he sees us with a kind of horrour to reject he then perswades us to abstaine for reverence sake or would make us believe that we should find the more gust in it the more seldâ—me we frequent it If this does not take he proposes to our imitation the example of some otherwise good Christians who in this are nothing so assiduall as they ought then he objects what men will say and what offence they may conceive thereat now he will pester you with a world of businesse now store you with plenty of strange cogitations and scruples of conscience and now againe set you at mutuall jarres with others whilst he blowes the coales of haâ—e and dissention He renders ones minde dry and aride and soaks out of it all gusts of spirituall things and others troubled and disquieted so that nothing is more irksome unto it than to put himselfe in way of preparation to the holy Sacrament In a third if he can prevaile no other way he musters up whole troups of extravagant thoughts that so at east he may exclude him from this sacred banquet Some other there are againe whom he deceives under I know not what religious pretext and perswades them at least to defer it though not to omit it quite and thus the wicked impostour coynâ—s a thousand false pretences and shift to eferre from day to day the frequentation of the holy Sacramâ—nt and heaps delay upon delay addes â—urpose to purpose appoynts this day then the next whilest in the meane time both weekes moneths and yearâ—s are passed over by us without repairing unto our Maker unlesse it be very rarely and then too only of force and necessity The first Paragraph Luke 14. ET ceperunt omnes simul excusare and they began all to excuse themselves saith the Gospell This had bought a farm this a yoke of Oxen that other was newly married so that none is at leasure to repaire to Christ but examine these excuses and for all their faire glosse you will find them meere sencelesse ones for what were it for one of us for a short houres space to leave his câ—res at his farme his oxen in the stable and his wife at home and apply our selves to that which so neerely concerneth our salvation If wee were requested to prune a vineyard or to till the ground we might with good reason chuse rather to sleep at home than work abroad But when we are invited to a banquet to be guests of our Saviour Christ where our food is to be no other than himselfe to excuse our selves and refuse to goe shewes a most rusticall behaviour and speakes us either extreamly mad or impudent We should appeare right Adams off-spring if we shund God Almighties sight when he were angry but to avoyd him thus when out of his great mercy he beholds us with so gracious an eye when he calls and lovingly invites us to his Table so richly furnished with all celestial rarities is the part of brute beasts and not of men But to set off our excuse with a fairer colour we pretend nothing dishonest or lesse becomming us as theft adultery or the like but excuse our offence and negligence with as faire pretences as can be imagined For what â—arm â—s there say you in matrimony and the solicitude of our domesticall affaires in buying cattell purchasing of land and what good can there be in these when once they avert us from the â—overaignst good of all from our soules salvations We are so to cherish our bodyes as our soules receive no detriment the while so to purchase land as not to deprive our selves of Heaven when we are invited to this great supper we ought presently to goe laying aside the care of all other things no thought of our farmes our oxen our wives no solicitude of any businesse ought to interrupt us then when we entertaine discourse at this royall banquet with the King of Angels but also many many times we become so impudent as not to be ashamed to answer flatly non possum venire I cannot come and what is that but to say I will not come Oh deare Christians is this the way think you to obtaine his favour miserable as we are and to none more injurious than to our selves what is this but to flye fron the fire when we freeze for cold to abuse our Physitian when we lye desperately sick the more needing his helpe the lesse sensible we are of our owne infirmity and to have the sweet and delicious Manna in loathing whilst we passionately long after Garlick and Onions God formerly signified unto the people of Israel by Moses that they should gather Manna every day except the Sabboth on which they were appoynted to take their rest This holy Sacrament is our Manna by infinite degrees more excellent then theirs which wee may take our fill of during our tearme of life till the Sabboth of death invite us to our rest But what doe we the while but imitate our first parent