desire more and see more to be desired when it desires but what it needeth my hands shal soone satisfie it either of which if it may coÌ„taine it when it is without the body much more may both of them fill it while it is within 35 With men it is a good rule to try first and then to trust with God it is contrary I will first trust him as most wise omnipotent mercifull and trie him afterwards I know it is as impossible for him to deceiue meâ— as not to be 36 As Christ was both a Lambe and a Lyon so is euery Christian A Lambe for patience in suffering and innocence of life A Lyon for boldnesse in his innocence I would so order my courage and mildnesse that I may bee neither Lyon-like in my conuersation nor sleepish in the defence of a good cause 37 The godly sowe in teares reape in ioy The seedeâ—time is commonly waterish and louring I will bee content with a wet spring so I may bee sure of a cleare and ioyfull haruest 38 Euerie man hath an Heauen and an Hell Earth is the wicked mans Heauen his Hell is to come On the contrarie the godly haue their hell vpon earth where they are vexed with tentations and afflictions by Sathan and his complices their heauen is aboue in endlesse happines If it be ill with mee on earth it is well my tormeÌ„t is so short and so easie I will not be so couetous to hope for two heauens 39 Man on his Death-bed hath a double prospect which in his life-time the interposition of pleasure and miseries debard him from The good man lookes vpward and sees heauen open with Steuen and the glorious Angels readie to carie vp his soule The wicked manne lookes downe-ward and sees three terrible spectacles Death Iudgement Hell one beyond another all to be passed through by his soule I maruell not that the godly haue beene so cheerefull in Death that those torments whose very sight hath ouercomne the beholders haue seemed easie to themâ— I maruell not that a wicked man is so loath to heare of death so deiected when hee feeles sicknes and so desperate when hee feeles the pangues of death nor that euerie Balaam would fain die the death of the righteous Henceforth I will enuie none but a good man I will pitie nothing so much as the prosperitie of the wicked 40 Not to be afflicted is a signe of weakenesse For therefore God imposes no more on mee because hee sees I can beare no more God will not make choyce of a weake Championâ— when I am stronger I will looke for more And when I sustaine more it shall more coÌ„fort me that God findes mee strong then it shall grieue me to be pressed with an heauy affliction 41 That the wicked haue peace in themselues is no wonder they are as sure as Tentation can make them No Prince makes Warre with his owne Subiects The godly are still enemies Therefore they must look to be assaulted both by Stratagems and violence Nothing shall more ioy mee then my inward vnquietnes A iust warre is a thousand times more happy then an ill-coÌ„ditioned Peace 42 Goodnes is so powerfull that it can make thinges simply euill namely our sinns good to vs not good in nature but good in the euent good when they are done not good to be done Sinne is so powerfull that it can turne the holiest Ordinances of God in it selfe But heerein our sinnes goes beâ—ond our goodnes that sin defiles a man or action otherwise good but all the goodnes of the world cannot iustifie one sinne As the holy â—leâ—h in the skirt makes not the bread holy that touches it but the vncleane touching an holy thing defiles it I will loath euery euill for it owne sake I wil do good but not trust to it 43 Fooles measure good actions by the euent after they are done Wise men before-hand by iudgement vppon the rules of reason and faith Let mee doo well let God take charge of the successe if it bee weâ—l accepted it is well If not my thanke is with God 44 Hee was neuer good man that amends not For if hee were good hee must needes desire to be better Grace is so sweete that who euer tastes of it must needes long after more and if hee desire it hee will endeuour it and if hâ—e doo but endeuour GOD will crowne it with successe Gods familie admittes of no Dwarffes which are vnthriuing and stand at a stay but men of measâ—res What euer become of my body or my estate I will euer labour to finde somewhat added to the stature of my soule 45 Pride is the most dangerous of all sinnes for both it is most insinuatiue hauing crept into HEAVEN and Paradise and most dangerous where it is For where all other Tentations are about euill this alone is conuersant only about good thingsâ— and one dram of it poysons many measures of grace I will not be more afraid of doing good things amisse then of beeing proud when I haue performed them 46 Not onely Commission makes a sinne A man is guilty of all those sins he hateth not If I cannot auoyd all yet I will hate all 47 Preiudice is so great an enemie to truth that it makes the minde vncapable of it In matters of faith I will first lay a sure ground and then beleeue though I cannot argue holding the conclusion in spight of the premises but in other lesse matters I will not so fore-stall my mind with resolution as that I will not be willing to be better informed Neither wil I say in my selfe â— I will hold it therefore