabilities there are certaine apparent causes as wee see in plants beasts and men who are the chiefest part of this World So is it in Kingdomes for we see the most potent Kingdomes that euer were as that of the Chaldeans Persians Grecians and Romans ouerthrowne but the chiefest of these causes is God himselfe who hath decreed to euery Kingdome his beginning progresse increase maturitie and death Of which iust will of God the cause to vs is vnknowne but yet it is neuer vniust Dan. 4. for God giues and takes Kingdomes as he list Secondly the worship of God contemned and neglected and so by little and little sliding into Idolatrie a most sure token of the ruine of Kingdomes For that sentence is immoueable The Kingdome and People that will not serue thee shall perish To which that of the 73. Psalme 27. agreeth well It is good for mee to holde fast by God to put my trust c. but besides the violation of the Diuine Law which prescribes our dutie to our neighbour is the cause of Kingdomes ruines Pro. 28.2 For that part of the law containes iustice which if neglected and in stead thereof force violence oppression briberie iniurie and slaughter doe raigne those Kingdomes leaue to be Kingdomes are of God ouerthrowne For as Augustine saith Quid aliud sunt magna Regna absque iustitia nisi magna latrocinia Kingdomes without iustice are but great roberies which God suffers not long vnrevenged Psal 94.15.20 Secondly humane Causes of the periods of Kingdomes are of two sorts First arise from home as First Coniuration Secondly Sedition Thirdly Faction Fourthly Ciuill Warre Fiftly Distraction and Discord of mindes Sixtly Perpetuall Suspition of Subiects against other Subiects that being more vnworthie growe more wealthie and honourable These are the domestique causes of Countries ruines Secondly from without as First the sudden rushing in of our Eenemies Secondly rebellion of Subiects that haue beene vanquished in warre Thirdly the â—â—efection of Colleagues and Confedeâ—â—ces Fourthly continual external wars â—â—â—tly a too warlike people that is such â—â—â—iue by warres and are wholy bent to â—â—â—â—res as the Spartans that ouerthrew â—â—â—â—selues â—here are three causes of the miserie â—â—d destruction of Kingdomes first too â—â—ch leuitie and facilitie of sinning Secondly too much pertinacie Thucydides and lust of enioying idlenesse and pleasures Thirdly too much licence and authoritie of vaine Oratours and prating yong fellowes and Counsailers that emunge and fleece the Common wealth of her treasure making the publike ruine their proper Rise Experience the Mistresse of thinges Tho. Caiet hath taught vs that there is the ruine of the Republique where Offices are vendible It is wisely obserued by Aristotle and from him by Diodorus Siculus and Phil. Comen That the whole Family of those Tyrants who in their gouernment vsed cruell Counsailours seldome or neuer remained in that Kingdome one hundred and twenty yeares but were either vtterly abolished of God or of their Subiects basely dethroned And that wee may not seeke farre fâ—â— matter to set the fairest Kingdomes iâ—â— ruinous and irreparable combustion 〈◊〉 your eyes vpon S. Pauls Prophesie 2. Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 you shall easily espie in eight Vâ—â—â—â— foure degrees of ruine like so many â—â—â—ners digging at the roots of Kingdoâ—â—â— to ouerturne them The first is a full coâ—fluence and deluge of vices The secoâ—â—â—â— is simulate fained and counterfeit piâ—tie The third is Schisme and The fourth is Heresie and grosse impietie And behold how they march in order and succeed one another From all kind of sinne men grow to counterfeit and face-holinesse from this shew of sanctitie they fall to Schisme and Dâ—uision and from that to flat Heresie or ir-religion These are the Antecedents of the
