the performance hereof as appeareth in the foresaid place and the nexet ensuing verse where he saith You shall doe all that I have commanded you that your dayes may be multiplyed 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 onely 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 Family as a familiar friend to direct him a faithfull counsellor to instruct him a sweet companion to delight him a precious treasure to enrich him shall find successe in his labours and prosperitie in the worke of his hands But amongst all as it is the use of 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 amiti victi 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 esuriens quem pavisti Vbi captivus quem visitasti Vby 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 charity 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 Saint 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 piety unto others in your life and heires of glory after death concluding most comfortably with the foresaid Father If my mother should hang about me my father lye in my way to stop me my wife and children weepe about me 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 Phythagoras posie was this Sit not still upon the measure of corne Doe not looke to eat except you sweat for it according to that Hee 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 sweet requiem saying with that Cormorant in the Gospel Soule take thy rest for in heaven onely which is our Fathers house there are many mansions to rest in In this world which is not of our Fathers house there are not many mansions to rest in but onely Vine-yards to worke in Wherein because not to goe forward is to goe backeward we are to labour even to the day of our change Hereupon Charles the fifth gave this Embleme Stand not still but goe on further Vlterius as God saith to his guest Superius Sit not still but sit up higher Doing thus and resolving to be no masters over that Family whose chiefest care is not the advancement of Gods glory you shall demeane your selves being here worthy that Vocation or calling over which you are placed and afterwards by following hard toward the marke obtaine the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of the difference of Recreations Of the moderate and immoderate use of Recreation Of the Benefits redounding from the One and inconveniences arising from the Other Of Recreations best sorting with the qualitie of a Gentleman And how he is to bestow himselfe in them RECREATION RECREATION being a refresher of the mind and an enabler of the body to any office wherein it shall bee imployed brancheth it selfe into many kinds as Hawking which pleasure one termed the object of a great mind whose aymes were so farre above earth as he resolves to retire a while from earth and make an evening flight in the ayre Hunting where the Hounds at a losse shew themselves subtill Sophisters arguing by their Silence the game came not here againe by being mute it came not there Ergo by spending their mouthes it came here Fishing which may be well called the Embleme of this world where miserable man like the deluded fish is ever nibbling at the bait of vanitie Swimming an exercise more usuall than naturall and may have resemblance to these diving heads who are ever sounding the depths of others secrets or swimming against the streame may glance at such whose only delight is opposition Running a Recreation famously ancient solemnized by the continued succession or revolution of many ages upon the Olympiads in Greece so as the accompt or yearly computation came from Races and other solemne games used on Olympus Wrastling Leaping Dancing and many other Recreations of like sort as they were by the continuance of many yeares upon
wisdome is much griefe and hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow For should man labour to engrosse all learning knowledge and wisdome his labour were but vaine and his search fruitlesse seeing he whose understanding was deepest conceit quickest and wisdome greatest of all them that were before him in Ierusalem hath thus concluded All this I have proved by wisdome I said I would be wise but it was farre from me Adding the reason hereof That which is farre off and exceeding deepe who can find it out For be our search never so curious our desire covetous in the pursuit of knowledge wee shall find by daily experience our own weaknesse where though our wils be strengthned our abilities are weakned being ever more hopefull in our undertakings then powerfull in our performance yea it is a property inherent to us and naturally ingraffed in us to have an itching desire of knowing all things but of doing nothing yet neither in knowledge nor Action may wee satisfie our desire or affection vaine and endlesse therefore is our search in the former as weake and fruitlesse is our pursuit of the latter There is no end of writing many bookes no end of reading many bookes no end of storing our Libraries with many bookes for under the cover of these much covetousnesse oft-times lurketh These are not of that inestimable price though they containe much spirituall comfort as may fully store or enrich the heart fully replenish or satisfie the heart fully settle or establish the heart for where the desires of the heart are not fulfilled how can shee hold her selfe sufficiently enriched Or where her desires are not accomplished how may shee rest satisfied or being not there seated where her desires are settled how can shee bee quieted Hence it is that a devout Father compares his Heart unto a Mil For as a Mil saith he swiftly wheeleth and turneth about and refuseth nothing but whatsoever is put upon it it grindeth but if nothing be put upon it it consumes it selfe so is my unstable heart alwayes in motion and never resteth but whether I sleep or wake it dreameth and thinketh of whatsoever it encountreth Can then neither Honour nor Wealth nor Pleasure satisfie his unconfined Heart can neither Honours surprize her wealth enjoy her nor pleasure intraunce her No these are vanity and lighter then vanity receiving their true colour from the Poet who bestoweth on them this portraiture Wealth is a wave Honour a bait of death Catching at which were catcht and choak't therewith For tell me is not the Ambitious man as fearefull to incurre disgrace after hee is received to his Princes favour as hee was jealous of a Competitor before hee got into favour againe is not the miserable rich man who reposeth all comfort in his substance all his consolation in his riches as fearefull to lose what hee already enjoyes as hee was doubtfull of prevention in what hee now enjoyes Or is not the voluptuous carnall man whose onely delight is daliance with his perfidious Dalilah stinged with as much griefe after his desires are satisfied as hee was stirred with delight before his pleasures were effected Or is not the Contemplative man whose aimes being higher should tender him content in fuller measure afflicted in mind when hee finds himselfe come short in knowledge of what hee expected and reads every day something which hee never before observed What content then in these flourishing May-buds of vanity which in repentance and affliction of spirit doe onely shew their constancy So as one well observeth If man should not be afflicted by God yet should hee be afflicted by himselfe consuming himselfe with his owne envie rancour and other distempered affections which have more fury and torment attending on them then the evill it selfe which procureth them Yet behold the wretched condition of unhappy man Though neither Honour bee permanent nor from perill freed nor Riches prevalent to make him after death the better friended nor pleasures so excellent as to free him from affliction when they are ended yet are they for most part preferred before those heavenly honours which are ever permanent and never altering before those incorruptible riches which inrich the soule after death without decreasing and before those ineffable pleasures where neither desires breeds longing nor satiety loathing So as I cannot more fitly compare the actions of these sensuall affected men then with that childish act of the Emperour Honorius who taking especiall delight in a Hen called Roma upon a time understanding by report of such as told him that Roma was lost he exceedingly lamented whereupon some of his familiar friends and such as were neere-him noting his terrour It is not your Hen that is lost but your Citie Roma that is taken by Alaricus King of the Gothes Wherewith comming a little to himselfe hee seemed to beare with much more patience the surprize of the one then the losse of the other O childish simplicity you say well yet the like is in us Wee cannot endure that any one should steale from us our silver yet either honour riches or pleasure may have free leave to steale away our heart Wee would by no meanes be defrauded of our treasure yet it troubles us little to be depraved with errour Wee avoid the poysons of the body but not of the mind intending more the diet of the body then the discipline of the mind Since then in these externall desires this Actuall Perfection whereof wee have formerly treated may receive no true rest or repose for to those it only aspireth wherein it resteth wee must search higher for this place of peace this repose of rest this heavenly Harbour of divine comfort wee are to seeke it then while we are here upon earth yet not on earth would you know what this soveraigne or absolute end is wherein this Actuall Perfection solely resteth wherein the Heart onely glorieth and to the receiver long life with comfort in abundance amply promiseth Hearken to the words of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach It is a great glory to follow the Lord and to bee received of him is long life Nor skils it much how worldlings esteeme of us for perhaps they will judge it folly to see us become weaned from delights or pleasures of the world to see us embrace a rigorous or austere course of life to dis-esteem the pompe and port of this present world This I say they will account foolishnesse But blessed are they who deserve to be of that number which the world accounts for fooles God for wise men But miserable is the state of those forlorne worldlings whose cheefest aime is to circumvent or intrap their brethren making their highest aimes their owne ends and accounting bread eaten in secret to bee the savourest and stolne waters the sweetest for these never drinke of their own Cisterne or feed of the flesh of their owne fold but partake in the spoile of others yet
