of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
so shall it deifie you in Heauen for as Augustine saith truely Qui nòn tumet vento superbiae nòn cremabitur igne gehennae He that swels not with the puffe of pride shall neuer bee burnt with the fire of Hell To conclude Let the iudgments of God vpon his own people for these verie sinnes and abused strange customes so largely set forth by that worthie Court-preacher Isay bee Englands Map Esay 3. wherein to beeholde her owne desolation if shee repent not for them Of Contemplation what it is wherein it consists and how worthie a Worke it is for a Prince and also for euerie good Christian. Bernard sath that Contemplation is a lifting vp of the minde resting vpon God and tasting the ioyes of eternall sweetnesse And indeed it is nothing else but as it were a certaine spirituall vision and sight of that Truth which we know and approue ioyned with the prayses of God with most high admiration pleasure of the spirit and ioye of heart For as by the eye of the bodie we see corporall thinges so by the minde which is the eye of the soule wee contemplate heauenly thinges Therefore Contemplation is nothing but the vision and sight of the minde This if it be sober makes vs haue our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Phil. 3.30 our conuersation in Heauen and so to finde an Heauen vpon Earth and to be sure of Heauen whilest wee liue on the Earth Some conceiue that this word Temple is deriued hence because it is a place destinated to contemplation For as wee ought in the Temple of God to recollect all our affections cogitately to meditate and thinke vpon God and his holy mysteries and ordinances so indeede this Contemplation of which wee speake is nothing else but a true and perfect collection of all our affections and powers of the soule to know something with admiration and delight of minde concerning the nature of God namely touching his power his wisedome his goodnesse his loue his nobilitie and bountie c. or touching the hidden iudgments of God or his most holy will or some other excellent obiect by which we bend and direct our selues to God Before wee come to handle the members and parts of Contemplation we wil shew First the difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation Secondly the inducements to Contemplation Thirdly the arguments and tokens of true Contemplation Fourthly the impediments of contemplation First The difference is in that wee shall finde in Cogitation there is an evagation and wandring of the minde in Meditation an investigation of the minde but in Contemplation and Admiration of the mind Cogitation is without labour and without fruit Meditation is with labour and with profit Contemplation is without labour and with profit Greg. lib. 2. in Ezech. Hom. 17 Secondly Those three degrees of which Gregorie speaketh ought to induce vs to the Contemplation of God First That the soule collect it selfe to it selfe Secondly That being collected it may see what an one it is Thirdly That it rise aboue it selfe and doe subiect it selfe intending to the contemplation of the invisible Authour of it selfe But it cannot collect it selfe to it selfe by no meanes except first it learne to driue from the eye of the minde all fancies of Earthly or Heauenly formes and to despise and tread vnder foot whatsoeuer occurres the Cogitation concerning the corporeall eye eare smell tast or touch in as much as he seeks himselfe to be such within as he is without these For when he thinkes of these thinges he doth within himselfe as it were handle certaine shadowes of bodies Therefore all these by the hand of Discretion are to bee driuen from the eye of the minde as much as may bee in as much as the soule considers it selfe to be such as it was created vnder God aboue the bodie Besides the ineffable sweetnesse which is in contemplation perceiued the admirable perfection which is there learned and the beginning of nil happinesse which is there found ought to induce vs therevnto For there the most high GOD the fountaine of all happinesse is knowne and that which is knowne is beloned and that which is beloued is desired and laboured for and that which is carefully laboured for is acquired and when it is at length acquired Ber in Ser. 35. in Can. it is with interminable and endlesse delight possessed such delight as that Bernard saith That the soule which hath once learned and receiued of God to enter into it selfe and in his very inwards to long for the presence of God euer to seek his face for God is a spirit and those that seeke him the must walke in the spirit and not hue after the flesh such a soule I say I know not whether it account it more horrible and painefull to suffer Hell it selfe for a time then after the sweetnesse of this spirituall studie once tasted to goe out againe to the pleasures or rather the grieuances of flesh and to seeke againe the insatiable curiositie of the senses Ecclesiastes saying Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seing nor the Eare with hearing Behold a man well experienced Thou art good Oh Lord to them that hope in thee to the soule that seeks thee If any man labour to turne his soule from this good I suppose hee will iudge it no other then if hee saw himselfe thrust out of Paradise and from entrance into glorie This is the same Dauid that answered the Lord bidding him seeke his face Thy face Lord will I seeke Therefore nothing is so much to bee feared of him that hath once receiued this benefit as that being relinquished of that grace he be againe inforced to goe out to the consolations of the flesh nay rather the desolations and againe to suffer the tumults of the carnall senses In this Contemplation was Augustine when he said That whatsoeuer he did in the World displeased him Thirdly The tokens of true Contemplation is to loath any longer to liue in the miserie of this World Thobias 3. with Thobias It is better for me to die then liue with Iob My soule loatheth my life Iob. 10.1 Rom. with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death also to thirst after the fountaine of life with the Prophet Psal 41. As the Hart desiros the water-brookes so my soule longeth after thee ô God with all the minde to retaine the loue of God and man to cleaue to the onely desire of his Maker all cares trodden vnderfoot burning in desire to see the face of his Creatour Fourthly The impediments of Contemplation As in the eye of the bodie three thinges doe hinder the sight of if so there are three which doe hinder the sight of the eye of the mind The bodily eye may be sound yet if it want the outward light it sees nothing It may also haue the light present and yet some bloud or humour
