Baptized and not long afteâ— brought Synesius three hundreâ— pounds in Gold to be distribute among the poor upon conditioâ— he would give him a bill under hâ—â— hand that Christ should repay hiâ— in another world which he did not long after Evagrius being neâ— death ordered his Sons â—â— his burial to put Synesius his bâ— in his hand they did so and tâ—â— third day after the Philosophâ— seemed to appear to Synesius the night and say unto him coâ—â— to my Sepulchre where I lye and take thy bill for I have received the debt and am satisfyed which for thy assurance I have written with my own hand whereat the Bishop informed his Sons what he had seen when he knew not what they had done who going with him to the grave found this bill â—n the dead mans hand thus subâ—cribed Ego Evagrius Philosophus c. i. e. I Evagrius the Philosoâ—her to the most holy Lord Bishop â—ynesius greeting I have received â—he debt which in this paper is written with thy hand I am satisâ—yed have no action against thee or the gold which I gave thee â—nd by thee to Christ our Saviour â—hey that saw the thing admired â—â—d glorified God that gave such â—onderful evidences of his proâ—ises to his servants and saith â—â—ontius this bill subscribed thus 〈◊〉 Philosopher is kept at Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this day to be seen of as many as desire it though to use Master Baxters words who recites this very passage before his book of Crucifying the world we have a sure word of promise sufficient for us to build our hopes on yet I thought not it wholly improfitable to cite this one Historyâ— from so credible Antiquity that the Works of God may be had iâ— remembrance King Charles the firsâ— had that sense of Reliâ—gion upon his Spirit 〈◊〉 that the one act of passing the 〈◊〉 for the Earl of Strafford's deatâ— and the other to the prejudice of the Churches of England and Scotland troubled him as long as he lived and brought him not only to vow as he did before the most Reverend Father in God G. Lord Archbishop of Canterburâ— to do Penance for them but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing though it was but the little Assemblies Catechism against his conscience And when it was â—old him his death was resolved â—on he said I have done what I â—ould to save my life without losing â—y Soul and sinning against my â—onscience Gods will be done Sir Walter Rawleigh â—t the meeting usually â—eld with the Virtuosi in the Tower discoursing of Happiness urged that it was not only a freedom from Diseases and pains of the body but from anxiety and vexation of Spirit not only â—o enjoy the pleasures of Sense but peace of Conscience and inward tranquility to be so not for 〈◊〉 little while but as long as may be and if it be possible for everâ— And this happiness so suitable fâ—â— the immortality of our Souls anâ— the eternal state we must live iâ— is only to be met with in Reliâ—gion Master Howard afterwards thâ— Learned Earl of Northampton bâ—â—ing troubled with Atheistical sugâ—gestions put them all off this waâ— viz. If I could give any accouâ—â— how my self or any thing else hâ— a being without God how theâ— came so uniform and so constanâ— cansent of mankind of all agâ—â— tempers and educations otherwiâ—â— differing so much in their apprehensions about the being of God the immortality of the Soul and Religion in which they could not likely either deceive so many or being so many could not be deceived I could be an Atheist And when it was urged that Religion was a State policy to keep men in awe â—he replied that he would believe â—t but that the greatest Politiciâ—â—s have sooner or later felt the â—ower of Religion in the grievous ashes of their consciences and dreadfulness of their apprehension â—bout that state wherein they must live for ever Bishop Vsher that most learned â—nd knowing Prelate after his inâ—efatigable pains as a Christian aâ—â—cholar a Prelate and a Preacherâ—â—â—ent out of the World with this â—rayer Lord forgive me my sins â—f Omission and desired to die as Master Perkins did imploring the Mercy and Favour of God Sir Iohn Mason Privy Councellor to King Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth whom some make Secretary of State setting him a little too high others Master of the Requestsâ— placing him as much too low upon his death-bed called for hiâ— Clerk and Steward and delivered himself to them to this purpose â— have seen five Princes and beeâ— Privy-Councellor to four I have seen the most remarkable obâ—servables in forreign parts anâ— been present at most State-tranâ—â—actions for thirty years together and I have learned this after 〈◊〉 many years experience that Seâ—â—ousness is the greatest Wisdoâ— Temperance the best Physick â— good Conscience is the best 〈◊〉 state and were I to live again would change the Court for Cloyster my Privy Cousellers bustles for an Hermits retirement and the whole life I lived in the Palace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel all things else forsake me besides