liue sufficiently To liue long wee haue need of fate to liue sufficiently a minde Life is long if it be full and it is full when the mind hath gotten the maisterie oâ— good and into its owne hands power over it selfe What availe a man 80. yeares passed in sluggishnesse Such a man hath not lived but made a stay in life nor is he late dead but long He hath lived 80. yeares all the matter iâ— from what day you count his death He hath lived 80. yeares rather he hath beene 80. yeares vnlesse you meane he hath lived so as trees are said to liue Let vs not measure our life by time but facts As in little stature a perfect man may be so in a little terme of time a perfect life may be Age is an externall thiâ—g how long I am is anothers but how long I am good is mine To liue vnto wisedome is the space of mosâ— ample life Idem lib. 1. de tranquilitate vitaâ— cap. 10. There is no viler thing then an aged ould man that hath no other argument buâ— yeares to proue that he hath lived long Lin. 21. IT SHALL PLEASE GOD TO APPOINT Man purposeth and God disposeth Therfore saith S. Iames the Apostle Epist cap. 4. Say if our Lord will or if we liue we will doe this or that because we know not what shall be to morrow So the soule bee safe it is no great matter where the bodie lye many a holy bodie lyeth in the sea many burned to askes many devoured by wild beasts c. Yet every man ought so much to esteeme of Christian buriall as he ought to seeke for it by all lawfull meanes and is bound to ordaine as providently as he can and a good reason why is giuen in the leafe here before out of S. Maximus Pag. 17. § 2. RVFVLL DECAY OF THE CATHOLIKE RELIGION Begunne in England by Henrie 8. breaking obedience with the sea of Rome by act of Parlament 1533. and made more full by Q. Elizabeth AS A TRVE FATHER A true father is he that according to the law of nature provideth for those whom he hath gotten into the world not only bodily but spiritually which law is so firmely engraffed in nature as it needs no expresse law writteÌ„ to command it as the children haue to honours their parents the care of providing corporally for childreÌ„ is in some pareÌ„ts over much and the provision for their soules the chief part too little These are not true fathers that care not to leaue to their children a true inheritance but false fathers leaving inheritaÌ„ce of false riches such as vvhen they haue slept their sleepe they shall find nothing in their hands The true father hath his principall care to instruct his children in the law of God that as not only the earthly goods but celestiall doctrines vvere by his forefathers delivered to him so he keeping them in the customes and maners of his life deliver the same to his posteritie at his death The sonnes most commonly follow the steps of their fathers and thinke all lawful to doe that they see them vse Great is the obligation of parents in the education of their children Ioan. 5.19 The sonne can doe nothing of himselfe but vvhat he seeth his father doe for vvhatsoever he doth the sonne likevvise doth Isaias 38. Mat. 10.32 Marck 8.38 Luc. 9.26 12 8. Pag. 18. § 3. BE IT KNOWNE TO THEM AND TO ALL THE WORLD The father to his children shall notifie thy truth Every one thaâ— shall confesse me before men I vvilâ— also confesse him before my Father vvhich is in heaven And he that shalâ— denie me before men I vvill also denie him before my Father vvhich is in heaven S. Aug. serm 181. de tempore Vide supra §. â— by faith confessing Tom. 10. Heb. 11. Sine fide Without faith it is impossible to please God this faith he acknowledgeth in our hearts that searcheth reines and hearts but for conserving of the Churches vnitie for the dispensation of this time with faith of heart is also necessarie confession of mouth because vvith the heart vve beleeue to iustice and vvith mouth vve make confession to salvation not only of preachers but also of those that are instructed Otherwise one brother of another could not have notice nor the Churches peace be conserved nor one teach another nor learne of another necessarie things to salvation vnlesse vvhat he hath in his heart with signes of voice as it were with certaine chariots he sent to the hearts of others Faith is therfore both to be kept in the heart and brought forth with the mouth for faith is the foundation of all good things and beginning of humane salvation without this no man can come to the number of the sonnes of God and without it neither doth he obtaine the grace of iustification in this world nor shall he possesse life everlasting in the world to come And if one walke not by faith he shall not come to vision The holy Apostles having regard to this delivered a certaine rule of faith which according to the Apostolicall number comprehended in 12. sentences they called the symbole by which the beleevers might hould the Catholike vnitie and by which they might convince hereticall praviâ—ie c. A MEMBER OF CHRISTS TRVE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH Signes of the true Church are that it is one holy Catholike and Apostolike therfore he adioyneth OVT OF THE VNITIE AND FELLOWSHIP WHEROF THERE NEVER WAS NOR IS NOR CAN BE SALVATION No more then was for those that were without the arke of Noe. The true Church can be but one in as much as truth is one and can be but one errour manifold and in a manner infinite A man that going a iourney bent to one place if he leaue the right way which can be but one it is no more matter which way he take of so many wayes as lie round about him for in all he erreth and shall not come to the place intended because he hath left the way that only leades therunto Aug. serm 181. de teÌ„pore prope finem Tom. 10 Symbol Apost The holy Catholike Church It is to be knowne that we must beleeue the Church and not beleeue in the Church because the Church is not God but the house of God Catholike he saith diffused over all the whole world because the Churches of diverse Heretiks are therfore not called Catholike because they be contained in places every one in their owne Provinces but this even froÌ„ the Sun rising to the setting of the same is diffused with the splendour of one faith There are no greater riches no treasures no honours no greater substance of this world then is the Catholike faith which saveth men sinners illuminateth the blind cureth the infirme baptizeth CathecumeÌ„s iustifieth the faithfull repayreth penitents augmenteth the iust crowneth martyrs ordeyneth clerks consecrateth Priests prepareth for the kingdome of heaven and in the everlasting
