with so much profusion that she could not endure to lodge but in chambers full of delicious perfumes of the East she would not wash her self but in the dew of Heaven which must be preserved for her with much skill Her garments were so pompous that nothing remainned but to seek for new stuffs in Heaven for she had exhausted the treasures of earth Her viands so dainty that all the mouthes of Kings tasted none so exquisite nor would she touch her meat but with golden forks and precious stones God to punish this cursed superfluity cast her on a bed and assailed her with a maladie so hydeous so stinking and frightfull that all her nearest kin were enforced to abandon her none staying about her but a poor old woman already throughly accustomed to stench and death yet could not this proud creature part with her infamous body but with sorrow She was of those souls that Plato calleth Phylosemates which tie themselves to flesh as much as they can and after death would gladly still walk round about their flesh to find a passage into it again Know you what is to be done to die well Cut off in good time the three chains which straightly bind foolish and sensual souls For the first passage that The way how to be well provided for death concerneth earthly goods seasonably dispose of your temporal Entangle not your hands for so short a time as you are to live in great affairs perilous and uncertain which will perplex you all your life and throw you down to death Do not like evil travellers who stay to reckon and contend with their hostess when it is already fair day-light and that the guid wrangles and sweareth at them Digest your little business that you may leave no trouble in your family after death Make a Will clear and perspicuous which draweth not suits after it Preserve your self carefully from imitating that wicked man who caused all his gold and silver to be melted into one mass to set his heirs together by the ears who killed one another sprinkling the apple of discord and the object of their avarice with their bloud Say to your self I brought nothing into the world nor will carry any thing away no not the desire of it Behold one part of my goods which must be restored to such and such these are true debts that must necessarily be discharged Behold another for pious legacies Another for alms to persons needy and indigent another for my servants male and female and my poor friends who have faithfully served me They have wasted their bodies and lives to contribute all they might to my will there is no reason I should forget them Nay I desire mine enemies have some part in my will As for my children and heirs the main shall go to them they will be rich enough if they be virtuous enough Behold how the temporal should be disposed And for so much as concerneth kinred give the benediction of God to your children and all your family leave worthy examples of contempt of the world of humility of patience of charity procure a full reconciliation with your enemies entertain your friends with sage discourses which may shew you gladly accept Gods visitations that you die full of resolutions to prepare them a place and that you expect from their charity prayers and satisfactions for your negligence and remisness If needs some small tribute must be paid to nature in two or three drops of tears it is tolerable But take away these whyning countenances these petty furies these mercenary weepers who weep not knowing why nor for what they mourn As for that which toucheth the state of your body it would be a goodly thing for you to be wail it after you have had so many troubles in it Go out of it like a Tennant from a ruinous house go from it as from a prison of earth and morter Go out of it as on the sea from a rotten leaky ship to leap on the shore and care not much what will become of it after death so it be on holy land Souls well mortified speak not of flesh considering the state of sin but with horrour Yea we find in the bequests of one of the sons of S. Lewis Count of Alencon these words I will Modesty of a son of S. Lewis the Tomb that shall cover my stinking flesh exceed not the charge of fiftie livres and that which encloseth my evil heart pass not thirty livres Behold how the son of one of the greatest Kings in the world speaketh of his body and would you idolatrize yours Lastly for the third condition of a good death it The third quality of a good death must have union with God whereof our Lady giveth us a perfect example For it being well verified by Theologie that there are three unions supernatural and as it were wholly ineffable the first whereof is the sacred knot of the most holy Trinitie which tieth three persons in one same Essence the second is the tie of the Word with humane nature which subsisteth by the hypostasis of the same Word and the third the intimate conjunction of a Son-God with a Mother-Virgin I affirm the Virgin being a pure creature cannot equal either the union of the Trinity or the hypostatical union yet notwithstanding hath the highest place of all created unions as she who was united to God when she lived in the world in the most sublime and sacred manner the spirits of the most exalted Seraphins might imagine which was most divinely expressed by S. Bernard She entered into a deep abyss of divine Profundissimam divinae sapientiae penetravit abyssum quantum sine personali unione creatur◠conditio patitur luci illi inaccesibili videatur immersa D. Bernard serm in signum magnum Mater mea quà m appellatis foelicem inde foelix quia verbum Dei custodit non quia in illa Verbum caro factum est c. Aug. tract 10 in Joan. wisdom so that she was united to light inaccessible so much as a creature might be permitted not arriving to the personal union of God But saying this I not onely speak of the union she had in quality of the Mother of God being one same flesh and one same substance with her Son but of the union of contemplation devotion and submission to the will of God which alone was the center of her felicity as witnesseth S. Augustine My Mother whom you call happie hath all her happiness not so much because the Word was made man in her as for that she kept the word of God who made her and who afterward allied himself to humane nature in her womb as he would say Our Lady was more happy to have conceived God in her heart and continually kept spiritual union with him than to have once brought him forth according to flesh We cannot arrive at this sublime union of the Mother of God but howsoever at least in the last
due to God ibid. 5 Of the Reverence which the Holy Humanity of our Lord did bear to his Eternall Father 84 THE TWELFTH TREATISE Of Anger 1 THe Origen of Anger its Nature Causes and Diversities 86 2 Three principall kinds of Anger 87 3 The Contemplation of the serenity of the diuine Spirit is the mistresse of meeknesse 88 4 That the example of our Saviour doth teach us the moderation of Anger ibid. 5 Politick Rimedies to appease such as are Angry 89 6 Morall Remedies against the same passion ibid. THE THIRTEENTH TREATISE Of Envie and Jealousie 1 THe Picture thereof 91 2 The Definition of Envie its severall kinds and first of Jealousie ibid. 3 Two other branches of this stock which are Indignation and malicious Envie with Calumny its Companion 93 4 Humane remedies of Envie 94 5 Divine remedies drawn from the benignity of God 95 6 The mercifull eye of Jesus serveth for an antidote against all sorts of Envie 96 7 A Detestation of Envie 97 THE FOURTEENTH TREATISE Of Mildnesse and Compassion 1 THe great misery of Man makes Compassion necessary in the world 98 2 The Essenc of Compassion and how it findeth place in hearts most generous 99 3 Moderate severity is necessary in Government but it ought to be free from Cruelty 100 4 The goodnesse of God beateth down the rigour of men ibid. 5 The Mercies of the incarnate word are able to soften the harshest hearts 101 HISTORICALL OBSERVATIONS Vpon the four Principall Passions which are as four Devils disturbers of the HOLY COURT OBSERVAT. Page 1 THe disasters of such as have yielded to the Passion of Love and the glory of souls which have surmounted it 107 2 Observations upon the Passion of Desire wherein we may behold the misery of Ambitious and turbulent spirits 112 3 Observations upon Anger and Revenge 117 4 Observations upon Envie which draweth with it Jealousie Hatred and Sadnesse 121 A TABLE Of the LIVES and ELOGIES of Illustrious Persons contained in the Fifth Tome MOnarchs 131 David 139 Solomon 151 Justinian 158 Charlemaign 172 S. Lewis King of France 177 Judith 181 Hester 187 Josuah 196 Judas Machabeus 197 Godfrey 207 George Castriot 209 Boucicaut 211 Bayard 214 Joseph 218 Moses 227 Samuel 235 Daniel 241 Eliah 248 Eyisha 265 Isaiah 260 Jeremiah 263 S. John Baptist 267 S. Paul and Seneca 271 Mary Stuart 291 Cardinall Pool 313 A Treatise of the Angel of Peace to all Christian Princes 1 THE HOLY COURT FIRST BOOK Of Reasons which should excite men of qualitie to Christian Perfection That the COURT and DEVOTION are not things incompatible The FOUNDATION of this TREATISE THe wise Hebrews have observed a matter worthy of consideration for the direction of Great-ones to wit that between the bed of the Kings of Judea The gloss upon Isaiah ch 38. observeth also Juxta parietem Templi Solomon extruxit palatium A notable observation of the Hebrews and the Altar of God there was but one single wall and they adde that David one of the most holy Monarchs had reserved for himself a secret postern through which he passed from his chamber to the house of God that is to say the Tabernacle which served as a sanctuarie for his afflictions and an arsenal for his battels They say likewise he left the key of this sacred postern to his Posteritie a key a thousand times more pretious than Fortune the golden Goddess of the Romans giving to it the imitation of his virtue as an everlasting inheritance Achaz was he who stopping up the gate of the Temple Parali 2. 28. clausit januas Templi shut against himself the gates of Gods mercie and thereby opened the passage to his own confusion This is to instruct Princes and all persons of quality that as the element of birds is the air and water of fishes so the element of great spirits if they will not betray their own nature nor bely their profession is piety Yet notwithstanding it is a wonder how the Court where the most noble spirits should reside hath in all Ages been cried down in matter of virtue You will say hearing those speak who make many fair and formal descriptions of the manners of Courtiers that the Court is nothing else but a den of darkness where the heavens and stars are not seen An admirable definition of the Court drawn out of divers ancient Authors but through a little crevis that it is a mil as the Ancients held it always skreaking with a perpetual clatter where men enchained as beasts of labour are condemned to turn the stones That it is a prison of slaves who are all tied in the golden guives of speciors servitude yet in this glitter suffer themselves to be gnawn by the vermine of passion That it is a list where the combatants are mad their arms nothing but furie their prize smoke their carreer glassie ice and utmost bounds but precipices That it is the house of Circes where reasonable creatures are transformed into savage beasts where Buls gore Lions roar Dogs worrie one another Vipers hiss and Basilisks carrie death in their looks That it is the house of winds a perpetual tempest on the firm land ship-wrack without water where vessels are split even in the haven of hope Briefly that it is a place where vice reigneth by nature misery by necessity and if virtue be found there it is but by miracle Such discourses are often maintained with more The Answer fervour of eloquence than colour of truth For to speak sincerely the Court is a fair school of virtue for those who know how to use it well In great seas great fishes are to be found and in ample fortunes goodly and heroick virtues This proposition which putteth an incompatibilitie of devotion and sanctitie into the life of men of eminencie seemeth to me very exorbitant for three reasons The first for that it is injurious to God the second prejudicial to humane societie and the third sheweth it to be false by the experience of all Ages To prove these three verities The Defence of the Court. is to ruin it in the foundations the proofs whereof are easie enough which we will begin to glance at that hereafter we may deduce them more at length For as concerning the first it cannot be denied to be a great injurie to almightie God to strike at his heavenly and paternal providence This is to touch him in the apple of his eye and in the thing which he esteemeth most pretious Now so it is this maâ—ime which establisheth an impossibilitie of devotion the first wheel of virtue in the life of Great ones imputeth a great defect unto the government of God The divine providence is a skilful posie-maker who knoweth artificially how to mingle all sorts of flowers to make the Nosegay of the elect called in holy Scripture Fasciculus viventium It constituteth the different manners of lives different qualities and conditions It leadeth men by divers way
not be possible to God he being Omnipotent Immense Infinite How according to the confession of ancient Philosophers can he replenish all the world with his Divnity and is not able to accommodate himself with enough of it to divinize his holy Humanity Is it because we say it is united to the Word in this mystery in a quite other fashion than the Spirit of God is with the world I admit it For the union of it is truely personal But must it not be confessed the Word in this divine Essence as under title of efficient cause it hath an influence infinite over all the effects of the world and as under title of final cause it hath a capacity to limit and measure all the inclinations of creatures so under title of substantial bound it may confine and accomplish by its personality all possible Essence Why shall we tie the hands of Divine bounty in its communications since it binds not our understanding in its conceptions Is it not a shamefull thing that man will estimate and set a value upon the Divine Essence If God please not man he shall not be God Should we say man is incapable of this communication And how is it that the holy Humanity resisted the Omnipotency of God to the prejudice of his own exaltation since it is found as soon in the union of the Word as in the possession of Essence See we not in nature that the rays of the Sun draw up vapours from the earth and incorporated with them do create Meteors in the air not any one making resistance to his exaltation What contradiction can there be in our understanding against such a maxim seeing it appears the most famous Philosopher said This union of God with man might be very fit and Plutarch also Plutarch in Numa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the communication of the Creatour with the creature pronounced these words That God was not a lover of birds nor other living creatures but a lover of men and that it is a very reasonable matter that be communicate himself to his loves and delights But this would seem to abase the Divinity Hear what Volusianus said I wonder that he to whom this whole Volusianus Miror si intra corpus vagientis infantiae latetâ— cui parva putatur universilas c. universe is so small can be shut up within the bodie of a little child having a mouth open to crie as others What uncomeliness is there if God be united to a little body Have not Plinie (a) (a) (a) Plin. Natura nusquam magis quà m in minimis tota est and Seneca (b) (b) (b) Servitus magnitudinis non posse fieri minorem Senec. Homo quippe ad Deum accessit Deus à se non decessit August said That nature was ever so admirable as in little bodies and that it was a slavery in Great-ones to be unable to be little I wonder the Sovereign Lord of all things is so long absent from Heaven and that all the government of the world is transferred to so little a creature From whence proceedeth this amazement but from the baseness of our thoughts If we said God being made man ceased to be God and were despoiled of his Empire Greatness Essence there would be somewhat wherewith to question this Mystery but when we say God came to Man by inclination of a Sovereign bounty and mercy not leaving himself when we say humane nature is received into the Word as a small source into a huge river and not loosing its Essence is fixed upon the personality of the Word it self is it not to honour the power majesty and wisdom of God 5. In what were the Divinity abased Can it be in doing a work so noble so singular so divine that it deserveth to entertain the thoughts of men and Angels through times and eternity What is more specious and more sweet than to represent to ones self the Person of our Saviour who in himself makes an alliance of all was most eminent in spiritual and corporal nature to wit of God and man verily say I one composed of an unheard-of composition to render the majesty of his father palbable and visible to the hands and eyes of mortals What dignity to behold in the world a Man-God become a part of the world to possess the Spirit of God from all eternity who proposed this person as the end of his communications the bound of his power the first-born of all creatures who held all Ages in breath for him all hearts in desires all minds in expectation all creatures in prophesies The Book of God hath written me In copite libri scriptum est de me Psal 39. 8. in the beginning of its first page said the Word with the Psalmist All creatures of this great universe all predictions and conceptions of these two great books the world and the Bible tended to the accomplishment and revelation of this God-Man who should set a golden head upon all nature intelligent sensitive and vegetative All creatures were but leaves and flowers that promised the great fruit which the Prophet calleth The fruit of earth sublime Isaiah 4. 20. We must religiously speak what deserveth to be heard Religiose dicendum reverentér audiendum est quis propter hunc hominon gloris honâ—re coronandum Deus omnis creavit Rupert l. 13. de glor Trinit proces Spi. Sancti with reverence It is for this incomparable man that God created the world and all creatures are but as silly rays from the Diadem of glory which covereth his head What a spectacle to see them all wound up as the strings of a harp to praise and declare unto men the Name of God to behold the nine Quires of Angels enter into this consort and every one of them to honour this first Essence by so many distinct perfections notwithstanding all to confess their ability cannot reach that degree which the Divine greatness meriteth And thereupon behold here the Word Incarnate which passing through all the spheres of nature grace and glory enter into the new sphere of the hypostatical union where it appears as a rainbow imprinted with all the beauties of the father he manifesteth them to men and making himself an adoring God a loving God an honouring God he adoreth he loveth he honoureth God so much as he is adorable amiable and honourable through all Ages for evermore Let us unfold our hearts in the knowledge and love of the Word revealed Let us adore this great sign this eternal character of the living God for whom all signs are Let us make a firm purpose not to pass over a day of our life wherein we afford him not three things due to him by titles so lawfull Homage Love Imitation Homage by adoring him and offering him some small service directed according to times in acknowledgement of the dependence we have of him by an entire comformity of our wils to his Love
and Sanctity which is an eternal rule that looketh round about on every side condemneth and censureth the works of darknesse For as in things artificiall all the perfection of works consist in the conformity they have with the rule of the art which made them and all their imperfection proceedeth from their recesse from the same rule which without speech or motion declareth the defects of manufactures that depart from its direction so all the good and all the beauty of moral actions is in the correspondence they hold with Reason and the eternall Law As all their deformity and mishap comes from their departure from this same law which is the Justice the Holinesse and Essence of God himself who perpetually stands in opposition against iniquity It is it which he drenched in the waters of the deluge whic◠he burnt in the ashes of Sodom which he swallowed in the gulf of Core Dathan and Abiram which he tormented by the plagues of Pharaoh which he gnawed by worms in the person of Herod which he consumed by ordure and stenches in Antiochus which he punished with gibbets and tormenting wheels in so many offenders which he still tortureth to all eternity sunk down into the abysse of the damned and it is out of which he produceth his glory whence he raiseth his trophies and makes his triumphs to be by Essence and Nature a perpetuall enemy and a destroyer of sinne O magnificent hatred O glorious enemy O triumphant persecution Let us enter with God into this community of glory let us hate sinne as he doth by him and for him let us destroy it in our selves by penance let us destroy it out of our selves by our good examples let us destroy it by a good resolution since Jesus hath destroyed it with so much pain and bloud How can we love such a monster but by hating God And how can we hate God but by making our selves worse then devils For if they hate him they hate an avenging God a punishing God And we will hate a God that seeks us a loving God and hate him after so many execrable punishments of sinne which we nave before our eyes and hate him after he hath offered himself up for us in the great sacrifice of love and patience Is not this intollerable We will employ some part of our life to revenge an injury and to hate a man as if we had too much of it to hate sinne we make a shew to honour the Master and wee kill his servants we make profession to adore the Creatour and we tear his images asunder Where are we and what do we when we make a divorce between our likes to disunite our selves from the first Unity which draweth all to it self by union §. 3 That Jesus grounded all the greatest Mysteries of our Religion upon Vnion to cure Hatred LEt us also contemplate our second model let us behold our Jesus and we shall learn that all the greatest mysteries of his life and death are mysteries of Union to unite us to him to unite us to his Father to unite us to our selves with sacred and indissoluble bands First all creatures of this great Universe were made Heb. 1. ◠Locut us est nobis in Filio quem constituit haeredem universorum per quem fecit secula by the Word in the Unity of Beginning He spake to us by his Sonne whom he hath established the heir of the whole universe by whom likewise he created the worlds Secondly all the parts of this great All were so streightly tyed one to the other that they never have suffered the least disunion and although many seem to have antipathy and reciprocally to pursue each other yet they will not be separated but joyn together in a manner so adherent that he who should go about to disunite one Element from another all these great pieces of the world would infinitely strive beyond their quality to replenish its place worthily and to leave nothing void And it is a wonder that from the beginning of the Aeterno complectitur omnia nexu Tot retum mistique salus concordia mundi Lucan l. 4. Plin. l. 36. cap. 17. world all things are held together by this Divine Tie Concord which in its union causeth the happinesse of the world and those sacred influences of love hath woven eternall chains to tie indissolubly all the parts of the universe All this great body resembleth the stone Scyrus which floateth on the water while it is whole and sinks into the bottome so soon as it is broken This is the cause why all creatures have from all times conspired and do still daily conspire with inviolable inclinations in the maintenance of this concord that the celestiall and elementary world may subsist in a state unchangeable There is none but Angel and Man in the intellectuall world who have made false accords and have begun to sow division the one in Heaven the other in the terrestriall Paradise He who placed it in heaven is banished into the abysse without recovery Joh. 17. 21. Ut omnes unum sint sicut tu Pater in me ego in te the other is succoured by a Redeemer who came to restore the lost world and he in Saint John professeth he aimed at nothing but Unity to make this reparation For this cause saith S. Maximus he united himself S. Max. secunda cent 146. 147. to humane Nature not by a simple union of will of love and of correspondence but by the ineffable knot of Hypostaticall union conjoyning two Natures in one sole Person and by making a communication of all he is to his humane Nature transplanted into the Divine For this he likewise doth daily unite himself to us in the Sacrament of the Altar a true Sacrament of Love where if we will speak with S. Cyril we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril in Johan say that God is dissolved into us as one piece of wax melted and poured together with another and if we will reason with S. John Chrysostome we say He Chrys hom 46. in Johan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giveth us his virginall flesh as a most sacred Leaven to season the whole masse of Humane nature It is that which in us should work that virtue which the great Areopagite calleth a Conformity of affections and manners drawing near to Divinity It is that which giveth the name of peace to the holy Eucharist with S. Cyprian and that which so united the Christians in Cyp. ep 10. 29. 30. Dare pacem lapsis the Primitive Church that they went from this mysterious Table as from a banquet of Love after which they breathed nothing but most pure flames of perfect Vide ut invicem se diligant vide ut pro alterutro moti sint parati Tertul. in Apol. amity whereat the Pagans who saw them cryed out See how they love one another Behold how ready they are to die one for another as we have
wherein their spirits being poured out into an excessive voluptuousnesse the King himself being full of wine and impiety commanded that the magnificent vessels which his grandfather had taken in the Temple of Jerusalem should be brought upon their cupboard which was readily performed and he put them into the hands of his wanton Courtiers and immodest women who mocked at the mysteries of the true Religion That banqueting-house seem'd nothing now but a repair of Bacchanals where Gluttony Love Sport Jeasting exercised all their power and the lascivious devils were unchain'd to induce the ghests to all sort of intemperance when behold a Prodigy comes that changes the dissolute merriments of that Court into an horrible tragedy An hand of a man without the body appeared upon a wall whose fingers seem'd to move and to write unknown characters whereat the King was so affrighted that all his body trembled and his countenance appeared laden with pale colours of Death which spoiled all the sport and caused a great silence in the banqueting-hall Immediately recourse was had to the Sages and Diviners of Chaldea to reade and interpret that writing but they were found alwayes weak in such mysteries as these The Queen Mother had a good soul and retained alwayes some impression of the true Religion she remembred Daniel that was at that time banished from the Court and had in esteem ' his great wisdome and good conversation and thefore as soon as she had heard of the accident that had happened and the great trouble of mind the King her son was in she entred into the hall and spake to him very advantageously of Daniel assuring him that he was a personage that was fill'd with the Deity and that under the Reign of his Grandfather he had given admirable interpretation of hidden things which made him be loved of that great King who fail'd not to declare him the Prince of the Council of the Sages of Chaldea but that the insolences of Evilmerodach insufferable to all the world had driven him from the Court though not from Babylon in which yet he was and that he was the onely man capable to resolve him in so strange a businesse The King received this advice with much joy and commanded instantly that Daniel should be caused to come to him who was retired in his little solitude He is sought for he is found he is brought to his Majesty who entertained him very courteously and asked of him the Interpretation of the words written on the wall promising him that if he would tell him the truth he would give him the purple robe and the collar of the Order But Daniel expressed to him that all these presents moved him nothing and that he aimed at no other honour at the Court then that of his Master whose will and decrees he would declare He puts the King in mind of his Grandfather of the Greatnesse and of the Majesty of his Empire of the absolute power that he exercised over men and how his heart being lifted up against God he was reduced to a brutall life in which he remained the space of seven years till such time as his chastisement giving him wisdome had rendred to him his health and Sceptre After he had prepared the spirit of Belshazzar by a domestick example he told him with a generous freedome that that which he had known to happen to the person of that great King was sufficient to humble him and yet he had exalted himself against the Sovereign Monarch and had caused with much mirth of heart the consecrated Vessels of his Temple to be profaned when he caused his Gods of gold and silver to be praised to the roproach of the true God and that in revenge of so bad an action that hand which he had seen on the wall was sent from heaven and had written three horrible words which are Mene Tekel Pheres that is to say Count Weigh Divide the first signifies that God hath counted the dayes of his reign and hath put a period to them the second that he had been put in the balance of the Sovereign Judge and that he had not been found weight the third that his kingdome should be divided and given for a prey to the Medes and Persians It is a strange thing that Daniel having made so dolefull a prediction King Belshazzar entred not into wrath against him but on the contrary commanded that the purple and collar of gold should be given him which he had promised to the Interpreter of his vision But there will be lesse cause to wonder if we consider that it was a Maxim amongst the Babylonians not to be angry with the Diviners and Astrologers when they foretold any evil to come no more then with the shadow of a Sun-diall that shews the hour or the weather-cock that declares the wind And furthermore this young Prince hearing his Prophet speak with so much judgement and sanctity had him in esteem for a man of God which he ought not to offend and besides that by entreating him with courtesie he hoped that being a friend of the true Gods he might have as much power to turn away the scourge wherewith he was threatned as he had understanding to know it and forced of spirit to foretell it One might also marvel that Daniel who at the the beginning testified that he made small account of the riches and greatnesse of the Court for all that accepted of the purple of the chain and of the dignity of the third person in the kingdome that was presented to him But we ought to observe that sometimes it is an infirmity of spirit not to be able to endure honour when it comes by a Divine disposall and a secret of Providence over us This wise Courtier considered that being of his own nature so farre from all these things they came to seek him out in his solitude and that it was a sign of God that would have it so not for him but for the benefit of his Nation which was much more favourably used in matter of the exercise of their Religion when he was in favour besides that the virtue and moderation which he made glitter in all his actions even in his highest prosperities contrary to the ordinary manner of all those that were then at Court gave more glory to God then if he had been perpetually hidden in an obscure life It was an indiscretion in Belshazzar to expresse so much astonishment and to disclose that prediction by reason that there was a secret conspiracy against him which was plotted amidst those publike dissolutions and the conspiratours were the more animated to the execution of that enterprise when they knew that that Prodigy threatned him The same night they performed their wicked design and outrageously murdered him after he had reigned but nine moneths since his fathers death The principall men of the Kingdome that were of the conspiracy chose one of their complices named Nabonidus who is called in Scripture