my God my duty and my prayer Sir Henry Wotton after his many years study with great proficiency and applause at the University his neer relation to the great favorite Robert Earl of Essex his â—ntimacy with the Duke of Tusâ—any and Iames the sixth King of Scotland his Embassies to Holland Germany and Venice desired to reâ—ire with this Motto Tandem didiâ—it animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo being very ambitious of of the Provostship of Eaton that â—e might there enjoy his beloved Study and devotion saying often â—hat the day he put his Surplice on was the happiest day of his â—ife That being the utmost happiness a man could attain to he said to be at leisure to be and to do good never reflecting on his former years but with tears he would say How much time have I to repent of and how little to do iâ— in Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany King of Spain and Lorâ— of the Netherlands after three and twenty pitcht Fields six Triumphs four Kingdomâ— won and eight Principalities added to hiâ— Dominions fourteeâ— Wars managed resigned all these retired to his Devotion in a Moâ—nastery had his owâ— Funeral celebrated beâ—fore his face and left this testimony of Christian Religion That the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that Courts were strangers to Sir Francis Walsingham toward the latter end of his life grew very melancholy and writ to the Lord Chancellor Burleigh to this purpose We have lived enough to our Countrey to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign it is high time we began to live to our selves and to our God In the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands there must be some miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace Whereupon some Court-humoâ—iâ—ts being sent to
Cyril orat ad Iul. Epiph. 1. against the Targum of Ionathan The account given of Idolatry by Maimonid l. de cultu Stellarum and Proseld 3. ad synt de diis Syris And as appeares in the instances of Enoch Noah men who walked with God and God took them Sect. 2. 1. And besides that sin sooner or later makes all men as well as David and Heman have their Soules sore vexed become weary of their groaning while all the night long they make their bed to swim and water their Couch with their teares their eyes being consumed because of grief and they saying how long shall we take counsel in our Soules having sorrow in our hearts daily my God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Remember not the sins of my youth look upon my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins I had fainted unless I had beleived the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living My life is spent with greif and my years with sighing my strength failed because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long for Day and Night thy hand lay heavy upon me I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will conâ—ess my transgressions to the Lord. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Be not ye as the Horse and mule that have no understanding Many sorâ—ows shall be to the wicked What man is he that desires life and â—oveth many dayes that he may see good depart from evil and do good Thy arrows stick fast in me thy â—and presseth me sore Neither is â—here any rest in my bones by reason of my sin I have roared for the veâ—y disquietness of my heart When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away Surely every man is vanity My sin is ever before me make me to hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce A broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise There were they in great fear where no fear was Fearfullness and trembling are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed me and I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest Mine eyes faiâ— while I wait upon my God My Soul refused to be comforted â— remembred God and was troubledâ— I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed My Soul is full oâ— trouble and my life draweth nigâ— to the grave I am afflicted anâ— ready to die from my youth upâ— while I suffer thy terrors I am diâ—stracted All men I say as well aâ— these in the Psalms out of which I made this collectioâ— find first or last that sin as it hath short pleasures so it hath a long sting that though men seem not to be able to live without the commission of it yet are they not able to live with the thoughts of it when committed that as when they have done well the pain is short but the pleasure lasting so when they have done ill the pleasure is short and the pain lasting Sin and sorrow are so tyed together by an Adamantine Chain and the Temptation to Evil tickleth not more than the reâ—lection upon it torments when all â—he enjoyment being spent in the acting of sin there is now nothing â—eft but naked sin and conscience Tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ â—ur tamen hos tu â—vasisse putes quos diri conscia â—acti â—ens habet attonitos surdo