conversant in that holy Exercise ibid. 378 Circumstances observable in workes of charitie and devotion ibid. Objections and resolutions upon the ground of Perfection 381. lin 16 Of the Contemplative part of Perfection 382 A Corollary betwixt the Heathen and Christian contemplation 384 Examples of a contemplative and retired life 387 A three-fold Meditation of necessarie importance 1 Worthinesse of the soule 2 Vnworthinesse of Earth 3 Thankefulnesse unto God who made man the worthiest creature upon Earth 389 Of the Active part of Perfection 391 No contagion so mortally dangerous to the body as corrupt company is to the soule 393 Two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation 1 The Author of our creation 2 The End of our creation ib. A foure-fold Creation 394. lin 8 The fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure Heathen Philosophers ascribing the creation of all things to the foure Elements 396. lin 6 Their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers ibid. The End of our creation 397 Singular precepts of Mortification 399 Idlenesse begetteth security properly termed the Soules Lethargy 400 A Christians Ephemerides or his Euening account 401 The Active part of Perfection prefer'd before the Cōtemplative 403 No ARMORY can more truly deblazon a Gentleman than acts of charity and compassion 404 The Active preferred before the Contemplative for two respects the first whereof hath relation to our selves the second to others 407 408 Ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted with a comparison by way of objection and resolution betwixt the conveniences of Action and Knowledge 406 407 Action is the life of man and Example the direction of his life 409. l. 3 Wherein the Active part of Perfection consisteth 410 Active Perfection consisteth in Mortification of Action and Affection Mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect to these three distinct Subjects 1 Life 2 Name 3 Goods illustrated with Eminent Examples of Christian resolution during the ten Persecutions 411 412 Not the act of death but the cause of death makes the Martyr 414 No action how glorious soever can be crowned unlesse it be on a pure intention grounded 415 Mortificat in respect of name or report is two-fold 1 In turning our eares from such as praise us 2 In hearing with patiēce such as revile us 418 Scandals distinguished and which with more patience than others may be tollerated 424 425 c. Mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance pitching upon two remarkable considerations 1 By whom these blessings are conferred on us 2 How they are to be disposed by us 427 Vain-glory shuts man from the gate of glory 428 An exquisite connexion of the precedent Meditations 430 The absolute or supreme end wherto this Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it solely resteth 434 Singular Patternes of Mortification in their Contempt of life and embrace of death 439 440 The reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole Booke 439 The Heart can no more by circumference of the World be confined than a Triangle by a Circle filled 442. lin 23. Though our feet be on Earth our faith must be in Heaven 445 A pithy Exhortation A powerfull Instruction clozing with a perswasive Conclusion 453 454 455 A Character intitled A Gentleman THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN YOVTH Argument The dangers that attend on Youth The vanitie of Youth display'd in foure distinct Subjects Three violent passions incident to Youth Physicke prescribed and receits applied to cure these Maladies in Youth YOVTH HOwsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason that there be divers Climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time sure I am that in mans age there is a dangerous time in respect of those Sinne-spreading Sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule And this time is Youth an affecter of all licentious liberty a Comicke introducer of all vanitie and the only Heire apparent to carnall securitie This it was which moved that princely Prophet to pray Lord forgiue mee the Sinnes of my youth Sins indeed because the youthfull sinner is ever committing but never repenting usually provoking God but rarely invoking God This is hee who Snuffeth the wind with the wilde Asse in the desart being like the Horse or Mule which hath no understanding by giving Sense preeminence aboue Reason and walking in the fatnesse of his heart as one wholly forgetfull of God He may say with the Psalmist though in another sense Vt jumentum factus sum apud te upon exposition of which sentence it is laudable saith Euthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as Beasts to shew our humility but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensualitie Many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwracke to the inconsiderate and improvident Soule during her sojourning here in this Tabernacle of clay but no time more perillous than the heat of Youth or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires being as ready to consent as the Devil is to tempt and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemie upon the least assault It is reported by Eusebius that Saint Iohn meeting a strong young-man of good stature amiable feature sweet countenance and great spiri◠straightway looking upon the Bishop of that place he said thus unto him Christ being witnesse and before the Church I commend unto thee and thy care this young man to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline Whom when the Bishop had received into his tuition and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought S. Iohn againe and againe gives his charge and contesteth his fidelity and afterwards he returnes to Ephesus The Bishop takes the young man home brings him up as his owne sonne keeps him within the limits of his dutie intreats him gently and at last baptiseth him and confirmes him Afterwards upon remitting something of his care and giving freer reines to his libertie the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoake of tuition and falls into bad company who corrupt him diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes First they invite him to banquets then they carry him abroad in the Night afterward to maintaine their profuser expence they draw him to theevery and so by degrees to greater wickednesse being now made Captaine in this theevish company At last Saint Iohn returnes and saith Goe to Bishop give me my depositum which I and Christ committed unto thee in the Church which thou governest The Bishop was astonied thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received and yet durst scarce distrust the Apostle But as soone as Saint Iohn said I demand the young man and soule of my brother the old man hanging downe his head sighing and weeping said ille mortuus est he is dead How and with what kinde of death said Iohn Deo mortuus