it wee must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to direct us in the way which leadeth to heaven It cannot be saith a devout holy man that any one should die ill who hath lived well Wee are then to labour by a zealous religious and sincere life to present our selves blamelesse before the Lord at his comming O if wee knew and grosse is our ignorance if wee know it not that whatsoever it sought besides God possesseth the mind but satisfies it not wee would have recourse to him by whom our minds might bee as well satisfied as possessed But great is our misery and miserable our stupidity who when wee may gaine heaven with lesse paines then hell will not draw our foot backe from hell nor step one foot forward towards the kingdome of heaven Yea when wee know that it pleaseth the Divell no lesse when wee sinne then it pleaseth God to heare us sigh for sinne yet will wee rather please the Divell by committing sin then please God by sending out one penitent sigh for our sinne For behold what dangers will men expose themselves unto by Sea and Land to increase their substance Againe for satisfaction of their pleasures what tasks will they undertake no lesse painefull then full of perill A little expectance of penitentiall pleasure can make the voluptuous man watch all the night long when one houre of the night to pray in would seeme too too long Early and late to enrich his carelesse heire will the miserable wretch addresse himselfe to all slavish labour without once remembring either early or late to give thankes to his Maker Without repose or repast will the restlesse ambitious Sparke whose aimes are onely to be worldly great taske himselfe to all difficulties to gaine honour when even that which so eagerly hee seekes for oft-times bring ruine to the owner Here then you see where you are to seeke not on earth for there is nought but corruption but in heaven where you may bee cloathed with incorruption not on earth for there you are Exiles but in heaven where you may be enrolled and infranchised Citizens not on earth the grate of misery but in heaven the goale of glory In briefe would you have your hearts lodged where your treasures are locked all your senses seated where they may be fully sated your eye with delightfull'st objects satisfied your eare with melodious accents solaced your smell with choicest odours cherished your taste with chiefest dainties relished your selves your soules amongst those glorious creatures registred Fix the desires of your heart on him who can onely satisfie your heart set your eye on him whose eye is ever upon you and in due time will direct you to him intend your eare to his Law which can best informe you and with divinest melody cheere you follow him in the smell of his sweet ointments and hee will comfort you in your afflictions taste how sweet hee is in mercy and you shall taste sweetnesse in the depth of your misery become heavenly men so of terrestriall Angels you shall bee made Angels in heaven where by the spirituall union of your soules you shall bee united unto him who first gave you soules And so I come to the third and last When wee are to seeke lest seeking out of time wee be excluded from finding what wee seeke for want of seeking in due time If words spoken in season bee like apples of gold with pictures of silver sure I am that our actions being seasonably formed or disposed cannot but adde to our soules much beauty and lustre To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven which season neglected the benefit accruing to the worke is likewise abridged There is a time to sow and a time to reape and sow wee must before wee reape sow in teares before wee reape in joy Seeke we must before we find for unlesse wee seeke him while hee may be found seeke may wee long ere wee have him found After the time of our dissolution from earth there is no time admitted for repentance to bring us to heaven Hoc momentum est de quo pendet aeternitas Either now or never and if now thrice happy ever Which is illustrated to us by divers Similitudes Examples and Parables in the holy Scripture as in Esau's birth-right which once sold could not be regained by many teares and in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus where Abraham answered Dives after hee had beseeched him to send Lazarus that hee might dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue Sonne remember that thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented And in the Parable of the ten Virgins where the five foolish Virgins tooke their Lamps and tooke no oile with them but the wise tooke oile in their vessels with their Lamps and when the Bridegroome came those that were ready went in with him and were received but those foolish ones who were unprovided though they came afterwards crying Lord Lord open unto us could not be admitted For know deare Christian and apply it to thy heart for knowledge without use application or practice is a fruitlesse and soule-beguiling knowledge that hee who promiseth forgivenesse to thee repenting hath not promised thee to morrow to repent in Why therefore deferrest thou till to morrow when thou little knowest but thou maist die before to morrow This day this houre is the opportunate season take hold of it then lest thou repent thee when it is past season Man hath no interest in time save this very instant which hee may properly terme his let him then so imploy this instant of time as hee may be heire of eternity which exceeds the limit of time Let us worke now while it is day for the night commeth when no man can worke Why therefore stand wee idling Why delay we our conversion Why cry wee with the sluggard Yet a little and then a little and no end of that little Why to morrow and to morrow and no end of to morrow being as neere our conversion to day as to morrow Why not to day as well as to morrow seeing every day bringeth with it her affliction both to day and to morrow Meet it is then for us to make recourse to the Throne of mercy in the day of mercy and before the evill day come lest wee be taken as hee who beat his fellow servants when the great Master of the Houshold shall come O earth earth earth heare the Word of the LORD Earth by creation earth by condition earth by corruption Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them While the Sunne or the light or the Moone or the Starres that bee not
soules have given easie way to your mortall enemie Vtinam miserrimus ego c. I would I poore wretch saith Tertulian might see in that day of Christian exaltation An cum cerussa purpurisso croco cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis No you staines to modesty such a Picture shall not rise in glory before her Maker There is no place for you but for such women as aray themselves in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broided haâ—re or gold or pearles or costly apparell But as becommeth women that professe the feare of God For even after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves Reade I say reade yee proud ones yee which are so haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes the Prophet Isaiah and you shall finde your selves described and the judgement of Desolation pronounced upon you Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking and minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feet therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion bald and the Lord shall discover their secret parts And hee proceeds In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tyres The sweet balles and the bracelets and the bonnets The tyres of the head and the sloppes and the head-bands and the tablets and the eare-rings The rings and the mufflers The costly apparell and the veiles and the wimples and the crisping-pins And the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the lawnes Now heare your reward And in stead of sweet savour there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girdling of sack-cloth and burning in stead of beauty Now attend your finall destruction Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground See how you are described and how you shall be rewarded Enjoy then sinne for a season and delight your selves in the vanities of Youth be your eyes the Lures of Lust your eares the open receits of shame your hands the polluted instruments of sinne to be short be your Soules which should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost cages of uncleane birds after all these things what the Prophet hath threatned shall come upon you and what shall then deliver you not your Beauty for to use that divine Distich of Innocentius Tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay What 's Beauty worth when thou must dye to day Nor Honour for that shall lye in the dust and sleepe in the bed of earth Nor Riches for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath Perchance they may bring you when you are dead in a comely funerall sort to your graves or bestow on you a few mourning garments or erect in your memory some gorgeous Monument to shew your vaine-glory in death as well as life but this is all Those Riches which you got with such care kept with such feare lost with such griefe shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence afflict they may releeve they cannot Nor Friends for all they can doe is to attend you and shed some friendly teares for you but ere the Rosemary lose her colour which stickt the Coarse or one worme enter the shroud which covered the Corps you are many times forgotten your former glory extinguished your eminent esteeme obscured your repute darkened and with infamous aspersions often impeached If a man saith Seneca finde his friend sad and so leave him sicke without ministring any comfort to him and poore without releeving him we may thinke such an one goeth to jest rather than visit or comfort and such miserable comforters are these friends of yours What then may deliver you in such gusts of affliction which assaile you Conscience shee it is that must either comfort you or how miserable is your condition She is that continuall feast which must refresh you those thousand witnesses that must answer for you that light which must direct you that familiar friend that must ever attend you that faithfull Counsellour that must advise you that Balme of Gilead that must renew you that Palme of peace which must crowne you Take heed therefore you wrong not this friend for as you use her you shall finde her She is not to be corrupted her sincerity scornes it Shee is not to bee perswaded for her resolution is grounded Shee is not to bee threatned for her spirit sleights it She is aptly compared in one respect to the Sea she can endure no corruption to remaine in her but foames and frets and chafes till all filth bee removed from her By Ebbing and flowing is shee purged nor is she at rest till shee be rinsed Fugit ab agro ad ciuitatem à publico ad domum à domo in cubiculum c. Discontentedly shee flies from the Field to the City from publicke resort to her private house from her house to her chamber Shee can rest in no place Furie dogs her behinde and Despaire goes before For Conscience being the inseparable glory or confusion of every one according to the quality disposition or dispensation of that Talent which is given him for to whom much is given much shall be required We are to make such fruitfull use of our Talent that the Conscience wee professe may remaine undefiled the faith we have plighted may be inviolably preserved the measure or Omer of grace we have received may be increased and God in all glorified Which the better to effect wee are to thinke how God is ever present in all our actions and that to use the words of Augustine Whatsoever we doe yea whatsoever it bee that wee doe he better knowes it than we our selves doe It was Seneca's counsell to his friend Lucilius that whensoever he went about to do any thing he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other worthy Roman to be in presence In imitation of so divine a Morall let us in every action fix our eye upon our Maker Whose eyes are upon the children of men so shall we in respect of his sacred presence to which we owe all devout reverence Abstaine frome vill doe good seeke peace and ensue it Such as defil'd themselves with sinne by giving themselves over unto pleasure staining the Nobility splendour of their Soules through wallowing in vice or otherwise fraudulently by usurpation or base insinuation creeping into Soveraignty or unjustly governing the common-weale such thought Socrates that they went a by-path separated from the counsell of the gods but such as while they lived in their bodies imitated the life of the gods such hee thought had an easie returne to the place