for as he sayes Gerson not eating of the tree of life whilst hee might was afterwards justly punished in being debarred to eate of it when he desired it So we behave our selves so fastidiously as we will not approach unto this holy refection whilst we may but whilst we gladly accept of the least invitation to anothers boâ—rd we never come to this of our Saviour but very rarely and much against our wills We are negligent in nothing so much as in the point of our salvation in this we are onely carelesse in other things we are vigilant enough For this respect God in these words sends us to schoole unto the Ant Vade ad formicam ô piger Prov. 6. disce supientiam Goe O thou sluggard unto the Ant and learne wisedome of her This little creature can tell onely by instinct of nature that winter is no fit season to make provision in and therefore it provides its selfe of food in the summer which it hoords up till then how far more diligent ought we to be than they since our Saviour commending unto us this food of immortality doth affirme that Si quis man ducaverit ex hoc pane vivet in aeternum If any shall eate of this bread hee shall live eternally Wherefore those who are predestinated to this eternall life never cease to make provision of this vitall food agâ—inst the winter of ensuing death and this was his intent who bequeathed this Sacrament unto us not to bee adored but to nourish us and as we maintaine our bodies health by duely receiving of our corporall food who otherwise by that naturall heat which is predominant in us should be consumed away so likewise the soule by repairing often to this f od is conserved in life which otherwise would be destroyed by the impuâ—e fire of his concupiscence Hence it is that Saint Inâ—ocentius so carefully admonishes us to take heed least by deferring too long the receaving of this holy Sacrament wee
men than God of riches then of conscience nor to set more by humane favour than divine that no pleasure whatsoever is to be preferred to heaven nor these instable things unto eternall ones And truely saies St. Chrysostome He can find nothing on earth to bestow his affection on who hath but once savoured of celestiall things This light of understanding our good God was pleased should shine most plentifully on St Austins soule when being advised sayes he to make reflection on my self I entred into the inmost of all my selfe and there saw with such an eye as my soule afforded me the invariable light of God which whosoever knowes doth know eternity and I perceived my selfe to be so farre estranged from thee in an uncouth land and not much unlike to this light of understanding was that light of devotion of which St Bernard speaketh Beseech for thy selfe sayes hee the light of devotion a bright sunny-Sunny-day together with a Sabboth and repose of mind where like on old souldier priviledg'd with rest for his long service thou maist passe over all the labours of thy life without any labour at all in running with a dilated heart the way of the Commandments of God whence it will arrive that what at first thou underwentest with force and bitternesse of mind thou shalt afterwards performe with much sweetnesse and consolâ—t on to which likewise the royall Psalmist invites us where he sayes Accedite ad eum illuminamini Taste and behold the sweetnesse of our Lord. And this is he delightfull light of heart that flame burning with the very spirit of pleasure which God makes us every day more and more partakers of and with proportion to this light inkindled in our bosomes God who is incapable of all augmentation and and every way immense doth yet after a wondrous manner receive increase himselfe Embleme II. A preparation to death I am in a Straight betwixt two hauing a Desire to depart to bee wth Christ. Phil 1. v. 23. The second Signe Of Predestination IS a readinesse to die which is signified by a dead mans Scâ—ll with these words Coâ—retor e ducbus desiderioum habens dissolvi esse cum Christo Phil. 1. I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Et vos similes estote hominibus expectántibus Dominum suum c. and be you sayes our Saviour like to men awayting their Lord at his returne from some Nuptiall feast that when he comes and knocks they may straight wayes open unto him Then sayes St Gâ—egorie it is that our Lord doth knock when by visiting us with any grievous sicknes he deâ—ounceth unto us that death is neere at hand and then wee readily open unto him when we entertaine his summons with a friendly welcome That guilty person makes small haste to oâ—en the Judge the doore who dares not issue out of his bodies prison to meet with him neither can bee with any security behold his countenance whom he