bodie repaire it with an upright soule Art thou outwardly deformed with spirituall graâ—â—â— be thou inwardly beautified Art thou blinde or lame or otherwise maimed be not there with dejected for the Blâ—nd and Lame were invited It is not the outward proportion but the inward disposition not the feature of the face but the power of grace which worketh to salvaâ—â—â—on Alcibiades Socrates scholer was the best favoured Boy in Athens yet to use the Philosophers words looke but inwardly into his bodie you will finde nothing more odious So as one compared them aptly these faire ones I meane to faire and beautifull Sepulchres Exterius nitida interius faetida outwardly hansome inwardly noysome Notable was that observation of a learned Philosopher who professing himselfe a Schoole-master to instruct Youth in the principles and grounds of Philosophie used to hang a Looking-glasse in the Schoole where he taught wherein he shewed to every scholer he had his distinct feature or physnomy which he thus applied If any one were of a beautifull or amiable countenance hee exhorted him to answer the beautie and comlinesse of his face with the beautie of a well-disposed or tempered minde if otherwise he were deformed or ill featured he wished him so to adorne and beautifie his minde that the excellencie of the one might supply the defects or deformities of the other But thou objectest How should I expresse my descent my place or how seeme worthy the company of eminent persons with whom I consort if I should sleight or disvalue this general-affected vanity Fashion I will tell thee thou canst not more generously I will not say generally expresse thy greatnes of descent place or qualitie nor seeme better worthy the company with whom thou consortest or frequentest than by erecting the glorious beames of thy minde aboue these inferiour things For who are these with whom thou consortest meere triflers away of time bastard slips degenerate impes consumers of their patrimonie and in the end for what other end save misery may attend them Haires to shame and infamie These I say who offer their Morning-prayers to the Glasse eying themselves 〈◊〉 till Narcissus-like they fall in love with their owne shadowes O England what a height of pride art thou growne to yea how much art thou growne unlike thy selfe when disvaluing thy owne forme thou deformest thy selfe by borrowing a plume of everie Countrey to display thy pie-coloured flag of vanitie What painting purfling powdring and pargeting doe you use yee Idolls of vanitie to lure and allure men to breake their first faith forsake their first love and yeeld to your immodestie How can you weepe for your sinnes saith Saint Hierome when your teares will make furrowes in your face With what confidence do you lift up that countenance to heaven which your Maker acknowledges not Doe not say that you have modest mindes when you have immodest eyes Death hath entred in at your windowes your eyes are those cranies those hatefull portells those fatall entrances which Tarpeia-like by betraying the glorious fortresse or cittadell of your soules have given easie way to your mortall enemie Vtinam miserrimus ego c. I would I poore wretch saith Tertullian might see in that day of Christian exaltation An cum cerussa purpurisso croco cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis No you stanes to modestie such a Picture shall not rise in glory before her Maker There is no place for you but for such women as array themselves in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broided haire or gold or pearles or costly apparell But as becommeth women that professe the feare of God For even after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves Reade I say reade yee proud ones yee which are so haughtie and walke with stretched-out neckes the Prophet Isaiah and you shall find your selves described and the judgement of Desolation pronounced upon you Becaâ—se the Daughters of Zion are haughtie and walk with streâ—ched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking 〈◊〉 minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with theâ—â— feet therfore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald and the Lord shall discover their secret parts And he proceeds In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tyres The sweet balles and the bracelets and the bonnets The tyres of the head and the sloppes and the head-bands and the tablets and the eare-rings The rings and the mufflers The costly apparell and the gâ—ailes and the wimples and the crisping-pins And the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the launes Now heare your reward And in stead of sweet savour there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sack-cloth and burning in stead of beautie Now attend your finall destruction Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground See how you are described and how you shall be rewarded Enjoy then sin for a season and delight your selves in the vanities of Youth be your eyes the Lures of Lust your eares the open receits of shame your hands the polluted instruments of sinne to be short be your Soules which should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost cages of uncleane birds after all these things what the Prophet hath threatned shal come upon you and what shall then deliver you not your Beautie for to use that divine Distich of Innocentius Tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay What 's Beautie worth when thou must die to day Nor Honour for that shall lye in the dust and sleepe in the bed of earth Nor Riches for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath Perchance they may bring you when you are dead in a comely funerall sort to your graves or bestow on you a few mourning garments or erect in your memory some gorgeous Monument to shew your vain-glory in death as well as life but this is all Those Riches which you got with such care kept with such feare lost with such griefe shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence afflict they may releeve they cannot Nor Friends for all they can doe is to attend you and shed some friendly teares for you but ere the Rosemary lose her colour which stickt the Coarse or one worme enter the shroud which covered the Corpse you are many times forgotten your former glory extinguished your eminent esteeme obscured your repute darkened and with infamous aspersions often impeached If a man saith Seneca finde his friend sad and so leave him sicke without ministring any comfort to him and poore without releeving him we may thinke such an one