the strength of man See the picture of an Ambitious spirit loving ever to be interessed in affaires of greatest difficultie Caemelion-like on subtill ayre he feeds And vies in colours with the checkerd meeds Let no such conceits transport you lest repentance finde you It is safer chusing the Middle-path than by walking or tracing uncouth wayes to stray in your journey More have fallen by presumption than distrust of their owne strength And reason good for such who dare not relie on themselves give way to others direction whereas too much confidence or selfe-opinionate boldnesse will rather chuse to erre and consequently to fall than submit themselves to others judgement Of this opinion seemed Velleius the Epicurean to bee of whom it is said that in confidence of himselfe he was so farre from feare as hee seemed not to doubt of any thing A modest or shamefast feare becomes Youth better which indeed ever attends the best or affablest natures Such will attempt nothing without advice nor assay ought without direction so as their wayes are secured from many perills which attend on inconsiderate Youth My conclusion of this point shal be in a word that neither the rich man is to glory in his riches the wise man in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength for should man consider the weaknesse and many infirmities whereto he is hourely subject hee would finde innumerable things to move him to sorrowing but few or none to glory in Againe if he should reflect to the consideration of his Dissolution which that it shall bee is most certain but when it shall be most uncertaine he would be forced to stand upon his guard with that continuall feare as there would be no emptie place left in him for pride This day one proud as prouder none May lye in earth ere day be gone What confidence is there to be reposed in so weake a foundation where to remaine ever is impossible but quickly to remove most probable Then to use Petrarchs words be not afraid though the house the Bodie be shaken so the Soule the guest of the Body fare well for weakning of the one addeth for most part strength to the other And so I come to the last passion or perturbation incident to Youth REvenge is an intended resolve arising from a conceived distaste either justly or unjustly grounded This Revenge is ever violent'st in hot blouds who stand so much upon termes of reputation as rather than they will pocket up the least indignitie they willingly oppose themselves to extremest hazard Now this unbounded fury may seeme to have a two-fold relation either as it is proper and personall or popular and impersonall Revenge proper or personall ariseth from a peculiar distaste or offence done or offered to our own person which indeed hath ever the deepest impression Which may be instanced in Menelaus and Paris where the honour of a Nuptiall bed the Law of Hospitalitie the prosessed league of Amitie were joyntly infringed Or in Antonie and Octavius whose intestine hate grew to that height as Antonies Angell was afraid of Octavius Angell Which hatred as it was fed and increased by Fulvia so was it allayed and tempered by Octavia though in the end it grew irreconciliable ending in bloud as it begun with lust Revenge popular or impersonall proceedeth extrinsecally as from factions in families or some ancient grudge hereditarily descending betwixt House and House or Nation and Nation When Annibal was a childe and at his fathers commandement he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice and laying his hand upon the Altar swore that so soone as he had any rule in the Common-wealth he would bee a prosessed enemie to the Romans Whence may be observed how the conceit of an injury or offence received worketh such impression in that State or Kingdome where the injury is offered as Hate lives and survives the life of many ages crying out with those incensed Greekes The time will come when mightie Troy must fall Where Priams race must be extinguish'd all But wee are principally to discourse of the former Branch to wit of proper or personall Revenge wherein wee shall observe sundry Occurrents right worthy our serious consideration That terme as I said before usually called Reputation hath brought much generous bloud to effusion especially amongst such Qui magis sunt soliciti vani nominis quà m propriae salutis Prizing vain-glory above safetie esteeme of valour above securitie of person And amongst these may I truly ranke our Martial Duellists who many times upon a Taverne quarrell are brought to shed their dearest bloud which might have beene imployed better in defence of their Countrey or resistance of proud Infidels And what is it which moves them to these extremes but as they seeme to pretend their Reputation is engaged their opinion in the eye of the world called in question if they should sit downe with such apparent disgrace But shall I answer them The opinion of their valour indeed is brought in question but by whom not by men of equall temper or maturer judgement who measure their censures not by the Last of rash opinion but just consideration For these cannot imagine how Reputation should be brought in question by any indiscreet crime uttered over a pot whereof perchance the Speaker is ignorant at least what it meant But of these distempered Roisters whose only judgement consists in taking offence and valour in making a flourish of these I have seene One in the folly of my Youth but could not rightly observe till my riper age whose braving condition having some young Gooselin to worke on would have made you confident of his valour instancing what dangerous exploits hee had attempted and atchieved what single fields hee had pitched and how bravely he came off yet on my conscience the Battell of the Pygâ—â—ies might have equall'd his both for truth and resolution Yet I have noted such as these to be the Bellowes which blow the fire of all uncivill quarrells suggesting to young Gentlemen whose want of experience makes them too credolous matter of Revenge by aggravating each circumstance to enrage their hot bloud the more Some others there are of this band which I have like wise observed and they are taken for grave Censors or Moderators if any difference occurre amongst Young Gentlemen And these have beene Men in their time at least accounted so but now their fortunes falling to an ebbe having drawne out their time in expence above their meanes they are enforced and well it were if Misery forced them not to worse to erect a Scence whereto the Roarers make recourse as to their Rendevous And hereto also resorts the raw and unseasoned Youth whose late-fallen patrimonie makes him purchase acquaintance at what rate soever glorying much to be esteemed one of the fraternity And he must now keep his Quarter maintaine his prodigall rout with what his Parcimonious father long carked for
perfectly as if their Bodies were transparent or windowes were in their bosomes Here you shall see One unmeasurably haughtie scorning to converse with these Groundlins for so it pleases him to tearme his inferiours and bearing such a state as if he were altered no lesse in person than place Another not so proud as he is covetous for no passion as a learned Schooleman affirmeth is better knowne unto us than the coveting or desiring passion which he calls Concupiscible and such an one makes all his inferiours his Sponges and Ostridge-like can digest all metalls Another sort there are whose well-tempered natures have brought them to that perfection as the state which they presently enjoy makes them no more proud than the losse of that they possesse would cast them downe These Camillus-like are neither with the opinion of Honour too highly erected nor with the conceit of Affliction too much dejected As their conceits are not heightned by possessing it so they lose nothing of their owne proper height by forgoing it These are so evenly poized so nobly tempered as their opinion is not grounded on Title nor their glory on popular esteeme they are knowne to themselves and that knowledge hath instructed them so well in the vanitie of Earth as their thoughts have taken flight vowing not to rest till they approach heaven Pompey being cumbred 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 danger never like to have end Such is the nature of Noble spirits as they admire not so much the dignitie of the place to which they are advanced as they consider the burden which is on them imposed labouring rather how to behave themselves in their place than arrogate glory to themselves by reason of their place Neither are these sundrie Dispositions naturally ingraffed in men meerely produced from themselves as the affections or Dispositions of our mindes doe follow the temperature of our bodies where the Melancholy produceth such the Cholericke Phlegmaticke and Sanguine such and such according to Humours predominant in that body whence these affections are derived but I say these participate also of the Clime wherein we are For otherwise how should our Observations appeare good which we usually collect in the Survey of other Countries noting certaine vices to be most entertained in some especiall Provinces As Pride among the Babylonians Envie among the Iewes Anger among the Thebans Covetousnesse among the Tyrians Gluttonie among the Sidonians Pyracie among the Cilicians and Sorcerie among the Aegyptians to whom Caesar gave great attention as Alexander was delighted in the Brachmans So as I say our Dispositions how different or consonant soever doe not only partake of us but even of the Aire or temperature of Soile which bred us Thus we see what Diversitie of Dispositions there is and how diversly they are affected Let us now take a view of the Disposition it selfe whether it may be forced or no from what it naturally affecteth THe Philosopher saith that the Disposition may be removed but hardly the Habit. But I say those first Seeds of Disposition as they are Primitives can hardly be made Privatives being so inherent in the Subject as they may be moved but not removed Not removed objectest thou why disposition can be of no stronger reluctance than Nature we see how much she may be altered yea cleare removed from what she formerly appeared For doe we not in the view of humane frailty observe how many excellent wits drained from the very Quintessence of Nature as apt in apprehending as expressing a conceit strangely darkened or dulled as if they had beene steeped in some Lethaean slumber Nay doe we not in this round Circumference of man note divers honest and sincere Dispositions whose gaine seemed to bee godlinesse and whose glory the profession of a good Conscience wonderfully altered becoming so corrupted by the vaine pompe or trifling trash of the world as they preferre the puddle before the pearle forsaking Christ for the world Doe wee not see how uprightly some men have borne themselves all their time without staine or blemish being all their Youth vertuously affected all their Middle-age charitably disposed yet in their Old-age miserably depraved Againe doe we not behold how many women whose virgin-modesty and Nuptiall-continency promised much glory to their age even then when the flower of Beauty seemed bloomelesse so as their very age might make them blamelesse when their skin was seere and their flesh saplesse their breath earthie and their mouth toothlesse then even then fell these unweldie Beldames to embrace folly promising longer continuance to Pleasure than they could by all likelyhood unto Nature Now tell me how happened this Were not these at the first vertuously affected if Disposition then could not be forced how came they altered All these rivers of Objections I can dry up with one beame darting from the reflex of Nature Thou producest divers instances to confirme this assertion That Dispositions are to bee forced from what they were naturally affected unto Whereto I answer That Dispositions in some are resembled and not improperly unto a Beame cloathed or shadowed with a cloud which as we see sheweth his light sometimes sooner sometimes later Or as by a more proper Allusion may seem illustrated may be resembled to the first Flourish in trees which according to the nature or quality of the internall pith from whence life is diffused to the Branches send forth their bloomes and blossomes sooner or later True it is you object that to the outward appearance such men shewed arguments of good Dispositions for they were esteemed men of approved Sanctity making Conscience of what they did and walking blamelesse and unreproveable before all men but what collect you hence That their Dispositions were sincerely good or pure if Society had not depraved them No this induction will not hold it is the Evening crownes the day What could be imagined better or more royally promising than Nero's Quinquennium What excellent tokens of future goodnesse What apparant testimonies of a vertuous government What infallible grounds of princely policy mixed with notable precepts of piety Yet who knowes not how all the vices of his Ancestours put together seemed by a lineall descent to bee transferred on him being the Patterne and Patron of all cruelty the Author and Actor of all villany the plotter and practiser of all impiety so as if all the titles of cruelty were lost they might be found in this Tyrant How then doe you say that his Disposition was naturally good but became afterwards depraved and corrupted No rather joyne with mee and say that howsoever his Disposition seemed good during those five yeares wherein hee dissembled with vertue and concealed those many vices which he professed and possessed afterwards yet indeed he was the same though not in shew yet in
