bee something without a smell but there cannot bee a smell without some thing so a woorke without prayer is something but prayer without a good worke is nothing and if thou prayest thou prayest not of fayth Idem hom 18. As fire doth scowre off the rust from iron so prayer dooth scowre our soules from the rust of sinne Idem hom 42. ad pop Antioch As no medicine can cure a wound if the iron remaine within it so no prayer profiteth his soule who hath deadlie hatred festring and rankling in it Augustinus de rectitudine Catholicae conuersationis Plato wryteth that the Lacedemonians were neuer heard to pray for anye thing but that which was good and profitable so a Christian should neuer pray for any thing but that which is good in the eyes of God and profitable for himselfe Isidorus Clarius orat de fructu orandi tom 1. Almes deedes AS the Princes of this worlde determining a voyage doe sende their furniture treasure and prouision before them and they themselues folow after so we are to diuide our goodes amongst the poore that they may prepare an entrance into life for vs. Stella de contemptu mundi As water sprinkled vpon an hot glowing gad of iron although it seeme to coole the hote burning iron yet at the length it causeth it to burne the more vehementlie so the workes of mercie albeit at a blush they seeme to make the soule lesse feruent by reason of the sundrie businesses which happen in exercising them yet they make it more earnest and vehement in the wayes of the Lord. Lodouicus Granat lib. de deuotione Euen as nothing is more naturall vnto God then to doe well vnto all his creatures so hee that participateth more of the spirit and goodnesse of God hee is more readie to doe good vnto others ibidem As in a treasurie they vse to mingle no false mony which outwardlie hath a little golde and seemes to be good yet inwardlie is a mixture of most base mettalles euen so and no otherwise are the woorkes and almes deedes of Hypocrites who outwardlie will appeare iust as if they were no sinners when inwardlie they haue seared and foule deformed consciences Stella de contemptu mundi As water quencheth burning fire so almes deedes resisteth sinnes Clemens Alexand lib. 3. paedagogi cap. 7. As seede cast into the earth bringeth forth profit to the sower so bread cast into the lap of the poore will in time to come yeelde thee great commoditie Basil hom in dite scentes As corne kept in thy garner is deuoured of vermine but being cast into thy lande is not onelie preserued but increased so riches kept in thy Chest vnder locke and key doe waste and fade but if thou disperse them into the bellies of the hungrie they doe not onelie not vanish but rise to greater value Chrysostomus homil 7. de poenitentia As an vnfruitfull Elme giueth moysture to the Vine that the Vine maye bring forth fruite both for it selfe and for the Elme so let thy substance further the reliefe of the poore in this world that their sanctitie may further thee in the other Chrysost hom 12. operis imperf As hee that wryteth an Epistle to a friend whilest hee writeth seeth in his heart the person of his friend to whom he writeth so hee that giueth almes for Gods sake seeth no man in his heart but the person of GOD alone for whom hee giueth it Idem homil 13. operis imperfect As worldlie men by Vsurie encrease their pelfe to their damnation so spirituall men by almes deedes encrease and multiplie the loue of God towardes them to their saluation Chrysost hom 7. in Epist ad Rom. As no man sorroweth to receiue a kingdome or greeueth to haue remission of his sinnes so let no man sorrowe to lay out his money vpon maintenance for the poore because hee shall receyue great gaynes by it Idem Homil. 21. in Epist ad Rom. As rich mens sonnes for an ornament doe weare Golde Chaynes about their neckes as a signe of their greatnesse and Nobilitie so wee ought alwayes to bee arrayed in the roabes of bountie that wee may shewe our selues to bee the sonnes of him who is mercifull who causeth his Sunne to arise both vpon the good and badde idem Hom. 1. ad Philippen As in physicall confections one herbe is predominant so in spiritualll matters almes deeds are in especiall account with God idem hom 9. ad Hebraeos As Iudges hauing receiued gifts do not suddenly proceed to pronounce sentence but endeuour to agree the parties so the Lord dealeth with them whose giftes are giuen to the poore August ser 146. As wee are not once to doe well but alwayes so we are not once to giue almes but alwayes Chrysosthm hom 1. in Epist ad Philippen A lumpe of vnmolten Lead put into a vessell full of holes doth rest in one side of the vessell but if it be melted with fire it filleth all the holes so an heape of mony being frozen with the colde of auarice lieth in the chest profitable to no man but if it be melted with the fire of diuine loue and powred out it floweth to all partes of the poore and relieuing the needy it filleth all the holes crannies of pouertie Hector Pintus in cap. 5. Ezech. 