knowes he hath affronted in such unworthy manner whereas he whom his hopes and actions have rendered secure will presently open unto him when he knocks he wil be glad and take it for an honour that hee calls him and be cheerefull in the midst of teares in consideration of his future recompence Phil. 1. Why then doe we not dâ—sire with the Apostl to be dissolved and be with Christ seeing it is every wayes bâ—tter than to â—ive here prolonging of our wofull banishment It is impossible that he shouâ—d dye ill who hath lived well Psal 119. neither on the contrary that he should dye well who hath lived ill and what is our liâ—e which wee are so fearefull to be deprived of but a scene of mockeries a sea of miseries where in what ship soever we embarke our selves whether decked with gold silver and pretiouâ— stones or but simple wood all 's one there is no avoyding of the swelling waâ—es of being often dashed against the opposite rocks and ofâ—ner grounded on perillous flats and sholes Happy â—s he who hath passed this dangerous sea happy he who is safely landed in the haven and hatâ— no more reason to complaine who chances â—o dye before he is well struck in yeâ—rs than one for comming too soon to his journieâ— end â—hy then should we feare death which is but the end of our labors the begâ—nning of our recompence It is the judgement of God upon all flesh which none in former ages could ever avoyd nor ever will in any ensuing times all must follow as many as went before and we are all borne on this condition for to tend thither where every thing must go â—eath is the end of all to many a remedy and every good mans wish as being to godly men no other than a deliverance from all paine and griefe and the utmost bound beyond which no harm of theirs can advance a pace What madnesse then were it in us to oppose our selves to such an universal decre of Almighty Gods to refuse to pay a tribute that is duely exacted of every one and pretend to an exemption that is granted to none How much more sublime is the Christian Theology which teacheth us to make life the subject of our patience and death of our desires Solin de mirab mundi The Swan if we wilâ— believe Solinus lives ever groaning and sorrowfull and onely sings and rejoyces upon the poynt of death and so it becometh the godly to doe who are to depart to the fruition of an endlesse joy So did that white aged swan holy Simeon welcome his approaching death with this melodious song Nunc dimittis c. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and why then shouâ—d we lament when this poor cottage of ours doth fal to ruine as if we were ignorant that when this house of earth our habitation here decayes God will prepare us a better one in heaven a house not made by hands but an everlasting one The first Paragraph VVHosoever lyes in a hard and painfull bed makes little difficulty to rise at any time onely they seek excuses and delayes who lye lazing in their softest downe and are unwilling to forgoe their warmer nests Is thy life irkâ—ome to thee I trust then thou wilt not be sorry to passe to a better one hast thou thy hearts content in my opinion then it is high time for thee to close up thy dayes before thy prosperity overwhelme thee as it hath many more with some disasterous ruine at the last Wherefore sayes Tertullian we are no wayes to fear that which secureth us from all other feares God delivers that man from a long torment to whom he allowes but a short terme of life Which conâ—â—deration made the holy Martyr Saint Cyprian when the Emperour Valerian pronounced this sentence aâ—ainst him We command that Thracius Cyprian bee executed by the sword to lift up his hands and eyes to heaven and cheerefully answer
causelesse it had been no injury where both are alike faulty neither are injured But what doe I talke of cause What cause did Ioseph give unto his brethren in only making relation of his dreame And yet afterwards being chiefe Governour of Egypt in a generous kind of silence he buried all offence But this of yours is of exorbitant strain And wherefore all this exaggeration If the offence were light your reward for pardoning of it would be but small We can never rise to any eminent degree of perfection but by the way of suffering great injuries Harken what St. Hâ—erome saith in this particular Deus faber est S. Hier. in c. 5 Matth. inimici lima sunt mallei quibus nos ille expurgat Sanctosque soulpit God is the statuâ—ry and our enemies are his chissells and hammers with which he polishes us and mâ—kes us into Saints Hâ—th your enemâ—es ever stoned you as they did Saint Pâ—ul or scourged and crucified you as they did our Saviour Christ But you will alledge you are noble and he