exploit how successively or prosperously soever managed Such is the native Modesty wherewith they are endued as their victories are never so numerous or glorious as to transport them above themselves Which Modesty surely becommeth men of all Degrees but especially men of eminent and noble ranke to the end they may understand and acknowledge in every action that there is a God from whom all things proceed and are derived Now as there is no glory equall to the command or soveraingtie over our owne passions the conquest whereof makes Man an absolute Commander so there is no ornament which confers more true or native grace to one ennobled by place or birth than to put on the Spirit of Meekenesse being expresly commanded and so highly commended of God as the goodnesse thereof is confirmed by a promise The meeke shall inherit the earth So Humility is said to purchase Gods favour for by that one vertue wee become to have a resemblance of him whose glory it was to disesteeme all glory to fashion us like unto himselfe Now how precious may that exquisite Treasure appeare unto us which conferres so much light on us as by it we are brought to know our selves being strangers as it were and aliens unto our selves till Humility tooke off the veile shewed man his Anatomy So rare was this divine vertue and so few her professors in former time especially amongst such whose titles had advanced them above inferiour ranke as the place which they held made them forget the mould whereof they were made An excellent historicall demonstration we have hereof as we receive it from venerable Bede who reports it thus Aidan a religious Bishop weeping for King Osvinus and demanded by the Kings Chaplaine why he wept I know said he that the King shall not live long for never before this time have I seene an humble King Which hapned accordingly for hee was cruelly murdered by Oswin But thanks to him who became humble for us wee have in these declining dayes among so many proud Simeons many humble Iosephs whose chiefest honour they make it to abase themselves on earth to adde to their complement of glory in heaven so much sleighting the popular applause of men as their onely aime is to have a sincere and blamelesse conscience in them to witnesse in that judiciall day for them These have not like those furies of revenge hearts full of wrath but with all meekenesse and long-suffering will rather endure an injury than inflict too violent revenge though they have ready power to effect or performe it It is reported of Thomas Linacres a learned Englishman much commended for his sanctitie of life that when hee heard it read in the fifth Chapter of S. Matt. Diligite inimicos Blesse them that curse you c. he brake forth into these words O amici aut haec vera non sunt aut nos Christiani non sumus O my friends either these things are not true or we are no Christians True it is indeed that so strangely are some men affected as they tender revenge equally deare as their owne life their plots are how to circumvent their traines how to surprize their whole consultations how to inflict due revenge where they have alreadie conceived distaste And these are those Bulls of Basan who rome and rore and when the prey falleth they seaze on it and teare it with their teeth On these men may that of the Poet be truly verified They feare no Lawes their wrath gives way to might And what they plot they act be 't wrong or right But how farre the Disposition of these men may seeme removed from the meeke and humble affected whose only glory is to redresse wrong and render right judgement unto all there is none but may at the first sight apparently discerne For these humble and mildly-affected spirits stand so firme and irremoveable as no adversitie can depresse them no prosperitie raise them above themselves For adversities they account them with that excellent Morall nothing else than exercises to trie them not to tire them And for Prosperities they receive them as they come not so much admiring them as making a profitable use of them and with a thankfull remembrance of divine Bountie blessing God for them These are those impregnable rockes as one aptly compared them subject to no piercing those greenē Bayes in midst of hoarie Winter never fading those fresh Springs in the Sandie Desart never drying Whos 's many eminent vertues as they deserve your imitation Gentlemen so especially their Meeknesse being the first marke I tooke to distinguish true Gentilitie THe second was Munificence that is to be of a bountifull Disposition open-handed yet with some necessary caution as to know what we give and the worth of that person to whom we give For without these considerations Bountie may incline to profusenesse and Liberalitie to indiscretion This moved that Mirror of Roman Princes the Emperour Titus to keep a Booke of the Names of such whose deserts had purchased them esteeme but had not as yet tasted of his Bountie So as it is observed of him that no day came over his head wherein he exprest not his princely Munificence to such whose names he had recorded which if at any time through more urgent occasions he neglected he would use these words to such as were about him O my friends I have lost this day No lesse was the bountie which Cyrus expressed first in words but afterward in deeds to such Souldiers as tooke his part against his grand-father Astyages that such as were Footmen he would make them Horse-men and such as were Horse-men hee would make them ride in their Chariots It is said of the House of the Agrigentine Gillia that it seemed as if it had beene a certaine Storehouse or repository of all Bountie Such indeed was the Hospitalitie esteemed in this Iland formerly one of the apparantest signals of Gentrie which was showne to all such as made recourse to that Mansion And because I have accidentally fallen into this Discourse let me speake a word or two touching this neglect of Hospitalitie which may be observed in most places throughout this Kingdome What the reason may seeme to be I know not unlesse riot and prodigalitie the very Gulfes which swallow up much Gentrie why so many sumptuous and goodly Buildings whose faire Frontispice promise much comfort to the wearied Traveller should want their Masters But surely I thinke as Diogenes jested upon the Mindians for māking their gates larger than their Citie bidding them take heed lest the Citie run out at the gates so their Store-house being made so strait and their Gates so broad I much feare me that Provision the life of Hospitalitie hath run out at their gates leaving vast penurious houses apt enough to receive but unprovided to releeve But indeed the reason why this defect of noble Hospitalitie hath so generally possessed this Realme
and feeling of religion which is all in all as in the knowledge and understanding of it hee buries Sarah in a double Sepulcher and so must all wee doe which are the true children of Abraham for then with Abraham burying our spirit in a double Sepulcher wee shall with Elizeus have a double Spirit a spirit that as well doth as teacheth Otherwise wee are but tinkling Cymbals making onely a sound of religion without any sound or sincere profession being as that honey-tongu'd Father saith in body inward but in heart outward Now the eye as it is the tendrest and subtilest Organ of all others so should the Object on which it is fixed be the purest and cleerest of all others The Eagle accounts those of her young ones bastards which cannot fixe their eyes upon the Sunne and with equall reflection as it were reverberate the beaming vigour or splendour thereof which should be the Embleme of divine contemplation teaching us that howsoever wee have our feet on earth wee are to have our eyes in heaven not by prying too saucily into the sealed Arke of Gods inscrutable will but by meditating ever of him so to rest in him that after earth wee may for ever rest with him It is observed by profest Oculists that whereas all creatures have but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about man hath a sift to pull his eyes up to heaven How farre divert they then their eyes from the contemplation of that Object for which they were created who cannot see their neighbours ground but they must cover it nor his beast but they desire it nor any thing which likes them but with a greedy eye they heart-eat it So large is the extent or circuit of their heart to earthly things as they can see nothing but they instantly desire so strait is the circumference of their heart to heavenly things they set no mind on them as if altogether unworthy their desire So as I cannot more aptly compare these idolizing worldlings to any thing then to the bird Ibis which is of that filthy nature as shee receives those excrements in at her mouth which shee had purged before from her guts Neither doe they resemble this bird only in respect of their bestiall or insatiate receit but also in the unbounded extent of their heart Oris Apollo writeth that the Egyptians when they would describe the heart paint that bird which they call Ibis because they thinke that no creature for proportion of the body hath so great a heart as the Ibis hath Neither hath our worldly Ibis a lesse heart to the filthy desires of the world being of necessity forced to leave the world before hee can leave desiring the things of this world or their eyes Satan-like come from compassing the whole earth esteeming no joy to the worldling like much enjoying yet am I not so rigorously affected or from feeling of humanity so farre estranged as with Democritus to move you to pull out your eyes that the occasion of temptation might be removed by being of your eyes those motives to temptation wholly deprived Nor with that inamored Italian to wish you to fix your eyes upon the beames of the Sunne till they were feared that the sight of your Mistresse might not move your disquiet No enjoy your eyes and make them directâ—rs to guide you not as blind deceitfull guides to entrap you use the object of this sense but weane it from assenting to concupiscence concluding over with that good remembrance May that object bee from our eyes removed which makes us from our deare Lord divided Now for the last Motive which is the Pride of life it was Lucifers sinne and therefore should bee each true Christians scorne For this sinne saith an ancient and learned Father are the children of the kingdome thrown into utter darknesse and whence commeth this but because they ascend up unto that Mountaine unto which the first Angell ascended and as a Devill descended Hee who entertaineth this Motive is an ambitious man who as one rightly observeth may be well and fitly similized with the Chameleon who hath nothing in his body but Lungs so the badge of the ambitius is to be windy and boisterous whereas if he would measure all his undertakings rather by the dignity of the thing then the Ambition of his mind hee should find as much content as now hee finds disquiet It was the rule of a wise States-man and well deserves it the observance of every private person but especially of such who sit nere the Sterne of State not to suffer any ambitious heat transport him but to measure all things according to their dignity and worth and withall rather to referre the opinion of themselves and their actions to the censure of others and freely put themselves to be weighed in the judicious scale or ballance of others then to be approvers of themselves without the suffrage of others for certainely as there is no humour more predominant then Ambition nor apter to make man forgetfull of himselfe so hee who is of a haughty and proud disposition dis-values all others purposely to prize his owne deserts at an higher estimate I remember with what character that proud English Cardinall was decoloured who bare so great a strok in this Kingdome as it was in his power to shake the foundation of Monasteries and from their ruines to raise his owne structures that hee was so puffed up with Ambition as hee preferred the honour of his person before the discharge of his Profession Surely that sentence was verified in him Promotion declares what men bee for never was his Nature throughly discovered nor his inside displayed till his out-side was with the Cardinals Pall graced How necessary is it then for man being more subject to Pride himselfe in his height then with patience to receive a fall to learne how to moderate his acception of honour before he come to honour For I doe not so limit him as if hee should not at all receive it but rather how hee should demeane himselfe having received it Neither in Ambition onely but in that attire of sinne gorgeous apparell is the like limitation to be used for herein are wee to observe such decencie as neither the contempt thereof may taxe us of irregular carelesnesse nor affectation thereof evince us of too singular nicenesse for the former as it implyes a carelesse indifferencie so the latter argues an effeminate delicacie for God hateth no lesse in man this sloth and sluttishnesse then he hateth too much neatnesse and nicenesse Yea I have oft-times observed no lesse pride shrouded under a thred-bare cloake than under a more sumptuous coat So as Antisthenes went not farre a wrong who seeing Socrates shew his torne cloake shewing a hole thereof unto the people Loe quoth he thorow this I see Socrates vanity It is not the Hood which makes the Monke nor the Cloake which makes
