Christendome can never be secured But to conclude this Discourse for I feare I have enlarged my selfe too much in my digression as Fortitude is that noble marke which giveth a Gentleman his true character shewing resolution as well in suffering as acting my exhortation to our English Gentrie shall bee that they so demeane themselves that their Countrey may bee honoured by them true worth expressed in them and their Predecessours vertues seconded if not surpassed by them THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument What Education is The effects of it How a Gentleman may be best enabled by it EDVCATION EDucation is the Seasoner or instructesse of Youth in principles of Knowledge Discourse and Action Of all inferiour knowledges none more behoovefull than the knowledge of Mans-selfe of all superior none more usefull nor divinely fruitfull than the knowledge of God who for Man gave himselfe By view had of the One Man shall have a sight of his misery by view had to the Other Man shall finde cause to admire Gods Mercy Hence that hony-tongued Father desired that his Knowledge might extend it selfe onely to these two To know God To know himselfe Now as the beauty and splendor of the Sunne is best discerned by his Beames so is the greatnesse of God best apprehended by his Workes Whereof I may say as Simonides did of God that when hee had required but one day to resolve what God was when the day was expired hee was more unable to answere than at the first So as Hermes termes the Sunne-beames of God to be his Workes and Miracles the Sun-beames of the World to be the variety of formes and features and the Sunne-beames of Man diversity of Arts and Sciences TOuching Knowledge it is in God to know all things in Man to know some things in Beasts to know nothing As we cannot extend to the distinct knowledge of the Creator so let us extend our Knowledge above the reach of the inferiour'st of Gods creatures It is written of Alcibiades that he was skilfull in all things in all exercises so that he seemed in every Nation to obtaine the conquest in what prize or mastery soever hee tooke in hand It is not for us to labour the attaining of such exactnesse Vnum est necessarium One onely Knowledge transcends all others the attaining whereof makes the knower happy as the want of it makes Man how Knowing soever in all other Sciences most unhappy For what skills it to have knowledge in reasoning of high and deepe points concerning the blessed Trinity and want Charity whereby wee offend the Trinity Let us therefore esteeme it the Crowne of our Hope to attaine to the excellent and incomparable knowledge of him who made us whose bloud did save us and whose holy Spirit daily and hourely shields and shadowes us Next is to know himselfe an excellent knowledge grounded on true Humility where Man shall finde how many things he is ignorant of and of these things which he knows how far short he comes of that perfection which is required of him it was a saying of a grave Philosopher By learning alwayes something I grow old Now how fruitfully were our time from Infancie to Youth from Youth to Man-hood from Man-hood to Old-age imployed if our aimes were so to direct our knowledge that we might attaine the understanding and knowledge of our selves Then would not selfe-conceit transport us nor opinion of our own knowledge entraunce us but wee would divinely conclude wee have reaped more spirituall profit by dis-esteeme than selfe-esteeme Alphonsus of Arragon answered an Orator who had recited a long Panegyricall Oration in his praise If that thou hast said consent with truth I thanke God for it If not I pray God grant me grace that I may doe it The like temper I could wish in each Gentleman who in respect of meanes more than merit shall many times heare himselfe approved and applauded by such Tame-beasts or glozing Sycophants who feed on the Prodigalls trencher Let not applause so much transport or praise so farre remove man from himselfe as to become by the vaine blast of others breath forgetfull of himselfe Humbly esteemed hee of his knowledge who concluded This I onely know that I know nothing Nothing in respect of that I should know Nothing in respect of that which is injoyned me to know Nothing in respect of others who know farre more than ere I may know For saith Bernard how canst thou possibly be a proficient if thou thinkest thy selfe already sufficient But alas how farre hath selfe-opinion estranged Man from knowledge of himselfe who rather than he will be found ignorant in any thing will assume upon him a supposed knowledge in every thing Hee will rather lye upon his knowledge than seeme defective in any knowledge Whence one speaking of the knowledge of Mans selfe most divinely concludeth Nosce teipsum first descended from Heaven to Earth is now ascended from Earth to Heaven leaving miserable Man admiring his owne feature as if he were his owne Maker And whence proceedeth this but because he hath ascended unto that Mountaine to which the first Angell ascended and as a Devill descended whereas if he duely considered those many imperfections whereto he is engaged those many debts and bills of errours which as yet are undischarged that naturall or originall sinne wherein he was conceived and that actuall sinne wherewith hee is daily polluted hee would questionlesse conclude What 's man whose first conception's misery Birth baine life paine and death necessity Which divine Meditation is of power to subdue the whole Man of Sinne and bring him under the yoke of obedience by an incessant consideration had of Gods mercy and mans misery which may produce in him a more blessed effect by extenuating and humbling himselfe both in respect of the Substance or matter of his creation and in respect of the irregenerate course of his conversation as also in contemplating the ineffable mercie of the Almighty whose grace it is that directs miserable man and reduceth him from erring whose compassion it is that raiseth him from falling and whose tender mercy it is that supporteth him in his rising But in my conceit there is no one motive more effectuall or divinely powerfull to bring us to a true and perfect knowledge of our selves than to observe with what passions or perturbations we are encountred especially when through immoderate excesse wee are in the cup of forgetfulnesse drowned Which Saint Basil confirmeth saying That passions rise up in a drunken man like a Swarme of Bees buzzing on every side Which passions are not such as are prevented by reason and directed by vertue for these are not altogether to bee extinguished as the Stoicks supposed but to bee provoked as movers of vertue as Plutarch teacheth But rather such distempered or indisposed affections as are suggested to Man by his implacable Enemies labouring to undermine and ruine the glorious
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