37. As the sea is fed by land Riuers which hath no neede of them when as the lande is left drie so manie bestowe their largesse and bounty vpon them that haue no need and let the needie and distressed perish idem in cap. 18. As sheepe and oxen are not eaten except they be dead and dressed so many Churles giue no almes but when they are dead and buried idem in cap. 16. As mount Oliuet according to Augustine was a mountaine of oyntment and vnction of fatnesse and refection of medicine and cure by reason of the abundance of oyle there growing so a mercifull man may be fitly resembled to this mountaine by reason of his almes which are the oyle of mercie and pitie As that seed is the best which is white within so are those almes deeds the best which come from a pure intent F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 3. de vegetabilibus Plant. cap. 20. As one Torch borne before dooth giue more light then foure borne behinde so one good deede done in life time is more acceptable vnto God then fortie after death Polancus in Methodo adiuuandi eos qui moriuntur Deuotion HE that woulde haue Iron alwayes to glow and shine redde hot it is necessary that hee alwaies applie it to the fire for if hee take it from the fire forthwith it returneth to his naturall coldenesse so the most noble affection of Deuotion so dependeth of that that man bee continuallie vnited vnto God by actuall loue and contemplation that if hee turne himselfe but a little from him forthwith hee slideth backe to the bosome of his mother that is to the olde disposition which before hee
opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entered by it so although the heart of a Christian which is the temple of the holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet it must keepe the East gate the most illuminate and highest power and part of it continually shut against all men yea against all the world and opened onely to one thing that is to God who hath alreadie entered into it and enlightened it with his spirit As at the window of Noahs arke there entred in no mist no water nothing else but one thing onely which is light so at this East gate no mist of humane errors no water of worldly cares may enter in but onely the light of heauen and a sanctified desire to be fast knit and perfectly vnited by faith and loue to God As the Altar of perfume was placed close to the golden Censer verie neare the Mercie seate so a Christian heart which is a spirituall Altar of perfume and a sweet sauour to God must alwaies approch nearer and nearer vnto the throne of Grace and continuallye higher and higher aduaunce it selfe to him that is the highest and holiest of all As in a Well except there be some water in it we cannot easily see the baggage that lyeth in the bottome so in the depth of the heart without teares wee cannot see our sinnes Conscience AS Honie is not onelie sweete of it selfe but also it maketh that sweete which before was not sweete so a good conscience is so merrie and so pleasant that it maketh all the troubles and tribulations of this world seeme pleasant and delightfull Lodo. Granat lib. 1. Ducis peccat As they that sit at a banker are made merrie by the varietie of meates and daintie cates and by the presence of their friends with whom they liue so the righteous are made merrie by the testimonie of a good conscience and by the sweete fauour of the diuine presence ibidem As the tast of delitious meat cannot sufficiently bee expressed nor described with words to him who heretofore hath not tasted of it so neither the ioy comfort of a good cōscience to him that neuer felt it ib. As the morning sun when it is scarcely risen and is not yet seene enlighteneth the world with the nearnesse of his brightnes so a good conscience although it bee not fully plainly known yet it reioiceth and gladdeth the soul by her good testimony ibi As a shadow doth alwayes follow the bodie so feare and desperation in al places and at all times do waite vpon an ill conscience As persecution procureth a death to the bodie so a conscience despairing assureth death to the soule As the herbe Nepenthes so much commended of Homer being put into Wine driueth away all sadnesse at a banket so a good conscience being placed in vs dooth abolish all the tediousnesse of life As true loue towards a woman doth not desire a witnes but hath a mough if it enioy her alone so is a wise man contented only by the testimonie of a good conscience Plut. As