to advance Virtue and to beat down vice without reflecting on any of the Personages of these times no more than if I wrote under the reign of Charlemaigne or S. Lewis I must intreat these spirits of Application which know not how to behold a work without making it subject to their own fancies imagining every letter to be the Ecchoes of their own thoughts that if they have any Commentary to produce they would rather make a gloss upon their own Dreams than on my Books We live not yet God be thanked in an Age so miserable that we dare not sacrifice to Truth without a disguise seeing it is the glory of our Grandees that we may openly make war against Vice as against an enemy and not of our party For to speak sincerely having laid my first Tome at the feet of the sacred person of our great King I considered what great and glistering lights there were in all their Orders within his Court which might serve as Models for my Treatise but to avoid the affectation of all compliance with this world I did expresly forbear it my own nature and my long Robe having so far estranged me from all worldly pretences that it would be a disease unto me but to salute a man if he had not Heaven and the Stars to return me for it As concerning the manner of writing which I have observed I shall easily confess unto my Reader that it proceeded rather from my Genius than from Art and though I have been curious enough to observe whatsoever the Greek or Romane Eloquence hath happily brought forth yet I must acknowledge that there is a Ray of God himself which entering into our spirit and mingling with our nature is more knowing and effectual than all precepts whatsoever And this I can affirm for the instruction of youth to those who have demanded my advice concerning the qualities and conditions of stiles It is true I have perused variety of Books written in all Ages and I have acknowledged that the most sensible amongst them have been raised both in their conceptions and their words above the common reach and alwayes without affectation Others have been passionately taken with some fine niceties which are the capital Enemies to perswasion and above all to be eschewed in the Discourses which are made of Piety whose nerves they do infeeble and whose lustres they do foil we may see that those who from the chair do speak unto us either by account or by writing although it be with terms discreet enough yet they leave a less impression on our hearts and sometimes are so violently carried away to serve their own reputation that they forget their engagements to the Truth We may observe some who through too much spirit seek out by-ways of conceptions of common sense and extravagant words and so strongly adore their own thoughts that they can suffer none but themselves on their own paper which is the cause they seldom meet with the right use of humane understanding being the true Citizens of Plato's Common-wealth capable to controul all things but to perform nothing Others there are who glory in a sterility and are willfully angry against God because in some part of the Heavens he placed so many stars These can endure nothing that is generous without snarling or biting at it They conceive Beauty and Light to be blemishes because they are above their capacities Lastly there are some who in their continual Allegations do so lay forth themselves in the praise of others that they make their Discourses like those pictures of Helena which are all of gold There is nothing but Drapery to be seen you cannot distinguish the foot from the hand nor the eye from the ear But I will enter no further into the consideration of our times having learned rather to respect than censure the indifferent Works of our Writers But to speak soundly I never thought it expedient either to perswade unto or to follow the same fashions And as in this work I have not altogether renounced the learning and the ornaments which I thought to be convenient but have inchased them in it so I would not fill my papers with Quotations and strange Languages this Labour being undertaken rather to perswade the Great-ones unto Virtue than to fill the Extracts and Annotations of the Students I have so moderated the style without letting my self loose to the empty language of Complements which had been beneath my Subject that I conceive I have rendered it easie to be understood even to those apprehensions which make no profession at all of learning It is the onely Design that I have to speak so as to be understood perswading my self according to the saying of Philo That Word and Thought are two Sister germanes and that the youngest is born onely to make the eldest known I study more for weight of sentences than for ornament of words pretending nothing to the glory of mundane Quills which we see every day appear amongst so many Authours of this Age who would be more perfect if they would apply themselves to more grave subjects and in some fashion imitate the Sun who being admired thoughout the whole world doth not know how to admire it self Nevertheless it often comes to pass but not to the more lofty Writers who are ordinarily indued with more modesty but to certain men extreamly profane to idolize their own inventions to condemn all Treatises of worth and to esteem that one cannot be eloquent in our tongue if he writes not Vanity or Impureness Certainly if a question were made to judge of the French eloquence the riches of Babylon are not so exquisite that they may stand in comparison with the beauties of Sion As long as letters and men shall continue there shall continue the praises of so many excellent Books which have come from the hands of so many Illustrious Prelates and other qualified persons nay and of the secular State who have exercised their style on chaste and honourable Arguments and worthy all commendation I speak this by the way having at this time no design to enlarge my self on the recital of the number of those able men who have now the pen in their hands nor praise those of my own Robe who have given their holy labours to the publick and who I know may be followed by a great number of excellent Spirits of the same society For that which concerns me I am acquitted of my promise and I conceive that I have sufficiently expressed in these two Volumes the whole reach of my Design for the rest I conceive that the Books of Devotion which are to be made publick ought to be rare and to be very well digested because there is already extant so great a number of them that the number of the Authours will suddenly exceed the number of the Readers Satiety will cast a cloud on the brightest Beauties and though a thing may be very good yet we ought not to surfet
which God so puissantly and highly hath exalted that he therein hath confined his whole power and greatness not being able to create any thing greater than Man-God Judge what a sacriledge it is to do a personal affront to the most immaculate and most virginal flesh of Jesus sitting on the right hand of his Father Eternal August de verbis Apost Serm. 18. Parâ—â— in te Christo cognosce in te Christum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the habiliments of glory and yet carnal impurity would if it might carry thither the effects of its malice Before the incarnation of the Son of God the sins of the flesh were simply sins but after this ineffable union of the Divine nature with the humane they became monsters And you see likewise that the holy Fathers call some by this name and by other tearms full of execration The second reason which much augmenteth the Ancir Concil can 17. Fury of lust Tertul. de pudic enormity of this sacriledge is that not onely it debaseth a nature which God hath exalted even to God but also engulfeth it in an action sordid blockish bruitish reputed so unworthy that the Scripture disdaineth to name it S. Epiphanius searching out the Epiphan beres 55. 67. cause why the Holy Text maketh no mention of the Genealogie of Melchisedeth bringeth a reason from the Hebrews which affirms this eminent man to be born of unchaste parents as a rose from thorns and that the Scripture useth not to name such men in detestation of their sin And verily you see the practice hereof In Genesis Noe abstained from naming Cenes 9. Mâ—ledictus Chanaan of Cham though it were to curse him it seemeth this name of a son marked out by these deportments of filthy sin would defile the malediction it self if it had been pronounced For the same reason the Tribe of Simâ—on is not numbered when question is made of blessing the Patriarchs in Deuteronomie because from this Line issued that wicked Deut. 33. Prince who sinned with the Midianitess In the new Testament in the Genealogie of the Son of God Num. 25. 6. Bathsheba is not called by her own name but by her Eaque fuit Utiae husbands Magdalen in the time of her sin had no Matth. other name but of a sinner It seemeth Isaiah hath Isaiah 14. 20. truly prophesied of such voluptuous people The race of the wicked shall be buried in perpetual oblivion Non vocabitur in aeternum nomen pessâ—morunt Luxury the sin of the heel Some other Interpreters subtilizing this passage of the 48. Psalm Iniquitas calcanei circundabit me say luxury was called the sin of the heel which was not improper yet not for that reason which some in my opinion have without ground invented affirming there is a vein which answereth to the heel that serveth as a fiery match and an incentive to lust but because this sin is low and debased amongst other vices as the heel under other parts of the body and in respect it is tied to the heels which is to say that leaving high and elevated objects onely worthy of the love of men as are virtues and graces it applieth it self to baseness and beggary to a dung-hill covered with snow to a beauty passing away like a dream and which hath no other character of its merit but the judgement of a mad man So the pantables of Judith bewitched the eyes of Judith 16. Holofernes This Ladie was beautiful as a star and adorned as a Temple yet notwithstanding this blind lover suffered himself to be inconsiderately surprized with the heels of a woman to shew that lust is base in all its objects and pretences Behold why some sage Hebrews have written that certain Sandalia râ—puerunt ocules ejus infernal spirits remembring themselves of their ancient nobilitie abhor to tempt men with the sin of luxury as a thing unworthy their thoughts and industrie giving this commission to some other more gross devils and more terrestrial Alas what shall we say if we go about to plant upon the forehead of a nature honoured with the hypostatical union of the Word a sin which maketh even the devils themselves to be ashamed May we not well say if there be a mark in the world which plainly discovereth a reprobate soul it is this seeing it is so impudently opposed to the venerable mysterie of mans redemption The third reason which maketh us believe this Hell of love dishonest sin hath great alliance with hell is that it carrieth already the marks thereof in this world What are they Darkness fire stench the worm disorder Behold the principal liveries of hell all which are to be found in the sin of luxury Darkness because it maketh the soul dark gross clouded with black vapours of folly which extinguish all the radiance of judgement and very aptly it is said of those infamous fire-brands who sollicited the chaste Susanna that they turned away their eyes that they Daniel 13. Declinaverunt oculos suos nè viderent solem Hier. l. 1. adversus Jovinian The fire of it might not see the Sun Saint Hierom hath very well relished this passage of Seneca (a) (a) (a) Amor insaniae proximus foedum minime conveniens animo sospiti vitium turbat consitia omnibus inutilem ipsi novissimum amori facit Si digito aâ—â—gero incendam syloam simul omnem Noysomness Love and folly go hand in hand it is a passion which never lodgeth at the sign of health it turneth the spirit up-side down it maketh man bruitish unprofitable to all and in the end to love it self Fire All those unfortunate lovers speak of nothing else but of their flames they are always in fire like the Salamander they perpetually have the mount Aetna upon their shoulders one of them saith he will do nothing but touch a forrest with his finger thereby to burn and wholly waste it And verily it is a hell-fire which hath gluttony for fewel pride for flame unclean words for sparkles infamy for smoke ordure for ashes hell for center as saith S. Hierom. Noysomness and dishonesty are inseparable companions of the sin of the flesh The voluptuous cannot endure their like and when passion hath cast its fire they are troublesom and insupportable to themselves Which well is witnessed by the many nasty and shameful diseases which never had been known in the world if they had not entered by the gate of this infamous sensuality The worm This sin is no sooner committed but it It s worm hath its executioner attending thereon it hath the worm of damnation which diveth and pepetrateth even into the bottom of the heart of him that committeth it and then especially when he findeth as yet some reliques of a good conscience remaining in his soul remorse to have lost the incomparable treasure of purity perplexeth it perpetually Concupiscence of Appetitus fornicationis anxietas est
corn to the mil who go even into the ocean to fish for habits and attires for them and most times live within four fingers of death to give them means to flow in delicacies Onely death it is that taketh no suretie For whch cause man dieth in his own person and laboureth by deputie If death would a little give way no Great man would die but by Attorney Out alas O the justice of God how equally dost thou still hold the ballance They that would not here labour as men thou makest them take pain like infernal spirits thou dissolvest the sweat of poor paysants in the consolation of their souls and thou seasonest the delights of rich men with care melancholy dolour jealousie envy anxiety terrours and remorse which are able to make them sweat bloud Were there no other proof this manifestly enough declareth to us how odious this curiositie of Great men is to the Divine Majesty and how punishable since its own delights are changeâ— into chastisements Yet notwithstanding I will produce some reasons that the unworthiness of this wicked excess may punctually be touched with the finger which now adays overfloweth the whole face of the earth First I say it is extreamly unreasonable to be desirous Remedies and reasons against excess to live in the world with reason against all reason to endeavour to put a reasonable creature into a condition of life where it of necessity must bely the law of God and its proper nature O Noblemen God would that you enter into the world like othermen as into a vale of tears and you will arrive there as in a garden of delicacies He would that you come thither as to the mynes to dig and you go thither as to a dicing-house to play he would that you make passage into a servile flesh to obey and you will command Is not this a sin against nature Cross of nature Nemo impune nascitur omnis vita supplicium est To come into the world is to come upon a cross to be man is to stretch out the hands and feet to be crucified The first bed that an infant maketh coming from his mothers womb is on the cross He is as soon in a cross as in nature and suffereth this punishment for no other cause but for that he is born a man The Emperours of Constantinople had in their Palace The purple chamber of Emperours Anna Commena lib. 6. Luitprand de rebus Europ Cyprian de patient Procellas mundi quos ingreditur statim suo ploratu gemitu rudis anima testatur a secret chamber which they called the Purple in which the Empresses for a ceremonious formality were brought to bed and delivered thinking by this means to abolish the acerbities which are as it were affixed to our condition But these petty Porphyrogenites so these children of Emperours were called because they were born in scarlet were notwithstanding born with a cross and saluted life as others with tears and groans The children of Kings come al into the world through this gate of miseries they are born as with a diadem on their fore-heads and yet fail not to be natures little prisoners It is accounted a goodly thing to give them guilded cradles and silken swathing-bands This is to adorn their chains but not to break them they are as well captive in them as heretofore the prisoners in India who rotted in poverty and calamitie even in golden fetters It is a decree of Almighty God O Great-ones that you must be born with the cross on your back and you will cancel it if this yet might be practised with some reasonable evasion and mediocrity it would seem more tolerable but now adays this excess is so enraged that it will plant the tropheys of pride and voluptuousness upon the calamities of mankind What is not done upon tables What is not done in apparel Men cloath as if they were always to live and eat as if they should every day die We prepare an Altar to a false Deitie Tyranny of the belly which at this day with unspeakable violence swayeth in the world It is a bruitish god if you desire to know him for never had he an ounce of of brain A blind god who hath no eyes to behold the miseries of the earth A deaf god who hath no ears to hear the complaints of the afflicted A truantly god who hath no hands to take pains An immoveable god who hath no feet to travel on An effeminate god who hath no heart to undertake any good nor courage to suffer ills A gluttonous god Philip. 2. Quorum Deus venter est gloria in confusione ipsorum Tertul. advers Psych Deus tibi venter est pulmo templum aqualiculus altare sacerdos coquus spiritus sanctus nidor condimenta charismata ructus prophetia vâ—tus est who gourmandizeth all An unclean god who polluteth all This false god according to the Apostle is the belly His temple saith Tertullian is the lungs his Altar the panch his Priest the Cook his holy Ghost the smoke of meats his grace the sauces his prophesie that which may not civilly be spoken As he in his person is enormous so is he no less prodigious in his tyranny It is a wonder to see how he hath his officers in every place For him war is waged against the air and clouds birds are disnestled from the Kingdom which nature hath allowed them For him the face of the earth is turned into a shambles For him seas are sounded depths are plummeted ship-wracking storms and direful tempests are ferried over Man willingly would penetrate heaven and delve even to hell to find out new sacrifices for this fleshly and carnal god and himself being alive he is made the sepulchre of so many massacres that it is a miracle how one man can live who daily burieth so many dead creatures in his entrails All this hurly-burly which Gourmandize emptieth the air earth and seas is made for a stomach four fingers broad for which a little bread and water would suffice in necessity and in superfluity the whole world is too little to satisfie We know not what course to take to find out new curiosities for the palate We sup up oysters alive we seek out mushromes we will know what tast hath the flesh of tortoyses and snails These poor little creatures had good cause to believe that their meanness would enfranchize them but sottish and fordid gluttony draweth a tribute from all and I think their tast will shortly be taken with serpents and ravens But let us not onely accuse the belly the eyes devour more than it They are delighted to behold fishes to swim in a sea of sugar to see forrests nets huntings birds wild beasts houses castles fields arms of sugar had licourousness of tast so much power as it hath little brain it would make a world of sugar and then would dissolve it to be
blown up and cracked in a moment but the hell of envy is an admirable hell for it is a voluntary hell where nothing pleaseth and each thing tormenteth a hell which conteineth fire in it and affordeth no light a hell which always hath the worm present and never the remedy a hell which surprizeth by the eies and diveth even into the heart a hell which incessantly devoureth and never consumeth which hath mischiefs without hopes toyls void of repose and torments without mercy which is as the common fever of all the gall of this universe which exerciseth rage and fury which hath the wanness of death without dying and the cares of a disastrous life without life To divert the hearts of men from it I can propose but two reasons the first shall discover the malignity and the other the calamity thereof It is true that all vices are steeped in the venom of malice which should be a powerful motive for those to fly them who naturally love goodness but Greg. Thaum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Seleuc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyprian de◠zelo livore Greg. Niss in vita Mosis envy hath I know not what kind of particular influence which maketh it infinitely odious and execrable S. Gregory Thaumaturgus saith it is a wasp of Satan which stingeth men as the gad-flie doth oxen S. Basil of Seleucia calleth it the mother of murders S. Cyprian the moth of souls and S. Gregory Nyssen a disease of nature a poysoned gall the root of vices the mother of death and a voluntary Phthisical consumption All the ancient Fathers breath out fire flames when they discourse of it and indeed never can they speak enough of it Besides their authority which is of great value reason herein is very potent For we must needs affirm that by how much the more a vice participateth of the nature of Divels who are as it were the patrons of si by so much the more it is a vice and envy is of the same condition for it is the sin by singularity of denomination called the sin of the Divel As in heaven the first was the sin of pride so the first on earth was that of envy committed by the spirit of impurity and S. Augustine excellently saith envy is a vice Sap. 2. invidiâ diaholi mors introivit in orbem terrarum Aug. l. 2. de doct Christianâ meerly diabolical a sin which defileth the Divels and irrecoverably damneth them It shall not be said to Satan in the sentence of his damnation that he hath polluted the beds of men by his adulteries that he hath taken the goods of other men by his rapines that he hath seized on demains and possessions driving away the lawful owners but that he hath envied the felicity of man The same Authour saith on the Epistle to the Galatians that this vice Homini stanti invidisti Aug. in Epist ad Galat citatur in glossa In zelo invidiae tota sua viscera serpens concutit in haec imprimenda quasi pestem vomit hath the property to pour into the heart of men the poyson of the enemie Yea so it is that particularly the infernal serpent when he imprinteth the sin of envy in the heart of man doth turmoyl his very bowels and extreamly striveth as it were to vomit the blackest pestilence which hell conteineth Dicourse even with your self whether the envious be not tainted with a special malignity since that beyond all other sinners they transcendently suck in the breath of the serpent This black malice more easily discovereth it-self in this than in all the other mortal sins which are verily great exorbitancies of nature but they seem to have some pretext which mollifieth the evill The thief robbeth for his profit the carnal man seeketh out his unlawfull lusts to extinguish the fire of his passion the covetous man saith he is upon good husbandry the ambitious flattereth himself with the thirst of honour which hath heretofore born sway upon Altars and so of other sins their malice hath allways some heat of passion of apparence of good to excuse them But the envious what can he propose but a cold malignity a black cruelty a will determinately ill without sembleance of good Yea you shall find many that are in infinit abundanceas dogs couched on hay who will not eat thereof for it is not their custome nor are they willing other creatures for whom God hath ordained it should come neer it Many there are as Tantalus ever in the middest of fountains yet drink not and perpetually beholding him with a jealous eye that would tast therof The fable of the two envious men so celebrated is not feigned we too much approve it in our manners For it being permitted them to choose what each would aske on this condition that his request being allowed him his companions share be doubled the first who was extreamly covetous had all his desires fixed in the earnest demand of gold and silver but discoursing with himself that by asking he should doe a pleasure to another this onely consideration stayed him and never would he afterward open his mouth to make such a request the other made choise to loose one of his own eyes that his companion might have it doubled and be deprived of both How many are there at this day in the world who embarked with their enemies in the same vessel care not to perish so that they dying may glut their eyes with the death of those whom they hate A most strange malignity to forget the preservation of ones own person to which we are by nature streightly obliged to ruin another The eyes of Gorgons the hissing of serpents the aspect of basilisks are nothing in comparison of an enraged Courtier when he beholdeth him to be carried on the wings of favour whom he would gladly see utterly confounded without recovery Doe we not behold the eyes of a dog when the fortune of another is envied and the heart of a stag when question is made of the works of courage Where are not men to be seen who devour one another alive with mischievous aspects and carry even on their foreheads the gall of their envenomed hearts Where are not such malign spirits to be found who play at fast and loose thrusting him in an instant down to the lowest part of the wheel who was at the top At the Court all things most commonly fall short but malice and envy It is verily the extremity of misery when great ones doe with an open ear too much grace the designs of the envious making themselves as it were instruments of a furious pancher for the ruin of the innocent If we ought to stop our ears with wax among the songs of Syrens here we have need to have them all of diamond What can the envious man expect from this diabolical malice but the reward of Cain in the separation from the sight of God and perpetual affrightments O Cain
