thy self to many eminent dangers For while thou art sollicitous to preserve thy self thou hazzardest thine Honour Virtue and Honesty The contempt of Death produces the most Honourable exploits whether in good or evil He that fears not Death fears nothing for he can do what he will and is master both of his own and anothers life That the self-murther of the Romans and other Nations was rather pusillanimity and Cowardize than Magnanimity and Courage I know the wisest were wont to say That a Wise Man liveth as long as he should not so long as he can Death being no more at his command and in his power than Life There is but one way into the World but ten hundred thousand wayes out of it Every vein will set us free This way has been much commended by some rather then live in care trouble misery and accounted the best gift of Nature that no one is compelled to live against his will Whence Timon the Athenian imployed all his skill in perswading his countrey-men to shorten their lives by hanging themselves on Gibbets which he had erected in a Field that he bought for the same purpose to whose perswasions many agreed But whether this be a lawful course may be questioned The Platonists approve of it so do the Cynicks and Stoicks Socrates and Seneca who commend Dido Cato and Lucretia So likewise Sr. Thomas More * In his Vtopia If a Man be troublesome to himself or others Dost thou see that precipice that Pit that Pond that Tree that Well that Knife that Sword that Pistol c. There is Liberty at hand Wherefore has our Mother Earth broughtforth so many variety of Poysons but that Men in distresses might make away themselves so Seneca advises we give God thanks no one is compelled to live perforce And * Lib. 8. Cap. 15. Eusebius admires Sophronia a Roman Matron that to save her self from the Lust of Maxentius the Tyrant kill'd her self * Lib. 3 De Virginitate Ambrose likewise commends Pellagius for the same fact But Lactantius explodes this opinion and confutes it Lib. 3. Cap. 18. De Sapientia So does St. Augustine Epist 52. ad Macedonium Cap. 61. ad Dulcitium Tribunum St. Hierom to Marcella of Blesilla's Death and St. Cyprian de Duplici Martyrio 'T is a prophane act abominated by GOD and all good Men and expresly prohibited in Scripture Exod. 20.13 Thou shalt not kill Now if we must not kill our Neighbour much less our selves He that kills another destroys but his * Mat. 10.28 Body but he that kills himself destroys both Body and Soul * Rom. 3.8 No evil is to be done that good may come of it Yet if any which is a sad case be given over to such an act they should rather be objects of our greatest pity then condemnation as murtherers damn'd Creatures and the like For t is possible even for Gods elect having their Judgments and Reasons depraved by madness deep melancholly or how otherwise affected by Diseases of some sorts to be their own executioners We are but flesh and blood the best of us and know not how soon God may leave us to our selves and Deprive us of our Understanding Wherefore le ts be slow to censure in such cases Again for a man to Kill himself is an act of pusillanimity and the greatest cowardize imaginable notwithstanding in former times it was held among the Hebrews Greeks Romans Egyptians Medes Persians Britains French and Indians an act of virtue courage magnanimity c. since thereby a man hides himself Basely and sneakingly from the strokes of Fortune which is beneath a Gentleman For a true and lively virtue should never yield That 's true Fortitude to contemn and smile at the miseries of fortune If the whole VVorld should fall on such a man it might kill him but never daunt him VVell then I shall close with this That as we should not fear Death but rather contemn it nor on the other hand pull it on our selves So we should be alwayes walking ready to meet it in any place at any time alwayes prepared Remembring our whole life is but a continual dying or death We are every day nearer to our end every moment the less time to live Let then our Lives be with care and speed amended that when this Life is ended our souls may be saved and eternally glorified Which of our Hope Life and Creation is the END Mors Ultima Linea Rerum ERRATA PAge 8. 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without passion bumbast words or intricate speeches and with the greatest mildness that may be In all disputes that you may prevent prejudices in your Antagonist gain esteem in him and avoid needless Discourse grant all you hear him propose that you reasonably can and that may tend to the clearer detecting the Truth Superstition in Religion is worse than down-right Atheism and quite contrary to true Religion Illorum pietas mera impietas For 't is the reproach of the Deities It being most contumelious to have any opinion of GOD that is unworthy his Divine Majesty 'T is better to have no knowledge at all of him Atheism never disturbed the peace of the State or Church for an Atheist is an observer of Sense Reason the Laws of the Land his Reputation and Preservation But Superstition has been the overthrow of many a flourishing Kingdom Tyrannizing over the fancies minds and Reasons of Men. 