it shall be truth but This is truth therefore I will hold it I will not striue for victorie but for truth 48 Drunkennes and Couetousnes doo much resemble one another for the more a man drinkes the more hee thirsteth and the more hee hath still the more hee coueteth and for their effects besides other both of them haue the power of transforming a man into a beast and of all other beasts into a Swine The former is euident to sense the other though more obscure is no more qÌ„uestionable the couetous man in two thinges plainely resembleth a Swine That he cuer rootes in the earth not so much as looking towards Heauen That hee neuer doth good till his death In desiring my rule shall bee necessitie of nature or estate in hauing I will account that my good which doth me good 49 I acknowledge no Maister of Requests in Heauen but one Christ my Mediatour I know I cannot bee so happie as not to neede him nor so miserable that hee should contemne mee I will alwayes aske and that of none but where I am sure to speede but where there is so much store that when I haue had the most I shall leaue no lesse behind Though numberlesse drops be in the Sea yet if one be taken out of it hath so much the lesse though insensibly but God
because hee is infinite can admit of no diminution Therefore are men niggardly because the more they giue the lesse they haue but thou Lord maist giue what thou wilt without abatement of thy store Good prayers neuer came weeping home I am sure I shall receiue either what I aske or what I should aske 50 I see that a fit Bootie many times makes a thiese and many would be proud if they had but the common causes of their neighbours I account this none of the least fauours of GOD That the world goes no better forward with me for I feare if my estate were better to the world it might bee woorse to God As it is an happie necessitie that inforces to good so is that next happy that hinders from euill 51 It is the basest loue of all others that is for a benefit for heerein wee loue not another so much as our selues Though there were no Heauen O Lord I would loue thee Now there is one I wiâ—l esteeme it I will desire it yet still will loue thee for thy goodnesse sake Thy selfe is reward enough though thou broughtest no more 52 I see men point the fielde and desperatelie ieopard their lyues as prodigall of their blood in the reuenge of a disgracefuâ—l word against themselues while they can be content to heare GOD pulled out of Heauen with blasphemie and not feele so much as a rysing of theyr blood Which argues our colde loue to God and our ouer-seruent affection to our selues In my owne wrongs I will hold patience laudable but in Gods iniuries impious 53 It is an hard thing to speake well but it is harder to be well silent so as it may bee free from suspition of affectation or â—ullennes or ignorance Else loquasitie and not silence would be a note of wisedome Heerein I will not care how little but how well Hee said well for this Not that which is much is weâ—l but that which is well is much 54 There is nothing more odious then fruitlesse olde age Now for that no Tree beares fruite in Autumne vnlesse it blossome in the spring to the end that my age may be profitable and laden with ripe fruit I will endeuour that my youth may be studious floured with the blossomes of learning and obseruation 55 Reuenge commonly hurts both the offerer and sufferer as we see in the foolish Bee though in a â— other things commendable yet heerein the patterne of fonde spightfulnesse which in her anger inuenometh the flesh and looseth hersting and so liues a Drone euer after I account it the onely valour to remit a wrong and will applaude it to my selfe as right noble and Christian that I might hurt and will not 56 Hee that liues well cannot choose but die well for if hee die suddainly yet hee dies not vnpreparedly if by leasure the conscience of his well-led life makes his death more comfortable But it is seldome seene that hee which liues iâ— dyâ—th well for the coÌ„science of his former euils his present paine and the expectation and feare of greater so take vp his heart that he cannot seek God and now it is iust with God not to be sought or not to bee found because hee sought to him in his life time and was repulsed Whereas therfore there are vsually two maine cares of good men to liue well die well I will haue but this one To liue well 57 With God there is no free-man but his Seruant though in the Gallies no slaue but the sinner though in a Pallace none noble but the vertuous if neuer so basely discended none rich but hee that possesseth God euen in rags none wise but hee that is a foole to himselfe and the world none happy buâ— him whom the world pities Let mee bee free noble rich wise happy to God I passe not what I am to the world 58 WheÌ„ the mouth praieth man heareth when the heart God heareth euerie good prayer knockes at Heauen for a blessing but an importunate prayer pierces it thogh as hard as brasse makes way for it selfe into the eares of the Almighty and as it ascends lightly vp caried with the winges of Faith so it comes euer laden down againe vpon our heads In my prayers my thoughts shall not bee guided by my wordes but my