that drum they would not abide but take their flight This moved Scipio to appoint his Sepulcher to bee so placed as his image standing upon it might looke directly towards Africa that being dead he might still bee a terrour to the Carthaginians If respect of Pagans to their Country or an eye to popular glory did so inflame them as their Countries love exceeded their love of life surviving in their death and leaving monuments of their affection after death how lightly are wee to value the glory of this life if the losse thereof may advance our Fathers glory or ought tending to the conversation of this life being assured by him whose promises faile not by such a small losse to gaine eternity Now as it is not the death but the cause of the death which makes the Martyr we are to know that to die in the maintenance of any hereticall opinion is Pseudo-martyrdomâ— for howsoever those Arians Manichees and Pelagians those Macedonians Eutichees and Nestorians yea generally all Hereticks were constant and resolute enough in seconding and maintaining their erroneous opinions yet forasmuch as the cause for which they contended was Heresie tend it might to their confusion but never to their glory for as honey-comâ—es saith learned Tertullian are by Waspes composed so are Churches by the Marcionists and consequently by all Heretickes disposed in whose Synodals or conventicles many thousands are perverted none converted or to the Church of Christ faithfully espoused Whereas Truth which may be pressed but not oppressed assailed but never soiled like the greene Bay-tree in the midst of hoarie winter or a fresh Spring in the sandy desart appeares most glorious when her adversaries are most malicious bearing ever a countenance most cheerefull when her assailants are most dreadfull Neither only in this glorious act of Martyrdome but in all inferiour works the affection of the minde as well as the action of the man is to bee considered for God himselfe who hath an eye rather to the intention than action will not approve of a good worke done unlesse it be well done As for example when the Pharisie fasted prayed gave almes and payed tithe of all that he possessed he did good workes but he did not those good works well the reason was hee exalted himselfe in his workes without attributing praise unto him who is the beginner and perfecter of every good worke for his fasts were hypocriticall not of devotion his prayers ineffectuall because they sounded of Ostentation his almes unacceptable because exhibited only for observation and his tithes abominable being given to colour his secret oppression for which cause did our Saviour pronounce a woe upon them saying Woe unto you Pharisies for yee tithe Mint and Rue and all manner of herbes and passe over judgement and the love of God these ought yee to have done and not to leave the other undone Whence it appeares that the worke it selfe was approved but the manner of doing it reproved for that they preferred the tithing of Mint and Rue before the judgement and love of God so they preferred it as the one was performed while the other of more serious and consequent importance was omitted Whence wee are cautioned that in our workes of Mortification we doe nothing for any sinister or by-respect but only for the glory of God to whom as all our Actions are properly directed so are they to have relation onely unto him if wee desire to have them accepted Is it so that this Actuall Perfection is to be acquired by Mortification wherein is required not only the action but affection And that wee are even to lay downe our lives if the cause so require to promote the glory of our Maker Tell me then Gentleman how farre have yee proceeded in this spirituall progresse Have yee unfainedly desired to further the honour of God repaire the ruines of Sion and engage your owne lives for the testimony of a good conscience Have ye fought the Lords battell and opposed your selves against the enemies of the Truth Have yee shut the doore of your chamber the doore of your inner parlour I meane your heart from the entrance of all earthly affections sensuall cogitations and expressed true arguments of Mortification the sooner to attaine this high degree of Christian Perfection Have yee made a covenant with your eyes not to looke after the strange woman a covenant I meane with your hearts never to lust after her Have yee weaned your itching and bewitching humours from affecting forraine and out-landish fashions Which howsoever they be to fashion conformed they make man of all others most deformed Have yee done with your reere-suppers midnight revels Curtaine pleasures and Courting of Pictures Have yee left frequenting Court-maskes Tilt-triumphs and Enterludes boasting of young Ladies favours glorying more in the purchase of a glove than a Captaine in the surprizall of a Fort Have yee cashiered all those Companions of death those seducing Consorts of misery and betaken your selves to the acquaintance of good men conceiving a settled joy in their society O then thrice happy you for having honoured God he will honour you having repaired the ruines of Sion hee will place you in his heavenly Sion or engaged your lives for the testimony of a good Conscience hee will invite you to that continuall feast of a peaceable Conscience or fought the Lords battell hee will say you have fought a good fight crowning you after your victory on earth with glory in heaven or shut the doore of your Chamber and kept the roome cleane and sweet for your Maker hee will come in and sup with you that you may rejoyce together or made a covenant with your eyes not to look after the strange woman with those eyes yee shall behold him who put enmitie between the Serpent and the Woman or weaned your itching and bewitching humours from affecting Out-landish fashions madding after phantasticke habits for stuffe it skils not whether silken or woollen so the fashion be civill and not wanton you shall be cloathed in long white robes and follow the Lambe wheresoever he goeth or done with your mid-night revels and Court pleasures you shall bee filled with the pleasures of the Lords House and abide in his Courts for ever or left frequenting Maskes Tilt-triumphs and Enterludes the glorious Spectacles of vanity you shall bee admitted to those angelicall triumphs singing heavenly Hymnes to the God of glory or chashier'd those companions of death whose end is misery you shall have the Saints for your companions and share with them in the Covenant of mercy Doe yee not hence observe what inestimable comforts are reserved for those who are truly mortified mortified I say in respect of your contempt to the world which is expressed by ceasing to love it before you leave it Who would not then disvalue this life and all those bitter sweets which this fraile life affordeth to possesse those incomparable sweets which every faithfull
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
reverence yet deserves it most honour when those gray haires are beautified with knowledge Oh how pleasant a thing is it when gray headed men minister judgement and when the Elders can give good counsell Oh how comely a thing is wisedome unto aged men and understanding anâ— prudency to men of honour This no doubt as it begets them esteeme amongst their Equals so it highly improves their reverence with Inferiours For foolish age though it should be exempted from derision yet such is the levity of time and piercing eye of youthfull observation as age becomes censured by youth whereas youth ought rather to interpret the best then detract in the least from the reverence of age It is too true that every obliquity be it either of higher or lower quality is more incurable in age then youth The reason is Age becomes more insensible of what it has committed and growes more indurate through an accustomed habit whereas though an unconfined heat of youth drive the other into folly an ability of conceipt brings them to an apprehension of what they have done and consequently to a recollection of themselves to reforme what they have mis-done Now the way how to improve this reverence in Parents to their Children and Magistrates to their Inferiours is to expresse such patterns of piety in the whole course of their life as the very shadows reflecting from such Mirrors may produce an awfull reverence zeale and love in their Observers with a zealous desire of imitation in their Successors This no