that wisdome which is the knowledge of Diuine and human thinges which we may deuide into twoe partes Contemplatiue and Morall Contemplatiue which containeth the knowledge of God and his works and morrall which teacheth vs howe to liue well and how to shew our selues helpefull and officious to the world How to know God GOd doth reueale and as it were make himselfe visible vnto vs after two manner of waies first in the booke of his word by the mouthes of his holy prophets Apostles and Patriarches and secondly by the book of nature in the whole frame of heauen and earth which wee cannot behold but we must needs confesse that neither heauen hath his motion the sunne and moon their light the earth his fruitfulnesse nor the sea his waters but it comes to passe by the power wisedome and prouidence of one supreme creator and preseruer which is God And as the contemplation of his creatures is a forcible argument to beate into vs the knowledge of his deyty so the behoulding of no one creature helpeth more to that ende then the consideration of our owne nature How to know our selues SOcrates the Prince of Philosophers greatly condemned the students of his age in that they toyled so much about the knowledge of external things and neuer had anye care to caste an eye vnto that which was internall meanning that all their studye and labour tended to the marking of the revolution of the heauens and other naturall causes vppon earth but neuer were solicitous or troubled about their owne nature but as his opinion was so let ours be that wee cannot come to the knowledge of God which is the end of our cteation and being knowne to glorifie him than by the knowledge of our owne nature Therfore to know our selues and our owne nature is to consider that we are compounded of a bodie that is earthly a soule that is heauenly of a body that is palpable to be felt and scene and of a soule that is invisible and not subiect to externall sense of a body that is mortall and must die and of a soule that is immortal that shall neuer dye and that at first we were created vpright both in soule and body but since through sinne we are become deformed both in soule and bodye And although we might heere take occasion to speake of the excellencie of the composition of the partes of the body as a thinge full of admiration and many deepe secrets in nature yet because the more principall parte of man which is the soule is the only obiect of the matter we haue in hande wee will passe ouer the great knoweledge that might be hadde in viewing the corporall frame and onely tie our discourse to the spiritual essence which beeing the harder and more difficulte matter by how much it is more excellent than the other therfore once looked into though but sleightly we shal the sooner come to the knowledge of the whole What this knowledge of ourselues doth worke in vs. THe knowledge of our selues doeth worke in vs a two-folde effect a meanes to be humbled and a meanes to glory and reioice To be humbled in respect of the sense and feeling of our vanity and to glory in respect of the mercy of God by whose grace we recouer our selues from the daunger of vanity for our sicke soule being lost to perdition is reuiued and quickened againe by regeneration What the Soule is THe soule cannot be known as it is but by the craetor that made it by reason that in vs there is no nature more high or excellent to comprehend it all the knowledge that we can haue of it proceedes from those effects which it doeth manifest in vs and therefore we cannot giue any absolute definition of it But according to the effects we may thus describe it The soule is a spirit which giueth life to the body whereunto it is ioyned and which is capeable of the knowledg of God to loue him as being meet to be vnited vnto him to eternal happinesse In that it is a spirit it confutes their oppinions that thought the soule did proceed frō the tēperature and harmony of the partes of the body but in that it giueth life it confutes their oppinion that thought it was mortall and that with the death of the body it likewise perished But the soule is as far frō perishing being seperated frō the body as an expert musition frō losing his skill being bereft of his instrument Others there are that thinke because man liueth no longer then he hath breath on because losse of bloud bringeth the losse of life or because in death they perceiue no difference betweene men and beastes that therefore the soule is nothinge else but bloude or a puffe of wind But these men haue no further insight into the soule than is conceiued by their externall sense A minde refynde and eleuated aboue the earth findes that the soule is the Image of God who is a spirit and eternall therefore the soule of man must be a spirit and eternall for there is alwayes an agreement betweene the Image and the thinge of which it is an Image How the soule is celestiall THe soule is celestiall not in that sense as if it were a parte of the substance and nature of god him selfe but it is saide to be celestial