hence which even now are vnlooked for and yet at hand and are to want all remedie for ever the day must be prevented which is wont to prevent vs. He seduceth himselfe and playeth with his death that thinketh thus the indulgence of the last houre may helpe me securitie promissed at the last day is most perilous Then againe it is a most foolish thing to commit vnto the vnprofitable extremitie of the now faliing life that cause which treateth of eternall necessities It is odious before God when a man sinneth more freely through confidence of pennance that he will doe in oulde age Beleeue me my dearest it is a difficult thing for craftie dissimulation of ordering a mans end to be found worthie to obtaine perdon with that interpreter of the heart there wilâ— be admitted no arte to salvation But that blessed theefe of whom we haue spoken did neither wittingly deferre the time of his salvation nor with vnluckie fraude put the remedies of his state in the last moments nor reserue the hope of his redemption to the last of desperation Before that time he neither knew Christ nor Religion which if he had knowne he had beene perchance amongst the Apostles not the last in the number who became the first in the kingdome In this therfore he pleased God at the last because to the obtayning of the faith that was not the last houre but the first Necessarie therfore it is that by daily acts a man provide for himselfe and procure his consummation it is necessarie that all our life be such in conversation as we may deserue to be free in the end Thincking incessantly vpon the day of our passage and the time of iudgement Admit thou hast at last both health and memorie thou art not sure the grace shall then be offered which often offered thou hast refused Thou that despisest Isaia 33. Eccles 7.40 shalt thou not also be despised Remember in all thy words thy last things and thou wilt not sinne for ever Hieron Epist ad Paulin. in fine tom 3. Aug. serm 10 de Sanctis tom 1â— He will contemne all things with ease that alwaies thinketh how he is to die If men would alwaies beare their day of death in minde they would restraine the same from all covetousnesse or malice But that which wholsomly now they will not thinke vpon necessarily hereafter without all remedie they shall sustaine For the last day will come vpon them the day of iudgement will come when neither it shall be lawfull for them to doe pennance nor can they by good works redeeme themselves from everlasting death then with such deepe thought the sinner is strooken as dying he forgets himselfe who whilest he lived did forget his God They that were hired to the vineyard Aug. de verb. Domini serm 59. tom 10. when the father of the familie went out and hired for examples sake those that he found the third houre did they say vnto him expect we will not goe thither till the sixth or those that hee found the sixt houre did they say we will not goe till the ninth or those that he found the ninth houre did they say we will not goe till the eleventh for he will giue all alike and wherfore shall we wearie our selves more then the rest What he is to giue and what he wil doe is in his owne power the counsell is to himselfe doe thou come when thou art called for equall reward is promised to all but about the houre of working there is a great question for if they for examples sake that were called at the sixth houre constitute in that age of bodie when the youthfull yeares are fervent as at the sixt houre it is hot if those young men called should say expect for we haue heard in the Gospell that all shall receiue one reward we will come at eleven when wee be old being to receiue alike wherfore shall we labour it would be answered them and said wilt thou not labour that knowest not whether thou shalt liue to be old thou art called at the sixth houre come the father of the familie indeed hath promised thee thy pennie if thou come even at eleven but whether thou shalt liue till the seventh houre no bodie hath promissed thee I do not say till the eleventh but till the seventh Wherfore then doest thou put off and deferre him that calleth thee being certaine of thy wages and vncertaine of the day Looke â—o it lest perhaps what by promise he is to giue thee thou by deferring take froÌ„ thy self If a man doe pennance when he hath power to sinne and while he liveth correct his life from all crime there is no doubt but that dying he passeth vnto everlasting rest But he that living wickedly doâ—h pennance only in perill of death as his damnation is vncertaine so is his remission doubtfull He therfore that in death desireth to be certaine of indulgence let him doe pennance while he is sound let him sound and in health bewaile his passed heinous facts Isidorus lib. 2. de summo bono cap. 13. If any one being now in the last extremitie of sicknesse will and doth accept of pennance and immediatly is reconciled and departâ—th hence I confesse to you we