thy memorie blurred and thou so astonished and senselesse that thou shalt not know in what place and what case thou liest and with much difficultie shalt thou be stirred vp to any sense or sorrow for thy sinne This consideration will not a little astonish thee that thou shalt haue at that time more then euer in all thy life more doubts and scares suggested thee of the certaintie of thy saluation â—â—st in respect of the multitude of thy sinnes secondly in that thou shalt then haue the memory of thy sinnes represented to thee which obliuion and custome of sinning had stolne from thee thirdly in that the sins which then thou thoughtest to bee little and light doe now appeare great and grieuous fourthly in that thy repentance dying is not so secure as when thou art in health Hence it will fall out that thou shalt bee so amazed that thou wilt not know which way to turne thee To returne backe the grieuousnes of thy sicknesse will not suffer thee To goe forwards is of all fearefull thinges the most fearefull To stand still in that estate God will not suffer who hath numbred all thy dayes from eternitie and will haue this to bee the last houre of thy life If thou beholdest God hee will appeare to thee angrie with the sword of his most iust vengeance drawne against thee for thy impenitent life If thou cast downe thy eyes thou shalt see nothing but a stinking graue for thy bodie which thou so much louedst and pamperedst and the gates of Hel standing open to entertaine thy soule which in thy life thou so little regardedst If thou enter into thy selfe what shalt thou finde but a confused infinite masse of thy sinnes the conscience whereof doth worthily adiudge thee to eternall torments If thou lookest about thee what shalt thou see miserable wretch but an infinite troupe of Diuels striking horrour into thy conceit and reading the bookes and billes of all the sinnes of thy life and like Lions whome long famine hath enraged expecting for thee their prey How suddenly then will Honours Riches and Pleasures of thy whole life seeme to haue fled from thee How euidently but late if not too late shalt thou then know that all the things of this life vnder the Sunne are nothing else but Fopperies Dreames Fraudes shadowes which like a vaine apparition haue nothing in them certaine solid sure How wouldest thou desire a little euen the least staie and breathing to collect thy selfe and correct thy wayes But al too late The fourth point is to consider that what in this world is most deare to thee must then bee left behinde thee heere Then thinke with thy selfe what sorrow those things will bring vnto thee which thou most esteemedst and valuedst aboue al others thy Parents and Friends wil but accompanie thee to the graue thy rich garments shal be left behinde thy goods thy heires will seize on and reioyce at the purchase thy bodie will be ill entreated with Wormes Toades and Serpents onely thy works wil accompanie thee into the entrance of another life most happie or most miserable such as thy workes haue beene good or euill On the other side consider how diuerse from these and how secure the death of the righteous is These when they feele themselues to draw neere their end with a few defects but with much repentance and a heart abstracted from earthly thinges hauing euer had their conuersation in Heauen reioyce that all their liues long they haue laboured for so plentifull an haruest they enioy the testimonie of a good conscience reioyce to behold the troupes of Angels that come out to meet them and are so much the more rauished with ioy as they draw neerer vnto death by which they are deliuered from the prison of the flesh the difficulties of life the flouds of miseries the infinite snares and deceits of the enemies and draw neare to the reward of their labours the Crowne of glorie and fruition of eternall rest and felicitie with the Saints of God which they haue desired and laboured for and hoped to attaine The last point is to ponder with thy selfe what then thou wouldest that thou haddest done when being neare to death thou hast no more time to liue and the same thing which thou wouldest wish thou haddest done when thou art at the point of death the same thing without delaie doe whilest thou meditatest hereof that thou maist be euerie houre ready to imbrace the message of death as Seneca perswades Mors vbique nos expectat tu si sapiens eris vbique illam expectabis Death euerie where expects vs therefore if thou be wise doe thou euery where expect death So shal it neuer take thee at any aduantage To this end remember Augustines admonition Be affraid to liue in such an estate as thou art afraid to die in Conclude this Meditation with a friendly conference with God in which demaund of him that by his grace these things may penetrate into the bottom of thy heart and there be so fixed that they neuer may bee quenched and that from this time forwards thou maist make such vse of the preaching and hearing of his holy word of the coÌ„sortable Sacraments of his Church and all other the good meanes of thy saluation that thou maist begin now to walke with a better conscience before him and in the peace of a quiet conscience thou maist arriue at the Hauen of glorie MEDITATION II. The second Meditation is of the last Iudgement HEre must a preparatorie Prayer be made as before in the Meditation of death And first conceiue thou seest a most ample goodly spacious place where all the Nations of the Earth shall be gathered together to receiue their doome of eternall blisse or eternall torments Secondly aske of God from thy heart that so great and vnvsual a spectacle may bring some profit to thy sinfull soule The first point to bee meditated is to consider the diuerse and most horrible and fearefull signes going before the last iudgment First in the Angels for the powers of Heauen shall bee moued and they shall come with a great sound of a Trumpet and shall gather the elect from the foure windes and from the one end of Heauen to another summoning the whole Worlde with that fearefull Trumpet Arise yee dead and come to Iudgment Secondly in the Deuils whose bands shal then be loosed so that he shal rage more then euer before Thirdly in the Waters which happily may rise aboue the tops of the Mountaines whose noise and horrible roaring of the Sea shall confound the hearers Fourthly in the Earth whose most inward parts shal then by horrible motions bee shaken with cracking of stones traiection of mountaines and complanation of vallies insomuch as all Creatures shal be strucke into sorrow Fiftly in the Heauen the Sunne and Moone shall fall from Heauen and threaten eternall ruine to the Earth Sixtly in men Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man
in Heauen and then shall all the kindreds of the Earth mourne and the wicked shal be with horrour so confounded that they shall runne by the way like mad men and crie vnto the mountaints Cadite Cadite fall fall and hide vs from the Lambe and the fury of his wrath Seuenthly in the fire whose power shal be so great that it shall suppe vp as it were with one deluge all the other Elements and all men and Creatures shall it suddenly turne to dust and ashes so that there may be a new Heauen and a new Earth The second point to be meditated is That The Sonne of God shall appeare with power and great Maiestie accompanied with an Armie of Angels his aspect to the wicked terrible to the godly most comfortable For their redemption draweth neare Then shall hee take the good to his right hand and place the wicked at his left where such griese shall inuade them as neuer in all their liues before seeing themselues in that miserable estate which they neuer dreamt on euen there where with a most iust ballance all the thinges that euer they haue done spoken or thought all the good they haue omited shal bee weighed and no man not so much as in one word can patronize them It will much increase their torment when they shall see the signe of the Sonne of Man the nailes as most sharpe arrowes shall wound their hearts when they shall vnderstand that they haue all their life long trampled vnderfoot by the turpitude of their liues that pretious bloud shed for the redemption of the World and made a mocke of it And the more