so soon It is a long reckoning that remaines to be made for great receipts for vve are not the owners vve are the baylifes or stewards of our vvhole estates In the day of our great Audit there is not one peny but must be calculated and vvhat can the greatnesse of the summe passed through our hands then availe us other then to adde difficulty to the computation and danger to the accountant When Death shall come roughly to us in the style that Benedict did to Totilaes servant Lay downe that thou bearest for it is not thine owne and the great Master of the universall family of the world shall call us to a redde rationem for all that we have received Woe is me what pleasure shall it be to me that I had much What is the poore horse the better for the carriage of a rich sumpter all day when at night he shall lie downe with a galled back I heare him that wished to live Croesus wishing to die a beggarly Cynick that was not worth his shroud The cheare goes downe well till it come to the shot when that goes too deep vve quarrell at our excesse Oh our madnesse to doat upon our future repentance The second remedy is the due consideration of the object of our desires Alas vvhat poore stuffe is this vvherewith vve are transported what is the most preciovs metall of either colour but thick clay as the maker himself calls it What is the largest territory but an insensible spot of contemptible earth what are the greatest commands but a glorious servitude what the highest offices but golden fetters vvhat the highest titles but aire and sound And if the fond minds of worldlings can set other glosses on these bewitching contentments yet as when a man that hath eaten saffron breathes upon a painted face he presently descryes and shames the false complexion so when the truly rationall and judicious shall come to spend his thoughts upon the best and all of these garish and glittering allurements he shall speedily detect their vanity and bewray their dissembled unworthinesse §. XII The moderation of our passions and therein first of our sorrow THe moderation of our passions challengeth the next roome In the pursuit whereof since their variety is great it were easie to passe our bounds but we shall moderate our discourse and select some of the most impetuous As for love and joy they have so much affinity with pleasure and delight whereof we have already treated that we shall spare the labour of their further mention Sorrow shall take the first place a passion that hath beene guilty of much blood We have read and heard of some few that have dyed of joy as Chilon of Sparta when he imbraced his sonne returning with honour and Clidemus the Athenian when he was crowned by the Players these Tertullian instances in So Pope Leo the tenth if we beleeve Iovius is said to dye for the joy of taking Millaine so Senas the Generall of the Turkish gallies dyed for the joy of the returne of that sonne whom he had given for lost It was with these as with them whom we have seene choaked with those cordiall waters which they have received for the remedy of their qualmes But our experience tells us of a thousand for one that have beene kill'd with griefe Not perhaps in a sudden violence which kinde of death Caesar esteemed more easie but in a lingring and languishing forme of murder for a broken spirit dryeth and bones saith Solomon and by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken This is our childs part which was beset us in Paradise before we were By the mothers side In sorrow shalt thou bring forth By the fathers In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life Sorrow in birth sorrow in life and in death sorrow The shadow doth not more inseparably follow the body then this doth our existence so as he that meant to say Thrice miserable mistooke not much when he said Thrice man If we look upon those who have had the greatest share in Gods love we shall finde them to have drunk deepest of this cup. The great mirrour of patience can say My bowels boyled and rested not the dayes of affliction prevented me I went mourning without the Sun I am a brother to Dragons and a companion to owles And the sweet singer of Israel warbles out sad straines of complaint in this kinde The sorrowes of death compassed me about and the paines of hell gat hold on me And againe My soule melts for very heavinesse Esay cryes out of his loynes Ieremy of his bowells and good Ezekiah chatters like a Crane or Swallow and mournes like a Dove What speak I of these when I hear the Lord of life and glory say My soule is exceeding heavy even to the death Now this sorrow is ever out of the sense of some evill Evill whether of sin or of punishment Of sinne whether of others or our owne Punishment as bodily sicknesse death of friends worldly losses all these are just grounds of sorrow Rivers of waters run downe mine eyes because they keep not