in 3. respectes First to shewe a difference betweene the soule of men and the soule of beastes Secondly in regard of the agreement which it hath with the deuine nature through immortalitye Thirdly in respect it approcheth neerer to the nature of god thē any other creature except Angels and yet Angels are not of the nature of God neither for they are not immortall of themselues but haue their immortaltty and their superexcellencie of God who both giueth it vnto them and preserueth them in it and can if it please him depriue them of it How the soule is in the body THe soule is in the body not as proceeding from the generatiue seed or the commixture of the humours for then the soule should be corruptible as they are but the soule is in the body by infusion of God the creator after that the parts of the body are already framed fashioned and that by no other vertue but by his own omnipotent power so that we must thinke when God inspired a soule into Adam he made not a blast of his own nature nor of the ayre round about him but euen of nothing who being himselfe incorporall made the soule also incorporall but yet he being vnchangable made the soule mutable because himselfe being vncreated made the soule a creature Vpon this may rise a question that if the soule be infused and created of God and comes not by propagation from our parents whence hath it then the pollution which we call originall sinne It were horrible to say it were so created knowing that all the workes of God are pure and holy and from the body it cannot come
for the bodie infectes not the soule but the soule the body whose instrument it is Wee answere that as the soule is infused by god in that respect it is clean without spot but so soon as it is entred vnder the line of the children of Adam it is presently made subiect to the curse which God laide vppon Adam and his posterity and so becomes guilty of originall sinne The difference betweene soule and Spirit BEcause these words are often times confounded it shall not be amisse to know their difference By the soule we may vnderstand man as he is born hauing the vse of the annimal naturall and vitall powers and by the spirit whatsoeuer grace and knowledg is giuen vnto man by God so that by soule we may vnderstand man as he is in the corruption of his nature and by spirit as he is regenerate and borne anew There is also another difference which may giue some light in maner to discerne between these twoe names which is this Soule is a word more general than spirit for it may be attributed to other creatures as well as to man As hearbs plants tree haue haue onely a vegetatiue soule Sea-spounges cockles and such like haue onely a vegetatiue and sensetiue soule brute beasts haue a vegetatiue sensetiue and cogetatiue soule for they do not onely growe increase and haue sence and feeling but they likewise are indued with cogitation knowledge and memory how to preserue their liues guide and gouerne themselues according to naturall inclination but the soule rationall and regenerate by the grace of adoption and therfore called a spirit is onely proper to men and inriched with immortality How the soule is immortall THat the soule is immortal appeareth by some reasons before aleadged as that it is the Image of god who is imortal therfore hath som agreement with him in that respect but for further assurance we haue scripture her owne properties In the booke of Gen. 2.7 it is said God made man a liuing soule that is immortall In the gospell after S. Mathew Christ admonisheth his disciples that they should not stand in feare of those that kill the bodie meanning bloudy tyrants but could not kill the soule whereby it is manefest the soule liueth after the bodie Likewise in the gospell after S. Luke 16.22 the begger dyed and his soule was carried into Abrahams bosome And in the 23. of the same gospell the 43. verse our sauiour christ said to the repentant theefe This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradice meaning his soule and not his body which words he would not haue vttered if the soule had perished with the bodie and not been immortall Many other places might be recyted but if these seeme insufficient so wil the rest Further the soule appeares to bee immortall by her owne properties first in that it giueth life to the body and is so farre from corruption that so long as it bides therein it preserues the body from corrupting Secondly in that it is in continuall motion and neuer ceaseth whether wee sleepe or wake walke or sit still to apprehend think or ponder vpon something in a moment it wanders through the heauens compasseth the earth and crosseth the broadest Seas Thirdlye it may be thought immortall in respect of that propertye which it expresseth in the mindes euen of Atheistes and heathen men who notwithstanding they not beleiue or deny the immortality of the soule yet the deuinity of their souls with in them working to the contrary make them balke their owne opinions and by the monumēts which they set vp to continue their