denie him not what he asketh but we presume not that he departeth hence well I do not presume I deceiue you not I do not presume The faithfull living well departeth hence secure he that was baptized but an houre before departeth hence secure he that doth pennance and is reconciled while he is in health and after liveth well departeth hence secure he that doth pennance at the last and is reconciled whether he depart hence secure I am not secure Aug. lib. 50. hom 41. In vaine doth he powre out his prayers before the tribunall of Christ who neglecteth the time of pennance given him Aug. serm 71. ad fratres in eremo Integritie of the mind and not health of bodie is required in the testatour at that time when he maketh his testament Digest lib. 28. tit 1. Gen. 47 â— SHORT PILGRIMAGE Iacob said to Pharao The dayes of the yeares of my Pilgrimage are 130. yeares short and bad haue the dayes of the yeares of my life beene and they haue not reached to the dayes of the the yeares of my ancestours liues in the dayes of their Pilgrimages By way of malediction was mans life first cut from the ordinarie length of 500. or in some 900. and stinted to 120. Gen. 6.3 Psal 89 The dayes of our yeares in themselves are 70. yeares And if in able men they bee 80. yeares what is aboue that is labour and griefe Psal 38 Behould thou hast set my dayes measurable how short is our life that is to be measured not the dayes of it only but the houres but the moments not by the divine or Angelicall science alone but by everie man that hath but a little tasted of Arithmetike Well may
age doe oftentimes diminish oftentimes quite abolish the necessarie vse of reason in a man at that time when most of all he should haue it at his end when he is to dispose of his house his earthly in habitation leaue the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastes 〈◊〉 Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy elections before the evill dayes doe come and the yeares lay hold on thee of which thou mayest say I haue no will in them The dayes of elections the vulgate calleth the dayes of youth as wherin a man hath most vigor to extend his hand to fire or water and choose good or evill and the dayes in which we haue no will is the time of dotage when a mans actions are scarcely humane or the dayes of infirmitie sicknesse which the vulgate calleth the dayes that please vs not Greater madnesse can not be then to deferre the thing that most concerneth and that of necessitie we must doe vntill such time as we be most vnable to doe it as if a man that were to carrie an hundred weight should let it alone when he were strong with purpose to beare it when he were fainting through feeblenesse yet such is the want of reason in many men as they deferre and putt off not onely the disposing of worldly goods but even the profession of their faith or conversion to God by pennance good life vntill they be hardly able to exercise any act of life Let vs not saith S. Augustine Aug. 1. de salutarib documentiâ— cap. 39. Tom. 4. so secure our selves of Gods mercie as to heape sinne vpon sinne nor say while we be in the vigour of our age let vs exercise our concupiscences and at last in old age we will doe pennance for our evils because our Lord is pious and mercifull and will no more remember our crimes Let vs not I beeseech you thinke so for thus to thinke is follie in the highest degree being it is impious for any man to will to haue such licence from God whereof the very beginning is to separate vs from God therfore I say let vs not thinke of such things being we know not what day we are to die for no man living knoweth the day of his departure All die not in ould age but in diverse ages they depart out of this world and in what acts soever a man is found in the same shall he be iudged when the soule goeth out of the bodie for the Psalmist saith no man shall confesse thee in hell Let vs therfore make haste to be converted to pennance c. Come hither mad man the disposing of soule and bodie which thou hast at thine owne will is it a worke to be done in time of sicknesse which time yet thou art not sure to haue or in ould age of which thou hast as little certaintie or rather a worke that requireth health and strength of bodie with perfect vse of all the powers of thy soule Age and sicknesse thou saiest will force a man to looke about him How Alas shall then that habit come vpon thee of which there hath beene no precedent act thou art habituated in deferring and that habit will still follow thee thou wilt yet deferre and if for ever thou couldest deferre for ever thou wouldest not serue God of whom it is yet doubtfull whether he will accept of this thy last will which was never to giue God but â—he last and that is now rather necessitie â—hen will and in it thou seekest not God â—ut thy selfe because thou fearest to be â—ost for ever Seneca in Agamennone Seneca epist 32 Bernardus sermo 10 in psal qui habitat Aug. epist 13â— How miserable a thing it is not to know to die how goodly a â—hing it is before death to consummate life â—nd then secure to expect the rest of our â—ime Being in agonie thou wilt doe as commonly the afflicted vse repute it the â—ighest felicitie to be exempted from those molestations and iudge it the greatest beatitude to want that miserie wheras that temporall molestation ought rather â—o admonish vs how we should thinke of that life wherin we may liue without anie labour escaping not the turmoiling anguish of a little time but â—he horrible paines of everlasting fire for if we now deale with so much care â—o great intention and such labour â—hat we fall into no transitorie vexaâ—ion how much more solicitous should we be to avoide everlasting miseries And if death that finisheth