there is none but may at the first sight apparantly discerne For these humble and mildly-affected spirits stand so firme and irremoveable as no adversitie can depresse them no prosperitie raise them above themselves For adversities they account them with that excellent Morall nothing else than exercises to trie them not to tire them And for Prosperities they â—eceive them as they come not for much admiring them as making a profitable use of them and with a thankfull remembrance of divine Bountie blessing God for them These are those impregnable rockes as one aptly compared them subject to no piercing those greene Bayes in midst of hoarie Winter never fading those fresh Springs in the Sandie Desart never drying Whos 's many eminent vertues as they deserve your imitation Gentlemen so especially their Meeknesse being the first marke I tooke to distinguish true Gentilitie THe second was Munificence that is to be of a bountifull Disposition open-handed yet with some necessary cautions as to know what we give and the worth of that person to whom we give For without these considerations Bountie may incline to profusenesse and Liberalitie to indiscretion This moved that Mirror of Roman Princes the Emperour Titus to keep a Booke of the Names of such whose deserts had purchased them esteeme but had not as yet tasted of his Bountie So as it is observed of him that no day came over his head wherein he exprest not his princely Munificence to such whose names he had recorded which if at any time through more urgent occasions he neglected he would use these words to such as were about him O my friends I have lost this day No lesse was the bountie which Cyrus expressed first in words but afterward in deeds to such Souldiers as tooke his part against his grand-father Astiages that such as were Foot-men he would make them Horse-men and such as were Horse-men hee would make them ride in their Chariots It is said of the House of the Agrigentine Gillia that it seemed as if it had beene a certaine Store-house or repository of all Bountie Such indeed was the Hospitalitie esteemed in this Iland formerly one of the apparantest Signalls of Gentrie which was showne to all such as made recourse to that Mansion And because I have accidentally fallen into this Discourse let me speake a word or two touching this neglect of Hospitalitie which may be observed in most places throughout this Kingdome What the reason may seeme to be I know not unlesse riot and prodigalitie the very Gulfes which swallow up much Gentrie why so many sumptuous and goodly Buildings whose faire Frontispice promise much comfort to the wearied Traveller should want their Masters But surely I thinke as Diogenes jested upon the Mindians for making their gates larger than their Citie bidding them take heed lest the Citie run out at the gates so their Store-house being made so strait and their Gates so broad I much feare me that Provision the life of Hospitalitie hath run out at their gates leaving vast penurious houses apt enough to receive but unprovided to releeve But indeed the reason why this defect of noble Hospitalitie hath so generally possessed this Realme is their love to the Court Their ancient Predecessours whose chiefest glory it was to releeve the hungrie refresh the thirstie and give quiet repose to the weary are but accounted by these sweet-sented Humorists for men of rusticke condition meere home-spun fellowes whose rurall life might seeme to derogate from the true worth of a Gentleman whose onely humour is to be phantastically humorous O the misery of errour â—ow farre hath vanity carried you astray ye generous spirits that you should esteeme noble bountie which consists not so much in Bravery as Hospitality boorish Rusticitie How much are you deluded by apish formalitie as if the only qualitie of a Gentleman were novell complement or as if there were no good in man besides some outlandish congie or salute Alas Gentlemen is this all that can be expected at your hands Must your Countrey which bred you your friends who love you the poore whose prayers or curses will attend you be all deprived of their hopes in you No rather returne to your Houses where you may best expresse your Bountie by entertaining into your bosome that which perchance hath beene long time estranged from you Charitie For beleeve it as assuredly yee shall finde it that your sumptuous Banquetting your midnight revelling your unseasonable rioting your phantasticke attiring your formall courting shall witnesse against you in the day of revenge For behold the Lord commandeth and he will smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts Returne therefore before the evill day 〈◊〉 distribute to the Necessitie of the Saints become good Dispensers of what you have received that yee may gaine your selves grace in the high Court of Heaven But as for yee that put farre away the evill day and approach to the Seat of iniquitie Ye that sing to the sound if the Violl and invent your selves instruments of Musicke yee shall goe captive with the first that goe captive O misery that Man with so beauteous an Image adorned with such exquisite ornaments of Art and Nature accomplished to so high a ranke above others advanced should delude himselfe so with the shade of vanitie as to become forgetfull of his chiefest glory But experience I doubt not will unseale those eyes which lightnesse and folly have blinded till which happie discovery of Youthfull errour I leave them and returne to my former Discourse You may perceive now how requisite Bountie is for a Gentleman being an especiall marke as I observed before whereby we may discerne him Amongst sundrie other Blessings conferred by God on Salomon this was not one of the least in that he gave him a large heart Not onely abundance of substance and treasure to possesse but a large heart to dispose Indeed this is a rare vertue worldlings there are who possesse much but they enjoy little becomming subject to that which they should command The difference betwixt the poore wanting and rich not using is by these two expressed the one Carendo the other Non fruendo Of which two the greater misery is the latter for he slaves himselfe to the unworthiest Servitude being a Servant to obey where he should be a Master to command To conclude this point in a word if wee ought to shew such contempt to all earthly substance as hardly to entertaine it much lesse affect it let us make it a benefit let us shew humanitie in it by making choice of the poore on whom we may bestow it This which we waste in rioting might save many from famishing let us bestow therefore lesse of our own backs that we may cloath them lesse of our owne bellies that we may feed them lesse of our owne palats that we may refresh them For that 's the best and noblest
