and orders insomuch as Seneca in his time complained Cessero publicaiura priuatis cepit licitim esse quod publicum est Plotinus 1. lib. 4. ca. 1 And Plotinus entring into consideration hereof doth as it were wonder thereat saying what should be the cause that our soules being of a diuine nature shuld so farre forget God their father and their kindred and themselues And making the answere thereto himselfehe saith The beginning of this mischiefe was acertaine rashnesse and ouer boldnesse throgh which they would needes plucke their necks out of the Coller and bee at their owne commaundement By which abuse turning their libertie into licentiousnesse they went cleane backe and are so farre gone away from God that like children being newly weyned are by and by conueyed from their parents know neither whose nor what they be nor from whence they come Plotin 1. li. 8. cap. 4. And in another place beewailing this corruption hee saith The soule which was bredd for heauenly things hath plunged it selfe in these materiall things and matter of it selfe euill that not onlie all that is of matter or matched with matter but also euen that which hath respect vnto matter is filled with euill as the eye that beholds darknes is filld with darknes Hierocles the stoicke against Atheists saith that man is of his owne motion enclined to follow the euill and to leaue the good there is saith he a certain strife bred in his affectiōs which stepping vp against the will of nature hath made it to tumble from heauen to hell The Auncient Philosophers taking consideration of the number of affections and passions wherewith the Soule and Reason of man is infected and corrupted which Plutark affirmeth to be much more sorrowful and grieuous then the bodily diseases endeuouring to reduce and bring those intemperate affections and passions to some reasonable order haue made diuers books of Moral vertues and lawes and giuen sundry rules ordinances and precepts to bring them to obediēce In which their exceeding painefull works they positiuely inueigh against the rebelliousnes that is naturally in vs against Reason that is the rebelliousnes that is crept in by this corruption of nature These rebellious affections passions are not as spottes or staynes that may be washed or clensed out of nature but a deepe impression in nature with much ado to be restrained and held short but neuer vtterly to be subdued or ouercome whervpon it is very fitly said by a man of great learning Seeing that reason is somuch more excelēt then passion or affection as the formes shape or fashion is more excellent then the matter or stuffe wherein it is Whence commeth this infection in vs that maketh the matter to ouermaister the forme and causeth the form as it were to receiue shape and fashion of the matter that is to say which putteth Reason in subiection to passions and to the impression which affection yeeldeth contrary to the order which is in al the world beside What else is this intemperance of man but Reason as it now remaineth inwrought or ingrauen with lust concupiscence what is anger but Reason attainted with choser c. Nō sic suit ab initie It was not so in the first creation The motions of lust anger and intemperance which now rule men against Reason were not in the originall nature of man neither proceed they of the first creation for then would not nature be ashamed of them as you see it now is These motions are crept in since by corruption And therefore the grieuing that happeneth to men by those passions is a working of nature which is ashamed to play the bruit beast There are described to be in the reasonable soule of man foure powers or abilities first Witte secondly Will thirdly an abilitie of being angrie fourthly an Abillitie of Lusting In those foure abilities the Philosophers haue entended to place foure vertues In wit wisdome in will righteousnesse in the abilitie of being angrie valor in the abilitie of lust Staidnesse These powers abilities vertues are maymed And those abilities haue not those vertues Wit is maymed with ignorance Wil with doing wrong Valor with cowardice Staidenes with licentiousnes Besides the outward fences imagination and appetite which are cōmon to beastes man had wit or reason and will of the gift of the creator peculiar to man only by which wee esteeme our selues better then the beasts and in regard therof we look to haue them in subiection vnder vs. And al this Reason leadeth vs to vnderstand But obserue the sequell and we shall find as the corrupt cōdition of mans nature is now that whereas imagination ought to rule the fences will to rule the appetite and Reason to rule the imagination it fareth farre otherwise for imagination giueth way to the outward sense Appetite ruleth will and imaginatiō carrieth Reason at her pleasure insomuch that the very sensuall parte which is the meanest carrieth all the rest and maketh Reason an vnderling nay oft times leaueth Reason quite out and rebelleth against her and so this spirit and reason of ours is forward to nothing but euill nor enclined to any thing saue base and transitorie matters It fastneth it self to the earth and is bondslaue to the bodie To discouer how farre the auncient Philosophers out of such reasons as they had waded into