thy law saith holy David And doe we not think he sorrowed more for his owne sinnes There is no rest in my bones saith he because of my sinne And all the night long I make my bed to swim I water my couch with my teares Punishment doth not more necessarily follow upon sinne then sorrow followes punishment Davids eye is consumed because of his griefe Ezekiah turnes him to the wall and weeps And whiles St. Paul chargeth not to mourn immoderatly for the dead he supposeth just teares due Garments were allowed to be torne by Gods people at the death of friends and at the Parents death after thirty dayes wearing it was their guise to lay downe those rent garments never to be sowne up againe wee pitty and grieve at the childishnesse of those innocent babes that can play at wink and hide about their Fathers hearse And for afflictions whether of body or estate how are they such if we feele them not and how doe we feele them if we sorrow not The sense of paine argues life as St. Ambrose well It is ill taken by the Almighty from his people that he had striken them but they grieved not this is what lyes in us to disappoint God of his purpose and to put our selves into the posture of Solomons drunkard They have striken me doth he say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not we are wont to censure that child for stubborne and gracelesse that sheds no teares when he is whipped It cannot be well with us if vve sorrow not Blessed are they that mourne But there are certaine just conditions and cautions of our griefe vvhich vve cannot exceed or neglect vvithout offence both to God and to
with it for nothing they have run to meet that death which I flie from as formidable and ugly Thou fearest death Look upon the examples of those holy men who have tendered themselves to the painfullest martyrdome see Ignatius resolving to challenge the Lions see the tender virgins daring the worst cruelty of Tyrants and embracing death in his worst formes see silly Mothers in an ambition of a crowne of life running with their children in their armes to overtake death see those resolute Saints that might have been loosed from their wheels and racks with proffers of life and honour and scorned the exchange Doe I professe their faith doe I looke for their glory and shall I partake nothing of their courage Thou art afraid of death what a slaughter dost thou make every houre of all other creatures what meale passeth thee wherein some of them doe not bleed for thee yea not for need not for use but for sport for pleasure dost thou kill them dayly without pitty without scruple Alas we made them not they are our fellowes he that made us made them too How much are we lesse to God then they are to us Doe we see so many thousands of them then dye for us and shall we think much to returne our life to our Creator Thou art afraid of death Thou mistakest him thou thinkest him an enemy he is a friend If his visage be sowre and hard he is no other then the grim porter of Pararadise which shall let thee into glory Like unto Peters good Angell he may smite thee on the side but he shall lead thee out of thy prison through the Iron gates into the City of God Were there an absolute perition in our dissolution we could not feare it too much now that it doth but part us a while for our advantage what doe we feare but our gaine The stalk and eare arises from the graine but it must rot first Oh our foolishnesse if we be unwilling that one grain should putrifie for the increase of an hundred Thou art afraid of death Hast thou well considered from how many evills it acquites thee All the tumults of State all the bloudy cruelties of warre all the vexations of unquiet neighbours all secret discontentments of minde all the tormenting paines of body are hereby eased at once thou shalt no more complaine of racking convulsions of thy wringing collicks of the dreadfull quarry that is within thy reynes and bladder of thy belking goutes of thy scalding feavers of thy galling ulcers of the threats of thine Imposthumes the stoppings of thy strangury the giddinesse of thy vertigo or any other of those killing diseases wherewith thy life was wont to be infested here is a full Supersedea◠for them all what reason hast thou to be affraid of ease Lastly thou fearest death Is it not that thy Saviour underwent for thee did thy blessed redeemer drink of this cup and art thou no willing to pledge him His was a bitter one in respect of thine for it was besides spieed with the wrath of his Father due to our sinnes yet he drank it up to the very dregges for thee and wilt thou shrink at an ordinary drought from his hand And why did he yeeld to death but to overcome him Why was death suffered to seize upon that Lord of life but that by dying he might pull out the sting of death The sting of death is sinne So then death hath lost his sting now thou mayest carry it