Securitie Epicurisme Contempt of Gods iudgements and the like Nor let vs by the example of the greater number suffer our selues to bee seduced and carried away with the streame of wicked workes to pollute our selues with such like wickednesse and scandals Luc. 21.34 Take heed saith our Sauiour least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come vpon you vnawares 4 Let vs with an ardent zeale embrace and exercise the contratie Vertues Temperance Frugalitie the Feare of God Vigilancie Sobrietie and constantly set forewards in the course of true pietie according to that precept Watch alwayes and that also Luc. 21.11 2 Pet. 3.12 What manner persons ought wee to bee in holy conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the Daie of the Lord 5 Let vs daily cal vpon God to kindle in our hearts this care of vertues and desire of eternall life in the course of pietie to gouerne and confirme vs with his Holy Spirit to mitigate the calamities of his Church which goe before the end of the World according to that Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation Pray that you may be found worthie to escape the things that are to come Luc. 21.36 and stand before the Sonne of man 6 To conclude Let vs so liue that euerie moment we may expect the comming of the Sonne of God to iudgment and may with a true faith and good conscience appeare ioyfully before him as wee are commanded to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present World looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the mightiâ— God and also according to that of the Apostie giue diligence Tit. 21.12.13 2 Pet. 3.14 that you may be found without spot and blamelesse before him in peace Two Rules neuer to bee forgotten 1 THou must neuer forget that the Son of God died for thee Secondly That thou thy selfe though thou liuest long art shortly to die If thou shouldest liue in the vtmost parts of Ethiopia where men for long life are called Macrobians yet die thou must nor canst thou know where when or how Hence it was that Hormisda answered the Emperour Constantine demaunding him of the beautie of Rome stately buildings goodly statues and sumptuous Temples if he thought that in all the World were any such Citie Surely said Hormisda there is indeede none comparable to it yet hath it one thing common to all other Cities Men die heere as they die in other places The death then of the Sonne of God who died to acquite thee from eternall death and thy owne death being so certaine not to be farre off must bee as two spurres of loue to driue thy horse through the short race of this momentanie life vnto the goale of eternall happinesse Remember then First That the time wee haue to liue is lesse then a Geometricall point Secondly How wicked the enemie is who promiseth vs the Kingdome of this World that hee might take from vs the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdy How false pleasures are which embrace vs to the end to strangle vs. Fourthly How deceitfull Honors are which lift vs vp to cast vs downe Fiftly How deadly riches are which the more they feed vs the more they strangle vs. Sixtly How short how vncertaine how wauering how false how fantastique all that same thing is which all these thinges if wee had them all at out owne desires can performe vnto vs. Seuenthly How great precious and vnvaluable things are promised and prouided fro those who despising the present thinges seeke for that Countrie in the Heauens whose King is Deitie whose Law is Charitie whose manner is Eternitie With these and such like cogitations we must occupie our mindes which will stirre vs vp from slumbering and sleeping in our sinnes kindle our zeale cooling in Religion confirme our weaknesse staggering in opinions and giue vs wings of most godly loue lifting vs vp to the glorie of Heauen The twelue weapons for the Spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of Sinning tempts man 1 OF Sinne the pleasures short and small 2 The Companions Loathsomenesse and Anxietie 3 The losse of a greater good euen God himselfe 4 That life is but a sleep and shadow a winde a vapour a bubble and as a tale that is told 5 That death is at hand and sudden and comes like a Theese in the night 6 The doubt and danger of impenitencie 7 Eternall reward and happinesse and eternall torments 8 The Dignitie Honour and nature of man 9 The peace of conscience which is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding namely a full assurance that God is through Christ at peace with him remitting all his sinnes 10 The benefits and graces of God bestowed on him both inwardly and outwardly 11 The Crosse Agonie Passion and bloudie sweat of Christ for his sinnes 12 The testimonie of Martyrs and examples of Holy men who ouercame Sâ—than â—nd all his suggestions to sinne by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimonie for they loued not their liues vnto the death The twelue conditions of a true louer whereby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 