temporall â—abour be so feared how is that to â—e feared that casteth vs into neverâ—nding sorrowes and if the foule and â—hort delights of this life be so loâ—ed how much more vehemently are the pure and infinite ioyes of the world to come to be sought after then in the time of youth and health and not of crazie old age Sicknesse comming on a maâ— seeketh only how to get ease which had he is then as farre to seeke as before in thaâ— conversion which before he pretended While we haue time saith the Apostle leâ— vs doe good he that deferreth sinneth ever in as much as if he should never leaue to liue he would never leaue to sinne and perchance that is the sinne to death wheroâ— S. Iohn Epist 1. c. 5. Tom. 3. cap. 71. I say not that any man pray for such an one Among the sentences of S. Augustinâ— is this The remedies of conversion to God are not with any delayes to be deferred leâ— the time of correction perish by our sloth for he that to the penitent hath promiseâ— indulgence hath not to the dissembler promised to morrowes day Life is not mucâ— worth Aug. de Temp. Serm. 120. if a man liue to no other end buâ— that in the few yeares of this life whicâ— with a short end is to be cut off he heap vp to himselfe eternall paines to last without end But lest any one become too securâ— or wax remisse by the felicitie of such newâ— credulitie lest perchance any one doe say in his heart let not my guilty conscience sâ— farre gripe and trouble me nor my culpablâ— life so farre contristate me I see in a momeÌ„t â— see in a small space of time the good theefs â—rimes forgiven him c. First in that â—heefe is to be considered not only the â—ompendiousnesse of his credulitie but his devotion but the occasion of that time wherin those things were done in which â—ven the perfection of the iust is said to haue beene shaken Then shew me first the â—heefs faith and after promise thy selfe the â—heefs beatitude the divell casteth in secuâ—itie that he may draw on perdition It cannot be numbred how many this shadow of vaine hope hath deceived Let I beseech you the innumerable companie of people vnder colour of such securitie taken out of this life voide of all good full of all evill deterre vs from this persuasion By daily fearing the vncertaintie of our passage and departure
1.10 Apoc. 22.11 Which places makâ— also against sole faith 1. Cor. 15.58 Pag. 21. § 8. lin 4 TEACHING HEâ— ALL TRVTH Ioannes 14.16 16.13 Lin. 6. GATES OF HELL Mat. 16.18 Lin. 10. ANGELS OF LIGHT Aâ— Gal. 1.8 But although we or an Angel from heaven evangelize to you another thing besides that we haue evangelized to youâ— Anathema Idem 2. Cor. 11.13 Lin. 11 DELICACIE OF WORLDLâ— MENS DELIGHTS Contrarie to thâ— delights of good men who renouncing thâ— world haue fixed their delight in God Oâ— such the Apostle warned his Disciple 2. Tim. 3. Know that in the last dayes therâ— shâ—ll be dangerous times and there shall bâ— men loving themselves covetous loftie proude blasphemous disobeying Parents vngratefull wicked without affection without peace laying crimes vpon others incontinent rude without benignitie traitours sawcie puffed vp and lovers of pleasures more then of God having the appearance of pietie but denying the vertue therof Avoide these Lin. 17. FORTIE OR FIFTIE YEARES Luther fell from the Catholike Church anno 1517. Yet there was no publike profession of Lutheranisme or libertie so soone Pag. 22. lin 5. A CITIE SET VPON AN HILL Mat. 5.14.15 Where also of the light of it and Marc. 4.21 Luc. 11.33 Pag. 22. lin 12. THIRTEENE HVNDRED YEARES England first received the Christian religion from Ioseph â—b Arimathia that buried Christ and came after into England preached there the Gospell and baptized them that beleeued as Gildas Sapiens wrighteth Venerable Bede Polydore Vergill and others And Baronius at the yeare of our Lord 35. num 3. But more fully it was converted 180. yeares after Christ in the reigne of King Lucius by S. Fugatius and S. Damian sent thither from Rome by Eleutherius Pope And also 400. yeares after that by S. Augustine and his fellowes sent thither by S. Gregorie the great about the yeare 600. Pag. 22. § 9. I HOLD AND BELEEVE ALL THAT THE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into the house nor say to him God saue you 2. Ioan. 1. Ambrose He denyeth Chrâ—st that confesseth not all things that are Christs Hilarius It becommeth the ministers of truth to professe true things Aug. lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 39. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that every Heretike or Schismatike baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost if he be not aggregated to the Catholike Church how many almesdeeds soever he doe although he shed his bloud for the name of Christ can by no meanes be saved For to every man that holdeth not the vnitie of the Catholike Church neither Baptisme nor Almes how copious soever it be nor death for the name of Christ vndergone can be of any value to salvation as long as he persevereth in that hereticall or schismaticall pravitie which leadeth vnto death Cap. 40. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that not all which are baptized within the Catholike Church shall receiuâ— life everlasting but they which having received baptisme do liue a right that is whâ— haue abstained them from the vices anâ— concupiscences of the flesh For the kingdome of Heaven as Infidels Heretikes and Schismatikes shall not haue it 〈◊〉 wicked Catholikes can never possesse it Vincentius Lyrenensis He is a true and naturall Catholike that loveth the truth oâ— God the Church the bodie of Christ who before the divine religion before the Catholike faith preferreth nothing not the authoritie of any man not loue nor wit nor eloquence nor Philosophie but despising all these and there remaining fixed and steedfast whatsoever vniversally from all antiquitie he knoweth the Catholike Church to haue holden that only he decreeth with himselfe to hold and beleeue and whatsoever afterward he perceiveth new and vnheard of to haue beene introduced by any one otherwise then all or contrarie to all the Saints that he vnderstandeth to appertaine not to Religion but rather to temptation Lin. 4. GODLY CEREMONIALL RIGHTS He that will condemne the ceremonies of Gods Church let him first trie if he can himselfe leade a humane life amongst civill men â—ithout all ceremonie let him separate all substance from his accidents and see whether it be worth the looking vpon As in accidents there is difference and some make the substance to be better accepted then others for examples sake in colour in savour c. So ceremonies doe according as they are better or worse set out the substance of the thing wherabout they be vsed What is any artificers worke although according to the substantiall part it be wholly finished vnlesse iâ— be also polite As God gaue to his people iâ— the old law precepts Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall so in the new testament there are Doctrine Sacraments with their ceremonies and Discipline Deut. 6. Keepe the precepts of thy Lord God the testimonies and ceremonies which he hath commanded thee Lin. 13. CONTINVALL PRAYER Luc. 18. Wee must alwaies pray and never faile Psalm 118. Psal 5. VtinaÌ„ dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendas iustificationes tuas Dirige Domine Deus meus in coÌ„spectu tuo viam meam Be instant in prayer watching therin with thanks-giving Coloss 4.2 Pray without intermissioÌ„ 1. Thess 5.17 Psalm 24. Dirige me in veritate tua doce me ...... dirige me in semitam rectam 89. Opus manuum nostrarum dirige Pag. 23. § 10. FROM A RESOLVTE HEART No temptation doth so soone seaze or overthrow him that is well resolved and constantly settled in his minde as it doth him that is doubtfull and wavering 2. Cor. 8.12 If the will be prompt according to what it hath it is accepted The works of our will that spring immediately from it cannot suffer violence from any power but in those workes or acts that are of other powers commanded by the will shee may suffer violence S. Thomas 1. 2. Q. 6. A. 4. Violence Feare Concupiscence Ignorance c. May assaile the will but cannot overcome it to cause it doe a thing for that no agent in his action can be compelled Violence and feare may diminish and make an act lesse voluntarie Concupiscence ofter encreasseth and maketh it more voluntarie Ignorance maketh it not to be voluntarie but not involuntarie or against ones will He that doth but foresee the dangers is lesse strooken by the dint of them Heb. 13 9. The best thing saith the Apostle is to establish the heart with grace And Ecclesiastic 2.1 Comming to the service of God stand in iustice and feare and prepare thy soule for temptation Our wavering mind addeth forces to the temptation Prosper 3. de vita contemplativa Every man vntill by certaine definition he confirme himselfe in that he hath chosen being as it were in a forked way of vncertaine deliberation is torne in peeces by the very diversitie of wills Vertue exhorteth and provoketh a man that all ambiguitie of definition deposed he vndertake
his spirituâ—ll purpose tha h confide not in his owne possibilitie but in the miseration of our Lord to persever in the labour of his conflict vndertaken 1. Thess 5.24 He is faithfull that hath called you who also will doe it Esai 40.31 They that hope in our Lord shall change their strength they shall assume wings like Eagles they shâ—ll runne and not labour they shall walke and not faint Pag. 24. lin 6. AFFECTION OF WIFE OR CHILDREN Luc. 14.26 If any one come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters and moreover his owne soule he can not be my disciple Idem Matth. 10.37 Pag. 25. § 11. By COVNTRIE FARRE DIVIDED Shee being of Acton by Long Melforde in the countie of Southfolke TRVE GENEROSITIE Seneca lib. de moribus The nobilitie of the mind is the generositie of the sense The nobilitie of bodie a generous minde NOT IGNOBLE Evill nobilitie it is that by pride maketh a man ignoble before God Aug. serm 127. de tempore Summa ingenuitas ista est in qua servitus Christi comprobatur Off. Agath 5. Feb. Pag. 25. § 12. lin 6. EDWARD THE FIRST This was the sonne of Henry the third King of England and beganne his raigne the 16. of November 1272. the same day that his father dyed Pag. 26. § 13. lin 8. lin 11. HENRIE THE 8. By the death of his father King Henrie the 7. began to raigne the 22. of Aprill 1509. Of one Arthur Plantagenet there is mention in Stovv at the fourth yeare of this King anno 1513. Pag. 27. § 14. FORCED TO GIVE OVER In suites of Law it is not enough to haue a iust cause or good title but a man must haue a good head vnderstanding and insight in the lawes abilitie and strength of body to follow the suite by ones selfe and aboue all other things a good purse that will never be drawne drie Quam praestat pro Deo renuntiasse mundo Matt. â— 40 Auferenti tunicam dimisisse pallium Pag. 28. § 15. GOD FORGIVE THEM Pater dimitte illis He prayeth for his enemies according to that Matth. 5.44 Loue your enemies wish well to those that curse you doe good to those that hate yee and pray for those that persecute and reproach yee Idem Luc. 6.28 ad Rom. 12.14 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for iustice because theirs is the Kingdome of heaven You are blessed when they shall curse you and shall persecute yee and speake all evill against yee for me lying against the truth Matth. 