in thy bosome it may coole thee it cannot hurt thee Temper then thy feare with these thoughts and that thou mayest not be too much troubled with the sight of death acquaint thy selfe with him before-hand present him to thy thoughts entertaine him in thy holy and resolute discourses It was good counsell that Bernard gave to his novice that he should put himselfe for his meditations into the place where the dead body◠were wont to be wash◠and to settle himselfe upon the beare whereon they were wont to be carryed forth so feeling and frequent remembrances could not but make death familiar and who can startle at the sight of a familiar acquaintance at a stranger we doe especially if he come upon us on a sudden but if hee bee a dayly and entire guest he is at all houres welcome without our dismay or trouble §. XV. Of the moderation of the passion of anger OF all the passions that are incident to a man there is none so impetuous or that produceth so terrible effects as anger for besides that intrinsecall mischiefe which it works upon a mans owne heart in regard whereof Hugo said well Pride robs me of God envy of my neighbour anger of my selfe what bloudy Tragedies doth this passion act every day in the world making the whole earth nothing but either an Amphitheater for fights or a shambles for slaughter so much the more need is there of an effectuall moderation of so turbulent an affection Our schoole hath wont to distinguish it there is a zealous anger and there is a vicious The great Doctor of the Gentiles when hee sayes Be angry and sin not showes there may be a sin-lesse anger He that knew no sinne was not free from this passion when he whipped the money-changers twice out of the Temple Surely if we be not thus angry we shall sinne If a man can be so coole as without any inward commotion to suffer Gods honour to be trod in the dust he shall finde God justly angry with him for his want of anger I know not whether it vvere a praise that was given to Theodosius that never any man saw him angry so as it may fall an immunity from anger can bee no other then a dull stupidity Moses was a meek man as any upon earth yet vvas he not angry vvhen he smote the Egyptian vvas he not angry vvhen upon the sight of Israels Idolatry hee threw downe and brake the Tables of God vvhich he had in his hand There is so little need of quenching this holy fire that there is more need of a bellowes to blow it up that it might flame up to that perfect height of the Psalmist My zeale hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy words Oh the truly heavenly fire that burnt in that sacred bosome he doth not say my zeale hath warmed me but hath consumed me as if it were his highest perfection to be thus sacrificed and burnt to ashes neither doth he say because my friends have forgotten thy words but Because my enemies Every man can be troubled with a friends miscarriage but to be so deeply affected for an enemy must needs be transcendently gracious It is the vicious anger we must oppose in our selves In it selfe that passion is neither good nor evill it is either as it is used Like as we are wont to say of the planet Mercury that the influences are either good or evill according to his conjunction with
I shall say It is good for me that I was afflicted My friend my wife my child is dead say rather they are departed I can scarce allow it to be a death where they decease well prosectio est quam tu putas mortem as Tertullian of old It is a meere departure of those partners which must once meet and from those friends which must soone follow and overtake us Sorrow is so proper for a funerall that the Jews were wont to hire mourners rather then they would want them Even our blessed Saviour bestowed teares upon the Exequies of him whom he meant presently to raise it is not for us to be too niggardly of this warme dew but those teares which are shed at the decease of good soules should be like those drops of raine which fall in a Sun-shine mixed with rayes of comfort Let them put no stint to their sorrow who think there is no rest no happinesse after death but for us who know death to be only the end of our life not of our being yea rather the change of a better life for worse we have reason to dry up our teares and in some sort to imitate the patterne of those nations which were wont to mourne at the birth of their children and rejoyce and feast at their death a practise which in part was taken up by the Jewes themselves who with their mourners mixed also musitians in their Funerall banquets and countenanced by great and wise Solomon The day of death is better then ones birth day Shortly then I have parted with a good child but to a better Father to a more glorious patrimony whether now is the childs gaine or the Fathers losse greater and what can it be but selfe-love that makes me more sensible of my owne losse then my