by the gate of infidelity could not raign but in the disastrous miserie of his Countrie Although Hircanus should yield up his right be were dispensable in this his modesty The more unworthy he should esteem himself to rule the more were his worth The glorie which he endeavoured to decline in the undervaluing of his own person would wait upon him even to his tomb Yea should they object to him his great sweetness facility of nature it were more suitable to the piety and gentleness of the Jews If doves were to choose themselves a King they would rather have a statue than a spar-hawk This wilie spirit by such like remonstrances quickly found much credulitie partly in the minds of those who affected innovation partly amongst such as were guided by justice but all saw not how under the colour of publike good he sought to raise a Monarchie for himself or his heires He thus having already put the iron into the fire gained the heart and opinion of Hircanus by all kind of observances and restimonies of amitie which was a matter not hard to do this Prince suffering himself to be governed by those who made shew of any the least affection towards him Behold him now as Cunning of Antipater Procurator Tutor and Master of this flexible spirit whom he so under pretext of friendship possessed that the actions of Hircanus sought no other issue no other extent but as they were guided by the thought and counsels of Antipater Notwithstanding when he proposed to him to make war against his brother to repossess himself of the Royal Throne he found his heart all of ice was fain to use his best endeavour to enkindle him by reason of the excessive coldness of nature In the end he on day plainly discovered to him That this abrenunciation of rule which he had transacted with his brother was a thing incompatible with his honour and life What eye would not be dissolved into tears to behold him despicable and wretched whilst his brother lived in all superabundance and pomp It were to confound the Laws of nature it were to authorise tyrannie to say that little theeves should live in fetters and Aristobulus who had usurped a Kingdom sit in silken robes and resplendently glitter in diamonds That a Kingdom was a shirt which never was to be put off but with life That they were tales of lasie Philosophers to affirm that Diadems were tissued with thorns their Rubies and Diamonds never having pricked any man The life which Hircanus then led was good for a Religious Essean but not for a King To conclude that the people desired with passion to see him reestablished in the throne of his Ancestours He plied the ear of the Prince with so many forcible words that he already began to gain him but yet found himself combated by two powerfull reasons the one was his oath by which he had renounced principalitie and the other his weakness From the oath Antipater absolved him saying he had sworn to a sin and that there was no obligation to execute it For inabilitie he made overture unto him of Arabian succours which he had in his power So that finding him wavering upon this wicked passage he cast into his soul black jealousies of his brother as of him who after he had usurped his estate would enterprise on his life counterfeiting conspiracies framed against him with so much art that Hircanus yielded himself up and gave him an absolute commission to make war or peace as best pleased him This concluded the apple of discord is cast Antipater faileth not to solicite Arethas the Arabian King who cometh with a huge Armie to fall upon Palestine not without barbarous hostilities and lamentable desolations even to the neer straitning of Aristobulus and the holding him besieged in Jerusalem the capital Citie of his Kingdom But as the greatest serpent devoureth the lesser it Pompey in Palestine happened about the time of these undertakings the Romans under the conduct of Pompey the Great making their Eagles to glitter in Syria and leading an Armie of fire before which the pettie Kings were but as chaff forced the Arabian to retire into his kingdom they marching in all parts victorious and undertaking to give law peace and war to whom they pleased The two brothers fail not to seek the gracious favour of the Roman every one in his own way with their best endeavour well seeing that therein was the main of the business Aristobulus as the more free couragious and royal found in the very beginning most favour having presented to the Roman amongst other largesses a golden vine one of the most curious workmanships of the world which was afterward seen to serve as an ornament in the Capitol In the end behold the two brothers contesting at the feet of Pompey to plead not for a meadow or a wine-yard but for a Kingdom little considering that putting their fortune into the hand of a stranger who had no other law but his own ambition under the shadow of arbitration he would fix his tallons Antipater beholding from the beginning the ballance to bend towards Aristobulus as unto him from whom the Romans had most cause to hope readiest service for their pretences spared not to disgrace him to lay aspersions on him to cast the Romans into a distrust of his spirit and perpetually play the sleeping dog before Pompey in such sort that Aristobulus forseeing well that this pernicious man abusing the name and weakness of his brother sold them both to the Romans stood upon his guard having more animositie than abilitie to resist the armie of a vast Empire The poor Prince shrinking under the burden of such an enterprise is taken put into fetters with two of his sons and as many daughters and was lead to Rome to serve as a sport in Pompeys triumph Jerusalem is Aristobulus prisoner Jerusalem tributary made tributarie the High-Priests place given to Hircanus and all authoritie in the hand of Antibater It was a spectacle which drew tears even from those who before loved not Aristobulus to behold this unfortunate King in fetters with the Princes his sons and those much to be deplored Princesses his daughters all heires of their fathers miseries who left their countrie where they had flourished with so much honour to seek amongst tedious and irksom voyages both by sea and land servitude or death which ever is the ordinarie vow and prayer Antipater established of the wretched Antipater as yet all bloudie gathered the Palm of this victorie and establisheth his little Monarchie which he a long time had plotted Hircanus resembled an old sepulchre which retaineth nothing but a bare title all was acted by him in apparance and nothing for him in effect the other entertained and courted the Romans with his money gave presents sent and received Embassadours practised supports gained correspondencies corrupted powers ruined resistances which opposed his greatness and made this poor High-Priest
the person of the good Patriarch Flavianus by express letters What doth not a playstered sanctity for the subversion of the simple What doth not a bad servant when once he possesseth the easie nature of his Master Pulcheria who some years before had seen the heresie of Nestorius to arise and had partly stifled it when she was in the manage of affairs by her excellent direction never was deceived in the choice of a side but most constantly tied herself to the doctrine Great prudence to stick to Altars and the true Church of the See Apostolick That gave a particular benediction to all her enterprizes and made her sway in the peoples hearts as she caused true religion to flourish on Altars All the Eastern and Western Clergie esteemed her and lent their assistance to maintain her authority which was no little support All those who have sought to strike these Powers have therein lost their endeavours And very well Aristobulus King of the Jews one of the greatest States-men who had governed that Kingdom being upon his death-bed freely confessed the foulest fault he had ever committed in matter of policie was to have opposed the Pharisees who then had lawfull authority over affairs of Religion and gave his wife Alexandra counsel to practise and hold good intelligence with them by all possible means The very same which he advised out of reason of State Pulcheria practised by consideration of piety and ever held herself firm on the rock of S. Peter as it it is said the mothers of pearl fix themselves to rocks during the tempest If the wicked Eutyches had appeared in her time she had consumed his heresie as the ice of one night under the rays of the Sun but it was then the kingdom of darkness Chrysaphius perpetually besieged the ears and heart of the Emperour Theodosius disguising all affairs to him according to the sway of his own passion He drew along with him the good Eudoxia who became too curiously intelligent in matter of religion and lost herself to follow rather the aims of her pregnant wit than the tracks of holy humility more agreeing to her sex Pulcheria who understood all this goodly business was much perplexed to see her brother and sister in law after they had shaken off the yoke of her good precepts to fall into a little apostacie and not being able to get access to talk with them she made the apple of her weeping eyes speak to God in continual prayers She wrote to Rome sometime to the Emperour Valentinian her cousin sometime to Eudoxia the Younger his wife daughter of our Eudoxia sometime to Pope Leo himself solliciting them for the reduction of these poor wandering sheep she every where disposed squadrons of religious persons to force God with the arms of prayers All the powers of Heaven and earth conspired at that time The battery was strong enough to move a heart that never yet was obdurate In the end Theodosius awakened as out of a long Theodosius awakened sleep opened his eyes and with horrour saw the precipice whereinto he was ready to fall He detesteth the disastrous Eutyches and leaveth him to the censures of the Church Pulcheria four years after her banishment returned in triumph to the Court with the general applause of all sorts Her first care was to seize on the person of Chrysaphius and by form of justice to send him into the other world that he might no longer trouble this wherein she shewed that living otherwise as a bee in the delights of virginity she had not so much honey but withal a sting The poor Eudoxia well perceived her Mistress was returned and her heart bled to behold this change She no longer remembred the condition of Athenais and she who before would not be but under the feet of Pulcheria could not endure her now by her sides It is a strange thing how the ayr of the Court doth as it were necessarily breath ambition These two pure souls which seemed in the beginning as an Ancient hath said able to abide together in the eye of a needle when they were in concord found the whole world in their discord too little for their separation Eudoxia tyred with the many revolutions of Court returneth to Jerusalem as a Pilgrim with a great oath never to set foot again in Constantinople and verily she had her tomb in Palestine as we shall see anon Theodorus in the collection of his history insinuateth to us that she never undertook this voyage till the death of the Emperour Theodosius her husband which happened shortly after You would have said that his good sister was come of purpose to dispose his soul for this passage He was about fifty years His death of age and had already ruled fourty three years with a most happy reign had not this apple of discord been which outragiously disturbed the peace of his Court and steeped his life in many acerbities That which is read most probable of his death is that riding a hunting at full speed and falling from his horse he hurt the reins of his back so that of necessity he must be carried back to his Palace in a litter at which time he plainly saw his last hour approched and signed his innocent life with the seal of a death truly Christian A Prince in all things else of a most sincere life religious learned mild courteous patient in whom nothing could be blamed but the over-much facility of his nature which many times made his heart of wax to be moulded in the hands of those who were nearest unto him and this was in a manner the cause of his ruin But it was well for him he betook himself firmly to the good counsels of his sister who dearly loved his good and aimed at nothing but the glory and repose of his Empire We have here inserted his Pour-traicture and Elogie IMP. F. AVGVST THEODOSIVS MINOR FLAV. THEODOSIUS JUNIOR ARCADII ET EUDOXIAE FILIUS OCTO ANNORUM PUER ORIENTALE CEPIT IMPERIUM ET PER ANNOS QUADRAGINTA TRES PULCHERIAE SORORIS AUSPICIIS ARMIS ET LEGIBUS FAELL CITER ADMINISTRAVIT PRINCEPS DE MELIORI NOTA CHRISTIANUS VITAE INTEGERRIMAE DIVINIS LECTIONIBUS INTENTUS PATIENTIA ET CLEMENTIA SUPRA CAETEROS CLARUS OBIIT CONSTANTINOPOLI ANNO CHRISTI CDLII AETATIS XLIX Upon the picture of THEODOSIUS A Scepter free from pride a goodness sweet A life not feign'd but where true graces meet As Zeal he for sole favour did advance So Heav'n his shield became the Cross his lance HE had no male issue by his wife Eudoxia and Marriage of Pulcheria and new government the Empire might not fall to the distaff which seemed to invite these two Princesses who till this day had swayed in government to sound the retreat But Pulcheria was become very necessary for the state and as yet had not lost the appetite of rule Theodosius having cast his eyes by the advise of his Councel upon Martianus
answered their desires For in this second Volumn I treat of the Courts of Constantine the Great the two Valentinians Gratian Theodosius the Elder Theodorick in Boetius his cause Clodoveus Clotilda Levigildus Hermingildus and Indegondis in such sort that I have selected the principal sanctities of Great-ones in the first six Ages of Christianity which will not be sleightly valued by those who better love to finish a Work than unboundedly distend it Moreover also to be better than my promise in my first Volumn having taken the Court in general I here descend into particulars and there being four sorts of persons which compose the life of Great-ones that is to say the Prelate the Souldier the States-man and the Court-Ladie I have made a brief Table of the conditions necessary in every state couched in four discourses pursued with as many Books of Histories which contain excellent models of virtues proper to all orders and states of life in persons most eminent I can assure my Reader these Summaries of Precepts which I have so contracted in so few words it being in my power to enlarge them in divers Volumns are not unprofitable and the Histories are so chosen that besides their majesty which unfoldeth the goodliest affairs and passages of Empires in the beginning of their Christianity they have also a certain sweetness which solid spirits shall find as much to transcend fables and modern eloquence as the satisfaction of truth surpasseth the illusions of Sorcerers You shall perpetually therein observe a large Theater of the Divine providence wherein God himself knoweth I have no other aim but to dignifie virtue and depress vice without any reflection upon the persons of these times no more than if I wrote in the Reign of Charlemain or St. Lewis I heartily entreat all those spirits of application who cannot hold their nose over a piece of work unless they find it to suit with their own fantasies imagining that all literature is the eccho of their own thoughts that if they have any Commentary to produce they would rather make glosses upon their own dreams than my Books We are not as yet God be thanked in so miserable an Age that we dare not offer sacrifice to truth without a disguise since it is the glory of Great-ones openly to wage war against vices as their greatest enemies For to speak truly after I had presented my First Tome at the feet of the sacred person of our great King I likewise considered in his Court rich and resplendent lights in all orders which might serve as models for my Treatises but to avoid affectation of all worldly complacence I have purposely declined it my nature and habit having already so alienated me from all worldly pretences that it would prove painfull to me to court any man if he had not Heaven and the Stars to give me for reward For so much as concerneth the form of writing observed by me in this Second Volumn I will truly confess to my Reader that I have therein proceeded rather guided by my proper Genius than art or cunning And although I heretofore have been curious enough to read and observe all what ever Greek or Roman eloquence hath produced of worth yet I confess there is a certain ray of God which encountering with our spirit and mixing with nature is more knowing than all precepts and I may affirm this for the instruction of youth which hath asked my opinion concerning the qualities and conditions of stile True it is I have handled many books written in all Ages and have found the wisest of them to be elevated in conceits and words above the ordinary strain but always free from affectation Others are so passionately enamoured of certain petty courtships of language which are capital enemies of perswasion and which we most especially ought to avoid in discourses of piety the nerves whereof they weaken and blemish the lustre since even those who speak to us out of Chairs by word or writing although in terms discreetly modest make the less impressions on our hearts and many times so seek after their own reputations as they forget how much they are engaged to truth We see some who through over-much wit search out strange ways conceptions different from common understanding words extravagant and in all other things so vehemently adore their own imaginations that they cannot endure any but themselves in paper which is the cause they very seldom meet with the habit of humane understanding as being true Citizens of Plato's Commonwealth of ability to controle all and to do nothing Some glory in barrenness and would willingly be displeased with God that he hath more plentifully sown stars in some parts of the Heaven than in others They can brook nothing that is generous without snarling at it and taxing it supposing beauties and splendours are defects because they surpass their capacities Finally there are some who so furnish themselves with the worth of others ceaseless allegations that they frame discourses like to those Helena's all of gold where we can behold nothing but drapery not being able to distinguish the hand from the foot nor the eye from the face I enter not into the consideration of our times having learned rather to regard the Works of the meanest Writers than censure them But to speak sincerely I never thought it fit to advise or pursue such courses And as in this Work I have not wholly declined learning nor ornament of language which I supposed apt for the purpose endeavouring many times to enchase them with seemly accommodation so have I been unwilling to replenish my leaves with Authours and forreign tongues this being undertaken rather to perswade virtue among men eminent than to fill the common places of young Students I likewise have so intermingled my style that not descending into a petty language of complement which had been below my subject I thought to make it intelligible yea even unto those who make no profession of arts or study My onely aim is to speak and to be understood perswaded thereunto by the saying of Philo That speech and thought are two sisters they youngest whereof is created that the eldest may be known I have more laboured upon the weight of sentences than ornaments of words not at all pretending to the honour of earthly pens which we daily behold to grow in so many Authours of this Age who would be much more absolute did they apply themselves to graver subjects and in some sort imitate the Sun who affording admiration to the world hath none himself Notwithstanding it often happeneth not with the most eminent Writers who ordinarily are endowed with much modesty but certain extreamly profane wits to idolatrize their own inventions to condemn all treatises of worth and value that it is impossible to be eloquent in our language but in the expression of vanities and impurities Truly if question were made to judge of French eloquence the riches of Babylon are not so exquisite as
must return to these kind of spoils to content us But we have to do with few things and for a little space I swear unto you that from the time I betook me to this retirement it hath seemed that all the elements were for me and that I never was more powerfull more rich or contented I have found all that which I sought for health repose truth wisdom arts and the Gods Go not now about to colour your specious oration with pretexts of the publick good I well know where your ambition itcheth believe me he is nearest to heaven who least careth in whose hands the earth is What importeth it that young Constantine Maxentius and Licinius divide the world I shall see them strive together like arâ—s about a grain of earth If the world must be lost as it is very likely I had rather it were in their hands than mine I very well see the Empire is sick to the death I have for saken it like an old Physitian wil hear no more speech of it than of a body in the coffin Believe me neither you nor I can do any thing for its health but to witness our inability All those who have admired our resolution in forsaking the Diadem wil be the first that will cast the stone against our inconstancy if we weakly go about to require again that which we so generously have abandoned God forbid I should enter into a fantasie to despoil my self of a glory that never any one Monarch had before me which is the contempt of a world when I had it in mine hands If you be resolued to loose your self do it without company your frindship ought to pretend nothing upon me to the prejudice of mine honour and conscience And whereas you propose unto me the danger of my person I do not think that envy will extend it self over the coleworts and lettice of this little garden planted by mine own hands and should they come thither I have already lived long enough according to the course of nature enough to satisfie the desire which I had if glory and too much to see the miseries of the world I will not think much to render up this life which I have upon my lips to him who gave it me We must needs say this man had a great understanding and goodly Maxims For had not mischief given him the spirit of a hangman against Charistianitie he might be accounted in the number of the greatest Emperours Maximian was much amazed at the constancy of his resolution Notwithstanding the desire he had to return to his former honour being insatiable he spared not to take the purple again and bear himself as Emperour protesting it was the desire of publick good which put the Scepter into his hands It is an admirable thing how his ambition was Maximian the baloon of fortune discountenanced He who promised himself much respect was hissed at by the souldiers as a man vain unconstant and shallow was chased out of Italie and Sclavonia and other places which he sought to possess and reduced as it were to such terms as to see himself at the mercy of his son which he apprehended as the last of his afflictions Although some have thought there was collusion between the father and the son for the accommodation of their affairs He wished now to be in the bottom of a cave with his Diocletian but since he had begun the play he must finish his act The subtil man who well foresaw that Maxentius a brain-sick Prince was upon ruin resolved to league himself firmly to the fortune of Constantine Behold why being retired in haste towards him having engaged his house in the Empire it was not difficult for him to find access there as also for that the new Emperour in this great concourse of arms and affairs was very willing to make use of the counsel of a man refined in policie Maximian entereth so far into the heart and judgement of Constantine that to tie him the more to himself and wholly cement up his own affairs he gave his daughter Fausta in marriage to him whom the young Prince espoused in his second wedlock having first of all been married to Minervina by whom he had two children Crispus and Helena This marriage of Fausta was solemnized with much magnificence and the son rendred so much honour to his father-in-law that he seemed to retain nothing of the Empire but the name and habit dividing with him the rest of his power We may well say the spirit of Maximian was turbulent 3. Disposition and insupportable for not satisfying himself with all this excellent entertainment he thought he was nothing if he wore not upon his forehead the Diadem which he had forsaken He began to set things in order at the Court and to prepare factions in such sort that he seemed to have no other purpose but to set his son and his son-in-law together by the ears to enjoy both their spoils In the end he put his design very far upon the fortune and life of Constantine being as he was vain to talke of his enterprizes namely to his daughter Fausta whom he esteemed to be of a good disposition he opened himself so much to her that he made as saith the Wiseman of his lips the snare of his soul For the young married wife having more affection in store for her husband than her father and who having already the tast of Empire would not yield it up to him to whom she had owed her birth hastened to tell all to Constantime advising he should take heed of his father-in-law and that he was a wicked man who would if it were possible deceive all the Gods of Olympus for the desire he had to reign Maximian well perceiving that his daughter had discovered the plot and that there was no further safetie for him at the Court of his son-in-law secretly stole away and endeavoured to regain the East but was taken tardy at Marsellis and there strangled to give an end to his life all his designs Some have written that he hanged himself through despair of his affairs others that it was by the commandment of Constantine Others have said that his son-in-law Eusebius was willing to save him but the publick hatred born against Maximian prevented clemency which I think the more probable Verily I would not disguise the exorbitances practised by Constantine before his entrance into Christianity for he cannot be justified upon some disorders But since Zosimus the historian who pardoneth him in nothing chargeth him not with this death I see no cause why we should accuse him Behold the desperate end of Maximian after he Victor Nazarius Non omnia potes Dij te vindicant invicem had persecuted the Church embroiled Empires all armed the whole world by the extravagances of his ambition an infamous halter taketh a little air from him which he thought he could not freely enough breath whilst
a scarcity of Writers who have handled this subject I will endeavour to render it as little irksom in stile as it is profitable in matter As for the first quality I have observed in him which is his great Nobility it is certain he summed up a thousand years since his Ancestours began to be resplendent with singular lustre in the Citie of Rome which is no small space to say that ten Ages which waste rocks and wear elements had not altered the honour of this great Family He was descended from the house of those great Manlii whose hearts extended as far as the Roman Empire The most celebrated amongst them named Marcus Manlius defended the Capitol against the Gauls in the extream necessity of the Romans and redeemed as it were from the abyss the Citie which God had chosen to command over so many nations He was a man truly valorous who wanted nothing but to have been born in an ample Kingdom and not in a Republick jealous of the greatness of its subjects For he having too much courted the People to the prejudice of Magistrates was accused to have sought a change of government and was precipitated from the Capitol which he had defended to the end the theater of his glory might be turned into the scaffold of his punishment Never could any thing be seen more deplorable than this brave Captain when pleading his cause where he was upon question of his last unhappiness having produced about four hundred Citizens delivered from great necessities by his means then thirtie spoils of noble enemies whom he had slain with his own hand then ten Crowns then fourty other prizes of valour as he beheld the incensed Judges much enclining to his ruin he shewed his naked breast as yet covered over with honourable scars received in so many great battels for his Countrey and then turning his eyes his up-reard hands to heaven towards the Capitol he prayed the Gods to give the People of Rome the same understanding for the preservation of his person that they had afforded him for the safety of the Weal-publick in the defence of the Citie of Rome This spectacle was so ravishing that it was impossible to condemn him in sight of this noble fortress which subsisted not but by his valour but his enemies causing him to be carried into another place exercised a heavy judgement and an act odious to posterity which was attended by great sterilities and pestilences attributed to the death of this noble personage The other Manlius very eminent was he who slew in single combat the Captain of the Gauls in sight of both the Armies For this man advancing himself on a bridge assailed and defended by both parts challenged aloud the most valorous among the Romans to combat man to man which being understood Manlius slowly came forth with the leave of his Dictatour and having well observed his adversary who immeasurably braved it he struck him so nimbly that he fell down stark dead in the list then taking his chain off all bloudy he hung it about his own neck from whence he was surnamed Torquatus which title did afterward likewise remain unto his whole posterity The third of this race much renowned in histories by an act one of the severest ever exercised was that Torquatus who caused his sons head to be cut off for having charged and vanquished his enemy without leave The young mantickled with the honour of his Ancestours seeing a fair occasion to fight took the opportunity And not expecting the permission of his father overthrew the enemies of the Roman people in killing with his own hands a man of note in single combat whereupon full of joy he returneth with the applause of the souldiers and hasteneth to seek out his father who commanded the Army bearing in his hands the spoils of his enemies and saying aloud Father behold the cause why I may be esteemed your son But the father turning his eyes away caused the trumpet to be sounded to gather all the souldiers together and in the middest of a great Assembly as General he pronounced sentence against his son and said unto him SON Since without any respect either of the dignitie of a Consul wherewith the Common-wealth hath honoured me or the majestie of the title of a father which nature hath afforded me over you you have fought contrary to my Edict dissolving the sacred knot of military discipline which hath hitherto maintained the greatness of the Roman State I well see you have reduced affairs to such necessitie that either I must forget the Common-wealth or myself and mine But God forbid the publick suffer for our faults and that we must expiate the temeritie of one young man by the disasters of so many innocent persons Here an act of State must be performed which is for the present somewhat odious but shall be profitable for youth through all posteritie My son I have sense of nature as a father and as a Captain I resent also the stashes of this youthfull virtue which is so charming in its illusion but since I must either by your impunitie annual or by your bloud seal the commandment of the Consuls you being of my bloud I cannot think you so degenerate as to deny to re-establish by your punishment the Laws of arms which you by your errour have destroyed Thereupon he commanded the executioner to bind him and lead him to the place of punishment to be beheaded wherewith the Assembly was so astonished as if all the Captains had their heads under the same sword For every one was drenched in a deep silence until the bloud of this young Prince was seen to gush forth for then the souldiers spared neither sorrow nor execrations taking the body by main force to cover it with its spoils and enterre it with all honour I had a desire to touch this particularly thereby to teach the Reader that the great constancy which Boetius witnessed in the whole course of his life and especially at his death was in him hereditary It were a long piece of work for him who would prosecute all the acts of the Ancestours of Boetius since by the report of Saint Hierom this family hath been so illustrious that scarcely can one man be found therein which hath not enjoyed or deserved the Consulship Wherefore I may well say it was a very particular Providence of God upon this admirable man which being pleased to raise him to the condition of a great States-man hath caused him to be nobly born For although it cannot be denied but that many descended from very mean extraction have sometimes exceedingly well improved in the mannage of States yet must we affirm they have stood in much need of time diligence and eminent virtues to give a counterpoize to this defect of bloud Ordinarily those who arise from these degrees being derived from base birth are many times envied and little respected whereby finding themselves offended they often take harsh ways to