occasions of most admirable atchieuements which if they had taken shaking off Lust the baine of Men and Kingdomes they had giuen place to no Emperour that euer was for vertue and glorie For this cause it is written That Castra Castles and Fortresses were so called in the Latine because there Libido castraretur Lust should there be gelded For in times past if any in them abused the floure of his youth he was branded with ignominie and dismissed of the Romans Polyb. lib. 6. so much did they conceiue that Puritie imported to victorie and glorie I may conclude with our owne Nation touching whome if wee will beleeue our owne Stories it is written That it neuer receiued any great change and mortall wound but when the manners and customes thereof were so dissolute and vicious that the Land seemed to stagger vnder the burden of them So that I may take vpon me without presumption to prophecie thus farre That the greatest Kingdome that Europe hath the most mightie people that euer was and the most famous Common-wealth that euer flourished shall all of them by contemning Religion and Pietie and wallowing in the puddle of sinne and sensualitie become desolate What religious Prince confidently in a good cause relying vpoÌ„ Gods assistaÌ„ce hath not notably triumphed ouer all his enemies Looke into the bookes of Genesis Exodus Ioshua Iudges Kings Machabees what shal you find but that Abraham Moses Ioshua Gedeon Samuel Dauid Ezechias Iosias and the Machabees euer triumphed victoriously ouer multitudes of enemies because Religion and Pietie were the Generals of their Armies How did Constantine discomfite the bloudie Maxentius Aug. l. 5. de Ciu. Dei cap. 25. Theod. l. 5. hist c. 24. euen as Moses did Pharaoh How did The idosius the elder for his pietie obtained many noble priuiledges In like sort Theodosius the yonger when the Sarazens came to the aid of the Persians O nimium delecte Deo cui militat aether coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Claudian Socrat. l. 7. c. 18. against whom he fought the Angels from heauen like the starres against Sisera so troubled the Saracens that in the riuer Euphrates were drowned an hundred thousand And did not Iulian whilest he was religious make Italy and Africke stoupe to the Romane Empire when suddenly after his reuolt he perished An heritique holding that there was but one will in Christ Thus did Heraclius conquer the Persians till he became a Monothelite So that we see contempt of religion to be the pest and ruine of States and Kingdomes and the zeale of religion to be the firmament prop and buttresse to perpetuate and preserue Kingdomes and Cities Tot mala quid Mundo congerit Impietas Anne salutâ—s adhuc spes vlla est vnica quisnam Porriget banc Pietas Haec vbi Nullus habet Quid sias Munde rue vt pietas est nulla ruentem Sic video auxilium Numina laesa negant 13. Prognostiques of the anger and scourge of God or of the finall Periods of Kingdomes and States to be at hand 1 THe first is the magnitude and horrour of sinnes raigning in the Kingdome Such nefandious and grieuous sinnes are Symonie prophanation of the holy Sabbath and holy places Irreuerence of the diuine worship Sacriledges Adulteries Incests Sodomitries Blasphemies Periuries Cruelties VioleÌ„ces Rapines Discords Vsuries Enuies Frauds Eph. 5.6 Deceits Trecheries For these and such like comes the wrath of God vpon Kingdomes and Countries 2 The second is the multitude of sinnes Grieuous sinnes if but committed of some few may happily escape the reuenging hand of God to light vpon the whole Nation but if grieuous sinnes be the sinnes of the multitude these heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and God will shortly visite their sinnes vpon them Rom. 2. Of this multiplicitie of sinnes Dauid complaines They are all gone out of the way Psal 14. they are altogether become abhominable there is none that doth good no not one Of this Hierom aduersus Vigil Rara virtus est nec â pluribus appetitur Of this Ouid. Nec facile inuenies inmultis millibê° vuum Virtutem pretii qui putet esse sui 3 The third is the vnshamefastnes or shamelesnes of sinning Sins may be horrible in nature many in nuÌ„ber God may winke at them a long time but when men sin with a whorish forehead blush-lesse cheeke God cannot haue longer patience Sine vere cundia nihil rectum esse potest Cic. l. 1. offic nihil honestum and Valerius l. 14. That shamefastnesse is the parent of euery honest counsaile and the guardian of solemne offices the Mistresse of innocency beloued of her neighbours accepted of strangers in euery place and time carrying a fauourable countenance and Bernard That spirituall shamfastnes is the glory of the conscience the keeper of fame the ornament of life the seat of vertues the ensigne of nature and all goodnesse Now cast backe your eye vpon those grieuous sinnes and behold if all of them of all men be not as familiarly and boldly committed as men vse to eate and drinke without blushing or shame 4 The fourth is the impunitie of