from the fire into the flame and by avoiding Charybdis had fallen into Scylla The time now drew neere which was limitted the Gentleman to redeeme the premises whence a double care or feare ensued a feare and provident care in the Gentleman of procuring money to redeeme it a feare in the Chandler lest it should be redeemed and so the hopes he had of so beneficiall a bargaine frustrated Which to prevent marke the impiety of the age even in this one example the Chandler against the day limitted and prefixed repaires to a consort of opportunate Agents for his purpose Assacinates fleshed in all mischiefe and ready to embrace any motion or engage themselves in any action which might minister fuell to their riot And these he acquaints as it seemes their Acquaintance was ancient how he knew of a rich Bootie for them if they had hearts to attempt and resolutions to effect what their present wants enforced them to attempt They desirous to heare of that booty promising him reward if their purpose came to effect pressed him as little pressing needed to such a base instrument that he would discover where this bootie might be purchased He imparted his minde freely and told them that such a Gentleman being the same who had made a Morgage of his land unto him was to come provided of a great Summe of money upon such a day and by such a place as gave opportunitie for the attempt which they might easily obtaine having none but himselfe and his man to resist them They at the first seemed jealous of him imagining it was some fetch meerely to intrap and circumvent them but being more confident upon his protestations that his purpose was to benefit them not to betray them they generally consented to this plot provided that they might have his company not onely to direct them but share and partake with them whereto the Chandler condescended choosing rather to be an assistant in the practice than prevented of his purpose To be short vizards and disguises were provided and all things fitted that such an attempt might be furthered where by direction of their Leader they tooke their stand where the unfortunate Gentleman was to passe who within some few houres after came according to their expectance provided of a Summe purposely to redeeme his estate the last remainder of his fortunes out of the hands of the Chandler But he is intercepted and bid stand whose present occasions admit no stay and in briefe stripped of all his money and bound he and his man and throwne into a gravell-pit where wee leave them and returne to this perfidious Chandler who expecting to be a sharer as well in the stake as in the forfeiture of his estate is by his wittie Copesmates used after another sort than hee looked for being bound hand and foot and throwne into a ditch adjoyning where he remained till a Shepherds boy having occasion to come that way hearing one pitiously mourning drew neere to the place where hee heard the voice but seeing onelye there bound in an ugly vizard and disguised after an uncoth manner as one afraid he run from him albeit the Chandler humbly intreated him to lend his helping hand to loose him The noise which the Chandler made desiring aid from the Shepherd and the Shepherd denying aid to the Chandler was now come to the care of the afflicted Gentleman and his man wherefore they sent out their complaint as men pitifully distressed which the Shepherd hearing came forth with to the place where they lay bound and seeing the Gentleman and his man lent them his helping hand and delivered them from their bonds directing them withall to the Pit where the Chandler his treacherous Acquaintance lay whom hee knew by his disguise to be one of those who had taken his money from him but having pulled off his vizard and perceived him to be none but the Chandler his professed friend you may imagine what diversitie of perplexed thoughts encountred him but suspecting the worst which after proved the truest hee caused him to be brought before a Iustice where he was examined touching the premises which to his shame hee confessed discovering himselfe to be both Actour and Authour of that perfidious complot For which being committed and legally tried he was adjudged according to his desert to receive the condigne punishment of death Whose goods being confiscate our late Prince of renowned memory out of his royall compassion to the Gentlemans estate allotted so much in his princely bounty as redeemed his engaged lands repossessing him thereof to his great joy and an example to succeeding ages not to repose too much confidence in the profession of Acquaintance Many examples of like sort though this may seeme imparallel might be here produced but I cannot insist upon this point What hath beene herein discoursed principally tendeth to this end and purpose to deterre young Gentlemen from discovering themselves too openly to these glozing and temporizing Acquaintance whose onely ayme is to benefit themselves by their weaknesse and make their prodigality the only foundation of their providence Whence it is that many times they become enrichers of their retinue but beggerers of their posterity And which is of all others most miserable those whose Sponges they were and had squeased them of all their fortunes will contemptuously demeane themselves towards them and unthankfully sleight them who by impoverishing their owne meanes have enriched them whose natures in the person of one especiall ungratefull man are to life expressed by the Poet Ragg'd rockes him bred brute beasts him fed No thankefulnesse can enter His seared Brest or sealed Chest which is of flintie temper And let this suffice to be spoken of Reservancie towards Acquaintance both in respect of our secrecie of counsell lest by discovering our selves either upon confidence of anothers trust or transported with passion the end whereof is the beginning of repentance wee give out friend power over us and so by too credulous trust bewray our owne weaknesse or in respect of our Substance by a prodigall bountie to our friends and followers without respect had of our meanes and so make our followers our masters So as it is right wholesome counsell which that wise Sonne of Sirach gave and which wee formerly alleaged but cannot be too often renewed Give not away thy Substance to another lest it repent thee and thou intreat for the same againe concluding with this excellent precept Be not excessive toward any and without discretion doe nothing Now excuse me Gentlemen if I have insisted longer on these two points than the qualitie of the Subject we have in hand might seeme to require for I am not ignorant how many of your ranke have unfortunately fallen on these two dangerous shelves either I meane by too open a discovery of themselves or by too prodigall a hand in giving what they may afterwards stand in need of to releeve themselves But of these we shall have occasion
conversant in that holy Exercise ibid. 378 Circumstances observable in workes of charitie and devotion ibid. Objections and resolutions upon the ground of Perfection 381. lin 16 Of the Contemplative part of Perfection 382 A Corollary betwixt the Heathen and Christian contemplation 384 Examples of a contemplative and retired life 387 A three-fold Meditation of necessarie importance 1 Worthinesse of the soule 2 Vnworthinesse of Earth 3 Thankefulnesse unto God who made man the worthiest creature upon Earth 389 Of the Active part of Perfection 391 No contagion so mortally dangerous to the body as corrupt company is to the soule 393 Two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation 1 The Author of our creation 2 The End of our creation ib. A foure-fold Creation 394. lin 8 The fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure Heathen Philosophers ascribing the creation of all things to the foure Elements 396. lin 6 Their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers ibid. The End of our creation 397 Singular precepts of Mortification 399 Idlenesse begetteth security properly termed the Soules Lethargy 400 A Christians Ephemerides or his Euening account 401 The Active part of Perfection prefer'd before the Cōtemplative 403 No ARMORY can more truly deblazon a Gentleman than acts of charity and compassion 404 The Active preferred before the Contemplative for two respects the first whereof hath relation to our selves the second to others 407 408 Ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted with a comparison by way of objection and resolution betwixt the conveniences of Action and Knowledge 406 407 Action is the life of man and Example the direction of his life 409. l. 3 Wherein the Active part of Perfection consisteth 410 Active Perfection consisteth in Mortification of Action and Affection Mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect to these three distinct Subjects 1 Life 2 Name 3 Goods illustrated with Eminent Examples of Christian resolution during the ten Persecutions 411 412 Not the act of death but the cause of death makes the Martyr 414 No action how glorious soever can be crowned unlesse it be on a pure intention grounded 415 Mortificat in respect of name or report is two-fold 1 In turning our eares from such as praise us 2 In hearing with patiēce such as revile us 418 Scandals