Good matter slubbred vp in rude carelesse wordes is made loathsome to the hearer as a good body mishapen with vnhandsome clothes Elegance without soundnes is no better then a nice vanitie Although therefore the most hearers are like Bees that goe all to the flowers neuer regarding the good hearbes that are of as wholsome vse as the other of faire shew yet let my speech striue to bee profitable plausible as it happensâ— Better the coate bee mishapen then the body 64 I see that as black and white colours to the eyes so is the Vice and Vertue of others to the iudgment of men Vice gathers the beames of the sight in one that the eye may see it and be intent vpon it Vertue scatters them abroad and therefore hardly admits of a perfect apprehension whence it comes to passe that as iudgement is according to sence we doo so soone espie and so earnestly censure a man for one vice letting passe many laudable qualities vndiscerned or at least vnacknowledged yea wheras euery man is once a foole and dooth that perhaps in one fit of his folly which hee shall at leasure repent of as Noah in one houres druÌ„kennes vncouered those secrets which were hid sixe hundred yeeres before The world is herevpon readie to call in question all his former integritie and to exclude him froÌ„ the hope of any future amendment Since God hath giuen me two eyes the one shall bee busied about the present fault that I see with a detesting commiseration the other about the coÌ„mendable qualities of the offender not without an vnpartiall approbation of them So shall I doo GOD no wrong in robbing him of the glorie of his gifts mixed with infirmities nor yet in the meane time encourage Vice while I doo distinctly reserue for it a due portion of hatred 65 God is aboue man the brute creatures vnder him he set in the midst least he should be proud that he hath infinite creatures vnder him that one is infinite degrees aboue him I doo therefore owe awe vnto God mercy to the inferiour creatures knowing that they are my fellowes in respect of creation whereas there is no proportion betwixt me and my Maker 66 One saide it is good to mure the mouth to speake well for good speech is many times drawne into the affection But I would feare that speaking well without feeling were the next way to procure an habituall hypocriâ—iâ— Let my good workes follow good affections not goe before them I wil therefore speake as I thinke but withall I will labour to thinke well and then I knowe I cannot but speake well 67 When I consider my soule I could be proude to thinke of how diuine a nature and qualitie it is but when I cast downe mine eyes to my body as the Swanne to her blacke legges and see what loathsome matter issues from the mouth nosthrils eares pores and other passages and how most carrion-like of all other creatures it is after death I am iustlie ashamed to thinke that so excellent a guest dwels but in a more cleanelie dunghill 68 Euerie worldling is a madd manne for besides that hee preferres profite and pleasure to Vertue the worlde to GOD earth to Heauen tiâ—e to eternitie hee pampers the bodie and starues the soule Hee feedes one fowle an hundreth times that it may feede him but once and â—eekes all Landes and Seas for dainties not caring whether anie or what repast hee prouides for his soule Hee cloathes the body with all rich ornaments that it may bee as faire without as it is filthy within whiles his soule goes bare and naked hauing not a ragg of knowledge to couer it Yea hee cares not to destroy â—is soule to please the bâ—dy when for the saluation of the soule he wil not so much as holde the body short of the least pleasure What is if this be not a reasonable kind of madnes Let mee enioy my soule no longer then I preferre it to my body Let mee haue a deformed leane crooked vnhealthfull neglected bodie so that I may finde my soule sound strong well furnished well disposed both for earth and heauen 69 Asa was sick but of his feet farre from the hart yet because he sought to the Phisitians not to God hee escaped not Ezekiah was sicke to die yet because he trusted to God not to Phisitians he was restored Meanes without GOD cannot helpe GOD without meanes can and often doth I will vse good meanes not to rest in them 70 A mans best monument is his vertuous actions foolish is the hope ofimmortality and future praise by the cost of a sencelesâ—e stone when the passenger shall onely say heere lyes a faire stone and a filthie carkasse That onely can report thee rich but for other prayses thy selfe must build thy own monument aliue and write thy owne Epitaph in honest and honorable actions which are so much more noble then the other as liuing men are better then dead stones Nay I knowe not if the other bee not the way to worke a perpetuall succession of infamie Whiles the censorious Reader vpon occasion thereof shall comment vpoÌ„ thy bad life Wheras in this euerie mans heart is a Toombe and euerie mannes tongue writes an Epitaph vpon the well behaued Eyther I will procure mee such a Monument to bee remembred by or else it is better to bee inglorious then infamous 71 The basest thinges are euer most plentifull historie and experience tel vs that some kinde of Mouse breedeth 120. young ones in one nest whereas