to shame them the Iudge shal open his wounds from which his most precious fountaines the water and bloud issued most plentifully to wash them from their sinnes if they would haue taken hold of it in time Now conceiue what miserie the wicked shall thinke themselues in to be placed at the left hand a most infallible signe of damnation and what ioy and securitie to the godly at his right hand a sure token of eternall saluation Now meditate that the consciences of the whole World shall be laid open the books shal be read and there was neuer any thing so secret which shall not be reuealed And if small erreurs committed now in the sight of great persons do make vs blush what shall then they grieuous sinnes which are so sul of turpitude that not onely in the sight of others thou blushest but euen thâ— selfe alone doest blush to thinke on them seing there all the men of the World shall see them There will be made no reckning of Nobilitie or wit no account of riches grace fauour and splendour thou once haddest no care had of any naturall or supernaturall giftes of bodie or minde In a point of time shall bee set before thee all thy most secret thoughts and wordes of Lust Pride Hatred Enuie and all the rest yea euen all the good thou hast omitted to doe shal be put on thy score to increase thy damnation O miserable and thrice miserable wretch thou art in thy owne conscience damned thou art destitute of all patrocinie and defence not onely of men but of Angels who were once inployed whilest thou liuedst for thy good but are now by so much the more become thy aduersaries by how much once they loued thee more Nay to conclude forsaken of Christ who onely therefore sits in Maiestie to iudge and condemne thee for if the iust bee scarcely saued 1. Pet. 4. where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare The fourth point considerable is what kind of Iudge he is First most wise and cannot be deceiued Secondly most iust and will not bee inclined Thirdly most powerfull and will not bee resisted Fourthly full of anger and indignation and will not bee appeased so that the Kings of the Earth shall tremble and crie to the rockes Fall vpon vs fall vpon vs and couer vs. Fiftly fierce and inexorable and cannot bee mollified Apoc. 6. 1. Sam. 15. For the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent Thinke that Christ hauing duly examined euery cause hee will then pronounce that fearefull sentence as a thunder against the vngodly Depart from mee yee cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Deuil and his Angels O most vnhappie sinners then will they crie but none will heare weep but none will haue mercie on them then shall they seeke God but shall not finde him because they hated knowledge Pro. 1. and did not seeke the feare of the Lord the shall they damne all wicked wayes and curse the societie of sinners and madding shall grow franticke with the furie of their sinnes which for most vile pleasures they committed On the other side the iust shall be surprised with vnspeakeable ioy when that blessed sentence shall be read Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the Kingdome ordained to you from the beginning of the world Then shal their mouths runne ouer with praises and their hearts beefilled with vnutturable ioy Then shal the ignominie of the Crosse be counted an exceeding glorie austeritie of life wonderfull sweetnsse and the despising of all the pleasures of the World and the flesh most vnspeakeable pleasure Thinke that thy particular iudgement when thou commest to death shall bee like to this generall therefore now whilest thou hast time labour to doe those things whereby thou maist assure thy soule that thou shalt receiue that blessed reward and escape that fearefull punishment Now direct thy speech to God who shall bee thy Iudge and pray that in this life he will lay his iudgments vpon thee as Saint Augustine Domine hic vre hic seca me ne in eternum peream Lord burn mee here cut mee here that I perish not for euer And also pray that these Meditations may take such roote in thy heart that thou maist iudge thy selfe that thou maist bee chastened of the Lord least thou bee Condemned with the World I. Cor. 11. MEDITATION III. Of Hell THis Meditation must take his rise from a preparatiue Prayer as in the former in which wee must first propose to our selues a most vast and bottomlesse gulfe hideous to behold in darknesse most dungeon-like in paines and torments most horrible in smel most odious as it were a Sea breathing out flames and smoke whereof we may represent to our imagination a modell by calling to minde that horrible mountaine of Aetna in Sicilia and Vesuvius in Naples both which belch out the inward bowels of the Earth with stones flames fumes and ashes and that in such surie as if it imitated the Giants warre and meant to ouerthrow the God of Heauen and all his Saints to draw the Sunne downe to the Earth and turne the night into day The burning ashes of this hellish Vesuvius as Dion Cassius notes in the time of Titus his Empire were not onely carried to Rome but to Affrica and Aegypt when in the boyling Seas fishes were boyled to death
wicked the sense of the horrible anger of God against their sinnes the most sorrowfull feare confusion flight roaring indignation biting and gnawing of conscience arising from the recordation of their sinnes now laid open to the whole world and with the most direfull thunder of Gods anger inflicted vpon them The wicked perceiuing themselues for euer with the Diuels cast off from God and his horrible wrath powred out vpon them all their turpitude and malice to all the Angels and men demonstrated and all occasions of flying these punishments and mending of their manners in this life intercepted acknowledging godly men enioying with God eternall ioy and glorie to be for euer blessed so all houle and lament for their carnall securitie and final impenitency and amongst these infinite torments of bodie and soule with horrible lamentations eiulations sobbes and sighes and in perpetuall mourning anguishâ— trembling shame ignominie gnashing of teeth and desperation ration shal euery moment in vaine wish that these sorrowes and torments might by death be cut off and they themselues to be redacted into nothing but all this I say in vaine Apoc. 9.6 For Cupient mori mors fugiet ab eis they shall desire to die but death will not be acquainted with them This is eternall damnation this is eternall fire O horrible eternitie whom the consideration of thee may not moue to forsake all euill and follow all that is good I will speake it in a word but I will speake it truly he hath no faith or if any sure he hath no heart or if any sure hee he hath no hope of saluation Close vp this Meditation with a sweet colloquie and speech with God desiring him so to inflame thy heart with a true zeale of seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse of life that all thy life long thou maist be out of the feare of this eternall death and in the death of thy bodie thou maist enioy the fruit and Crowne of righteousnesse eternall life MEDITATION IIII. Of Coelestiall glorie CAst downe thy self before God and begge of him that he will direct all thy thoughts words and workes to his glorie and thy saluation First cast thy conceit earnestly vpon that description of the holy Citie Apoc. 21. New Hierusalem where is represented to thee a place full of all glory pleasures and excellencies that heart can imagine and