a beautifull face is grateful and acceptable in the sight of man so is a cleare conscience beautifull in the eies of God Chrisostomus hom 6. operis imperfecti If thou castest a little sparke into a great deepe it is soone quenched so a good conscience doth easily mittigate al griefe idem hom 25. de via recta As there is no raine without cloudes so there is no pleasing of god without a good conscience Marcus Eremita de his quiputant ex operibus iustificari As a brazen wall is a good defence vnto a Citie so is a good conscience vnto a man Lodouicus Viues introductione ad sapientiam capite vltimo As gowtie diseases are full of feare so are ill consciences full of suspition Plut. in Apophth 231. As the shadow followeth the body so an euill conscience doth follow a sinner Basilius apud Antonium in Melissa part 1. sermon 16. Doctors and Doctrine EVen as a plaister is of no vse if it be not applied to the wound and to the diseased place so neither are precepts nor doctrine auailable if by education they be not applied to the life Lodouicus Granat lib. 1. Ducis peccatorum If thou wilt put any good thing into Bottels and Bladders thou must first put the winde and the aire out of them so thou must put pride and disdain out of his mind whom thou wouldest teach Plut. As the seed of a sallow tree cast away before it bee ripe dooth not onely bring forth nothing but is a medicine to procure sterilitie in women that they maie not conceyue so the speeches of them that teach before they be wise do not onlie shewe themselues to be fooles but doe infect their auditors and make them indocible Plin. lib. 16. cap. 27. As a consort consists of diuerse voyces so erudition is a mixture of diuerse disciplines Seneca The meate that swimmeth in the stomacke is no meat but a burthen but the same being digested doth passe into blood and strength so those things which thou readest if they remaine vnconcocted in thy memorie they do thee small good but if they bee digested into thy disposition then they make thee better learned Seneca The earth which bringeth foorth salt bringeth foorth none other thing so wittes fruitfull in learning are not of such validitie in other matters Plin. lib. 31. cap. 7. Wine powred into vessels made of Yew becomes deadly so erudition otherwise wholesome if it fall into a pestilent nature becommeth daungerous by his maners As the Lawrell alwayes continueth greene so the fame of learning dooth neuer waxe olde nor wither Plin. lib. 15. cap. 30. As they that are of a ranke smell doe sauour more rammish when they are annointed so the rumour of naughtinesse is more filthie when the celebritie of learning maketh it more conspicuous and more common in the mouthes of men As a precious stone is a little thing and yet is preferred before great stones so learning and doctrine is but little in shew and ostentation but great in value and price Artes and disciplines AS they that often frequent theaters and play houses with their pleasure doe also reape some profite so Artes and Disciplines besides their pleasure and dignitie do bring also profite and commoditie Plut. A tree of her owne nature dooth bring forth but one onely fruit but by grafting it becomes loaden with fruites of diuerse kinds so he that followeth his owne nature is alwayes the same but hee that is guided by Art is vnlike himselfe Plin. lib. 17. cap. 14. The Turbot the Skate the Raie and the Puffen being most slow fishes yet haue often found in their bellies the Mullet being the swiftest of al fishes which they take by cunning and policie so many by Art and skill do far excell those that be mightier in riches and strength Plin. lib. 9. cap. 42. Plutarch testifieth that he
Painters for a time laie by their workes that comming to reuiew them againe they may the better iudge of them for assiduity is the cause why they discern the lesse so if wee would rightly iudge of our friendes let vs sometimes haue them from vs for then wee shall iudge of them the better the reason why we cānot iudge aright of our selues is because wee are alwaies present with our selues The Glaze worme shineth most bright in the darke the pure Frankinsence smelleth most sweete vvhen it is in the fire the Damaske rose is sweeter in the still then on the stalke so a true friend is better discerned in the stormes of aduersity then in the Sunshine of prosperity As it is not the color that commendeth the good Painter but a good countenāce nor the cutting that valueth the Diamond but the vertue so it is not the glose of the tongue that trieth a friend but the faith As all flowers that are in one Nosegay are not of one nature nor al ringes that are worne vpon one hande are not of one fashion so all friendes that associate at bed