5.10 Idem Luc. 6.22 If sinning and beaten yee suffer what glorie is that but if doing well yee sustaine patiently this is grace with God 1. Pet. 2.20 3.14 4.14 Pag. 29. lin 20. I LEAVE IN MODESTIE TO SPEAKE OF If I presume to speake a little I hope I shall not sin against modestie â— Cor. 12.6 Veritatem enim dicam First for his Eloquence he was esteemed where he was knowne for an other Cicero and so much grace was in his speeche as therewith he was able presently to appease whatsoever tumult or commotion risen among the people In his yonger yeares when Queene Elizabeth came in progresse to Worcester he made there an oration before her at the request of the citie for which they gaue him 20. pounds The Queene commanded also to giue him a reward but Sir Robert Dudley making answere Madame he is a Papist he Lost that reward Alwaies going in circuit with the Iudges of Worcestershiere he employed the spare time he had in visiting the prisons speaking with every of the prisoners in particular exhorting them and giving them counsell how to answere in their owne causes the best way for their good and giving them encouragement Those that by their cause he saw would receiue sentence of death he would both before and after dispose to die in the most Christian maÌ„ner and if he saw any good to be done and that a Priest were to be had without imminent danger they should not want him according to his abilitie he would also releeue them with his worldly goods For many yeares after his death if any thing were done in the commonwealth against iustice in commutation or distribution no other voice was heard among the people then this alone things were not thus when M. r Bel was living nor would not be if now he lived Briefly I may iustly returne vpon him all those commendations which he giveth Sir Iohn Throkmarton in the § 16. Pag. 29. For he had in himselfe whatsoever he required in his children or commended in his friends Pag. 31. § 17. lin 5. TOWARDS GOD SO RELIGIOVS Rightly doth he call her Religious that did not coÌ„tent herselfe with exercise of ordinarie perfection but aspired to the proper exercises of religious professioÌ„ delighting in the abnegation of her selfe and corporall austerities and in the same instructing her children being so much given to prayer as besides the office of our B. Lady of the Dead the Graduall and Penitentiall Psalmes Hymnes Litanies Office of the holy Ghost and H. Crosse prayers of the Manuall which were her daily exercise in the time of lent she would never sleepe before shee had read over the whole Passion of our Saviour according to one of the 4. Evangelists in Latin which she vnderstood well Living many yeares a widow with all the care of a great familie Shee meditated notwitstanding continually the Law of God reading also with licence of her ghostly father the new Testament with the Rhemes notes Sir Thomas Mores workes and other bookes of Controversies verie much by which shee often defended the Catholike faith against the hereticall Ministers that would come to dissuade her from it but found her ever immoveable as a Rock Ecclesiastic 26. Everlasting foundations vpon a solid rocke the Commands of God in the heart of a holy woman Whose prayse in holy Scripture is manifold Prouerb 11.16 A gracious woman shall get glorie 12.4 A woman of vertue is a crowne to her housband 14.1 A wise woman buildeth vp her house and 31.30 The woman that feareth God shall be praysed 18.22 He that hath found a good wife hath found a great good and shall get good will of our Lord. Ecclesiastic 25.11 Blessed is he that dwelleth with a prudent woman 26.1 Blessed is the man of a good woman and double is the number of his dayes The gift of God is a woman silent and prudent and no change is to be given for a well instructed soule 16. Grace aboue Grace is a modest faithfull woman and no weight is worth her continent soule The Sunne rising in the highest of Our Lord and the beautie of a good woman in the ornament of her house 7.26 The woman that honoreth her owne man shal appeare wise before all Depart not from a wise good womaÌ„ for her grace is aboue gold 25.1 Beautifull before God and before men The concord
a. 6. Plato in Tymaeo The soule that often and with greatest intention contemplateth divine things with such nourishment waxeth so strong and able to get out as it over-groweth the bodie and overgoeth it more then the nature of the bodie is able to beare and with the most vehement tossings therof doth sometimes as it were fly out of it or as it were seeme to dissolve it Marsilius Ficinus de studiosorum sanitate tuenda lib 1. cap. 4. S. Bernard serm 52. de modo bene viuendi When in the sight of God thou singest Psalmes and Hymnes handle that in thy minde which thou singest with thy voice Let thy mind agree with thy voice let it accord with thy tongue doe not thinke one thing and sing another If thou sing one thing in thy mind and another in thy voice thou loosest the fruit of thy labour If thy bodie stand in the Church and thy minde wander abroade thou loosest thy reward Whence it is said This people honoureth me with their lippes and their heart is farre from me But as the Apostle saith I wil sing in spirit I will sing also in mind I will sing with mouth and heart Good therfore it is alwaies to pray God with mind It is also good with sound of voice and Hymnes and Psalmes and spirituall Cantikles to gloriefie God Idem in meditationib c. 8. Ineffable is the dignation of the Diuine bountie that daily seeth vs wretches averting our eares hardening our hearts and nevertelesse calleth vnto vs Isaias 46. Psal 45. saying Returne prevaricatours to the heart take heed looke to it for I am God In the Psalme God speaketh to me and I to him and yet when I say a Psalme I attend noâ— whose Psalme it is Therfore I doe greaâ— iniurie to God when I pray him to heare my prayer hich I that make it doe noâ— heare I pray him to attend to me and I doâ— neither attend to my selfe nor him buâ— which worse is tossing vnprofitable and vncleane things in my heart I cast a horrible stinke before his face Franciscus Georgius Harmonia Cant. 3. modul 20. Whâ—n vâ—e come once to the first highest we must rest goe no farther because farther then the highest nothing can be giveÌ„ hereof Ieremias Shee shall sit solitarie hold her peace because shee hath elevated her selfe aboue her selfe Psal 4. And David In peace in the thing it selfe wil I sleepe and rest and againe Psalm 65. vulgat 64. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silence is thy prayse God in Syon Which said shee must be silent because shee is now come to the place where silence is because there every one becommeth inward and most inward with the highest so that forgetting all exteriour things and separate from them all shee hath none to vvhom shee may speake coÌ„versing only vvith him before vvhom there is no speech required because he beholdeth all things and withall because shee beholdeth and is delighted with those things which if she would she cannot expresse hence therfore she must be silent vnlesse by the command of her Prince shee manifest something to inferiours according to the capacitie of them that are to receiue it for their profit As S. Dionys saith of the Angels That they be declarers of the divine sileÌ„ce as cleere lights interpreting that which is in secret c. Pag. 36. lin 7. INPRISONMENT IN AN INNOCENT CAVSE Non poena sed causa As death in an innocent cause maketh a Martyr so imprisonment and other sufferings in like cause maketh a Confessour in whose number I am verie confident in the goodnesse of God I may place the Author of this Testament who not onely in death but all his life and in everie occasion hath confessed Christ and his Church with constancie and perseverance S. Max. hom 59 2. de S. Eusebio And the caution of the Divine word Praise not a man in his life is as it were a command to Praise him after life Praise him after his consummation Pag. 37. § 21. lin 9. YOVR SEVERALL CALLINGS He speaketh of states by which men are setled in the world to become apt members in the bodie of the common-wealth as Governours or Magistrates Doctors in Theologie Law Medicine or Practitioners in any of the sciences or liberall artes Religious in any of the Regular Orders that serue the common-wealth in Preaching administring Sacraments Sacrifices Prayers Comforting the afflicted disposing to life everlasting the dying and all works of mercie in any of the severall states of the Plebeians or the Mechanike arts whatsoever and not alone of those that the Prince-Apostles speake of vocation to the faith 2. Pet. 1.10 Doe your endeavour brothers more and more by good works to make sure your calling and election Et Ephes 4. I beseech you walke worthily in the vocation wherin you are called c. Yet of the former callings S. Paul seemeth to haue admonished 1. Cor. 7.20 Every one in what vocation he is called in the same let him remaine Thou art called to be a servant let it not trouble thee but if thou cannest become a free-man doe in Gods name He that in our Lord is called a servant is our Lords freeman And he that is called to be a free man is the servant of Christ Pag. 37. § 22. lin 6. TIME AN ENEMIE TO THE THRIFT OF A DISTRESSED CONSCIENCE Riches that are seldome gotten together with a good conscience are with more danger of detriment to the conscience gotten together in short time Matth. 19. A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heaven id Marc. 10. And Luc. 6. Woe be to you rich men Whence the Apost 1. Tim 6.17.18 Command the rich men of this world to giue easily Every rich man is either vniust or the heire of some vniust man Hieronym lib. 2. in Ierem. cap. 5. paulo ante finem epist ad Hedibiam q. 1. in medio All riches descend from iniquitie and vnlesse one man loose another cannot finde whence that common saying seemeth to me most true That every rich man is either vniust or the heire of one vniust B. Laurent Iustinian said that riche men could not be saved but by Almesdeeds We burne in Avarice and disputing against money lay open our lappes to gold and nothing is enough for vs. What is said of the Megarens may well be applyed to the miserable churles They build as if they were to liue ever they liue as if they should die the next day Hieron ad Geront de monogamia Tom. 1. Not he that little hath but he that much coveteth is poore Seneca lib. de paupertate No man liveth so poore as he was borne Seneca lib. de providentia divina Children of Adam a covetous and ambitious kind hearken What haue you to doe with earthly riches and temporall glorie which neither are indeed nor are yours gold and silver is it not earth red and white which only mans error maketh or rather reputeth pretious