these causes would require a long worke therfore a worde or two Philosophie it selfe is said to be an art of healing the soule of the infirmities whereinto it was fallen from hir first perfection The first step thereunto or precept is Nosce teipsum begin to know thy selfe Aristotle coulde not chuse but knowe that the vnderstanding and minde of man was out of tune when in his Moralls he declareth that the affections ought to be ruled by reason and our mind brought from extreames into the meane and from iarring into the right tune Theophrastus saith that the soule payed well for her dwelling in the bodie considering how much it suffred by the bodies meanes shewing that he considered that corruption was entered into man euen into his soule mind and reason Zoriastres the grand-child of Noa and auncientest of Philosophers bewayleth this laps fall and digression of the race of mankinde crying alas alas the whole earth mourneth euen vnto children And Hermes in his Poemander giueth it a most absolute conclusion where he saith God created mā after his owne likenesse and gaue him all things to vse but man in steed of staying vpon the beholding of his father would needes bee medling and doing somewhat of himselfe and so fell from the heauenly contemplation into the sphere of elements or generation And because he had power ouer all things he began to fall in loue with himselfe And gazing and wondring at himselfe he was so intangled that he became a bondslaue to his body being before at libertie Which bondage and abasing hee intendeth to be in the soule mind and reason of man
REASONS Monarchie Set forth by Robert Mason of Lincolnes Inne Gent. 3. Tuscul Munus animi est ratione vti LONDON Printed by Valentine Sims dwelling on Adling hill at the signe of the white Swanne 1602. To the right Honorable sir Iohn Popham knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell and to the rest of the Iustices of Assise RIght Honorable as Aeneas in his most distressed estate sought succour of Queene Dido So doth reason in her more than halfe exiled condition implore your Honors assistance If there be charitable duetie to defend the Jnnocent from oppression there is no lesse to ayde Reason against the deprauers of her sinceritie and obscurers of her worthinesse Vnder God our most gratious Queene Defendresse of the Faith vnder them both you are vpholders of Reasons Monarchie To your religious honourable and vertuous protectiōs therfore haue J aduentured to present her Dignitie knowing you regard her excellencie no lesse thogh it want glorious ornamēts than Darius did the friendship of Zopirus in his mangled and miserable seeming disaster Patronize J beseech you his labour and pardon his boldenesse that most humbly praieth continuance and increase of honour and happinesse to your Lordship Your Lordships in all duetie Ro M To the Reader THe farre traueller by Sea vseth his Carde and Instruments all his indeuoure to finde out the course of a long and dangerous voiage Wherein the vncertaintie of the thing hee seeketh causeth him often to faile his purpose But in this course which I direct the Reader shall not haue occasion to aduenture any such hazard albeit the matter sought be as precious as whatsoeuer Reason which euerie man should lodge in his owne bosome is it which I aduise to be enquired whereof as men by their originall natures doo participate so ought they by their reasonable Discretions gouerne the whole course of their liues Her excellencie can not in wordes bee expressed which causeth her rudiments to bee so slenderly followed Reason is in the son of God perfect pure true But in men corrupted what is there that she doeth not in some measure search into Her viewe pearceth into the earth and all the Elements The powers of heauen and Angels into all things that may be comprehended with vnderstanding And farther euen into things that are mysticall aboue the compasse of her selfe For though shee cannot reach into the depth of eternitie and the sauing of soules yet she bringeth to the knowledge of God and beliefe in his mercies whereby this saluation is wrought being a mysterie farre aboue the capacitie of men Whatsoeuer concerneth vs either in regard of this present world or otherwise Reason sheweth that it was possible to Gods power agreeable to his Iustice and mercie answerable to his will and promises and beseeming his glory behouefull to manifest our basenesse necessarie for our welfare By her powerfull argument she is able to put vngodlines it selfe to silence wherupon it is fitly concluded that credit is not to be giuen to the outward person but to the diuine thing within the person whereby is meant Reason whose originall purenes is in some measure hereafter discouered That this right Reason is corrupted in men none can doubt if they behold themselues truely what they are in respect of what they should be Wherfore if Salomon therby found out the imperfections of his life and hath not spared to leaue to the publike view of the worlde his errors manifested and the striuing hee had to reforme the same no man hath Reason to be ashamed secretly and priuately in the closet of his owne hart to view his digressions and slidings from reason and indeuor the composing of his actions