all those perdurable and for euer Secondly aske of God to giue thee grace intimously and from the heart to vnderstand the glory of this heauenly countrie and so to be affected and rauished with the desire thereof that euer and euery where thou maist be stirred vp to serue him in purenesse of life and also labour to bring as many to this glorie as thou canst The first point is to consider what kind of place it is that the blessed doe inhabite in site most high in space most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew and beautie most specious and glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole Citie of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphyres and the streets of no lesse price and beautie There is no night nor darknesse for the Sunne of righteousnesse which knowes not to be hid doth euer send his beames into it Now if the fabricke of this world which is but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of teares to men hath so much beautie and excellency that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment and such plentie of good things that no sense can desire more such varietie of beastes fishes fountaines townes cities prouinces disagreeing in institutes manners and lawes such choise of all stones of value gold siluer and exquisite silkes naturall and artificiall if I say this building of so small a frame of the Sunne Moone and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heauenly countrie doe not now the habitation of seruants but sonnes not of beasts but blessed soules where is the Hall of the great King of Kings the omnipotent God who can and will performe to his beloued children much more then they can conceiue what things will not he frame in his eternall Palace for his sonnes Psal 84.1.2 How amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. What ioy shall that bee when they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South Luc. 13.29 sit at table in the kingdom of God Thou shalt consider what kind of house Gods house is wholly pleasant wholly desirable remoued from all euill replenished with all good in which as Angustine there is a life prepared of God for his friends a secure life a quiet life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knowes not death a life without straitnesse without necessitie without sorrow without auxietie without corruption without perturbation without varietie without mutation a life full of beautie and honour Where as Bernard saith there is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights How louely a house is this where is perfect loue and no feare eternall day and all one Spirit where God is seene face to face Blessed are all those who so liue in this world that departing hence they may be assured to remoue to so blessed a home Then contemplate that blessed society of most pure minds in their seueral quires described Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins Whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Dan. 7. Thousand thousands serue him ten hundred thousands assist him Behold with these so many most holy soules of men and women Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres Virgins Innocents so many that Iohn said Apoc. 15. They could not be numbred Behold the beautie of euery one and so great charitie that they no lesse reioyce of anothers glorie then their owne Conceiue what is the exercise of the blessed to see God face to face First to know the diuine Essence in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost with which knowledge they are so illumined and inflamed that incessantly they sing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Isa 6. In the diuine Essence they know themselues and all things else and do not onely see God but also loue him with a vehement loue a full loue a perfect loue with all the heart and all the strength and in louing they enioy him and in enioying with an inexplicable ioy are rauished No cessation of praises admiration thanksgiuing and ioy which they receiue by the presence of God whom with all reuerence and rest they assist and by that societie of so many Saints with whom they see themselues in glorie in a place so sublime secure and pleasant doe eternally reioyce Consider withall the multitude and fulnesse of those ioyes so many that God can onely number them so great that onely he
can estimate them of such varietie and perfection that this world hath nothing comparable to them In summe they are most free most pure most beautifull most infinite But the cleare beholding of the face of God which is the essentiall reward of the blessed whereby they see him as he is and in him all other things doth farre exceede all the fulnesse and varietie of that inexplicable ioy For so much they shall loue him as they know him whence it is that they shall so much reioyce of his infinite greatnesse perfection beautie and goodnesse as if they in God and God in them were King of all things Consider the aspect of Christs humanitie now ioyned by glory to the diuine nature what is the pleasure the grace and splendour in soule and bodie His forme doth exceed without comparison the beautie of all the blessed Spirits and holy men 1. Pet. 1. insomuch that the Angels themselues desire to behold it And the more shall men receiue comfort and ioy hereby in that they vnderstand that by this bloud they were redeemed which they shall see to sparkle in his most holy flesh more flammously and burning-bright then any Iasper chefely in his heart feete hands and side and somuch the more in that their humane nature is by that humanitie of Christ aduanced to the right hand of God which nature in Christ as the head of all things and Gouernour of all creatures they adore Nor shall the ioy be a little which they shall take in the view of the blessed Virgine when they shal see in her so great sublimitie with so great submission such maiestie with such miserie The aspect also of one another shall much increase their ioy when they see themselues placed in a state so secure in glory so glorious and vnspeakeable euerie one reioycing as much of anothers glory as of his owne Meditate seuerally in what estate are the bodies and soules of the blessed The soule shall be so swallowed vp of the Ocean of the Diuinitie and so rauâ—shed with the loue of God and so shall liue as if it were transformed into God If Saint Paul were in that estate that hee could say Gal. 2. I liue no more but Christ liueth in me why should not rather euerie blessed soule say I liue not I now but God liueth in mee The powers of the soule shall be illustrated with a most full knowledge of God and fulnesse of ioy the Memorie shall be exercised in commending the benefits of God the Vnderstanding in the aspect of the diuine beautie the Wil in the loue of the infinite goodnesse The bodie shall be immortall not obnoxious to any hurt or danger sorrow or sicknes whose glorie is excelling the Sunne in brightnesse so that now it may truly say 1. Cor. 15.54.55 Death is swallowed vp into victorie O death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Now is that verified which the Prophet foresaw Eye hath not seene nor care heart nor hath it entred into mans heart Isa 4. which God hath prepared for them that loue him The ioy also which the Saints conceiue of their securitie is very fit for meditation seeing themselues to haue escaped the deceits of the World flesh and Deuil and safe from the iawes of Hell into which