and bord are not of one disposition Scipio must haue a noble mind Laelius an humble spirit Titus must lust after Sempronia Gysippus must leaue her Damon must go take order for his lands Pythias must tarry behind as a pledge for his life A cunning archer is not knowne by his arrow but by his aime so a friendly affection is not knowne by the tongue but by the faith A liuing creature hath his chiefest strēgth within him so a true friend without ostentation doth then most helpe when hee concealeth it As a phisition doth cure his patient hee not feeling it so one true friend doth help another without telling it Plut. There is so great cōcord in musick that it seemeth to be but one sound one voice so true friends are but one mind Certain apples are bitter-sweete and in olde wine the very smartnes and tartnes is delightsom so the memory of dead frends doth bite the mind but not without pleasure Seneca As hony doth pierce purge exulcerated woūds otherwise it is sweet delectable so the liberty of a frend doth not bite but that which is vicious and corrigible Plut. The Phisitions Cucurbitae drawing all the infection in the body into one place doe purge all the diseases so the iarres of friends reaping vp all the hidden malices or suspitions or follies that lie lurking in the mind maketh the knot more durable Water is praised for that it sauoreth of nothing fire for that it yeeldeth to nothing so such should be the nature of a true friend that it shuld not sauor of any rigor such the effect that it may not bee conquered with any offence Methridate must be taken inwardly not spread in plaisters purgatiōs must be vsed like drink not like bathes so the counsel of a friende must be fastned to the minde not the eare followed not praised imploied in good liuing not talked of in good meaning A fained Friend AS ruptures and cramps do then pinch when the body is molested with anie disease so false harted ftiends do fawn vpon prosperity but do afflict them that bee in aduersity and insult ouer their misfortune Plut. The swallow in summer flyeth vnto vs but in the winter flieth from vs so an vnfaithful friend is present in prosperity but altogether absent in aduersity Plin. lib. 10. cap. 24. The birdes Seleucides are neuer seene of the inhabitants of the Caspian mountains but when they haue neede of their aide against the Locusts deuouring the fruit neither do they know whence they come or whither they go so certaine do neuer appeare but when they haue neede of our helpe neither doe they visit their friendes but when some necessity doth vrge them Plin. lib. 10. cap. 27. As thou canst not retaine hurtfull meate without offence nor cast it vp with griefe so if thou retainest an euill friend hee hurteth neither cāst thou cast him off without enmity and tumult as if thou shouldst cast forth choler Plut. As Creon did nothing helpe his daughter but embracing her did perish with her in the fire so many not enioying happy friends do perish with those that are infortunate idem As those that be vnskilful in swimming whilst they would helpe them that are in danger of drowning do drowne together with them and doe hurt more then they profit so do those friends that in aduersitie doe onely lament and sorrowe with their friends Idem As flies doe not remaine in those vitling houses where there is no sauors nor smels so the vulgar and popular friends of rich men do tarry no longer then profit continueth Idem Mice do gnaw the meat and do liue vnder the same roofe with men yet they doe not conuerse with them so some friendes scarse current neither doe forsake by reason of commodity neither doe loue or repose affiance As the fish Scolopidus in the floud Araris at the waxing of the moone is as white as the driuen snowe and at the waning as black as a burnt coale so a fained friend in prosperity is very louing but in aduersitie exceeding lowring As al coines are not good that haue the image of Caesar nor al good that is coined with the kinges stampe so all is not truth that beareth the shewe of godlines nor all friends that beare a faire face As the Rauen which Noah sent forth of the Arke made no longer reckoning of him who had saued her from death and maintained her in the Arke one hundred and fiftie dayes then she stoode neede of him so many friends doe now esteeme delight praise and often visite thee because they woulde supplie some of their present necessities by thee which being compassed they are no longer for thee As a fruitfull tree is so long cared for as it brings forth store of fruit but when it failes to bring the woonted encrease no man cares for it so and no otherwise standes the case with thee while thou hast riches credite and art in prosperitie thou shalt be sure to