doubt begot a pious emulation in our Predecessors towards those whose actions being of ancient record induced them to trace those steps wherein they had walked and with much constancy to professe those vertues which they had found in them so highly approved Others lives became their lines lines to direct them by their Coppy lights to conduct them to an higher pitch of true Nobility It is a Rule worthy inscription on the ancient Wardrobe of Age Old men by how much they are unto death neerer by so much more ought they to be purer This will attract unto them duty in their life and eternity after death Now Gentlemen that you may better observe this Reverence addressed to those to whom you owe all Obedience be it farre from you to debate or dispute their commands It suites not well with the duty of a Child to expostulate with a Father especially in morall respects where the quality or nature of the command discovers no Opposition to the Law divine Be never in their presence without a pious feare and awfull reverence Interrupt them not in their discourse neither preferre your owne opinion before their advise It tastes of an ill condition to stand upon conditions with a Father upon proposals of meanes or exhibitions But much more distastefull to contest in termes as if the memory of nature were lost in you and all acquaintance with piety estranged from you This it was which moved that dis-passionate Theban to take up his unseasoned Sonne in this manner putting him in mind of his neglect even of civile duty which the better to remember hee layes before him his uncivile demeanour in this severe Character An Ale-house seemes by your Apologie an excellent Receipt for a Male-content I am sory you have lost the Principles of more divine Philosophy You might recall to mind those Attick Studies wherein you were sometimes versed those Academick Colleagues with whom you discoursed A Memoriall of these might have better qualified this humour by reducing your troubled affections to a clearer temper But my hopes now are to be resolv'd into prayers for as yet there can appeare small hope where your Morning Sacrifice is offer'd to Smoake a sweet perfume for an intended Convert You seeme to presse your Father to a performance of promise God blesse you I see plainely your pen must necessarily make that Maxime good Where there is a want in the practise of piety it must needs beget a neglect of Duty nay of Civility I could wish that you would be as ready to reform the errours of your life as I to performe the Offices of a fatherly love So speedily do's love descend so slowly do's it ascend To conclude all in one I must tell you to condition with a Father argues no good condition in a Sonne But let the wisest Consort you consult with advise you and with their Tap-Rhetorick surprize you you shall find that I have power to proportion meanes to every ones merit From which resolution neither shall affection draw me nor power over-awe me So as if you expect from me a Patrimony exercise Piety Be what you seemâ— or prove the same you vow Wee have dissembling practisers enow Thus have you heard the course of a profuse Sonne with the resolution of a dis-consolate Father Collect hence what discontents accompany the one what distractions conscionably may attend the other Children reflect constant cares but uncertaine comforts Cares are proper attributes to Parents Comforts those fruits after a long Seed-plot of cares the sole Harvest they reape It is true Parents are to dispence with discomforts in their Children and receive them as familiar Guests to lodge with them But what heavy fates attend such Children as exemplarily present this condition Welcome Guests you cannot be to your father in heaven who make your inferiour cares such unwelcome Guests to him on earth I have found in some Children a serious inquisition after their Fathers yeares so as if they could possibly have contracted with the Register to inlarge his aged Character hee could not want an ample Fee for so gratefull a labour Such as these would ride in their Fathers saddle before their time But trust me few of these Lap-wing hopes or loose-pinion'd desires but they cloze in a fatall Catastrophe and as their ill-grounded hopes were scean'd in prodigality so they end tragically in an Act of misery Let it be your honour to reverence their gray haires and with wishes of pious zeale to rejoyce in their length of dayes For this it is will bring an happinesse to your age and beget a reverend obedience in yours as you in all piety offer'd like Sacrifice unto yours For take this for a constant position You shall seldome see any Prodigals falling short of these inherent Offices of duty but if they live to have a progeny they receive the like discomforts from their posterity Nay I have knowne very few such Vnnaturalists who desired their Fathers death in hope to enjoy his Land that ever enjoy'd much comfort in possession of that Land For as these murder their Parents in their hearts so they are many times stifled in the fruition of their hopes Tasting more aloes of discontent in their enjoying then ever they did sweetnesse in their expecting Consider then the excellency of that divine Proverbe A foolish Son is a griefe unto his Father and a heavinesse to her that bare him Now lesse then
But me thinkes we decline rather to Knowledge than Action let us therefore presse this point a little further and returne to where we left During that prosperous and successive time of victorious Sylla Pompâ—y the great then a young man and serving under him received such seasoning from his military discipline as made him afterwards chosen amongst so many brave Spirits to try the hazards of fortune with the victorious Caesar. Nor was his judgement inferiour if we may build on the credit of History to his potent Adversary though Fortune made him her Slave tryumphing no lesse in the quest of his death than view of his conquest Themistocles whose name as wee have oft repeated so in all Records worthily renowned having been trained from his Infancy in the discipline of warre became so affected and withall so opinionate in himselfe of Martiall affaires as being moved on a time at a publike feast to play upon the Lute answered I cannot fiddle but I can make a small Towne a great Citie See what long use in experiments of warre had brought a Noble Souldier to His actions were for the publike state his aimes not to delight himselfe or others with the effeminate sound of the Lute but to strike terrour in his foe with his sharp pointed Launce Now what should we thinke of these whose more erected minds are removed from the refuse and rubbish of earth which our base Groundlins so much toyle for but that their thoughts are sphered above the Orbe of feare Death cannot amate them imminent peril deterre them disadvantage of place or inequality of power discourage them this is their Canto and they sing it cheerfully The onely health what 's ever doe befall That we expect is for no health at all This might be confirmed by sundry Histories of serious consequence especially in those memorable Sieges of Rhodes Belgrade Vienna and many other where the resolution of their Governours sleighted the affronts of that grand Enemy of Christendome the Turke and by their valour purchased to themselves both safety and Honour Thus farre have we proceeded in our discourse of Education which we have sufficiently proved to be a Seasoner of Action as well as of Speech or knowledge Neither in actions military onely but in all Manual Arts practised in Rome during her glorious and flourishing State from which even many ancient Families received their name beginning and being