name remembrance bewraies the soule to be immortall because in that respect they plainly shew a feruent desire to liue for euer Why some beleiue not the immortallity of the soule THe reason that moues them heareunto in some is the blockishnes of nature who obstiniately refuse to beleiue any thing but what they may be able to comprehend by their outward sense And againe some are so peruerse as they wish not only their soules were not immortall but that there were no god nor any other life to the end they might haue no Iudg but that this life might end with their delight the soule vanish with the body But here may rise an obiection If the soule be immortal why is it said in scripture euerie soule that sinneth shall die the death And againe it appeares by manie places that the soules of the wicked shall suffer eternal death We may answere that the soule is said to dye not that it is quite bereft of any beeing but for that it is for euer bannished the ioyes of heauen which vnto the soule is accounted death as the bannishnement of the soule from the bodie is accounted the bodies death What makes the soule mortall and in danger of such a death THe first thing that indangers the soule with mortality is originall sin which sinne by regeneration of holie baptisme being remoued the next thing that indangers it is the passions and affections of the soule which fall backe into their first corruption by spurning against vnderstanding and reason the soueraigne faculties of the soule which are spirituall and intelligigible stirring vs vp to virtue to pietye and godlinesse and by yeelding obedience to the sensual and inferior facultie of the soule which is the will who by reason it is neerer and more famillier with the corporal senses then vnderstanding therfore rather consenteth to the Lawes of the members which are full of ignorance frowardnesse miserie shame death and condemnation than to the workes of the spirit which are loue ioy peace long suffering gentleness faith meeknesse temperance and such like The difference betweene vnderstanding and the will and affections FIrst they differ according to the place and situation which they haue in the bodie of man Secondly according to the time wherein they are imploide and thirdly according to the dignitie of their offices They differ according to their situation in that vnderstanding hath his seat in the braine and the will and affection in the heart And this is the reason that we se many men indued with great knowledge of diuerse good and virtuous thinges but haue no willingnes or affection to follow after them or to shew them in their life and conuersation because their hart and their braine their will their vnderstanding agree not Likewise we see others to haue a will to do well yet because they want vnderstaning knowledg to discern what is iust they faile of the execution thereof Secondly they differ according to the time wherin they are imploide in that vnderstanding alwaies goes before and the affections follow For we cannot hate or loue vnlesse we first know the thing which is to be hated or loued Thirdly they differ acording to the dignitie of their offices in that vnderstanding sits as a King to commaund and the wil and affection stand as subiectes to obey For as God hath
stones of the earth If from health sicknesse may destroy it If from multitude of friends are they not like water brookes that in summer become drie and in winter frozen If from sharpnesse of wit Semel infaniuimus omnes there is no man liuing but is guiltie of Follie. Pride likewise considered by his effects will appeare far more dangerous as the thing that bringes with it contempt both of God and men contēpt of God as appeares by his worde and by his iudgments By his word in that he saith He will resist the Proude and giue grace to the humble By his iudgments in that he spared not his glorious Angels but for their pride threwe them out of heauen to the bottome of hell Amongst mortall men also how seuerelie hath he punished pride Pharao and his hoast for that sin were drowned in the Red sea Iessabel hadde her bloud lapped vp of Dogges the King of Babell for seauen yeares space was companion with bruite beastes and Hammon executed vpon the same gibbet which he had prepared for Mardocheus the prouerbe is Pride goes before and shame followes Among men there is nothing likewise more odious for whom doe wee more despise more feare more grudg or repine againste than the haughtie and intollerable humor of proud men Naye it makes vs hatefull to our owne selues when looking backe into our corrupt nature we finde nothing wherof to be proud for our conception is sin our birth paine our life labour and our death necessitie How to auoide Pride The only and chiefe remedy against pride is humilitie for as by pride wee are banished from the presence of god so by humilitie we are recald vnto him againe because without humilitie no other vertue whatsoeuer is acceptable in his sight What humilitie is HVmilitie is the contempt and loathing of proper excellence