this yet is the afflicted soule to bee content abiding Gods good leisure who as hee doth wound so he can cure and as hee opened old Tobiths eyes so can he when he pleaseth where he pleaseth and as hee 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 infeebled as with Corvinus Messala he 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 Signâ—t 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 beauty 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 GOD-ward though dwarfish thou hast a proportion given thee ayming heaven-ward 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 necessity bid a long adieu to thy friends thy honours riches and whatsoever else are deare or neere unto thee yet for all this why shouldest thou remaine discontented Art thou here as a Countryman or a Pilgrim No Countryman sure for then shouldest thou make earth thy Country and inhabit here as an abiding city And if a Pilgrim who would grieve to bee 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 profest 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 wisedome to grieve for that which thou canst not possibly prevent but to labour in time rather to prevent what may give the occasion to grieve For say is thy friend dead I confesse it were a great losse if hee were lost but lost hee is not though thou bee left gone hee is before thee not gone from thee divided onely 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 shee 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 mournes to bee a Counsellor of State who sorrowed for the 〈◊〉 of his daughter returned directly to his Soveraigne and acquainted her therewith O quoth she who would thinks thaâ— a wise man and a Counsellor of our State could so forget himselfe as to shew himselfe 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 of his childs And surely whosoever shall but duly conâ—ider mans 〈◊〉 with deathe necessity cannot chuse but wonder why any one should bee 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 bee by some objected that the departure of their friend is not so much lamented for that is of necessity and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow being if spent as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse but their sudden and inopinate departure Whereto I answer that no death is sudden to him that dies well for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life how it was passed or disposed than to death how short his summons were or how quickly closed Io. Mathes preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of Naim by Christ within three houres afterward died himselfe The like is written of Luther and many others As one was choaked with a flie another with a haire a third pushing his foot against the tressal another against the threshold falls downe dead So many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man to draw towards his last home and weane him from the love of the earth Those whom God loves said Menander the young yea those whom hee esteemeth highest hee takes from hence the soonest And that for two causes the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth the other to crowne them the sooner with happinesse in Heaven For what gaine wee by a long life or what profit reape wee by a tedious Pilgrimage but that wee partly see partly suffer partly commit more evils Priamus saw more dayes and shed more teares than Troilus Let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us in respect of the bodie that after her returne to earth it may bee gloriously re-united to the soule to make an absolute Consort in Heaven Thirdly and lastly for the goods or blessings of Fortune they are not to command us but to bee commanded by us not to be served by us but to serve us And because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest who in the desires of this life is the neediest and he the richest on earth who sees little worth desiring on earth we
and all things in it confessed the same I asked the Sea and the depths and the creeping things in them and they answered wee 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 we 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 me something of him and they cried 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 voice 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 mee who made mee 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 visible to bee 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-be-lulled 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 hâ— 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 we 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 hee make us That wee might live such lives as may please him and die such deaths as may praise him lives blamelesse and unreprovable 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 bee directed we are in this Tabernacle of clay to addresse our selves to those studies exercises and labours which may benefit the Church or Common-wealth ministring matter unto others of imitation to our soules of consolation 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 bee wrapt 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 wee are expresly injoyned by the divine Law of God Our Lord in the Gospel 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 Hee 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 hee 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 practise which presents us blamelesse before God Therefore are wee exhorted to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Not to idle out the time in the market-place as such who make their life a repose or cessation from all labours studies or vertuous intendements 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 bee accomptants in that great Assize where neither greatnesse shall bee a subterfuge to guiltinesse nor their descent plead priviledge 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 answer for them for their Stoves Summer-arbours Refectories and all other places wherein they enjoyed the height of delight shall be produced against them to tax them of sensuall living and witnesse against them their small care of observing the end for which they were made O Gentlemen you whose hopes are promising your more excellent endowments assuring and your selves as patternes unto others appearing know that this Perfection whereof we now intreat is not acquired by idling or sensuall delighting of your selves in carnall pleasures which darken and eclypse the glory or lustre of the soule but in labouring to mortifie the desires of the flesh which is ever levying and levelling her forces against the spirit Now this Mortification can never be attained by obeying but resisting and impugning the desires of the flesh Wherefore the onely meanes to bring the flesh to perfect subjection is to crosse her in those delights which shee most affecteth Doth shee delight in sleepe and rest keepe her waking takes shee content in meats and drinkes keepe her craving takes shee solace in company use her to privacie and retiring takes she liking to ease inure her to labouring Briefly in whatsoever she is delighted let her bee alwayes thwarted so shall you enjoy the most rest when shee enjoyes the least Hence it was that Saint Ierome that excellent patterne of holy discipline counselleth the holy Virgin Demetrias to eschew idlenesse exhorting her withall that having done her prayers she should take in hand wooll and weaving after the commendable example of Dorcas that by such change or variety of workes the day might seeme lesse tedious and the assaults of Satan lesse grievous Neither did this divine Father advise her to worke because she was in poverty or by this meanes to sustaine her family for she was one of the most noble and eminent women in Rome and richest wherefore her want was not the cause which pressed him to this exhortation but this rather that by this occasion of exercising her selfe in these laudable and decent labours shee should thinke of nothing but such as properly pertained unto the service of God which place hee
this summary good which is seene with purest mindes The Heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed Trinity which can no more by the circumference of the World bee confined than a Triangle by a Circle is to bee filled So as the Circular world cannot fill the Triangular heart no more than a Circle can fill a Triangle still there will bee some empty corners it saies so long as it is fixed on the world Sheol it is never enough but fixed on her Maker her onely Mover on her sweet Redeemer her dearest Lover she chants out cheerefully this Hymne of comfort There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus She then may rest in peace And what peace A peace which passeth all understanding Shee then may embrace her Love And what Love A Love constantly loving Shee then may enjoy life And what life A life eternally living Shee then may receive a Crowne And what Crowne A Crowne gloriously shining This crowne saith S. Peter is undefiled which never fadeth away The Greeke words which S. Peter useth are Latine words also and they are not only Appellatives being the Epithetes of this Crowne but also Propers the one proper name of a Stone the other of a Flower for Isidore writeth there is a precious stone called Amiantus which though it bee never so much soiled yet it can never at all bee blemished and being cast into the fire it is taken out still more bright and cleane Also Clemens writeth that there is a flower called Amarantus which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and greene To both which the stone and the flower the Apostle as may bee probably gathered alludeth in this place Here then you see what you are to seeke For are your desires unsatisfied here is that which may fulfill them Are your soules thirsty here is the Well of life to refresh them Would you bee Kings here is a Kingdome provided for you Would you enjoy a long life a long life shall crowne you and length of daies attend you Would you have all goodnesse to enrich you enjoying GOD all good things shall bee given you Would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you rest you in Christ Iesus and no condemnation shall draw neere you Would you have your consciences speake peace unto you the God of peace will throughout establish you Would you have your constant'st Love ever attend you He who gave himself for you will never leave you Would you have him live for ever with you Leave loving of the world so shall hee live ever with you and in you Would you have a Crowne conferred on you A Crowne of glory shall empale you Seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse and it sufficeth Seeke this soveraigne or summary good from whence commeth every good and it sufficeth For hee is the life by which wee live the hope to which wee cleave and the glory which wee desire to obtaine For if dead hee can revive us if hopelesse and helpelesse he can succour us if in disgrace he can exalt us Him then only are wee to seeke who when wee were lost did seeke us and being found did bring us to his sheepe-fold And so I descend from what wee are to seeke to where wee are to seeke that seeking him where hee may bee found wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought For the second wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth but not upon earth for earth cannot containe it It is the Philosophers axiom That which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite Now that supreme or soveraigne end to which this Actuall Perfection is directed whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth is by nature infinite End without end beginning and end imposing to every creature a certaine definite or determinate end The sole solace of the soule being onely able to fill or satisfie the soule without which all things in heaven or under heaven joyned and conferred together cannot suffice the soule so boundlesse her extent so infinite the object of her content How should Earth then containe it or to what end should wee on Earth seeke it seeing whatsoever containeth must of necessity bee greater than that which is contained But Earth being a masse of corruption how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption Seeing nothing but immortality can cloath the Soule with glory it is not the rubbish or refuse of Earth that may adde to her beauty Besides the Soule while it so journes here in this earthly mansion shee remaines as a captive inclosed in prison What delights then can bee pleasing what delicates relishing to the palate of this prisoner Shee is an exile here on Earth what society then can bee cheerefull to one so carefull of returning to her Countrey If Captives restrained of their liberty Exiles estranged from their Countrey can take no true content either in their bondage bee it never so attempred nor in that exile bee they never so attended how should the Soule apprehend the least joy during her abode on Earth Where the treasure is there is the heart her treasure is above how can her heart bee here below Mortality cannot suit with immortality no more can Earth with the soule Whereto then bee the motions of our soule directed To Him that gave it no inferiour creature may suffice her no earthly object satisfie her nothing subject to sense fulfill her In Heaven are those heavenly objects wherewith her eye rests satisfied in Heaven are those melodious accents wherewith her eare rests solaced in Heaven those choicest odours wherewith her smell is cherished in Heaven those tastefull'st dainties wherewith her soule is nourished in Heaven those glorious creatures wherewith her selfe is numbred What difference then betwixt the satiety and saturity of Heaven and the penurie and poverty of Earth Here all things are full of labour man cannot utter it The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing whereas in Heaven there is length of daies and fulnesse of joy without ending And wherein consists this fulnesse Even in the sweet and comfortable sight of God But who hath seene GOD at any time To this blessed Augustine answers excellently Albeit saith hee that summary and incommutable essence that true light that indeficient light that light of Angels can bee seene by none in this life being reserved for a reward to the Saints onely in the heavenly glory yet to beleeve and understand and feele and ardently desire it is in some sort to see and possesse it Now if wee will beleeve it though our feet bee on earth our faith must bee in heaven or understand it wee must so live on earth as if our conversation were in heaven or feele it wee must have so little feeling of the delights of this life as our delight may bee wholly in heaven or desire
darkened nor the clouds returne after the raine In the day when the Keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and those that looke out of the windowes be darkened And the doores shall be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low and hee shall rise up at the voice of the bird and all the daughters of musicke shall bee brought low Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and feares shall bee in the way and the Almond tree shall flourish and the Grashopper shall bee a burden and desire shall faile because man goeth to his long home and the mourners goe about the streets Or ever the silver coard be loosed or the golden bowle bee broken or the pitcher bee broken at the fountaine or the wheele broken at the Cisterne Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it Hence then are wee warned not to deferre time lest wee neglect the opportunate time the time of grace which neglected miserable shall wee be when from hence dissolved Yea but will some object True repentance is never too late which is most true but againe I answer that late repentance is seldome true Repent then while ye have time for as in Hell there is no redemption so after death there is no time admitted for repentance O remember that a wounded conscience none can heale so that like as the Scorpion hath in her the remedy of her owne poyson so the evill man carrieth alwayes with him the punishment of his owne wickednesse the which doth never leave to torment and afflict his mind both sleeping and waking So as the wicked man is oft-times forced to speake unto his conscience as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy Now there is no better meanes to make peace with our consciences then to set God continually before our eyes that his Spirit may witnesse to our spirits that wee are the children of grace Wherein many offend daily who promise to themselves security either by sinning subtilly or secretly Subtilly as in dazling or deluding the eyes of the world with pretended sanctity and concluding with the Poet That I may just and holy seeme and so the world deceive And with a cloud my cunning shroud is all that I doe crave But such Hypocrites will God judge and redouble the viols of his wrath upon their double sinne Secretly when man in the foolishnesse of his heart committeth some secret sinne and saith Who seeth him There is none looking thorow the chinke to se mee none that can heare me but simple fooles how much are these deceived Is there any darkenesse so thicke and palpable that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the piercing eye of heaven cannot spie thee through it O if thou hope by firming secretly to sin securely thou shalt be forced to say unto thy God as Ahab said unto Elijah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy Nay O God terrible and dreadfull thou hast found mee And then let mee aske thee in the same termes that the young Gallant in Erasmus asked his wanton mistresse Art thou not ashamed to doe that in the sight of God and witnesse of holy Angels which thou art ashamed to doe in the sight of men Art thou so afraid of disgrace with men and little carest whether thou be or no in the state of grace with God Art thou more jealous of the eyes of men who have but power onely to asperse a blemish on thy name or inflict a temporall punishment on thy person then of his who hath power to throw both thy soule and body into the burning Lake of perdition It was a pretty saying of Epicurus in Seneca Whereto are offences safe if they cannot bee secure Or what availes it guilty men to find a place to lye hid in when they have no confidence in the place where they lye hid in Excellent therefore was the counsell of zealous Bernard and sententious Seneca that wee should alwayes as in a mirrour represent unto our eyes the example of some good man and so to live as if he did alwayes see us alwayes behold us for wee who know that the eyes of God are upon all the wayes of men and that no place so remote no place so desart or desolate as may divide us from his all-seeing presence ought to be in all our workes so provident and circumspect as if God were present before our eyes as in truth hee his And therefore Prudentius in one of his Hymnes gives this memorandum Thinke with thy selfe if thou from sinne would free thee Be 't day or night that God doth ever see thee O then let us fix our thoughts upon God here on earth that wee may gloriously fix our eyes upon him in heaven Let us so meditate of him here on earth that wee may contemplate him there in heaven So repent us to have dishonoured him here on earth that wee may be honoured by him in heaven Let us become humble Petitioners unto him and prostrate our selves before his foot-stoole of whom if wee begge life his hand is not so shortned as it will not save his eare so closely stopped as it will not heare It is reported that when a poore man came to Dionysius the Tyrant and preferred his Petition unto him standing the imperious Tyrant would not give eare unto him whereupon this poore Petitioner to move him to more compassion fell downe prostrate at his feet and with much importunity obtained his suit after all this being demanded by one why hee did so I perceived quoth he Dionysius to have his eares in his feet wherefore I was out of hope to be heard till I fell before his feet But God who intendeth rather the devotion of the heart then the motion of the hand or prostration of the body will heare us if wee aske faithfully and open unto us if wee knock constantly and having fought a good fight crowne us victoriously Thus you have heard what wee are to seeke where wee are to seeke and when wee are to seeke What a Kingdome not of earth but of heaven Where not on earth nor in earth but in heaven When while wee are here on earth that after earth we may raigne in heaven What a Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountaine sealed What a crowne of righteousnesse a precious pearle a hid treasure What wisdome health wealth beauty liberty and all through him who is all in all Aristippus was wont to say that hee would goe to Socrates for wit but to Dionysius for money whereas this wee seeke and seeking hope to enjoy confers upon us the rich treasures of wisdome and abundance of riches for evermore For first seeke wee the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and all things else shall bee ministred unto us Secondly
where wee are to seeke Where in Heaven the house of God the Citie of the great King the inheritance of the just the portion of the faithfull the glory of Sion Where not without us but within us for the Kingdome of God is within us So as I may say to every faithfull soule Intus habes quod quaeris That is within thee which is sought of thee It is God thou seekest and him thou possessest thy heart longeth after him and right sure thou art of him for his delight is to bee with those that love him Lastly when on Earth when in this life when while wee are in health while wee are in these Tabernacles of clay while wee carry about us these earthly vessels while wee are clothed with flesh before the evill day come or the night approach or the shadow of death encompasse us now in the opportunate time the time of grace the time of redemption the appointed time while our peace may bee made not to deferre from youth to age lest wee bee prevented by death before wee come to age but so to live every day as if wee were to dye every day that at last wee may live with him who is the length of daies What remaineth then but that wee conclude the whole Series or progresse of this Discourse with an exhortation to counsell you an instruction to caution you closing both in one Conclusion to perswade you to put in daily practice what already hath beene tendred to you Now Gentlemen that I may take a friendly farewell of you I am to exhort you to a course Vertuous which among good men is ever held most Generous Let not O let not the pleasures of sinne for a season withdraw your mindes from that exceeding great weight of glory kept in store for the faithfull after their passage from this vale of misery Often call to minde the riches of that Kingdome after which you seeke those fresh Pastures fragrant Medows and redolent Fields diapred and embrodered with sweetest and choicest flowers those blessed Citizens heavenly Saints and Servants of God who served him here on Earth faithfully and now raigne with him triumphantly Let your Hearts bee exditers of a good matter and your voices viols to this heavenly measure O how glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God as the habitation of all that rejoyce is in thee Thou art founded on the exaltation of the whole Earth There is in thee neither old-age nor the miserie of old-age There is in thee neither maime nor lame nor crooked nor deformed seeing all attaine to the