wordes shall follow my thoughts 59 If that seruaunt were condemned for euill that gaue God no more then his owne which he had receiued what shall become of them that rob God of his owne If God gaine a little glory by mee I shall gaine more by him I will labour so to husband the stock that God hath left in my hands that I may returne my soule better then I receiued it and that hee may make it better then I returne it 60 Heauen is compared to an hill and therefore is figured by Olympus among the Heathen by mount Sion in GODS Booke Hell contrariwise to a Pitâ— The ascent to the one is hard therefore and the descent of the other easie and headlong and so as if wee once beginne to fall the recouerie is most difficult and not one of manie stayes till hee comes to the bottome I will be content to pant and blow and sweat in climbing vp to Heauen as contrarily I will bee warie of setting the first step downward towards the Pit For as there is a Iâ—cobs Ladder into heauen so there are blind stayres that goe winding down into death wherof each makes way for other From the obiect is raysed an ill suggestion suggestion drawes on delight delight consent consent endeuour endeuour practise practise custome custome excuse excuse defence defence obstinacie obstinacie boasting of sinne boasting a reprobate sence I will watch ouer my wayes and do thou Lord watch ouer mee that I may auoyd the first degrees of sinne and if those ouer-take my frailtie yet keepe mee that presumptuous sinns preuaile not ouer mee Beginnings are with more ease and safety declined when wee are free then proceedings when wee haue begun 61 It is fitter for youth to learne then teach and for age to teach then learne and yet fitter for an olde man to learne then bee ignorant I know I shall neuer know so much that I cannot learne more and I hope I shall neuer liue so long as till I bee too olde to learne 62 I neuer loued those Salamanders that arâ— neuer well but when they are in the fire of contention I will rather suffer a thousand wrongs then offer one I will suffer an hundreth rather then returne one I will suffer many ere I will complaine of oneâ— and endeuour to right it by contending I haue euer found that to striue with my superiour is furious with â—y equall doubtfull with my inferiour sordid base with any full of vnquietnes 63 The praise of a good speech staÌ„deth in words matter Matter which is as a faire and well featur'd body Elegance of words which is as a neat and well fashioned garment
MEDITATIONS and Vowes Diuine and Morall Seruing For direction in Christian and Ciuill practise Deuided into two Bookes By Jos Hall AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Iohn Porter 1605. Votum Authoris QVas ego non vano deprompsi e pectore leges Quaeque ego vota tuli pacis honesta meae Alme Deus nec enim sine te vouisse iâ—â—abit Te sine nil facio nil fugio sine te Da placide seruem praesta seruando quietem Sic mihi certa salus sic mihi sancta quies To the Right Worshipfull Sir Robert Drury Knight my singular good Patron All increase of true Hoâ—or aâ—d Vertue SIr that I haue made these my homely Aphorisâ—es publique needes nâ— other reason but that though the world is furnished with other Writings euâ—n to satietie and surfet yet of these which reduce Christianitie to practise there is at least sâ—arcitie enough wherin yet I must needs confesse I had some eye to my selfe for hauing after a sort vowed this auâ—tere course of iudgement and practise to my selfe I thought it best to acquaint the world with it that it might either witnesse my answerable proceeding or check mee in my straying there-froÌ„ by which meanes so many men as I liue amongst so many monitors I shall haue which shall point me to my owne rules and vpbrayd me with my aberrations Why I haue dediâ—ated theÌ„ to your name cannot be strange to any that knows you my Patron and me your Pastor the regard of which bond easily drew mee on to consider that whereas my body which was euer weake began of â—ate to languish more it would be not in-expedient at the worst to leaue behind me this little â—onument of that great respect which I deseruedly beare you And iâ— it shall please GOD to reprieue me vntill a longer day yetâ—â—t shall not repent me to haue sent this vnwoorthie scrowle to wayte vppon you in your necessarie absences neither shall it be I hope bootlesse for you to adioyne these my meane speculations vnto those grounds of vertue you haue so happily laid to which if they shall add but one scruple it shall be to me sufficient ioy contentment recompence From your Halsted Dec. 4. Your Worships humbly deuoted IOS HALL The first Booke contayning a full Centurie of Meditations and Vowes both Diuine and Morall 1. IN Meditation those which begin heauenly thoughts prosecute them not are like those which kindle a fire vnder greene wood and leaue it so soone as it but begins to flame leesing the hope of a good beginning for want of â—econding it with a sutable proceeding when I set my self to meditate I wil not giue ouer till I come to an issue It hath beene said by some that the beginning is as much as the midst yea more theÌ„ all but I say the ending is more theÌ„ the beginning 2 There is nothing