of humilitie there are three degrees The first is to submit our selues vnto our superiors and not presume aboue our equals The second is to submitte our selues to our equals and not to pre sume aboue our inferiors The third is to submit our selues to our inferiours and to presume aboue no bodie The humility likewise of Christ and his holie saintes being sette before our eies may serue as a powerful remedy against the infection of pride For when wee consider that our sauiour Christ for our sakes left heauen for earth of God became man of a Lord a seruant and of the most almighty and most honourable suffered himselfe to be trodē down and crucified of the most abiect vile and base what reason haue we to bee puft vp with arrogancie knowing that if wee meane to raigne with him wee must likewise suffer with him Finis pride Of Couetousnes COuetuousnes is said to be the dropsie of the soule because the Couetuous man the more he hath the more still he desireth It is also a kind of bad motion whereby the diuell intiseth vs vnlawfully to withold our own goods or vniustly to couet other mens There are foure sortes of Couetuousnesse the first is to desire that which is another mans not caring how we get it by right or wrong or when with a deliberate minde we hunt after wealth and honor that so wee may the more commodiouslye feede and cocker our owne pleasures The second is when we study to get money wealth or fauour by wicked or filthie meanes The third is when we wil not restore that which wee knowe to be another mans whether we either founde it or that it was cōmited to our trust to keep The fourth is when we treasure vpp much wealth and neither vse it our selues nor imploy it to the benefit and releiuing of others Couetousnesse hath nine hands or hookes by which it snatcheth at the trash of this world NAmely Fraud Vnquietnesse periurie taking of bribes Sacriledge Theft Vsurie Rapine and Symonie Fraude what FRaud is by all kinde of craftie and coulourable meanes to vsurpe that which belongs not vnto vs. Vnquietnesse what AS well night as daie to be continually possest with care how to inrich our selues not relying vpon the prouidence of God who hath commanded vs to cast our care onely vpon him Periurie what PEriurie is when we call God to witnesse in a false and vntrue matter therby to win either credite or commodity as verie often times fals out amongst merchants and trades-men in persons that giue in euidence before maiestrats or in our priuate conference when without dread or reuerence to the name of God wee sweare by it Taking of bribes what TAking of bribes is to swerue from the true course of Iustice for the loue of golde or for rewarde to beare false witnesse against any man wherby three persons are at one time damnified and abused first God whose holie name is prophaned Secondlie the Iudge whom a lieng witnesse deceiueth and thirdlie the innocent person against whom he testifieth who commonlie by that meanes is vttterly vndone Sacriledge what Sacriledge is through a greedie desire of temporall goods not to forbere the defacing of Gods Temple nor the robbing of his ministers Theft what THeft is when we either priuily purloine or openlie extort from anye man whether it be by the highe waie side or in contention of lawe that so we may haue to satisfie our own couetous humors Vsurie what VSurie is when vppon the loane of any thing whether it bee money meat drinke or apparell we do couenant before hand to receiue backe againe more than the principall was which we deliuered foorth thereby to enrich or maintaine our estate and calling or when we ingrosse commodities or forestall markets thereby to procure a dearth and then to raise the prices of things as we list our selues 4. Reasons to disproue Vsurie FIrst it is against the law of Charity for whereas we are bounde to doe good one to another the Vsurer contrariwise hurteth where hee seems to helpe Secondly it is against the law of Nations in that ther is no nation but hath som Iniunction statute or law against it Thirdly it is against the law of nature for in nature it is monstrous that mony should beget mony being in it selfe a dead and sencelesse substance Fourthly it is expresly against the Law of God for hee hath saide Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by Vsurie of money nor by vsurie of corne nor by vsurie of any thing that he may be hurt withall Deut. 23.13 Fiue other reasons to shew the vilenesse thereof The first is because it is woorse than theft for a theefe stealeth but now and then but vsurie is a continual robbery The second is because it is worse then Iudas for Iudas solde Christ but once but the vsurer selleth him euerie minute Thirdly because Iudas restored the money againe which he tooke but the Vsurer will neuer restore that which he hath vniustlie taken The fourth is because it is woorse than death for Death killeth but the bodie onelie but Vsurie killeth both bodie and soule The