sole body the enraged hunger of wolves the subtility of foxes the strength of Lions the cruelty of Tygers and Panthers the poison of Basilisks whether it may be more dangerous to man than himself when he is possessed with a mischievous ambition Oh how happy would the lives of men be were they not infected with these venemous passions which transform reasonable nature into more hideous monsters than those which Poets have set over the gates of hell We shall see in the sequel of this history how wickedness never escapeth the eye of God and that if he come with feet of lead to chastise it he notwithstanding hath an arm of iron to cut up treacheries by the root This murder divulged the Heruli took arms to revenge their Prince but the Centinels disposed in many places of the City hewed those in pieces who shewed themselves most forward Theodorick made a declaration very ample wherein he expressed that that which caused him to resolve on such an action was nothing but the security of his person against which Odoacer had a most evident design which would instantly have appeared in the deprivation of his life and estate had he not with all diligence prevented his enemy That he did what the law of nature ordained in so manifest a danger but that he will hence forward witness all manner of clemency to such as would throw themseves into his arms indifferently stretched out to accept the obedience of all the world The great distast of war every one had at that time the little hope the most mutinous conceived to revenge their quarrel and the authority of Zeno the Eastern Emperour who ceased not to support Theodorick caused a great silence in arms and afforded full liberty to this ambitious King of the Goths to become Master of Italy As for the rest he seeing Rome was then as it were like a great oake overthrown where every one hasteneth on all sides to get the spoil and that the French Visigoths and Burgundians might aspire as he to the conquest of Italy he made alliances with all those Princes and especially with Clodovaeus who at that time reigned whose sister he took in marriage Besides the Emperour Zeno that had ever upheld him happening to die as Anastatius his successour made shew to cause an alteration in affairs and would render himself absolute in the West this man knew so well how to play his part that he diverted his ambitions another way There is also a letter to be found in Cassiodorus which he wrote to this Anastasius deputing a solemn Embassage to him for the obtaining of peace where among other things he saith That it is good reason they should seek for peace who have no cause to make war and that the man wadeth far into wrong who giveth no testimony of any disposition to receive conditions suteable to justice As for himself he acknowledged the Emperour as the prime dignity raised above all other Kingdoms and to be the support of the whole world and that one of the greatest favours from God which he hath at any time received was to have learned in the Court of Constantinople how he ought to govern the Romans That he knows the authority of the Emperour is the onely model of all the policy in the world and that so much as God hath exalted him above other Princes so much would be humble himself under this Monarch from whom be requireth most glorious amitie that be may hereafter apply himself to all that which may appertaine to his honour and service The Emperour Anastasius who according to the humours of his turbulent spirit cut himself work enough out in the East not going to seek for it in the West seeing that he set himself into the conditions of a suppliant when his fortune might already put into his mouth words armed for command suffered him to gnaw his bone in secure peace The Romans considering that besides force of arms he had the consent of two Emperours of the East willingly received him under hope they had to see some tranquility succeed after so many storms which had afflicted their State Behold how from a Knight of fortune he arrived to the dignity of an Emperour he being notwithstanding resolved never to take upon him the Title of Emperour but contenting himself with the name of King thereby to decline the jealousie of those who were very capable of it He that would consider the qualities of his person which contributed to enthrone him in a place so eminent shall find that besides military virtue he had other parts very worthy to govern were it not that his spirit was drenched both in humane policy and long prosperities which served as disloyal nurses to sin It seemeth that Sidonius Appollinaris had studied him and summed him up even to the haires of his head when in the second Epistle of his first book he so curiously describeth him and saith among other things He had a body exceedingly well proportioned the top of his head well circled his eye-brows thick his hair long his nose hooked his lips soft his teeth of ivory his complexion white mingled with vermilion which quickly blushed more through shamefastness than choller his body very comely his arms strong his hands slender his breast full his leg plump his feet small to support a great body He addeth that concerning his manners he ordinarily prayed before break of day in the presence of his Bishops who were Arians without noise or attendance and that afterward he applied himself to affairs and gave audience to Embassages and petitions where he heard much and spake little ever shewing himself very intentive in resolutions and most prompt in the expedition of that which he had resolved on From thence he went to survey his Arsenal his Magazins his stables and his Treasures or he went on hunting being naturally so dexterous in shooting that infallibly he would not miss the mark After exercises he took his repast where he loved to be entertained with serious things and as for that which concerned his table there might be seen saith he The nativeness of Grecians the plenty of French the promptness of Italians and a discipline truly Royal. If after dinner he played at dice his custom was to be silent when he won to laugh when he lost and never to be angry but rather to take occasion to speak some good words and ever handled dice as manly as arms For the rest he was so good a gamester that not disquieting himself at all he rejoyced to see his subjects in humour against him and so despoiled himself in game of affected gravity that he seemed to have no other fear but to be feared It did him good then to be asked some favour and such a one oftentimes lost in game with him who won his suit About three of the clock the burden of affairs of the Kingdom had their turn wherein he rendered himself very serious till the time of supper
Ennodius in his Panegyrick saith that he honoured the Royal purple with the rays of his countenance and that there was not in the world a habit so beautiful which he made not more lustrous by wearing it on his body that his eyes had the serenity of the spring and that his hands were worthy to give death to rebels and matter of vows to his subjects That all which Diadems perform in the person of other Emperours nature had done in him and that nothing in him was wanting but an heir for the truth is he dyed not leaving any son to succeed him Reader I have been willing to present unto you succinctly the great revolution of the Empire into which our Boetius fell and the qualities of his Persecutour who degenerated afterward into so much barbarism But let us now behold what he did by the counsel of our great Boetius in the manage of his Kingdom to the end you may have so much the more horrour of wicked ingratitude who slew this holy man that was as the Intelligence and Angel Guardian of his State The fourth SECTION The enterance of Theodorick into Rome and his happy government by the counsel of Boetius THeodorick having pacified the City of Ravenna and made himself Master of the most important places of his Kingdom went to Rome with the most flourishing troups of Italy where he was received in the manner of ancient triumphs which exceedingly pleased the people who at that time resembled the earth which ariseth from the snows of winter as from a tomb to becom young again with the sweet breath of the spring So many years were slipt away wherein they had not seen any thing but divisions troubles famine and bloud when this Prince came to appear upon the triumphant Chariot with his golden arms which gave him a mervellous majesty besides the graces he had from nature they thought they beheld a star newly descended from heaven and followed him with infinite acclamations in witness of affection He being alighted at the Palace Boetius who was the principal man of the world in nobility wit and learning was chosen out from all the State to make him an Oration In which being then in full vigour of eloquence he most divinely acquitted himself It is a great loss that posterity hath not preserved so brave a monument of this rare spirit to enchase it now presently in this work From thence the King passed to the Circus which was a large place appointed for Jousts and Tournaments and staying himself at a place called the Palm of gold he caused his throne to be magnificently seated in a place very high raised and round about him benches for the Senatours who appeared all of them cloathed with robes of their order There he made an Oration full of sweetness in presence of all the people whereby he declared he had a purpose to revive the ancient magnificence of Rome and vehemently to desire to conform himself to the fashions of those Emperours who had been the most zealous for the Weal-publick which made the whole world conceive most excellent hopes of his government All the City was then in pomp like to a noble Lady who having laid aside sorrow suddenly appeareth in the bravery of a bright habit Never day seemed to shine more resplendently to an afflicted people It was in the same time that S. Fulgentius coming from Africk to Rome after he had visited the Churches of the Martyrs passed along by the Circus at the instant when all these gallant ceremonies were performed where he was so ravished beholding the majesty of the Emperour the glory of his Senate the lustre of his nobility the magnificence of the place and the throng of innumerable people that he cried out Oh how beautiful is Jerusalem the celestial Quam speciosa debet esse Hierusalem illa caelestis si sic fulget Roma terrestris Et si in hoc seculo datur tanti honoris dignitas diligentibus vanitatem qualis honor gloris tribuâ—tur Sanctis contemplantibus veritatem since Rome the terrestrial at this day appeareth with such splendour Good God! if you allow so much honour on earth to those who follow vanity what glory will you give in heaven to your Saints who shal behold verity The ceremony being ended the King entertained all the Senate in a feast worthy of his greatness and distributed liberalities to the people which seemed to renew the face of ancient Rome He disposed himself presently to visit all the places of the City to know the condition of his Senatours to inform himself of the humour of the people to observe the state of affairs and to constitute the government It is most certain he was indowed with a natural wit good enough but he had withall so little experience in civil affairs that he had much ado to sign ordinary dispatches Behold the cause why a nameless Authour who Anonymus Author in ejus vitâ wrot his life in a very low stile witnesseth that he usually signing with four letters caused them to be cut in copper and clapping them on the paper fetched the draught of his pen round about to serve as a model to the end that by this means he might give somewhat the better form to his writing This want of experience caused him to tye himself constantly to two great States-men whereof the first was our Boetius whom he made Master of Offices Idem author testatur and Superintendent of his house in such sort that all passed by his counsel the other was Cassiodorus of whom he made use as of a most able and faithful Secretary to dictate all the letters and proceeding of the Kingdom Boetius whom he in the beginning loved as the apple of his eye and honoured as his father gave him the forms and maxims of all that excellent policy which we behold so resplendent in his government I will here couch some of them that Politicians may see the happiness which commonly waiteth on States guided by the ways of conscience The first maxim was that King Theodorick being an Arian should not onely abstaine from persecuting and afflicting the Catholick Church in any kind whatsoever either of himself or by any of his but on the contrary should cherish honour protect and maintain it with all the extent of his authority because the experience of Ages had made it appear that those who were interessed in the perplexities of Religions contrary to the Catholick had prospered very ill and that not going any further the deportments of the Emperour Anastasius who then reigned in Constantinople made it manifest enough since he had involved himself in the hatred of the Clergy and people to support with passion certaine novelties and how on the contrary ordinary practise had discovered that all Monarchs who had entertained good correspondence and respect with Ecclesiasticks were evermore honoured in their government and much happier in the success of their affairs Theodorick so
of this repose news came unto her very hastily that she must return to Court to appease the discord between her children who were ready to encounter one another and to embroil the Kingdom in the desperate desolations of Civil war The good woman did not as those who hold retirement from the vanities of the world as a punishment nor ever are with themselves unless necessity make them take the way which they cannot elect by reason So soon as she understood these importunities which called her back to the affairs of the world she hastened to prostrate her self at the sepulcher of S. Martin shedding forth bitter tears and saying My God you know my heart and that it is neither for fear of pain nor want of courage that I retired from the Court of my children but that seeing their deportments and affairs in such a condition that I could not think my self any ways able to profit them by my counsels I made choice of the means which I thought most likely to help them which are prayers And behold me here now humbled at the tomb of one of your great servants to beg of you by his merits and ashes to pacifie the differences of these unfortunate children and to behold with the eye of your accustomed mercies this poor people and Kingdom of France to which you have consigned and given so many pledges of your faithfull love My God if you think my presence may serve to sweeten the sharpness of these spirits I will neither have consideration of my age nor health but shall sacrifice my self in this voyage for the publick but if I may be of no other use but to stand as an unprofitable burden as I with much reason perswade my self I conjure you for your own goodness sake to receive my humble prayers and accommodate their affairs and ever to preserve unto me the honour which I have to serve you in this retirement A most miraculous thing it is observed that at the same time when the holy woman prayed at the tomb the Arms of the brothers now ready to encounter to pour forth a deluge of bloud suddenly stopped and these two Kings not knowing by what spirit they were moved mutually sent to each other an Embassage of peace which was concluded in the place to the admiration and contentment of the whole world Thus much confirmed Clotilda in her holy resolution wherein she lived to great decrepitness of age And in the end having had revelation of the day of her death she sent for her two sons Childebert and Clotharius whereof this who was the most harsh was in some sort become humble having undergone certain penances appointed him by Pope Agapetus to expiate many exorbitances which he had committed for such is the most common opinion These two Kings being come the mother spake to them in these terms I was as it were resolved to pass out of the world without seeing you not for the hatred of your persons which cannot fall into a soul such as mine but for the horrour of your deportments that cannot be justified but by repentance God knows I having beheld you so many times to abandon the respect you ow to my age and the authoritie which nature gave me over your breeding never have endeavoured to put off the heart of a mother towards you which I yet retain upon the brink of my tomb I begged you of God before your birth with desires which then seemed unto me reasonable but which perhaps were too vehement and if ever mother were passionate in the love of her children I most sensibly felt those stings yielding my soul as a prey to all cares and my bodie to travels to breed and bring you up with pains which are not so ordinarie with Queen-mothers I expected from your nature some correspondence to my charitable affections when you should arrive to the age of discretion I imagined after the death of your father my most honoured Lord that my age which began to decline should find some comfort in your pietie But you have done that which I will pass under silence For it seemed to me your spirits have as much horrour of it as mine which yet bleedeth at it nor do I know when time will stench the bloud of a wound so bydeous Out alas my children you perswaded your selves it was a goodly matter to unpeople the world to enlarge your power and to violate nature to establish your thrones with the bloud of your allies which is a most execrable frenzie For I protest at this hour wherein I go to render an account of mine actions before the living God that I should rather wish to have brought you into the world to be the vassals of peasants than to see the Scepter in your hands if it served you to no other use but to authorize your crimes Blind as you are who behold not that the diamonds of a Royal Crown sweat with horrour upon a head poisoned with ambition When you shall arrive to that period wherein I am now what will it help you to have worn purple if having defiled it with your ordures you must make an exchange with a habit of flames which shall no more wear out than eternitie Return my children to the fair way you have forsaken you might have seen by what paths the Providence of God led the King your father to the throne of his Monarchie you might have also observed the disasters of Kings our near allies for that they wandered from true pietie That little shadow which you yet retain of holy Religion hath suspended the hand of God and withheld the fatal blow which he would otherwise have let fall upon your state If you persist in evil you will provoke his justice by the contempt of his mercie Above all be united with a band of constant peace for by dividing your hearts you disunite your Kingdoms and desiring to build up your fortunes by your dissentions you will make desolate your houses Do justice to your poor people who lived under the reign of your father with so much tranquilitie and which your divisions have now covered all over with acerbities Is it not time to forget what is past and to begin to live then when you must begin to die My children I give you the last farewel and pray you to remember my poor soul and to lodge my bodie in the sepulcher of the King your father as I have ever desired The Saint speaking this saw that these children who had before been so obdurate were wholly dissolved into tears and kneeling about her bed kissed her hands having their speech so interrupted with sobs they could not answer one word Thereupon she drew the curtain over all worldly affairs to be onely entertained with God And her maladie daily encreasing she pronounced aloud the profession of the Catholick faith wherein she died then required the Sacraments of the Eucharist and extream Unction which were administred unto her and by her
INDEGONDIS Issued from the bloud and house of Clotilda transporteth the Catholick faith into Spain ABout the year five hundred four-score and three Levigildus an Arian Prince reigned in Spain who seeing the house of France held supereminency amongst all the Kingdoms of the world sought the alliance thereof and obtained for wife to his eldest son called Hermingildus the daughter of Sigebert grand-child of Clotilda named in History Indegondis She was one of the most accomplished Princesses of that Age in whom beauty grace and virtue made together an admirable harmony to purchase her the hearts of all the world Every one lamented that this bright day-break which began to enlighten France with its rays went at her rising into a Countrey where the Sun setteth and that so many singular perfections were separated from that Kingdom which had given them birth The good virgin who had no other object but the obedience she ought to render those to whom nature had subjected her went well pleased besides was something satisfied with the title of a Queen which she might justly one day expect But little knew she the combats and difficulties that waited on her in the same place where she hoped to gather nothing else but flowers I do not think hell can ever produce a mischief like unto heresie which wholly perverting good affairs instantly hasteneth to drench all the contentments of this innocent soul in a deluge of tears Alas a million of tortures well deserve to be employed upon the criminal souls of those who were the first authours of this monster For it in all Ages hath disturbed States of Princes ruined so much generous Nobility and sowed division among the most settled amities The wise of that time much apprehended the sending of this young maid into Spain to marry her to an heretical Prince to place her in a Court wholly infected with heresie where no other objects should be presented unto her but errour and vice Behold said they a goodly vessel well rigged well furnished well guided which hath sails of linnen cordage of purple and oars of silver but they go about to expose it to a rough tempest Behold an excellent meadow all enamelled with most delicious beauties of nature but they endeavour to oppose it to cruel Northern blasts Behold a chrystal well polished smooth and delicate but they seek to hazard it to the strokes of the hammer Behold a statue all resplendent with gold and precious stones but they trample it under foot What will a child be able to do amongst so much malice An age so tender amongst so many heads grown hoary in sin A great simplicity amongst so many snares A maid which hath no recommendation but chastity and obedience amongst so many wicked commands Do we think that a father-in-law a husband a mother-in-law will have no power over her spirit That pleasures will not allure her That the dignity of a Kingdom will not move her That the lustre of a Diadem will not dazle her eyes and force prevail upon her If that should be given her which she deserveth it were fit to afford her all but the power to ruin her self Others said very temperately that we must not believe that by gaining a Kingdom she should loose religion that she was of bloud so illustrious it received no blemish that she would rather die than dishonour her birth that she would endure all the torments of Martyrs rather than betray her faith And that if needs she must make ship-wrack of all her fortunes that the last plank she would embrace should be a good conscience that she should be assisted by a good Councel that would never forsake her that there were as yet in Spain very many Catholicks whose tears she would wipe away and sweeten their acerbities That her husband a young Prince was not so obdurate but that she might hope one day to joyn him to the Catholick faith Women are infinitely powerful when they once have gained the heart of a man In the end that she must reflect on the example of her grand-mother who had converted her husband with all his Court and if then cold and timorous considerations had been used upon this marriage France might still have been Pagan If the mother overcame an Idolater the daughter may well prevail on an Arian Yet they which spake thus judged not the conversion of hereticks to be much more difficult than that of Pagans as well for the intolerable pride which ordinarily possesseth their spirits as for a certain malediction which seemeth to be tied to those who voluntarily withdraw themselves from the light and shake off the yoke of lawfull powers Yet notwithstanding considerations of State transported her and Indegondis would take her fortune promising her self so much assistance of God that not onely she should stand firm in the piety of her Ancestours but that if it were possible she would save her husband supposing to her self he was neither of marble nor iron not to be mollified with the attractives of her sex The couragious maid was waited on into Spain by a flourishing conduct of French Nobility where she was received with very great applauses for the reputation which the name of France had acquired in the opinion of all people The King Levigildus her father-in-law was married upon second Nuptials to an Arian wife named Goizintha who was as deformed of body as mind notwithstanding she had charmed the heart of this old man by I know not what kind of sleights that she held predominance upon affairs and bent as it were all his wills at her pleasure She shewed in the beginning an extraordinary affection to this marriage and went in person to the Princess giving her such fair entertainment that it seemed she went about to over-whelm her with courtesies Yet was it to behold night and Aurora in one and the same Chariot to see these two Princesses together For Goizintha besides other deformities of her person was become blind of one eye and Indegondis laying aside so many excellent parts which she had from nature appeared on that day in her attaires like unto those Goddesses which the Poets and Painters form according to the most advantagious idaeaes of their spirits Hermingildus her husband beholding her so accomplished easily felt the glances shot from her eyes were rays from her but arrows for his heart from whence he could receive nought but honourable wounds Never any man bound himself to a creature of the world with a love so forcible so honest and so innocent as did this Prince to this admirable virgin From the first arrival and first glance of the eye he felt his soul transported with a sweet violence and it seemed unto him this stranger came to negotiate with him a love much different from that of flesh and bloud It is a position which hath been sufficiently argued by ancient Sages touching the encounter of amities which are so diversly applied to objects sometimes by ordinary ways as