As the Figuli from the Potters the Vitrei from the Glaziars the Ligulae from the Pointers the Pictores from the Painters the Pistores from the Bakers All which as wee may reade in most of the Roman Authors had applyed themselves even in the first grounds of their Education to these Arts wherein they grew so excellent as they inriched their posterity by their carefull industry But to speake truly of Action as it is generally taken neither Speech nor Knowledge of which wee have heretofore spoken can well want it Wherefore Demosthenes defining the principall part of an Oration said it was Action the second the Same the third no other than Action Isocrates for lack of a good voyce otherwise called the father of Eloquence never pleaded publikely And Cicero saith some men are diserti viri but for lack of Action or rather untowardnesse habiti sunt infantes Whence it is that Sextus Philosophus saith our Body is Imago animi For the Mind is ever in action it resteth not but is ever lâ—bouring plotting or contriving addressing it selfe ever to imployment The like affinity hath Action with knowledge which is not reduced to Action Whence it is that many too many heaven knows bury their knowledge in the grave of obscurity reaping content in being knowne to themselves without communicating their Talent to others But this is hiding of their Talent in a Napkin putting their Candle under a Bushell resembling the envious spitefull man who wil not open his mouth to direct the poore Passenger in his way or suffer his neighbour to light his candle at his for both imply one thing as the Poet excellently singeth Who sets the trav'ller in his journey right Doth with his candle give his neighbour light Yet shines his candle still and doth bestow Light on himselfe and on his neighbour too For this burying or suppressing of knowledge it may be aptly compared to the rich Miser whose best of having is onely possessing for that Communicative good hee knowes not but admires so much the Golden Number as he preferres it before the Numbring of this dayes Yea as it is much better not to have possessed than to mis-imploy that whereof wee were possessed so is he in a happier case who never knew any thing than such a Man who knew much yet never made a Communicative or edifying use of his Knowledge As may appeare by the Parable of the Talents The Contemplative part indeed affords infinite content to the Spirituall man whose more erected thoughts are not engaged to the Meditations of earth but are spheared in a higher Orbe This mans Minde like Archimedes ayme should Enemies invade him death and danger threaten him inevitable ruine surprize him his desire is onely to preforme his taske and that taske the highest pitch of a soule-solacing Contemplation And this kinde of Rapsodie or intrauncing of the Soule as I may terme it ministers unspeakable delight to the Minde of that man who is usually affected to these divine aspirations as a godly Father termes them Yet these contemplative persons whose retirednesse of estate immunitie or vacation from publike governement have drawne their affections wholly from the thought of earth or conversing with men as they relish more of the Cloister than society of Nature more of the Cell or frocke than Community which affords the most fruit so they never extend further than satisfying their owne disconsorting humor I confesse indeed their contemplations farre exceed the wordly mans for his are to earth confined or the voluptuous mans for his are to pleasures chained or the ambitious for his are to Honours gaged or the deluded Alchymist whose knowledge is a palpable mist for his are to impossible hopes restrained yet as profit and pleasure make the sweetest Musicke so Contemplation joyned with Practice make the fruitfullest knowledge To conclude our Discourse touching Education on which as the principall'st Seasoner of Youth wee have long insisted may the first Seeds of your more hopefull harvest worthy Gentlemen be so sowne as they may neither by extremity of Winter that is by too awfull rigour be nipped nor by the scorching heat of Summer that is too much connivencie of your Tutor parched So may your Countrey reape what shee hath with long hope expected and receive a plentifull croppe of that which shee her selfe by hopefull Education hath long manured THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of the necessity of a Vocation No man is exempted from it of Vocation in generall Of the Vocation of a Gentleman in particular
Moses with the men and Miriam the prophetesse sister of Aaron with the women sung Panegyries of praise to God with Hymnes and Musicall Instruments The like did Iudith when shee had vanquished Holofernes So did Deborah when Sisera was discomfited Augustine reports of himselfe what comfort he conceived at the beginning of his Conversion what teares hee shed and how hee was inwardly moved with the harmony and melody which was used in Churches yet thought that holy Father as hee rightly thought that he offended when he was delighted more with the note and melody of the song than sense of the Psalme and therefore highly commendeth Saint Athanasius who caused the reader of the Psalme to sound out the words with so small a forcing of his voice as it seemed rather like one that did pronounce it than one that did sing it But I feare me I have strucke too long on this string wherefore lest I should wrong your generous patience too much for whom I addressed my selfe at first to this Taske I purpose now to descend from speaking of Vocation in generall to speake of the Vocation of a Gentleman in particular hoping to make amends by refreshing you in this whose patience I have so much tired in the other NOw are wee to addresse our selves in a more restrained and particular discourse to propose a Gentleman his Vocation which perchance by our nicer and more curious Gallants whose sense consists in sent will be distasted and dispalated but to such whose understanding consists not in Perfumes nor tye themselves to the vaine garbe of complement as the onely posture whereon Gentry relyes these ensuing Observations will not I assure me seeme altogether unwelcome Saint Bernard writing to one Haimericus Chancellor of Rome in his very first salutation without further insinuation Wisheth him to forget those things which are behind and to follow the Apostle to those things which are before Which no man can doe that either stands still or is idle Wherefore Hermes saith generally Nothing in the whole world is altogether idle The Wiseman hath allowed a time for every thing else but for idlenesse he hath allowed no time Moses Arke had rings and barres within the rings to signifie that it was not made to stand still but to be removed from place to place Iacobs Ladder had staves upon which he saw none standing still but all either ascending or else descending by it Ascend you likewise to the top of the Ladder to heaven and there you shall heare one say My Father doth now worke and I worke also Whereupon Basil noteth that King David having first said Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle addes then not hee that hath wrought righteousnesse heretofore but hee that doth now worke righteousnesse even as Christ saith My father doth now worke and I worke also Descend you likewise to the foot of the Ladder to the earth and there you shall heare that Figtree accursed which did beare leaves and no fruit Whereupon Theophylact noteth that Iohn Baptist having first said The axe is laid to the root of the tree addes then Not every tree that hath not brought forth good fruit heretofore but every tree that doth not now bring forth good fruit