they give advantage to him with whom they have to deale of making his owne bargaine upon such Termes as shall best please him for how should one mans judgement equall a whole judicious Counsell So as in dealing with cunning persons wee must ever consider their ends to interpret their Speeches and it is good to say little to them and that which they least looke for The other sort tie themselves something more strictly or precisely to their Commission for these will be loth to disgresse from it in matters of weight and substance but rather in some impertinent ceremony or circumstance as wee read in the generall Historie of Spaine that there came two Embassadours out of France unto King Alfonfe the ninth to demand one of his daughters in mariage for their Soveraigne King Philip one of which Ladies was very faire and named Vrraca the other nothing so gracious and called Blanch. They both comming into the presence of the Embassadours all men held it a matter resolved that their choice would light upon Vrraca as the elder and fairer and better adorned but the Embassadours enquiring each of their names tooke offence at the name of Vrraca and made choice of the Lady Blanch saying that her name would be better received in France than the other For matters of such indifferencie as these it is not to be doubted but they are left to the discretion of the instrument but for affaires of State as they require due deliberation in discussing so require they the joynt assent and approbation of the State ere they come to concluding THere are likewise publike imployments wherein Gentlemen upon occasion may be interessed which extend themselves to military affaires in which as it is not the death but the cause of the death which makes a Martyr so it is not the action but the ground of the action which merits the name of valour That act of Razis in taking out his owne bowels and throwing them upon the people it was an act saith S. Austin that tasted more of stoutnesse than goodnesse For what could that act of his benefit his Countrey wherein could it adde spirit to the distressed Maccabees wherein allay the heavy burden of their affliction or minister the least releefe in the time of their persecution That act of resolution by that noble Bohemian as it tasted more of true valour so it reared a columne of perpetuitie to his ever-living honour which exploit is thus recorded When Mahomet the second of that name besieged Belgrade in Servia one of his Captains at length got up upon the wall of the City with banner displayed Another Bohemian espying this ran to the Captaine and clasping him fast about the middle asked one Capistranus standing beneath whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soule if hee should cast himselfe downe headlong with that dogge so he termed the Turke to be slaine with him Capistranus answering that it was no danger at all to his soule the Bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe down with the Turke in his armes and so by his owne death only saved the life of all the City The like worthy exploits might be instanced in those heires of fame the Rhodians in the siege of their City the Knights of Malta in their sundry defeats and discomfitures of the Turks the inhabitants of Vienna who being but a handfull in comparison of their enemies gave them not only the repulse but wholly defeated their designes This Valour or Fortitude which indeed appeareth ever in the freest and noblest minds is excellently defined by the Stoicks to be A vertue ever fighting in defence of equitie These who are professors of so peerelesse a vertue are more ready to spare than to spill their aimes are faire and honest free from the least aspersion either of crueltie or vaine-glory for as they scorne to triumph over an afflicted foe so they dislike that conquest unlesse necessitie enforce it which is purchased by too much bloud The Salmacian Spoiles rellish better to their palate for they are so full of noble compassion as the death of their enemy enforceth in them teares of pity This appeared in those princely teares shed by Caesar at the sight of Pompeys head and in Titus that Darling of Mankind in those teares hee shed at the sight of those innumerable slaughters committed upon the Iewes Now as my purpose is not to insist on the postures of warre so I intend not to dwell upon every circumstance remarkable in martiall affaires but upon the maine scope of military discipline whereto every generous and true bred Souldier is to direct his course Let your aime be therefore Gentlemen to fight for the safetie and peace of your Countrey in the defence of a good conscience which is to be preferred before all the booties of warre for as you have received your birth and breeding from your Countrey so are you to stand for her even to the sacrifice of your dearest lives provided that the cause which you entertaine in her defence be honest without purpose of intrusion into anothers right or labouring to enlarge her boundiers by an unlawfull force For howsoever the ancient Heathens were in this respect faultie being some of them Truce-breakers others violent intruders or usurpers of what was little due unto them wee for our parts have learned better things being commanded noâ— to take any thing from any man but in all things learne to be contented But of all enterprizes worthy the acceptance of a Gentleman in this kinde if I should instance any one in particular none more noble or better deserving as I have elsewhere formerly touched than to warre against the Turke that profest enemy of Christendome the increase of whose Empire may be compared to the milt in mans body for the grandure of it threatens ruine and destruction to all Christian States drawing light to his Halfe Moone by darkening of others and shewing even by the multitude of his insolent Titles what his aimes be if the Lord put noâ— a hooke in the nose of that Leviathan Praise-worthy therefore are those glorious and no doubt prosperous expeditions of such English and other Christian Voluntaries as have stood and even at this day doe stand engaged in personall service against the great Turke for these though they perish in the battell shall survive time and raise them a name out of the dust which shall never be extinguished These are they who fight the Lords battell and will rather die than it should quaile These are those glorious Champions whose aime is to plant the blessed tidings of the Gospell once againe in that Holy Land which now remaines deprived of those heavenly Prophets which shee once enjoyed of those godly Apostles which she once possessed of that sweet Singer of Israel with which her fruitfull coasts once resounded O Gentlemen if you desire imployment in this kinde what enterprize more glorious