but Man that respecteth greatnes Not God not Nature not Disease not Death not Iudgement Not God hee is no accepter of persons Not nature we see the sonnes of Princes borne as naked as the poorest and the poore child as faire wel-fauored strong witty as the heire of nobles Not disease death iudgment they sicken a-like die a-like fare a-like after death There is nothing besides naturall men of whoÌ„ goodnes is not respected I will honour greatnes in others but for my self I wil esteem a draÌ„ of goodnes worth a whol world of greatnes 3 As there is a foolish wisedome so there is a wise ignâ—rance in not prying into Gods Arke not inquiring iâ—to thinges not reuealed I would faine know all that I need and all that I may I leaue Gods secrets to himselfe It is happy for me that God makes me of his Court though not of his CouÌ„sell 4. As there is no vacuity in nature no more is there spiritually Euery vessell is full if not of liquor yet of ayre so is the hart of man though by nature it is empty of grace yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Now as it filleth with grace so it is emptied of his euill qualities As in a vessell so much water as goes in so much ayre goes out but mans heart is a narrow-mouthed vessell and receiues grace but by drops and therefore askes a long time to emptie and fill Now as there be differences in degrees and one hart is neerer to fulnes then an other so the best vessell is not quite full while it is in the bodie because there are stil remainders of corruption I wil neither be content with that measure of grace I haue nor impatient of Gods delay But euery day I wil endeuor to haue one drop added to the rest so my last day shal fill vp my vessell to the brim 5 Satan would seeme to be mannerly reasonable making as iâ— he wold be coÌ„tent with one halfe of the hart wheras God challengeth all or none as indeed he hath most reason to claime all that made all But this is nothing but a craftie fetch of Satan for he knowes that if he haue any part God wil haue none so the whole falleth to his share alone My heart when it is both whole at the best is but a strait vnwoorthy lodging for God if it were bigger betterâ— I would rescrue it all for him Sathan may look in at my doores by a temptation but he shal not haue so much as one chamber-room setapart for him to soiourne in 6 I see that in naturall motions the neerer anie thing comes to his end the swifter it mooueth I haue seene great riuers which at their first rising out of some hills side might be couered with a bushell which after many miles fill a very broad channel drawing neere to the Sea doo euen make a little Sea in their owne bankes So the wind at the first rising as a little vapour from the cranies of the earth and passing forward about the earth the further it goes the more blustring and violent it waxeth a Christians motion after he is regenerate is made naturall to God-ward and therefore the neerer he comes to Heauen the more zealous hee is A good man must be like the Sunne not like Ezechias Sunne that went backward nor like Iosuahs Sunne that stood stil but Dauids Sunne that like a Bride-groome comes out of his chamber and as a Champion reioyceth to runnâ— his race only herein is the difference that when he comes to his high noon he declineth not How euer therefore the mind in her naturall faculties followes the temperature of the body yet in these supernatural things shee quite crosses it for with the coldest complexion of age is ioyned in those that are truly religious the feruentest zeale and affection to good thinges which is therfore the more reuerenced and better acknowledged because it cannot be ascribed to the hot spirits of youth The deuil himselfe deuised that olde slaunder of â—arly holines A young Saint an
some men as thornes which easily touched hurt not but if hard and vnwarily fetch blood of the handâ— others as nettles which if they bee nicely handled sting and pricke but if hard and roughly pressed are pulled vp without harme Before I take any man in hand I will knowe whether hee be a thorne or a nettle 13 I wil account no sinne little since there is not the least but works out the death of the soule It is all one whether I bee drowned in the ebbeâ— shore or in the midst of the deepe Sea 14 It is a base thing to get goods to keep them I see that GOD which onely is infinitely rich holdeth nothing in his owne hands but giues all to his creatures But if we will needes lay vp were should wee rather repose it then in Christs treasurie The poore mans hand is the treasurie of Christ All my superâ—luitie shal be there hoorded vp where I knowe it shall bee safely kept and surely returned me 15 The Schoole of God and Nature require two coÌ„trary manners of proceeding In the Schoole of Nature we must conceiue and then beleeueâ— In the Schoole of God wee must first beleeue and then wee shall conceiue He that beleeues no more then hee conceiues can neuer bee a Christian nor hee a Philosopher that assents without reason In Natures Schoole wee are taught to bolt out the truth by Logicall discourse God cannot endure a Logitian in his Schoole hee is the best Scholler that reasons least and assents most In diuine things