shall be cut downe even as that fruitlesse Fig-tree was cut downe and cast into the fire Therefore we must so walke as God seeing our continuall fruitfulnesse may say of us I see men walking like trees Men walke like Trees when men are never idle but alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord As the Tree of Life every moneth bringeth forth twelve manner of fruits But that I may the better proceed in that which I have taken in hand you are to know that the life of man is either active or contemplative so as all our imployments have relation to the one or to the other Which two were represented in Mary and Martha The One whereof was very attentive sitting at Iesus feet and heard his preaching but Martha was cumbred about much serving The former sitting at Iesus feet hearing him preaching may signifie likewise the spirituall man whose actions affections motions and intentions are wholly bent to the service of God leaving all things to gaine him who left his life upon the Crosse to save him The latter being cumbred about many things signifies the naturall man who betakes himselfe to the employments of this life ministring to the necessity of his family labouring with his owne hands to get him a competent living Neither are these to be divided one from the other partaking indeed so neerly one of another For as we are not altogether to imitate Hermite or Anchorite in being wholly retyred from the world so like the Libertine or loose worldling are wee not too much to bee cumbred or intangled with the world For the First as it implyes a kind of hate to humane society so the Latter infers our too much care to the things of the Body Now to observe that golden meane which may free us from being taxed by the one or tainted with the other I doe thinke it fitting that Gentlemen should be sociably affected ever with a reservancie with whom they keepe company likewise from worldly affections weaned that being on earth they may have their minds seated above being I meane so free in the inward man as rather than they will slave the noblest motions of the soule to the unworthy bondage of the body they will endure want contempt or whatsoever the blinde world can lay upon them The Vocation of a Gentleman without more curiositie of division is either publike or private Publike when imployed in affaires of State either at home or abroad at home either in advising or acting abroad as by way of embassage or personall exploits in the field Private when in domesticke businesse hee is detained as in ordering his household or if not as yet attained to the name of Housholder in labouring to know such things as may ripen his understanding when he comes unto it Touching the First to wit Publike affaires of State as all are not fit for such a charge or burden so there is a necessitie injoyned such who are able to undertake so great and weightie a Taske to submit themselves willingly to the command of their Soveraigne whensoever his pleasure shall bee to make triall of their sufficiencie in affaires of State In the carriage whereof divers necessarie cautions have beene formerly observed by Statesmen As first to avoid all occasions of distrust never to shew too much inwardnesse with forraine States for this may beget a suspect in your Prince that your aymes are neither faire nor loyall It was this which broke Byrons necke being accused to have had conference with one Picote borne at Orleans and fled into Flanders to have intelligence with the Arch-duke to which Picote hee had given an hundred and fifty crowns for two voyages to that effect Likewise it was objected
the Philosopher but the Disposition of the mind which makes him a true or false professour It is good therefore in the use of these things to observe the end for which they were ordained now apparell was not ordained to pride us in it but to be kept warme by it Peter Martyr sheweth that Cloathing doth keepe the body warme two wayes By keeping in the naturall heat of the body and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre This then being ordained for necessity is not to be used for vaine-glory for howsoever to such excesse of vanity is this age growne that fashion is esteemed nearest which is newest discretion will informe you better and tell you that fashion is of all other the choicest which is the comliest But that these three maine Motives to temptation and profest assailants of Moderation I meane Concupiscence of the flesh Concupiscence of the eyes and Pride of life may be the better resisted incessant Prayer is to be used For Prayer is Gods honour Mans armour and the Divels terrour it is Gods oblation Mans munition and the Divels expulsion By Prayer are those Treasures digged which faith in the Gospel beholdeth As it is then Gods Sacrifice let it be Mans exercise that it may defeate the Divels malice saying with blessed Augustine Behold O Lord my God the whole world is full of the snares of Concupiscence which they have prepared for my feet and who shall escape them Truly he from whom thou shalt take away the Pride of his eyes that the Concupiscence of his eyes may not seaze upon him and from whom thou shalt take away the Concupiscence of the flesh that the Concupiscence of the flesh may not surprize him and from whom thou shalt take away an irreverent and unbridled mind that the pride of life may not craftily deceive him O happy he to whom thou shalt do this I surely he shall passe his dayes in safety Thus far have I proceeded in discourse touching both manner and matter how and wherein Moderation is to be limited Where in the pursuit of honour as I would have you no Canius too Stoically to contemne it so no Cassius too tenderly to affect it Likewise in the pursuit of Wealth as I would have you no Mimus too scornfully to hate it so no Midas too slavishly to hug it Likewise in the pursuit of Fancie as I would have you no Arminius too severely to loath it so no Arsenius too dearely to love it Likewise in Fare as I would have you no Phythagoras too rigorously to abstain from it so no Diagoras too riotously to epicure it Likewise in Apparell as I would have you no Diogenes too carelesly to use it so no Demosthenes too curiously to chuse it Lastly in Pleasure as I would have you no Philopomenes too strictly to despise it so no Philoxenus too highly to prize it For Origen himselfe eunuching Democritus his eyes blinding Crates his money drowning and Thracius his vines destroying no lesse offended as wee have before observed in exceeding the limit by Nature proposed then the Libertines of their time came short of that rule which Moderation had prescribed But drawing neere shore I am now to descend to the last branch of this Observation treating of the Accomplished end which attends Moderation AS there is no Art or Science which hath not some especiall end to which it is properly directed so is there no Vertue which workes or actuates not for some end in the acquisition whereof it is fully satisfied Now touching this end whereto all vertues were and are properly directed both Heathen and Divine Philosophers with one consent have concluded it to be that Summary or Supreme good then which nothing could be better in respect of the fulnesse higher in respect of the worthinesse or safer in respect of the secureness But how different in opinion the ancient Philosophers have beene touching this Summary or Supreme good what it should be or wherein it might be properly said to consist there is none having bin conversant in their Ethicks but he sufficiently knowes it So as Varro reporteth that these ancient Philosophers have held and maintained two hundred threescore and eight severall opinions