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 intercourse 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 a crawling despicable creature but thou would'st not and it was thy mercy that thou would'st not O as thou hasâ— ennobled me with the Image of thy selfe make me conformable to thy self that of a worm I may become an angel 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 we carry about us preferring us not only before all the rest of his creatures in soveraignty and dominion but also in an amiable similitude feature and proportion whereby we become not only equall but even superiour unto Angells 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 Anaximenes to the piercing Aire Hippeas to the fleeting Water Zeno to the purifying Fire Zenophanes to the lumpish Earth How miserably were these blinded and 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 I asked the Earth if it were my god and it said unto me that it was not and all things in it confessed the same I asked the Sea and the depths and the creeping things in them and they answered we are not thy god seeke him above us I asked the breathing Aire and the whole Aire with all the inhabitants thereof made answer Anaximenes is deceived I am not thy God I asked the Heaven Sun Moone and Stars neither are wee thy god answered they And I spake to all these who stand about the gates of my flesh tell me what you know concerning my god tell mee something of him and they cryed out with a great voice He made us Then I asked the whole Frame and fabricke of this World tell me if thou be my god and it answered with a strong voyce I am not said it but by him I am whom thou seekest in mee hee it was that made mee seeke him above me who governeth me who made me The interrogation of the creatures is the profound consideration of them and their answer the witnesse they beare of God because all things cry God hath made us for as the Apostle saith the invisible things of God are visibly to be understood by those things which are made by the creatures of the world Thus wee understand the Author of our Creation of whom seriously to meditate and with due reverence to contemplate is to die to all earthly cogitations which delude the sinne-belulled soule with extravagancies And let this suffice for the first Memoriall or Consideration to wit who it was that made us we are now to descend to the second particular which is for what end he made us He who rested not till he had composed and disposed in an absolute order of this Vniverse proposed us an example that we should imitate So long as we are Pilgrims here on earth so long as we are Sojourners in this world wee may not enjoy our spirituall Sabbath wee may stay a little and breath under the Crosse after the example of our best Master but rest wee may not For what end then did he make us That we might live such lives as may please him and die such deaths as may praise him lives blamelesse and unreproveable lives sanctified throughout pure without blemish fruitfull in example plentifull in all holy duties and exercised in the workes of charitie that he who begetteth in us both the Will and the Worke may present us blamelesse at his comming Now that our lives may become acceptable unto him to whose glory they ought to be directed we are in this Tabernaâ—le of clay to addresse our selves to those studies exercises and labours which may benefit the Church or Common-weale ministring matter unto others of imitation to our soules of consolation and in both to Gods name of glorification Wherein appeareth a maine difference betwixt the Contemplative and Active part for sufficient it is not to know acknowledge and confesse the divine Majesty to dispute or reason upon high points touching the blessed Trinitie to be rapt up to the third heaven as it were by the wings of Contemplation but to addresse our selves to an actuall performance of such offices and peculiar duties as we are expresly injoyned by the divine Law of God Our Lord in the Gospell when the woman said Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the brests that gave thee sucke Answered Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And when one of the Iewes told him that his mother and brethren stood without desiring to speake with him He answered and said unto him that told him Who is my mother and who are my brethren And stretching forth his hand toward his Disciples he said Behold my mother and my brethren For whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother It is not knowledge then but practice which presents us blamelesse before God Therefore are we exhorted to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Not to idle out our time in the market-place as such who make their life a repose or cessation from all labours studies or vertuous intendments Of which sort those are and too many of those there are who advanced to great fortunes by their provident Ancestors imagine it a Taske worthy men of their places to passe their time in pastime and imploy their dayes in an infinite consumption of mis-spent houres for which they must be accomptants in that great Assize where neither greatnesse shall be a subtâ—â—â—â—g to guiltinesse nor their descent plead privilege for those many houres they have mis-spent O how can they answer for so many vaine and fruitlesse pleasures which they have enjoyed and with all greedinesse embraced in this life Many they shall have to witnesse against them none to