what I may I wil conceiue the rest I wil beleeue and admire Not a curious head but a credulous plaine heart is accepted with God 16 No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it but as a Bee hauing honey in the mouth hath a sting in the tayle Why am I so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them and not rather labour to aspire to that one absoâ—lute good in whom is nothing â—auouring of griefe nothing wanting to perfect happines 17 A sharpe reproofe I account better then a smooth deceit therefore when my friend checks me I will respect it with thankfulnesse when others flatter mee I will suspect it and rest in my owne censure of my selfe who should bee more priuie aâ—d lesse partiall to my owne deseruings 18 Extremitie distinguisheth friends worldlie plâ—aâ—ures like Phisitians giues vs ouer when once wee lie a dying and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts Christ Iesus standes by his in the pangues of death and after death at the barre of iudgement not leauing them either in their bed or graue I will vse them therefore to my best aduantage not trust them But for thee O my Lord which in mercy and truth canst not faile mee whom I haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities Kill me yet will I trust in thee 19 Wee haue heard of so manie thousand generations passed and wee haue seene so many hundreths die within our knowledge that I woÌ„der any man can make account to liue one day I will die daily it is not done before the â—ime which may bee done at all times 20 Desire oft-times makes vs vnthankfull for who hopes for that hee hath not vsually forgets that which he hath I will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes least I should in the meane time contemne present benefits 21 In hoping well in being ill fearing worse the life of man is wholly consumed When I am ill I will liue in hope of better when well in feare of worse neither will I at any time hope without feare least I should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence wherein euill shal be so much more vnwelcome intollerable because I looked for good nor againe feare without hope least I should be ouer-much deiected nor doo either of them without true contentation 22 What is man to the whole earth what is earth to the Heauen What is Heauen to his Maker I will admire nothing in it selfe but all things in God and God in all things 23 There be three vsuall causes of ingratitude vpon a benefit receiued Enuie Pride Couetousnesse Enuie looking more at others benefits then our owne Pride looking more at our selues then the benefit Couetousnesse looking more at what we would haue then what wee haue In good turnes I will neither respect the giuer nor my selfe nor the gift nor others but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded so shall requite others great pleasures with equall good-will and accept of small fauors with great thankfulnes 24 VVhereas the custome of the world is to hate thinges present to desire future and magnifiâ— what is pastâ— I will contrarilie esteeme that which is present best for both what is past was once present what is future will bee present future thinges next because they are present in hope what is past least of all because it cannot be present yet somewhat because it was 25 We pitie the folly of the Larke which while in playeth with the feather and stoopeth to the glasse is caught in the Fowlers net yet cannot see our selues a-like made fooles by Sathan who deluding vs by the vaine feathers and glasses of the world suddainly enwrappeth vs in his snares wee see not the nets indeede it is too much that we shall feele them and that they are not so easily escaped after as before auoyded O Lord keep thou mine eyes from beholding vanity and though mine eyes see it let not my heart stoope to it but loath it a farre off And if I stoope at any time bee taken Set thou my soule at liberty that I may say My soule is escaped euen as a birde out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and I am deâ—iuered 26 In suffering euiâ—l to looke to secondarie causes without respect to the highest maketh impatience for so we bite at the stone and neglect him that threw it If we take a blowe at our equall we returne it with vsurie if of a Prince we repine not What matter is it if God kill mee whether hee doo it by an Ague or by the hand of a Tyrantâ— Againe in expectation of good to looke to the first cause without care of the second argues idlenesse and causeth want As wee cannot helpe our selues without God so God will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues In both I wil look vp to God without repining at the meanes in one or trusting them in the other 27 If my money were another mans I could but keepe it onely the expending showes it my own It is greater glory comfort and gaine to lay it out well then to keepe it safely God hath made me not his Treasurer but his Steward 28 Augustines friend Nebridius not vniustly hated a short answere to a weighty difficult question because the disquisition of great truthes requires time and the determining is perilous I will as much hate a tedious
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