them as when the Lorde for their rebellion against him determined to cut them off Moses rather besoght him that his name might be wipte out of the booke of life then any such harme should befal that people Dauid a man chosen of God and an anointed king euen in the midst of his guard and men of warre suffered a base fellow to reuile him and throwe dust in his face Finally let vs alwaies obserue this one rule that when soeuer wee finde our hart kindled with anger we deuise some meanes to prolong the time before we strike or make reply as Theodosius and other vertuous men haue done that would either reade the Alphabet ouer play vppon some instrument or make a certaine space before they would reply vpon their offenders and by this meanes as they so shal we the more easily subdue and vanquish this wilde and sauadge passion Finis Wrath. Of Sloth SLoath may be called the lethargie of the soule being a lither deiection of the whole man from the laudable exercise of virtue so that in a māner he becomes sencelesse but in truth altogether vnprofitable There are eleauen branches of sloth protraction Remisnes Negligence improuidence indeuotion sluggishnesse pusilanimity irresolution disperation misprision of time and omition Ptotraction what PRotraction is that defect of minde which when a man is to enterprise or take in hand some good woorke or other makes him defer the time and vse much delay ere he attempte it and this is the fault of those that know that with out repentance we shal die in our sinnes and yet defer their amendment of life from day to day Remisnesse what REmisnesse is where hauing begun a good woorke wee quicklye are mooued to leaue it off againe and this is the fault of such as entring into religion and resoluing vppon a Godlye course of life by the vaine inticements of the worlde or the corrupt pleasures of the flesh fal to their old bias again Negligence what NEgligence is when we enter vpon a good worke and proceede in it but without care whether it bee well done or no and this is the fault of such as are content to come to church to pray heare sermons and giue to the poore but doe it more for fashion sake and feare of punishment then vpon any true zeale or labour not effectually to deserue the name of Christians but thinke it sufficient howesoeuer they performe the outward ceremony Improuidence what IMprouidence is when a man doth not prouide aforehand against that which is like to happen but standeth still or spendeth the time carelessely till an inconuenience take hold vpon him and this is the fault of those that neuer forsake sinne till sinne forsakes them nor haue anye thought to liue well vntill they see they must die presently thinking their rotten old age sufficient for God whereas they haue spent their lusty youth in the seruice of the diuell but there are fiue reasons to moue vs to beware of improuidence that wee defer not our conuersion to virtue and godly life The first is induration for that olde age hauing a long time continued in the custome of vicious life like a stiffe tree is hardly bowed or brought to better order The second is the longer a man abideth in sinne the greater will bee the burden of sinne the greater the burden of sinne is the more hardly will he rise from vnder it especiallye considering his chiefe strength and vigour is before wasted and consumed The third the more strange we are to virtue and godlye life the larger expence of time wil be required for our entertainment and familliar acquaintance so that hauing alyenated our selues all our life time death in our olde age layeth hold vppon vs before wee can put foorth our hand to apprehend the benefit of her presence The fourth the difficulty and vnaptnesse vpon our death bed to turne vnto the Lord by reason of the torment of sicknesse the care of our goods the clamour of wife and children and the terror that death brings with him The fift because at the houre of death the diuel is more ready to assaile vs thē at other times knowing that if he then faile his pray is euer after past recouery and we then most vnable to resiste Indeuotion what INdeuotion is the spiritual drouzines of the soule when neither through weaknesse or wante of power but by a certaine wearisomnesse in the execution of good workes we cast them behinde our backes and leaue them vndone and this is the imperfection of those whose faith is wauering and inconstant loosing the heate and vigour thereof Sluggishnesse what SLuggishnesse is a kinde of heauy and lumpish vnwillingnesse to any good or commendable practise and it is of two sorts corporall or spirituall corporall sluggishnesse is when we had rather indure any necessity thē by industrie to paine the body for the auoiding thereof Spirituall sluggishnesse is when we had ratherlie walloing in the pleasures of this life though to our destruction then wander thorough the thorny and bitter path of affliction though to our eternall happinesse and this is the falt of those that so their bodies be secure and at ease haue no further care but thinke all thinges well with them Pusillanimity what PVsillanimity is a faintnesse of heart