to the rule and order of Reason Intreating of these things I haue rather bent my selfe to satisfie the Reader out of the opinion of the learned Reason her selfe then vpon any imaginations of mine owne I pray thee therefore take in good part my labor good will giue the subiect wherof I intreate thy furtherance howsoeuer thou mayest bee pleased with the maner of handling And let me desire as Iustus Lipsius in his booke of Constancie that thou wilt reade twise before thou once censure it and I shall be beholding for thy paines and wish part of all Gods good blessings towards thee Farewell Thy euer wel willing friend R. M. Hexasticon amici cuiusdam Dent alij mentis vanae deliria vana Tu Masone tuis vtile dulce dabis Lumine tu coecos moestos solamine vero Imbuis errantes turatione regis Viue studeto vale rationis diuite vena Et dote ingenij perge beare tuos REASONS Monarchie Sect. I. The dignitie of right Reason AS I intend not in this Discourse to meddle with matters of State and gouernement of Countries and Kingdomes being farre aboue my iudgement Yet am I bolde to make some discouerie of the vnderstanding of right and vncorrupt reason and of her excellent qualitie place and condition and the dominion and authoritie shee ought to haue ouer the affections passions and actions of euerie particular man which being truely knowne men may the better containe themselues in obedience and duety to authoritie and commaunde This labour I hold my selfe bound to vndergo by the lawes of God of nature and of my countrie lest I should otherwise charge my selfe with an idle imploying of my leysure Because Reason is a qualitie which euery man challengeth to inioy by a proper and peculiar fruition in himselfe solely by the course of his originall deduced nature from the beginning of all antiquities echone holding an vnremouable opinion that the courses and directiōs which they take in hand proceede of Reason and are warranted thereby Yet for that it is most apparant that corruption is entered into the nature of man and their mindes and reason are impaired from that ancient primarie perfection wherewith the first created man was endued it shall be very necessary that all men very aduisedly and with deepe consideration search and examine themselues concerning this point that finding their errours they may the better and more aduisedly reforme their faultes Right and true Reason as it ought to haue a gouernment generall so doth it teach how to gouerne particulars and by teaching gouernment it instructs howe to obey which is one speciall marke I aime at For if she as the true Princes and Queene beare the Regall and Monarcall place and onely she ought to raigne ouer all passions and affections then no doubt but she hath or should haue many Subiects that ought to be disciplined gouerned and kept in order by her authoritie the repugning whereof is a kinde of rebellion If this be a true position Regnum est parcere subiectis debellare superbos This couclusion must rightly follow that all those either affections passions or fancies which stubbornly oppose themselues against their Prince or reuolt from their dutie ought to be corrected
either melting or taking it in sunder Plutarch in the life of Solon and Lycurgus If it be demaunded what caused Solon and Lycurgus to trauell into Egypt to learne rudiments and lawes to bring their people into a reasonable gouernment It will be answered that the inclination they had to draw rude and confused matters to some reasonable head and order moued them to take that paines The lawes of dominion and propertie of things both reall and personal of mixt and entire are drawne out of Reason and all their braunches ought to bee tied fast thereunto The law of seueritie and punishment are in the nature of keeping the guiltlesse from receiuing wrong and are as a protection for the well gouerned not drawne out of an vnreasonable desire of punishment without cause or tormenting the offender in respect of his person but to take off the offence In the orderly or fit doing of any thing the mind and Reason beginne their work at the latter end and at the effect as in building a house Reason hath laid the whole plot and the cause to what end it is built before any stone be laid In any iourny Reason either hath or should set downe the probabilitie of good to ensue therof What caused the men of auncient time to enter into consideration of eternitie and to search into the difference of things immortall and things transitorie subiect to corruption of the beginning ending of time and of the world and that time is not in respect of God and eternitie but of things that had beginnings and passe with time and whosoeuer shall looke into the workes of Homer Hesiodus Parminides Mercurius Sophocles Aeschylus Euripides and others shall finde that this Soules qualitie of Reason euen out of nature it selfe had searched farre into these deepe matters It is amongst the Philosophers agreed that there is in man a double speach the one in the mind before we vtter it and the other is called the speach of the voyce vttered with the mouth the one priuate the other serueth to publish that which the minde and vnderstanding haue conceiued and determined to manifest The learned translatours of the