who injured you is but some base borne pesant some Son of the earth O Samian Pot-sheard art thou not of the same Clay or little better of which thine enemy is made thou noble if thou permits thy selfe once to be over come by this appeâ—ite of revenge know thou art no longer the off-spring of a noble family but the slave of sinne Wherefore be advised by the wise man Memento novissimorum define inimicari Remember the last things Eccl. 28. and cease to bee at enmity You will tell me though you would never so faine forgive your enemy yet you cannot overcome your selfe therein The reason is because you will take no paines to get the victory I know that as long as you nourish grudgings in your mâ—ndes all your thoughts which arise from thence taste of nothing but bitternesse whilst your bosome is no other but a nurcery of nettles thornes and bryars with which your ulcerated Conscience is stung and smarts unto the very bloud Doe you burne with desire of revenge haste with all speed to extinguish the flame least in debarring your owne entrance into heaven you but accelerate the fire of hell where you shall burne for all eternity The sustaining of injuries is the gaâ—es of heaven and qui vindicari vult a Domino inveniet vindictam peccata illius servans servabit Eccl. 2â— he who will be revenged shall finde vengeance of our Lord and with great observancy he will keep his sinne You can take no sleep perhaps nor have an appetite to any food as long as you behold a Mardocheus sitting securely at the Pallace gate as long as you see your enemy uncontrolled conspiring your ruine How bravely we deceive our selves to our owne perdition Ezekiel tells of cerraine Souldiers qui posuerunt gladios suos sub capitibus suis Ezek. 32. descenderunt ad infernum cum armis suis who layd their swords under their heads and so descended together with their weapons into hell behold a new manner of pillow to sleep on swords And truely they take their rest upon no other who are so desirous of revenge as they never rest but when they are fighting quarrelling harming of other men In this manner Cain that primitve disciple of the Devill as St. Basil tearmes him for no other end sought his brothers destruction but upon the ruine of his glory for to build his own though the effect was far contrary to his expectation Esau found no place for any mercy although hee sought it with instancy of many tears so Saul Ad. Heb. 12 so Antiochus were shamefully repulst even from the Altar of mercie to which they fled and that deservedly since they never spared any whom they held for enemies Eccl. 28. Iudicium sine misericordia fiet illi qui uonfecerit misericordiam Hee shall have judgement passe upon him without any mercy who hath not afforded mercy unto others whereas King David redoubled his wickednes with a foul relapse and dyed his infamous Adultery in bloud and yet he no sooner began to shew himselfe contrite he had no sooner pronounced these two short words Peccavi Domino 2 Kings 12. I have sinned against the Lord but he heard presently from the mouth of the Prophet Nathan Dominus peccatum tuum transtulit The Lord hath remitted your sin How often did Antiochus confesse that he had sinned and with grievous cries implore the Divine pitty vowing offerings to the Temple promising for the time to come an intire conversion and yet his petition never would be heard and from whence proceeded this differeece of favour but from their different carriages towards their enemies For David wilst he was inferiour to no King in prowesse and deeds of armes was superior unto all in pardoning his foes insomuch as he esteemed revenge the most unworthy his dignity of all other crimes whereas that other Tyrant behaved himself in more than hostile manner towards his own Citizens breathing forth nothing but swords fire bloud slaughter and revenge The 6 Paragraph THough Physitians most commonly use not to give over t eir patients till they see them so faint as they require a tombe as it were to leane their bones against yet theâ—e are some maladies so pestiferous as at first sight of the patient the can say He is but a dead mâ—n go and provide him a grave In like manner though in this life we are not to dispaire of the salvation of any how wicked soever they be notwithstanding this is such an incurable disease wher the vitiated bowels even swim with gal and the mâ—nde is tortured with the pangs of hatred and desire of revenge that St. Iohn plainly declares his opinion of such an one 1 Iohn 5. Make ready a Sepulcher for this miserable wretch for his sinne is mortall and to the death neither would I advise any to pray for him They rarely recover who are once obstinate in revenge and there is no sense