1 THE first degree of loue is to loue one onely and to despise all other things for him 2 To thinke him vnhappie that is not with his beloued 3 To suffer all thinges yea death to bee with him 4 To adorne and decke himselfe with such things as may please him 5 To be with him in all sorts that we may if not in bodie yet at the least in minde 6 To loue all thinges that please him his counsailes his precepts his doctrine 7 To seeke his honour and praise and not to suffer any to doe him reproch and dishonour 8 To beleeue the best things of him euermore and in all thinges desiring all men so to beleeue 9 To be willing to suffer any discommoditie for his sake taking it in verie good part 10 To shed teares for him often either for griefe if he be absent or for ioy if he be present 11 To languish often and often to be inflamed with his loue 12 To obey him in all thinges neuer thinking of any reward or recompence Now this wee are induced to doe for three causes specially First when the seruice is such as of it selfe is to be desired Secondly when he whom we obey is of himselfe so verie good and amiable that we euen loue and reuerence him for his vertues Thirdly when before we beganne to serue him hee bestowed on vs great benefits And these three causes we finde abundantly in God for which wee should loue and obey him For First there is no trauaile not paines taken for his seruice that is not good both for bodie and soule for to loue and obey him is but to direct our selues to him that is the chiefest good Secondly He is
labour is not for base and contemptible things but for true honours the Kingdome of God and the vnspeakable glorie thereof Whence it doth manifestly follow that seeing nothing in this world is more abiect then sinne nor any thing of more excellency and magnanimitie then vertue Princes and great ones are much to bee blamed if they suffer themselues to be ouercome of any sinne or doe depart from the more noble life of vertues and contemplation Yet it is to be obserued that this vertue of Magnanimitie is in this world mightily obscured and troden vnder foote by the blindnesse of men For albeit many are by nature magnanimous yet because they make great account of the prosperities and honours of this world forgetting the more sublime and excellent honour of vertue it selfe and chiefely of Fortitude which consists in this That a man doe vanquish himselfe and also forgetting that most high reward which in heauen is prepared for them that giue themselues to a spirituall life Thus whilest they magnifie the things of this world and are with all their hearts and strength occupied in them they disesteem that in which true Magnanimitie consisteth namely Vertue and the contemplation of heauenly things And they hence take a pretext and colour of this their complacency worldly comportment from the common vse and practise of this kinde of life amongst the most high and noble persons who for the most part ire besotted with these sublunarie and base fooleries nor in the meane time doe they obserue that the truly-wise do laugh them to scorne euen as those most high celestiall Princes and all the Courtiers of his Court the least of whom hath a greater regall pompe then al the Caesars Courts of this brittle world which onely is as it were but a little village and yet doth so delude their vnderstandings From this will manifestly arise thus much That in very deed they are most abiect and vnworthie of honour albeit they are held for great in this world who doe not exercise all their powers in the spirituall life and seruice of the most high King and God from whom onely they may obtaine those so excellent benefits which in heart they so much desire It is also euident that Princes and great ones haue a greater Obligation to this vertue of Magnanimitie and to all that proceeds from the same and therefore it may truly be said that for this Obligation and Magnanimitie all doctrine which concernes a spirituall life doth more appertaine to them then to others whose pusillanimitie and weaknesse of minde doth not lift vp themselues to desire and procure so difficult and great matters Surely if it be a base thing for Princes and Great ones to be exercised in gatheting vp the small crummes of Sugar that fall from the ballance much more abiect and base it is to place the minde in the vaine sweetnesse of delights and prosperities of this world seeing hence doth follow not onely obliuion but also the perdition of the most high honour and glory for the which was giuen them that great and generous minde they haue and that mightie power and great place they hold Of all these things that most glorious King of the vniuersall heauenly and earthly Court our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen a most cleare example who offered his most regall person to innumerable iniuries and afflictions for those wonderfull things of heauen who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame Heb. 