concerning Felicity Where some placed their Summary good in Honours or preferments others in Pleasures or delights but few in that true or accomplished Felicity the testimony of a good conscience which only makes man happy and without which enjoying all hee enjoyes nothing for were this Felicity or accomplished end to which all vertues are properly directed to bee found on Earth then were the hopes of many good and vertuous men frustrated whose thoughts are so farre above the foundation of earth or all those perfunctory delights which this low Theater can afford as they have esteemed such men of all others most miserable upon earth whose thoughts were not erected above earth but slaved to the desires of this life as if their hopes extended no further No in vaine were those many sighings and groanings in the spirit those incessant labours and watchings which the faithfull so willingly undergoe if there were no happinesse save onely in enjoying the delights of this life the fruition whereof as they tender no true sweetnesse so are they ever attended by sharpe repentance For howbeit every one be reputed worthy if hee be wealthy and nought if hee bee needy yet when Sinne having three punishments Feare Shame and Guilt Feare of judgement Shame of men and Guilt of conscience shall convent and convict him hee shall find that riches cannot deliver in the day of wrath So as howsoever the sinne seeme sweet the sting of sinne shall wound his heart For the bread of deceit is sweet to a man but his mouth shall bee filled with gravell Likewise the High-minded man whose heart hath beene only set on Titles of honour howsoever he seem'd raised or reared above the pitch of common earth disdaining these poore wormelings who had the selfe-same Maker though inferiour to this high Cedar in honour when hee shall be forced to call Corruption his mother and wormes his brethren and sisters when he must leave that high Babel which his pride erected those worldly swelling Tumours his slippery honours which he once enjoyed those Sycophants the followers of greatnesse which hee so much affected yea the world it selfe where all his imaginary glory was stored hee shall then find goodnesse to be farre better then greatnesse and worldly dignity to adde fuell to these Viols which hee hath worthily incurred Likewise the Voluptuous man as hee hath enjoyed the treasures of sinne for a season sported him in his beds of Ivory feasted royally fared deliciously and fed all his miserable senses with a loathed satiety hee shall feele that the pleasure of sinne was finall but the punishment due to sinne eternall hee shall feele a worme ever gnawing never ending fiery teares ever streaming never stinting griefe ever griping never ceasing death
of the earth and the ministry of all creatures successively in their seasons ministring to us to allay our loathing and beget in us towards our Maker an incessant longing and all this for an ignoble and corruptible body what how great and innumerable shall those good things be which hee hath prepared for them that love him in that heavenly Countrey where we shall see him face to face If hee doe such things for us in this prison what will hee doe for us in that Palace Great and innumerable are thy workes O Lord King of heaven For seeing all these are very good and delectable which hee hath equally bestowed upon both good and evill how great shall those bee which hee hath laid up onely for the good If so divers and innumerable be the gifts which hee bestoweth both upon friends and foes how sweet and delectable shall those be which hee will onely bestow upon his friends If such comforts in this day of teares and anguish what will hee conferre on us in that day of Nuptiall solace If a prison containe such delights what I pray you shall our Countrey containe No eye O Lord without thee hath seene those things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee for according to the great multitude of thy magnificence there is also a multitude of thy sweetnesse which thou hast hid for them that feare thee for great thou art O Lord our God and unmeasurable neither is there end of thy greatnesse nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy mercy neither is there end nor number nor measure of thy bounty but as thou art great so be thy gifts great because thou thy selfe art the reward and gift of thy faithfull warriours Thus is the spiritually Contemplative man ever employed thus are his affections planted thus his desires seated caring so little for earth as hee is dead to earth long before hee returne to earth drawing daily neerer heaven having his desire onely there long before hee come there Now to instance some whose profession was meerely contemplative having retired or sequestred themselves from the society of this world wee might illustrate this subject with many excellent Patternes in this kind as those especially who strictly professed a monasticke life becomming severe Enemies to their owne flesh and estranging themselves from conversing with man Which kind of discipline as it was in respect of humanity too unsociable so in respect of themselves doubtlesse sweet and delightfull being so intranced with divine contemplation as they forgot earth and all earthly affections Of this sort you shall reade sundry examples whereof one more memorable then the rest might bee instanced in him who reading that sentence of holy Scripture Goe and sell all that thou hast presently imagining it to bee meant by him did so The like contempt towards the world might bee instanced in holy Ierome Paulinus that good Bishop of Nola and many others upon which I would bee loath to insist for brevity sake Neither certainely can they whose thoughts are erected above the center of earth having their Hearts planted where their treasure is placed deigne to fix their eye upon ought in the world because they see nothing worthy affecting in the World for they thinke godlinesse is a great gaine if a man bee content with that hee hath They doe good being rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Yea they have not only learned in whatsoever state they are therewith to be content but wholly to relinquish both selfe and state to advance the glory of God But it may be now well objected that these men whereof we now treat are fitter for a Cell then a Court and therefore too regular masters to have young Gentlemen for their Schollers for how should these whose education hath beene liberty conversation publike society and who hold good fellowship an appendice to Gentry betake themselves to such strictnesse as to be deprived of common aire live remote from all company passing the remainder of their dayes in a wildernesse as if they had committed some egregious fact that deserved such severe Pennance mistake me not my meaning is much otherwise for as I would not have Gentlemen Libertines so I would not have them Hermits for the first as they are too prodigally secular so the latter are too severely regular Neither am I ignorant how a Cloyster may bee no lesse shelter unto errour then a more publike place of delight or pleasure But my discourse touching this Contemplative Perfection was purposely to draw the Curtaine from before the Picture and to shew to their eye that faire Idaea or feature which hath beene so long shadowed I meane the faire and beautifull structure of the inward man which so long as it is darkened with these bleere-eyed Leahs these objects of vanity cannot enjoy it selfe but peece-meale as it were divided from it selfe seemes wholly deprived of life for a Heart divided cannot live And what are these objects of vanity whereon the eye of your