be beloued honoured and visited but if thy state impaire and neede catch thee by the back then the world no longer smiles vpō thee farewell poore forsaken man no more fruit no more friends As there is great conformitie and vnion betweene Gold and Quicksiluer yea such and so much as when the gold is purified in the furnace the quicksiluer being conuerted into smoke is sought of the golde in what part soeuer of the fire it be to vnite it selfe therewith yet notwithstanding all this affection and friendship whensoeuer the golde is taken forth of the fire it forsakes and leaues the quicksiluer there behind conuerted into smoke there endes the kindnesse so at what time thou shalt enter into the fire of tribulation the friendship thou hadst with many will be turned into smoke and so shalt thou be left in the furnace of affliction As there are
mountain is most delicate for pasture fruits and fouÌ„tains so the diuell persecuting maÌ„ doth ouertake him among the delights pleasures of this world ibidem The serpeÌ„t Amphisbena hath two heads at either ende one so hath pleasure two heads that is two capitall vices Luxurie and gluttony idem lib. 5. de animalibus terrestribus cap. 121. A snaile by leisure creepeth to the tops of Trees and there eates the leaues and wheresoeuer shee creepeth shee leaueth a slime behind her so the pleasure of the flesh by little and little increaseth ascendeth to the top of great trees that is it doth possesse and ouercome great men as gluttony ouercame Adam and luxury Dauid Salomon and eateth the leaues that is doth deuastate the ornamentes of vertue in theÌ„ and whersoeuer it creepeth it leaueth impure slime behind it that is infamous examples and a corrupted memory ibidem Drunkennesse LAsie curs are busie vnder the table but idle in hunting so it is ignoble base to be free speech'd in thy cups and a cowarde in talke when thou art sober Putarchus As the caske is broken by the working of wine and that commeth aloft which lay in the bottome so drunkennes doth discouer the secrettest thinges of thy brest Sen. As they that are ouerburdned with wine cannot keepe their meate but all goes out together so doth also the secrets when wine abounds Seneca As the fishes called Polypi do not stretch out their clawes but for meate so some do measure all their felicitie by meate and drinke Plut. Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. Lysimachus by reason of thirst was constrained to yeelde himselfe vnto the Scythians afterwardes when hee had drunke colde water good God sayd he for how shorte a pleasure haue I giuen awaie my happinesse so also we shal be constrained to saie if wee fall into a long disease for a drunken feast or a little Venery Flies and such like creatures doe liue by sucking and therefore in stead of a tongue they haue a trunke so thou shalt see some drunkards who liue onely by drinke and care for no meat As frugality is an inducement to fasting so is drunkennes vnto lasciuiousnesse Basilius hom 1. de ieiunio As ships taken with a violent tempest are forced to cast their goods ouer boorde so drunkards ouertaken with wine are forced by vomit to disgorge themselues IdeÌ„ hom de ebrie luxu As brightnesse doth dimme the sight and terrible soundes amaze the hearing so drunkennesse doth dull the vnderstanding and astonish the memorie Ibidem As valleys are full so long as the lande floude lasteth but are drie and emptie when it is gone so drunkardes beeing full of Wine doe spue and caste but a little after are oppressed with thirst Ibidem As when a feuer is past the weakenesse remaineth so when drunkennesse is gone the effectes continue which torment both body and soule Chrysost hom 58. in Matth. As Scylla and Hydra among the Poets are armed with many heads so is drunkennes hence fornication hence effeminacie hence wrath hence inordinate loues proceed Idem hom 71. As too much raine glutteth the earth that it cannot be tilled so too much drinke so drowneth the soule that it admitteth no spiritual culture Augustinus sermo de â—brietate vitanda As in fennes serpentes and venemous worms are engendered so in drunkardes moist braynes are manie vices bredde Ibidem Adultery AS the Coockowe layeth egges in other birdes neastes so some men doe make other mens wiues mothers Plinius libro 10. cap. 9. A Pilot that maketh shipwracke in the Hauen is worthie of no pardon so hee or shee that hath attained the Hauen of mariage and then shipwracke their chastitie are worthy of no fauour neither with God nor man As couetousnes encrocheth vpon other mens goods so adultry entreth vpon other mens wiues As rust defaceth the brightest iron so adultery corrupteth the purest paragon In a honny combe there are two things honny and waxe In