Greeke word Logos somtimes call it speach somtimes word and sometimes Reason and it alludeth to this Vox praefert animus ratiocinatur mentis verbum ipsa ratio est The voice vttereth the mind reasoneth and debateth so Reason is the very word or speach of the mind And as it is fitlie said that what proportion is between the voyce or speach of the mind the like is betweene the speach of the mind and the speach of vnderstanding the voyce hath neede of aire and is diuided into partes and requireth leasure the minde is indiuisible but yet hath neede to passe from one conclusion or Reason to another But vnderstanding accomplisheth his action or working in lesse then a moment with one only act filleth the Reason and minde that it is constrayned to make many acts of one so that there is such an indiuisible vniting and putting together of vnderstanding mind and reason in the Soule that they may not be parted nor be one without the other For which cause Reason is properly said to bee the daughter speach or word of our vnderstanding That nature and abilitie of working of the Soule which the Latines call Mens the French translators vnderstand to be the reasonable Soule And as there is described to bee in the reasonable Soule working vnderstanding and willing so are not these three liues nor three soules in vs but one life one soule And these are three powers which the reasonable and immortall soule cannot want The like is said of the memorie of vnderstanding or of mindefull vnderstanding to be an aboundance of reason and as it were a hoorder vp of the continuall influences of the minde which minde Auerhos and Alexander tearme the workefull minde which is a power or force that can skill to extend reason from one thing to an other which they also conclude to be vncorruptible euerlasting and diuine and by this Minde is vnderstoode the immortall reasonable soule of man And as a great learned man writing of the corruption of mans nature sheweth that the worlde and all the creatures were made for the vse of man and commending the vnderstanding and reason of man Hee first speaking of the other creatures sayth To what purpose are all their virtues and excellent properties if themselues know them not The Sunne saith he excelleth among the Coelestiall bodies and the Rose among the flowers The beast is a degree aboue the trees But what skilles it what thou arte or what thou hast if thou know it not nor vnderstand it For what auaileth the light to the blinde meate to him that cannot taste sweete odours to him that smelleth not Or what auaileth the excellencie of thy Creation or thy reasonable and immortall Soule if thou discerne not the woorthinesse thereof By the meanes of Reason onely man of all the things in this inferior world can skill of these things and how to enioy them and so of force it may rightly and truely be concluded that they were made for none but for him That is to speake more properly God hath giuen vnto man al and whatsoeuer al other creatures either haue or be and hath not dealt with him barely as with a creature but rather as with his owne childe for whome he hath expresly created this world and giuen it him to possesse and besides gaue him an vnderstanding mind and reason which I so much labour to aduance to enioy gouerne and order the same Yet to drawe Reason a little higher this excellent qualitie in the soule of man by some is vnderstoode to be a religious regard and vnderstanding of God and to walke in his seruice and a continuall obseruation of good things that tend to immortalitie For as death separateth the body and soule for a time so doth the soule carry with it so much of his substāce power quality as it first brought that is spirite life reason and will which it shall bring to the bodie againe at the time of their second vniting Agayne if Reason bee the Daughter Vnderstanding which is a chiefe power of the soule be the Mother then are these co-relatiues and the one can not be without the other The soule cannot be without vnderstanding and vnderstanding cannot be without reason therefore as the soule is an immortall substāce so is vnderstanding an immortal power and reason an immortall quality of the soule The word Logos which the translators of the Greeke many times call Reason or word is said by the diuines to be incarnate by the holy ghost to make the sonne of God the second person in the Trinity whome we acknowledge and beleeue to bee subsisting of a reasonable Soule and humane flesh To whome the Philosophers giue the names of the Be-er or hee that is Wit or Vnderstanding the beautiful and sometimes speach word