they see so many so miserably plunged How reioyce they of the labours they haue endured of the many grieuous thinges to the flesh they haue performed of the occasions of sinnes they haue declined of their industrie in vanquishing the assaults of their spirituall enemies of restrayning the appetites and desires of the flesh of ouercomming all difficulties in this life in the way of vertue and obedience to God With what prayses shall fasting prayer mortification of the flesh repentance and faith the father of all these as also all the holy counsailes and happie examples of others whereby they haue beene stirred vp to vertue and holpen in the way of saluation be extolled Thinke vpon the eternitie of this glorie For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternal weight of glorie 2. Cor. 4.17 Who will then for the short space of time which is granted vs to liue nay for many ages of Worldes refuse to suffer aduersities to repent in sackcloth and ashes to beate downe this rebellious bodie that wee may at length arriue at the hauen of this glorious eternitie The more to inflame vs hereunto let vs know for certaine That as Gregorie saith Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat It is but momentanie whatsoeuer it be in this life that can delight vs but it is for euer and euer that wiltormeÌ„t vs. Our delights liue die in a moment but our punishment is interminable and endlesse Agâ—â—ne and againe revolue with thy selfe what thou hast done what thou now doest and what thou thinkest to doe to obtaine this goale of glorie for which glories sake God made thee after his owne image redeemed thee with the bloud of his sonne and preserued thee vntill this houre Thinke I say with thy selfe what thou wilt doe for this heauenly glorie and know that thou must follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see God Here cast thy eyes vpo those things which the Saints of God haue done Heb. 1214. whome now thou seest triumph in glorie and descend into all the offices of a spirituall life and see what meanes they vsed to attaine so wished an end what they suffered either for the loue of God or desire of this glory And that done set downe and determine with thy selfe from the heart to follow their footsteps whose end thou desirest that thy end may bee like and knowe that this is spoken to direct thee in the way Bee yee followers of mee as I am of Christ and also that 1. Cor. 11.1 Bee yee followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as you haue vs for an example To conclude shut vp all with a sweet conference with God begging of him pardon for thy sins past by the merits of his Son Iesus Christ and that he would giue thee grace by the working of his spirit not any longer to spend thy time wickedly and neglitently but that from hence forth thou maist goe on to runne the wayes of his Commandements vnto the end of thy life Of true Wisdome what it is and wherein it consists TRue Wisdome is that which estimates euery thing to bee such as it is indeed vile things to bee vile and precious things to be precious First then only vertue that is piety towards God and Men to wit the worship of God and loue of men is the only precious thing all other things are only good precious as they stand in relatioÌ„ therunto otherwise they are meerly euill First Riches are not Gemmes Mettals Magnificent Buildings and Treasures but not to want those things which
our defect of credulitie and beliefe The eies of our soules as Bernard saith are intellectus affectus Our vnderstanding and affection But those two eyes are pulled out by Satan the God of the world who hauing blinded the minds of Infidels 2. Cor. 4.4 that the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto thÌ„e takes frÌ„o them all faith that they should haue in the promises iudgements of God The time will come saith the Apostle and the time is say I when they wil not suffer wholesome doctrine 2. Tim. 1.3.4 and shall turne their eares from the truth they will not beleeue the truth and if they wil not heare and beleeue too Moses and the Prophets Luc. 16.31 neyther will they bee perswaded albeit one rose from the dead again And indeed the sinne of Infidelitie is the root of all our cecitie blindnesse and miserie For if wee beleeued Moses and the Prophets Iesus Christ and his Apostles we could not but see a farre off as the Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.9.5 both Gods mercies to such as ioyne all vertues to faith also his iudgements against the wicked sinner that walkes on in the stubbornnesse of his owne heart How much this Infidelitie offendeth God wee may see in the example of Moses and Aaron Num. 20.12 Gods deare children who because they did not beleeue him to sanctifie him before the children of Israel in the desart he barred them from bringing the Israelites into the Land of Promise Euen as our Sauiour depriued his owne countrie of his great works Mat. 13.58 for their vnbeliefes sake How much the more then will he be offended with vs who stand not so highly in his fauour as these men did If one tell you of fables and narrations of many incredible things you beleeue them why will ye not then beleeue the truth 2. Tim. 4.4 3 The third cause of our blindnesse is the expectation of Gods long animity and patience Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill This the Apostle cals a Despising of the riches of Gods bountifulnesse patience and long suffering and a heaping vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God Therefore Wise Siracides disswades this Sir 5.6 Say not the mercie of God is great hee will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercie and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth vpon sinners Nor yet say I haue sinned Sir 5.4 and what euill hath come to me For God is a patient Rewarder and hee will not leaue thee vnpunished And as this presumption of Gods mercie blinds many so hope of long life doth the same As wee may beholde in the Rich man whose soule was taken from him Luc. 12.20 whilest he was building his barnes for his fruits Let vs remember what Bernard saith Maledictus qui peccat in spe Cursed is he that sinnes in hope 4 Fourthly Besides the outward appearance of goodnesse and the externall worship of God makes many so hood-winked that they cannot see the danger of their Estate Most doe thinke that God is pleased with the outward worke of his seruice praying reading hearing of Sermons wherein they carrie themselues as the Spirit speaketh of the Church at Sardi Apoc. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead they seeme to haue some Religion and deuotion but it is but hypocrisie for there are no fruits worthie amendement of life Of these you may say as the Prophet doth Beautie hath deceiued thee Dan. 13.56 so apparance of Religion hath deceiued and blinded them Of this Bernard speaketh thus Serpit super omne corpus putridalabes Hypocrisis moribus vtique damnabilis the rotten and stinking blemish of Hypocrisie hath dispersed it selfe ouer the whole bodie of mankinde in manners verily damnable Therefore let not any thinke that the outward workes of the Law alone are all that God requires of vs. For the end of the Commandement is Loue out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1.5 a good Conscience and Faith vnfeigned 5 The last but not the least cause of our blindnesse is abundance of temporall blessings For euen as in the Moones Eclypse which is the interposition of the Earth betwixt the bodie of the Sunne and the Moone the Earth being a darke bodie detaines the beames that they cannot proceed and so the Moone is Eclypsed and looseth her light so in Man the loue of temporall thinges in the wil Eclypseth and hindereth the beames of reason and vnderstanding that they cannot inlighten the soule Hence the Hebrewes affirme that Couetousnesse so possessed Cain that he beleeued not there was any life after this and for this cause slew his brother who beleeued a life to come a reward for the good and punishment for the wicked in which contention Cain slew him Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of an happie life and blessed death 1 WEE rightly worship God with true faith daily invocation and lawfull obedience in the Sacrifice and obedience of Christ imputed to vs by faith 2 Wee exhilarate our soules and honourably spend our liues by a learned pietie and exercise of vertues 3 We cure the anguishes of the mind and the doutbfull health of our bodies by the evacuation of cares moderate labour and sober temperance 4 Wee increase and conserue our stocke and substance with honest diligence obserued faithfulnesse and liberall parsimonie and sparing 5 We gaine the godly fauour of men with wise and well seasoned language blamelesse life and approoued manners 6 Wee get friendship with faithfull beneuolence and mutuall Offices of Loue. 7 Wee gaine our enemies with iust susterance pacifying words and worthy Offices 8 This kind of life is most acceptable to God To doe good to all men and yet to sustaine enâ—ie hatred and iniuries of Deuils and Men. How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 1 THat there bee an earnest care of learning and reading the be auenly Doctrine deliuered in the sacred Scriptures ioyned with a godly and lawfull vse of the Sacraments according to that in Saint Lukes Gospell Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets Let them heare them 2 Let vs liue in the feare of God and imploy our selues in the serious exercises of true repentance that in the acknowledgement of our sinnes we may by saith flie to the mercie of God promised in his Sonne Christ and addresse all our whole liues after the rule of his holy Word mindfull of that Commaundement Mat. 4.17 Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand 3 That we shunne with a singular care all sinnes and scandals which shal according to the prediction of Christ and his Apostles in the end of the world swarme most abundantly namely Luxurie Drunkennesse Auarice Carnall
also the comeliest and best of all others the wisest the richest the mightiest most amiable sweete louely and louing of all others hauing all those conditions and that in the highest degree which do accustomeably mooue vs to loue and obey freely Thirdly He hath dealt most honourably and beneficially with vs creating vs of nothing redeeming vs from Hell by the death of his Sonne when we were worse then nothing preseruing vs till this day from infinite perils of bodie and soule when we deserued nothing and giuing vs a measure of sanctification together with many vnspeakeable blessings of soule and bodie without which wee had beene redacted to nothing Hard hearts and vnsanctified affections haue those that will not loue and obey this infinite goodnesse according to the precedent Conditions of a tine louer The twelue abuses of the World CYprian in his time which was two hundred and fortie yeares after Christ names these for the twelue abusions of the World First A wife man without workes Secondly An olde man without Religion Thirdly A yong man without obedience Fourthly A rich man without almes Fiftly A woman without shame fastnesse Sixely A Lord without vertue Seuenthly A contentious Christian Eightly A poore man proud Ninthly An vniust King Tenthly A negligent Bishop Eleuenthly A Multitude without discipline Twelfthly A people without Lâ—w. And it seemes that thâ—se Abusions grew on with the age of the World for Augustine reports that in his time which was foure hundred yeares almost after Christ the same were the abuses of that World wherein hee liued Nor doe I thinke that since those times any man can shew me a World wherin this World of wicked a busions hath not farre and wide like a world stretched it selfe To which end we may call to minde that Hugo de claustro ai mae Anne Domini 1130. which a later writer affirmes concerning the abuses of one part of the world which should haue beene the best part of the world namely That in the cloyster and amongst men professing Religion there were these twelue abuses First A negligent Prelate Secondly A disobedient Discâ—ple Thirdly An idle young man Fourthly An obstinate old man Fiftly A courting Monke Sixtly A lawing Clerke Seuenthly A precious and costly habit Eightly Exquisite diet Ninthly Rumour in the Cloyster Tenthly Strife in the Chapter Eleuenthly Irreuerence in the Office of the Altar Twelfthly dissolutenesse euen in the Quire We may ad to this the complaint that Bernard made of the abuses of hâ—s timâ—s Magna abusin nimis magna est c. It is a great abuse and too too great Anno donâ— 1140. that Sparing should be counted Auarice Sobrietie Austerity Silence Folly On the other side that Remission shuld be couÌ„ted Discretion Sorrow for our sins sillinesse babling affabilitie laughter pleasantnes pride of clothes and horses honestie and superfluitie of bed-ornaments cleanellnesse But what speake I of the abuses of the ancient world Let vs come nearer home and suruey the abuses of our owne world Rom. 7.13 which as Saint Paul saith of sinne That it is out of measure sinfull so I may truly say of our world that it is out of measure worldly And I could wish that the world of our abuses might be restrained and bounded within this old impannelled Iurie of twelue But feare if euery of vs descend seriously into his owne conscience we shal not onely finde seuen diuels with Magdalene yet to be cast out of most of vs Luc. 8.2 Luc. 8.30 but a Legion of diuels a multitude of abuses for they are many First Can any man say there is not a great abuse of our bodies that in many respects seeing we vse them quite contrarie to the will God and altogether to other ends then for such as they were giuen vs Doe we not decke the bodie most richly costly diuersly in all kind of wanton and phantastique fashion And doe we not leaue the soule eyther altogether neglected or but slenderly adorned with true vertues Surely our bodies were giuen vs 1. Cor. 6.20 that therewith we might glorifie God and if we abuse them to the dishonour of God and hurt of our neighbours is it not a great abuse Sâ—rely Bernard saith That to cloth the bodie richly and leaue the soule naked is an abuse and that a great one Much more then is it an abuse to make our members the seruants or vncleanenesse and iniquitie Rom. 6.19 Our bodies were not giuen vs as swine to be fed Rom. 6.19 nor as garments to be consumed nor as treasure to to be preserued nor as ships to traffique for merchandize nor as howses to bee dwelt in nor as Tents to be remoued nor as Castles to be defended nor as Temples to be adorned but as Oxen to be laboured as Seruants to be commanded and as prisons to be auoided that so we might come to that happy estate that we might loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 but who doth so that we might praise him Doe we not feede our bodies as Hogges Do we not consume them in the waies of wickednesse Doc we not reserue them from any