12.2 and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God who also with a minde truly great and glorious Mat. 4.10.6 despised the Kingdomes of this world when they were offered him Surely I know not by what title or right he will call himselfe an illustrious Lord in this world who spends his life in acquiring the honours of this world seeing he may behold his King to desire death whereby to set him free from the vaineâ— loue of mundane honours and transferre him to heauenly honours Againe I know not how he dare number himselfe amongst great and excellent men who lets fall his heart vpon things so abiect and base seeing in very truth that abiect things are farre distant and vnfit for sublime great and generous spirits This Magnanimitie ought singularly to induce Noble and Heroicke persons neuer to commit sinne seeing sinne is the most abiect vile thing in this world in respect that it is aduersant to the fidelitie they owe to God and vilifieth them in the sight of God and all good men Surely no tongue nor hand of another man can so affect vs with any iniurie as our owne sinnes doe defile and shame vs which we daily commit before God before whom we are euer present This Magnanimitie also must haue this effect in great ones not to feele any aduersitie from whomsoeuer it come seeing it cannot hurt a wise man any further then he will in his minde estimate it But a true magnanimous esteemer of things doth not reckon any thing for any great euill which doth not concerne the soule for all the rest where that is had must be committed to obliuion and where that hath past away it must no more moue vs then that which for the vilitie of it deserues to be committed to forgetfulnesse Vnto all these things which I haue spoken great men and Rulers ought to inuite and moue their subiects by all possible meanes and that for many reasons First for that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords did so Secondly for that chiefely euen for this cause principalitie and power is giuen vnto them in the earth seeing all good gouernment is to this end disposed of God vnto which good gouernement they stand obliged Thirdly for that vnto great men is due a great and excellent societie which cannot bee vnlesse their people be godly and vertuous Furthermore amongst all men vertue and good life is most glorious which things of a suretie no Preacher can with so great facilitie and such felicitie plant in any Region or Kingdome as those that gouerne it if they would marke and do the things wee houe declared and those that will not so doe but thinke that the studie of vertue religion and contemplation are vnsutable for Princes and great persons I may say as the blessed Apostle saith That they are worse then Infidels For as the soule and spirituall life is by so much more louely by how much the whole world with the riches thereof is to be preferred before a basket of dung as our Lord taught vs who led a life full of calamities and died a death full of sorrowes and ignominies teaching vs to liue a spirituall life and little to esteeme of this corporall so those that are greatest amongst men ought to chuse and bee exercised in the greatest and best things that is in consummating a spirituall and heauenly life contemning the vaine glory of this world as a thing most vnworthie of a generous
wicked the sense of the horrible anger of God against their sinnes the most sorrowfull feare confusion flight roaring indignation biting and gnawing of conscience arising from the recordation of their sinnes now laid open to the whole world and with the most direfull thunder of Gods anger inflicted vpon them The wicked perceiuing themselues for euer with the Diuels cast off from God and his horrible wrath powred out vpon them all their turpitude and malice to all the Angels and men demonstrated and all occasions of flying these punishments and mending of their manners in this life intercepted acknowledging godly men enioying with God eternall ioy and glorie to be for euer blessed so all houle and lament for their carnall securitie and final impenitency and amongst these infinite torments of bodie and soule with horrible lamentations eiulations sobbes and sighes and in perpetuall mourning anguishâ— trembling shame ignominie gnashing of teeth and desperation ration shal euery moment in vaine wish that these sorrowes and torments might by death be cut off and they themselues to be redacted into nothing but all this I say in vaine Apoc. 9.6 For Cupient mori mors fugiet ab eis they shall desire to die but death will not be acquainted with them This is eternall damnation this is eternall fire O horrible eternitie whom the consideration of thee may not moue to forsake all euill and follow all that is good I will speake it in a word but I will speake it truly he hath no faith or if any sure he hath no heart or if any sure hee he hath no hope of saluation Close vp this Meditation with a sweet colloquie and speech with God desiring him so