Contemplation is usually fixed but those soule-soiling sores of this Land Pride and Voluptuousnesse With what greedinessâ— will a young Gallants eye gaze upon some new or phantasticke fashion wishing O vaine wish that hee had but the braines to have invented such a fashion whereby hee might have given occasion to others of imitation and admiration With what insatiablenesse will hee fix his eye upon some light affected Curtezan whose raiment is her onely ornament and whose chiefeâ—t glory is to set at sale her adulterate beauty No street no corner but gives him objects which drawes his eye from that choicest object whereon his whole delight should bee seated No place so obscure wherein his contemplative part is not on the view of forbidden objects greedily fixed How requisite then were it for you young Gentlemen whose aymes are more noble then to subject them to these unworthy ends to take a view sometimes of such absolute Patterns of Contemplative Perfection as have excelled in this kind But because a three-fold cord is hardly broken I will recommend unto your consideration a three-fold Meditation the daily use and exercise whereof may bring you to a more serious view of your owne particular estate First is the worthinesse of the soule secondly the unworthinesse of earth thirdly thankefulnesse unto GOD who made man the worthiest creature upon the earth For the first What is shee and in glory how surpassing is she to use the selfe-same words which an holy Father useth being so strong so weake so small so great searching the secrets of God and contemplating those things which are of GOD and with her piercing wit is knowne to have attained the skill of many Arts for humane profit and advantage What is shee I say who knoweth so much in other things and to what end they were made yet is
choicest gifts of nature accomplished of their owne disposition well affected who by consorting with inordinate men have given reines to liberty and blasted those faire hopes which their friends and country had planted on them how requisite then is it for every one whose thoughts aime at Perfection to consort with such as may better him and not deprave him informe him and not corrupt him For if there be a kind of resemblance betwixt the diseases of the body and the vices or enormities of the mind what especiall care are we to take lest by keeping company with those who are already depraved we become likewise infected Men would be loth to enter any house that is suspected only to be infected which if at unawares they have at any time entred they presently make recourse to the Apothecary to receive some soveraigne receit to expell it And if men bee so affraid lest this house the body which like a shaken building menaceth ruine daily should perish what great respect ought to bee had to the soule which is the guest of the body Shall corruption bee so attended and tendred and the precious Image of incorruption lessened and neglected God forbid specious or gorgeous Sepulchres are not so to bee trimmed that the cost bestowed on them should cause the divine part to bee wholly contemned To remove which contempt if any such there bee I will recommend to your devoutest meditation these two particulars First who it was that made us Secondly for what end he made us To which two briefly we intend to referre the Series of this present discourse For the first we are to know that no man is his owne maker It is hee that made us who made all things for us that they might minister unto us and to our necessity ordaining these for our Service and himselfe for our Solace He it is who hath subjected all things to the feete of man that man might wholly become subject unto him yea and that man might become wholly his hee gave man absolute dominion over all those workes of his creating all outward things for the body the body for the soule and the soule for himselfe And to what end Even to this end that man might onely intend him onely love him possessing him to his Solace but inferiour things to his Service Now to dilate a little upon this great worke of our Creation wee may collect from sacred scripture a foure-fold Creation or Generation The first in Adam who came neither of man nor woman the second in Eve who came of man without woman the third in Christ who came not of man but woman the fourth in us who came both of man and woman For the first as he had from Earth his Creation so it shewed the weaknesse of his composition the vilenesse of his condition with the certainty of his dissolution For the second as she had from man her forming so it figured their firmenesse of union inseparable communion and inviolable affection For the third as he came onely of woman so he promised by the Seed of the woman to â—ruise the Serpents head who had deceived woman and restore man to the state of grace from which hee had fallen by meanes of a woman For the fourth as wee came both from man and woman so wee bring with us into the world that Originall sinne which wee derive both from man and woman the sting whereof cannot bee rebated but onely through him who became man borne of a woman But in this great worke of our Creation wee are not to observe so much the matter as quality and nature of our Creation For the matter of our Creation or that whereof wee bee composed what is it but vile earth slime and corruption So as howsoever wee appeare beautifull specious and amiable in the sight of man whose eye is fixed on the externall part yet when the oile of our Lampe is consumed and wee to dust and ashes reduced wee shall observe no better inscription than this Behold a specious and a precious shrine covering a stinking corps Wherefore ought we to observe the internall part and the especiall glory wee receive by it for hereby are we distinguished in the quality of our Creation from all other creatures who governe their actions by Sense onely and not by Reason Hence it was that that divine Philosopher gave God thankes for three speciall bounties conferred on him First was For that God had created him a reasonable creature and no brute beast Second For creating him a man and no woman Third For that he was a Grecian and no Barbarian This it was which moved that blessed and learned Father Saint Augustine to break out into this passionate rapsodie of spirit Thy hand could O Lord have created me a stone or a Bird or a Serpent or some brute beast and this it knew but it would not for thy goodnesse sake This it was which forced from that devout and zealous Father this emphaticall discourse or intercouâ—se rather with God who upon a time walking in his garden and beholding a little worme creeping and crawling upon the ground presently used these words Deare Lord thou might'st have made me like this Worme and crawling despicable creature but thou would'st not and it was thy mercy that thou would'st not O as thou hast ennobled me with the Image of thy selfe make mee conformable to thy selfe that of a worm I may become an Angell of a vassall of sin a vessell of Sion of a shell of corruption a Star of glory in thy heavenly mansion And in truth there is nothing which may move us to a more serious consideration of Gods gracious affection towards us than the very Image which wee carry about us preferring us not onely before all the rest of his creatures in soveraignty and dominion but also in an amiable similitude feature and proportion whereby wee become not onely equall but even superiour unto Angels because Man was God and God Man and no Angell To whom are wee then to make recourse to as the Author of our Creation save God whose hand hath made and fashioned us whose grace hath ever since directed and prevented us and whose continued love for whom he loveth he loveth unto the end hath ever extended it selfe in ample manner towards us How frivolous then and ridiculous were their opinions who ascribed the Creation of all things to the Elements as Anaximâ—nes to the piercing Aire Hippeas to the fleeting Water Zeno to the purifying Fire Zenophanes to the lumpish Earth How miserable were these blinded how notably evinced by that learned Father who speaking in the persons of all these Elements and of all other his good creatures proceedeth in this sort I tooke my compasse saith he speaking to God in the survey of all things seeking thee and for all things relinquishing my selfe selfe I asked the Earth if it were my god it said unto me that it was not