wil not sticke to supplant him whome he ought most to regarde The countrieman is neuer quiet vntill hee haue the marchants money and the marchant commonly maketh his match so as he will not loose by the bargaine But whosoeuer obserueth what others protestations vntruths deceits cunnings crafts and collusions are vsed amongst all sorts shall well find that Reason hath not her right gouernement If anie man looke but into the Comoedy that treateth of the Humors of men and the booke of Cony-catching he shall see those errors very liuely and at full discouered Now as the beginning of gouernment is at a priuate man so the first that followeth is the gouernement of a priuate family in which the maister of the house hath authority to impose domesticall Lawes The next is betweene the Lord and Tenants ouer whome the Lord hath authoritie to appoynt ordinaunces and to receiue an othe of fidelitie Then followeth the gouernement of Tithings of Towneships of Citties of Counties so concludingly of the whole state whereof to dilate would be ouer tedious The collegiate and ecclesiasticall gouernements and al priuileged places ought to haue repaire to one head At one is the beginning of obedience and at one is both the beginning and end of gouernement And whatsoeuer is meane betweene those buttols or boundes is the publique state which by reasons rule and law are to be ordered and disposed like as the stuffe and seuerall matters that goe to the building of an house which as they are to be at the direction of the principall woorkeman yet are they not to be lost nor spoiled so is it in the case of gouernment for the ordering of causes and suppressing of disorder in a publique consideration without confusion of any In which publike state many ancient laudable and godly Lawes haue beene made which of themselues are in the common-wealth as the soule is in the body of a man when hee either sleepeth or waketh The life of the law is the minister and officer thereof who should distribute the same to the indifferent and equall good of all It is as the line or plumbe rule whereby the workeman guideth his building vpright Gentle Reader consider with thy selfe which part of this building thou art wherof this maine state consistes and reason with thy selfe if thou bee contented or discontented with thine estate and the cause that mooneth thee thereunto and likewise consider whether that cause be reasonable or not if thou finde no suppresse it set the queene of thy passions and affections to iudge thereof and reforme thine errour which if euery man in this Land would performe her Maiesties gouernment would farre passe the gouernement of Numa Pompilus or any that euer liued If we enter into consideration of the seuerall kindes of liuing things how the bond of nature dooth make them affect the company and fellowship of creatures of their owne sorte to liue together in assemblies with a kinde of pleasure and contentment The beasts on the earth in the ayre the birds and in the water the fishes wherein they holde themselues strongest and most safe as they are gathered together into greatest companies in a kinde of agreement as their natures are expressed by Aristotle and others of like learning It will enforce men to wonder at their owne intemperate gouernment considering that against one beast or bird that killeth one an other of his owne kinde there are thousands of men murthered and vnnaturally slaine by their compares so that among men reason so litle preuaileth that the very sensuall partes rebell against their owne nature Insomuch that men through their vnreasonable actions committe that which the vnreasonable beasts do eschew to performe Had not Reason neede to impose laws to suppresse these disorders In the priuate body of a man if the gangrina take any member which is like to bring the whole bodie to death destruction will not the head the heart and all the rest of the members consent to the seuering that member from the body to saue the rest So in the state of a common-wealth to preserue the principall and generall parts Reason hath made lawes not to respect any particular that shall grow daungerous to the whole and specially to the head which is the life honor of the rest As the priuate man that hath his legge cut off to saue his body hath no pleasure but paine and griefe in losing the same So the good Magistrate hath no pleasure in the death or punishment of the subiect but is rather grieued that any such member should be so corrupted as he may not be abidden to remaine The law is said to be the blood bond of the commonwealth the spirit therof The law is said to be a singular reason imprinted in nature commāding those things that are to be done and forbidding the contrary by which the men of the first world liued without any written law at all Besides the written law the law of nature is a sence and feeling which euery man hath in himselfe and in his conscience wherby he discerneth betweene good and euill The lawe is as the medicine the minister and distributer therof as the Phisition the offender the patient As in some causes though the Phisition do not giue the potion rightly nor the patient haue a stomake to endure the taking yet is not the fault in the simple medicine but in the giuer and receiuer or one of them The wrong is not in the law if thou bee corrected for thy offence but in thy selfe for thine error Many a man being sicke of an ague sindeth fault with his drinke where in truth the fault is in his taste the like may be said of those that cōplaine of the iniustice of the law whē alas it is a dombe thing of it selfe and intēdeth no harme to any but the wel vsing or abusing thereof is the matter that is to be considered The euill disposed wisheth there were no law that he might vsurpe ouer the good or at least he holdeth the law to be ouer-seuere to punish his fault on the other side the honest minded man findeth