distinguished and which with more patience than others may be tollerated 424 425 c. Mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance pitching upon two remarkable considerations 1 By whom these blessings are conferred on us 2 How they are to be disposed by us 427 Vain-glory shuts man from the gate of glory 428 An exquisite connexion of the precedent Meditations 430 The absolute or supreme end wherto this Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it solely resteth 434 Singular Patternes of Mortification in their Contempt of life and embrace of death 439 440 The reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole Booke 439 The Heart can no more by circumference of the World be confined than a Triangle by a Circle filled 442. lin 23. Though our feet be on Earth our faith must be in Heaven 445 A pithy Exhortation A powerfull Instruction clozing with a perswasive Conclusion 453 454 455 A Character intitled A Gentleman THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN YOVTH Argument The dangers that attend on Youth The vanitie of Youth display'd in foure distinct Subjects Three violent passions incident to Youth Physicke prescribed and receits applied to cure these Maladies in Youth YOVTH HOwsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason that there be divers Climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time sure I am that in mans age there is a dangerous time in respect of those Sinne-spreading Sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule And this time is Youth an affecter of all licentious liberty a Comicke introducer of all vanitie and the only Heire apparent to carnall securitie This it was which moved that princely Prophet to pray Lord forgiue mee the Sinnes of my youth Sins indeed because the youthfull sinner is ever committing but never repenting usually provoking God but rarely invoking God This is hee who Snuffeth the wind with the wilde Asse in the desart being like the Horse or Mule which hath no understanding by giving Sense preeminence aboue Reason and walking in the fatnesse of his heart as one wholly forgetfull of God He may say with the Psalmist though in another sense Vt jumentum factus sum apud te upon exposition of which sentence it is laudable saith Euthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as Beasts to shew our humility but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensualitie Many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwracke to the inconsiderate and improvident Soule during her sojourning here in this Tabernacle of clay but no time more perillous than the heat of Youth or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires being as ready to consent as the Devil is to tempt and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemie upon the least assault It is reported by Eusebius that Saint Iohn meeting a strong young-man of good stature amiable feature sweet countenance and great spiri◠straightway looking upon the Bishop of that place he said thus unto him Christ being witnesse and before the Church I commend unto thee and thy care this young man to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline Whom when the Bishop had received into his tuition and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought S. Iohn againe and againe gives his charge and contesteth his fidelity and afterwards he returnes to Ephesus The Bishop takes the young man home brings him up as his owne sonne keeps him within the limits of his dutie intreats him gently and at last baptiseth him and confirmes him Afterwards upon remitting something of his care and giving freer reines to his libertie the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoake of tuition and falls into bad company who corrupt him diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes First they invite him to banquets then they carry him abroad in the Night afterward to maintaine their profuser expence they draw him to theevery and so by degrees to greater wickednesse being now made Captaine in this theevish company At last Saint Iohn returnes and saith Goe to Bishop give me my depositum which I and Christ committed unto thee in the Church which thou governest The Bishop was astonied thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received and yet durst scarce distrust the Apostle But as soone as Saint Iohn said I demand the young man and soule of my brother the old man hanging downe his head sighing and weeping said ille mortuus est he is dead How and with what kinde of death said Iohn Deo mortuus
being solemnly come into the Temple of Diana for celebrating the Nuptials shee had a sweet potion ready which shee drunke to Synoris wherewith they both were poisoned to revenge her Husbands death Here is a Pagan patterne of inimitable continencie who rather than shee would consent to contract Mariage with her Husbands foe disvalued all future hope of preferment yea embraced Death as a happie Agent of her intended revenge The wise saith that sententious Philosopher may gather gold out of dung which may be thus applyed The wise Christian may cull excellent flowers from an Ethnicke garden for the Envious man he is the Spider which sucks poison from the fragrant'st and freshest Flowers I will conclude this point and intreat the generous affected whose glory should be Vertues Bootie and whose best beauty to be enriched by her bounty to make Vertue their Prize being so praise-worthy of her selfe as shee needs no outward praise To purchase which incomparable blessing I could wish Gentlemen that your resort to eminent places be more spare till you finde in your selves an aptnesse to resist if any vnchaste motion make assault Yet good it were not to presume upon one single triall for the disposition may be more temperate at one time than another and the assault also more perillous To court Beautie is an enterprize of danger for some I have knowne who upon their accesse to Beautie have beene free-men who upon their returne became slaves But you will object to vanquish where there is no assault made is a weake conquest True but to play with the candle till we suffer our wings to be cing'd is a greater folly I would not hazard my honour upon those termes as by affronting temptation to be caught To conclude this Branch as the substance of the Soule is pure so this masse of flesh is corrupt staine not the puritie of the former by conversing with the latter for to parley with so subtill an enemy is to give way to his policy Observing these you shall goe to your graves with Honour not to the graves of Lust the Sepulchres of shame and receptacles of corrupted love We will now descend to the second Maladie incident to Youth that Eagle-soaring passion Ambition THose who are affected to this vse to say with Tiridates in Tacitus Sua retinere privatae domus de alienis cerâ—are regia laus est These can never confine themselves to their owne raising their hopes above possibilitie but are building airie castles of purpose to confront greatnesse We shall never heare them talke of any subject save soveraigntie or dominion One termed an Empire a monstrous and untamed beast and so may this Passion be well defined whose aime is onely to purchase glory albeit her aymes be planted on indirectest termes We reade how Paâ—sanias killed Philip of Macedon only for fame or vain-glory so did Herostratus burne the Temple of Diana at Ephesus with this resolution because he could not by any act of renowne eternize his memory he would gaine him fame though by an act of infamie How violent these Ambitious heads are and have beene ever there is scarce any State which hath not felt where civill wars have menaced no lesse danger to the State than forraine powers private factions than open hostilitie In some likewise so deepe impression hath Ambition wrought as the Envie which they conceive at others greatnesse deprives them of all rest This appeared in Themistoclâ—es who walked in the Night-time in the open street because he could not sleepe The cause whereof when some men did enquire he answered that the triumph of Miltiades would not suffer him to take his rest The like height of Ambition shewed Alexander weeping bitterly to see his father win so fast before him fearing nothing should remaine for him to conquer Now how naturally Youth is affected to this illimited motion may be observed even in usuall games where Youth rather than hee will endure the foile exposeth himselfe to all encounters It is glory which he aimes at and before he lose it he will hazard himselfe for it His Prize is his praise he values nothing more than to get him a name which may brute his renowne and gaine him respect with his Dearest His disquiet for what is Ambition but a Distraction of the mind as to affect that best which doth afflict him most Augustus had broken sleepes and used to send for some to passe the Night away in telling tales or holding him with talke See the misery of Ambitious spirits whose ends are without end limiting their desires to no other period then sole soveraigntie Their ayrie thoughts like Icarus wings are ever mounting till the Sunne which they threatned dissolve them Inferiour taskes they as much sleight as Eagles doe Flies they love not to stoope