perfect man to that measure of age or fulnesse of Christ. Who would not become humble Petitioner before the Throne of grace to bee made partaker of such an exceeding weight of glory Secondly to instruct you where this Crowne of righteousnesse is to bee sought it is to bee sought in the house of God in the Temple of the Lord in the Sanctuary of the most High O doe not hold it any derogation to you to bee servants yea servants of the lowest ranke even Doore-keepers in the House of the Lord Constantine the Great gloried more in being a member of the Church than the Head of an Empire O then let it bee your greatest glory to advance his glory who will make you vessels of glory But know that to obey the deligths of the flesh to divide your portion among Harlots to drinke till the wine grow red to make your life a continued revell is not the way to obtaine this crowne Tribulation must goe before Consolation you must clime up to the Crosse before you receive this Crowne The Israelites were to passe thorow a Desart before they came to Canaan This Desart is the world Canaan heaven O who would not bee here afflicted that hee may bee there comforted Who would not be here crossed that hee may bee there crowned Who would not with patience passe thorow this Desart onely in hope to come to Canaan Canaan the inheritance of the just Canaan the lot of the righteous Canaan a fat Land flowing with milke and honey Canaan an habitation of the most holy Canaan a place promised to Abraham Canaan the bosome of Father Abraham even Heaven but not the heaven of heaven to which even the earth it selfe is the very Empyraean heaven for this is heaven of heaven to the Lord because knowne to none but to the Lord. Thirdly and lastly that I may conclude and concluding perswade you neglect not this opportunate time of grace that is now offered you I know well that Gentlemen of your ranke cannot want such witty Consorts as will labour by their pleasant conceits to remove from you the remembrance of the evill day but esteeme not those conceits for good which strive to estrange from your conceit the chiefest good Let it bee your task every day to provide your selves against the evill day so shall not the evill day when it commeth affright you nor the terrours of death prevaile against you nor the last summons perplex you nor the burning Lake consume you O what sharpe extreme and insuperable taskes would those wofull tormented soules take upon them if they might bee freed but one houre from those horrours which they see those tortures which they feele O then while time is graunted you omit no time neglect no opportunity Bee instant in season and out of season holding on in the race which is set before you and persevering in every good work even unto the end Because they that continue unto the end shall bee saved What is this life but a minute and lesse than a minute in respect of eternity Yet if this minute bee well imployed it will bring you to the fruition of eternity Short and momentany are the afflictions of this life yet supported with Patience and subdued with long sufferance they crowne the sufferer with glory endlesse Short likewise are the pleasures of this life which as they are of short continuance so bring they forth no other fruit than the bitter pils of repentance whereas in heaven there are pleasures for evermore comforts for evermore joyes for evermore no carnall but cordiall joy no laughter of the body but of the heart for though the righteous sorrow their sorrow ends when they end but joy shall come upon them without end O meditate of these in your beds and in your fields when you are journeying on the way and when you are so journing in your houses where compare your Court-dalliance with these pleasures and you shall finde all your rioting triumphs and revelling to bee rather occasions of sorrowing than solacing mourning than rejoycing Bathe you in your Stoves or repose you in your Arbours these cannot allay the least pang of an afflicted conscience O then so live every day as you may die to sin every day that as you are ennobled by your descent on earth
you may bee ennobled in heaven after your descent to earth Laus Deo Totum hoc ut à te veniet totur◠ad te redeat A Gentleman IS a Man of himselfe without the addition of either Taylor Millener Seamster or Haberdasher Actions of goodnesse he holds his supreme happinesse The fate of a yonger brother cannot depresse his thoughts below his elder Hee scornes basenesse more than want and holds Noblenesse his sole worth A Crest displayes his house but his owne actions expresse himselfe Hee scornes pride as a derogation to Gentry and walks with so pure a soule as hee makes uprightnesse the honour of his Family Hee wonders at a profuse foole that hee should spend when honest frugality bids him spare and no lesse at a miserable Crone who spares when reputation bids him spend Though heire of no great fortunes yet his extensive hand will not shew it Hee shapes his coat to his cloth and scornes as much to bee holden as to bee a Gally-slave Hee hath been youthfull but his maturer experience hath so ripened him as hee hates to become either Gull or Cheat. His disposition is so generous as others happinesse cannot make him repine nor any occurrent save sinne make him repent Hee admires nothing more than a constant spirit derides nothing more than a recreant condition embraceth nothing with more intimacie than a prepared resolution Amongst men hee hates no lesse to bee uncivill than in his feare to Godward to bee servile Education hee holds a second Nature which such innate seeds of goodnesse are sowne in him ever improves him seldome or never depraves him Learning hee holds not onely an additament but ornament to Gentry No complement gives more accomplishment Hee intends more the tillage of his minde than his ground yet suffers not that to grow wilde neither Hee walkes not in the clouds to his friend but to a stranger Hee eyes the Court with a vertuous and noble contemplation and dis-values him most whose sense consists in sent Hee viewes the City with a princely command of his affections No object can with-draw him from himselfe or so distract his desires as to covet ought unworthily or so intraunce his thoughts as to admire ought servilely Hee lives in the Countrey without thought of oppression makes every evening his dayes Ephemeris If his neighbours field flourish hee doth not envy it if it lie fit for him hee scornes to covet it There is not that place hee sees nor that pleasure hee enjoyes whereof he makes not some singular use to his owne good and Gods glory Vocation hee admits of walking in it with so generous and religious a care as hee makes Piety his Practice acts of Charity his Exercise and the benefit of others his sole solace Hee understands that neither health commeth from the clouds without seeking nor wealth from the clods without digging Hee recommends himselfe therefore in the morning to Gods protection and favour that all the day long hee may more prosperously succeed in his labour Hee holds idlenesse to bee the very moth of mans time Day by day therefore hath hee his taske imposed that the poison of idlenesse may bee better avoided Hee holds as Gods opportunity is mans extremity so mans security is the Divels opportunity Hoping therefore hee feares fearing hee takes heed and taking heed hee becomes safe Hospitality hee holds a relique of Gentry Hee harbours no passion but compassion Hee grieves no lesse at anothers losse than his owne nor joyes lesse in anothers successe than his owne peculiar Recreation hee useth to refresh him but not surprize him Delights cannot divert him from a more serious occasion neither can any houre-beguiling pastime divide him from an higher contemplation For honest pleasures hee is neither so Stoicall as wholly to contemne them nor so Epicureall as too sensually to affect them There is no delight on mountaine vale coppice or river whereof hee makes not an usefull and contemplative pleasure Recreation hee admits not to satisfie his sense but solace himselfe Hee fixeth his minde on some other subject when any pleasure begins too strongly to worke upon him Hee would take it but not bee taken by it Hee attempers his attractivest pastimes with a little Alloes to weane him all the sooner from their sweetnesse Hee scornes that a moment of content should deprive him of an eternity of comfort Hee corrects therefore his humour in the desire of pleasure that hee may come off with more honour Acquaintance hee entertaines with feare but retaines with fervor Hee consorts with none but where hee presumes hee may either better them or bee bettered by them Vertue is the sole motive of his choice Hee conceives how no true amity nor constant society can ever bee amongst evill men Hee holds it a blemish to the repute of a Gentleman and an aspersion to his discretion to make choice of those for his associates who make no more account of time than how to passe it over Conference hee affects and those hee admits onely into the list of his discourse whom hee findes more reall than verball more solid than complementall Hee will try him before hee rely on him but having found him touch they touch his honour that impeach him Moderation in his desires cares feares or in what this Theatre of Earth may afford hee expresseth so nobly as neither love of whatsoever hee enjoyes can so enthrall him nor the losse of what hee loves can any way appall him A true and generous Moderation of his affections hath begot in him an absolute command and conquest of himselfe Hee smiles yet compassionately grieves at the immoderation of poore worldlings in their cares and griefes at the indiscretion of ambitious and voluptuous Flies in their desires and feares Perfection he aspires to for no lower mound can confine him no inferiour bound impale him Vertue is the staire that raiseth to height of this Story His ascent is by degrees making Humility his directresse lest hee should faile or fall in his progresse His wings are holy desires his feet heavenly motions There is no sense which he offers not up as a sweet incense to expedite his course and refresh his conscience He holds it the sweetest life to be every day better till length of dayes reunite him to his Redeemer Hee hath plaid his part on this Stage of Earth with honour and now in his Exit makes heaven his harbour FINIS An exact TABLE or Directory leading to the Principall points contained in this BOOKE YOVTH Observat. 1. OVR youthfull yeares our Climactericall years with the dangers that attend on youthfull yeares seconded by an authentick story out of Eusebius p. 1.2 The vanity of Youth displayed in foure distinct Subjects 3 Two reasons why Young-men were not admitted to deliver their opinions in publike assemblies 6.7 Three violent passions incident to Youth 15 Two reasons why Youth is naturally subject to those illimited passions of Ambition Lust Revenge ibid. Especiall motives or