can any longer be a husband That she married him to live and to give life to others by love not to cut her own throat and her childrens through wickedness That a man who renounceth honour can no more pretend to nature To conclude that it is wealth which maketh men and that it was no dishonour to marrie a servant who is the favourite of a mightie King We came not into the world to be masters of fortune but to yield to its Empire What content can there be to walk up and down Towns and Cities like a beggers following a husband the object of the worlds laughter and reserve all is left of his miserable bodie to swords and flames So much were her ears beaten with such like discourses She yieldoth that through a most unspeakable cowardice she forsook her religion and husband to marry this servant who seemed noble enough since he had the golden fleece The King seeing she had yielded added for full accomplishment of inhumanity that Suenes should remain in his own house as a slave to his wise and servant Behold here the extremity of all worldly miseries Yield thy self up said one poor Suenes Admirable constancie sâ—est thou not that of so many palaces and such treasures there is not left for thee so much as a house covered with stubble of so many children none to call thee father Is it not time to forsake thy faith since she who slept by thy sides hath left thee Wert thou amongst the chains of Lestrigons and Tartars thou mightst breath a more wholesom air But to behold thy self a slave to thy servant in thine own house and to have perpetually before thee the infidelity of a disloyal wife for object how is it possible but to overthrow the most stable constancie in the world But Suenes assembling together all the forces of his heart said O faithless and perfidious discourses All is taken from me but they cannot take away Jesus Christ I follow him in libertie and bondage in prosperitie and adversitie in life and death whilest one small threed of life remains in my heart one silly spark of breath upon my lips I will combat against the gates of hell and all the laws of impietie O the power of the spirit of God! O divorce from flesh and bloud O spectacle worthy to be beheld by angels over the gates of heaven with admiration A man to die in so many indignities such punishments such deaths without dying without complaint growing wan or speaking any one word unworthy the lips of a Christian What is it to be a puissant but to brave all the powers of earth and hell What is it to be rich but to place all your treasures in the heart of God II. MAXIM Of the Essence of GOD. THE PROPHANE COURT THE HOLY COURT That it is fit to obey Nature all other Divinitie being most unknown That nothing is so known as God although not acknowledged through our ingratitude ACynick Philospher heretofore sought for a man with a candle at noon-day and now adays the wicked seek God in a clear and full light and when they have found him become blind by their own lights in that they see not him who is not to be known but in the quality of a Judge punishing their offences Out alas what is man without God Tertullian speaking of the countrey about the Euxine Tertul. advers Marcion l. 1. cap. 1. Excellent description of Tertullian sea saith It is a Region separated from the commerce of men as well by the providence of Nature as the reproach of its bruitishness It is peopled by most savage Nations which inhabit if we may say so a wandering cart that serves them for house a habitation which though perpetually in motion is less inconstant than their manners Their abode is uncertain their life wholly savage their luxury promiscuous and indifferent for all sorts of objects They make no scruple to serve in the flesh of their parents in a feast with beeff and mutton and think the death of such cursed who die when they no longer are fit to be eaten Sex softeneth not women in this countrey for they sear off their dugs being young and make a distaff serve for a launce being otherwise so fervent in battel that they had much rather fight than marry The Climate and elements are as rigid as their manners The day is never bright the sun never smileth nor is the skie any thing but a continued cloud The whole year is a winter and the wind ever North. Ice robs them of rivers and if they have liquor the fire affords it The mountains are still covered with ice and snow All is cold in this countrey but vice which ever burneth Yet I must tell you saith he there is not any thing amongst these wonders more prodigious than wicked Marcion For where shall we find a monster more odious or a man in nature more senseless than him who did not acknowledge the Divinitie and will have the causes and sublime reasons given him of the Essence of God which never were nor shall be for then there would be somewhat above God The Emperour Tiberius having conceived some Humano arbitratu divinitâ—s pensitatur nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Tertul. Apol. c. 5. Nec quicquam refert Deum neges an asseras Arno. l. 1. good opinion of Divinitie in the Person of our Saviour was willing to rank him in the number of other gods but it was not executed because it must pass by decree of the Senate and God who is all that which he is by nature regarded not the judgement of men to authorize his Divinitie You were as good deny God saith Arnobius as to make the truth of his Essence depend upon the weakness of humane reason 1. I ask of you whether there be any thing in the world more present with us and more familiarly known than our self our substance our life our being It seemeth say you it is the most certain of our knowledges Now if I shew the science we have of God is better known to us than our selves God is far stronger more undoubted and invincible than the knowledge we have of our self I necessarily convince the ignorance of the Divinitie is stupid ungratefull and punishable with all the rigours of eternal justice I pray tell me what so certain knowledge can you have of your self Have you it by the knowledge of History which is a reasonable knowledge by revelation which is extraordinary by prophesie which is mysterious by faith which is infallible I do not see you alledge any of these for confirmation of your own being You have no proofs say you more certain than your senses which you know notwithstanding to be bruitish deceivers and deceived in so many objects You hear your self speak you smell your self you touch your self and for that you affirm you are although you have not any knowledge of the better part of
saith he the universe should interest it self in the loss of particulars yea were it of Monarchs We all bud forth like the leaf of a tree and die as the leaf neither our life nor death any thing importeth this great All. Behold that which much abaseth the pride of the most vain-glorious is to think upon a beer and tomb and reflect on that ample grave whereinto all mankind insensibly sinketh That is it which Job called Lapidem calipinis Job 28. 3. Secretarium horroris the stone of darkness That which the Ancients named the secret of horrour The greatest Princes of the earth resemble Alexanders stone the most excellent of the world in the brightness of lustre but so soon as it was covered with dust it had neither force nor beauty beyond other stones How great rich active soever they be the dust of a sepulcher makes it appear they are nothing But God alone hath immortality without dependence because he is what he is All that which may be and not be hath ever some time assigned when it was not or wherein it shall no more be One may Tu autem idem ipse es ann tui non deficient Saecula cuncta tenens anie omnia saecula solus Novatiani l. de Trin. c. 31. at the least find an imaginary time when the most eminent Powers were nothing and for so much as concernethmen it is no difficult matter to give them limits to which and in which they no longer shall be men But of God alone we may truly say his years not onely decrease not but know not what it is to increase For the Eternity of God to speak properly is very long and very short very long in extent for it spreadeth over all Ages very short because in an instant it possesseth all it can have in the infinity of times being ever like the center of a circle which looketh towards all the lines without stirring out of one place 4. Our third Annihilation is that we have much Man hath more non-essence than Essence more non-essence than essence according to Plato's argument because if we have the essence of a man we have not therefore the essence of Heaven of earth creatures nor plants although some similitude thereof We are confined and limited within a particular essence which comprehendeth a soul ignorant and unsatiable a body feeble and frail a strange connexion of a nature mortal and immortal an alliance of a ray of the sun with a dung-hill of a spirit prompt and subtile with most infirm flesh But God who is Excellency of the simplicity and universality of God in comparison of the world what he is containeth in himself all possible essences and which is more containeth them under the sole form of the Divinitie The world is bright in the light of stars resplendent in flames subtile in air streaming in eternal veins of rivers stable on the foundation of the earth rich in mynes fruitfull in plants displayed in flowers and all because it is a world and it a creature But God in one sole indivisible and under one sole form concludeth the fervour of Seraphins the science of Cherubins the majesty of Dominations the height of Thrones the excellency of Principalities the strength of Virtues the superintendence of Arch-angels the charitable offices of Angels the greatness of Heaven the beauty of stars the splendour of lights the activity of fire the subtilitie of air the fruitfulness of earth the eternal freshness of fountains and all we may call great beautifull or pleasing God I say comprehendeth them under this great title I am that I am That is it which Ego sum qui sum Bonum hoc bonum illud â—â—lle hoc illud vide ipswn bonum si potenita Deuâ— videbis non alio bono bonum â—ed bonum omnis boni Aug. l. 8. de Trinit c. 3. Maximus Tyrius Orat. de Deo In Deâ— non est nisi Deuâ— S. Bernard de consider l. 5. made S. Augustine say This and that is good Take away this and that when you speak of God and behold the Sovereign Good so shall you see God who is not good by a borrowed goodness but the Good of all good This first essence is lovely said Maximus of Tyre And verily it is the chief of beauties But how think you is it lovely like a meadow all strewed over with flowers or as Heaven all enamelled with stars Take away this meadow these flowers this Heaven these stars God is nothing of all created things but it is he from whom all creatures derive being beauty goodness force unity and lasting I well know what he is not but cannot say what he is I am satisfied in speaking with S. Bernard In the great God all is God and there is not any thing in him which is not himself Finally our fourth misery is that our essence being Mutability of men so short and slender faileth not to be afflicted with so many mutations so many vicissitudes that we may say there is almost nothing less in us than our selves All change saith the Philosopher beareth with it some image of non-essence and therefore we who change every moment are as it were nothing in nature to be trusted to It is not known with what knot with what chains men should be tied or fettered so variable and inconstant there Proteuses are Ages alter us and in changing us change themselues Infancy becometh adolescency adolescency is taken off by youth youth by manhood manhood by declining years and those years by decrepit age If you reckon well you shall find everyone of these mutations is a species of death As time alters our bodies a thousand other things make impression on our minds Humours passions conversations customs accidents vices and virtues so often transform us into other men that one may say we are the most natural pourtraicts of inconstancy in universal Nature There is none but God can say I Ego Dominus nonmutor Malach. 3. 6. In se â—aneâ—â— innevat omnis nihil accipit quod ipse non dedit esse illi quod est sempiternum semper est proprium S. Leo. ep 93. c. 5. am the God who changeth not There is not any the least shadow of vicissitude in the great abyss of light as he is one without number infinite without limits eternal free from floud and ebbe of time so he is immoveable without augmentation or diminution He stands immoveabâ—e within himself and reneweth all various nature out of himself He takes nothing of men which he gave them not Essence is proper to him as eternal to him It is a maxim in Theologie that simple forms which of themselves constitute a Person make no difference between the subject and nature that is to say God is his Deity his life his eternity and all he is without diversity It is for things composed of divers pieces to be susceptible of many forms and consequently
a forraign Nation separated from the sweetness of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synesius hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our dearest Country and lovely vision of the sovereign cause We are saith Synesius as little veins of water wandered from their fountains which desire nothing but to be re-united to their source should you afford them vessels of amber or chrystal to contain them they are never so well as in their origen We have a strong inclination that disposeth us to know love and admire this soveriegn Being which makes the world bring forth his great ide'as with more ease than the Sun could produce a ray Now here we must observe there are many sorts Diversity of unions of union The one of dependence which causeth the creature to depend on the Creatour as light on his star and heat on the fire which produced it The other of presence and most inward penetration by which God penetrateth all creatures by his admirable infusions by reason of his immensity and subtility The third of grace by which we are sanctified and in a sort made participant of Divine nature The fourth of glorie properly that which accomplisheth what grace had begun and setteth a seal upon the plentitude of all our felicities This being so divided it is evident that the union whereof we here speak is the glorified and ineffable union which disposeth the reasonable creature to the highest point of the commerce it may have with the divinity It is very hard to explicate how that is in our soul because of the weakness of our spirits which are now so tied to flesh Some Divines refuted by Chancellour Gerson and among others Doctour Almaricus and Henricus took this in a very high strain when they imagined that God coming to fall as a lightening-flash upon the soul of a blessed one filled it with his presence force and love and so possessed it that he wholly converted it into himself in such manner that from created Being it passed to increated Being returning to Anima perdit esse suum accipit esse divinum idea's of God and into the state it had before the worlds creation This opinion hath been rejected and condemned as a chymera for God will not beautifie us by ruining and destroying us but he will our felicitie be so wholly of him that it be notwithstanding wholly to us and there is no apparence our soul which is immortal and incorruptible should be annihilated by the approach of God from whom it must derive its being and conservation 5. We must then conceive this much otherwise Union of glorie what it is and believe the union of glorie that makes our beatitude consisteth in the vision love and joy of God which is the fruition termed by S. Thomas the ineffable kisses Imagine you see a needle which in presence of a diamond runs not to the adamant as being tied and fettered by the force of this obstacle but if you take away the diamond which captived it it goes stoutly and impetuously to its adamant which setteth it in the place of its repose by ordinarie charms I find something like in the state wherein we are Our poor spirit naturally tendeth to God as to the first cause and can take no contentment but in union with him yet is it here arrested by the poize of body by the bait of concupiscence and tie of sense but so soon as these obstacles are taken away and that it feeleth the vigorous infusions of this light of glorie which giveth it wings to raise it self to the Sovereign good above all the ways of nature it soareth as a feathered arrow unto the butt of its desires it sincks and plungeth it self into the bosom of God and there abideth contented with three acts which essentially compose its beatitude The first is vision the root of this so Sovereign happiness which causeth us to see with the eyes of a most purified understanding through the rayes of The three acts of beatitude the light of glorie the great God face to face with all the immensity of his essence the length of his eternity the height of his majesty the extent of all his excellencies and with the fecundity of his eternal emanations the productions of total nature and secrets of highest mysteries We shall see him saith Joan. 1. 3. August l. 9. de Trin. c. 10. Omnis secundum spiritum notitia similis est rei quam novit S. John as he is and thereupon S. Augustine addeth we shall necessarily derive a resemblance of God because knowledge here principally rendereth him who knoweth like to the thing known Of this vision necessarily is formed a great fire of love divinized when God like to a burning mirrour opposed to a glorified soul replenisheth it with his ardours ever by us to be adored And from this love proceedeth that excessive joy which is called the joy of God Vision causeth in us an expression of God love an inclination delicately violent to the presence of this Sovereign good joy a profound repose which seems to spread over our hearts a great river of peace benedictions and felicities Then this beatified soul not being able to be what God is by nature in some sort becometh such by favour So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Hymn S. Gregory durst boldly say our soul makes it self a little God which eternally triumphs in the bosom of the great God It is properly then when man by an amorous consumption wholly dissolves into his beginning and not loosing what he is becometh one same spirit with him not by nature but by apprehension and affection He not onely will what God willeth but he cannot will any thing but what God will He takes part in all his interest all his greatness and all his joys being so divinely incorporated into the family bosom of this Father of essences He rejoyceth at the beatitude of all the elect as of his own he is rapt with admiration sometimes at the beauty of the place sometimes at the delicious correspondence of that great company sometimes at the unchangeable continuance of his most blessed eternity sometimes at the garments of glorie his body must put on and he every where beholdeth sources of comfort to spring which can never drie 6. From this favour besides so many other wonders Three great effects of beatitude I see three excellent effects succeed The first is impeccability The second verity of our knowledges which shall admit no errour The third tranquillity of our love which shall not know what wound or interruption is And first consider what a good it is The great happiness to be impeccable to be impeccable since we not onely shall be without sin but out of all danger of sinning All that which here afflicteth the most purified souls is not to be exposed to so many miseries and persecutions for they know good men are here on earth like flower-de-luces begotten by their
to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour In the time of Plague LEt thy anger cease O Lod and be appeased for the iniquity of thy people as thou hast sworn by thy self O holy God holy and strong holy and immortal have mercy upon us For the Clergy ALmighty and everlasting God who by thy Spirit dost sanctifie and govern the whole body of the Church graciously hear our prayers for all those whom thou hast ordained and called to the publick service of thy Sanctuary that by the help of thy grace they may faithfully serve thee in their several degrees through Jesus Christ our Lord. For a Citie COmpass this Citie O Lord with thy protection and let thy holy Angels guard the walls thereof O Lord mercifully hear thy people For the sick O God the onely refuge of our infirmities by thy mighty power relieve thy sick servants that they with thy gracious assistance may be able to give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ For grace LOrd from whom all good things do come grant unto us thy humble servants that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same through our Lord Jesus Christ For the afflicted O Almighty God the afflicted soul the troubled spirit crieth unto thee Hear O Lord and have mercy for thou art a merciful God For friends I Beseech thee O Lord for all those to whom I am indebted for my birth education instruction promotion their necessities are known unto thee thou art rich in all things reward them for these benefits with blessings both temporal and eternal For enemies O God the lover and preserver of peace and charity give unto all our enemies thy true peace and love and remission of sins and mightily deliver us from their snares through Jesus Christ our Lord. For travellers ASsist us mercifully O Lord in our supplications and prayers and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help through Christ our Lord. For a Family ALmighty and everlasting God send down thy holy Angel from heaven to visit protect and defend all that dwell in this house through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the dying FAther of spirits and God of all flesh receive the souls which thou hast redeemed with thy bloud returning unto thee For the fruits of the earth O God in whom we live and move and have our being open thy treasure in the due season and give a blessing to the works of thy hands For women in travel O Lord of thy goodness help thy servants who are in pains of child-birth that being delivered out of their present danger they may glorifie thy holy name blessed for ever Against temptation ALmighty God which dost see that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep thou us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul through Jesus Christ For misbelievers and sinners ALmighty and everliving God who desirest not the death of a sinner mercifully look upon all that are deceived by the subtility of Satan that all evil prejudice laid aside they may return to the unity of thy truth and love For Prisoners O God who didst deliver S. Peter from his chains and restoredst him to liberty have pitie upon thy servants in captivity release their bonds and grant them freedom and safety for his merits who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost ever one God world without end For temporal necessaries REplenish those O Lord we beseech thee with temporal nourishment whom thou hast refreshed with thy blessed Sacraments Against tempests DRive spiritual wickedness from thy house O Lord and preserve it from the malignity of tempestuous weather A Prayer of Thomas Aquinas before study O Unspeakable Creatour who out of the treasure of thy wisdom hast ordained Hierarchies of Angels and hast placed them above the highest heaven in a wonderfull order and disposed them sweetly for all parts of the world Thou the true fountain and incomprehensible principle of light and wisdom vouchsafe to illuminate the darkness of my understanding with a beam of thy light remove the darkness wherein I was born sin and ignorance Thou who makest the tongues of infants eloquent loosen my tongue and pour forth the grace of thy spirit upon my lips give me acuteness to apprehend capacity to retain subtility to interpret aptness to learn readiness to speak direct my beginning further my progression and perfect my conclusion THE PENITENT OR ENTERTAINMENTS for LENT And for the first day upon the Consideration of Ashes THou art Dust and to Dust thou shalt return Genes 3. 1. It is an excellent way to begin Lent with the consideration of Dust whereby Nature gives us beginning and by the same Death shall put an end to all our worldly vanities There is no better way to abate and humble the proudest of all Creatures than to represent his beginning and his end The middle part of our life like a kind of Proteus takes upon it several shapes not understood by others but the first and last part of it deceive no man for they do both begin and end in Dust It is a strange thing that Man knowing well what he hath been and what he must be is not confounded in himself by observing the pride of his own life and the great disorder of his passions The end of all other creatures is less deformed than that of man Plants in their death retain some pleasing smell of their bodies The little rose buries it self in her natural sweetness and carnation colour Many Creatures at their death leave us their teeth horns feathers skins of which we make great use Others after death are served up in silver and golden dishes to feed the greatest persons of the world Onely mans dead carcase is good for nothing but to feed worms and yet he often retains the presumptuous pride of a Giant by the exorbitancie of his heart and the cruel nature of a murderer by the furious rage of his revenge Surely that man must either be stupid by nature or most wicked by his own election who will not correct and amend himself having still before his eyes Ashes for his Glass and Death for his Mistress 2. This consideration of Dust is an excellent remedy to cure vices and an assured Rampire against all temptations S. Paulinus saith excellently well That holy Job was free from all temptations when he was placed upon the smoke and dust of his humility He that lies upon the ground can
was there known to all the world and the disdain of that ungratefull Nation closed the hands of his great bounty Is it not a great unhappiness to be weary and tyred with often communicating to be wicked because God is good and to shut up our selves close when he would impart himself to us Men make little account of great benefits and spiritual helps for that they have them present They must lose those favours to know them well and seek outragiously without effect what they have kickt away with contempt because it was easily possest 2. The choices and elections of God are not to be comprehended within our thoughts but they should be adored by our hearts He is Master of his own favours and doth what he will in the Kingdoms of Nature Grace and Glory He makes vessels of Potters earth of gold and silver He makes Holy-dayes and working-dayes saith the Wiseman his liberalites are as free to him as his thoughts We must not examine the reason why he doth elevate some and abase others Our eye must not be wicked because his heart is good Let us content our selves that he loves the humble and to know that the lowest place of all is most secure No man is made reprobate without justice no man is saved without mercy God creates men to repair in many that which he hath made and also to punish in the persons of many that which he hath not made 3. Jesus doth not cure his brethren and yet cures strangers to shew that his powers are not tied to any nation but his own will So likewise the graces of God are not to be measured according to the nature of him who receives them but by the pure bounty of him who gives them The humility of some doth call him when the presumption of others doth estrange him The weak grounds of a dying law did no good to the Jews who disdained the grace of Jesus Christ And that disdain deprived them of their adoption of the glory of the New Testament of all the promises and of all Magistracy They lost all because they would keep their own wills Let us learn by the grace of God to desire earnestly that good which we would obtain effectually Persons distasted and surfetted cannot advance much in a spiritual life And he that seeks after perfection coldly shall never find it Aspirations THy beauties most sweet Jesus are without stain thy goodness without reproch and thy conversation without importunity God forbid I should be of the number of those souls which are distasted with Monna and languish after the onions of Egypt The more I taste thee the more I incline to do thee honour Familiarity with an infinite thing begets no contempt but onely from those whom thou doest despise for their own faults O what high secrets are thy favours O what Abysses are thy graces We may wish and run But except thou cooperate nothing is done If thou cease to work all is undone I put all my happiness into thy hands It is thou alone which knowest how to chuse what we most need by thy Sovereign wisdom and thou givest it by thy extream bounty The Gospel upon Tuesday the third week in Lent S. Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it alone BUt if thy brother shall offend against thee go and rebuke him between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou shalt gain thy brother and if he will not hear thee joyn with thee besides one or two that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand And if he will not hear them tell the Church and if he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican Amen I say to you whatsoever ye shall bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven Again I say to you that if two of you shall consent upon earth concerning every thing whatsoever they ask it shall be done to them of my Father which is in heaven for where there be two or three gathered in my name there am I in the midst of them Then came Peter unto him and said Lord how often shall my brother offend against me and I forgive him until seven times Jesus said to him I say not to thee until seven times but until seventy times seven times Moralities 1. THe heavens are happy that they go always in one measure and in so great a revolution of ages do not make one false step but man is naturally subject to fail He is full of imperfections and if he have any virtues he carries them like dust against the wind or snow against the sun This is the reason which teaches him that he needs good advice 2. It is somewhat hard to give right correction but much harder to receive it profitably Some are so very fair spoken that they praise all which they see and because they will find nothing amiss they are ordinarily good to no body They shew to those whom they flatter their virtues in great and their faults in little they will say to those who are plunged in great disorders they have no other fault but that they are not sufficiently carefull of their own health Others do correct with such sharpness and violence that they wound their own hearts to cure other mens and seem to have a greater mind to please their own passions than to amend those whom they would instruct Correction should be accompanied with sweetness but it must carry withall a little vigour to make a right temper and to keep a mean between softness and austerity Jesus in the Prophet Isaiah is called both a rod and a flower to shew us according to Origen that he carries severity mingled with sweetness to use either of them according to the diversity of persons 3. It is not a very easie thing to receive brotherly correction patiently we are so far in love with being well thought of And after we have lost the tree of life which is virtue it self we would keep the bark of it which is onely reputation All shadows proceed from those bodies upon which somewhat shines honour is the child of a known virtue and many when they cannot get one lawfull are willing to have a Bastard This is the cause why so many resemble those serpents which requite them with poison who sing to them pleasant songs Whatsoever is spoken to instruct them makes them passionate and dart out angry speeches against those who speak to them mild and gentle words of truth and tending to their salvation Rest assured you can never get perfection except you count it a glorie to learn and discover your own imperfections 4. There is nothing of more force than the prayers of just men which are animated by the same spirit and cimented together with perfect concord They are most powerfull both in heaven and earth When they desire what