whereby we become slacke euen in things which we are sufficient able to performe And this is the fault of such as hyde their tallant or shrinke backe from the waye of virtue because they presume it is to hard for them to folow and so consequently fall into distrust of the helpe and assistance of God The cause of Pusillanimity THe cause of pusillanimitye is feare which is of two sorts one good the other bad Good feare what To stand more in awe of blame reproch and dishonour then of death or griefe Bad feare what BAd feare is a false opinion of euill imagining it to be greater thē it is and this is of two sortes first when the soule thorough a cowardlye dispotion bocomes ydle dead and void of euery good effect Secondly when the wicked through horrout of paine and punishment and not for loue of godlines are bridled and restrained from their villanies Irresolution what IRresolutiō is a hanging of the mind between two opinions now determining this now that yet in the end attempteth nothing at all And this is the fault of such that would faine inioy the blessednesse prepared for true christians and yet are loath to forsake their carnall affections like the yong man in the gospell that came to our Sauiour with a desire to obtaine heauen but when he was bid to sell all hee had giue it to the poore hee went away very sad and pensiue making no reply whether he woulde at such a rate purchase the kindome of heauen or no. Desperation what DEsperation is a kind of sloth where by the soule waxeth fainte vnder the burden of sinne or of anye good woorke and thinketh there
of the bodie and fortune No man doth so desire virtue as that when he hath obtained it he reioiceth excessiuely therin nor doth any man so feare the obtaining of her as that the feare thereof driues the soule from her setled quietnesse But since the hauing of her is the true happinesse of the soule freeing our mindes from all perturbations and enduing vs with a firm and stable possession against which neither Fortune slaunder death nor old age can preuaile let vs to returne at last to that from which we haue al this while digrest embrace her as the Soueraigne ruler of our thoughts whoe togither with the grace and spirit Diuine is onlie sufficient to giue the soul in this life peace and reste and in the life to come immortall glorie What Vertue is VErtue according to the opinions of Phylosophers is a disposition and power of the reasonable part of the soule which bringeth into order and decencie the vnreasonable part therof by causing it to propound a conuenient ende to it owne affections and passions whereby the soule abideth in a comely and decent habite executing that which ought to be don and declining from that which ought to be shunned And therfore it is said that he which hath vertue is only happie though he be plunged in a thousand miseries and he that is accompanied with vice is onlie vnhappie although he haue the wealth of Cresus the empire of Cyrus or the glorie of Alexander The effects of Vertue VErtue may be said to be the hauen of the soule the nurse of piety the mother of content the root of blessednesse the shield against aduersity the staie in prosperitie the beautie of citties the gloue of kingdomes The holie patriarke Abraham got himselfe more honour by his vertue of obedience in shewing himselfe ready at the commandement of God to offer vpp his only son Isaack then by the great victorie which he obtained against diuerse powerfull kinges in redeeming his brother Lot when he was taken prisoner Gen. 14. Ioseph was more renown for his continencie in withstanding the 〈…〉 of Potiphars wife then by being made high stuard of king Pharaos house Gen. 39. If the power of virtue in these men be so greatly to be admired that knew the immortal god and were guided and led foorth by his holie spirit how much more than may we stand confounded at the example of others that neither know God nor the 〈…〉 immortalitie of the soule and yet prefer the regard of vertue before al other thinges in the world yea before life it self Anacharsis led with the loue of vertue left the kingdome of Scithia to his younger brother and trauelled into Grecia where he learned Philosophy of Solon Anaxarchus chose rather to die than to be thoght so inconstant as to bewray the couÌ„cel that was held against the tyrant Nero. So that virtue at all times in all persons is the most excellent happy thing that may be Why some men regard not vertue THere are three principal excuses or pretences wherewith some men wold fain color their negligeÌ„ce in not regarding the studie or practise of vertue The first is the difficultie therof they say it is a hard laborious matter to attain to the knowledge of it vsing the same perswasion that the Athenians did in their prouerb Non licet cuiuis adyre CorynthuÌ„ T was not for euery one to arriue at Corynth euen so say they it is not for euery one to be a student in Philosophye nor stands it with the dexteritie of euerie ones wit or the abillitie of his minde to trafficke with so magnificent