sinnes Many manifest and shamelesse sinnes might receiue fauourable indulgence from God if they were duly punished but the sufferance of these grosse sinnes and in the greatest persons vntaxed vnpunished drawes on Gods heauie iudgements For if wee deferre the punishing of those sinnes that offend God we prouoke his indignation God being much delighted in the punishment of wickednesse which being vnpunished doth so much deface and obscure his glory How seldome great sinnes and in great persons are punished I need not light you a candle to see Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas and what shall we see if animaduersion be vsed against some offenders but a most vniust course transgressors of humane Lawes to be grieuously punished but violators of the diuine to be greatly honoured Crimen laesae Maiestatis humanae viz. traytors against the Kings Maiestie to be punished with the sword but Crimen laesae Maiestatis diuinae viz. Treason against God to be vncensured so much as with a word 5 The fift is the affection studie and promptnesse of sinning when all diligence and care is taken to commit horrible sinnes as if it much imported our good Sinnes committed without shame and punishment God passeth by often but if with all our hearts and affections our labour and diligence we striue to commit them if we set vp our rest to auoid no sinne that is for our profit or pleasure that increaseth the sharpnesse and hastens the shortnesse of our punishment What paines and diligence is generally vsed of al to become more proud more wanton more rich to be more the seruants of the flesh and the diuell then of God the Theater of our world will spare me paines to speake But I will say it and from the heart weepe it too as that godly man
religion whence Idolatrie and persecution of the Church ariseth Ex mutata religione aurei seculi mutata quoque aurei seculi foelicitas Lact. 5.5 From the change of the religion of the goldeÌ„ world is deriued the changed felicity of the golden world The Heathens acknowledge this therefore Aristotle Pol. 7. amongst the things that are required to the felicitie and integritie of Re-publiques giues the first place to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the care of religion and piety seeing that religioÌ„ feare reuerence worship of God is the only foundation of the whol Kingdom for it is true of euery publique societie Mercur. Trism that Mercurius Trismegistus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godlinesse and religion is the foundation of all publique things Vpon this depends the subiects faith and loyalty to their Prince obedience to Magistrates pietie to Parents charitie to euery one and iustice to all Polyb. 8. Not Polybius himselfe though an Atheist could denie this lib. 8. de mil. disc Rom. nor without cause did the feare of God euer seeme a most effectuall cause of restraining the vulgar within bounds for all men are moued with religion Cicero 5. in Verrem as Cicero 5. in Verrem Numa Pomp. feigned nightly conference with the Goddesse Aegeria Liu. 1.1 Liuie 1.1 Hence also Minos King of Crete was wont euery yeare to go down into a deepe denne and to tarrie there as if he receiued his Lawes from Iupiter Valer. 2.3 On the other side August de Ciuit. 3.3 the Poets Valer. Max 2.3 Prophets and all acknowledge that the Gods forsooke to be friend to their beloued Citie of Troy for the adulterie of Paris Hor. 36. Horat. 26. Dij multa neglecti dedere Hesperiae mala luctuosae the neglect of God brings many sorrowfull euils to Mankind Secondly desire of raigning Camer 2 44. That too much desire of raigning close hatred priuate commoditie and young Counsailes were the bane of Rome Troy Mogunce and Leiden which from free Common-wealthes became Tributaries Princes that gape for others goods often loose their owne Thirdly It is a pest of the Re-publique Arist Pol. 5.2 when vnworthy men are aduanced to honours Arist Pol. 5.2 this is the folly proceeding from Princes Fourthly Pleasures and Lustes are no meane causes of consumption of states and Kingdomes for the Citie that is much giuen to pleasure looseth her greatest Empire but that giuen to labour Valer. l. 4. retaines it Hence Pythagoras was wont to say That first Luxurie entred the Citie then saturitie after contumely Stob. Ser. 4. and lastly destruction The speciall causes of Kingdomes ruines are either the speciall sinnes of Ecclesiasticall