to basenesse when many times lowest fortunes entertaine them with no lesse discontent than despaire can force them to And in their lowest ebbe when Hope forsakes them and their neerest like Tiberius friends shrinke from them and no comfort remaines save expectance and sufferance of all extremities you shall heare them upbraid Prince or State relating with much vain-glory what dangers they have undergone for them Instance whereof even in these latter times might be produced as in that Ambitious French-man the brave Byron who seeing no way but one burst out into these violent extremes I have received three and thirtie wounds of my body to preserve it for him and for my reward he takes my head from my shoulders He now quencheth the torch in my bloud after hee hath used it This is the condition of high spirits whose aimes were transcendent to close up their Tragicall scene with a vain-glorious boast of what they have done little considering how their Countrie might lawfully exact and expect as much as was in them to performe aâ—â— they still debtours to her because they had their being from her Yet see though sometimes they stand upon termes of resolution desiring to die standing when the sentence of death is pronounced and all future hope extinguished they will be as that great French-man was Supple as a glove presenting their heads â—s willingly to the sword as Agis did his unto the halter It is strange to note how these men walke in clouds imagining themselves most secure when imminencie of perill assures them nothing lesse The reason whereof may seeme to be this they flatter themselves in their vanitie as Pigmalion with his Image or Narcissus with his Shadow reposing more confidence in their owne valour and the aide which Themistocles or Pausanias-like they contract abroad linking and uniting themselves with forraine powers than on all the information of friends or the perswasions of a loyall and uncorrupted heart But these as that Heroick Prince noted must bow or breake be their persons never so hopefull or directions behovefull to the State they must be curbed or the State endangered Their proprietie is
bountie when our Liberalitie is on such bestowed by whom there is no hope that it should be required THe third and last marke whereby a true generous Disposition is distinguished is Fortitude or stoutnesse being indeed the argument of a prepared or composed minde which is not to be dismayed or disturbed by any sharpe or adverse thing how crosse or contrary soever it come Excellently is this Fortitude defined by the Stoicks terming it a vertue which standeth ever in defence of equitie not doing but repelling an injurie Those Heires of true Honour who are possest of this vertue dare oppose themselves to all occurrents in defence of reputation preferring death before servitude and dishonour If at any time as many times such immerited censures occurre they die for vertues cause they meet death with a cheerefull countenance they put not on a childish feare like that Baendite in Genoa who condemned to die and carried to the place of execution trembled so exceedingly that he had two men to support him all the way and yet he shivered extremely Or as Maldonatus relates how he heard of those which saw a strong man at Paris condemned to death to sweat bloud for very feare proving out of Aristotle that this effect may bee naturall But these whose generous spirits scorne such basenesse never saw that enterprise which they durst not attempt nor that death which could amate them where Honour grounded on Vertue without which there is no true Honour moved them either to attempt or suffer But now to wipe off certaine aspersions laid on valour or fortitude wee are not to admit of all daring Spirits to be men of this ranke For such whose Ambition excites them to attempt unlawfull things as to depose those whom they ought to serve or lay violent hand on those whom loyall fidelitie bids them obey opposing themselves to all dangers to obtaine their purpose are not to be termed valiant or resolute but seditious and dissolute For unlesse the enterprise be honest which they take in hand be their Spirits never so resolute or their minds prepared it is rashnesse but no valour having their actions ever suted by dishonour Sometimes likewise the enterprize may be good and honest the cause for which they encounter with danger vertuous the Agents in their enterprize couragious yet the issue taste more of despaire than valour Example hereof wee have in the Machabees in the death of Razis one of the Elders of Ierusalem a lover of the City and a man of very good report which for his love was called a Father of the Iewes One who did offer to spend his body and life with all constancie for the religion of the Iewes yet being ready to be taken on every side through the fury of Nicanor who so eagerly assaulted and hotly pursued him he fell on his Sword yea when his bloud was utterly gone he tooke out his owne bowels with both his hands and threw them upon the people calling upon the Lord of life and spirit that he would restore them againe unto him And thus he died Whence Augustine that devout Father and most excellent light of the Church concludeth that this was done magnè non benè more resolutely than rightly for hee was not to lay violent hand upon himselfe though there were no hope of safetie but imminent danger in respect of the furious and bloudy enemie Now this Fortitude whereof we here discourse as it is grounded upon a just foundation so it never ends in basenesse or rashnesse in Basenesse as in not daring in Rashnesse as in too inconsiderately attempting It is so farre from any act of Despaire as it hopes so long as it breathes for to despaire is to entertaine the extremest act of feare which is farre from her condition Now to discourse of the aime or end whereto all her actions are directed it is not any peculiar interest which moves true resolution so much as publike good For such whose aimes are glorious are ever conversant in redressing wrongs ministring comfort both by advice and assistance to such whose weaknesse hath felt the power of greatnesse For as in every good man there is naturally implanted a desire of goodnesse so in every valiant man there is a native desire to gaine honour by redressing injuries yea admit no honour were to accrue unto him by endevouring to right or releeve such as are distressed yet for vertues sake which is a sufficient reward to her selfe he undertakes the taske For Charitie being a good and a gracious effect of the Soule whereby mans heart hath no fancie to esteeme value or prize any thing in this wide world beside or before the care and studie of God so inflameth a well-disposed man as his desire is only to doe good whereby he might in so doing glorifie God the beginner and accomplisher of all good Now there are many motives to excite men to valour as may be collected from Histories properly and profitably tending to this purpose But the usuallest motive is Anger being indeed the Whetstone of Fortitude Or the Princes presence as wee reade of the Macedonians who being once overcome in battell by their enemies thought the only remedie to animate their Souldiers was to carry Philip being then a childe in a cradle to the field thereby stirring up the zeale of loyall and faithfull Subjects to defend their innocent Prince and this Whetstone so sharpned their swords that indeed they won the battell Or the renowme of Ancestors as the people of Tangia in America alwayes in their warres carried the bones and reliques of their memorable predecessors to encourage their Souldiers with the memory of them to avoid and eschew all timiditie So Tacitus reports how the Germans inflame their spirits to resolution and valour by singing the memorable acts of Hercules Or the sound of warlike alarmes as the Nairians in India stirre up their people to battell by hanging at the puâ—mels of their swords certaine plates to make a noise to animate and incense them to warre So Aleâ—ander the great hearing Antigenida that excellent â—rumpetter sound his trumpet to battell was stirred up in such sort to fight that his very friends were not secure from blowes which stood about him Or the passionate effects of Musicke as S. Basil recounteth one Timothie to be so excellent in Musicke that if he used a sharpe and severe harmony he stirred up men to anger and presently by changing his note to a more remisse and effeminate straine he moved them to peace both which effects he once produced in Alexander the great at a banquet Or opinion of the enemies crueltie as in the yeere 1562 appeared in Agria a City in Hungaria engirt with long siege by Mahomet Bassa with an Army of Turkes amounting to threescore thousand and battered with sixtie Cannons in the Citie were only two thousand Hungarians who with incredible valour repelled thirteene most terrible assaults resolved to endure