a prince as virtue is therefore say they it is better to content our selues in the course of meaner matters How absurd a starting hole this is appeares in that euen in those weake matters which they prefer before the studie of virtue for the moste part they spend more time and aduenture more danger to compasse their desire then they should haue done in anie point of the discipline of virtue and yet when they haue what they would haue it is rather their destruction then their happinesse their disturbance theÌ„ their quiet as we see in the end of riches how will the couetous man labour and sweat spare and pinch himselfe to the intente he may haue his bagges cramd and his coffers stuft and yet when they are so his fear is greater to lose them then his care was before to get them nay oftentimes he is constrainde to forgoe them euen with the forfeyture of his life Euen so in honor the ambitius man wil refuse no paines thinke much of no extremitie but be readie to indure the heate of summer the colde of winter to watch attend ride and run in hope to reach at laste the top of preferment which when he once hath got and thinkes to sleep securelye some sinister blast or other shakes his tottering state and hurles him suddenlie downe into the pitt of all disgrace and obloquy But these are indifferent thinges and in some sorte tollerable enough for men to spende time about them but in cases altogether condemnable is it not an vsuall or ordinarie thing to see heare of men that doe take more paines to tread the path that leades to hell than the godlie doe to finde the waie that guides to heauen we need no far fetcht examples for the proofs â—â—â—erof it is thought the Guisians before they brought to passe the bloudie massacre at Parrisse were eight or nine whole yeare busied and imploied in meetings consultations and beating their brains about it Richard the third king of England was almost twentie yeares in plotting and complotting bloudie and secret murders to make the waie smooth for him to come vnto the diadem Herodes thoughtes were neuer quiet after hee heard of the birth of Christ til the hower of his death how he might disstroie and shed his guiltlesse bloud in lesse than halfe which time he might haue learned the grounds of true christianity and haue saued his own soule The like we may conclude of al others that think the knowledg of vertue tedious and hard to attain the end wherof is happines and peace wheras they are coÌ„tent to spend more time sweat vnder the burdeÌ„ of greater labor to attain to those 〈…〉 whos end is misery distruction The â—color or pretence wherby men labor to cloke their slacknes in the study of vertue is pouerty we finde saie they by experience that vertue giues her louers and welwillers aboundance of knowledge but verie little wealth plentifull braines but verie needy and penurious backes admit it were so yet let me aske this question whether is better the riches that shall neuer vanishe or the riches that dailie are subiect to casualtie whether more excellent the possession whose fruite is eternall then the possession whose profits are momentarie and euer fading I thinke there is no man so void of reason but will say the former but
with an inuincible and vndaunted courage any wrong affliction torment or extremitie whatsoeuer For the firste wee haue the example of king Dauid whoe shrunke not back from the encounter either of men or monsters for the establishing of Gods glorie and for the second the examples of the prophets and Apostles that notwithstanding their wrongs and great reproches spared not to seale the profession of gods holy religion with the effusion of their blouds The properties of Fortitude BEside many other good properties and inclinations that followe this vertue wee may reckon these fiue in speciall first it is free from all feare of death Secondly it is constant in all aduersities Thirdly it so hates and detestes the dooing of euill as it wil study to do good vnto it enemies Fourthlie as it striues to haue dominion ouer external thinges so it accounts it most base not to be able to rule the internal passions of the minde Fiftly it neuer fights or contends suffers or indures for any thinge but that which is iuste and honest so that neither they that suffer for wickednesse or vniust matters nor they that fight for their priuate commoditye or to satisfie theyr owne vnbrideled furie are to bee accounted valiant men The obiects of Fortitude THe obiects of Fortitude are passions to maister them iniuries to suppresse them prosperity not to be lifted vp with pride aduersitie not to bee cast downe with despaire enemies to be made more dilligent to looke vnto our behauiour losses to ouercome them with patience death to contemn it because it bringes immortallitie a number such like The daughters to Fortitude or vertues fift issue AS the rest so this vertue of Fortitude is not barren of increase but from her teeming womb sendeth forth these goodly ympes of grace and honour Magnificence Confidence patience Compassion