persons of Politike Statesmen or of the Vulgars or Commons The first of these may bee ranged vnder the name of Ambition in Ecclesiasticall persons brigging for Politique gouernment This containes all those deadly bickerings raysed from such disputes and questions as may with like pietie bee ignoranced as knowne sometimes being for such thinges and so friuolous as doe so much good in Religion Alciatus as Canis in balneo a Dogge in a Bath Hence proceedeth this miserie so much complained on That no warre is sooner kindled then the Theologicall warre Bucholzer nor any slowlier quenched Hence also do we see a great cause why Epicurisme and Atheisme doe make such an invndation into our Kingdome For as the Ecclesiasticall Annals testifie Seculum contentiosum continuò insecutum est Epicuraeum A contentious Age begets an Atheisticall and godlesse Age. Therefore that the Diuine worship might with more successe bee propagated the people of the East Bodiâ—â— l. 4. de Râ—oâ—â— 7. and of Africa and also the Kings of Spaine did holily prohibit to dispute concerning Religion And in the Common-wealth of Israel albeit there were seuentie one Colledges of Priestes as the Thalmudistes affirme Opt. Mâ—â—â—at l. 3. Bud. yet it was lawfull for noue of them to dispute Which albeit I allow not in that strictnesse yet this insanabile disputandi scribendi cacoethes as Iuenal Satyr 7. calls it this incurable ill custome of disputing and writing of euery common subiect and triuial businesse and sometimes of the greatest mysteries which our reach fals short of in my conceit doth more hurt then good Adde to this a second cause a worme gnawing a-sunder the cords and bonds of Kingdomes namely the licentious vnbounded shamelesse and gracelesse practise of Symonie and vngodly packings and choppings of spirituall Offices places and preferments whereby the Clergie makes themselues verie slaues pack-horses and prophane Drudges and bring all Religion and honestie not onely into disputation but flatly into plaine Irreligion and Atheisme If the fire of the sacrifice which as Augustine had continued seuentie yeares vnder the water of the Babylonian Captiuitie was extinguished when Antiochus solde the Priesthood to Iason thereby shewing vs that the fierie power of the Holy Spirit left to worke in their Sacraments and Seruice God abhorring all their Sacrifices for Simonies sake what can wee expect but that all our Prayers and Sermons and Sacraments shal be turned into sinne seing so many Antiochisses and Iasons amongst vs that will buy and sell sacred things in despite of God For it is true that Ambrose saith Who thus acquire Ecclesiasticall Liuings his bodie may well receiue the dignitie but his soule hath lost all honestie Secondly in the second rancke wee will range the vices of the Magistrates for if Republikes bee rightly gouerned they are either more lasting or in some sort immortall De Repub. Lacedaem as Xenophon saith And then are Kingdomes well gouerned and neuer else when hee that gouernes Greg. Mor. Isid l. 9. de sum bono doth rather command vices then subiects For Kings are called Reges a rectè regendo Kings of well gouerning Hence is it that from the Prince the torrent of good and euil as from a perpetual fountaine Tho. Morus lib. 1. Vtop doth flow But Flauins Vopiscus inquiring in his Aureliano Flau. Vopis what thinges made Princes wicked answereth himselfe thus That first too much licentiousnesse Secondly abundance of things Thirdly wicked friendes Fourthly detestable attendants Fiftly couetous Gouernours Sixtly Detestable and foolish Auliques and Courtiers and Seuenthly the ignorance of Republiques Besides Princes neuer want soothing slauish Claw-backes the perpetuall pests of Kings whose assentation doth more often ruine their riches and Estates then the Enemie Thirdly in the third ranke we may range the militarie order and the occurrences proceeding from the other subiects ingratitude and contempt of Princes who are verie tolerable which contempt God will punish Iun. 1. qu. 1. as Iunius Lib. 1. Quaest 1. Also the contumacie and froward disobedience of the same subiects if either by secret practise or open hostilitie they seeke the life of the Prince I am not ignorant that Claudius Ptolomaeus in the beginning of his Quadripartite convinceth strongly that all changes and fatall punishments