earthly respect detained from comming to that great Lords Supper to which you were invited O then in a happy state are you for having honoured the Lord he will fill your barnes with plenty or having acknowledged all good things to be derived from his mercy he will give you a fuller taste of his bounty or subjected your selves to his obedience hee will cause every Creature to doe you service or disposed of them soberly and solely to his glory he will exhibit his good gifts unto you more fully or beene oppressors and made restitution you shall with Zacheus become vessels of election or not exposed your inheritance to riot and pollution you shall be safe from the doome of confusion or not grinded the face of the poore with extortion the poore shall beare record of your compassion or distributed freely to the Saints necessitie he that seeth in secret shall reward you openly or made you friends of your unrighteous Mammon Manna shall be your food in the heavenly Sion or done these works singly and without vaine-glory you shall be cloathed with the garment of mercy or not detained by the world from going to that great Lords Supper yee shall be graciously admitted and exalted to honour Thus to dispose of the substance of the world is to despise the world preferring one meditation of the pleasures and treasures of heaven before the possession of the whole earth and esteeming it farre better to be one day in the House of the Lord than to be conversant in the Palaces of Princes O then yee whose generous descents and mighty estates promise comfort to the afflicted releefe to the distressed and an hospitable receit to all such as repaire to you for succour or comfort minister to the necessitie of the Saints be liberall and open handed to the poore having opportunitie doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith be exercised in the works of the spirit and not of the flesh so shall yee build upon a sure foundation and in the inheritance of Gods Saints receive a mansion Turne not I say you eare from the cry of any poore man lest his cry be heard and procure vengeance to be powred on your head Pitty the moanes of the afflicted wipe off the teares of the distressed comfort those that mourn in Sion The ordinary forme of begging in Italy is Doe good for your owne sakes Doe good for your owne sakes for your owne selves for your owne soules No sacrifice to God more gratefull to your selves more usefull or to your owne soules more fruitfull than to be zealous in all holy duties and compassionate to the needfull for he that in himselfe burnes not in devotion can never inflame another with the zeale of devotion neither can any one shine unlesse before hee burne shine in the works of compassion unlesse he burne before with the zeale of a devout affection So as many though they be Lights in respect of their ministerie or office yet are they Snuffs in respect of their use effect or service Exhibit therefore freely of those good gifts and bounties which God hath bestowed on you and shew your liberalitie now in the opportunate time for as there is a time when none can worke so there is a time when none can give give it then in your life time that you may expresse your charitie with your owne hand and not by way of Legacie for many make good wills which I much feare mee proceed not of good will being rather by the sentence of mortalitie inforced than of their owne charitable disposition affected to leave to the poore afflicted of the world which they so exceedingly loved while they sojourned here in the world And what shall these bountifull Legacies availe them these charitable Wills profit them when they shal make their beds in the darke and enter parlie with their owne Consciences whether this coacted charitie of theirs proceeded from compassion or compulsion leaving what they could no longer enjoy and giving that which was not in their power to give Surely no more benefit shall this inforced charitie conferre on them than if they had sowne the sand for fruitlesse is that worke which deriveth not her ground from a pure intention or sanctified will In the Easterne countries they put coine in the dead mans hand to provide for him after his departure hence The like provision carry these along with them to their graves who deferre giving till they cannot give making their Executors their Almoners who many times defeat the poore or number themselves in Beadroll of the poore whereby they gull the deceased enriching their owne coffers with the poore mans box O Gentlemen you whose corps are followed with many mourners and oft-times inward rejoycers send out those sweet odours of a good and devout life before you dispense and dispose faithfully in whatsoever the Lord above others hath enriched you deferre not your charity to your death lest you be prevented of your charity by death bethinke your selves how you would be provided if that great Master of accounts were this houre to call you before him and make your reckoning with him would you not be glad if your conscience told you how you had beene faithfull disposers or imployers of those Talents which were delivered to you Would not your hearts rejoyce within you to have such a Testimony as the witnesse of an undefiled or spotlesse conscience within you Would it not intraunce you with an exceeding joy to heare that happy and heavenly approbation Well done good and faithfull servants you have beene faithfull over a few things I will make you rulers over many things enter yee into the joy of your Lord If this could not choose but joy you so dispose of your earthly Mammon that you may be partakers of this surpassing joy in the Courts of Sion And so I descend to the last Branch of this last Observation expressing that object of ineffable consolation whereto this Active Perfection aspireth and that spirituall repose of heavenly solace and refection wherein it solely and properly resteth MAN is borne unto trouble as the sparkes fly upward being here a sojourner in the Inne of this world and drawing every day neerer and neerer the end of his Pilgrimage where mans life is the Travellers embleme his forme of living the very mirrour of his sojourning his home returning the type or figure of his dissolving In which progresse or journall of man by how much more the Sun-diall of his life proceedeth by so much neerer the night-shade of death approacheth Yet behold the misery of man His desires are daily to disquiet and disturbe himselfe for shew me that man howsoever affected or in what degree soever placed whose desires are so firmely fixed as his minde is not troubled in the pursuit of that whereto his aymes are directed For to begin with the Highest because his thoughts are