childes glory It is my weaknesse therefore if I doe not either swallow or stifle my sorrow I have lost my health and am seized with sicknesse and paine This this next to death is the King of sorrowes all earthly crosses vaile to it and confesse themselves trifles in comparison what ease can I now find in good vvords more then Callicon found to his head in that chaffe vvherewith he stuffed his earthen pitcher vvhich he made his pillow vvhiles the thorne is ranckling in my foot vvhat ease can I finde in a poultesse Know O weak man there is that in a Christian heart vvhich is a more then sufficient cordiall against sicknesse paines death and that can triumph over the vvorst extremities This is the victory vvhich overcomes a vvorld of miseries even our faith Not so only saith the chosen vessell but we glory or rejoyce in tribulations For lo our faith is it vvhich puts true constructions upon our paines Health it self vvould not be vvelcome to us if we did not know it good and if vve could be perswaded that sicknesse were good or better for us vvhy should not that be equally vvelcome It vvas a good speech of that Hermite vvho vvhen he heard a man praying vehemently for the removall of his disease said Fili rem tibi necessariam abjicere audes Alas sonne you goe about to be rid of a necessary commodity The Christian heart knowes it is in the hands of him who could as easily avert evill as send it and whose love is no lesse then his power and therefore resolves he could not suffer if not for the better The parent is indulgent to his child were his love well improved if he would not suffer his son to be let blood in a plurifie whiles the Physitian knowes he dyes if he bleed not An ignorant pesant hath digg'd up a lump of pretious Ore doe we not smile at him if he be unwilling the finer should put it into the fire The presse is prepared for the grapes and Olives and as Austin well neither of them will yeeld their comfortable and wholsome juyce without an hard strayning would not that fond Manichee make himselfe ridiculous that should sorbid to gather much more to wring them Shortly then am I visited with sicknesse it is not for me like a man that is overloaded with too heavy a burden to make ill faces but to stir up my Christian resolution and to possesse my soule in patience as well knowing that the vessell that would be fit for Gods cup-board must be hammered with many stroakes the corne for Gods table must passe under the sickle the flayle the mill the spices for Gods perfume must be bruised and beaten In â—umme worldly crosses cannot affect us with too deepe sorrow if we have the grace and leasure to turne them round and view them on all sides for if we finde their face sowre and grisly their back is comely and beautifull No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby wherefore lift up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees §. XIII Of spirituall sorrow and the moderation thereof NOt so rise but more painfull is the spirituall sorrow vvhether for the sense of sinnes or the vvant of grace This is that which the Apostle styles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a godly sorrow vvorking repentance to salvation not to be repented of the tears vvhereof the Almighty puts up in his bottle and keeps them for most pretious it is seldome vvhen this griefe exceeds too many are so afraid of enough that they are vvilling to learne of their confessors that a meere velleity of sorrow is sufficient to true repentance But give me not an attrition but a contrition of heart give me a drouping head red eyes blubbered cheeks a macerated body met vvith a pensive soule give me sackcloth and ashes fastings watchings prostrations ejulations vvhen I have offended my God and let me bee let loose to my free sorrow Let me be in bitternesse as Zechariah expresses it as one that is in bitternesse for his only sonne Not but that it is possible to drink too deep of this bitter cup We have known those who have pined themselves away in a continuall heavinesse refusing all possible meanes of comfort out of a sense of their sinnes vvhose vvhole life hath beene like a gloomy winters day all over-cast vvith clouds vvithout the least glimpse of a Sun shine vve have seene them that have thus lived and dyed disconsolate raving despairing Experience makes this so true that we may well conclude that even the best spirituall sorrow must be moderated the worst shunned every sorrow for sinne is not good there is a sorrow that lookes at the punishment through the sinne not regarding the offence but the smart of evill this would not care for the frowne of God if he vvould not strike as that vvhich indeed feares not God but hell as that vvhich apprehends only lashes and tormâ—nts this is incident even to divells and damned soules all