that the offences against the law are notfully and speedily reformed To treate of the diuers kindes of lawes of diuers Countries and the seueral vses of them I intend not but to leaue a note to men of ordinary vnderstanding that the gouernment of men vsed by the discipline of lawes is as necessary as the life to preserue the body from putrifaction He that thinketh it an easie or sleight matter to put his hand into medling or dealing with state matters making of new lawes or abrogating the old as if they were to bee put off and on like a garment or fantastically changed as the wild humor of some few affect let them consider what Demosthenes said of the decrees among the Locrians that euery Citizen that was to bring in a new lawe shoulde come and declare it publikely with a halter about his
as by the verdict of Twelue men euery cause of some nature must be tried So by the Direction of the Law causes of some other nature are to be descided and adiudged by the sentence of the twelue Iudges of the Land Is it not of worthie consideration a very resonable course that reason hath set downe that the trial of Land shal be by men of the same neighborhood that they knowing the right may execute the worke of the Law Lex suum cuique tribuit the Law giueth to euery man his owne Then the common opinion of them that say the fault is in the law is erronious by condemning the Law for the peruerters of the Law and Iustice of whom there are too great a number Looke further into the true sinceritie of the Law and you shal finde that Reason hath made Lawes to reforme those errors and to punish the offenders according to the qualitie of their transgressions What can she do poore dumbe thing she is not able to speake in her own behalfe and few wil do her right either in woorde or action Comes shee not neere the Court when she punisheth treason to preserue the Kinges person Embrace her and vse her worthily for she is of great honor and the principall worke that euer Reason brought to effect in causes of this world The Souldier and man at Armes will confesse that without the Lawes of warres and martiall Discipline there is no possibillitie of keeping things in order The diuines and professors of holy Writ in all countries and in all ages haue made alowance hereof muth endeuoured the performaunce of some things in that behalfe All the Emperors Monarks and Kings of the world depend hereupon and hereby their gouernments are preserued and kept from confusion the least fraction whereof worketh great anoy as appeareth by the stories written by Cornelius Tacitus of the liues of Nero Galba Vetellius and others in the Romane Empire This consideration offereth it selfe though something abruptly that if the offences errors and transgressions of men in these points did consist of substantial matter as the bodies of the offenders do and were for their vnworthines appointed to bee consumed with fire All the water in the great Ocean would not extinguish the flame This being true it shall agree well with Reason and bee very conuenient that men looke into themselues before it be too late correct their errors whilest they haue time lest in the end for the faults of their materiall bodies and sensuall and loose dispositions their Soules which consist of immateriall and vncorruptible substance bee sett on fire and burne in hel with vnquenchable fire that no water of what abundance soeuer can put out And so hauing drawne to thy remembrance these short notes I send thee to consider for the worthines of the law that Moses from whom the grounds of all lawes are receiued did in his time publish the law to the people himselfe vntill the people grew to great numbers and infinite disorders and then by the perswasion of Iethro his Father in lawe hee appointed ministers and officers vnder him The law put in execution by those officers was not the law of the officers but the law of Moses And the law vttered by Moses was not Moses own law but the law of God Such is our case the multitude of offences and euills committed amongst vs are too great and ouer many for our Queene to order in her person therefore Reason hath set downe meane authoritie vnder her The lawes they put in execution are not the lawes of the Iudges but the lawes of our Queene and countrie The sentence they pronounce is her Maiesties they only giue it a voyce and the maine point is this both the lawes and determination thereupon if they be truly executed and obeyed are the lawes and sentence of God himselfe Was there not in Moses time a chiefe head aboue men was there not a mongst mē one aboue the rest were there not vnder him others that took paines to sit in Iudgement to heare the peoples causes was there not thē a chiefe Magistrate and inferior Magistrates some in authoritie to order and gouerne others vnder them to obey were there not men that sustained wrong and others that did the iniurie was not Miriam that gallant Lady punished with leprosie for murmuring against the authoritie of Moses And is not this the antientest gouernment in the world And was not this a kind of Monarchie Doth not our state and gouernement resemble this we haue the same GOD they had a sole gouernor as they lawes as they had Liuetenants Deputies Officers and Magistrates