to inflame thy heart with a true zeale of seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse of life that all thy life long thou maist be out of the feare of this eternall death and in the death of thy bodie thou maist enioy the fruit and Crowne of righteousnesse eternall life MEDITATION IIII. Of Coelestiall glorie CAst downe thy self before God and begge of him that he will direct all thy thoughts words and workes to his glorie and thy saluation First cast thy conceit earnestly vpon that description of the holy Citie Apoc. 21. New Hierusalem where is represented to thee a place full of all glory pleasures and excellencies that heart can imagine and all those perdurable and for euer Secondly aske of God to giue thee grace intimously and from the heart to vnderstand the glory of this heauenly countrie and so to be affected and rauished with the desire thereof that euer and euery where thou maist be stirred vp to serue him in purenesse of life and also labour to bring as many to this glorie as thou canst The first point is to consider what kind of place it is that the blessed doe inhabite in site most high in space most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew and beautie most specious and glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole Citie of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphyres and the streets of no lesse price and beautie There is no night nor darknesse for the Sunne of righteousnesse which knowes not to be hid doth euer send his beames into it Now if the fabricke of this world which is but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of teares to men hath so much beautie and excellency that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment and such plentie of good things that no sense can desire more such varietie of beastes fishes fountaines townes cities prouinces disagreeing in institutes manners and lawes such choise of all stones of value gold siluer and exquisite silkes naturall and artificiall if I say this building of so small a frame of the Sunne Moone and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heauenly countrie doe not now the habitation of seruants but sonnes not of beasts but blessed soules where is the Hall of the great King of Kings the omnipotent God who can and will performe to his beloued children much more then they can conceiue what things will not he frame in his eternall Palace for his sonnes Psal 84.1.2 How amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. What ioy shall that bee when they shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South Luc. 13.29 sit at table in the kingdom of God Thou shalt consider what kind of house Gods house is wholly pleasant wholly desirable remoued from all euill replenished with all good in which as Angustine there is a life prepared of God for his friends a secure life a quiet life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knowes not death a life without straitnesse without necessitie without sorrow without auxietie without corruption without perturbation without varietie without mutation a life full of beautie and honour Where as Bernard saith there is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights How louely a house is this where is perfect loue and no feare eternall day and all one Spirit where God is seene face to face Blessed are all those who so liue in this world that departing hence they may be assured to remoue to so blessed a home Then contemplate that blessed society of most pure minds in their seueral quires described Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins Whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Dan. 7. Thousand thousands serue him ten hundred thousands assist him Behold with these so many most holy soules of men and women Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyres Virgins Innocents so many that Iohn said Apoc. 15. They could not be numbred Behold the beautie of euery one and so great charitie that they no lesse reioyce of anothers glorie then their owne Conceiue what is the exercise of the blessed to see God face to face First to know the diuine Essence in three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost with which knowledge they are so illumined and inflamed that incessantly they sing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Isa 6. In the diuine Essence they know themselues and all things else and do not onely see God but also loue him with a vehement loue a full loue a perfect loue with all the heart and all the strength and in louing they enioy him and in enioying with an inexplicable ioy are rauished No cessation of praises admiration thanksgiuing and ioy which they receiue by the presence of God whom with all reuerence and rest they assist and by that societie of so many Saints with whom they see themselues in glorie in a place so sublime secure and pleasant doe eternally reioyce Consider withall the multitude and fulnesse of those ioyes so many that God can onely number them so great that onely he