judicious Censor of Antiquities S. Augustine saith That anciently the Romans worshipped Vertue and Honour for gods Whence it was that they built two Temples which were so seated as none could enter the Temple of Honour unlesse hee had first passed through the Temple of Vertue to signifie that none was to bee honoured unlesse by some Vertue he had first deserved it The Morall admits no other exposition than its owne expression For Honour none should bee so daring bold as to wooe her till by passing thorow Vertues Temple hee get admittance unto her If you desire to bee great let it bee your height of ambition to aspire to honour in the Court of Vertue Where the lowest cannot bee lesse than a Lady of Honour because the lowest of her actions correspond with Honour Such a service were no servitude but a solace Admit that sometimes you affected forraine fashions now let forraine Nations admire your vertues Perchance the delicacy of your nature or misery of a long prescribed custome will not so easily at the first bee wholly weaned from what it hath for so many yeares affected Vse than an easie restraint at the first withdraw your affections from vanity by degrees reserve some select houres for private Devotion check your fancies when they dote on ought that may distract you The first Encounter will bee hardest Time will bring you to that absolute soveraignty over your passions as you shall finde a singular calmenesse in your affections For the Windes of your passions shall no sooner cease then that vast boundlesse Sea of your distemper'd affections shall become calme What a brave Salique State shall you then enjoy within your owne Common-wealth Vigilancy becomes Warden of your Cinque Ports not an invasive forrainer dare approach while shee with watchfull eyes waits at the Port. All your followers are vertues favorites Piety guides you in your wayes Charity in your workes Your Progenitors deserved due praise but you surpasse them all Thus shall you revive the ashes of your families and conferre on them surviving memories But it is the evening crownes the day sufficient it is not to diffuse some few reflecting beamelings of your vertues at your first rising and darken them with a cloud of vices at your setting As your daies are more in number so must they bee every day better What availes it the Mariner to have taken his Compasse wisely to have shunned rockes and places of danger warily and at last to runne on some shelfe when hee should now arrive at the Bay where hee would bee Rockes are ever nearest the shore and most tentations nearest your end If you resolve then to come off fairely prepare your selves for some encounter daily observe your exercise of devotion duely resist assaults constantly that you may gain a glorious victory This is all the Combat that is of you desired wherein many of your Sexe have nobly deserved Stoutly have they combated and sweetly have they conquered Emulate their vertues imitate their lives and enjoy their loves So may you with that Patterne of patience dye in your owne Nests and multiply your dayes as the Sand So may your vertues which shone so brightly in these Courts of Earth appeare most glorious in those Courts of Heaven So may these scattered flowers of your fading beauty bee supplied with fresh flowers of an incorruptible beauty yea the King himselfe shall take pleasure in your beauty who will come like a glorious Prince out of his Palace of royall honour to grace you like a Specious Spouse out of his Nuptiall Chamber to embrace you Meane time feare not death but smile on him in his entry for hee is a guide to the good to conduct them to glory Conclude your resolves with that blessed Saint in hope no lesse confident than in heart penitent Wee have not lived so in the world that wee are ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe wee are not afraid to dye because wee have a good Lord. Short is your race neare is your rest Onely let the lesse of earth bee your gaine the love of God your goale and Angelicall perfection to which your constant practice of piety and all Christian duties have so long aspired your Crowne The feare of the Lord is a pleasant Garden of blessing there is nothing so beautifull as it is Eccles. 40.27 Trin-uni Deo omnis gloria A Gentlewoman IS her owne Tyrewsman one that weares her owne face and whose complexion is her owne Her Iournals lie not for th' Exchange needlesse visits nor Reere-bankets Showes and presentments shee viewes with a civill admiration wherein her harmlesse desire is rather to see than bee seene Shee hates nothing so much as entring parly with an immodest Suitor Retire from occasions drawes her to her Arbour where the sole object of her thoughts is her Maker Her eyes shee holds her profest foes if they send forth one loose looke teares must sue out their pardon or no hope of reconciliation Her resort to the Court is for occasion not fashion where her demeanour ever gives augmentation to her honour Her winning modesty becomes so powerfull a Petitioner as shee ever returnes a prevailing Suiter During her abode in the City shee neither weares the Street nor wearies her selfe with her Coach Her Chamber is her Tyring-roome where shee bethinks her how shee may play her part on the worlds Theatre that shee may gaine applause of her heavenly Spectators Her constant reside is in the Country where hospitality proclaimes her in-bred affection to workes of piety All which shee exerciseth with that privacy as they will witnesse for her shee feares nothing more than vaine-glory In her house shee performes the office of a Mistris no imperious Governesse Shee knowes when to put on a smooth brow and to cherish industry with moderate bounty Her discreet providence makes her family look with a cheerefull countenance Her posterity cannot chuse but prosper being nurs'd by so naturall a mother The open field she makes her Gallery her Labourers her living Pictures which though shee finds meere Pictures hanging on rather than labouring Passion transports her not above her selfe nor forceth her to the least expression unworthy of her selfe shee passeth by them with a modest reproofe which workes in them a deeper impression than any fiery or furious passion Her Neighbors shee daily wooes and winnes which shee effects with such innocent affability as none can justly tax her of flattery An Over-seer for the poore shee appoints her selfe wherein shee exceeds all those that are chosen by the Parish Shee takes a Survey daily and duly of them and without any charge to the Hamlet relieves them She desires not to have the esteeme of any She-clarke shee had rather bee approv'd by her living than learning And hath ever preferr'd a sound professant before a profound disputant A president of piety shee expresseth her selfe in her family which shee so instructs by her owne life as vertue becomes the object
in age of too much Pride ibid. The humour temper and danger of our Tame-Beasts or State-Parasites ibid. A reservancy of State in Pace face every Posture recommended by an insinuating Faune to a Phantasticke Gallant ibid. Sycophancy the ruine of many a Noble family ibid. An election of honest and discreet followers ibid. Gentlewomens lives as they are lives to themselves so should they bee lights unto others ibid. For Popular honour Vice will but varnish it it is Vertue that will richly enammell it Singular motives to Mortification pag. 390 That Vertue may receive the first impression by meanes of an in-bred noble disposition seconded by helpes of Education ibid. A pleasant Epigram alluding to all humerous Ladies Marg. pag. ibid. A Choice recollection and expression of such vertues as sort and suit with the condition of our noblest Ladies with Cautions to attemper them in all extreames by an usefull reflection upon all the Senses and those Commanding passions which domineere most over the Senses ibid. 391 A Singular Meditation for recollection of our affections pag. 391 392. Vice throwes her aspersions o◠no Subject so much as on Honour ibid A fruitfull application to all young Gentlewomen for regulating their dispositions and bow to make them true inheritrices of Honour ibid. Vertue reduced to habit aspires to perfection pag. 393 There is nothing under heaven that can satisfie a Soule created for heaven ibid. Exquisite directions for Virgins Wives and Widowes ibid. 394 We are to esteeme no life sweeter than when every day improves us and makes us better ibid. A divine Contemplation reflecting upon our mutabilitie on Earth our immortality in Heaven ibid. 395 A Review of our Ladies Court and Citty solace ibid. Recreations run a Maze while they lay their Scene of Mirth on Earth ibid. A Twofold consideration full of sweet and select consolation ibid. How happy many Eminent Personages had beene had they never beene taken with this Shadow of happinesse ibid. No passage to the Temple of * Honour but through the Temple of Vertue * HONOR virtutis praemium VIRTUS honoris pretium ibid. If Gentlewomen desire to be great let it be their height of ambition to aspire to honour in the Court of vertue ibid. What a brave Salique State shall Gentlewomen enjoy when vigilancy becomes Warden of their Cinque Ports pag. 395 Perseverance is the Crowne of goodnesse ibid. A constant resolution the Diadem of a Christian in her dissolution ibid. A Character entituled A Gentlewoman wherein such an One is described whose desert answeres her descent whose actions truely ennoble her selfe with a briefe touch or review of all his Observations Which are showne to bee Objects of her love improvements of her life An Appendix upon a former supposed impression of this Title wherein the Authors feares are suggested discussed and resolved and his compleat ENGLISH GENTLEWOMAN to as compleat a GENTLEMAN espoused Where they rejoyce like two tender Turtles in their mutuall triumph of Love and Honour joyntly combined FINIS WHat may be wish'd in Widow Wife or Maid Is in our Frontispice to life portraid Who seekes for more may thus much understand Shee takes that feature from an Higher hand Vpon the Errata TO describe an ENGLISH GENTLEVVOMAN without an Error were a glozing palpable Error And to free her more than an ENGLISH GENTLEMAN of Error were to incurre a prejudicate Censure Of both which without farther apologie the Presse hath sav'd me a labour Yet reflect upon the weakenesse of her Sexe whose purest Selfe dignifies her Sexe and the Subject will injoyne thee to hold it thine highest honour to salve her Error with an ingenuous Candor So maist thou vindicate the Author and by beeing a vertuous Lover gaine a most deserving Mistresses favour PRELUM Crimen Authores patiuntur omnes PRAELIUM TYPUS Crimen Authores patiuntur omnes CIPPUS Errata In the ENGLISH GENTLEWOMAN PAge 273. line 27. for Eber read Ebor. pag. 274. l. 12. f. mortality r. morality pag. 276. l. 19. f. Balcone r. Belcone pag. 347. l. ult f. and r. an pag. 349. l. 8. f. Anacrons r. Anacreons pag. 361. l. 29. f. Phavorius r. Phavorinus pag. 383. l. 41. f. strinks r. shrinks HAd Woman Mans choyce succour ne're beene Sinner Pure as Shee 's faire Shee 'd had no Error in her Now humble Soule her Error to descrye Shee still reteines the Apple in her eye A LADIES LOVE-LECTVRE COMPOSED AND FROM THE CHOICEST FLOWERS OF Divinitie and Humanitie Culled and Compiled As it hath beene by sundry Personages of eminent qualitie upon sight of some Copies dispersed modestly importuned To the memory of that Sexes honour for whose sweet sakes he originally addressed this Labour BY RI. BRATHVVAIT Esquire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by IOHN DAVVSON 1641. TO THAT ABSOLVTE OWNER AND HONOVR OF DISCREET FANCY Mris ELIZABETH WESTBY Mistris REceive here with a Booke the reall abstract of your selfe For in it when you have read it do but converse with your owne thoughts and you shall finde your selfe portrayed Phidias could never with all his art present a Master-peece of such beautie as vertue can doe in drawing her line bestowing on it a modest blush to enliven fancie These Idaea's are Englands Cynthia's You were sometimes pleased to peruse your selfe shadowed in my Elegiack Poem require this for a more lasting and living Embleme Now as to wish you what you already have I neede not so to wish you more then you already have I cannot unlesse some new choice might accomplish his happinesse that should attaine it Goodnesse is such a Dower as no Maid can bring with her a better Portion nor no Widow enfeffe herself in a fairer Iointure May you ever shine in these which make a woman most eminent while you leave me infinitely joying in enjoying the Title of Your affectionate Servant RI. BRATHVVAIT THE STATIONER TO THE READER AT the instancy of sundry persons of qualitie to my knowledge was this our Author induced to publish this Epitome Extracted from the choicest flowers of fancie But in such a compendious method and manner as it may abide the test of the severest Censor seeing all such light passages taking life from the too loose Pens of Ariosto Tasso Baccace Rheginus Alcaeus c. are here omitted lest the modest eares of those Beauties at whose request and to whose bequest this Epitome or Love-enlectured Lady was addressed might be offended by such affected levitie Entertaine it as thou shalt reape profit by it Farewell A LADIES LOVE-LECTVRE STORED With all varietie of ingenious Moralitie Extracted from the choicest flowers of Philosophie Poesie ancient and moderne History And now published At the instancy of sundry persons of qualitie Ovos conspicui lumina Phoebi The excellency of Women in their Creation SECTION I. HOwsoever that divine Plato whose very infancy presaged many faire expressions of his future maturity definitely professed that he had amongst many other blessings which