vvhich cannot but naturally abhorre paine and torture What malefactor vvas ever in the vvorld that vvas not troubled to thinke of his execution There is a sorrow that lookes not at the punishment but the sinne regarding not so much the deserved smart as the offence that is more troubled with a Fathers frowne then with the whip in a strangers hand with the desertions of God then with the feare of an hell Under this sorrow and sometimes perhaps under the mixture of both doth God suffer his dearest ones to dwell for a time numbring all their teares and sighes recording all their knocks on their breasts and stroakes on their thighes and shakings of their heads and taking pleasure to view their profitable and at last happy self-conflicts It is said of Anthony the holy Hermite that having beene once in his desart beaten and buffeted by Divells he cryed out to his Saviour O bone Iesu ubi eras O good Iesus where wert thou whilâ—s I was thus handled and received answer Iuxta te sed expectavi certamen tuum I was by thee but stayed to see how thou wouldest behave thy selfe in the combat Surely so doth our good God to all his he passeth a videndo vidi upon all their sorrowes and will at last give an happy issue with the temptation In the meane time it cannot but concerne us to temper this mixed sorrow of ours with a meet moderation Heare this then thou drouping soul thou are dismayed with the haynousnesse of thy sinnes and the sense of Gods anger for them dost thou know with whom thou hast to doe hast thou heard him proclaim his own style The Lord the Lord mercifull and gratious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities and transgressions and sinnes and canst thou distrust that infinite goodnesse Lo if there were no mercy in heaven thou couldst not be otherwise affected Looke up and see that glorious light that shines about thee With the Lord there is mercy and with him is plentious redemption And is there plentious redemption for all and none for thee Because thou hast wronged God in his justice wilt thou more wrong him in his mercy and because thou hast wronged him in both wilt thou wrong thy selfe in him Know O thou weak man in what hands thou art He that said Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy faithfulnesse reacheth unto the clouds said also Thy mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds It is a sure comfort to thee that he cannot faile in his faithfulnesse and truth thou art upon earth and these reach above thee to the clouds but if thy sinnes could be so great and high as to over-look the clouds yet his mercy is beyond them for it reacheth unto heaven and if they could in an hellish presumption reach so high as heaven yet his mercy is great above the heavens higher then this they cannot If now thy hainous sinnes could sink thee to the bottome of hell yet that mercy which is above the heavens can fetch thee up againe Thou art a grievous sinner we know one that said he was the chiefe of sinners who is now one of the prime Saints in heaven Looke upon those whom thou must confesse worse then thy selfe Cast back thine eyes but upon Manasseh the lewd son of an holy Parent See him rearing up Altars to Baal worshipping all the host of heaven building Altars for his new Gods in the very courts of the house of the Lord causing his sonnes to passe through the fire trading with witches and wicked spirits seducing Gods people to more then Amoritish wickednesse filling the streets of Jerusalem with innocent bloud say if thy sinne can be thus crimson yet behold this man a no lesse famous example of mercy then wickednesse And what is the hand of God shortned that he cannot now save Or hath the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for ever hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies O man say justly on This is mine infirmity thine infirmity sure enough and take heed if thou persist to distrust that it be not worse These misprisons of God are dangerous The honour of his mercy is justly deare to him no marvell if he cannot indure it to be questioned when the temptation is blowne over heare what the same tongue sayes The Lord is mercifull and gratious slow to anger and plentious in mercy He will not alway chide neither will he keep his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him Oh then lay hold on the large and illimited mercy of thy God and thou art safe What cares the debtor for the length of a bill that is crossed what cares the condemned person for the sentence of death whiles hee hath his pardon sealed in his bosome Thou art an hainous sinner Wherefore came thy Saviour wherefore suffered he If thy sinne remaine wherefore serves his bloud If thy debt bee still called for wherefore was thine obligation cancelled If thou be still captive to sin and death wherefore was that deare ransome paid why did he stretch forth his blessed hands upon the crosse but to receive thee why did he bow