scatter in the air to serve as instruments and hands to their attractions This being common to other natures of plants metals and living creatures we must not think but that the body of man participateth therein by reason of its vivacity and the multitude of pores which give a more easie passage to such emissions There then cometh forth a spirituous substance which is according to Marsilius Ficinus a vapour of bloud pure subtil hot and clear more strong or weak according to the interiour agitation of spirits which carrieth along with it some quality of a temperate friendly and convenient which Marsilius Ficinus l. 1. de vita c. 2. insinuating it self into the heart and soul doth if it there find a disposition of conformity abide as a seed cast into the earth or as a Leaven which swelleth up a piece of dough and forms this love of correspondence with an admirable promptnesse and vigour From thence it cometh that brothers many times feel motions and affections of tendernesse one for another Surius without knowing each other as it happened to S. Justus who knew his brother Justinian among sundry slaves who were at the chain by this notice without any other fore-judgement Thence it comes that at first we are passionate for persons we never saw and that we wish them well though they alwayes have not so much grace nor beauty but there is some relation of humour which weaveth the web and tieth such affections All nature is full of such communications which are effects of Sympathy observed in the Corall which sensibly changeth according to his disposition who hath it about him as also in the flesh of beasts which boileth in the powdring-tub at the time of the fury of dogs because they have been bitten by a mad dog And in wine which seems to be sprinkled all over with certain white flowers when the vines are in blossome So it happeneth that the spirits which do in our bodies Modification of the opinion who place love onely in transpiration Species forma semel per oâ—ulos illigaâ—a vix magni luctaminis manu solviter Hieron in Threnos cap. 3. what the winds do in Nature being transpired from one body to another and carrying in their wings qualities consonant do infallibly excite and awaken the inclinations But it is not credible or at least ordinary that this manner of working should be as in things inanimate and that it hath nothing to do with the senses for it is principally the eyes which are interressed therein breathing thence the most thin spirits and darting forth the visuall rayes as the arrows of love which penetrate the heart are united confounded and lost one within another then heating the bloud they strike the Imagination and attract wills which are so linked one to another that one cannot perceive the knot which so fast tied them together If transpiration alone of spirit indifferently proceeding from all the parts of the body were able to enflame concupiscence we must then say that a blind man set at a certain distance from a perfect beauty would become enamoured with beholding it hearing it smelling it couching it or by any sense understanding it which notwithstanding happeneth not in that manner and if nature thus proceeded and that this passion were to be taken as a Contagion we might extreamly fear the approch of bodies and persist in continuall apprehensions to be infected by them It is certain that the senses being well guarded shut up all the gates against love A Guard over the senses since the Imagination it self stirreth not but upon their report but after they yield themselves up by a too familiar conversation and resign their defences a terrible havock is made in the mind for love entereth thereunto as a Conquerour into a surprized City and imprinteth that pleasing face in every drop of the masse of bloud It engraveth it on the Imagination It figureth it on every thought and there is nothing any longer entire in the mind which is not divided between slavery and frenzy § 7. The effects of Sensuall Love IT is a strange thing that this fury hath a thousand hands and a thousand attractives a thousand wayes of working quite different and many times opposite It takes by the eyes by the ears by the imagination by chance of purpose by flying pressing forward honouring insulting by complacence and by disdain Sometimes also it layes hold by tears by laughing by modesty by audacity by confidence by carelessenesse by wiles by simplicity by speech and by silence Sometimes it assaileth in company sometimes in solitude at windows at grates in Theatres and in Cabinets at Bals at sports in a feast at a Comedy sometimes at Church at prayers in acts of Penance And who can assure us against it without the protection of God Eustatius the Interpreter of Homer saith there are some who feign Love to be the sonne of the wind and the Rainbow in Heaven in my opinion to signifie unto us its Inconstancy and diversified colours and this beautifull Iris in the beginning appears all in Rubies in Diamonds and Emeralds over our heads afterward to cause rain and tempests So love shewing it self at first with such bright semblances to our senses occasioneth storms and corruption in our minds Observe one transfixed with violent love and you The miserable state of one passionately in love Insomnia aetumnae terror fuga stultitià que adeò temerâ—tas in cogitantia excors immodestia c. Plautus in Moâ—cat shall find he hath all that in his love which Divines have placed in Hell darkenesse Flames the worm of Conscience an ill Savour Banishment from the sight of God You shall see a man whose mind is bewitched brain dislocated and Reason eclipsed All he beholdeth all he meditateth on all he speaketh all he dreameth is the creature he loveth He hath her in his head and heart painted graved carved in all the most pleasing forms For her he sometimes entereth into quakings sometimes into faintings another while into fits of fire and Ice He flieth in the air and instantly is â—â—enged in the Abysse He attendeth he espieth He fears He hopes he despairs He groneth he sigheth He blusheth he waxeth pale He doteth in the best company He talks to woods and fountains He writeth He blots out He teareth He lives like a spectre estranged from the conversation of men Repast is irksome to him and Repose which charmeth all the cares of the world is not made for him Still this fair one still this cruell one tormenteth him and God maketh him a whip of the thing he most loveth Yet is this more strange in the other sex which hath naturally more inclimation to honesty A Lady chaste or a Virgin well-bred who begins to wax cold in the love of God and in the exercise of devotion and takes too much liberty in her conversation with men finds her self insensibly surprized by the eyes and ears by
love which drowneth all humane thoughts which swalloweth all earthly affections which flieth to the superiour region of man which hideth all that is eminent in sciences transcendent in virtue great in imagination and which causeth the spirit to forget it self and to look on nothing but heaven § 12. The Practise of Divine Love THe love of God is a science inspired not studied where the infusion of the Holy Ghost is more eloquent then all Tongues and more learned then all Pens That which comes to us by art oft-times begins very late and quickly endeth That which is given us by the favour of heaven comes very readily and never is dost Those who think to learn the love of God by precepts onely croak like Ravens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pindarus and have nothing solid such as have it by grace are Angels who are raised into the highest region and poize themselves on their wings Grave discourses and good books fail not to contribute much to this purpose as we lately may have tried by the treatise which the R. F. Stephen Binet hath published fully replenished with the holy ardours of extraordinary devotion and which seem to have been dictated by love it self and conceived in that fire which Jesus came to enkindle on earth to enflame the whole world If then you desire to profit in this love let your endeavour The means to acquire the love of God be continually to beg it of God with the most fervent prayers which the holy Ghost shall suggest to esteem it above all worldly things and to apply all your actions to this happy conquest Be ye very carefull to cut off from your heart all impediments which may give it any obstacle for if you should imagine to entertain it in a soul sullied with terrestriall affections it were to ask a most precious Quot vitia habemus tot recentes habemus Deos Hieron Balm to put it in an unclean vessel We have as many Idolls in our heart as passions opposite to the law of God Be not satisfied with taking away vices but stifle the remembrance of worldly things which may in you occasion any exorbitancy Withdraw your mind as much as you can from a thousand imaginations which fly as aiery spirits about your heart when it begins to take wings to its repose Perplex not your self likewise more then is reason with affairs both spirituall and temporall which cause a thousand cares to arise and onely serve to quench the vigour of devotion and to draw out the juice of piety Fly acerbities of heart apprehensions and servitudes accustoming your self to do all with a spirit of sweetnesse and holy liberty Consequently make a practise of the love of God The practise of the love of God undertaking it with a resolute purpose a great application of mind and employing all possible industries to profit therein as one would in affecting some great bargain some very considerable office or affair most important For it is a very unworthy thing to behold all despicable Trades full of artisans who kill themselves How we may earn to love God above the love of the world Jnhonestos amatores ostendite si quis amore foeminae lasciviens vestit se aliter quà m amatae placet Aug. ler. 19. de verbis Apost to find out inventions that may set forth the profession and that onely the occupation of the love of God should have workmen so lazy and unnaturall After all following the counsel of S. Augustine consider what the children of darknesse often do to prosper in worldly loves and amities They strive to insinuate themselves by some good office they consider on every side the person of him of whom they would be beloved they study his nature his inclinations his desires his affairs and they oblige him ere he is aware in what he desireth most Are they entred into his amity they persist in the practise of great assiduities they have entertainments and admirable correspondencies they delight they serve they mingle the recreative with the serious They apply all they see all they think upon all they invent all they hope all they possesse all they say all they write to the contentment of this creature They draw tribute out of all for it and if it be possible will give it its hearts-wish in all things They transform themselves into its humours and likings They espouse its loves enmities quarrels and revenges They publish its virtues with discretion conceal its favours they have tricks to pacifie its anger to stir up its languours to open its heart to hold their possession and if it be needfull will passe through ten purgatories of fire ice tears bloud torrents seas enflamed serpents gnawing vultures to arrive at one of its pretentions O reproch that all this is done for a frivolous worldly love which oftentimes is the Hangman of life the gulf of Reason the Hell of souls and that there is none but Jesus for whom they will not so much ss stir a finger Make a resolution to insinuate your self into his friendship by some notable Act which you know to be acceptable to him and which he already hath required of you by so many inspirations Enter into his house and into his bosome render him assiduity in your prayers your meditations your communions and in all your exercises of devotion Learn to speak to him every hour by jaculatory prayers as one would to some friend tenderly loved and vehemently affected Referre all creatures to his love and love nothing but him but in him but for him publish his greatnesse every where make a thousand instruments of his glory but conceal his favours by a profound humility Behold men your like as his images Engrave all his words all his actions all his wounds in the bottome of your heart make your selves like him as much as you may bear him on your flesh suffering for him not onely with patience but alacrity through a desire of conformity Behold the principall means by which one may come to the love of God and to the unitive way Observe there withall the three Conditions which S. Bernard prescribeth to wit to love sweetly prudently strongly sweetly without violence prudently without illusion strongly without separation But there being nothing which more forcibly moveth That we learn to love God himself and by the character of his substance which is Jesus In medio animalium splendor ignis de igne fulgur egrediens Ezekiel 1. the soul then Example I advise you often to present unto your self the love of God and Jesus Christ which should be the source of ours and to make a sacred posy to your self of all the lovers who were most vehement in Divine Love Reflect O Christian soul upon the chariot of Cherubins in Ezechiel and thou shalt learn what God would have of thee I see saith the Prophet a clear and bright fire in the midst of these living Creatures and from
the eternall and unquenchable fornace of all chaste affections He hath all his desires limited and replenished since as he sees nothing out of himself so he cannot desire any thing out of himself If you imagine the sea saith S. Augustine Mare co gitas non est hoc Deus omnia quae sunt in terra homines animalia non est hoc Deus Augin Psal 85. it is not God If you imagine the earth with so many rivers which moisten it so many herbs and flowers which enamel it so many trees which cover it so many living creatures which furnish it so many men which inhabite and cultivate it it is not God If you in your thoughts figure the air with all its birds so different in shape so various in plumage so diversified in their notes it is not God If you go up to those Chrystaline and Azure vaults where the Sunne and Moon and so many Starres perform their career with such measure it is not God If you behold in heaven innumerable legions of Angels Spirits of fire and light resplendent before the face of God as lamps of balsamum lighted before the propitiatory it is not God but God is he who comprehendeth all that who bounds it and incomparably surpasseth it All things say Divines are in God by way of eminency as in the Exemplar Cause which mouldeth them as in the Efficient Cause which produceth them as in the Finall Cause which determines them but they are in a manner so elate and exalted that those same which in themselves are inanimate in God are spirit and life All the Creatures we have seen produced in the revolution of so many Ages are as Actours which God Quod factum est in ipso vita erat Joh. 1. who is the great Master of the Comedy which is acted in this world kept hidden behinde the hangings in his Idea's more lively and more lustrous then they be on the stage The World strikes the hour of their Entrances and Exits of their life and death but the great Clock of God in his Eternity hath at one instant strucken all their hours Nothing to him is unexpected nothing unknown nothing new All that which tieth the desires of the most curious all that which suspendeth the admiration of the sagest all which enflameth the hearts of the most passionate Lands and Seas Magazines of Nature Thrones Theatres Arms and Empires all are but a silly drop of dew before the face of God Then how can God but live contented within himself Ecce gentes quasi stilla fitulae quasi momentum staterae reputatae sunt ecce insulae quasi pulvis exiguus Libanus non sufficiet ac ad succedendum Isa 4. 16. since the smallest streams of the fountain which springs from his bosome may suffice a million of worlds O ungratefull and faithlesse soul the same Paradise which God hath for himself he hath prepared for thee he will thou beholdest thy self that thou contemplatest thy self that thou reposest thy self in his heart yet thou flutterest up and down like a silly butterfly among so many creatures so many objects so many desires perpetually hungry ever distant from thy good ever a traitour to thy repose and glory Beggarly soul which beggest every where Miserable soul which in every place findest want in abundance Ignominious soul upon whose front all loves have stamped dishonour when wilt thou rally together all thy desires into one period When wilt thou begin to live the life of God to be satisfied with Gods contentment and to be happy with Gods felicity § 5. That we should desire by the imitation of Jesus Christ THe second Reason that I draw from the second 2. Reason of the onely desire which Jesus had in seeking the glory of his heavenly Father Model which is the Word Incarnate the Rule and Example of all our actions is that Jesus Christ had no other desire on earth but to suffer to be dissolved and to annihilate himself for the glory of his heavenly Father by subjecting rebellious powers to his Sceptre and by gaining souls of which he infinitely was desirous even to the last moment of his life The Plato lib. de ordine universi apud Viennam Philosopher Plato in the Book of the order of the Universe writeth that all the Elements naturally desired to evaporate themselves in the Celestiall Region as it were therein to obtain a more noble and more eminent state of consistence Now the deaf and dumb desire which things inanimate have to be transformed into a nature more delicate is most apparent in the sacred Humanity of the Son of God which although it alwayes remained within the limits of its Essence it notwithstanding had an ineffable sympathy with the Divinity being totally plunged therein as iron in burning coals It in all and through all followed its motions will and ordinances as true dials wait on the Sun nor had it any desire more ordinary then to make a profusion of it self in all it had created Theology teacheth us that albeit the will of God were necessitated in certain actions as in the production of the love which sprang from the sight of God notwithstanding in others it was altogether free able to do and not to do such or such a thing according to his good pleasure as at such or such a time to go or not to go into Jury Able of two good things which were presented to chuse the one or leave the other as to do miracles rather in Jury then in Sidon Able also Nonvolebat in Judaeam ambulare Job 7. 1. to do the things ordained him by his heavenly Father out of motives and reasons such as his wisdome thought best to chuse In all those liberties never pretended he ought but the Glory and Service of his Father Good God what sublimate is made in the limbeck of Love what evaporations and what separations of things even indivisible are made in the five great annihilations which Theology contemplateth in the person of Jesus Christ First the inseparable Word of God seemeth to make a divorce but a divorce of obedience and to separate it self but with a separation alwayes adherent by the condition of a forreign nature transplanted into Radius ex sole portio de summa de spiritu spiritus de Deo Deus Tertul Apol 2. Greg. l. 28 mor. cap. 2. the Divinity Secondly he by a new miracle permitteth that this Humane nature tied to the Divine nature be separated from its subsistence its last determination and substantiall accomplishments Thirdly that Glory be separated from the estate and condition of Glory yielding his glorious soul up as a prey to sadnesse Fourthly he separateth himself not onely from the signs and conditions of a Messias but almost from the resemblance of a man being become us a worm Lastly he draws himself into the interiour of his Quasi ignis effulgens thus ardens in igne soul
prosperity The five gates are the five senses by which all the passages are made into carnall pleasure and which according to their nature are perpetually put upon sensuall pleasures and vain delights of the world when one entreth into this house he instantly feels the smoke of meats he heareth a great noise in the Kitchin and mixed with it a consort of dissolute people who chaunt that whch those miserable souls sung in the booke of Wisdome Come let us Venito fruamur bonis quae sunt utamur creaturâ tanquam in juventute celeriter vino pretioso unguento nos implea mus non praetereat nos flos temporis coronemus nos rosis antequam marâ—escant nullum pratum sit quod non per transeat luxuria nostra enjoy present blessings and let us not torment our minds with the time to come let us make much of creatures while they are in our power let us take prosperity by the wing Whilst youth smileth on us Let us spare neither rich wines nor perfume the flower of time flyeth away lay hold of it who can Let us make coronets of roses before they wither and let there not be a meadow wherein our sensuality want only sporteth not Then we behold a great number of those drunkards of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh who are upon the side of a river called the Forgetfulnesse of God some of them are frizeled powdered musquefied others smoke-dried high-coloured and Fiery-faced others pale meager and out of countenance some drink eat and make good chear so prodigiously that Nature doth even burst for anger some toy sport and trifle among women of their own humour others fumble upon a Lute sing airs and prattle to please themselves others shuffle Cards shake dice and pitch battel at the sound of money others design strange new dances in their fantasies and to conclude all of them have no other aim but the satisfaction of sense and the slavery of the flesh You see likewise among these heapes very many of The image of nice ones suspicious nicelings who have as great a care of their health as if the Species of men were to fail in themselves There are many people who never by experience knew of what colour the Crisping of day was and who aswell also may vaunt as the Sybarite that they never saw the sun either rising or setting Alchymists labour to turn copper into gold but these men commonly turn day into night and seek for elements apart to distinguish themselves from other men as being not made of the same matter with the rest They perpetually pick quarrels at the air the winds the seasons and there is scarcely a day clear enough for them they must keep their chambers learn the trick of dining in their beds to beware of Planets and Moons as great enemies and to fear the Serene as if it were some flying serpent which came to rob them of their life heat cold moisture drought travell the way are hostilities with them against which they proclaim an everlasting war All these kinds of people would willingly make Epicurus his vow which is never to have any trouble nor ever would they be dispenced within it If there be the least shadow of some sicknesse Physitians upon Physitians must be consulted with all the world must be enterteined with an imaginary evil remedies must be sought for on all sides Druggs every hour and of all kinds sent for so long untill they have made an Apothecaries shop of their bodies But if really they be sick Hippocrates and Galen must be raised again to feel their pulse so few Physitians they find to their liking and then battels must be waged to take a medicine or to receive a prick of the lancet if peradventure the apprehension of it be lodged in the giddinesse of their brains When Death comes to look on them he must have a gilded Mask on and be clothed with a garment of white sattin embrodered with pearles and a little sithe of Chrystall put into his hands or a silver dart for they extreamely fear the stroke Lastly to be short you in this lodging observe infinite many who never make use of their feet and as little of their head but to trouble all the world such as cannot eat one morsell but with silver forks nor cannot spit but upon the same metall such whose viands must be more choise then were used in those antient feasts of false gods There is not a Cook a Groom nor a maid-servant can content them so many fashions singularities and services there are about them you would say their life is a continuall sacrifice replenished with ceremonies Every day they must be upon change of officers and he who accommodateth not himself to their humour is their open enemy Were it not better for one to dy a thousand times or to live all the dayes of his life attending the most skittish Mule that is then do such service to his body § 3. The Sublimity Beauty and Sweetnesse of Heavenly delights WRetched Soul if thou yet art not grieved to Remedies True contentment is in God lead a life an enemy to the Crosse odious to Reason insupportable to men and if thou seekest joy and contentment for which it seemes to thee we are born lift up thine eye and behold delight in its source which thou wilt never find but in the house of God The wine of Palmes makes all other wine unsavoury and men to be temperate So the contentment which commeth from things divine blotteth out the memory of all sensuall delectations One grape alone of Ephraim is better worth then Melior est racemus Ephraim vindemiis Abiezer Jud. c. 8. 2. all the vineyards of Abtezer One sole pleasure taken in heavenly objects is a thousand times more to be esteemed then all the contentments in the world whose desire is nothing but fire fruition but disturbance and losse but repentance All the pleasure of God is in God God possessing himself enjoyeth his contentment himself He hath his Halls his orchard his delights his Cabbinet and his Paradise in his own bosome he alone is an infinite good to himself and sustinent in all the latitudes of his beatitude he enjoyeth it from all eternity having no need of any creature to augment the pleasure of it and to accomplish the glory of it and if of necessity he must have company and amity to make up an accomplished good he never needed more then the most sweet and lovely society which he found before all Ages in the Trinity of persons amongst whom there is a sovereign Communication of blessings joy counsels and nature Now it is an admirable thing that the same good which God out of necessity hath for himself he hath prepared for us through Charity and will we have any other Paradise then himself Masters will not have any thing common with their servants and if they could they would not breathe the air
Spina gratiam floris humanae speculum praefetens vitae quae suavitatem perfunctionis suae finitimis curaâ—si stimulis saepe compungit S. Ambr. l. 3. Hexameron Impatient of divers qualities not all the same liveries For the Kingdome of this Passion is an admirable Purgatory where punishments are divers and every one participates of them according to the quality of his apprehension and the diversity of objects Such saith S. Ambrose is the condition of our life Roses which before sin grew without thorns are afterward on all sides armed with sharp-pointed prickles to teach us that the most smiling fortunes take part in the cares and miseries of the condition of mortals I observe nice impatient ones who have been bred as it were between silk and cotton and who never beheld the miseries of the world but through shadows and clouds and therefore the use they have taken to be served from their childhood according to their humour causeth patience to be a matter very extraordinary with them So you see that upon the least occasion presented of suffering their weak spirit shrinks within it self and their tender flesh makes resistance These are they of whom the Prophet Baruch spake My nice ones have walked through hard and rough Delicati mei ambu laverunt vias difficiles Baruch 1. 26. wayes And of whom Seneca hath aptly said They are ulcers which are irritated when they are lightly touched or that you make but a shew to do it I on the other side observe suspicious Impatient ones who skirmish with flies and are tormented upon shadows of affronts which never were continually ruminating on some slight cold countenance not purposely shewed them or some word spoken meerly out of freedome of speech on the other side I see of them that are prompt and sharp whose bloud quickly comes into their faces whose eyes sparkle voice is shrill fashion turbulent and veins wholly bent upon revenge so that they do not long dispute with a yoke but break it and runne at randome where they oftentimes commit as many errours as they go steps I observe others who are more bitter then sharp in their Impatience and in this number I behold many wayward and prying old men who still have some accusations to make against the actions of youth I see many Courties discountenanced many entranced lovers many officers servants male and female dismissed many suitours rejected in their pursuits many envious who repine at the prosperity of their Neighbour on the other part I behold many persons afflicted in the world one with sicknesse another for the death of a friend one with contempt another with slander one with poverty another with deformity of body some with indispositions of mind and other temporall mishaps It is of this Sadnesse whereof the Wise-man speaketh when he saith that Even as the moth marreth a garment and a little worm gnaweth wood so Sadnesse insensibly eateth Prov. 25. Sicut tinea vestimento vermis ligno ita tristitia viri nocet cordi the heart of man Lastly I see many miserable creatures who cease not to find fault with their vocation and to complain of those who govern them to accuse the Age and seasons and oft-times to call God in question Some tell their evil to all the world like unto those sick persons who sought for remedies from all who passed by the gates of their Temples others hatch their discontent in the bottome of their heart and have much to doe that it be not seen in their faces others publickly drag their Crosse through Currents of water with murmures and imprecations of which the Scripture saith That the clamour and noise of Tumultus murmurationum non abscondetur Sap. 1. their exclamations openly brake forth Others cannot restin any place being weary of all manner of sports recreation and company others are vexed at themselves are dotish melancholick frightfull as if they had some evil spirit in their heart so much oppression of mind they feel they neglect all the offices of civill life yea and the functions of naturall life loth any longer to eat or drink as if they already were in their graves from thence proceed black fansies illusions despair and a thousand agitations of mind which cannot be sufficiently expressed It is Sadnesse which in Scripture is called a geuerall Plague Verily it is a lamentable thing to see how we are here Omnis plaga Eccl. 25. 17. handled by the unhappinesse of our passions I am not ignorant there are dolours so great and Sadnesses so deep that an extraordinary grace of God is necessary to free a soul from it which is touched with it and to set it at liberty but we must likewise say that we often betray our Repose and Conscience by suffering so many bad seeds to grow up in our hearts which we might kill with some resistance of virtue and some ordinary help of the grace of God § 2. Humane Remedies of Sadnesse and how that is to be cured which proceedeth from melancholy and pusillanimity WHilst the great Genius of Physick Hyppocrates drave away maladies by his precepts and almost snatched bodies out of the hands of death one Antiphon arose in Greece who envious of his glory promised to do upon souls what the other did on mortall members and proposed this sublime invention which Plutarch calleth the art of curing of all Sadnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in vita 10. Rhetorum where we may truly say he used more vanity promises and ostent of words then he wrought good effects Certainly it were to be wished that our age which is so abundant in miseries should likewise arise great comforts to sweeten the acerbities of the times to pour oil on the peoples yoke as the Scripture speaketh Isa 10. 27. to enter into the interiour of so many poor souls beaten down with Sadnesse and wasted with cares to draw them out of the shadow of death with the first raies of some felicity Another Helena were needfull to mingle the divine Drug of Nepenthe in the meats of so many afflicted persons who moisten their bread with their tears before they eat it For my part I think that to apply a remedy to Sadnesse there must a diligent consideration be had of its nature kind and quality for fear that going about to give it comfort the evil be not exasperated or that a medicine be unprofitably applyed There are Sadnesses which come from humour Four kinds of Sadnesses there are which proceed from pusillamity others are caused by scruples others by an infinite many of irksome objects which happen in the chances of humane life As for those which grow from Melancholick humour they are deep rooted as being the inheritances of Nature and the effects of Temperature They may notwithstanding be greatly moderated by prudence discretion and study which one may use in overcoming them It were not to be desired to cut off all manner of Melancholy