the Lyon or Elephant beareth but one at once I haue euer found the least wit yeeldeth the most words It is both the surest and wisest way to speake little and thinke more 7â— An euill man is clay to God waxe to the Diuell God may stampe him into powder or temper him a new but none of his meanes can melt him Contrariwise a good man is Gods waxe and Sathan clay he relents at euery looke of God but is not stirred at any temptation I had rather bow then breake to God but for Sathan or the world I had rather be broken in pieces with their violence then suffer my selfe to be bowed vnto their obedience 73 It is an easie matter for a man to be carelesse of himselfe yet much easier to bee enamoured of himselfe For if he be a Christian whiles hee contemnes the worlde perfectly it is hard for him to reserue a competent measure of loue to himselfe If a worldling it is not possible but he must ouer-loue himselfe I will striue for the meane of both and so hate the world that I may care for my selfe and so care for my selfe that I bee not in loue with the world 74 I will hate popularitie and ostentation as euer daungerous but most of all in Gods businesse which who so affect doo as ill spokesmen who when they are sent to wooe for GOD speake for themselues I knowe howe daungerous it is to haue GOD my
once crackt are soon broken such is a mans good nameâ— once tainted with iust reproch Next to the approbation of God and the testimonie of my owne conscience I will seeke for a good reputation with menâ— not by close carriage concealing faultes that they may not bee knowne to my shame but auoyding all vices that I may not deserue it the efficacie of the agent is in the patient welâ— disposed It is hard for mee euer to doe good vnlesse I be reputed good 100 Many vegetable and many brute creatures exceede man in length of age which hath opened the mouthes of heathen Philosophers to accuse nature as a step-mother to man who hath giuen him the least time to liue that only could make vse of his time in getting knowledge But heerein religion doth most magnifie God in his wisdom and iustice teaching vs that other creatures liue long and perish to nothing only man recompeÌ„ces the shortnes of his life with eternity after it that the sooner he dies wel the sooner he coms to the PerfectioÌ„ of knowledge which he might in vaine seeke below the sooner he dies ill the lesse hurt hee doth with his knowledge There is great reason then why man should liue long greater why hee should die early I will neuâ—r blame God for making me too soone happy for changing my ignorance for knowledge my corruption for immortality my infirmities for perfectionâ— Come Lord lesus come quickly The second booke OF MEDITATIONS and Vowes Diuine and Morrall AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Iohn Porter 1605. TO THE RIGHT vertuous and Worshipfull Lady the Lady Drury all encrease of Grace MAdame I knowe your Christian ingenuâ—tiâ— such that you will not grudge others the communication of this your priuâ—t right which yeâ— I durst not haue presumed to aduenture if I feared that either the benefit of it would be lesse or the acceptation Now it shall be no lesse yours onely it shall be more knowne to be yours Vouchsase therefore to take part with your worthy husband of these my simple Meditations And if your long and gracious experience haue written you a larger volume of wholsome lawes and better informed you by precepts fetcht from your owne â—eeling then I can hope for by my bâ—re speculation yet where these my not vnlikely rules shall accord with yours let your redoubled assent allow theÌ„ and they coÌ„firme it I made them not for the eye â—ut for the heart neither doo I coÌ„mend theÌ„ to your reading but your practise wherein also it shall not be enough that you are a meere and ordinary agent but that you be a patterne propounded vnto others imitation so shall your vertuous and holy progresse besides your owne peace and happinesse be my crowne and reioycing in the day of our common appearance Halsted Dec. 4. Your L. humbly deuoted Ios Hall 2 I finde that all worldly things require a long labour in getting and afâ—ord a short pleasure in enioying them I wil not care much for what I haue nothing for what I haue not 3 I see naturall bodies forâ—ake their owne place and condition for the preâ—eruation of the whole but of all other creatures man and of all other men Christians haue the least interest in themselues I will liue as giuen to others lent only to my selfe 4 That which is said of the Elephant that being guilty to his deformity he cannot abide to look on his owne face in the water but seeks â—or troubled and muddy channels we see well moralized in men of euill conscience who know their soules are so filthy that they dare not so much as view them but shift off all checkes of their former iniquity witâ— vaine excuses of good â—ellowship Whence it is that euery â—inal reprehension so galles them because it calles the eyes of the soule home to it selfe makes them see a glance of what they would not So haue I seene a foolish and timerous patient which knowing his wound very deep would not endure the Chirurgian â—o search it Wheron what can ensue but a festering of the part and a daunger of the