great care is to be vsed that we pronounce not rashly of their interpretation Naturall and humane causes shew themselues by more manifest arguments yet not demonstrable nor of necessitie but presumptiue Liuie that noble Historian doth premonish vs that no great Citie can long be in peace if it want an enemie abroad and will finde one at home As strong bodies are safe from forren and externall causes yet are loaden and ouercharged with their own strength as Hippocrates 1. aphor 3. saith And Seneca Epi 114. That the luxurie of banquets and garments are the tokens of a sicke Citie Where it is lawfull to doe iniurie and do what men list we may iudge that Citie readie to fall into a bottomlesse pit Sophocles in Aiace So in euery Kingdom there are certain pulses from whose faint and languishing motions wee may diuine fearefull fates to hang ouer them Hence Polybius As wormes consume woods cankers Iron and Mothes clothes so a natural malice adhers to euery State And as when we see a house whose wals are falling asunder and principall timber rotten the roofe being open and rafters decayed we iudge aptly that the same house will shortly ruine fall on heaps so when we behold a Kingdome and State wherein Religion and Pietie the walles of Kingdomes begin to start aside out of their proper Regions and Stations King and Prelate fayling in their duties the zeale of Gods glorie the principall timber that sustaines states turned to rottennes either of superstition or of dissimulation hypocrisie the roofe of the Kingdome which is the practise of religious holy works decaying lying open to the tempest of Epicurisme Atheisme and all-consuming Sensualitie and irreligion the State of the kingdome paralleling the corrupt state of a corrupt Court where Omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium where all things are lawfull but the true practise of pietie we may well determine that this Kingdome in such a waining and declining Hectique and consumption cannot fland many stormes Besides the wise haue obserued that there are certaine periodicall numbers appointed of the ruines of Kingdomes And of these the chiefe place hath the number of 500. yeares and 700. of which God himself hath established the former as an vniuersall period vnder the seuentie weekes in Daniel and the same hath he kept both with his owne people and also out of his Church albeit in this period as yet some yeares doe want This number I say hee kept with his owne people as from the going out of Aegypt to the building of the Temple 500. years the gouernment of the Dukes 500. yeares after them from Saul to the captiuity of Babylon 500. yeares from the Captiuitie till the pollicy of the Iewish Nation was restored 500. yeares The same order God kept without his Church 500. yeares Kings raigned at Athem 500. yeares the Commonwealth of Lacedaemon lasted from the Kings exacted and abolished for the offence of Tarquinius Superbus the Consuls gouerned 500. yeares The second place hath the number of 700 yeares Carthage stood 700 yeares till ruined by Scipio Aemilius Ciuill wars betwixt Caesar Pompey fell in the yeare from the building of the Citie of Rome 705. But somtimes the period doth not attaine the 500 or 700 yeares by reason of our sins which draw on the calamities sooner and sometimes prolongs it when we run to the hauen of Repentance and reforme our liues in the feare of God the only soul and lifebloud of Kingdoms perpetuities Besides experience telleth vs that the greater the Mathematicall instrument is the more truly we iudge of the greatnesse of the Sunne and Starres of their distance and height from vs of the combustions retrogradations eclypses and ill affects of the Planets and Celestiall bodies So the greater that the iudgements of God are which he sendeth vpon our kingdom or any other the more truly may we disterne the greatnesse of his anger against vs the distance of his mercy from vs the combustions and retrogradations that our sinnes make amongst vs and the Eclipses of the graces which haue shined when the Sunne of righteousnesse ranne his course in our firmamēt From whence it stands concluded That the measure of Gods anger and fierce iudgements for sinnes vpon any people is an infallible token of the change and period of that Kingdom if a serious change of life with great and small doe not oppose it selfe against Gods vengeance The ship at Sea meeting with another ship which either hath giuen her cause of offence or passeth by her without vailing to