verbere coedit â—â—cultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum â—oena autem vehemens multo gravior illis Quas caeditius gravis invenit â—ut Rhadamanthus Nocte diequeâ—â—um geâ—â— are in pectore testem Not to discourse to men out of books what they feel in their hearts that the things they eagerly pursue they shall sadly lament that evil it self to a rational Soul carryeth with it so much shame and horror that as many Poeâ—s Iâ—ven c. believed there were no Furia Alâ—â—tores Eumenides or whatever Names were given of old to those daughters of Nemesâ—s or the results of mens thoughtâ— after sin concerning the proceedings of the Divine justice against it like the conscience of having done evil so many wise men aâ— Cicero ad Pisonem thought there were none besides it and that helâ— is no other than conscience whereâ—fore Iudas and others ventured inâ—to that to avoid this whose worâ— that dyed not was more insupportable than the other fire that is not quenched Although this were enough to reclaim men from their frolicks that they are sure they shall be sad although there need not more be said to a man in his wits then this Sir a quiet mind is all the happiness and a troubled one is all the misery of this world you cannot enjoy the pleasure honour or profit you imagine follows your evils with a troubled mind and yet no man ever followed those courses without it all the calamities you meet with in doing well are eased much by the comforts of a good conscience And the Spirit of a good man bears his infirmities but all the pleasures we have in doing â—ll will have no relish or satisfaction when we lye under the â—errours of a bad one A woâ—nded â—pirit who can bear But to shew â—hat a strict and a serious life is not the humour of some conceited and singular persons but the opinion of all men when they are most impartiall and serious Observe 1. The wisest men that have been in the world among them 2. Instances out of Scripture 1. The one Nu. 23. 9 10. The most knowing man in the East Balaaâ— the Prophet so much courted by Balak the Prince reckoned the same in Mesopotamia that Trismegistuâ— was in Egypt or Zoroaster in Persiaâ— who against his own interest theâ— and his opinion with that wholâ— Countries at all times from thâ— high place wherein he was to deâ—fie all the religion that was theâ— in â—the world to please Balaâ— owned it though he displeaseâ— him and he took up this paâ—rable and said Balak the Kinâ— of Mâ—ab hath brought me fro◠〈◊〉 out of the Mountains of thâ— East saying curse me Jacob anâ— come defie Israel how shall I curse whom God hath not cursed or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied For from the top of the Rocks I see him who can count the dust of Jacob and the number of the fourth part of Israel let me dye the death of the righteous and my last end be like his 2. The second 1 Kings 4. 29. â—o 34. The most knowing man in â—he world Solomon to whom God gave wisdom and understanding â—xceeding much and largeness of â—eart even as the sand that is on â—he Seaâ—shore And Solomons wisâ—om excelled the wisdom of all the
the damned the gnawing of the worm that shall never dye and the scorching flame that shall be extinguished where there is burning unimaginable a stink intollerable and grief interminable where men may seek death and shall not find it death being there immortal and feeding on the miserable not that they might have the great mercy of dying but suffer the extream punishment of living What shall we do Whose advise shall we â—etake our selves to For all we â—ike sheep have gone astray every one hath turned to his own way There is none that doth good no not one we have all sinned and done amiss we are all the children of wrath and deserving the same condemnation unless the mercy of Christ deliver us What shall we do shalâ— we not all likewise perish Iâ— God spared not this man nor thâ— Angels that sinned nor the natuâ—ral branches that were cut off how shall he spare us and yeâ— do we think that his hand 〈◊〉 shortned that it cannot save 〈◊〉 that he will shut up his lovinâ— kindness in displeasure Whâ—â— shall we do Oh my brethren 〈◊〉 so intangled so difficult and 〈◊〉 wâ—ighty a matter Let us not 〈◊〉 in our own strength let us 〈◊〉 Counsel not of the Iews 〈◊〉 trust to be justified in the Laâ—â— nor of the Phylosophers who â—â—â—ly oâ— thâ—ir own vertues no◠〈◊〉 the wiâ—emen of this world i◠〈◊〉 savour not the things of God but of those that fear the Lord and walk in his wayes Let us â—ear the great propitiation for â—â—ur sins the Lord Jesus who saith as the forerunner Iohn Baptist than whom there was not greater born of a woman did before him repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand bring forth fruit worthy of reâ—entance if ye repent not ye â—hall all likewise Perish Let us â—ear Saint Peter pâ—eaching earâ—estly that men should repent â—hat there sins may be blotted â—ut and when his hearers were â—ricked at the heart and asked â—hat they should do to be saved â—e repeats