where there is nothing but bitternesse Eccl. 22. But although all the wise and learned men in the world crye out against us though all the Prophets threaten us Angels exhort us to bury our iniuries in forgetfulnesse and enter into league of friendship with our enemies yet we despise them all and desperatly persever in pursuit of our revenge Laâ—â— of all the Learnedst and wisest of all wise and learned men the instruction of Prophets and King of Angels with soveraigne power supreame authority doth visit us himselfe not so much by way of perswasion as by authority to bring vs to accord not to give us counsaile but an absolute law and yet with extreame audacity we remaine still obstinate But mark this Dialogue how Christ our Soveraigne King commands and how his subiects contrary his coÌ„mand Here stands our Saviour Christ in his fathers name comâ—ands them Matth. 5. Luke 6. Ego autem dico vobis diligite
but rarely come to our peroration Set Saile with the Mariner but for every little blast stand for the harbour againe What have we more frequently in our mouths than I will amend my manners I will reclaim my life and yet what is lesse seriously performed Straight from the receiving of the Sacraments we start out couragiously towards the Goale but before we have runne halfe way we faint and lay us downe for weaâ—inesse When none can discerne in us any memoriall of good purpose we ever had or of that sacred refection so mindfull we are still of injuries so forgetfull of what we piously resolved so as with good reason Polybius saith Man is accounted the wisest of all animated things buâ— for my part I hold him the foolishest of all for other Animals are ever wary after they have once received harme The Fox is never taken in the same Gin againe the Wolfe shuns the piâ—-fâ—ll the dog a cudgell the second time but onely man is so unwary so oblivious a thing as from time to to time be falls most commonly into the same sins againe The third Paragraph GOd complaines by the Prophet â—saiah Non posuisti haec c. Thou hast not taken this to heart Isaiah 4â— nâ—ither remembred the latest things and I have sâ—id even when thou hast committed all this returne unto me and she hath not returned Repentance saith St. Bernard without amendment â—vails us nothinâ— For if one build an edifice and another demolish it what obtaine they but their labour for their paine Eccl. 34. Qui enim baptizatur à mortuo c. For he who is wâ—shâ—d from the dead and toucheth him againe what doth his washing benefit him True repentance goes ever accopanyed with amendment when gluttony is stinted luxury amortized â—ride depressed and our bodies subjecâ—ed unto holinesse whiâ—h were before slaves of iniquity And all this wee promise faithfully to execute and yet a day scarcely pasteth sometimes not an houre before all our promises are forgot and wee returned to our fâ—rmer bent againe And what Isaiah doth so much deplore of a wholsome sadnesse we make our meriment Venite sumamus vinum Isaiah 56. impleamur ebrietate erit sicut hodie sic cras multò amplius Come give us some wine and let us take our fill of drunkennesse as we doe to day so let us tomorrow and that with advantage We are just of Pharaohs condition for he as soon as he perceived the raine haile and thunder to be passed over began to sinne more licenâ—iously than before so we after we have obtained remission for our former sins doe commonly fall into more grievous ones How often doe we seeme Lambs in the morning and become Lyons before night wearing Tygres natures maskâ—d under humane shapes How often doe we appeare Angels when we rise and yet before thâ— evening becomâ— scarcely men So often we change vizâ—rds and most commonly the most ugly is that which best pleaseth us And thus of vessels of glory alas with too frequent change and vicissitude we become the vesselâ—s of ignominy and shame Sicut autem aegrotantes Hom. 3. ap poâ— saith Chrysostome nisi semper ordinate vixerint nulla ipsis discidisciplinae per tres aut quatuor dies servatae utilitas sic peccantes nisi semper sobrii sint nihil prodâ—rit ipsis duorum aut trium dierum correctio As infiâ—me persons unlesse they have lived orderly before receive no benâ—fit by temperating themselves onely for a day or two so unlesse sinners doe get a habite of maturity the amendment of three or foure dayes will nothing profit them Have you not marked young Chickens how whilst they are straglâ—ng up and downe to pick up wormes and flies the Kite soâ—ring aloft singles out one of them and stooping suddainly snatches it away with her when all the rest runne câ—ying to hide themselve under their mothers wings but not being able long to containe themselves there they must