whole bodyâ— so I haue seene manie prodigall wasters runne so farre in bookes that they cannot abide to heare of a reckoning It hath beene an olde and true Prouerbe Oft and euen reckoninges make long friends I will oft summe vp my estate with GOD that I may knowe what I haue to expect and aunswere for Neither shall my score runne on so long with GOD that I shall not knowe my debts or feare an Audit or despaire of payment 5 I account this bodie nothing but a close prison to my soule and the earth a larger prison to my body I may not breake prison till I bee loosed by death but I will leaue it not vnwillingly when I am loosed 6 The common feares of the world are causelesse and ill placed no man feares to doo ill euery man to suffer ill wherein if we consider it well wee shall finde that we feare our best frends for my part I haue learned more of God and of my selfe in one weekes extremity then all my whole lyues prosperity had taught mee before And in reason and common experience prosperity vsually makes vs forget our death aduersity on the other side makes vs neglect our life Now if we measure both of these by their effects forgetfulnes of death makes vs secure neglect of this life makes vs carefull of a better so much therefore as neglect of life is better then forgetfulnesse of death and watchfulnes better then securitie so much more beneficiall will I esteeme aduersitie then prosperity 7 Euen griese it selfe is pleasant to the remembrance when it is once past as ioy is whiles it is present I will not therefore in my conceit make any so great difference betwixt ioy and griese sith griese past is ioyfull and long expectation of ioy is grieuous 8 Euery sicknes is a little death I will bee content to die oft that I may die once Well 9 Ofte times those things which haue been sweete in opinion haue prooued bitter in experience I will therefore euer suspende my resolute iudgement vntiâ—l the tryall and euent in the meane while I will feare the worst hope the best 10 In all diuine and morrall good thinges I would faine keepe that I haue and get that I want I doo not more loath all other couetousnes then I affect this in all these thinges alone I professe neuer to haue enough If I may encrease them therfore either by labouring or begging or vsurie I shall leaue no meanes vnattempted 11 Some children are of that nature that they are neuer well but while the rod is ouer them such am I to God let him beate me so hee amend me let him take all away from me so he giue me himselfe 12 There must not bee one vniforme proceeding with all men in reprehension but that must varie according to the disposition of the reprooued I haue seene
theÌ„ by concealment that they may not appeare to my shame 64 The minde of man though infinite in desire yet is finite in capacitie Since I cannot hope to know all thinges I will labour first to knowe what I needes must for their vse next what I best may for their conuenience 65 Though time be precious to mee as all irreuocable good things deserue to be and of all other thinges I would not be lauish of it yet I will account no time lost that is either lent to or bestowed vpon my friend 66 I will honour good examples but I will liue by good precepts 67 As charity requires forgetfulnes of euil deedes so Patience requires forgetfulnes of euill accidentsâ— I will remember euills past to humble me not to vexe me 68 It is both a misery and a shame for a man to be a Banckrupt in loue which he may easily pay and bee neuer the more impouirished I will be in no mans debt for good will but wil at least returne euery man his owne measure if not with vsurie It is much better to be a Creditor then a Debter in anie thing but especially of this yet of this I will so be content to bee a debter that I will alwayes be paying it where I owe it and yet neuer will haue so payd it that I shall not owe it more 69 The Spanish prouerb is too true Dead men absent find no friends All mouthes are boldly opened with a conceite of impunity My â—are shall bee no graue to burie my friends good name But as I will bee my present friends selfe So I will bee my absent friends Deputie to say for him what he would and cannot speake for himselfe 70 The losse of my friend as it shall moderately grieue mee so it shall another way much benefit me in recompence of his want for it shal make mee thinke more often and seriously of earth and of heauen Of earth for his body which is reposed in it of Heauen for his soule which possesseth it before mee of earth to put me in mind of my like frailtie and mortality of Heauen to make mee desire and after a sort emulate his happines and glory 71 Varietie of obiects is wont to cause distraction when againe a little one layâ— close to the eye if but of a peny breadth wholy takes vp the sight which could else see the whole halfe Heauen at once I wil haue the eyes of my minde euer forestalled and filled with these two obiects the shortnes of my life eternity after death 72 I see that hee is more happy that hath nothing to leese then hee that looseth that which he hath I will therefore neither hope for riches nor feare pouerty 73 I care not so much in anything for multitude as for choyce Bookes friends I will not haue many I had rather â—eriouslv