and magnanimous spirit If this bee the difference betwixt the two liues Spirituall and Carnall then God in mercie open the vnderstandings of all both high and low that they may see their errours and chuse with Marie the better part which shall not be taken from them 23. The fruitfull Admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus IN many thinges Demonicus wee finde the iudgements of good men to differ greatly from the nature of the wicked But the greatest of all is in mutuall conversation seeing these doe reuerence and esteeme onely their friendes present but those loue their friends farre absent Besides the familiaritie of the wicked is euen in a short time dissolued but the friendship of good men the whole course of an Age doth not abolish Therefore I being perswaded that it becomes those desirous of glorie and aspiring to knowledg not to imitate the euil but the good haue sent vnto thee this Oration for a gift which may be an argument of the mutuall friendship betwixt vs a token of the familiarity betwixt me Hipponicus for it becomes the children as of the substance so of the Fathers friendship to succeed as heires Besides I perceiue also the condition of things to fauour vs and also the present time for thou doest exceedingly desire knowledge and I bestowe all my care in teaching others againe thou art giuen to Philosophie and I bring them on by a right line that are going towardes it Therefore how many soeuer do write perswasiue Orations to their friends doe surely indeuour an excellent thing yet doe not take in hand the most noble part of Philosopie But those which prescribe vnto youth not by what means to polish that high kinde of pleading but that as much as belongs to Elegancie of māners they may bee well and liberally brought vp these by so much the more doe profit their hearers by how much as those onely provoke to the garnishing of wordes but these endue vs also with good manners Therefore we not preparing an exhortation but writing an institution advise thee what thinges a young man is to follow what to flie with whom to converse and after what manner the course of life is to be framed for how many soeuer haue holden this course of life those onely at length haue truely come to vertue then which there is no other possession either more honest or more durable For Beautie either Age weares or Sicknesse consumes Riches are rather the Ministers of vices then of honestie as the thinges which nourish slouth and stirre vp young men to the desire of pleasure Strength confirmed with prudence may profit without which it brings more discommoditie to him that hath it and as it adornes the bodies of them exercised so it casts a darknesse vpon the industrie of the minde On the other side the possession of vertue in whose mindes soeuer it shall incorruptly grow vp doth onely waxe olde being both more worthy then riches and more profitable then the splendour of Birth making such thinges easie as others cannot attaine stoutly sustaining thinges fearefull to the multitude accounting slouth for a reproch but labour for an high praise This thing it is easie to learne from the labours of Hercules and gestes of Theseus to whose workes that excellent vertue of manners added such an illustrious note of glorie that not all the passages of Worlds shall euer bee able to obliterate their famous Actes For indeed if thou callest to mind thy Fathers indeuours thou shalt haue a domesticke and singular example of those thinges which I speake of for so he framed his life that hee made no small account of Vertue nor waxed dull with slouth but both accustomed his bodie to labours and tamed and ouercame dangers with his minde The same did neither aboue measure loue riches but enioyed the present good thinges as a mortall man againe as not obnoxious to the chance of Death neglected not thinges gotten nor ledde his life sordidely but was both Honourable and Magnificall and also to his friendes exposed and inlarged Those also that followed the studie of Letters hee more admired and loued then those of kinne vnto him supposing that to the coniunction of minds Nature was more powerfull then Law manners then kinred the choice of life then necessitie And so to number all his actions scarce one whole life would suffice of which yet in a more conuenient time wee will resolue a more exact narration Now at the least wee haue delineated Hipponicus his nature howsoeuer that thou maist haue whereby to compose thy life as after an example whilest thou hast his manner instead of a Law and shalt labor to imitate and aemulate thy Fathers Vertues For it shal be a dishonest thing when Painters take euerie excellent beast to expresse to themselues that yong men in like manner should not imitate their most excellent Parents I would haue thee perswade thy selfe that it nothing becomes Champions better to prepare themselues against their aduersaries then thou shouldest