it not depart from truth Let not thy speech be vaine but let it either persuade or moue or comfort or command Praise sparingly dispraise more sparingly for overmuch praise is as reprehensible as immoderate dispraise that is suspected of flatterie this of evill nature or malignitie Seneca lib. de 4. virtutibus Loue silence where much speech is there is oftentimes lying where lying there is sinne The speech sheweth what the man is In the mouth of the Priest or Religious let never any word be wherin the name of Christ soundeth not Tom. 4. epist Euseb ad Damas de morte Hieronymi in medio WITH DISCRETION Coloss 4.6 Your speech alwaies gracious with a graine of salt that you may know how to answere every man Yong man speake when there is need of thee if thou be twice asked let thine answer haue a head Ecclesiastic 32.9 According to the septuagint Bring thy answer to a briefe suÌ„me or answere coÌ„pendiously Vse thy eares ofter then thy tongue and whatsoever thou art to say say to thy selfe before thou say it to others Seneca lib. de moribus § 42. BE NOT CVRIOVS Nothing is sweeter to men then to speake oâ— other mens things and to haue care of other mens matters chiefly if it chance that they be prevented with loue or hatred towards some from whom alwaies the truth is hidden or at least obscured Greg. Naz. in Apolog. Only obserue thy selfe Deut. 4.9 1. Cor. 10.11 Matt. 7.3 and keepe thy soule very vvarily He that thinketh himselfe to stand let him looke he doe not fall What seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye and doest not see the beame in thine owne eye O man that iudgest thou art inexcusable Rom. 2. for in iudging another thou condemnest thy selfe doing the same things that thou spendest thy iudgement vpon § 43. BE SECRET AND SILENT Prou. 25.9 Reveale not the secret of another Id. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isaias 24.16 My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Ecclesiasticus 32.5 Where others hearken powre not out speech and vvith importunitie haue not a vvill to seeme vvise Pag. 50. § 44. lin 3. LOOKE TO YOVR CALLING Ecclesiastic 3.22 Seeke not things aboue thee Rom. 11.20 Be not overvvise but feare Lin. 4. LIVE IN OBEDIENCE Ephes 6. Col. 3 Children obey your Parents Servants obey your Lors and maisters Heb. 13. Obey those that are put over yee Tit. 3.1 Admonish them to be subiect to their Princes and superiour powers to obey their word c. 4. Reg. 9 1. Par. 11. 28. Prou. 21 Tob. 12.6 1. Pet. 2.13 17 LEAVE KINGS AND THEIR CAVSES TO GOD They be supreme governours vnder God The Annoynted of God The elected of God Their hearts are in the hand of God and he directeth thâ—ir counsell To hide the mysterie of the King is good and to be subiect to him and honour him is commanded Prou. 16 14. Lin. 8. HATH DESTROYED The Kings anger is the messenger of death and a wise man will appease it In the light of the Kings face is life and his good will is like a cloude of the evening raine Page 50. § 45. VSE TEMPERANCE S. Aug. Tom. 1 l. 1. de lib. Arbit c. 13. Temperance is an affection brideling and keeping in the appetite from those things that are coveted with foule desire Et de morib ecclesiae Cath. lib. 1. c. 15. Temperance is loue yeelding it selfe entire to that is loved Fortitude is loue easily tolerating all things for that is loved Iustice is loue serving the beloved onely and therfore rightly bearing rule Prudence is loue wisely selecting the things by which it is holpen from those by which it is hindered But this is not the loue of whosoever but of God that is of the chiefest good of the chiefest wisedome of the chiefest coÌ„cord therfore you may define it so say temperance is loue keeping it selfe entire and vncorrupt to God c. And Tom. 4. l. 1.83 Q. 31. Temperance is a firme and moderate rule of reason over lust and other not right motions of the minde The parts therof are continence clemeÌ„cie and modestie Continence by which concupiscence by the governemeÌ„t of counsel is ruled Clemencie by which minds rashly provoked and stirred vp to hatred of any one are by gentlenesse retained Modestie by which honest shame getteth cleere and stable authority And Q. 61. Prudence is knowledge of things to be desired and to be shunned Temperance the refraining of concupiscence from those things that doe temporally delight Fortitude is a firmitie of the mind against those things that temporally molest vs. Iustice which is diffused through them all is the loue of God and our neighbour BEWARE OF DRVNKENNESSE As a thing tumultuous Prou. 20 31. and that can keepe no secret forbidden by the Apostle Rom. 13. Gal. 5. With drunkennesse is alwaies ioyned luxurie Hieron l. 3. in Ep. ad Gal. c. 5. I will never beleeue that the Drunkard is chast Hieron in c. 1. Ep. ad Titum pag. 246. Eccles 9.25 Eccle. 5. § 46. lin 2. THE RASH MAN Is odious in his vvord Speake nothing rashly nor be hasty to bring forth thy word before God for God is in heaven and thou vpon earth therfore let thy vvords be few for as sleepe comes in multitude of businesse so the voice of the foole in multitude of vvords Pag. 51 § 47. BE CONSTANT Act. 23.11 Sap. 5.1 The iust shall stand with great constancie A good man vvhat he thinketh he may honestly doe although it be laborious he vvill doe it although it be losse to him he vvill doe it although it be perillous he vvill doe it And againe that vvhich is dishonest he vvill not doe it although it bring in money although it bring pleasure although it bring power From the honest he vvill by nothing be deterred to the dishonest he vvill by no hopes be invited Seneca lib. 10. epist. 77. in medio Horace Iustum tenacem propositi virum c. Impauidum ferient ruinae Iacob 1.8 The man of two minds is vnconstant in all his waies Sap. 4.12 The inconstancie of concupiscence perverteth even the mind that is without malice Eccl. 6. 9. 12. FAST IN FRIENDSHIP There is a friend only at table a table fellow but doe not thou forsake an old friend A new friend is like new wine A friend cannot be knowne in good but in malice you shall know him c. Pag. 51. § 48. VSE PATIENCE Psal 9. Prou. 19 Luc. 21. Iacob 1 The Poores patience will not be lost in the end A mans doctrine is knowne by hiâ— patience In your patience you shall possesse your soules It hath a perfect worke The armes of the iust are by giving vvay to overcome Amb. lib. 1. off cap. 5. Tom. 1. If any adversitie befall thee and it seeme grievous and bitter to thee beare it so as thou thinke nothing to haue befallen thee but according