passe for currant at least they seeme probable for the present And herein certainly have many beene abused giving approbation to what was spoken onely by way of insinuation The second respect wherein a States-man ought not to bee too credulous is this hee must not bee too open brested in imparting his thoughts to the secrecy of others For if we say that even a private man committing his secrecy to another becomes his slave to whom he committed it much more a States-man whose affaires have no other limit than the publike state by imparting his thoughts or rather laying himselfe open to the trust or secrecy of others makes himselfe bound where he was before free yea he endangers the body of the State wherof he is an especiall member by commending or committing her private intendments to the hazard of rumour which should not be so much as possessed of the least intelligence given in matters of such maine importance To be full of chinks in affaires of ordinary consequence implies a great weaknesse but especially where the state is interested there is injoyned that Comicke impreza If wise seeme not to know that which thou knowest at least divulge not thy secret'st thoughts to the danger of discovery whereby thou put'st thy head under anothers girdle He is my deare friend saith one to whom I will impart my inferiour aimes but he shall be incorporated with mee to whom I will make knowne what may endanger me The like is requisite to bee observed in affaires of State where all Counsells and Consultations tending to the safety and security of the publike state should be laid up as a secret Treasure and not discovered to every mans trust This that prudent and politicke Statesman Harpagus rightly understood when in disclosing a secret of state unto Cyrus that Persian Monarch hee commanded such letters as included the Summe of his directions to be inclosed and sowed in the belly of a Hare and so dispatched the Messenger towards that victorious Commander There is likewise required a noble and prepared resolution in euery States-man being so affected as neither price can taint him nor power over-awe him addressing his aymes wholly for the benefit of the State preferring death before his Countries prejudice Of this resolution or constancie of minde we have a notable example in Lewis Duke of Bavaria commended for his constancie in so much as being threatned by Albert the Marquesse of Brandenburgh that if he would not condescend to some reasonable ransome for his libertie hee would deliver him over into the hands of his enemie answered Aske that thing of me being prisoner that thou would'st aske of mee as Liberty The like wee reade of Pantaleon who restrained in most strait bondage was never a whit dismaied nor so much as sighed when he beheld his son Paraxaspis thrust to the heart This resolution or stoutnesse of minde might be illustrated by divers examples of the like kinde but my purpose hath ever beene because these doe rather illustrate than prove or confirme to take them as it were by the way but in no case to dwell on them wee will therefore descend to forraine imployments of State as affaires of embassage or treaty with any Prince or state Now it is expedient that such as bee imployed in affaires of this Nature be choice and select men both in gifts of Nature and state-experience For in Nature is the foundation laid which by experience and continuall imployment in state-businesse useth to bee stored furnished and accomplished So as I doe not altogether assent to his opinion who thought that in choice of instruments to treat or negociate by way of Embassie betwixt Prince and Prince it is better to chuse men of a plainer sort who are like to doe that that is committed to them and to report backe againe faithfully the successe than those that are cunning to contrive out of other mens businesse somewhat to grace themselves and will helpe the matter in report for satisfaction sake For his conclusion agrees not with his premises For saith he If you would worke any man you must either know his nature and fashions and so lead him or his ends and so perswade him or his weaknesse and disadvantages and so awe him or those that have interest in him and so governe him Now how should a man whom a simple plainnesse onely possesseth one whom no diving or penetrating reach enableth one whom the outward semblance onely instructeth how should he I say by working any man either know his nature or fashion and so lead him since his eye can reach no farther than the outward seeming which as oft deceives as it receives diversitie of habits which it weares or how should he I say know his ends with whom hee treats and so perswade him since politicke men doe usually pretend that which they least intend shewing a faire glosse and putting on a false face to delude and deluding to colour their designes more cunningly or how should he discover the weaknesse or disadvantages of the person with whom hee deales when his owne weaknesse so disables him as hee oft-times lets opportunity slip when the best advantage is for him or how discerne those which have interest in him when his aymes are onely to conclude with him with whom hee deales without relation to any intercedent meanes to effect his businesse Neither is it to bee doubted but such whose understanding hath attained a higher pitch will be as ready to doe that which is committed to them as those on whom a more plainnesse hath naturally seized for these will duly consider the great danger they are like to incurre if they should exceed their Commission either in doing too much or detract from their Commission in doing too little For in affaires of this nature especially parum agendum est de proprio yea though in the opinion of the party imployed it seeme that hee could goe more effectually to worke than just as his Commission directs him Manlius Torquatus commanded his sonne to be put to death for fighting albeit prosperously against his commandement Pub. Crass. Mutianus sending to his Inginer to send him the bigger of his two ship-masts that he had seene in Athens to make a Ramme to batter downe the walls the Inginer sent him the lesse imagining it to be fitter wherefore Mutianus sent for the Inginer and caused him to be so cruelly whipped with rods that he died therewith If disobedience in such affaires as these being of lesser consequence seemed among the Heathen cause sufficient to pronounce sentence of death upon the offender what may they deserve who in conceit of their owne wisdome dare take upon them directions of their owne without tying themselves expresly to their commission And of these there be two sorts The one even in greatest and most important matters will presume to take upon them without direction of Authoâ—itie wherein as they commonly erre so
without least respect had to his Masters benefit Difference therefore you are to make of their care in cherishing the one and chastising the other which can hardly be effected unlesse you who are to make this difference of your servants have an eye to their imployments Neither would I have your care so extended as to afflict and macerate your selves by your excessive care a meane is the best both in the preservation of health and wealth Be diligent saith Salomon to know the state of thy flocke and take heed to thy herds Yet withall note his conclusion Let the milke of thy goats be sufficient for thy food for the food of thy familie and for the sustenance of thy maids Whence you may observe that to gather is admitted so the use or end for which wee gather be not neglected For such whose Hydroptick minds are ever raking and reaping yet know not how to imploy the blessings of God by a communicative exhibition unto others are become vassals unto their owne making their gold-adoring affection an infection their reason treason and the wealth which they have got them a witnesse to condemne them But I have insisted too long on this point especially in framing my speech to you whose more free-borne dispositions will ever scorne to be tainted with such unworthy aspersions wherefore I will descend briefly to such instructions as you are to use touching spirituall affaires being Masters of Housholds in your private families WE reade that Abraham commanded his sons and his houshold that they should keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and judgement And wee are taught what wee must doe returning from Gods house to our owne and what wee are to doe sitting in our houses even to lay up Gods word in our heart and in our soule and binde it for a signe upon our hand that it may be as a frontlet betweene our eyes And not only to be thus instructed our selves but to teach them our children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest up And not so onely but thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates Whence you see how no place time or occasion is to be exempted from meditating of God but especially in Housholds and Families ought this exercise of devotion to be frequently and fervently practised for a Blessing is pronounced upon the performance hereof as appeareth in the foresaid place and the next ensuing verse where he saith You shall doe all that I have commanded you that your dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them as long as the heavens are above the earth Marke the extent of this Blessing for it promiseth not only length of dayes to them that performe it but even to the children of them that performe it and that in no unfruitfull or barren land but in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them and that for no