conuerse with a fewe then wander amongst many 74 The wicked man is a very coward and is afraide of euery thing of God because he is his enemie of Sathan because hee is his tormenter of Gods creatures because they ioyning with their Maker fight against him of himselfe because hee beares about him his owne accuser and executioner The godly man contrarily is afraid of nothngâ— not of GOD because hee knowes him his best friend and therefore will not hurt him not of Sathan because he cannot hurt him not of afflictions because he knowes they proceed from a louing God and end his owne good not of the creatures since the very stones of the field are in league with him not of himselfe since his conscience is at peace A wicked man may bee secure because he knowes not what hee hath to feare or desperate through extremitie of feare but truely courageous hee cannot be Faithlesnes cannot chuse but bee false hearted I will euer by my courage take tryall of my faith By howe much more I feare by so much lesse I beleeue 75 The godly man liues hardly and like the Ant toyles heere during the Sommer of his peace holding himselfe short of his pleasures as looking to prouide for an Winterâ— which when it comes hee is able to weare it out comfortably whereas the wicked man doth prodigally lash out all his ioyes in the time of his prosperitie and like the Grashopper singing merily all Sommer is starued in Winter I will so enioy the present that I wil lay vp more for heereafter 76 I haue wondred oft and blushed for shame to reade in meere Philosophers which had no other Mistresse but Nature such strange resolution in the contempt of both fortunes as they call them such notable precepts for a constant setlednes and tranquilitie of minde and to coÌ„pare it with my owne disposition and practise whom I haue found too much drouping and deiected vnder small crosses and easily againe carried away with little prosperitie To see such courage and strength to â—oÌ„temne death in those which thought they wholy perished in death and to finde such faint-hartednes in my selfe at the first coÌ„ceit of death who yet am throughlie perswaded of the future happines of my soule I haue that benefit of nature as well as they besides infinite more helpe that they wantedâ— Oh the dulnes blindnes of vs vnworthy Christians that suffer Heathens by the dimme Candle-light of Nature to goe further then wee by the cleare Sunne of the Gospellâ— that an indifferâ—nt man could not tell by our practise whether were the Pagan Let me neuer for shame account my selfe a Christian vnlesse my Art of Christianitie haue imitated and gone beyond nature so farre that I can finde the best heathen as farre belowe me in true resolution as the vulgar sort were belowe them Else I may shame Religion it can neither honest nor helpe me 77 If I wouâ—d bee irreligious vnconscionable I would make no doubt to bee rich for if a man will defraud dissemble forsweare bribe oppresse serue the time make vse of all men for his owne turne make no scruple of any wicked action for his aduantage I cannot see how he can escape wealth and preferment But for an vpright man to rise is difficult whiles his conscience straightly curbes him in from euery vniust action and will not alow him to aduance him selfe by indirect meanes So riches come seldome easily to a good man seldome hardly to the consciencelesse Happie is that man that can bee rich with truth or poore with coÌ„tentment I will not enuie the grauell in the vniust mans throte Of riches let me neuer haue more then an honest man can beare away 78 God is the God of order not of confusion As therefore in naturall thinges hee vses to proceede from one extreme to another by degrees through the meane so doth hee in spirituall The Sunne rises not an once to his highest from the darknes of mid-night but first sends forth some feeble glimmering of light in the dawning theÌ„ looks out with weak and waterish beames so by degrees
first are doubtfull since many haue recouered them both the last is certaine The two first are suddaine the last leasurely and deliberate As for all men vpon so many summons so especially for an old man it is a shame to bee vnprepared for death For where other see they may die hee sees hee must die I was long a-gone olde enough to dye but if I liue till age I will thinke my selfe too olde to liue longer 19 I will not care what I haue whether much or littâ—e 〈◊〉 If little my account shall bee the lesse If more I shall doo the more good and receiue the more glory 20 I care not for anie companion but such as may teach mee somewhat or learne somewhat of me Both these shall much pleasure me one as an agent the other as an subiect to worke vpon neither knowe I whether more for though it be an excellent thing to learne yet I learne but to teach others 21 If earth that is prouided for mortality and is possessed by the Makers enemies haue so much pleasure in it that Worâ—dlinges thinke it woorth the account of their heauen such a Sun to enlighten it such an heauen to wall it about such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it such variety of creatures for the commodious vse of it What must heauen needes be that is prouided for God himselfe his friends How can it be lesse in