downe his head but to invite thee why vvas his precious side opened but that he might take thee into his heart Thou despisest him if thou trustest him not Iudas and thou shall sin more in despairing then in betraying him Oh then gather heart to thy selfe from the merits from the mercies of thine All-sufficient Redeemer against all thy sinfulnesse For who is it that shall be once thy Judge before what Tribunall shalt thou appeare to receive thy sentence Is it not thy Saviour that sits there He that dyed for thee that he might rescue thee from death shall he can he doome thee to that death from which he came to save thee Comfort thy self then with these words and if thou wouldst keep thy soule in an equall temper as thou hast two eyes fixe the one of them upon Gods justice to keep thee low and humble and to quit thee from presumption fixe the other upon his transcendent mercy to keepe thee from the depth of sorrow and desperation §. XIV Of the moderation of the Passion of Feare SOrrow is for present and felt evils Feare is onely of evils future A passion so afflictive that even the expectation of a doubtful mischief that may come is more grievous to us sometimes then the sense of that mischiefe when it is come That which Torquemade reports of a Spanish Lord in his knowledge I could second with examples at home of some who have been thought otherwise
valiant yet if they had been but locked up in a chamber would either break the doores or offer to leap out of the windows yet not knowing of any danger imminent And if in an imaginary or possible evill feare have these effects what shall we expect from it in those which are reall and certaine It is marvellous and scarce credible which both histories and eyes can witnesse in this kinde Iames Osorius a young Gentleman of Spaine born of a noble Family one of the Courtiers of Charles the fift being upon occasion of a wicked designe of lust to an honourable Lady emprisoned with an intent of his execution the next day was suddenly so changed with the feare of the arrest of death that in the morning when he was brought forth none of the beholders knew him his haire was turned so white as if he had been fourescore years old upon sight whereof the Emperour pardoned him as having been enough punished with the fear of that which he should have suffered Levinus Lemnius a late Philosopher in whom my younger age took much delight recounts the story and discourses probably upon the naturall reasons of this alteration The like report is made by Iulius Scaliger of a Kinsman of Franciscus Gonzaga in his time imprisoned upon suspition of treason who with the feare of torture and death was in one nights space thus changed And Coelius Rodiginus tells us of a Falconer who climbing up to a rocky hill for an hawks nest was with the breaking of a rope wherewith he was raised so affrighted that instantly his haire turned What need we more instances My selfe have seene one to whom the same accident was said to have befalne though now the colour were upon the fall of that weak fleece altered What speak we of this Death it self hath followed sometimes upon this very fear of death so as some have dyed lest they should dye Montague gives us an instance of a Gentleman at the siege of S. Paul who fell downe stark dead in the breach without any touch of stroke save what his owne heart gave him Yea how have we knowne some that have dyed out of the feare of that whereof they might have dyed and yet have escaped A passenger rideth by night over the narrow plank of an high and broken bridge and in the morning dyes to see the horror of that fall hee might have had There is no evill whether true or fancyed but may be the subject of feare There may be a Pisander so timorous that he is afraid to see his own breath and our Florilegus tels us of a Lewes King of France so afraid of the sea that he said it was more then an humane matter to crosse the water and durst not passe betwixt Dover and VVhitsands till he had implored the aid of St. Thomas of Canterbury but all these feares have a relation to that utmost of all terribles and if other evils as displeasure shame paine danger sicknesse be the usuall subjects of feare also yet Death is the King of feare I am of the mind of Lucretius therefore although to a better purpose that if a man would see better dayes he must free his heart from that slavish fear of death wherewith it is commonly molested In what a miserable servitude are those men whereof Erasmus speaketh to his Grunnius who so abhorre the thought of death that they cannot abide the smell of Frankincense because it is wont to bee used at funeralls They who are ready to swound at the sight of a coffin and if they could otherwise choose could be content not to lie in a sheet because it recalls the thought of that wherein they shall be once wrapped It concerns a wise man to obdure