'T is a wonderful thing to consider how mens minds are naturally inclined to Superstition than which nothing is more unbecoming a Gentleman Tot mundi Superstitiones quot Coelo Stellae The Superstitions of former times were innumerable Sacrifices and Ceremonies making Images of all matter and adoring them when they had done multiplying so many Rights Torments and Vexations as may well become the Devil to be the Author and maintainer of them 'T is strange to see it so Universal in time past and to continue even to this day That wise and knowing People should take more pains to go to Hell than we do to go to Heaven The Superstition of the Pagan Gentiles If we take a view of the Japans the Banians in Gusart the Chineses Idolatrys the Americans of old in Mexico especially the Mahometan Priests we shall find that the Papists vows Poverty Obediences Orders Merits Martyrdoms Fastings Alms good works as they call them Pilgrimages c. are no more than they do and that their blind Zeal and Idolatrous Superstition in all respects is much at one little or no difference Nay 't is hard to say which is the greatest which is the grossest He that shall read the Papists Golden Legend the Jews Talmud and the Turks Alchoran will conclude that such gross Fictions Fables vain Traditions Prodigious Paradoxes and Ceremonies could never proceed from any other Spirit than that of the Devil himself The Egyptians that pretend so great Antiquity three hundred Kings before Amasis and as Mela writes 13000 years from the beginning of their Chronicles that bragg'd so much of their knowledge of old of their Wealth and Power that vaunted of 20000 Cities yet at the same time as Diadorus Siculus Records their Idolatry and Superstitions were most gross worshipping the Sun and Moon under the name of Isis and Osyris and afterwards such * These Indigites were Men Canonized or Deified and so called Divi. Men as were beneficial to them or any Creature that did them good In the City of Bubasti they adored a Cat n Herodotus Ibis and Storks an o Pliny Ox p Macrobius Leeks and Onions The Syrians and Chaldeans had as many proper gods of their own q See Lucian Vera Historia de Dea Syria Morny Cap. 20. De veritat Relig Guil. Stukius Sacrorum Sacrificiorumque Gentil Descript Peter Faber Semister Lib. 3. Cap. 1 2 3. Selden De Diis Syris Purchas Pilgrimage invention The Romans borrowed from all besides their own gods which were Majorum Minorum Gentium Multitude of gods in all Ages and among all Nations adored as Varro holds certain and uncertain Some Coelestial Select and great ones others * Adopted gods Indigites and * Demi-gods Semidei * Were such as had charge over Mens Houses Lares * Ghosts or Spirits Apparitions Lemures Dioscuri Soleres and Parastatae Dii Tutelares among the Greeks the same as Boni and Mali Genii among the Latines Gods of all sorts for all Functions Some for the Land some for the Sea some for Heaven some for Hell some for Passions Diseases some for Birth some for Weddings Husbandry Woods Waters Gardens Orchards r Pax quies salus Libertas c. All Nations and Offices Kings Emperours and Valiant Men that had done any good Office for them they did likewise Å¿ In this manner he being dead his Body was carried with all Solemnity and Ceremony of the chief Nobility and Senate with Songs Hymns they performed to the gods themselves to a Tabernacle or Tent made with a great pile of Wood in form of a Tent with three other less Tabernacles one upon the top of the other the lowest being richly adorned with Gold outwardly but within full of combustible Matter where they lay him within the second Tabernacle so he that is next to be Emperour sets fire to the lowar Tabernacle and then le ts loose immediately a flying Eagle from the top of the Tabernacle as supposed to carry his Soul into Heaven Canonize and adore as gods 't was usually done and the Devil was ready still to Second their intents Statim se ingessit illorum Sepulchris statuis Templis aris c. He crept into their Temples Statues Tombs Altars and was ready to give Oracles Cure Diseases do Miracles c. As by Jupiter Aesculapius Tiresias Apollo Mopsus Amphiarus c. Dii Semidii for so they esteemed them gods and demi-gods Some were medii inter deos homines between men and gods as Max. Tyrius When a good Man dyed they held his Soul ex homine Daemon evadit becomes forthwith a Demi-god and in commiseration helps his poor Friends here upon Earth Informs Succours c. Punishes those that are bad and do amiss as a good Genius to protect and govern mortal men appointed by the gods so the Platonists will have it ordering some for Provinces some for private men some for one Office some for another for all intents places Creatures they assign gods Neither do they Deifie good men only but Tyrants Monsters Devils Nero's Domitians Heliogabalus's Beastly Women and Errant Whores Nay they make gods on such ridiculous occasions as Children make Babies As Mornaeus notes Their Poets make gods Et quos adorant in templis Ludant in Theatris as Lactantius scoffs Hesiod reckons up at least thirty thousand gods Varro makes three hundred Jupiters Flora was a Rich Harlot in Rome and for making the Common-wealth her Heir her Birth-day was solemnized long after and to make it a more plausible Holy-day they made her Goddess of Flowers and Sacrificed to her among the rest The Statue of Antinous the Emperour Adrians minion was ador'd by him Venus a notorious Strumpet as common as the Boggards to Mars Adonis Anchises and yet she as great a Goddess as the rest and as much renowned by the Poets who were their chief Doctors and Fathers of their Church Cuna was assigned to Cradles Diverra for sweeping Houses Nodina Knots Prema Promunda Hymen Hymenaeus for Weddings Comus
The World alters every day we change our Language Habits Laws Customes Manners but not Vices not Diseases nor the Symptoms of folly they are the same still All is out of Order Magistrates make Laws against Thieves and yet are the greatest Thieves themselves Princes commend a private Life private Men itch for Honour Judges give Judgment according to their own advantage and Juries as they are bribed wronging poor Innocents to please others Attorneys alter Sentences and for money lose their deeds Some abuse heir Parents yea corrupt their own Sisters some rob one some another Some prank up their Bodies and have their minds full of execrable Vices Who is free from Avarice Envy Malice Enormous Villanies Mutinies Unsatiable Desires Conspiracies Dissimulation Hypocricy and other incurable Vices bearing deadly hatred to one another and yet covering it with a plausible face Some trot about to bear false-witness and say any thing for money There is hardly any Truth