out againe and utterly unmindfull of their former danger they are all dispersed as busie as before when the Kite watching its opportunity againe ketches up another and flyes away with it then in as grear a fright as they were before they flock again unto their feathery refuge where after they have lurked a while all their feare and danger is forgot again and so they sally out and meet with the like encounters so long untill the poor dâ—m have never a Chicken left even just in this manner death doth play with us hâ—re he seizeth upon a neighbour there on a kinsman oâ— neere friend of ours whose losse in that so neâ—re a blow hath reference to our selves not without reasâ—n mak s us tremble and lament and seriously bethink our selves of amending our lives but how long do h this terrour these lamentations last Some day or two and then we puâ—sue our wonted traines againe and forgetting wholly our sorrow and heavinesse we burst forth into immoderate laughter and our old rioâ—ousnes we seek out unjust wayes to thrive we return to our owne forsworne intemperance and all our other circular vices effusing our selves with unrestrayned licentiousnesse on the accustomed excesses of our passed life and so long we continue in this dead security untill death with its cold hand doth gripe our hearts and make our eyes run with the last teares wee shall ever shed Then that will onely profiâ— us which we have done and to wish to have done this or that will availe us nought Then our most of comfort will bee to remember that which cost us most paine to effect it But we neither sufficiently credit our selves nor others in poynt of this verity to day we conceive a detestation of our sinnes and to morrow commit the like or more grievous ones againe dallying in this manner with Almighty God when we have scarsely washed away one sin with repentant teares but we commit another worthy of as many more connecting as it were that chain of iniquity which Isaiah the Prophet so condoles Isaiah 5. and yet so menaceth withal Vae qui trahitis iniquitatem in funibus quasi vinculum plaustri peccatuÌ„ Even so we adde sin to sin and for the most part the latter more enormious than the first so we are alwaies inclining unto the worse like Antiochus Epiphanes of whom it was said That he was a good child an ill youth and a wicked man By the addresse of Repentance and Confession being delivered from our sins wee are fervent for the first week after the second we grow tepid and the third wax wholly cold insomuch as losing all spirit we become dead againe O men more changeable than the Moon who not onely every moneth but every week nay often every day have their increase waine excesses and defects How many tides doe dayly ebbe and flow within the Euripus of a narrow breast How often from fruitfull Olives doe we degenerate into wild and savage plants
frendship the overture of war the plenitude of calamity the worst of devills which is the more warily to be avoyded more it infects with its dayly incursions In omnes personas hic ardescit affectus tam ex amoreâ— scituâ— quam ex odio non minus inter seria quam inter lusus jocos nec interest ex quam magna causa nascitur sed in qualem proveni at animum sic ignis non refert quam magnus sed quo incidat nam arida scintillam quoque fovent usque ad incendium Sen. Ep. â—8 This passion sayes Seneca conceives a heat burning against all sorts of persons and is begotten as well out of love as hate no less from serious businesses than sports and meriment neither are we so much to regard from what cause it arises as into what bosome it lights for so it makes no matter how great the fire be but where it takes since any dry thing will nourish even a sparke till it waxe a mighty fire But sayes hee in another place there is nothing yet so hard and difficile which the mind of man cannot overcome and there are no passions so head-strong and violent which cannot bee restrained by sk lfull managing L â— derâ— c. 1â— quodcunque sibi imperavti animus obtinuit let but the mind absolutely command and it will obtaine any thing What a happinesse were it then to be delivered from such mighty evills as anger with frenzy rage and cruelty furiousness and other the like passions with which it ever goes accompanyed The second Paragraph THat which this wise Roman said of anger we may also apply to pride and envy those two ordinary furies which hant humane breasts as likewise to those equall sisters in wickednes and to conclude to all the other crew of vicious affections And say what a happines were it to be delivered from such maine evills and have our mind composed to a blessed tranquillity to a certaine harmony and concordance of all our copidities He