short time but so long as the heavens are above the earth So as this blessed promise or promised blessing is as one well observeth not restrained but with an absolute grant extended so that even as the people that were in the gate and the Elders wished in the solemnizing of that mariage betwixt Boaz and Ruth that their house might be like the house of Pharez so doubtlesse whosoever meditates of the Law of the Lord making it in his Familie as a familiar friend to direct him a faithfull counseller to instruct him a sweet companion to delight him a precious treasure to enrich him shall finde successe in his labours and prosperitie in the worke of his hands But amongst all as it is the use or Masters of housholds to call their servants to account for the day past so be sure Gentlemen and you who are Masters of houses to enter into your owne hearts by a serious examination had every night what you have done or how you have imployed your selves and those Talents which God hath bestowed on you the day past in imitation of that blessed Father who every night examined himselfe calling his soule to a strict account after this manner O my soule what hast thou done this day What good hast thou omitted what evill hast thou committed what good which thou shouldst have done what evill which thou shouldst not have done Where are the poore thou hast releeved the sicke or captive thou hast visited the Orphan or widow thou hast comforted Where are the naked whom thou hast cloathed the hungry whom thou hast refreshed the afflicted and desolate whom thou hast harboured O my soule when it shall be demanded of thee Quid comedit pauper how poorely wilt thou looke when there is not one poore man that will witnesse thy almes Againe when it shall be demanded of thee Vbi nudus quem amicivisti how naked wilt thou appeare when there is not one naked soule that will speake for thee Againe when it shall be demanded of thee Vbi sitiens quem potasti Vbi esuriens quem pavisti Vbi captivus quem visitasti Vbi moestus quem relevasti O my soule how forlorne wretched and uncomfortable will thy condition be when there shall not appeare so much as one witnesse for thee to expresse thy charitie not one poore soule whom thou hast releeved one naked whom thou hast cloathed nor one thirstie whom thou hast refreshed nor one hungry whom thou hast harboured nor a captive whom thou hast visited nor one afflicted whom thou hast comforted Thus to call your selves to account by meditating ever with S. Hierome of the judgement day will be a meanes to rectifie your affections mortifie all inordinate motions purifie you throughout that you may be examples of pietie unto others in your life and heires of glory after death concluding most comfortably with the foresaid Father If my mother should hang about mee my father lie in my way to stop me my wife and children weepe about mee I would throw off my mother neglect my father contemne the lamentation of my wife and children to meet my Saviour Christ Iesus For the furtherance of which holy resolution let no day passe over your heads wherein you addresse not your selves to some good action or imployment Wherefore Apelles posie was this Let no day passe without a line Be sure every day you doe some good then draw one line at the least according to that Line upon line line upon line And Pythagoras posie was this Sit not still upon the measure of corne Doe not looke to eat except you sweat for it according to that He which will not worke let him not eat In my Fathers house saith Christ are many mansions So that no man may sing his soule a
Zopyrus was a right noble and valiant Knight who to reduce Babylon to the subjection of his Lord and Master and defeat the traiterous Assyrians suffered his body to be rent and mangled and being thus disfigured fled straight-wayes to Babylon where the Assyrians were intrenched whom he made beleeve that Darius had mis-used him in this sort because hee had spoken in their behalfe counselling him to breake up his siege and to remove his armie from assaulting their Citie They hearing this tale and the rather induced to thinke it true because they saw him so shamefully disfigured in his bodie were perswaded to make him their chiefe Captaine by which meanes heâ— betrayed them all and surrendred both them and their Citie into his Masters hands The like we reade of Codrus Prince of Athens who according to the counsell of the Oracle sacrificed his life willingly to preserve the Libertie of his Countrey The like did Gobrias who offered his bodie to slaughter to free his Countrey of a tyrannous Traitour Yet observe withall the ingratitude of former Ages to men of best deservings which caused Aeschines say That though the Citie of Thebes and Athens were full of naughtie men yet not so full of any sort as of ungratefull men This felt Annibal this felt Asdrubal this felt African while Asdrubal within must be accused by Asdrubal without and noble African than whom none ever deserved better of his Countrey may begge a resting place for his bones but must not have it Againe it will not be amisse to note the sundry occasions of warres proceeding from the sundry dispositions of men Some strove for soveraigntie others for preservation of their Libertie where so eager was the one of gaining glory the other of defending their Libertie they were many times brought to such straights as there was more roome for beholders than fighters many bearing armes but could not use them No lesse remarkable is it to note what incredible exploits have beene atchieved by a handfull of men under a valiant Leader where by a more particular survey had of their actions we shall finde that observation of Plutarch to be most true Better is an armie of Harts with a Lion to their Leader than an armie of Lions with a Hart to their Leader An Armie being said to derive her strength from her selfe but her spirit from her Captaine In â— word Gentlemen to observe the revolution of times â—he mutation of States the Natures and dispositions of persons the issues and events of things would 〈◊〉 an imployment of no lesse delight than profit conferring the ebbings and flowings of forraine estates with our owne But to draw homeward lest like Messala Carvinus by remembring the name of a stranger we forget our owne there is no History more usefull or relation more needfull for any Gentleman than our owne Moderne Chronicles where he shall observe many notable passages worthy his reading As first how his Countrey was first planted how by degrees it became peopled how to civilitie reduced how by wholesome Lawes restrained and how by the providence of the Almightie in so calme and peaceable manner established Here he shall see a good King but a bad man there a good man but a bad King Againe here hee shall see the State more weakned by civill broiles than forraine warres Securitie being no lesse hurtfull at home than hostilitie abroad Scipio used to have this sentence in his mouth That easie favourable and affable Captains were profitable to the Enemie which though they were beloved of their Souldiers yet they set little by them This shall you see verified in the too much indulgencie of many of our Captaines through which lenitie they made many hopefull Souldiers absolute cowards Againe to note the raising of many obscure persons to great honour as likewise the pulling down of many eminent houses and families would enforce no lesse admiration in us of Gods divine Providence than of his secret Iustice who pulleth downe and setteth up as seemeth best to his wisdome To observe likewise in the corruption of bloud what Noble Families have beene tainted which by the Princes clemencie were againe restored What dangerous attempts and practices have beene undertaken not only to shake but supplant the glorious frame of this Ilaâ—d labouring to divide and remove all succession to this Crowne from the Royall Line of our Princes and to inâ—est forraine Princes therewith where an English King was summoned to the French Kings Court while Normandie was yeelded by us the Welsh invaded us Lewis with a speedie arrivall accosted us and Iohn himselfe was forced to leave us Nay which was more one of the Nurseries of our Iland was displanted for at that time was Oxford of her Students forsaken and abandoned which before for the space of three hundred and nine yeares had successfully flourished so as not onely the State but Learning the sterne of State became much weakned Yet observe how happily this storme was calmed when it was least expected for by the Vicount of Mellin his confession lying then upon his death-bed was the whole practice of the French by a Frenchman discovered which was no lesse happily afterwards prevented For King Iohn being to repentance moved tooke an oath before his Barons that all things should be reformed which the Barons likewise seconded with an oath to confirme his proceedings So Iohn was absolved and that Crowne which he had before resigned he forth with resumed being in this made more happie in that being once so unhappie hee came to defeat his foes make sufficient triall of his friends and recover that by submission which he had lost by his pride Againe if we should but reade and reading consider how peacefull the government how quiet the sleepes how cheerefull the delights were of such as came by lawfull and lineall succession to the Crowne and the heavie Nights troubled thoughts broken sleepes and many tedious houres which those were owners of who came by usurpation to enjoy with little joy a princely Diadem we should of necessitie conclude with Pompey who being combred with his Honour exclaimed to see Sylla's crueltie being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had and cried out O perill and dâ—â—ger never like to have an end For to use one example for all who should but consider the practices which Richard the third used to get a Crowne planting his Kingdome on an indirect foundation Blond and those many strange passages and overtures which happened in his Reigne with those fearefull Visions which appeared to him before his death would certainly set downe this for his rest that it is not what we have without us but what we have within us that procures us peace or disquiet Whence Polydore Virgil upon that terrible dreame of Richard the third the night before Bosworth field in which hee was slaine useth these words I doe not beleeve that these were the