that exhortation reâ—ent Repentance brethren so â—runo goeth on is the only â—lank left us after shipwrack 〈◊〉 us turn to â—â—e Lord and he will have mercy upon us for he desâ—reth not the death of a sinâ—eâ— but that he may return from 〈◊〉 sin and live neither leâ—â—â—s deâ—â—â—â—â— for he that proâ—iâ—eth paâ—â—â—â—â— upon repentance promiâ—eth 〈◊〉 so much time as we promise oâ—â— selves to repent there are thoâ—â—sandsâ— whose caâ—e is like theirs 〈◊〉 the proverbs to whom God speakâ—â—â—â— I have called and ye would 〈◊〉 answer I have stretched â—oâ—â— my hands and ye have refuseâ—â— Ye have despised all my coâ—â— seâ—s and set aâ— naughâ—â— all 〈◊〉 reproofes I will also laugh 〈◊〉 yoâ—â— Calamity and mocâ—â—â—ll your fear cometh when your 〈◊〉 as desolation and youâ— desâ—â—â— on cometh aâ— a whiâ—le wilâ—â— when distress and anguish â—â—â—meth upon you then shall 〈◊〉 call but I will not answer◠〈◊〉 shall seek me early and shall 〈◊〉 find me The Loâ—d now callâ—â— us for this voyce is not for 〈◊〉 â—â—ke that is dead and past repenâ—â—â—nce but ours who live and â—hom the patience and long-â—â—ffering of God leads to repenâ—â—â—nce Let us not delay from â—ay to day to answer him for we â—now not at what hour the Lord â—ay come At these words one of the â—cholars Landvinus by Name a â—â—scan of Luca in the Name of 〈◊〉 rest declared they were all â—â—â—vinced of the truth of what 〈◊〉 said but added withâ—â— that the whole world â—eth in wickedness and it was alâ—ost impossible to be seriously Reâ—â—gious amidst so many strifes and â—â—tentions so many tumults and â—mmotions so much malice and â—â—vy so much fraud and inâ—â—stice so much lying blaspheâ—â—â—g and swearing so much â—â—â—ptation and vanity so much â—emperance and debaucheries A good man must separate himselfâ— to intermedle with truâ— wisdom take the wings of a Dovâ—â— and fly and be at rest and with â—â—noch and Noah walk with God and therefore said he Brethrenâ— Let us pray to God to direct us â—â— a retired place where we may liâ—â— with him upon this two otheâ— advised that they should goe anâ— consult with the holy and Reâ—â—â—â—end Bishop of Gratianople Saâ—â—â— Hugh about withdrawing thâ—â—â—selves into a desert settle theâ—â—selves there a peculiar peoplâ— zealous of good worksâ— Saâ—â—â— Hugh adviseth them to goe 〈◊〉 live in the cold and dreadful â—â—â—sert of Carthusell in Daulphâ—â— where they went and settled sevâ—â—â— in number Anno 1080. in 〈◊〉 strictest way of Religion in 〈◊〉 world eating no flesh living 〈◊〉 â—ouples labouring with the hands watching praying and â—â—â—â—er meeting together but on Sundays the Original of ninety three â—arthusian Monasteries where of â—he Charter-house was one since in â—he world To shut up this Collection Master â—eorg Herbert and Master Nicholas â—â—rrar as dear each to other as â—oth were to God and good men â—entlemen well known to most â—ersons of quality in the Nation â—he latter of them a Gentleman â—f a good Estate extraordinary â—â—res excellent Education and of â— happy Temper after many â—â—ars travels experience and readâ—â—gâ— being Master of most ancient â—nd modern Histories and of â—â— moderne Languages when â—â—pable of most employments that â—â—come an accomplished Gentleâ—an in Court and Countrey reâ—â—red to his house at little Giddingâ— Huntingtonshire where with a â—umerous family of his Relations he dedicated himself to his dyinâ— day to a very strict way of servinâ— God in holy and excellent coâ—â—ferences managed by the meâ—â—bers by turns in devout prayâ—â— publickly at the set hours in tâ—â— Chappel and privately in the â—â—â—nonical hours day and night in tâ—â— House in an orderly and profitabâ—â— course of reading the Scriptuâ—â— with useful Comments and â—â—â—courses upon them in receivâ—â—â— the pious visits of most good mâ—â— and women in that and other parâ— of the Nation in relieving tâ—â— aged poor relieving and instruâ—â—â—ing the young in pious Needâ—â—â— works by his Faeminine Relationâ— and choice Pen-works by himsâ—â—â— of whom a Reverend Person â—â— hoped is likely to give a good aâ—â—count shortly as of a great patternâ— of Self-denying yet having a disâ—creet zeal and Piety to a backslidâ—ing world The first â—n younger Brother â—o an ancienâ— Family his elder Brother was the learned Lord Herâ—ert of â—herbury And the Earls of Pembâ—oke and Montgomery the 〈◊〉 Lord High-sâ—eward the other â—ord Chamberlaine of the Kings â—his near Relations Fellow of Triâ—ity Colledge in Cambridge Oraâ—or of that University a great â—â—holar and a high Wit known in the University by his rich Fancy â—pon Prince Henries funeral and at Court by his gallant Oration upon Prince Charles his return yet quitting both his deâ—erts and opportunities that he had for worldly preferments he betook himself to the Temple and Sanâ—tuary of God choosing rather to serve at Gods Altar than to seek the honour of State employments to testifie his independency upon all others and to quicken his diligence in Christs service he