like manner in the face of a Harlot there are two thinges beautie of countenaunce and sweetenesse of speech The waxe doth kindle the fire and the honey doth yeeld sweetnesse so the beauty of an harlot doth inflame the flesh with the fire of lust and doth subuert the minde by the inticement of alluring speech The hony doth distil froÌ„ the waxe whilst the harlot doth sweeten her words Hugo Victorinus lib. de carnalibus nuptiis vitandis The panther is so greedie of the exrements of a man that if they be hanged out of his reach he killeth himselfe with reaching at them so that which is the filthiest is the sweetest vnto some men that like horses neigh after their neighbours wiues Plinius lib. 8. cap. 27. cap. 17. eod libro As some through the stupour of their senses and corrupt tastes doe not taste the sweetnesse of meates so adulterous and libidinous Epicures haue no taste of true glorie Cicero Philip. 2. As they are filthy creatures that reioyce wheÌ„ they enioy their adulterous pleasures so are they wicked that desire them with a libidinous minde Idem lib. 4. Tusc quaest As Ioseph lost his coate by his chastitie so leachers lose their good names by fornication and adulterie As Goates and Swine are filthie creatures so are adulterous persons which are rightly compared vnto them As chast men haue their conuersation in heauen so adulterous leachers haue theirs in hell As Tarquinius Superbus king of the Romanes was banished with his sonne Tarquinius Sextus for the deflouring of Lucretia a noble and honourable matrone so Lodouicus Gonzaga for his adultery was beheaded of the citizens of Mantua As the Chrysolite being worne on the finger of an Adulteresse so detesteth the crime as it cracketh in peeces by meere instinct of nature so the Vnicorn is such a foe to adulterie and such a friend to chastitie as he alwayes preserueth the one and killeth the other Munster writeth in his second Booke fol. 45. that in some part of Englande and Scotland there is great store of the best kinde of Ieat stone If any bodie drinke the powder of this stone in water if the same partie bee contaminate with libidinous actes the same bodie our of hande shall bee enforced to make vrine and shall haue no abilitie to keepe it backe but if a virgine drinke of it there is no power to make vrine followe so the iuyce of the Basco leafe so abhorreth vnlawfull lust as it will not by anye meanes bee digested in the stomacke of a Strum pette As Teundezillus King of Spaine for committing violent adulterie with a Ladie of a Noble house was depriued both of lyfe and Kingdome so Galeatius Maria Duke of Millaine committing adulterie with a Citizens wife of the same was by the same Citizen slaine being at a Masse As Anthonius Venereus Duke of Venice caused his owne sonne to die in prison because hee had rauished a maide so Hippomenes taking his daughter Limon in adulterie caused her to be deuoured of
this worlde ibidem As Ismael the sonne of Nathaniah did weepe with the friends of Godoliah whom hee had slaine so heretikes so do hypocrites weepe for that which they wish most harme vnto F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano libro 5. de animalibus terrestribus capite 72. A panther by the beauty of his skinne and sweete smell of his breath doth allure other beastes vnto him but by the fearefulnesse of his head he feareth them away whereupon he hideth his head till he hath laide hold on them that come to see him so heretikes and hypocrites outwardly pretending great sanctity and by the fame of their doctrine which they colour with deuotion and simplicity hiding the malicious heade of their corrupte intent they draw many simple and ignorant auditours vnto them and do destroy them with their poysonous doctrine ibidem As young Lyons doe teare and rent the wombe of their dammes in bringing them foorth so heretikes doe rende and teare in peeces the vnity of the church their mother who spiritually doeth bring them forth Idem libro 5. de animal terrest capite 108. When the time approacheth of the Vipers bringing foorth her young ones doe not stay the operation of nature but gnaw her sides in sunder and so come foorth with the destruction of their damme so heretikes being bredde in the wombe of the Church their mother not staying for nor sustaining her correction by rebellion doe depart from her and whilst they gnawe in sunder her vnity as much as lies in them they labour to bring her vnto destruction Ibidem Yong Panthers hating their dās do beat in peeces with their hooues the wombs of their dams because they resist their egresse and deliuerance wherupon a panther bringeth not forth but once so heretikes with their nailes that is with their malignāt doctrine do teare in peeces the