himself against these weak feares and to resolve to meet Death boldly in the teeth Nothing is more remarkable in all the passages of our blessed Saviour then that which S. Luke records of him that when he was to go up his last to Jerusalem where he must die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he stedfastly set his face to that fatall journey The word implyes a resolution of courage against some evill to be conflicted with Maldonate would have the Metaphor fetcht from the custome of Bulls who when they must fight are wont to fetch up a kind of sprightly terrour into their countenance at least it imports a firme purpose of an undaunted spirit to grapple with some fore-expected evill thus must wee learne to doe against our last enemie Tell me then thou weak man thou fearest death will it not come if thou feare it not will it come the later for thy feare Is not thy life thus made miserable before it come Is not this the condition upon which thou receivedst life to part with it when it should be called for art thou discontent at thy being dost thou murmur that thou art a man because therein thou art mortall Doth any thing befall thee different from the best and all of thy kind Look back upon all that have been before thee where are those innumerable numbers of men which peopled the earth but in the last century of yeares see whether the great Monarches of the world speed any otherwise couldst thou expect lesse upon the many and sensible warnings of thy mortality what language have thy sicknesses and decayes of nature spoken to thee but this of a true harbingers Death is comming And how well shouldst thou be pleased with his approach Say that thou were sentenced to live some hundreds of yeares with thine infirmities to boot what a burden wouldst thou be to thy selfe how more discontented wouldst thou be that thou mightst not die why art thou not as well displeased that thou must be old And when wouldst thou part that thou mightst avoid it Thou fearest death How many heathens have undergone it with courage Shall I see a bold Roman spurring his horse to leap down into a dreadfull Gulfe for the benefit of those from whom he cannot receive thanks Shall I see a Cleombrotus casting himselfe resolutely from the rock to enjoy that separate life of the soule which Plato discoursed of Shall I heare a Canius of whom Seneca speaks jeering his tyran and his death together and more regarding the victory of his game then the losse of his life shall I hear of some Indian wives that affect and glory to cast themselves into the fire with the carcasses of their dead husbands shall I see Turks filling up ditches with their wilfully-slaughtered bodies for the fruition of their brutish paradise And shall I bee cowardly where Pagans are valiant Yea how many have I known that have eagely sought for death and cannot finde it how many who upon frivolous occasions by self-dispatches have cast away that life which they could not otherwise be rid of what conceit soever I have of the price of life their undervaluation of it hath beene such that they have parted
and since I neither am nor will be so I will endeavour to use the matter so as that I may not be thought to be one The course is preposterous and unnaturall that is taken up by quarrelsome spirits fâ—rst they pitch their conclusion and then hunt about for premises to make it good this method is for men that seeke for victory not for truth for men that seeke not God but themselves whereas the well-disposed heart being first upon sure grounds convinced of the truth which it must necessarily hold cares only in essentiall verities to guard it selfe against erronious suggestions and in the rest is ready to yeeld unto better reason Hee is not fit to be a gamester that cannot be equally content to lose and winne and in vaine shall hee professe morality that cannot with Socrates set the same face upon all events whether good or evill In all besides necessary truthes give me the man that can as well yeeld as fight in matters of this nature I cannot like the spirits of those Lacedemonian Dames which gave the shields to their sonnes with the peremptory condition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely hee is better accepted of God that in these frayes of indifferency doth peaceably lay downe the Bucklers then hee that layes about him with the greatest ostentation of skill and valour In things of this kinde meeknesse may doe God more service then courage They say milke quenches wild-fire better then any other liquor and wee finde in all experience that the pores are better opened with a gentle heat then with a violent The great Apostle was content to become all things to all that hee might winne some How was hee all to all if hee did not sometimes remit of his right to some He that resisteth Peter the Prime Apostle to his face in the case of a