therefore is blessed who is the lesse indulgent of liberty to his affections the more free hee desires to bee himselfe from vices servitude who to secure reasons dominion in him crucifies his unruly passions For Gally-slâ—ves they have some cessation from labour some time though never so short allotted them to rest but those who are slaves to their affections doe never enjâ—y any rest but their mind is in continual agitation by the turbulent motions of their restlesse thoughts Servietis diis alienis die ac nocte Hier. 16. qui non dabunt vobis requiem you shall serve strange Gods day and night which will not give you rest And therefore the sonne of Syrach advises us post concupiscentias tuas non eas Eccl. 18. doe not follow thy concupiscence but as a head-strong horse is to be reined hard and one that is ready pricked on with the spurre so wee are to manage our affections by urging some whilst for the most part we do curb the rest None can more truely hate himselfe than hee who loves himselfe with such a pernicious love as becomming by it wholly dissolved in voluptuousnesse he is neither able to obtaine any thing of himselfe or deny himselfe any thing Let such as these consider what the Apostle presages of them Rom. 8. Si sâ—cundum carnem c. If you live acco ding to the flesh saies he you shall dye but if you shall mortifie the works of the flesh you shall live The command of ones selfe is the greatest Empire as man can aspire unto consequently to be subject to our passions the most grievous slavery neither is there any triumph more glorious then that of the victory obtained of our selves where whilst the conflict is but short the reward shall ever last He overcomes his affections who refuses to serve them and he serves them saith S. Ambrose Quicunque metu frangitur vel delectatione Li. 2. de Iac. vita beata irretitur vel cupitatibus ducitur vel indignatione exasperatur vel maerore dâ—â—icitur whosoever is dismayed by feare enthralled by pleasure inveâ—gled with desires exasperated by offfences or dejected with sadnes Neither is there any viler servitude according to Seneca than that which is voluntarily undergone Ep. 47. where one serves his lust another his avarice a third ambition A good man as witnesses Saint Augustine albeit hee serve is free whereas a wicked although hee be a Monarch is a slave and that not to one man alone but what is more intollerable to as many Masters as he hath vices The desires of men are as various as their visages and outward lineaments and even as in those among men of the same kinde there is strange diversity so is there no lesse in the affections and propensions of our mind here one burnes in the fire of concupiscence another is led captive in golden chains a third consumed with envy this by drinking destroyes his health this too much given to gamning and this to idlenesse the whilst none will ever be perswaded as if one could not be drowned aswell in wine as water that their ruin can arise from thence where they have placed their chiefe felicity Saint Gregory sayes excellently well Lib. 4. in Reg. c. 4. Reprobae menti valde placet quod concupiscit sed in aeterna poena quod ei modo est dulce amarescet A reprobate minde is pleased above measure with its owne desires but that which now is so svveet unto it will afterwards to its eternall paine be changed into bitternesse Dan. 13. O wretch thou art deceived with specious shew and desire hath subverted thy heart and made thee long after fleeting waters with a frustrated appetite What felicity can a man receive froÌ„ his libidinousnes which according to St. Ambrose doth burne us worse than a feaver farre more inflame us sooner cast us downe Febre libido flagrantior est graviusque inflammot praecipitat but when that violent heat is asswagâ—d when the fit is past then the eyes of our conscience doe open and a man becomes all confounded and ashamed at the ugliness of his reproachfull fact then he stands in dread of Almighty God and faine if he knew how would hide his guilty head but in vaine for the deformity is so manifest and all secrets lye unfolded before Almighty God and therefore the thought of judgement doth strike him into horror out of the conscience of his selfe-guiltinesse And what is the thirst of wealth but a notorious spur to every wickednesse which is rather more provoked than quenched by possessing that which it desires which torments the minde no lesse with sollicitude of that it enjoyes than that it wants And whereas all other vices grow old with man this then becomes most youthfull and vigorous Hate and envy are two importunate evills which unlesse you kill as it were in the cradle there is little hope of overcomming them thereafter