take care that in the same institute of life with thy Father thou labour with like praise But yet he cannot be so affected in his minde who shall not bee furnished with various and those most excellent precepts For as by moderate labour the bodie increaseth so by Nature it is also ordained that the minde by speeches of good profit should grow vp Therefore I will endeuour to set before thy eyes compendiously by what way chiefly in my opinion thou must trauaile to attaine Vertue and approue thy selfe vnto other mortall men 1 Therefore obserue thou religiously the thinges that belong to God aswell in sacrificing as in keeping thy oath That is a token of the abundance of thy riches this an argument of thy honestie of manners 2 Doe thou euer worship the Diuine power yet most chiefly as often as the Citie doth worship for so shalt thou bee iudged both to please God by Sacrifice and also to defend the Lawes 3 Shew thy selfe such to thy Parents as thou wouldest haue triall of thy children towardes thee 4 Vse exercises not so much those that promote strength as those that make for thy health which thou shalt doe if thou cease fom labour whilest thou art yet sufficient for labor 5 Loue not vehement laughter nor giue care to thinges spoken proudly for this is the part of a foole and that of a mad man 6 Thinke that thinges filthie to bee done are not honest to be spoken 7 Accustome thy selfe to shew a composed and graue countenance not sowre and vnpleasant this will gaine thee an opinion of obstinate fiercenesse that of Prudence 8 Thinke chiefely that cleannesse shame fastnesse equitie and continencie becomes thee by all which the Nature of yong men seemes to bee contained in their dutie 9 Conceiue that neuer any flagitious thing committed by thee can bee kept secret for howsoeuer it may bee kept from others yet thou shalt carrie with thee in thy minde the conscience of that
of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
can estimate them of such varietie and perfection that this world hath nothing comparable to them In summe they are most free most pure most beautifull most infinite But the cleare beholding of the face of God which is the essentiall reward of the blessed whereby they see him as he is and in him all other things doth farre exceede all the fulnesse and varietie of that inexplicable ioy For so much they shall loue him as they know him whence it is that they shall so much reioyce of his infinite greatnesse perfection beautie and goodnesse as if they in God and God in them were King of all things Consider the aspect of Christs humanitie now ioyned by glory to the diuine nature what is the pleasure the grace and splendour in soule and bodie His forme doth exceed without comparison the beautie of all the blessed Spirits and holy men 1. Pet. 1. insomuch that the Angels themselues desire to behold it And the more shall men receiue comfort and ioy hereby in that they vnderstand that by this bloud they were redeemed which they shall see to sparkle in his most holy flesh more flammously and burning-bright then any Iasper chefely in his heart feete hands and side and somuch the more in that their humane nature is by that humanitie of Christ aduanced to the right hand of God which nature in Christ as the head of all things and Gouernour of all creatures they adore Nor shall the ioy be a little which they shall take in the view of the blessed Virgine when they shal see in her so great sublimitie with so great submission such maiestie with such miserie The aspect also of one another shall much increase their ioy when they see themselues placed in a state so secure in glory so glorious and vnspeakeable euerie one reioycing as much of anothers glory as of his owne Meditate seuerally in what estate are the bodies and soules of the blessed The soule shall be so swallowed vp of the Ocean of the Diuinitie and so rauâ—shed with the loue of God and so shall liue as if it were transformed into God If Saint Paul were in that estate that hee could say Gal. 2. I liue no more but Christ liueth in me why should not rather euerie blessed soule say I liue not I now but God liueth in mee The powers of the soule shall be illustrated with a most full knowledge of God and fulnesse of ioy the Memorie shall be exercised in commending the benefits of God the Vnderstanding in the aspect of the diuine beautie the Wil in the loue of the infinite goodnesse The bodie shall be immortall not obnoxious to any hurt or danger sorrow or sicknes whose glorie is excelling the Sunne in brightnesse so that now it may truly say 1. Cor. 15.54.55 Death is swallowed vp into victorie O death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Now is that verified which the Prophet foresaw Eye hath not seene nor care heart nor hath it entred into mans heart Isa 4. which God hath prepared for them that loue him The ioy also which the Saints conceiue of their securitie is very fit for meditation seeing themselues to haue escaped the deceits of