and ingenuously confesse that his unbounded aimes deserved no better guerdon for had his actions beene sincere they had made him more secure Likewise for the Voluptuous man whose belly is his god and sensualitie his delight let me speak thus much as his care extends but only to the day slaving himselfe to the pleasures of sinne and preferring the huskes of vanity before the soule-solacing cates of eternitie so shall his misery appeare greater when deprived of those delights wherein his sole felicity consisted This fleshly Libertine mis-imployeth Time in two respects first in respect of himselfe secondly in respect of those good creatures which were ordained for the use or service of himselfe In himselfe by exposing so glorious an Image to the subjection of sense and mis-applying those gifts which he hath received being diverted from those good offices for which they were bestowed In Gods good creatures by converting them to abuse which were only ordained for use and turning them to wantonnesse which were created for health and releefe of weaknesse This is he who makes life a merriment his pilgrimage a pastime each yeare his Iubile This is he who turnes fasting into feasting praying into playing almes-deeds into all mis-deeds This is he whose sole delight is in dainty feeding to cause inordinate motions to be stirring without least respect at all of his soules starving This is he whose dishes are the poore mans curses and whose gate is the beggers Iaile where they are barred from least crumme of comfort This is he who stalkes and struts in the street sends forth his eye to bring him in a booty of Lust or acquaint him with some new fashion or delight him with some vaine shew This is he who sends forth his eare to convey unto him some choice melody to intraunce him his taste with some luscious viands to provoke him his smell with some rare perfumes to cheere him his touch with soft cloathing or whatsoever may more effeminately move him But where to shall these outward delights availe him when the cold earth shall eâ—tertaine him when he shall be divided from them and they from him When Belshazzar beheld the hand upon the wall he was put quite out of his humour of jollity his cheerefulnesse was turned into pensivenesse his mirth into mourning his solace into sorrowing Even so shall it fare with the Voluptuous man whose delight was only on earth when that fearfull and ungratefull summons shall peremptorily injoine him to bid a due a long a due to those sensuall consorts which accompanied him those inordinate meetings which so much delighted him yea all those licentious pleasures which so inchained him hee will exclaime but in vaine shall be those exclamations and curse the occasions of his mis-spent Time O what a hard taske would he endure to redeeme what his Security hath lost What extremities would he suffer what difficulties undergoe How great and exceeding things would he promise In what bonds of firme devotion would he stand engaged Surely there is nothing that either flesh could sustaine or Mortality suffer which he would not most willingly indure to deliver his endangered soule from eternall torments Lastly for the miserable Covetous wretch who makes great use of his Coine but small use of his Time treasuring up vengeance against the day of wrath how carefull is he in making his barnes larger in filling his chests fuller in inhauncing his rents higher but how respectlesse of that supreme good wherein all happinesse consisteth See how Menedemus-like he is ever digging and delving to raise a fortune for his seldome thriving posterity Thus lives he to become an eternall affliction to himselfe in whose person the Poet very properly expressed a Misers nature after this manner Thus doe I digge thus doe I delve â—'enrich my state thereby Yet th'poorest slave of all I have enjoyes as much as I. This was one of those vanities which the wisest of Princes observed as incident to the children of men that many gathered yet knew not for whom they gathered having likewise no power to use what God had in his mercy bestowed Now to give this miserable Caitiffe his due Character He is his owne executioner being good to none but worst to himselfe His eye is so fixed on earth as he finds no Time to erect it to heaven Hee employes so much time in getting and gathering goods as he reserves no time for doing good He little observes how all earthly things are sweeter in the ambition than in the fruition in the affection than possession Nor how the circular World cannot fill the triangular Heart no more than a Circle can fill a Triangle where still there will be some empty corners He runs on still in desire labouring of a disease incurable till Death cure him He encreaseth his cares with his substance and the more hee addes to his estate the more hee detracts from his content The poore hee hath alwayes with him for hee makes all poore that deale with him In briefe hee is of all others most miserable because in his riches hee hath all his consolation which like the Aegyptian reed will faile him in his confidence leaving him bare and naked to the testimony of a guilty conscience For how secure was the Rich-man as he thought when he invited his wretched soule to take her rest having much goods laid up for many yeares but this selfe-securitie was the occasion of his succeeding misery for that night was his soule to be taken from him It is a true saying that the Devill requires nothing of man but Securitie for that gives him opportunity of practising his undoing Now how bitter is the remembrance of Death much more the unwelcome approach of Death to this miserable covetous man who hath all his peace in his substance For if nothing be so terrible as Death as Aristotle writeth which Antiochus feeling sensibly in himselfe crieth out thus Oh into what adversitie am I come and into what floâ—ds of misery am I now fallen He addeth the reason anon after For I must die with great sorrow in a strange Land Surely then to the miserable worldling who hath made a covenant with sin and a league with transgression must the approach of Death seeme terrible being to be divided from the staffe of his confidence from thence to descend without least hope of comfort to the land of forgetfulnesse for as it cannot possibly be that he should die ill who hath lived well so it cannot be that he who hath lived ill should die well for as the Scorpion hath in her the remedie of her owne poison a receit for her owne infection so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse the which doth never leave so incessant is the torment of a guiltie conscience to wound and afflict his minde both sleeping and waking so as to what place soever he betake him he