or Justice to be found among Men. For they plead daily one against another Son against Father and Mother Brother against Brother Kindred and Friends of the same Quality of one Profession cannot agree they are vieing for place Apparel c. And all this for Riches or vain Honour whereof after Death they cannot be possessors And yet notwithstanding for this they will defame kill one another and commit all unlawful Actions contemning GOD and Man Friend and Countrey Some kill themselves despair not obtaining their desires How many strange Humours are in Men Some empty of all Virtuous Actions violently hunting after Riches and to be favoured of Men and take infinite pains for a little glory having no end of ambition When they are in Peace they desire War deposing Kings and raising others in their stead murdering some Men to get Children of their Wives When they are poor they seek wealth and when they have it enjoy it not but hoord it up or spend it extravagantly whereas if men would but consider the vicissitude of things and the mutability of this World how it wheels about there being nothing constant firm or sure they would be much wiser He that 's above to morrow is beneath If I say we would attempt no more then what we can bear we should lead contented Lives and learning to know our selves limit our ambition Besides we should soon perceive Nature has enough without such superfluities and unprofitable things that bring nothing with them but molestation and grief Some are possess'd with Religious folly and madness How many professed Christians and yet how few followers and Imitators of Christ Much talk much knowledge much hearing of Sermons but little Conscience and less practice What variety of Sects c. Some for Zeal some for Fear some for their own private ends they credit all examine nothing and yet ready to dye before they will abjure any of their wayes or toys Others out of Hypocrisie frequent Sermons knock their Breasts turn up their eyes pretend Zeal desire Reformation and yet are professed Rebels to GOD and the KING Usurers Whoremasters Drunkards Harpies Monsters of Men Devils and in their Lives express nothing less then true Piety What streams of Blood have been in the World able to turn Mills Thousands slain at once many bloody Battels to make some Prince sport without any just cause for vain Titles Precedency some Wench or such like toy or out of vain-glory malice revenge folly c. Goodly causes all Whilst Statesmen themselves are secure at home take their case and are pampered with all delights At the Siege of Troy that lasted ten years there dyed 870000 Grecians 670000 Trojans at the taking of the City And after were slain 276000. men Women and Children of all sorts Caesar kill'd a Million Mahomet the Second 300000. At the Siege of Jerusalem 1100000 dyed with Sword and Famine At the Battle of Cannas 70000 Men slain At the Siege of Ostend 120000. And in this beastial folly 't is very common for the Son to fight against the Father and Brother against Brother Christians against Christians What depopulations of Countreys Desolations Sacking and Ruinating flourishing Cities consuming of Treasure burning of Towns deflouring of Maids and Women perhaps by those that but just before slew their Husbands and whatsoever else misery mischief Hell it self the Devil Fury and Rage can invent to their own Ruine and Destruction so abominable a thing is War 'T is Gods scourge In the time of King Henry the Sixth betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster an hundred thousand Men were slain and ten thousand Families rooted out They fight for Glory and yet perhaps not one in an Army is remembred ever after It may be you shall find the Name of the General an Officer or two or so but for the rest their Names are buried with their Bodies And that Name of Honour Valour Applause lasts not neither 't is but a mere flash this Fame In most places one is rewarded and raised perhaps to Honours for which another should have hung in Chains A poor Man shall be hang'd for stealing a Sheep when it may be compell'd by necessity for the preservation of his own as well as Wives and Childrens lives when as a great man in Office may safely rob the whole Nation undo thousands enrich himself by the spoil of others and at last be Rewarded with Turgent Honours and no Man must dare to complain of him or it How many Crysallides have we Fellows that are very Rich and splendid in their Apparel but inwardly are empty Drones Fools Ideots golden Asses have good wise and Learned men notwithstanding attend them with all submission for this Reason alone because they have more wealth and money and therefore Honour them with glorious Titles and Epithets though they know them to be Dizzards How many Lawyers Advocates Tribunals and yet how little Justice Many Magistrates but little care of common good many good Laws but never more dissorders they are seldome put in Execution and often altered misapplied mis-interpreted as the Judge is made by Friends Bribes c. like a nose of Wax Every one is for his own private ends no Charity Love Friendship fear of God Alliance Affinity Consanguinity Christianity can check them but if they be any wayes offended or the string of commodity touched they presently fall foul old friendship is turned into enmity for toys oft-times and trifles small offences Dea moneta is the Goddess of the World and whom they adore they Sacrifice to her For by her men are raised depressed elevated esteemed the sole commandress she is of their Actions for which they pray run ride go come labour and contend 'T is not Worth Virtue Wisdom Valour Learning Honesty Religion or any sufficiency for which men are respected in this World But for money greatness Authority Office Honesty is accounted folly Knavery Policy and Wisdome Such shifting lying cogging plotting counter-plotting temporizing flattering cozening dissembling that of necessity one must highly