the World flesh and Deuil and safe from the iawes of Hell into which they see so many so miserably plunged How reioyce they of the labours they haue endured of the many grieuous thinges to the flesh they haue performed of the occasions of sinnes they haue declined of their industrie in vanquishing the assaults of their spirituall enemies of restrayning the appetites and desires of the flesh of ouercomming all difficulties in this life in the way of vertue and obedience to God With what prayses shall fasting prayer mortification of the flesh repentance and faith the father of all these as also all the holy counsailes and happie examples of others whereby they haue beene stirred vp to vertue and holpen in the way of saluation be extolled Thinke vpon the eternitie of this glorie For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternal weight of glorie 2. Cor. 4.17 Who will then for the short space of time which is granted vs to liue nay for many ages of Worldes refuse to suffer aduersities to repent in sackcloth and ashes to beate downe this rebellious bodie that wee may at length arriue at the hauen of this glorious eternitie The more to inflame vs hereunto let vs know for certaine That as Gregorie saith Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat It is but momentanie whatsoeuer it be in this life that can delight vs but it is for euer and euer that wiltormeÌ„t vs. Our delights liue die in a moment but our punishment is interminable and endlesse Agâ—â—ne and againe revolue with thy selfe what thou hast done what thou now doest and what thou thinkest to doe to obtaine this goale of glorie for which glories sake God made thee after his owne image redeemed thee with the bloud of his sonne and preserued thee vntill this houre Thinke I say with thy selfe what thou wilt doe for this heauenly glorie and know that thou must follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see God Here cast thy eyes vpo those things which the Saints of God haue done Heb. 1214. whome now thou seest triumph in glorie and descend into all the offices of a spirituall life and see what meanes they vsed to attaine so wished an end what they suffered either for the loue of God or desire of this glory And that done set downe and determine with thy selfe from the heart to follow their footsteps whose end thou desirest that thy end may bee like and knowe that this is spoken to direct thee in the way Bee yee followers of mee as I am of Christ and also that 1. Cor. 11.1 Bee yee followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as you haue vs for an example To conclude shut vp all with a sweet conference with God begging of him pardon for thy sins past by the merits of his Son Iesus Christ and that he would giue thee grace by the working of his spirit not any longer to spend thy time wickedly and neglitently but that from hence forth thou maist goe on to runne the wayes of his Commandements vnto the end of thy life Of true Wisdome what it is and wherein it consists TRue Wisdome is that which estimates euery thing to bee such as it is indeed vile things to bee vile and precious things to be precious First then only vertue that is piety towards God and Men to wit the worship of God and loue of men is the only precious thing all other things are only good precious as they stand in relatioÌ„ therunto otherwise they are meerly euill First Riches are not Gemmes Mettals Magnificent Buildings and Treasures but not to want those things which
For he loues not himselfe that loues riches honours pleasures or any thing without himselfe or in the bodie seing the principall part is the Minde nor doth he loue himselfe that by ignorance of himselfe deceiues himselfe or suffers himselfe of others to bee deceiued perswading himselfe there are worthie thinges in him when there are none 10 The blinde and inconsiderate loue of the bodie is the source of all euils for it takes away Charitie whence all euil ariseth in the World Hee that too much loues himselfe thus neither loues himselfe nor is truly beloued of others 11 Remember that if thou thinkest those things which serue thee by nature to bee at thy libertie and vnrestrained and shalt take other mens for thine own it shall come to passe that thou shalt bee hindred troubled lament and accuse both God and man but if thou thinkest that to be thine which indeede is thine and other mens as they are to be other mens no man shall euer hinder or trouble thee thou shalt accuse none thou shalt doe nothing vnwillingly none shal hurt thee thou shalt haue no enemie nor receiue any calamitie 12 Those thinges are ours which are in our power as Opinion Appetite Desire Dislike and all our actions those are not ours as the Bodie Monie Glorie Empire nor things which we our selues doe not 13 In euery thing that either delights thee or serues for thy vse or is beloued consider what kinde of thinges they are beginning at the least as if thou louest a pot that it is a pot thou louest for that