imploymeÌ„t that is not either for pleasure or profit as treasure is reserued Doe we not make them our ships to negotiate with all forren vices Doe we not make them our houses in which we would dwell perpetually Doe we not remoue our bodies froÌ„ one place of pleasure and sinne to another as a Tent is remoued Doe we not vse all the munition that Physicke or dainty fare can prouide to defend them as Castles And doe we not adorne them and embellish them as Temples Is this to possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour and not rather in lust and concupiscence 1. Thes 4.4.5 euen as the Gentiles which know not God 2 It we come to places we shall finde none free â—rm grosse abuses euery man of place labouring to make his place aduance him into higher place So that it is too true Vnde habeant cura est paucis sed oportet haberi Per scelus atque nefas pauper vbique iacet whence things are had â—ew men regard but had they must bee by hooke or crooke by wickednes and impietie the poore man doth euery where perish This is an errour that proceeds from the face of him that ruleth not to put euery man into a fit place when folly is set in great excellency Eccl. 10.5.6.7 and the rich and vertuous set in the low place when seruants are on horses and Princes walke like seruants on the ground 3 The abuse of times is no lesse then the others for as Bernard saith Tempore nihil pretiosius hodie nihil vilius inuenitur Nothing is more precious then time yet there is nothing found more vile He is counted a wise man that can vti foro take the best opportunities to raise his fortunes albeit with the ruine of
saluation This is the doctrine the Apostle teacheth Let the same mind be in you Phil. 2.5 which was euen in Iesus Christ Where we see that his sentire and minde hath directed vs to foure things wherein we must be of the same mind First as touching things beneath vs that we may auoid them namely the pleasures of the flesh which deceiue vs the aduersities of the world which afflict vs death and eternall damnation which shake and confound vs. In these things we must be as sharpe-sented as the Salmon that perceiuing the salt-water returnes to the sweet as the Bees that feeling the ill sauour of smoake or any other thing forsake the place as the Oxe that smelling the bloud of a beast lately slaine roares and runnes away For if our senses be set vpon pleasures or that we make not true vse of afflictions to be humbled by them nor yet labour to shunne the way that leads to hell we shall bee like swine who smell not the foulest stinke as Bears that feele not the hardest stripes and Asses that stoupe not at the heauiest burthens Secondly touching things within vs the wounds of our soules the sinnes of our liues that they may be done away for that was his minde in all his life suffering and death And nothing is more within vs then our sinnes for they are in the midst of our hearts and soules He that feeles not the pricking wounds they make there is like a man sicke of a Pnrensie or Lethargie who neuer feeles his infirmitâ—e and therefore dies sleeping or singing such as they who cared not to know God Rom. 1.28 so he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense Thirdly as touching things without vs that is the torments of the Crosse that they may bee seene these being without vs but in Christ we must feele by compassion and deuotion in the very heart So the Apostie felt them The world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 H that hath not this sense of compassion and sorrow of Christ and his members is annovnted with the oyle of Mandraques and Henbâ—ne which makes men sleep so fast so stupifies their members that they feele no lancings cuttings or wounds if neuer so mortall Fourthly As touching things aboue vs that is heauenly comforts that they may be obtained but no comforts so great as saluation in Iesus Christ which aboue all things is to be desired Those that are after the spirit Rom. 8.5 sauour the things of the spirit as the Vulture sents her prey euen from beyond the sea and the dog hauing once sented his game leaues not till he finde it so the Christian hauing once fixed his senses on the prey of eternall life neuer restes till he be assured of it in Christ by the sanctification of his life Sap. 6.15 To thinke vpon this is perfect vnderstanding so that there is no perfect knowledge nor true vse of out senses but when that eternall life is their principall obiect and ayme Wherein if wee faile we are like them that hauing eaten sweet meates loose the taste of the best wines so neither the sauour nor smell of eternall life is perceiued if our senses be filled and taken vp with the sweetenesse of worldly things For euen the corruptible bodie is heauie to the soule Sap. 9.15 and the earthly mansion keepeth downe the mind that is full of cares so that we cannot say as Isaac said of Iacobs garments Gen. 27.27 That the sauour of eternall life is like the the sauour of a field which God hath blessed 7 I might say it is no small abuse wherwith we blemish the affections and the will in desiring and pursuing with great affection those things by God prohibited and neglecting and discarding the true good things that lead vs to the land of the liuing The true vse of our affections and willes is to seek those things which are aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God Col. 3.1.2 to set our affections on things that are aboue and not on things which are on the earth that wee might be able truly to say Phil. 3.10 Our couuersation is in heauen from whence we also look for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ How much our age abuseth both will and affections who haue no conuersation in heauen but on earth who set their affections not on things about but on the basest things is more then demonstrable Therefore is all their life vnto them no better then a Hell euen an entrance into eternall perdition For as Bernard saith Tolle propriam voluntateÌ„ infernus non erit tibi Take away thy owne proper will that thou follow not it and thou shalt neuer haue hell so follow thy owne will and thou shalt neuer be out of hell 8 The abuse of the vnderstanding is also very great euery where at this day The true vse of the vnderstanding Rom. 12.3 is sapere ad sobrietatem to vnderstand according to sobrietie which is not to arrogate to our seluts the gifts we haue not nor to boast of the gifts we haue but to vse them reuerently to Gods glory and the good of others But now so carnall conceited are most part of men grown that they thinke they know all things and yet neuer knew the least part of themselues they boast themselues of those things they haue not and may be ashamed to boast of those things which they haue indeede that is plentie of ignorance For who is so bold as blind Baiard whereas the wisest Socrates will modestly say Hoc vnum scio quod nihil scio This one thing I know that I know nothing So that he that will be a man truly wise must become a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1. Cor. 3.18.19 9 Our memories arc much abused when they are not imployed vpon the necessary prouisions of the soule The true vse of the Memorie the wise King teacheth Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Eccl. 12.1 Horses Dogges and Camels are of great memorie for they remember well the waies they haue trauelled the men that do them good and the Innes where they lodged And why should a Christian not euer remember the waies of his whole life how fowly he hath sinned and the benefits of God so infinitely bestowed and the glory of Paradise from whence by sinne he is eiected He that will not abuse his Memorie must neuer forget three things touching God three touching himselfe and three touching others Touching God the power of the Creator the mercie of the Redeemer the iustice of the Rewarder Touching himselfe the vilitie of his condition the prauitie of his conuersation the grieuousnesse of death and damnation Touching others the excellency of those holy men that went before him the damnation of all the wicked that forget God the affection of all from whom he receiued