ought in the world which hee esteemes worthy his love enjoyeth nought but hee can willingly be content to leave for no man feareth the losse of that which he doth not love But to draw neerer a point these two passions or affections of desire and feare desire of having more than wee have feare of losing what wee already have may be properly said to have a threefold respect To the goods or endowments of the Minde of the Body and of Fortune For the first Plato in his Tymaeo saith If a man lose his eyes or feet or hands or wealth wee may say of such an one he loseth something but he who loseth his heart and reason loseth all For in the wombe of our Mother the first thing which is ingendred or participates forme is the heart and the last which dieth is the same heart So as properly it may be called Reasons Treasurie or store-house where those divine graces are seated which conferre the best beauty to man giving him a note of distinction from other creatures the more to dignifie man For howsoever all creatures have hearts yet only to man is given an understanding heart Other creatures have hearts indeed sensible of present paine but they cannot recall to minde what is past or probably collect by what is past the seasons of times or issues of affaires likely to ensue In the heart of man there is the reasonable power with which he governeth himselfe the irascible power with which he defendeth himselfe and concupiscible by which he provideth for things necessary to releeve himselfe Now admit wee were deprived of that principall blessing the intellectuall part so as like raving and raging Orestes wee were forced to take many blinde by-paths wanting the means of direction by reason of our woful distraction and crying out with Octavia in Seneca O to the spirits below that I were sent For death were easie to this punishment Admit I say all this yet is the afflicted soule to be content abiding Gods good leisure who as hee doth wound so he can cure and as he opened old Tobiths eyes so can he when hee pleaseth where hee pleaseth and as he pleaseth open the bleered eyes of understanding so with a patient expectance of Gods mercy and Christian resolution to endure all assaults with constancie as he recommendeth himselfe to God so shall he finde comfort in him in whom he hath trusted and receive understanding more cleare and perfect than before he enjoyed Or admit one should have his memorative part so much enfeebled as with Corvinus Messala hee should forget his owne name yet the Lord who numbreth the starres and knoweth them all by their names will not forget him though he hath forgot himselfe having him as a Signet upon his finger ever in his remembrance For what shall it availe if thou have memory beyond Cyrus who could call every souldier in his army by his name when it shall appeare thou hast forgot thy selfe and exercised that facultie rather in remembring injuries than recalling to minde those insupportable injuries which thou hast done unto God Nay more of all faculties in man Memory is the weakest first waxeth old and decayes sooner than strength or beauty And what shall it profit thee once to have excelled in that facultie when the privation thereof addes to thy misery Nothing nothing wherefore as every good and perfect gift commeth from above where there is neither change nor shadow of change so as God taketh away nothing but what he hath given let every one in the losse of this or that facultie referre himselfe with patience to his sacred Majestie who in his change from earth will crowne him with mercy Secondly for the goods or blessings of the Body as strength beautie agilitie c. admit thou wert blinde with Appius lame with Agesilaus tongue-tied with Samius dwarfish with Ivius deformed with Thersites though blinde thou hast eyes to looke with and that upward though lame thou hast legges to walke with and that homeward though tongue-tied thou hast a tongue to speake and that to Godward though dwarfish thou hast a proportion given thee ayming heavenward and though deformed thou hast a glorious feature and not bruitish to looke downward For not so much by the motion of the body and her outwardly working faculties as by the devotion of the heart and those inwardly moving graces are wee to come to God Againe admit thou wert so mortally sicke as even now drawing neere shore there were no remedy but thou must of necessitie bid a long a due to thy friends thy honours riches and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee yet for all this why shouldst not thou remaine contented Art thou here as a Countryman or a Pilgrim No Countryman sure for then shouldst thou make earth thy Country and inhabit here as an abiding city And if a Pilgrim who would grieve to be going homeward There is no life but by death no habitation but by dissolution He then that feareth death feareth him that bringeth glad tidings of life Therefore to esteeme life above the price or feare death beyond the rate are alike evill for he that values life to be of more esteeme than a pilgrimage is in danger of making shipwracke of the hope of a better inheritance and he that feareth death as his protest enemy may thanke none for his feare but his securitie Certainly there is no greater argument of folly than to shew immoderate sorrow either for thy own death or death of another for it is no wisdome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give thee occasion to grieve For say is thy friend dead I confesse it were a great losse if he were lost but lost he is not though thou be left gone he is before thee not gone from thee divided only not exiled from thee A Princesse wee had of sacred memory who looking one day from her Palace might see one shew immoderate signes or appearances of sorrow so as she moved with princely compassion sent downe presently one of her Pensioners to inquire who it was that so much sorrowed and withall to minister him all meanes of comfort who finding this sorrowfull mourner to be a Counsellor of State who sorrowed for the death of his daughter returned directly to his Soveraigne and acquainted her therewith O quoth she who would thinke that a wise man and a Counsellor of our State could so forget himselfe as to shew himselfe a childe for the death of his childe And surely whosoever shall but duly consider mans frailtie with deaths necessitie cannot chuse but wonder why any one should be so wholly destitute of understanding to lament the death of any one since to die is as necessary and common as to be borne to every one But perchance it may be by some objected that the departure of their friend is not
Serpent or some brute beast and this it knew but it would not for thy goodnesse sake This it was which forced from that devout and zealous Father this emphaticall discourse or intercourse rather with God who upon a time walking in his garden and beholding a little worme creeping and crawling upon the ground presently used these words Deare Lord thou might'st have made me like this Worme a crawling despicable creature but thou would'st not and it was thy mercy that thou would'st not O as thou hasâ— ennobled me with the Image of thy selfe make me conformable to thy self that of a worm I may become an angel of a vassall of sin a vessell of Sion of a shell of corruption a Star of glory in thy heavenly mansion And in truth there is nothing which may move us to a more serious consideration of Gods gracious affection towards us than the very image which we carry about us preferring us not only before all the rest of his creatures in soveraignty and dominion but also in an amiable similitude feature and proportion whereby we become not only equall but even superiour unto Angells because Man was God and God Man and no Angell To whom are wee then to make recourse to as the Author of our Creation save God whose hand hath made and fashioned us whose grace hath ever since directed and prevented us and whose continued love for whom he loveth he loveth unto the end hath ever extended it selfe in ample manner towards us How frivolous then and ridiculous were their opinions who ascribed the Creation of all things to the Elements as Anaximenes to the piercing Aire Hippeas to the fleeting Water Zeno to the purifying Fire Zenophanes to the lumpish Earth How miserably were these blinded and how notably evinced by that learned Father who speaking in the persons of all these Elements and of all other his good creatures proceedeth in this sort I tooke my compasse saith he speaking to God in the survey of all things seeking thee and for all things relinquishing my selfe I asked the Earth if it were my god and it said unto me that it was not and all things in it confessed the same I asked the Sea and the depths and the creeping things in them and they answered we are not thy god seeke him above us I asked the breathing Aire and the whole Aire with all the inhabitants thereof made answer Anaximenes is deceived I am not thy God I asked the Heaven Sun Moone and Stars neither are wee thy god answered they And I spake to all these who stand about the gates of my flesh tell me what you know concerning my god tell mee something of him and they cryed out with a great voice He made us Then I asked the whole Frame and fabricke of this World tell me if thou be my god and it answered with a strong voyce I am not said it but by him I am whom thou seekest in mee hee it was that made mee seeke him above me who governeth me who made me The interrogation of the creatures is the profound consideration of them and their answer the witnesse they beare of God because all things cry God hath made us for as the Apostle saith the invisible things of God are visibly to be understood by those things which are made by the creatures of the world Thus wee understand the Author of our Creation of whom seriously to meditate and with due reverence to contemplate is to die to all earthly cogitations which delude the sinne-belulled soule with extravagancies And let this suffice for the first Memoriall or Consideration to wit who it was that made us we are now to descend to the second particular which is for what end he made us He who rested not till he had composed and disposed in an absolute order of this Vniverse proposed us an example that we should imitate So long as we are Pilgrims here on earth so long as we are Sojourners in this world wee may not enjoy our spirituall Sabbath wee may stay a little and breath under the Crosse after the example of our best Master but rest wee may not For what end then did he make us That we might live such lives as may please him and die such deaths as may praise him lives blamelesse