vnitie of the church their mother because shee doeth resist their perfidy ibidem A Wolfe infecteth the wooll of that sheep he woorieth so that a garment made of it prooueth lousie as saith Isidore so an hereticke by his biting doth corrupt the simplicity of mans conuersation and maketh it to abounde with lice that is with corrupt workes ibidem Death AS he is to bee called a skilfull Phisitian that can so temper his medicine that it bringeth health which is the ende of his phisicke so is he to be termed truly wise who hath so learned to lead his life that a good death may follow As the hearbe colloquintida is most bitter so is the memory of death to a rich couetous man F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 3. de vegetabilib plant cap. 40. As Colloquintida doth stretch out her braches a far off so death doth stretch out himselfe so far that none can escape him ibid. As that Colloquintida is most poisonous and deadly which growes alone so is that death most feareful vpō which a pure consciēce true repētāce doth not attēd ibid. As that Colloquintida is good according to Macrus which is white so is that death which is religious ibidem As by a serpent the death of man came so by the death of man a serpent is ingendered that is of the marrowe of his backe bone as saith Hippocrates The beast Hyena hath the necke of a Viper the backe of an Elephant the greedines of a Wolfe the mane of a horse the voice of a man and is sometimes male and sometimes female so death is likened to a Viper for his swiftnesse to an Elephant for his force and violence to a Wolfe for his voracity to a horse for his vnbridlednesse to a man for his deceiptfulnesse and to male and female because it takes awaie both kindes As the ashes of a Scorpion drunk in wine is a remedy against the stinging of a Scorpion so the meditation of death is a remedy against sinne which is the cause of death Gemin lib. 5. de animal Terrest c. 80. As in sleepe there is no remembraunce of labours so the saintes by the sleepe of death do rest from their labors idem lib. 6. de homine Memb. eius cap. 45. As a man whilst he sleepeth feareth the power of no aduersary so the saints by the sleeep of death are taken out of the hands of al aduersaries and do enioy the security of eternal safety ibidem As a Waspe stinging a stone doth not hurt the stone but her selfe by loosing her sting so death lost his sting by running vpon life which is Iesus Christ Athanasius de passione domini As water falling vpon the earth is swallowed vp of it so that it is no more seen so a man by death falling into the earth is so consumed and destroyed that he is neuer founde againe in the condition of his mortall state Idiota de contemplatione mortis cap. 10. As all riuers runne into the sea so all they that come into this fluctuous life must enter into the sea of death For death is the punishmente of all the tribute of all the prison of all the conquerour of all and the receptacle of all Ibidem cap. 13. As he that woulde conquer a castle at the first doth make way to the ruine with his greater shot after hee doeth assault inuade and possesse it so dealeth death who first sendeth his battering shotte of greate sicknesse and infirmity which doth so vanquish and breake the naturall strength of the body that the soule can no longer defend her castle and then death seiseth vpon it Ludo. Granat l. 1. ducis peccat As for the biting of an aspe there is no remedy vnlesse the parts infected be cut away so certaine vices are healed onely by death Aristot. As pilgrims are cheerfully welcommed into Innes or lodginges yet ere their departing some account of expenses is made vnto them so though we haue a litle shew of pleasāt entertainment in this world yet at our deaths we must render a seuere and strict account for the same Stella de contemptu mundi As no man doth maruel that that is molten which might be melted or burnt which is combustile so to be dead is not to be maruelled at because we are mortall Plut. As borrowed money is willingly to be paide againe so our life which God hath lent vs is without repining to be rendered to him againe when he cals for it idem No man taketh it in ill part to haue a candle lighted but euery one misliketh to haue it put out so we reioice at a birth but sorrow at death Idem He that beyond measure is giuen to wine doeth also sucke vp the dregs so there are many that loue their liues so wel that they would not die no not in old age Sen. As he is more prosperous whom a speedy wind bringeth into the hauen then hee that in a calm is wearied vpon the sea so hee is more fortunate whom speedy death taketh out of the miseries of his life Seneca As fire burneth fiercely when it hath store of fewel but