and magnanimous spirit If this bee the difference betwixt the two liues Spirituall and Carnall then God in mercie open the vnderstandings of all both high and low that they may see their errours and chuse with Marie the better part which shall not be taken from them 23. The fruitfull Admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus IN many thinges Demonicus wee finde the iudgements of good men to differ greatly from the nature of the wicked But the greatest of all is in mutuall conversation seeing these doe reuerence and esteeme onely their friendes present but those loue their friends farre absent Besides the familiaritie of the wicked is euen in a short time dissolued but the friendship of good men the whole course of an Age doth not abolish Therefore I being perswaded that it becomes those desirous of glorie and aspiring to knowledg not to imitate the euil but the good haue sent vnto thee this Oration for a gift which may be an argument of the mutuall friendship betwixt vs a token of the familiarity betwixt me Hipponicus for it becomes the children as of the substance so of the Fathers friendship to succeed as heires Besides I perceiue also the condition of things to fauour vs and also the present time for thou doest exceedingly desire knowledge and I bestowe all my care in teaching others againe thou art giuen to Philosophie and I bring them on by a right line that are going towardes it Therefore how many soeuer do write perswasiue Orations to their friends doe surely indeuour an excellent thing yet doe not take in hand the most noble part of Philosopie But those which prescribe vnto youth not by what means to polish that high kinde of pleading but that as much as belongs to Elegancie of māners they may bee well and liberally brought vp these by so much the more doe profit their hearers by how much as those onely provoke to the garnishing of wordes but these endue vs also with good manners Therefore we not preparing an exhortation but writing an institution advise thee what thinges a young man is to follow what to flie with whom to converse and after what manner the course of life is to be framed for how many soeuer haue holden this course of life those onely at length haue truely come to vertue then which there is no other possession either more honest or more durable For Beautie either Age weares or Sicknesse consumes Riches are rather the Ministers of vices then of honestie as the thinges which nourish slouth and stirre vp young men to the desire of pleasure Strength confirmed with prudence may profit without which it brings more discommoditie to him that hath it and as it adornes the bodies of them exercised so it casts a darknesse vpon the industrie of the minde On the other side the possession of vertue in whose mindes soeuer it shall incorruptly grow vp doth onely waxe olde being both more worthy then riches and more profitable then the splendour of Birth making such thinges easie as others cannot attaine stoutly sustaining thinges fearefull to the multitude accounting slouth for a reproch but labour for an high praise This thing it is easie to learne from the labours of Hercules and gestes of Theseus to whose workes that excellent vertue of manners added such an illustrious note of glorie that not all the passages of Worlds shall euer bee able to obliterate their famous Actes For indeed if thou callest to mind thy Fathers indeuours thou shalt haue a domesticke and singular example of those thinges which I speake of for so he framed his life that hee made no small account of Vertue nor waxed dull with slouth but both accustomed his bodie to labours and tamed and ouercame dangers with his minde The same did neither aboue measure loue riches but enioyed the present good thinges as a mortall man againe as not obnoxious to the chance of Death neglected not thinges gotten nor ledde his life sordidely but was both Honourable and Magnificall and also to his friendes exposed and inlarged Those also that followed the studie of Letters hee more admired and loued then those of kinne vnto him supposing that to the coniunction of minds Nature was more powerfull then Law manners then kinred the choice of life then necessitie And so to number all his actions scarce one whole life would suffice of which yet in a more conuenient time wee will resolue a more exact narration Now at the least wee haue delineated Hipponicus his nature howsoeuer that thou maist haue whereby to compose thy life as after an example whilest thou hast his manner instead of a Law and shalt labor to imitate and aemulate thy Fathers Vertues For it shal be a dishonest thing when Painters take euerie excellent beast to expresse to themselues that yong men in like manner should not imitate their most excellent Parents I would haue thee perswade thy selfe that it nothing becomes Champions better to prepare themselues against their aduersaries then thou shouldest take care that in the same institute of life with thy Father thou labour with like praise But yet he cannot be so affected in his minde who shall not bee furnished with various and those most excellent precepts For as by moderate labour the bodie increaseth so by Nature it is also ordained that the minde by speeches of good profit should grow vp Therefore I will endeuour to set before thy eyes compendiously by what way chiefly in my opinion thou must trauaile to attaine Vertue and approue thy selfe vnto other mortall men 1 Therefore obserue thou religiously the thinges that belong to God aswell in sacrificing as in keeping thy oath That is a token of the abundance of thy riches this an argument of thy honestie of manners 2 Doe thou euer worship the Diuine power yet most chiefly as often as the Citie doth worship for so shalt thou bee iudged both to please God by Sacrifice and also to defend the Lawes 3 Shew thy selfe such to thy Parents as thou wouldest haue triall of thy children towardes thee 4 Vse exercises not so much those that promote strength as those that make for thy health which thou shalt doe if thou cease fom labour whilest thou art yet sufficient for labor 5 Loue not vehement laughter nor giue care to thinges spoken proudly for this is the part of a foole and that of a mad man 6 Thinke that thinges filthie to bee done are not honest to be spoken 7 Accustome thy selfe to shew a composed and graue countenance not sowre and vnpleasant this will gaine thee an opinion of obstinate fiercenesse that of Prudence 8 Thinke chiefely that cleannesse shame fastnesse equitie and continencie becomes thee by all which the Nature of yong men seemes to bee contained in their dutie 9 Conceiue that neuer any flagitious thing committed by thee can bee kept secret for howsoeuer it may bee kept from others yet thou shalt carrie with thee in thy minde the conscience of that