her vseth to send out a warning-peece to make her vaile but if she budge not at that she dischargeth two or three great Ordnance against her and happily killes the Captaine or Master or some of the Commaunders of the ship or wounds and hurts with a murthering peece diuers of the companie if for all this she will not stoupe and come vnder her Lee she turnes a broad side vnto her one after another and sinkes her and all that is in her so may we perceiue that God will deale with that Nation which he by many benefits hailes to vaile to his obedience He sends out a warning peece of plague famine c. but if they vaile not he seconds out a murthering peece killing their Kings and Princes and taking away the hopes of all their happinesse if that worke not he leaues not till hee sinke and wracke the ship of that Commmonwealth and all that is in it Who knowes not that old out-worne rithme of our English Merlin When Faith failes in Priests Sawes And Lords Hests are holden for Lawes When Robbery is holden purchase And Lecherie for solace Then shall the Land of Albion Be brought to great confusion I wish this Prophecie may not be fulfilled in our daies nor that our sinnes may not iumpe with this Prophecie but that God would open our eyes to see the day-breake before the Sun-shine and darke night before it be cocke-crow Why men are so blinde and senselesse that hauing such grieuous regnant sinnes amongst them for which all Ages were scourged yet they do not foresee their owne ruine and Gods wrath THere are many causes of Mans excecation and blindnesse as also of his procrastination and putting off his amendement to an after-deale But we will range them all within the circuit of fiue 1 Where first we must obserue That as all sinne hath his rise supernaturally from blindnesse so all our blindnesse and insensibilitie sensibilitie of sinne and the danger therof ariseth from our sin◠For it is true of all our sins Greg. 11. Moral which Gregorie writes of Luxurie Coecitas Mentis est filia luxuriae The blindnesse of the mind is the daughter of Luxurie So that our sinnes are the first cause why we see not our d̄ager Gods wrath Secondly besides those seauen deadly sinnes as they call them and others arising from them there is another cause of our blindnesse and that is
Securitie Epicurisme Contempt of Gods iudgements and the like Nor let vs by the example of the greater number suffer our selues to bee seduced and carried away with the streame of wicked workes to pollute our selues with such like wickednesse and scandals Luc. 21.34 Take heed saith our Sauiour least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares 4 Let vs with an ardent zeale embrace and exercise the contratie Vertues Temperance Frugalitie the Feare of God Vigilancie Sobrietie and constantly set forewards in the course of true pietie according to that precept Watch alwayes and that also Luc. 21.11 2 Pet. 3.12 What manner persons ought wee to bee in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the Daie of the Lord 5 Let vs daily cal vpon God to kindle in our hearts this care of vertues and desire of eternall life in the course of pietie to gouerne and confirme vs with his Holy Spirit to mitigate the calamities of his Church which goe before the end of the World according to that Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation Pray that you may be found worthie to escape the things that are to come Luc. 21.36 and stand before the Sonne of man 6 To conclude Let vs so liue that euerie moment we may expect the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgment and may with a true faith and good conscience appeare ioyfully before him as wee are commanded to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present World looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the mightiâ— God and also according to that of the Apostie giue diligence Tit. 21.12.13 2 Pet. 3.14 that you may be found without spot and blamelesse before him in peace Two Rules neuer to bee forgotten 1 THou must neuer forget that the Son of God died for thee Secondly That thou thy selfe though thou liuest long art shortly to die If thou shouldest liue in the vtmost parts of Ethiopia where men for long life are called Macrobians yet die thou must nor canst thou know where when or how Hence it was that Hormisda answered the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the beautie of Rome stately