perillous temporizing yet gave way to Iames and the other brethren to purifie himselfe with the foure votaries in the Temple shortly then as he is a wise man that knowes when it is time to yeeld so is hee a peaceable sonne of the Church that yeelds when hee sees it time and by this meanes provides for his owne comfortable discharge and the publique tranquillity that can be in necessaries truthes an Oake and a Reed in truthes indifferent §. IX Remissenesse in matter of Censure IN matters of this nature whereof wee treat true moderation requires the peaceable Christian to be not more yeelding in his Opinion then favourable in his Censures of the contrary-minded for it is a fearefull violation both of Charitie and justice to brand an adversarie in matter of slight Opinions with the odious note of Sect or Heresie and no lesse Presumption to shut that man out of Heaven whom God hath enrolled in the Booke of Life In all other things sayth the Chancelour of Paris besides those which are meerely matters of Faith the Church may either deceive or be deceived and yet hold Charitie still And as it is a good rule that is given to Visitors that they should be sparing in making Decrees lest the multitude of them should bring them into contempt so it is a rule no lesse profitable to spirituall Governours which Erasmus relates out of Gerson that they should not rashly throw about the thunder-bolts of their Censures We cannot be too severe in the maine matters of Religion though not without that wise Item of Cicero that nothing that is cruell can be profitable the remissenesse wherein may be no other then an injurious mercie but in things of slighter condition we must be wiser then to draw a Sword to kill Flyes neither is it for us to call for Scorpions where a Rod is too much It is remarkable that of Galienus who when his Wife had complained to him of a Cheater that had sold Glasse-pearles to her for true made as if hee would have cast him to the Lions the Offender looking for those fierce beasts was onely turn'd loose to a Cock In some cases shame and scorne may be a fitter punishment then extreme violence Wee may not make the Tent too bigge for the Wound nor the Playster too broad for the Sore It was grave counsell that S. Austin gave to his Alipius that heed must be taken lest whiles wee goe about to amend a doubtfull complaint wee make the breach wider And that rule was too good for the Authour Iohn 22. that in a case uncertaine wee should rather determine within the bounds then exceede them Even in plaine convictions violence must be the last remedie as in outward bodily extremities by Hippocrates his prescription Ignis and Ferrum must be last tryed for generous spirits as Erasmus well desire to be taught abide not to be forced it is for Tyrants to compell for Asses to be compelled and as Seneca observes a good natur'd Horse will be govern'd by the shadow of the Wand whereas a sullen restie Iade will not be ordered by the Spurre S. Paul puts it to the choyse of his Corinthians Will ye that I come to you with a Rod or with the spirit of meekenesse as loth to use the Rod unlesse he were constrained by their wilfull disobedience Much have they therefore to answer for before the Tribunall of Heaven who are apt to damne Christians better then themselves sending all the Clyents of the North-westerne Grecian Russian Armenian Ethiopick Churches downe to Hell without redemption for varying from them in those Opinions which onely themselves have made fundamentall And herein are wee happy that wee suffer for our Charitie rather chusing to incurre the danger of a false Censure from uncharitable men then to passe a bloudie and presumptuous Censure upon those who how faultily soever professe the deare name of our common Saviour Let them if they please affect the glory of a Turkish Iustice in killing two Innocents rather then sparing one Guiltie let us rather chuse to answer for Mercie and sooner take then offer an unjust or doubtfull Violence §. X. The sixt rule of Moderation Not to beleeve an opposite in the state of a Tenet or person SIxtly to a man of Peace nothing is more requisite then a charitable distrust viz. That wee should not take an adversaries word for the state of his opposite They were amongst the rest two necessarie charges that Erasmus gave to his Goclenius To be sober and incredulous For as there is nothing that rayses so deadly hostilitie as Religion so no Criminations are either so rife or so haynous as those which are mutually cast upon the abettors of contrarie opinions Wee need not goe farre to seeke for lamentable instances Let a man beleeve Andrew Iurgivicius hee will thinke the Protestants hold no one Article of the Apostles Creed Let him beleeve Campian hee shall thinke wee hold God to be the Authour of Sinne That the Mediator betweene God and man JESUS dyed the second death That all sinnes