and perseuerance What magnificence is MAgnificence is an eleuation of the soule whereby it is not content with euerie meane dewtie but seeketh to compasse and bring to passe things that are moste rare and excellent As Alexander that thought it too meane a point of fortitude and valour to ouer come Darius in battell vnlesse he also vanquished him in the virtues of the minde and therefore he vsed his wife and children with all bountie and humanitie after he had taken them prisoners Augustus held it not sufficient valour to omitt the taking of reuenge vpon a fellowe that sought all meanes possible to murther him but aduaunced him likewise vnto a cheefe place of dignitie vnder him Hannibal esteemed his passing ouer the Alpes and al his other labors and victories nothing vnlesse he conquered Rome that then held her selfe queene and mistresse of the world What Confidence is COnfidence is a conceite or hope which the mind hath of prosperous successe how dangerous or desperate soeuer things appeare to be Richard the first king of England going to warre with diuerse other Christian Princes against the Turkes and Sarazens and beeing in Palestine when a quarrell arose betweene him and the king of France insomuch as not onlie he but all the reste forsooke Richard and departed with their powers homeward yet king Richard notwithstanding he was left alone his armie small and the number of his foes almost ininnumerable was of that confident spirit as he proceeded against his ennemies and draue them out of Ierusalem and the holy land What Patience is PAtience is a voluntarie and continuall suffering for the loue of vertue and honestie and therefore whatsoeuer happeneth a wise man by this vertue is prepared to digest and turne it to the best Socrates being councelled to reuenge a wrong receiued answered What if a Mastie had bitte me or an Asse had strucke me would ye haue me go to lawe with them Esteeming no more of the despights offered vnto him of men then if they had bin done of bruite beasts What Compassion is COmpassion is a like sense or feeling of euill or griefe as if we our selues suffered that which wee see others indure by reason of that coniunction which ought to be of one with another as members of one and the same body and therefore it is requisite this vertue should be in a valliant man that when he sees iniurie offered vnto any one he should bee mooued with the violence thereof no otherwise then if it were offered vnto himselfe Marcellus after he had conquered Syracusa not without great slaughter of manye people mounted vp an high tower of the castle and with many teares lamented the rufull and tragical fall of the cittie feeling in himselfe as it were a fellow sufferance of their greeuous miserie What perseuerance is PErseuerance is that parte of Fortitude when a man doth firmely and stedfastly abide in his resolution purpose vndertaken with good consideration and aduise Zeno hauing resolued to keep silence whatsoeuer the king of Ciprus did demand of him and being persecuted with tormentes for the same purpose least hee should bee found not to perseuer in his intent bit off his tongue and spit it in the tormēters face The opposites to Fortitude THe opposits to fortitude seeking to dim hir glory with their dusky presence are Cowardlines and wilfull presumption What Cowardlines is COwardlynes is a base kind of fear void both of reason and assurance causing a man thrugh the want of sense vnderstāding that he can neither be profitable to himselfe nor the commō wealth but remaines as the shaddowe of a man caste downe and astonnished with daungers or the report of euerie ydle dreame vision As Mydas K. of Phrigia who being troubled with the terrour of a certaine dreame dranke poison and killed himselfe Or as the Gentleman of Padua that Speron talketh of in his dialogues who beeing cast into prison vpon some accusation when it was tolde him ouernight that he should lose his head the next morning conceiued such an impression of feare in his hart that his haire which before was blacke that same night altered and became gray Two sortes of Feare THe one good when wee stande more in awe of blame reproch dishonour then of death or griefe The other bad which is likewise of 2. sortes The first maketh the soul dead and voide of euerie good effecte as is before declared The seconde is that which worketh in the wicked a horror of paine and punnishment whereby they are brideled and restrained from their villanies and as the firste is a signe of an abiect and contemtible nature so this argues a corrupt and wicked disposition What wilfull presumption is WIlfull presumption is a kinde of audacious boldnes when a man without necessarie constraint or for euerie friuolous matter casteth himselfe into certaine and vndoubted danger As I haue read of an Italian louer whoe walking with his ladie by a riuer side and making great protestations what he woulde doe for her sake she to proue him badde him leape into the Riuer which no sooner heard but hee to shewe his rashnesse without