buildings goodly statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the World were any such Citie Surely said Hormisda there is indeede none comparable to it yet hath it one thing common to all other Cities Men die heere as they die in other places The death then of the Sonne of God who died to acquite thee from eternall death and thy owne death being so certaine not to be farre off must bee as two spurres of loue to driue thy horse through the short race of this momentanie life vnto the goale of eternall happinesse Remember then First That the time wee haue to liue is lesse then a Geometricall point Secondly How wicked the enemie is who promiseth vs the Kingdome of this World that hee might take from vs the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdy How false pleasures are which embrace vs to the end to strangle vs. Fourthly How deceitfull Honors are which lift vs vp to cast vs downe Fiftly How deadly riches are which the more they feed vs the more they strangle vs. Sixtly How short how vncertaine how wauering how false how fantastique all that same thing is which all these thinges if wee had them all at out owne desires can performe vnto vs. Seuenthly How great precious and vnvaluable things are promised and prouided fro those who despising the present thinges seeke for that Countrie in the Heauens whose King is Deitie whose Law is Charitie whose manner is Eternitie With these and such like cogitations we must occupie our mindes which will stirre vs vp from slumbering and sleeping in our sinnes kindle our zeale cooling in Religion confirme our weaknesse staggering in opinions and giue vs wings of most godly loue lifting vs vp to the glorie of Heauen The twelue weapons for the Spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of Sinning tempts man 1 OF Sinne the pleasures short and small 2 The Companions Loathsomenesse and Anxietie 3 The losse of a greater good euen God himselfe 4 That life is but a sleep and shadow a winde a vapour a bubble and as a tale that is told 5 That death is at hand and sudden and comes like a Theese in the night 6 The doubt and danger of impenitencie 7 Eternall reward and happinesse and eternall torments 8 The Dignitie Honour and nature of man 9 The peace of conscience which is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding namely a full assurance that God is through Christ at peace with him remitting all his sinnes 10 The benefits and graces of God bestowed on him both inwardly and outwardly 11 The Crosse Agonie Passion and bloudie sweat of Christ for his sinnes 12 The testimonie of Martyrs and examples of Holy men who ouercame Sâ—than â—nd all his suggestions to sinne by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimonie for they loued not their liues vnto the death The twelue conditions of a true louer whereby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 1 THE first degree of loue is to loue one onely and to despise all other things for him 2 To thinke him vnhappie that is not with his beloued 3 To suffer all thinges yea death to bee with him 4 To adorne and decke himselfe with such things as may please him 5 To be with him in all sorts that we may if not in bodie yet at the least in minde 6 To loue all thinges that please him his counsailes his precepts his doctrine 7 To seeke his honour and praise and not to suffer any to doe him reproch and dishonour 8 To beleeue the best things of him euermore and in all thinges desiring all men so to beleeue 9 To be willing to suffer any discommoditie for his sake taking it in verie good part 10 To shed teares for him often either for griefe if he be absent or for ioy if he be present 11 To languish often and often to be inflamed with his loue 12 To obey him in all thinges neuer thinking of any reward or recompence Now this wee are induced to doe for three causes specially First when the seruice is such as of it selfe is to be desired Secondly when he whom we obey is of himselfe so verie good and amiable that we euen loue and reuerence him for his vertues Thirdly when before we beganne to serue him hee bestowed on vs great benefits And these three causes we finde abundantly in God for which wee should loue and obey him For First there is no trauaile not paines taken for his seruice that is not good both for bodie and soule for to loue and obey him is but to direct our selues to him that is the chiefest good Secondly He is