Forrests with bloud and massacres perpetually under their paws by naturall instinct quake at the thundering voyce of God Fishes in the bottome of seas and abysses with horrour hear it enraged tempests which seem ready to tear the world in pieces become silent at the command of the Highest and draw in their O maxime O summe invisibilium procreator opifex invise nullis unquam comprehense naturis dâ—gnus eâ— verè si modò te dignum mortali dicendum est cre cui spirans omnis intelligénsque natura habere agere nunquam gratias desinat cui totâ conveniat vitâ genu nixo procumbere continuatis precibus suppiicà te Arnob. contra gentes wings under his throne waves and floods which make a shew not to regard this great All no more then a single Element dissolve their fury upon the sight of one silly grain of sand which imposeth a law on them by virtue of Gods ordinance The very divels all on Fire in the flames of their punishment which infinite misery seems to have exempted from fear can not free themselves from this sting O most mighty O most sovereign Lord of things visible and invisible O great Eye who seest all and art not seen by any here below Thou art truly worthy If we with mortall lips may call thee worthy yea worthy to whom all intelligent and reasonable Nature should give continuall thanks for thy inexplicable benefits worthy before whom we on our bended knees should all our life-time remain prostrate worthy that for thee we should have praises and prayers everlastingly on our lips And where is that brazen brow which dares to offend thee in the midst of thy Temple of this universe from whence thou on all sides beholdest us O what a monster is impudency if it persist insensible to such considerations § 5. Of the reverence which the holy Humanity of our Lord bare to his Eternall Father LEt us look on the other Modell and consider how The reverence Jesus bare to that divine Majesty Jesus Christ uncapable properly either of fear or Shamefac'dnesse caused by any defect observed all the dayes of his mortall conversation so lowly a reverence towards the divine Majesty that it serves for matter of admiration to all Angels and of example for all ages To understand this well I beseech you to take into your consideration two reasons that I will set before you which me thinks are well worthy of your ponderation First that the greatnesse of actions ought ever to be measured by the end for which God hath instituted them as if one prove that the actions of understanding are given us to raise us to the knowledge of God we by the same means infer that those actions are very noble since they are directed to an end so eminent Now wherefore think you was the eternall Word Incarnate in the womb of a holy Virgin I say that besides consideration of humane Redemption and the instruction of all mortals God covered himself with the flesh of man that there might by that means be a person in the world able to praise and honour God asmuch as he is praise-worthy and honourable by a nature create hypostatically joyned to the divine nature Philo in Philo de plantatione Noemi the Book of Noahs plantation saith that search was made through the world for a voyce suteable to the divine Majesty to speak and recount his praises and there was none found For although the sovereign Creatour hath been praised from the beginning of Ages by the morning starrs which are the Angels as saith Job Cum me laudarent astra matutina jubiâ— larent omnes filii Dei Job 38. 5. yet we must say that all the praises which the highest Seraphims may give to the Divinity if we compare them to the merits of its incomparable greatnesse are like a Candle in comparison of the Sun a small drop of water parallell'd with the sea and an infant-like stutterer who should undertake to declare the prowesses of the most illustrious Cesars There needeth a lauding God a reverencing God and an adoring God to praise reverence and adore God worthily otherwise there were nothing sutable to his Divine Majesty there being no proportion between the finite and the Infinite And that which seemed to be impossible is accomplished in the person of Jesus Christ All reverences of Angels and men are dissolved into him as if one should melt many small Bells to make a great one And verily all creatures being dumb in his presence he made himself as a huge Bell of the great clock of the word which striketh the hours and resoundeth thanks to his heavenly Father All our reverences our homages our adorations have neither force dignity nor value if they be not united and incorporated with the homage submission and adoration which this glorious Humanity rendereth to his Celestiall Father even above the vaults of the Empereall Heaven This is the great Angel of Counsel of whom we may pronounce these words of the Apocalypse That he came to present himself Apoc. 8. 3. before the Altar having in his hand a golden Incensorie and much incense was given him that he might offer the prayers of holy Saints on this golden Altar The second reason is that the reverence and honour we do to one is justly augmented according as we more clearly know his great and worthy parts whereupon we may inferr that as our Saviour had knowledges and incomparable lights of the Majestie of his heavenly Father not onely in respect of science increate but of science beatifick and infused so had he proportionably resentments of honour so profoundly reverent that he perpetually lived absorpt in this reverence as a drop of water in the sea or a hot Iron in the fornace There was neither vein nor artery which was not every moment penetrated and overflowed with the veneration he yeilded to God his Father Men who naturally are dull and sensuall stand in need of exteriour signs to raise them to the reverence of God For which cause the sages of the world in the falshood of pretended religions have always affected some tokens of terrour to affright perjured and Philostr l. 1. c. 16 de vit Apollonii A notable custome of the Babylonians in doing Justice wicked men So the Babylonians when they sat on matters of Justice went into a Hall of the Palace made in the form of the heavens where were hanged the figures of their Gods all resplentent in gold and where were to be seen on the roof certain forms of birds which they thought to be sent from on high as messengers of The custom of Bochyris a Judge of Egypt the Sun So Bochyris a most famous Judge of Egypt ordinarily named as the Father and protectour of Equitie that he might powerfully imprint an apprehension of God avenger of Injustices when he fate on his throne of Judicature always had the image of a serpent in embossed
Ordures which never are washed off miseries which are without end But this world wherein we live as it hath sanctities which are not without hazard and Felicities which cannot be without change so it hath sinnes waited on by pardon and miseries comforted by remedies yet against iniquities God hath given us penance and against calamities mercy Deum extra se effici creaturis omanibus providendo S. Maximus God in heaven produceth another God not in substance but in person and on earth a second image of himself which is this divine mercy It is an infinite goodnesse of the Father of Nature and grace to have here below seated this excellent passion to the end great maladies might not be without great medicines Of all living creatures there is none more miserable Man as he is the most miserable of all creatures so he is the most mercifull then man nor is there any likewise more mercifull then man whilest he is man and that he despoil not himself of that which God hath made him to do that which ought never to be so much as thought on And if he forget mildnesse and Compassion which is naturall to him our sovereign Creatour teacheth it him by his own miseries Alas How can one man harden his heart one against another on what side soever he look he seeth the tokens of his infirmities and scarce can he go a step but he finds a lesson of humility against his vanities If he consider what is above him he beholdeth the heavens and the air which so waste and change his life that yet without them he cannot live If he cast his eye round about him and under his feet he sees waters which in moistening him rot him and earth which being spread as a Table before his eyes fails not to serve him for a Tomb. It is a strange thing that even evils are necessary for him and that he cannot overslip things which kill him Smelling tasting meat and drink sleep and repose do with his life what Penelope did with her web what one houre makes another unmakes and the very sources of the greatest blessings are found to be wholly infected with mortall poyson But if man come to examine himself he finds he hath a body frail naked disarmed begging of all creatures exposed to all the injuries of elements of beasts and men and there is not a hand so little which strives not violently to pull off his skin Heat cold drouth moisture labour maladies old age exercise him and if he think to take a little repose idlenesse corrupteth him If he enter farther in to himself he meeteth a spirit fastned to the brink of his lips which is invaded by an army of passions so many times fleshed for his ruine And yet we must truly say that of all the evils of man there is not any worse then Man hath no greater evil then Man man It is he who causeth wars and shipwracks murthers and poysons he who burneth houses and whole Cities he who maketh Wildernesses of the most flourishing Provinces he who demolisheth the foundations of the most famous buildings he who rednceth the greatest riches to nakednesse he who putteth Princes into fetters who exposeth Ladies to dishonour who thrusts the knife into the throats of the pleople who not content with so many manner of deaths daily inventeth new to force out a soul by the violence of torments by as many bloudy gates as it receiveth wounds Good God! what doth not man against man when he hath once renounced humanity Novv vvhat remedy vvould there be in so great and horrible confusions vvhich make a hell of the earth vvere it not that God hath given us this vvholesome mercy vvhich it seems is come from heaven to unloose our chains to vvipe avvay our tears to svveeten our acerbities repair our losses and rebeautifie our felicities Mercy tilleth the fields of heaven and had it not descended on earth all which God did had been lost saith the golden mouth of the West Chry l. 1. 4. so § 2. The Essence of Compassion and how it findeth place in hearts the most generous GOd then hath caused Compassion to grow in our hearts as a Celestiall inspiration which stirreth The Essence of this passion up the will to succour the miseries of another and taketh its source as Theology observeth from a dislike we conceive out of the consideration of a certain dissent and disorder we see in a civil life when we behold a man like unto us according to nature so different in quality and so ill handled by the mishap of the accidents of life Thence it comes to passe that all good souls have tender hearts and especially such as know what worldly miseries are as learned men and those who have had experience of them and who think they may also feel them in the uncertainty of life and condition of humane things The bowels of mercy open with some sweetnesse in the evils which nearly touch us namely when we see persons innocently qualified delicate well disposed to fall into great calamities and ruines of fortune Honourable old men ill used young people snatched away in the flower of their age and beauty Ladies despised and dishonoured afflictions without remedies or remedies that come too late when the evil is ended And moreover when those afflicted persons shew constancy and generosity in their affliction it penetrateth into the deepest apprehensions of the soul Yet we still find among so many objects of miseries hearts which have no compassion and as if they were made of rocks or anviles are never mollified with the sufferings of mortals This proceeds in some from a great stupidity from a nature very savage in others from a narrownesse of heart caused by self-love which perpetually keeps them busied within themselves never going forth to behold the miseries of another in some from long prosperities which make them forget the condition of men in others from the nature of a Hangman who takes delight in bloud in fire and in all horrid things Such kind of men think nature did them wrong in not having given them the horn of a Rhinoceros Detestation of Cruelty the paws of bears the throat of a Lion the teeth of Tigers to crush to quail to devour and tear men in pieces They supply by a cursed industry that which by nature faileth them They make themselves mouths of fire by the means of flaming fornaces and boiling caldrons hands by the invention of Iron hooks arms with combs of steel fingers with scorpions and feet with the claws of wild beasts You would say these are men composed of the instruments of all torments or rather devils crept into humane bodies to create a Hell on Earth Such are those Tonoes of Japonia who study to saw to hack asunder to beat and bray in a morter the courage of Christians thinking the greatest marks of their power to be scaffolds and gibbets where are practised inventions
many remedilesse calamities and that this onely sonne disdaineth not to become its ransome delivered himself for it to torments so enormous and confusions so hideous The earth saith S. Augustine expecteth light and rain from heaven and we from a Messias expect truth and mercy He came after so long expectations and hath replenished the earth with his knowledge and the effects of his benignity What shall we now admire in the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation If we cast our eyes on the heavenly Father we there see a work of the power of his arm wherein he seems to have exhausted all his strength The heavens and the starres saith Saint Gregory Nyssen were but the works of the fingers of this divine Majesty But in the Incarnation he proccedeth with all the extent of his might with all the engines of his power and all the miracles of his Greatnesse It is a Maxime among Politicians that a man to appear very great should not waste all his force at an instant but still to reserve to himself somewhat to do wherein he may make his ability to be seen as it were by degrees by daily surpassing himself From whence it came that Seneca said to Nero Plutarch de Ira. who had caused a certain Pavillion infinitely precious to be made that he therein had shewed his weaknesse for if it should chance to perish he could not recover it and were it preserved it would be an everlasting reproch to him to have done to the uttermost of his power Behold the proceedings of humane prudence But our celestiall Father setting aside all other considerations and forgetting his greatnesse to be mindfull of his mercy did a work in our behalf which hath so limited his power that we may truly say that God cannot in the world in all Eternity make any thing greater then a Man-God And if we on the other part do reflect on the holy Ghost it seems that this third person which in the sphere of the Trinity had a mysterious barrennesse springing from the incomparability of a new production in the divine emanations would make recompense in this mystery pouring out at once heats lights and beauties in the blessed Virgin there to form the body of Jesus Christ and to raise his holy Humanity to the union of the Word Increate But what piece meriteth more admiration then to see the person of a God-man then to see a Jesus Christ who in himself uniteth Divine and Humane Nature who carries in himself the last lines of the love and power of his Father who beareth the consummation of all his designes for the government of man who includeth all possible communications to an inferiour nature in one inimitable communication who makes himself the source of Grace and Glory in Angelicall and humane nature as he is the source of life and love in the Trinity O what a goodly spectacle is it To behold how he blesseth by his presence how he replenisheth by his greatnesse how he governeth by his power how he sanctifieth by his influences both heaven and Earth If we yet doubt of his love and fatherly goodnesse let us look on his hands and we shall see that he hath written our name with his nails Let us see his heart which was opened for us by that lance which at the latter end of his dayes digg'd from out his entrails the remainder of his life and we shall observe how we therein live how we therein breathe and how we therein honourably burn as in a great fornace common to all intelligible Nature If you would know what you have cost and happily do not believe your Creatour Quà m preâ—iosus siâ— si factori forte non credâ—s interroga redemâ—torem Euseb Gal. Homil. 2. de Symbol ask your Redeemer and he will tell you Let us also behold the effects which have succeeded from the alliance of the Divine nature with the Humane and let us reverence the divine Goodnesse which hath raised up all the great Masse of men in a supernaturall Being to innocency to felicity to light and to life eternall Who was more destitute then Man more brutish and more ignorant in so great a night and in so horrible confusions of Idolatry and Jesus by his Incarnation hath revealed unto us the secrets and wisdome of heaven Who was more unfurnished of wise direction and he affordeth us his examples Who was more forlorn he adopteth us for his children Who was more needy and he gives us the treasure of his merits Who was more hungry and he nourisheth us with his flesh and bloud Who was more unhappy and he divideth his Beatitude among us If after so many benefits we remain still faithlesse to his fidelity he expecteth us with a singular long forbearance if we delay he stirreth us up if we fly he followeth us if we return he stretcheth forth his arm He washeth us in his bloud He regenerateth us in his love He makes it his trophey to have conquered us as if he entred afresh into the possession of an Empire causeth our proper sinnes to contribute to our glory If we endure somewhat for him he endureth with us he weepeth over us he prepareth eternall sources of consolations and as it is said that there is a certain fish which sweetens the water of the salt sea in its mouth so Jesus mingleth all our acerbities in the inexplicable Fasten apud Maiolum sweetnesses of his benignity And yet thou O Man wilt in presence of this Modell The source of charity still remain a little Tiger as irreconcileable to amities as streight-handed to works of liberality Believe me among all the Ensignes of Greatnesse which thou canst have there is not any more sensible then the charitable communication of one man to another by waies of liberality and alms which God receiveth in the nature Plin l. 2. c. 7 Deus est mortali benefacere mortalem haec ad aeternam gloriam via of victimes It is a Divinity for one man by his benefits to oblige another and this is properly the way of eternall glory Who are they in your opinion that first of all deserved the title of Cardinall which is now-a-dayes accounted among the great dignities of the Church Do From whence the Title of Cardinals cometh you think that nobility of extraction favour of great ones Eminency of wisdome prudence in the government of Empires gave these Titles to the primitive Church I say all these qualities are very considerable Fabianus Vide Concil Rom. sub Sylvestro Lacerdam adversar c. 35. Cardinales á Cardinibus seu vicis Rome yet neverthelesse it is true that the first fourteen Cardinals who were called by this name were fourteen personages of honour and merit who under Pope Sylvester were ranged in as many streets of the City of Rome to take care of the poor So true it is that they who begat us to Christianity placed the magnificence of men not
in the memory of all Ages is an Act of Justice which he performed even then when marching forth of Rome in great state to go to the warres as I have related in the first Volumn he hearkned to a poor widow-woman which desired Justice of him he alighted from his horse to understand her businesse at large and restored her to her right before he departed thence Which thing did so wonderfully astonish S. Gregory that he prayed as they say for the Soul of Trajan and saved it the which the Doctour Alphonsus Ciaconius justifies in a learned Treatise although the Cardinall Baronius be of another opinion By all this it is apparent and manifest that a Prince ought to have especiall care above all things not onely to be just but to make it appear both by his words and deeds that which he bears in his heart He is the greatest King according to the Philosopher Diogenes which is the justest and if he be without Justice he is nothing but an empty Name and a shadow of Royalty The most excellent thing that a King can do in that his Dignity said the same Wise-man is to worship the Deitie to ordain Laws to conduct Armies and all this is to be done Legally according to the rule of Justice The people feel it not if he be devout if he be sober if he be discreet if he be chaste but if he be unjust this is a publick mischief this all presently feel as if the Sunne should go out of his bounds or if some malign Constellation should cause burning or flouds to happen upon the earth King Nebuchadonozor is represented in the Prophet Daniel by a Tree under the which the fowls made their nests and under the which the other living creatures remained under covert to give us to understand that Princes ought to stretch forth their Power even like branches to protect their Subjects by rendring them Justice A true Prince to speak as Casiodore doth ought to serve for a Temple to Innocency for a Sanctuary to Temperance for an Altar to Justice You therefore O Monarchs that take delight in the glittering of your Crown know ye that it is given you from above to be Gods Vicegerent rendring to every one that which belongs to him You ought to watch like an Angel over your whole Estate and not to suffer at any time that the smallest things should be destitute of your tenderest cares Hearken to that which God speaks to you by his Apostl◠Masters render that which is just and right to your servants seeing that you cannot be ignorant that you have a great Master in heaven to whom you must give an account of your actions Hearken to that which he commands you by his Prophet Do Judgement and Justice deliver those that are oppressed Jer. 21. from the hand of the persecutours Takē good heed you afflict not the stranger the orphan nor the widow The Justice of private persons is manifest in their particular commerce but that of a King hath other kind of beams to make it appear and be beheld in its glory If you be a true King as Nature hath not given Acts of Justice in punishment and reward you an hundred mouthes to speak nor a hundred hands to do all that is necessary with your Government it is fitting that you make a good choice of those to whom you commit the managing of your Arms of your Revenues and of your Laws Never suffer you that your Name which is sacred and your Authority which is inviolable should serve for a pretence to wicked ones to oppresse your Subjects The huntings of men are for the wild Boar the Wolves and the Foxes those of Princes ought to be after the Outrageous the Robbers and Tyrants All offences are but the overflowings of Injustice there can be nothing chaste saith S. Augustine where adulterers are nothing safe where robbers nothing out of danger where murderers If the sword of the Prince the revenger of iniquities do not stop the audacious cities become forrests and forrests everlasting terrours if there be not Laws for men and punishment for offences Corrupt nature would never make an end of offending if Gooernment restrained not its enterprizes The chiefest care of him that is set over people is to take away the evil and the evil-doers that honest people may live in safety for this cause are Kingdomes Magistrates Arms Laws the world would be nothing but robbery and the life of man confusion if Justice did not suppresse the violence of disordered affections But to speak the truth the Prince that should be severe in punishments and should have an heart lockt up at rewards would be as it were lame of one arm he ought equally to be ready to chastise offences and to recompence well-doing When the Government of Kings is so loose that vices come in request and those that commit them it is almost a kind of sin then to do well and when virtues are so unhappy as to be deprived of the honour which is due to them it is a scandal of that age and the shame of Crowns It is not sufficient to appoint Judges to hear and determine of suits he must be well informed of their proceedings and their actions he must sometimes imitate S. Lewis which gave judgement under an Elm about the differences of his Subjects and consecrated the Woods and the Fields by the sincerity of the Oracles that went forth of his mouth The Emperours of Constantinople heard likewise the controversies of their people and as Codin saith when one party pleaded they held one ear uncovered and covered the other to signifie that they kept it for the adverse party It is a weaknesse of judgement to go about to decide a businesse having heard but one party one ought to have an ear somewhat hard at such diversity of reports which are made by parties diversly interessed in a businesse otherwise it is to be feared that a long repentance will quickly follow a short determination Civil Justice is exercised within Bars and on Judgement-seats but the Military hath been oft very much neglected by some former Princes in its time when having lost the opportunity of making a good Peace they have afterwaids made an unhappy Warre Those Judges that buy Justice it is a very great chance if they do not sell it and those Souldiers which are not paid by the Taxes levied for that end are as it were authorised to pay themselves by the permission of spoils and plunderings Our Laws and our Age may blush when the Roman histories tell us that one Scaurus conducting an Army oftentimes lodged in the fields where there were trees loaden with fruit and yet the souldiers durst not lift up the hand to gather one onely the passing by of a great army left every thing in the same order in which it had found them And amongst Christians one Regiment onely of Souldiers hath often made a desolation in the Countrey and