the Gods had bestowed on him greatest cause of all others to give them thankes for three things First was for that they had made him a reasonable Creature and no Beast Second was for civilizing him a Grecian and no Barbarian Thirdly in making him a Man and no Woman yet did hee sometimes ingenuously confesse the necessitie of them in winding up all his humane felicitie in these foure particulars So I may have said he eyes to reade my mind to conceive what I reade my memory to conserve what I have conceived and read and a woman to serve me at my neede should adversitie assaile me it should not foile me should an immerited disgrace lye heavy on me it should not amate me should my endeared friends forsake me by enjoying my selfe thus in mine owne family I should laugh at the braves of fortune account reproach my repute and partake in the free societie of so sweet and select a friend within me as no cloud without mee could perplex me Here was a brave Philosophicall resolution He could see nought on earth that could divert his thoughts from the contemplation of Heaven provided that he enjoyed that on earth which made his earth seeme a second Heaven Some are of opinion indeede that hee had perused the Mosaicall Law and that he bestowed much time in it during his reside with his deare friend Phocion in Cilicia No marvaile then if he found there the excellency of their Creation with their primary office or designation Being made helpes for man and so intimate to man as she tooke her mould from man as man his modell from mold Yea but she was made of a rib will some say and that implide a crooked condition No but rather thus A rib is bending which presupposed her pliable disposition And if that ancient Philosophicall Maxim hold good That the temperature of the soule followes the temperature of the body we must necessarily conclude that as their outward temperature and composure is more delicate so their inward affections must be more purely refined No violent passion so predominant which their mild temper cannot moderate provided that they be seasoned with grace which makes them proficients in all spirituall growth For a quicke unsanctified wit is a meere pery for the Divell whereas witts accompanied with humilitie make their privatest Soliloquies to converse with actions of glory These and onely these reteine in memory the object and end of their creation And as those affectionate Sabines call'd their wives their Penates their Houshold Gods through that incomparable comfort they conceived in them and benefits they derived from them So are these Domi-portae Damae-portae delitiae horti as that witty Epigrammatist was sometimes pleased to enstile them the choicest Sociates of humane Solace So as if the world were to be held a Wildernesse without societie it might justly despaire of that comfort without their company Whence it is that the wise man concludeth Without a woman would the house mourne When that Delphick Oracle had told that flourishing and victorious state that her many triumphes and trophies should not secure her nor her numerous ports so enrich her nor that confidence she reposed in her powerfull Allyes priviledge her For the very beautifull'st City she had her sole magnificent Metropolis whose present glory aspired to the Clouds should labour of her owne providence and interre her honour in the dust if they did not by sprinkling the purest dust that earth could afford upon their prophaned Altars expiate her guilt and appease their wrath A strong and serious consultation being forthwith taken they advised amongst themselves which might be the purest and most precious dust but so many men so many mindes For the Earth-worme who made Gold his God and that Dust his Deitie held none to be purer then the soile or dust of gold Others held that none was purer then the dust of that Copper whereof the Athenians had made the pictures of the two Tyrants Armodius and Aristogyton because their death gave life to the state their dust recovered their countries fame Others held Ebonie because the most continuate Monument of humane memory and monumentall Embleme of his mortalitie Others held Ivorie because an Emblematicall Mettall of puritie While one whose opinion was delivered last though his judgement appeared best freely imparted himselfe to them taxing them all of errour For saith he it is not the pouder dust or ashes of any materiall shrine that can be possibly any way propitious to the gods as the enormitie of our losses hath incensed them so must the ashes of some living sacrifice appease them My opinion then is positively this The ashes of some undefiled virgin must be sprinkled on their Altar if we meane to preserve our state and honour This experience hath confirmed long since so highly usefull as wee may reade what eminent states had perished how their glory had been to dust reduced nay their very names in oblivion closed and with dishonour cloathed had not the fury of the incensed gods beene pacified and by offertories of this nature attoned This might be instanced in those sacrifices of Iphigenia Hesyone Mariana with many others whose living memory raysed it selfe from dust in so free and voluntary offering themselves to the stake to deliver their endanger'd state confirming their country-love with the losse of their dearest life Search then no further yee Conscript Fathers how to appease their wrath Virgin ashes cannot but be the purest dust of Earth Whose sacred vowes as they are dedicated to Vesta who cannot admit her Temple to be prophaned by any impure touch So ha's shee conferred such an excellent priviledge on a virgin state as the fierce untamed Vnicorne when nothing can bring him to subjection nor attemper the madding fury of his disposition as if he had quite put off his nature and assumed another temper he will be content mildly to sleepe in the lap of a Virgin and in eying her allay his passion With joynt voyce and vote all the Ephori inclined to his opinion which so well appeased those divine furies as their state before by the Oracle so highly menaced became secured their Altars which were before prophaned purged and those pollutions whereof their City laboured clearely expiated These poeticall Fictions though they easily passe by the eare yet they convey by a morall application an Emphaticall impression to the heart For hence might be divinely concluded There is nothing comparably precious to a continent soule Nothing of so pure nor pretious esteeme as a virgin state And that a woman being the weaker vessell when shee either in her virgin-condition remaines constant or in her conjugall state loyall she so much more inlargeth her glory as her Sex or condition partakes more of frailtie But to divert from these eye her in the Excellency of her Creation you shall finde her in her qualitie an helper in her societie a comforter in the perplexities of her consort a counsellour and in all these