any losse sustained 〈◊〉 they entertaine affliction with a desperate sorrow crying out with Afranius sonne Alas mee wretched or Philotas-like receive such deepe impression or apprehension of their disgrace as through it they are forced to lose the faculty of speech Whereas others like Furius Camillus are neither puffed up with honour nor cast downe with disgrace as his Dictator-ship could not make him too haughtily affected no more could exile from his Countrey cause him to bee dejected Such was the resolution of the ancient Romans who at the disaster of Cannae when their utter ruine and overthrow was rung in every place did nothing unworthy themselves Here you shall encounter with a Iugurth Speaking little but doing much There with a Catiline Speaking much but doing little Here one in all mens opinions worthy of an Empire before he had it but most unworthy when he hath it exemplified in Galba there one much doubted before he have it but generally loved when he had it exemplified in Severus Againe observe you may in the course of Histories how justly God hath shewne himselfe towards such as practised treason against their Princes though they were heathens finde out one of all those who conspired Caesars death in the Capitoll who died in their bed For no sooner had Antonie shewed in his funerall Oration the thirty three wounds wherewith Caesar was deprived of life by his conspirators and erected a Temple to Caesar and sung a mournfull hymne in memory of Caesar then Trebonius and Decimuâ— were the first that were dispatched being of the conspiracie Cassius likewise was killed on his Birth-day who some say killed himselfe with the same dagger wherewith Caesar was killed yea observe the misery of these Assacinates being so unhappy as they could hardly finde one so friendly as to lend a hand to end their â—â—sery For Cassius offered his throat to Pindarus his Page Brutus to Strato who denying to doe it was answered by a servant Votis tuis nec deërit amicus nec servus The like revenge was inflicted on Septimius for betraying his master Pompey The like on the Magi for their treacherous attempts after the death of Cambises The like on Bessus for his disloyalty towards Darius And to descend to later times even within the bounds of our owne nation what just revenge seconded those perfidious Complices Alectus for conspiring against his deare Soveraigne Carausius and that Arch-traitour Edrike for his treacherous practices with Canutus the Dane and breach of allegeance towards King Edmond for seldome hath any State in any age beene so happy as it hath not bred a Catiline with a Catulus a Cethegus with a Curtius a Sertorius with a Soranus a Quadratus and Quintianus with an Aemilius and Coriolanus Besides you shall observe what justice and integrity appeared in the heathen chastising such as would be bribed or corrupted though they were their enemies So as Mithridates tooke Manius Acilius one of the chiefest Embassadours of the Romans and set him contemptuously upon an Asse till he was come to Pergamo where hee put molten gold in his mouth reproving the Romans for taking gifts The like reward had Tarpeia being corrupted by T. Tatius to deliver the Capitoll for having betrayed the gates of the Capitoll to the enemie onely upon promise that they should throw her the bracelets which they wore on their left armes this they accordingly performed throwing also their targets upon her with which she was pressed to death You shall likewise finde there what reverence the Pagans shewed to their Idolatrous Temples and how carefull they were to observe their Countrie rites which they esteemed sacred and what successe ever followed the enterprises of such as committed sacrilege The very heathen observed that after such time as the Grecians once offered violence to the Temple of Pallas that they lost all their hope and never thrived after Lactantius reporteth of divers who were grievously punished for their impiety and prophanenesse towards the gods as namely Fulvius the Censor who for taking away certaine marmoreas tegulas out of the temple of Iuno Lacinia was distraught of his wits Appius Claudius for translating and conveying those sacred reliques which were before consecrate to Hercules within a while after lost the use of his eyes Dionysius who made a jest of Sacrilege taking a golden cloake from Iupiter Olympius his image a woollen cloake being put in stead thereof saying That a golden cloake was too heavie in Summer and too cold in Winter but a linsie-woolsie cloake was fit for both cutting off also Aesculapius golden beard saying It was no reason that the son should have a beard and Apollo his father have none and taking away certaine cups of gold which they held in their hands saying It was a great madnesse to refuse them offered was for these driven into banishment Pyrrhus for robbing Proserpina's treasury suffered ship wrack not farre from the shore Zerxes who sent foure hundred of his souldiers to Delphos to spoile the Temple of Apollo had them all destroyed and burnt with thunder and lightning Marcus Crâ—ssus for taking a great masse of money out of the Temple which Pompey would not meddle withall perished there with his whole armie And here in Albion we reade of Brennus who in his expedition to Delphos was by a sudden hurly-burly or immoderate feare through a noise heard in the bowels of the earth raised indeed by the lamentable shrikings and howlings of the distracted Druids and ministers of Apollo despairing of further successe perished with all his army Whence may be observed how justly such 〈◊〉 punished who contemned the religion of their Countrey robbing their Temples and enriching themselves with the spoile of their gods who albeit they were Idols and no gods or rather Devills and no Idols yet so ill was their successe in all their affaires afterwards as they attributed the cause of their miserable ends to the contempt of their gods But howsoever this may seeme erroneously ascribed sure I am that thus it may be rightly applied that where God is dishonoured his Temple prophaned and religion contemned nothing can be succesfully or prosperously concluded It is wonderfull to note in such evill times so good men as we shall every where meet with in the course of Histories An Aristides for Iustice a Pelopidas for Temperance a Numa for Prudence a Trajan for Patience an African for Continence all which in this Cleanthes Table History shew admirable vertues in a corrupt government Againe reflect your eye on those whose love to their Countrey deserves eternall memory and you will no lesse wonder at the greatnesse of their mindes than the happinesse of those Realmes that enjoyed them King Darius upon a time by chance opening a great Pomegranat and being demanded of what hee would wish to have as many as there were graines in that Pomegranat answered in one word of Zopyrusses Now this