woman well bred and of good courage Ishbosheth was offended thereat for that he had done this without telling him of it But Abner for one poore word spoken to in a very mild manner entred into a rage against The insolence of Abner his King and said that it was to use him like a dog to quarrel with him for a woman after so great services as he had done for the Crown reproching his Master for that he held both his life and his Kingdome of him But seeing that he used him in this manner he would take a course with him and would translate the government from the house of Saul to that of David Masters should not give too much authority to their subjects The poor Prince held his peace and durst not answer one word onely to this bold fellow which was a pitifull thing to see him thus devoured by his own servant The houses of Great ones are very often filled with such servants who having been honoured with an especiall confidence of their Master in the administration of their affairs whether they be their Receivers or Stewards of their families take upon them authority and not contenting themselves to govern the goods enter upon the right of their Lords leaving them nothing but a name and shadow of the Power which is due unto them Abner grew so hot with anger that he dispatched He treateth with David his Messengers to David to desire his friendship and promiseth him to bring the whole Kingdome of Ishbosheth into his hands David answered that he was content to make peace with him so that he would cause his wife Michol to be restored him whom they had married to another after his departure which was readily agreed to for him for they took her away from the hands of her husband that followed her weeping this woman with her lofty spirit had some pleasing behaviour wherewith Davids affection was taken In the mean while Abner powerfully sollicits the people of Israel to betake themselves on Davids side shewing them that God had committed their safety and rest into his hands and that it was he which should unite together all the families under his obedience for to compose a Monarchy which should become happy to his people helpfull to his friends and terrible to his enemies This discourse did very much shake the principall ones of the Nation which were not ignorant of the small hopes that were in the person of Ishbosheth which was disparaged both by nature and fortune This stout Captain following the businesse came to meet with David in Hebron who made him a feast hearkened unto his propositions and conducted him back with honour Joab who was at that time absent at his return quickly understood of the coming of Abner whereat Joabs Jealousie over Abner he entred into a furious jealousie fearing lest David should be of the humour of those which delight more in making of friends then keeping of those that are made and that the friendship of a man which seemed to draw a whole Kingdome after him might much prejudice his fortunes He enters roughly into his Kings chamber telling him that this was but a deceiver which came but to spy out his secrets and to do him some ill turn that he should lay hold of him seeing he was come under his power And for that David answered him nothing seeing him in a hot anger he went out furiously and without authority sent a message to the chief Captain Abner to intreat him to return to Hebron under colour of treating more fully with David The death of Abner He lightly believed it and came back the same way when as Joab that lay in wait for him took him treasonably and killed him at the gate of the city David was indeed very much perplexed hereat and David tolerates Joab in his fault upon necessitie uttered grievous curses against Joab and his whole race neverthelesse as the wisest did judge that there was a great interest in this death and that his chief Captain had become the executour thereof this made some to think that there was some design and though that suspicion was false David did all that he could to deface the blemish thereof assisting at the funeralls of Abner very near to the corps protesting against the cruelty of those that had taken his life from him and highly setting forth the praises of the dead yet he caused not processe to be made against Joab conceiving that he was not able to destroy him in such a time when it was dangerous to provoke him Neverthelesse he kept the resolution to punish him even to his death but Joab contemned all upon the confidence that he had that none could go beyond him and measured his own greatnesse by the impunity of his great offences It is hard to excuse David upon this treaty that he David cannot be excused upon the treaty made with Abner if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God projected with Abner traytour to his Master if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God or to the right that he pretended to have to the Crown in consideration of his first anointment made by Samuel He knew that the Edicts of his royall dignity were written in heaven and for this cause without endeavouring by any criminall way he expected the work of Providence and applyed himself to the events for without any thought of his Ishbosheth King of Israel was slain by two murtherers Rechab and Baana which killd him as he slept upon his bed at noon-day and brought his head to him at which this great King was so highly incensed abhorring this barbarous act that he condemned them presently to death and after he had caused their heads and feet to be cut off he made them to be hanged at the fish-pond of Hebron David absolute by the death of Ishbosheth son of Saul The death of Ishbosheth the son of Saul ended the difference which was between the two Royall houses and the other families yielded themselves to David by an universall consentment It was then that he began to reign absolutely and to make to appear as in a glorious light the admirable qualities and Royall virtues wherewith he was adorned And it is certain that of all the Kings of Juda there was none hath equalled him in all kind of perfections He was one that feared God without superstition religious without hypocrisie valiant without any sternnesse liberall without reproching it to any one a good husband without covetousnesse The Royal qualities of David stout without insolency vigilant without unquietnesse wise without subtilty courteous without loosnesse humble without cowardlinesse chearfull without too much familiarity grave without fiercenesse and kind without any complements He united all those things together which ordinarily His zeal to religion make Princes great and proved in each of them so advantageous as if he had been
acknowledges not their God Further yet being a Philistim by Nation a Sophister by Profession an Impostour by Artifice he hath been able easily to make some of the pranks of his trade slip into his History Adde to this that being but a mean fellow he was advanced first by Justin and afterwards by Justinian to great offices yet being a man extremely jealous and ambitious he thought himself not high enough and bore a mortall hatred to John the superintendent of Justice to Tribonian the great favorite of Justinian and not content with tearing them in his History he falls upon the Emperour that had honoured them with his favours Every one that hath the common sense of a reasonable man sees plainly that it is a most unworthy thing that a servant a domestick taken from the dust of the earth raised even to the great Offices of the Empire should leave a Railing History to posterity written in an hole and by a singular treason against his Lord and Master of whom he held his life and honour And beyond all this that he should speak things in his Book that must needs have been very publick and visible to all the world that so many other Historians who were near that time and might speak with all freedom do not so much as mention To this it will be answered that it is not onely a Procopius that condemnes Justinian but that he himself hath black'd himself eternally by the ill usage which he shewed the Pope Vigilius and by the heresie which he fomented and authorised about the period of his life To speak truth there being nothing to be preferred before the fidelity which we owe to our Religion the honour which we ought to render to the common Father of all Christendome and to the Apostolick See if this Emperour were directly convinced of these two crimes and dyed without Repentance I should be the first man that would subscribe to his condemnation But there is a notable difference between that which escapes by errour and by surprize and that which is practised by design and obstinacy It is true that the Pope Vigilius was at first hardly used at Constantinople by the Empresse Theodora but his Election being not held at the beginning for Canonicall he being one whom the Romans had chased away with stones and whom he himself had deposed and banished from the usurpation which he had made upon Sylverius his Predecessour by a bold attempt causing himself afterward to be Canonically chosen it is no wonder if in this doubt of his dignity and certainty of his crime committed against the person of a lawfull Pope he was not honoured as high Priest but accused as guilty It suffices that as soon as Justinian knew that he had been afterward declared the sovereign Pastour of the Church by the ordinary Forms he rendred to him the respects due to his Character and permitted him to exercise his Functions with all liberty in Constantinople It is true that he had also some difference with him about the condemnation of three Articles or rather of three persons Theodore Ibas and Theodoret but in the end the Emperour yielded and permitted all to the discretion of the Pope As for the Heresie which is objected to him it hath rather been an errour of suprise then a resolute opinion with obstinacy against the decisions of the Church without which it cannot be a formall Heresie There arose in his time an Opinion that held That the body of our Saviour was incorruptible even before the Resurrection and that he was not subject to the naturall and irreprehensible passions of other men Many Bishops many great learned Friars and abundance of illustrious persons professe that Belief and Justinian deceived by a zeal not well regulated which he had to the person of our Lord fell into it not that he doubted but the two Natures were in Jesus Christ and that his body was consubstantiall with ours but he could not endure the word Corruptible when the flesh of our Lord was spoken of If he had onely meant an exemption from the corruption and rottennesse to which our bodies are reduced his opinion had been but commendable but to intend to take away from the Sonne of God the naturall passions of hunger thirst wearinesse and other like is to be farre wide from the Catholick Faith Yet since that that Opinion had not been yet by name and expresly decided by the preceding Councels and that many Bishops had the same thought and that the Pope very much busied by the warres of the Gothes had not yet interposed thereon it is not credible that it was an Heresie framed in the spirit of the Emperour but rather an errour And since that he abstained from promulgating it as he had projected and ordained by Will that the Patriarch Eutychus that had been banished for opposing this Opinion should be called back by Justin his Successour It is evident that he repented at the last period of his life and that Euagrius who had a strong tincture of the venom of Procopius did him wrong to condemne him to hell for I leave it to every judicious man to weigh which we ought rather to believe a mean Historian angered or the voyce of a generall Councel assembled after Justinians death No man certainly can call it into doubt but that the authority of a Councel infinitely passes the opinion of one onely man Now it is so that besides the testimonies of S. Gregory and Pope Agathon heretofore alledged The sixth Councel speaking of the Emperour Justinian calls him alwayes Most Christian Prince Emperour of pious Memory And in the end Holy Monarch and who is in the number of the Blessed The German that hath Commented upon the railing History of Procopius is constrained to confesse that he hath read even in the best Copies of that Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justinian that is among the Saints But he being an enemy of his memory eludes that Epithite and sayes that it hath been attributed to most wicked Emperours pretending by this means to diminish the lustre of Justinian I acknowledg that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy or Sacred sometimes signifies that which is Inviolable and that in this manner it was given to all the Emperours but I defie him to find one sole Text that saies of a dead Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is in the company of the Saints who is not reckoned amongst the Blessed that live in heaven This onely is enough to stop the mouth of all those that are of a contrary opinion and to maintain this great Monarch in the possession of an high and happy renown which he hath so justly purchased It is he that above all the Emperours hath expressed a most ardent Zeal towards the person of our Lord to whom he dedicated the stateliest Church which was at that time in the whole Universe It is he that consecrated an Altar to him composed of all the most
Queen in Vashti's place putting the Crown upon her head Mordecai was ravished at this choice and walked every day from the first beginning that she was brought to Court before the Seraglio to hear news of her having recommended her to a certain Eunuch his confident that had of her a very particular care He sent her very opportunely necessary advice to teach her how to behave her self and above all he was so wise as to recommend to her not to declare the Nation whereof she was and to make no discovery that she had any relation to him which he judged to be to the purpose for fear lest Haman who was in so great favour and who hated naturally the Jews should ruine her before she had taken rooting in the Kings heart Behold a wonderfull sport of Providence which tooke a little stone with an intention to beat down a great Colossus and makes in one instant of an earthen pot a vessel of gold Men stand now amazed to think what wind drove this poor Jewesse to the crown of the chief Monarchy that was at that time in the whole world They think that sure it was a great chance but God knew that it was a great counsel digested from all eternity in his thoughts For if command is due according to Aristotle to persons that are most accomplished there was some foundation in the excellent qualities of Hester on which to set a Crown for beside the beauty of her body and the ingeniousnesse of her mind she had great gifts of virtues that rendred her lovely to all the world and might serve for models to all Ladies She was not a lump of flesh or a body without a soul nor a worldly woman that had no other Idol but her Beauty nor other Deities but Pleasure and Ambition as it happens ordinarily to most women who seeing themselves elevated to the top of the grandeurs of the age strangely corrupt their manners and dishonour their condition Hesters chief and principall virtue that made a most pure source of pleasures flow into the rest of her life was That she was devout and that being young of age frail of sex high of condition in a Court of an Infidel King amongst so many other Pagan women she never forgat God but observed punctually as farre as it was lawfull and possible for her the exercise of her Religion making her prayers with an incredible ardour and retaining a faith inviolable in the midst of the Empire of impiety She brought the King her husband to the worship of God and to the love of her people as farre as she could perceive any disposition in him She erected a Temple in her heart having not yet the power to build one in her Kingdome and directed all her Devotions to the sacrificing of her self She was also greatly to be commended for the little care she had of her Body against the nature of that sex which often preferres their flesh before God and all Paradise This appeared evidently at that season when she was to present her self to the King the second time since that in an occasion so important wherein all other women would have had an infinite care of their habit and attire she contented her self with so small a thing and yet in her naturall grace just as a rose adorned with its own leaves she obscured all other beauties even the most tricked and pranked Her art was to have no art at all to take what nature had given her and to render all to God Furthermore she brought to Court a great Humility and a perfect submission which she never quitted being as obedient to her uncle when she had the Crown upon her head as in her lowest age she hearkned to his advice she put it in execution she despised no body but her own self The habit of a Queen was to her a burden almost insupportable and she never found more joy then in her solitude There are few women that are born without self-wilfulnesse and without opinions that augment themselves with age and increase excessively in high conditions which makes us admire this woman in contemplating nearer her deportments and seeing how little she relied upon her own self but although she was endowed with a rare wit yet she hearkned to reason and without much ado yielded to good counsel which rendred her demeanour very happy and all her negotiations most advantageous Besides all this as God had chosen her for great things so he gave her the prudence of the Saints accompanied with a good judgement with docility with providence with discretion with circumspection and with expeditnesse in the execution of affairs To this prudence was joyned a courage and an incomparable generosity even to enterprise by a motive of virtue actions so dangerous that she could expect nothing from them that was lesse then death And for to crown all these virtues she possessed farther an illustrious patience taking every thing from the hand of God and suiting her self to his will in all the successes and events of the businesses of the world Behold the principall qualities that adomed this Princesse and that may be seen in those women that God hath gratified with his favours In the sequel of this story he makes us see the brave employment that he gave her in that Court of Ahasuerus to bruise the head of a great Serpent and to deliver her Nation from a gulf of great and horrible calamities Princes and great men would be happy if without dying by procuration they might live in person They are born often enough with most excellent qualities they are calm seas and killed with riches that might do good to all the world if the winds would but let them runne according to their own nature But as the Beauties of women are courted by many Lovers so high conditions have their flatterers that under a shadow of themselves Adorers make themselves Masters and under colour of Service exercise an Empire even over those that think they command the whole Universe Their name by this means serves for a Passeport to all mischeifs their Authority for a sanctuary to crimes their Taxes for tinder to concupiscense their Power for an instrument to revenge and for a scourge to mankind This may be manifestly seen in the sequele of this History where it is said That Ahasuerus exalted Haman above all the Princes and Nobles of his Kingdome and took the wickedst man of the earth to make of him the most puissant that Crimes might have as much assistance as this Monarch had power and riches His goodnesse was seduced in this point and his too easie spirit was gained by great appearances that stole him from himself and left him nothing but a meer apparition of Dignity This Haman which he thought at first to be a Persian an honest man an able and affectionate to his service was partly an Amalekite and partly also a Macedonian a sonne of the earth that had neither God nor conscience
that if Baal were God they ought to follow him but if there were no other God but that of Israel called upon from all times by their Fathers it was he to whom they ought to adhere with an inviolable fidelity To this the assembly made no answer there being none that was willing to set himself forward upon an uncertainty Then Elijah taking the word again said Behold four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal on one side and I a Prophet of the true God all alone on the other part in this place here To make a tryall of our Religion let there be two Oxen given us for each of the two parties let them be cut in pieces and the pieces put upon a pile of wood without puting any fire to them either on one side or on the other we will expect it from heaven and the Sacrifice upon which God shall make a flame appear from on high to kindle it shall carry away the testimony of the true Religion To this all the people answered with a confused voyce that it was a good Proposition The Victims were brought sacrificed and put upon the wood to be consumed The Priests of Baal began first to invoke the heavenly fire and to torment themselves with great cryes and a long time without any effect It was already mid-day and nothing had appeared to their advantage whereat being very much astonished they drew out their Razors and make voluntary incisions upon themselves according to their custome thinking that a prayer was never well heard if it were not accompanied with their blood which the evil Spirit made them shed in abundance to satiate his Rage This nothing advanced the effect of their Supplications which gave occasion to Elijah to mock at the vanity of their Gods saying that Baal that gave no answer was asleep or busie or on a journey or perhaps drinking at the Tavern He remained either with security amidst so many enraged Wolves covered with the protection of the God of Hosts and began to prepare his Sacrifice taking twelve stones in memory of the twelve Tribes of Israel to erect an Altar to the name of God after which he divided the Offering into divers parts put them all upon the pile and that none might have any suspition that there was fire hidden in some part of them he caused abundance of buckets of water to be thrown upon the Sacrifice and all about it and then began to say Great God God of Abraham of Isaac and of Israel shew now that thou art the God of this people and that I am thy servant I have obeyed thee in all this resting my self upon thy word Hear me my God my God hear me and let this assembly learn this day of thee that thou art the true God and the absolute Master of all the universe and that it is thou that art able to reduce their hearts to the true belief Scarce had he ended his prayer when the Sacred fire fell down from heaven upon his Sacrifice and devoured the Offering and the Altar to the admiration of all the People who prostrating themselves on the ground began to cry That the God of Israel was the true God Take then sayes he the false Prophets of Baal let not one sole man of them escape us The People convinced by the Miracle and the voyce of Elijah without expecting any other thing fall upon those false Prophets takes them and cuts them all in pieces Ahab amidst all this stood so astonished that he durst not speak one onely word nor any way resist the Divine Command The Prophet bad him take his refection and go into his Coach for the so much desired rain was near and having said so retired himself to the top of the Mount Carmel and sent his servant seven times to the sea to see whether he could discover any clouds but he saw nothing till the seaventh time and then he perceived a little cloud that exceeded not the measure of a hand and yet he sends him to tell Ahab that it was time to Harnesse if he would not be overtaken with the rain He mounted instantly into his Coach to get to the City of Jezrael and Elijah ran before as if he had wings In the mean time the Heavens grew black with darknesse the clouds collect themselves the wind blowes and the Rain falls in abundance Ahab failed not to relate to Jezabel all that had been done desiring to make the death of those Prophets passe for a decree of heaven for fear lest that imperious woman should upbraid him with the softnesse of his courage But she not moved with those great miracles of fire and water that were reported to her began to foam with wrath and to swear by all her Gods that she would cause Elijahs head to be laid at her feet by the morrow that time The Prophet is constrained to fly suddenly to save himself not knowing to whom to trust so that having brought with him but one young man to accompany him in the way he quitted him and went alone into the wildernesse wherein having travelled a day he entred into a great sadnesse and laid him down under a Juniper-tree to repose himself and there felt himself very weary of living any longer and said to God with an amorous heart My God it is enough take mee out of this life I am not better then my fathers It is a passion ordinary enough to good men to wish for death that they may be no more obliged to see so many sinnes and miseries as are in the World and to go to the place of rest to contemplate there the face of the living God But this desire ought to be moderated according to the will of God As he was in that thought sleep that easily surprises a melancholy spirit and wearied with raving on its pains slipt into his benummed members and gave some truce to his torments But that great God that had his eyes open to the protection of so dear a person dispatched to him his guardian Angell who awaked him and shewed him near his head a cruse of water and a loaf of bread baked under the ashes for such are the banquets that the nursing Father of all Nature makes his Prophets not loving them for the delights of the body but contenting himself to give them that which is necessary to life he saw well that it was a Providence that would yet prolong his life He drank and ate and at length being very heavy fell asleep again But the Angel that had undertaken the direction of his way waked him and told him that it behooved him to rise quickly by reason that he had yet a long way to go Elijah obeyed and being risen found that he had gained a merveilous strength so that he journied fourty dayes and fourty nights being fortified with that Angelicall bread till such time as he came to the Mountain Horeb. There he retired himself into the hollow of a Rock unknown
of all Interests to procure her death In stead of coming to the Court to be received there according to her birth and merit she found her self to be confined into a corner of a desart Island where in a new captivity she most unworthily was detained Her disloyal Brother the Vice-roy seeing her escaped from his bloudy hands did promise to himself to oppress with much ease by the circumventions of the Protestant Judges He laid anew for her the nets of his old Accusations and made use of all the falsities which had been invented to eclipse her honour Queen Elizabeth in stead of suppressing the unnatural insolence of her subjects gave them Commissions and an Order that a Process should be made against her The Puritans and the Lutherans the mortal Enemies of Queen Mary are now her Accusers her Judges and her Witnesses The number of honest men was here very few and the apprehension of the danger did stop the mouthes of those men which understood the truth but had not the courage to defend it Nevertheless amongst others there was a Scotch Gentleman the Viscount Herrin worthy of eternal Memory who presented himself to Elizabeth for the defence of his own Queen and said unto her MADAM THe Queen my Mistress who is nothing subject to A generous Compassion you but by misfortune doth desire you to consider that it is a work of an evil Example and most pernicious Consequence to give way that her rebellious Subjects should be heard against her who being not able to destroy her by arms do promise themselves to assassinate her even in your own breast under the colour of Justice Madam Consider the estate of worldly affairs and bear some compassion to the calamities of your poor Suppliant After the most horrid attempt on the King her husband the murder of her servants the cruel Designs on her sacred Person After so many prisons and chains the subjects are heard against their Queen the Rebels against their lawfull Mistress the guilty against the Innocent and the felons against their Judge Where are we or what do we do Though Nature hath planted us in the further parts and the extremities of all the earth yet she hath not taken the sense of humanity from us Consider she is your own bloud your nearest kins-woman she is one of the best Queens in the world for whom your Majestie is preparing bloudy Scaffolds in a place where she was promised and expected greatest favours I want words to express so barbarous a deed but I am ready to come to the Effects and to justifie the innocence of my Queen by witnesses unreproveable and by papers written and subscribed by the hands of the Accusers If this will not suffice I offer my self by your Majesties permission to fight hand to hand for the honour of my Queen against the most hardy and most resolute of those who are her Accusers In this I do assure my self of your Equitie that you will not deny that favour unto her who will acknowledge her self obliged to your bounty Elizabeth who found her advantages in the misfortunes of Mary made no account of these remonstrances and commanded the Commissioners who were the Dukes of Norfolk and of Sussex to proceed unto the Charge But there is a God who rules the Assemblies of men and oftentimes doth turn their Advice against their own consciences The greatest part of this Court were so transported that they had a Resolution to destroy Queen Mary Murray Morton the infamous Bishop of Orcades and the pernicious Buchanan with divers other Enemies of the Queen were now come and brought with them the most execrable inventions and blackest calumnies that ever were fetcht from hell to charge the Queen with the death of the King her husband nay Letters of love were produced which had been invented by some Puritans who with an insupportable impudence affirmed that they found them in a silver coffer of the Queens The Earl of Murray who in the beginning pretended The inhumane cruelty of ambition to wish better to no man than to Bothuel doth now declare himself the chief of this Accusation outragiously pursuing the death of his Sister alledgeing That she was the occasion of her husband's death in revenge of the murder of her Secretary that she never loved him afterwards that she never lamented his loss nor repented of her own sin That she altogether abandoned her self to the love of the Earl of Bothuel whom afterwards she married although he was the murderer of her husband Lesley the Bishop of Rosse Gordon Gauvin Baron and others who were there on the behalf of the Queen for she was present her self in person knowing the whole truth of the business and being incensed at the heart to see the foul treasons of this Judas did handle him according to his desert and did answer him by a very strong Apologie which was afterward presented to the Judges to consider of it at their leisure I will in this place insert the substance of it having some years since found it amongst the Acts of the Queen of Scotland MY LORDS IT is a great favour of Heaven to us that the Earl of Murray is an Accuser in this Cause since his name is able to justifie the greatest crimes much more to accuse the Innocent before persons so approved for their justice and their wisdom It is sufficiently known that by the ignominie of his mother he was the son of a Crime as soon as a son of Nature that he hath ever since lived by wickedness and is grown great by insolence The Queen his Sister hath but one fault which is that she hath advanced him against the intentions of the King her father who designed to him no Crown but what when he was to take Religious Orders the Barber should give him and now he hath usurped the Crown of the Realm His desire and endeavours are that the Diadem should be taken from the head of Mary in recompence to him for having cried her down by his calumnies dishonoured her by his outrages imprisoned her by his fury and dispossessed her by his tyranny Murray doth accuse the Innocent for having contrived her husbands death and he doth accuse her in a Court where there are Witnesses unreproveable that will presently be deposed upon Oath that having plotted this horrible murder he being in a Boat did say That the King should that night be cured of all his maladies And surely it was easie for him to presage it when he and his Accomplices had before decreed it and he had assigned them the place the time and the manner of the execution Murray hath made himself an Accuser to ravish the Kingdom and sway the Scepter imbrued with the bloud of the Queen his sister And we are not so much amazed at this for he hath sold his soul to work wickedness at a far cheaper rate Who had a deeper interest in the death of the King than a Monk for so