as they people to be kept in obedience as they murmurers against the head as they If they had Corah and his company that rebelled this land hath not bin free from such but God haue the honor they haue had their punishment as well as Miriam and Abiram If the Magistrates in that gouernment found store of busines to punish offences and right the oppressed our countrie is not altogether vnlike them therein If Moses had Aron for Church matters our head hath vnder her mē authorized for that purpose Behold all these things which cōtaine within them a thousand other branches and consider whether Reason hath not preuailed far in this our country and God bin very fauorable to the successe thereof what impiety inhumanitie and bestialitie were it to peruert the good that hath bin attained vnto in these pointes And what doe the contemners resisters disobeyers peruerters and abusers of this so sacred and holy an ordinance of God deserue lesse then those that were punished in Moses time Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri quibus acquiruntur ijsdem praeseruantur modis by diligence labor studie endeuour and obedience haue these bin brought to order and by the like must bee preserued In which office euery member hath a share the chiefe head in gouerning and the rest in obeying which is a dutie to be performed by euery subiect And wherevnto right and true Reason will leade euery man if he carefully obserue his duetie The omitting wherof was a fault in the time of Saint Paul and Saint Peter The one writing to Titus willed him to put men in remembraunce that they be subiect to principalities and powers The other requireth that men should submitt themselues vnto all maner of ordinances of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as to the superior or vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers and for the praise of them that do well Besides Saint Paul saith in an other place be subiect to the higher powers for who so resisteth the power Rom. 13.1 2. resisteth the ordinance of God With which sayings I conclude desiring that euery man will put himself in remembrance of his dutie in those points and according to his calling beare a faithfull and true heart to his Queene and Country and obedience to authoritie as the key that openeth to all happines and is the closing vp of Reasons gouernement in these worldly causes and a great inducement to eternitie Finis The Minds priuiledge Who can restraine the freedom of the mind Or banish thoughts from grieued harts perplex Or who can shew what limits are assignde To Sorrowes griefes which do poore soules sore vex Mind keepe thee free from euer being bound Fast from ' Despaire and feast on good Content Yet surfet not on too secure a ground Lest Time let passe Remissenesse make repent Seeme not to be but be as thou dost seeme Thy conscience saue what euer thee befall It forc'th not much what other men do deeme Thy guilt or guiltlesse conscience swayeth all In things that taste of good is good delight Thou mansion for thy God to take repose Keepe pretious things wherein he may delight Then secrets all he will to thee disclose In all restraints yet thou art still at large In all exiles thou still remainst at home The secret matters thou dost take in churge Seruant like thee diuine Virtue knows none The pollisht Temple of Dianaes shrine Did not delight the viewers halfe so much As counsels good layd vp in storch-house thine Which will abide the hammer deft and tuch Keepe farre from thee the praue and euil things The sanctimonies for thy turne are fit Thou harbour hast among the Peers and Kings Thy Chaire was made thy maker there to sit Thou cloth of gold of state and richest price To clad thy God the high and mightest one In thee therefore beware let raigne no vice An equall mate thy King abideth none Let none come in keepe fast the vtter gate Deceipt is rife and thou art in great danger Take heede beware there is a subtile mate That presseth in yet ought to be a stranger Shee le offer faire both words and deeds of gaine She saies she will be gone and will but view But keepe her out it will be to thy paine The words she speakes is neither of them true The Bridebed once defilde the Bridegroom leaues It is a place he doth detest and hate See to thy selfe when once she thee deceaues Thy Glorie 's gone thy Honor 's out of date Friend to thy selfe be thou for to be frended Needs curious choise I speake as reason bindeth Faire shews of loue with faint effects are ended When fruitles words shew what the speaker mindeth The matter meant the mind must needs containe That secret is to him that dooh intend Al pleasing words and speeches that are vaine Gainst truths supports by no means may contend That ample walke within so large a field Would well permit my pen a ranging scope But yet my will to Reason now must yeelde To end this cause my Muse doth stand in hope In fewest words but words of great respect The minding well and well affecting spirit Eternizd Ioyes with Angels shall amplect And endlesse blisse by promise shall inherit That blissed place and place of highest blisse Without cōpare Compare what needs that word God hath ordained for seruants that are his Blessed are they that euer serue the Lord. Finis