Zopyrus was a right noble and valiant Knight who to reduce Babylon to the subjection of his Lord and Master and defeat the traiterous Assyrians suffered his body to be rent and mangled and being thus disfigured fled straight-wayes to Babylon where the Assyrians were intrenched whom he made beleeve that Darius had mis-used him in this sort because hee had spoken in their behalfe counselling him to breake up his siege and to remove his armie from assaulting their Citie They hearing this tale and the rather induced to thinke it true because they saw him so shamefully disfigured in his bodie were perswaded to make him their chiefe Captaine by which meanes heâ— betrayed them all and surrendred both them and their Citie into his Masters hands The like we reade of Codrus Prince of Athens who according to the counsell of the Oracle sacrificed his life willingly to preserve the Libertie of his Countrey The like did Gobrias who offered his bodie to slaughter to free his Countrey of a tyrannous Traitour Yet observe withall the ingratitude of former Ages to men of best deservings which caused Aeschines say That though the Citie of Thebes and Athens were full of naughtie men yet not so full of any sort as of ungratefull men This felt Annibal this felt Asdrubal this felt African while Asdrubal within must be accused by Asdrubal without and noble African than whom none ever deserved better of his Countrey may begge a resting place for his bones but must not have it Againe it will not be amisse to note the sundry occasions of warres proceeding from the sundry dispositions of men Some strove for soveraigntie others for preservation of their Libertie where so eager was the one of gaining glory the other of defending their Libertie they were many times brought to such straights as there was more roome for beholders than fighters many bearing armes but could not use them No lesse remarkable is it to note what incredible exploits have beene atchieved by a handfull of men under a valiant Leader where by a more particular survey had of their actions we shall finde that observation of Plutarch to be most true Better is an armie of Harts with a Lion to their Leader than an armie of Lions with a Hart to their Leader An Armie being said to derive her strength from her selfe but her spirit from her Captaine In â— word Gentlemen to observe the revolution of times â—he mutation of States the Natures and dispositions of persons the issues and events of things would 〈◊〉 an imployment of no lesse delight than profit conferring the ebbings and flowings of forraine estates with our owne But to draw homeward lest like Messala Carvinus by remembring the name of a stranger we forget our owne there is no History more usefull or relation more needfull for any Gentleman than our owne Moderne Chronicles where he shall observe many notable passages worthy his reading As first how his Countrey was first planted how by degrees it became peopled how to civilitie reduced how by wholesome Lawes restrained and how by the providence of the Almightie in so calme and peaceable manner established Here he shall see a good King but a bad man there a good man but a bad King Againe here hee shall see the State more weakned by civill broiles than forraine warres Securitie being no lesse hurtfull at home than hostilitie abroad Scipio used to have this sentence in his mouth That easie favourable and affable Captains were profitable to the Enemie which though they were beloved of their Souldiers yet they set little by them This shall you see verified in the too much indulgencie of many of our Captaines through which lenitie they made many hopefull Souldiers absolute cowards Againe to note the raising of many obscure persons to great honour as likewise the pulling down of many eminent houses and families would enforce no lesse admiration in us of Gods divine Providence than of his secret Iustice who pulleth downe and setteth up as seemeth best to his wisdome To observe likewise in the corruption of bloud what Noble Families have beene tainted which by the Princes clemencie were againe restored What dangerous attempts and practices have beene undertaken not only to shake but supplant the glorious frame of this Ilaâ—d labouring to divide and remove all succession to this Crowne from the Royall Line of our Princes and to inâ—est forraine Princes therewith where an English King was summoned to the French Kings Court while Normandie was yeelded by us the Welsh invaded us Lewis with a speedie arrivall accosted us and Iohn himselfe was forced to leave us Nay which was more one of the Nurseries of our Iland was displanted for at that time was Oxford of her Students forsaken and abandoned which before for the space of three hundred and nine yeares had successfully flourished so as not onely the State but Learning the sterne of State became much weakned Yet observe how happily this storme was calmed when it was least expected for by the Vicount of Mellin his confession lying then upon his death-bed was the whole practice of the French by a Frenchman discovered which was no lesse happily afterwards prevented For King Iohn being to repentance moved tooke an oath before his Barons that all things should be reformed which the Barons likewise seconded with an oath to confirme his proceedings So Iohn was absolved and that Crowne which he had before resigned he forth with resumed being in this made more happie in that being once so unhappie hee came to defeat his foes make sufficient triall of his friends and recover that by submission which he had lost by his pride Againe if we should but reade and reading consider how peacefull the government how quiet the sleepes how cheerefull the delights were of such as came by lawfull and lineall succession to the Crowne and the heavie Nights troubled thoughts broken sleepes and many tedious houres which those were owners of who came by usurpation to enjoy with little joy a princely Diadem we should of necessitie conclude with Pompey who being combred with his Honour exclaimed to see Sylla's crueltie being ignorant after what sort to behave himselfe in the dignitie he had and cried out O perill and dâ—â—ger never like to have an end For to use one example for all who should but consider the practices which Richard the third used to get a Crowne planting his Kingdome on an indirect foundation Blond and those many strange passages and overtures which happened in his Reigne with those fearefull Visions which appeared to him before his death would certainly set downe this for his rest that it is not what we have without us but what we have within us that procures us peace or disquiet Whence Polydore Virgil upon that terrible dreame of Richard the third the night before Bosworth field in which hee was slaine useth these words I doe not beleeve that these were the