and unreproveable lives sanctified throughout pure without blemish fruitfull in example plentifull in all holy duties and exercised in the workes of charitie that he who begetteth in us both the Will and the Worke may present us blamelesse at his comming Now that our lives may become acceptable unto him to whose glory they ought to be directed we are in this Tabernaâ—le of clay to addresse our selves to those studies exercises and labours which may benefit the Church or Common-weale ministring matter unto others of imitation to our soules of consolation and in both to Gods name of glorification Wherein appeareth a maine difference betwixt the Contemplative and Active part for sufficient it is not to know acknowledge and confesse the divine Majesty to dispute or reason upon high points touching the blessed Trinitie to be rapt up to the third heaven as it were by the wings of Contemplation but to addresse our selves to an actuall performance of such offices and peculiar duties as we are expresly injoyned by the divine Law of God Our Lord in the Gospell when the woman said Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the brests that gave thee sucke Answered Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And when one of the Iewes told him that his mother and brethren stood without desiring to speake with him He answered and said unto him that told him Who is my mother and who are my brethren And stretching forth his hand toward his Disciples he said Behold my mother and my brethren For whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother It is not knowledge then but practice which presents us blamelesse before God Therefore are we exhorted to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Not to idle out our time in the market-place as such who make their life a repose or cessation from all labours studies or vertuous intendments Of which sort those are and too many of those there are who advanced to great fortunes by their provident Ancestors imagine it a Taske worthy men of their places to passe their time in pastime and imploy their dayes in an infinite consumption of mis-spent houres for which they must be accomptants in that great Assize where neither greatnesse shall be a subtâ—â—â—â—g to guiltinesse nor their descent plead privilege for those many houres they have mis-spent O how can they answer for so many vaine and fruitlesse pleasures which they have enjoyed and with all greedinesse embraced in this life Many they shall have to witnesse against them none to
earthly respect detained from comming to that great Lords Supper to which you were invited O then in a happy state are you for having honoured the Lord he will fill your barnes with plenty or having acknowledged all good things to be derived from his mercy he will give you a fuller taste of his bounty or subjected your selves to his obedience hee will cause every Creature to doe you service or disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory he will exhibit his good gifts unto you more fully or beene oppressors and made restitution you shall with Zacheus become vessels of election or not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution you shall be safe from the doome of confusion or not grinded the face of the poore with extortion the poore shall beare record of your compassion or distributed freely to the Saints necessitie he that seeth in secret shall reward you openly or made you friends of your unrighteous Mammon Manna shall be your food in the heavenly Sion or done these works singly and without vaine-glory you shall be cloathed with the garment of mercy or not detained by the world from going to that great Lords Supper yee shall be graciously admitted and exalted to honour Thus to dispose of the substance of the world is to despise the world preferring one meditation of the pleasures and treasures of heaven before the possession of the whole earth and esteeming it farre better to be one day in the House of the Lord than to be conversant in the Palaces of Princes O then yee whose generous descents and mighty estates promise comfort to the afflicted releefe to the distressed and an hospitable receit to all such as repaire to you for succour or comfort minister to the necessitie of the Saints be liberall and open handed to the poore having opportunitie doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith be exercised in the works of the spirit and not of the flesh so shall yee build upon a sure foundation and in the inheritance of Gods Saints receive a mansion Turne not I say you eare from the cry of any poore man lest his cry be heard and procure vengeance to be powred on your head Pitty the moanes of the afflicted wipe off the teares of the distressed comfort those that mourn in Sion The ordinary forme of begging in Italy is Doe good for your owne sakes Doe good for your owne sakes for your owne selves for your owne soules No sacrifice to God more gratefull to your selves more usefull or to your owne soules more fruitfull than to be zealous in all holy duties and compassionate to the needfull for he that in himselfe burnes not in devotion can never inflame another with the zeale of devotion neither can any one shine unlesse before hee burne shine in the works of compassion unlesse he burne before with the zeale of a devout affection So as many though they be Lights in respect of their ministerie or office yet are they Snuffs in respect of their use effect or service Exhibit therefore freely of those good gifts and bounties which God hath bestowed on you and shew your liberalitie now in the opportunate time for as there is a time when none can worke so there is a time when none can give give it then in your life time that you may expresse your charitie with your owne hand and not by way of Legacie for many make good wills which I much feare mee proceed not of good will being rather by the sentence of mortalitie inforced than of their owne charitable disposition affected to leave to the poore afflicted of the world which they so exceedingly loved while they sojourned here in the world And what shall these bountifull Legacies availe them these charitable Wills profit them when they shal make their beds in the darke and enter parlie with their owne Consciences whether this coacted charitie of theirs proceeded from compassion or compulsion leaving what they could no longer enjoy and giving that which was not in their power to give Surely no more benefit shall this inforced charitie conferre on them than if they had sowne the sand for fruitlesse is that worke which deriveth not her ground from a pure intention or sanctified will In the Easterne countries they put coine in the dead mans hand to provide for him after his departure hence The like provision carry these along with them to their graves who deferre giving till they cannot give making their Executors their Almoners who many times defeat the poore or number themselves in Beadroll of the poore whereby they gull the deceased enriching their owne coffers with the poore mans box O Gentlemen you whose corps are followed with many mourners and oft-times inward rejoycers send out those sweet odours of a good and devout life before you dispense and dispose faithfully in whatsoever the Lord above others hath enriched you deferre not your charity to your death lest you be prevented of your charity by death bethinke your selves how you would be provided if that great Master of accounts were this houre to call you before him and make your reckoning with him would you not be glad if your conscience told you how you had beene faithfull disposers or imployers of those Talents which were delivered to you Would not your hearts rejoyce within you to have such a Testimony as the witnesse of an undefiled or spotlesse conscience within you Would it not intraunce you with an exceeding joy to heare that happy and heavenly approbation Well done good and faithfull servants you have beene faithfull over a few things I will make you rulers over many things enter yee into the joy of your Lord If this could not choose but joy you so dispose of your earthly Mammon that you may be partakers of this surpassing joy in the Courts of Sion And so I descend to the last Branch of this last Observation expressing that object of ineffable consolation whereto this Active Perfection aspireth and that spirituall repose of heavenly solace and refection wherein it solely and properly resteth MAN is borne unto trouble as the sparkes fly upward being here a sojourner in the Inne of this world and drawing every day neerer and neerer the end of his Pilgrimage where mans life is the Travellers embleme his forme of living the very mirrour of his sojourning his home returning the type or figure of his dissolving In which progresse or journall of man by how much more the Sun-diall of his life proceedeth by so much neerer the night-shade of death approacheth Yet behold the misery of man His desires are daily to disquiet and disturbe himselfe for shew me that man howsoever affected or in what degree soever placed whose desires are so firmely fixed as his minde is not troubled in the pursuit of that whereto his aymes are directed For to begin with the Highest because his thoughts are