being broken thou wilt not be troubled if thy sonne or thy wife know thou louedst a mortall Creature for they being dead thou shalt not be grieued 14 No perturbation ariseth to man from the thinges themselues but from the opinions of them Death is not euil but the opinion is ill Therefore when we are hindred or distracted let vs not blame others but our selues that is our opinions To accuse others in our calamities is the part of an vnwise man to accuse our selues the part of him that begins to be wise but to accuse nor others nor our selues the part of him that is wise indeed 15 As in sayling if thou go on land to refresh thy selfe and gather Cockles on the shore thou must haue thy eye on the ship and thy eare readie to the Call of the Gouernour that hauing called hee weigh not anchor and leaue thee behind so in this life if instead of Cockles a wise childe riches or honour be giuen thee these must not hinder thee but that the Master calling thou must runne to the shippe and leaue them all not looking backe but hauing thy minde bent vpon God 16 Thinke neuer that thou hast lost â—â—y â—hing but rendred it Is thy Land taâ—â—n away it is rendred But thou wilt say hee is a wicked man that tooke it away what 's that to thee by whom Hee tooke it from thee that gaue it to thee Therefore whilest thou hast it vse it as the Trauelier doth his Inue 17 Wee must so behaue our selues in this life as in a banquet If any thing be brought thee with modestie put forth thy hand and take it Is it gone care not for it Is it not come reach not out thy appetit too far for it til it be brought thee If thus thou carrie thy selfe towards wife children riches Magistracie thou shalt bee worthie the banquet of God but if when they are brought thee thou despise them thou shalt bee a consort of Gods Kingdome 18 Remember thou art the Actor of such a fable as thy Master approues if short of a short one if long of a long one If he will haue thee play the part of a begger or Prince or Plebeian see thou represent that person ingenuously For this is thy part to put on that person wel that is giuen thee but to choose what part is not thine but anothers euen Gods 19 If thou wilt be truly free and not bonde contemne the thinges which are not in thy owne power 20 Death Banishment and all that is accounted euill haue daily before thy eyes but aboue all death so shalt thou neuer thinke any base thing no nor yet greatly desire any thing 21 Seek not that honor or place in the World which thou canst not attaine or keepe without wracke of integritie and godnesse 22 If thou beest not bidden to the same banquet nor holden in the same Honour that others are grieue not thy selfe for as he which paies the price of the horse must haue him and yet is not he in worse Condition that hath the price then he which hath the horse so if thou wantest Honour and dignitie thou doest want the charge and also the grieuances that goe with it 23 Things that serue the bodie as meat drinke clothing houses and seruice let them bee so far ministred as they are of vse to the minde But refuse whatsoeuer belongs to Ostentation or Delight 24 If any say that some haue spoken ill of thee answere that hee knew not thy other vices for otherwise hee would not onely haue blazoned these but them also 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in 57. Aphorismes THE Prince must haue the same care for subiects that his he hath for the members of his owne bodie 2 The Prince ought well to know what belongs to warre but yet let him loue peace 3 Accesse to the Prince must not bee difficult 4 That the Prince may haue his Nobles and Subiects good continent and strenuous the onely way is to be so himselfe For such as is the Prince such will the people be It is the part of a good Prince to ordaine and establish the true worship of God and then to take care that it bee sincerely practised 6 Couetous and ambitious Courtiers in fauour with the Prince doe euer wrap the Prince and Kingdome in great difficulties 7 That Prince makes way for Tyrannie that suffers few or none of his Subiects to come to his presence without a Mediatour 8 The cruell and rash anger of the Prince begets the irreconciliable hatred of his Subiects 9 It is the part of a prudent and good Prince if but in words he haue offended any of his Subiects to mitigate them by acknowledging his errour So did Xerxes to Artabanus 10 The vniuersall rule of institution of Princes is comprehended in the sacred Scriptures therefore is that booke daily to be learned and scanned of him Iosh 1.8 Pro. 5.21 that would be a good Prince 11 The true reason of good and happie commanding Psal 72. Pro. 2.34.8.16.9.10 is in the whole Sacred volume 12 Albeit it much concern the Prince in tender yeares to bee bred in true Religion and Pietie towards God yet except he haue some Worthies about him to retaine him in the feare of God and as it were by their power to moue him hee will easily fall from true Religion to Idolatrie either induced by the