woorth then God is aboue his creatures and Gods friends better then his enemies I will not onely be content but desirous to bee dissoâ—ued 22 It is commonly sâ—ene that boldnes puts men forth before their time before their abilitie Wherein we haue seene many that like Lapwings and Partridges haue runne away with some part of their shel on their heads Whence it followes that as they began boldly so they proceede vnprofitably and conclude not without shame I would rather bee haled by force of others to great duties theÌ„ rush vpon them vnbidden It were better a man shouâ—d want work then that great workeâ— should want a manne aunswerable to theyr weight 23 I will vse my friends as Moses did his rodd While it was a rodd he helde it familiarly in his hand when once a Serpent hee ranne away from it 24 I haue seldome seene much oâ—tentation and much learning met together The Sunne rising and declining makes long shadowes at mid-day when hee is at highest none at all Besides that skill when it is too much showne looses the grace as fresh-coloured wares if they bee often opened leese their brightnesse and are soyled with much handling I had rather applaude my selfe for hauing much that I showe not then that others should appâ—aâ—d mee for showing more then I haue 25 An ambitious man is the greatest enemie to himselfe of any in the world besides For hee still tormentes himselfe with hopes and desiresâ— and cares which hee might auoid if he would remit of the height of his thoughts and liue â—â—ietly My onely ambition shall bee to bee in Gods fauour on earth to be a Saint in heauen 26 There was neuer good thing easily comne by The heathen man could say God sels knowledge for sweat and so he doth honour for ieopardie Neuer anie man hath got either wealth or learning with easeâ— Therfore the greatest good must needs be most difficult How shall I hope to get Christ if I take no paines for him and if in all other thinges the difficultie of obtayning whets the mind so much the more to seeke why should it in this alone daunt mee I will not care what I doo what I suffer sâ— I may winne Christ If men can endure such cutting such lancing searing of their bodies to protract a miserable life yet a while longer what pain shouâ—d I refuse for eternity 27 Iâ— I die the world shal misse mee but a little I shall misse it lesse Not it mee because it hath such store of better men Not I it because it hath so much ill I shal haue so much happines 28 Two thinges make a man set by Dignitie and Desert amongst fooles the first without the second is sufficient Amongst wise men the second without the first Let mee deserue well though I be not aduaunced The Conscience of my woorth shall cheere me more in others contempt then the approbation of others can coÌ„fort meâ— against the secret checke of my owne vnworthines 29 The best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects that they cannot be coÌ„municated to others For where patrimonie vulgar accâ—unt of honour follow the blood in many generations vertue is not traduced in propagation nor learning bequeathed by our will to our heires least the giuers shouâ—d waxe proud and the receiuers negligent I wil account nothing my owne but what I haue gotten nor that my owne because it is more of gift then desert 30 Then onely is the Church most happy when Truth and Peace kisse each other and theÌ„ miserable when either of them balke the way or when they meete and kisse not For truth without peace is turbulent and peace without truth is secure iniustice thogh I loue peace well yet I loue mayne truthes better and though I loue all truthes well yet I had rather conceale a small truth then disturbe a coÌ„mon Peace 31 An in-discreete good action is little better theÌ„ a discreet mischiefe for in this the doer wrongs onely the patient but in that other the wrong is done to the good action for both it makes a good thing odious as many good tales are mar'd in telling besides it preiudiceâ— a future oportunity I wil rather let passe a good gale of wind and stay still on the shore then launch forth wheÌ„ I know the wind wil be coÌ„trary 32 The world teaches me that it is madnes to leaue behinde mee those goods that I may carrie with mee Christianitie teaches mee that what I charitably giue aliue I carrie with me dead and experience teaches me that what I leaue behind I leese I will carie that treasure with mee by giuing it which the worldling looseth by keeping it so while his corps shal carie nothing but a winding-cloath to his graue I shal be richer vnder the earth theÌ„ I was aboue it 33 Euery worldling is an hypocrite for while his face naturally lookes vpward to heauen his hart grouels beneath on the earth yet if I would admit of any discord in the inward outward parts I would haue an heart that should looke vp to heauen in an holy contempâ—ation of the things aboue and a countenance cast downe to the earth in humiliation this only dissimilitude is pleasing to God 34 The heart of man is a short word a small substance yet great in capacitie yea so infinite in desire that the round Globe of the world cannot fill the three corners of it when it desires more and cries Giue Giue I will set it ouer to that infinite good where the more it hath it may