that wisdome which is the knowledge of Diuine and human thinges which we may deuide into twoe partes Contemplatiue and Morall Contemplatiue which containeth the knowledge of God and his works and morrall which teacheth vs howe to liue well and how to shew our selues helpefull and officious to the world How to know God GOd doth reueale and as it were make himselfe visible vnto vs after two manner of waies first in the booke of his word by the mouthes of his holy prophets Apostles and Patriarches and secondly by the book of nature in the whole frame of heauen and earth which wee cannot behold but we must needs confesse that neither heauen hath his motion the sunne and moon their light the earth his fruitfulnesse nor the sea his waters but it comes to passe by the power wisedome and prouidence of one supreme creator and preseruer which is God And as the contemplation of his creatures is a forcible argument to beate into vs the knowledge of his deyty so the behoulding of no one creature helpeth more to that ende then the consideration of our owne nature How to know our selues SOcrates the Prince of Philosophers greatly condemned the students of his age in that they toyled so much about the knowledge of external things and neuer had anye care to caste an eye vnto that which was internall meanning that all their studye and labour tended to the marking of the revolution of the heauens and other naturall causes vppon earth but neuer were solicitous or troubled about their owne nature but as his opinion was so let ours be that wee cannot come to the knowledge of God which is the end of our cteation and being knowne to glorifie him than by the knowledge of our owne nature Therfore to know our selues and our owne nature is to consider that we are compounded of a bodie that is earthly a soule that is heauenly of a body that is palpable to be felt and scene and of a soule that is invisible and not subiect to externall sense of a body that is mortall and must die and of a soule that is immortal that shall neuer dye and that at first we were created vpright both in soule and body but since through sinne we are become deformed both in soule and bodye And although we might heere take occasion to speake of the excellencie of the composition of the partes of the body as a thinge full of admiration and many deepe secrets in nature yet because the more principall parte of man which is the soule is the only obiect of the matter we haue in hande wee will passe ouer the great knoweledge that might be hadde in viewing the corporall frame and onely tie our discourse to the spiritual essence which beeing the harder and more difficulte matter by how much it is more excellent than the other therfore once looked into though but sleightly we shal the sooner come to the knowledge of the whole What this knowledge of ourselues doth worke in vs. THe knowledge of our selues doeth worke in vs a two-folde effect a meanes to be humbled and a meanes to glory and reioice To be humbled in respect of the sense and feeling of our vanity and to glory in respect of the mercy of God by whose grace we recouer our selues from the daunger of vanity for our sicke soule being lost to perdition is reuiued and quickened againe by regeneration What the Soule is THe soule cannot be known as it is but by the craetor that made it by reason that in vs there is no nature more high or excellent to comprehend it all the knowledge that we can haue of it proceedes from those effects which it doeth manifest in vs and therefore we cannot giue any absolute definition of it But according to the effects we may thus describe it The soule is a spirit which giueth life to the body whereunto it is ioyned and which is capeable of the knowledg of God to loue him as being meet to be vnited vnto him to eternal happinesse In that it is a spirit it confutes their oppinions that thought the soule did proceed frō the tēperature and harmony of the partes of the body but in that it giueth life it confutes their oppinion that thought it was mortall and that with the death of the body it likewise perished But the soule is as far frō perishing being seperated frō the body as an expert musition frō losing his skill being bereft of his instrument Others there are that thinke because man liueth no longer then he hath breath on because losse of bloud bringeth the losse of life or because in death they perceiue no difference betweene men and beastes that therefore the soule is nothinge else but bloude or a puffe of wind But these men haue no further insight into the soule than is conceiued by their externall sense A minde refynde and eleuated aboue the earth findes that the soule is the Image of God who is a spirit and eternall therefore the soule of man must be a spirit and eternall for there is alwayes an agreement betweene the Image and the thinge of which it is an Image How the soule is celestiall THe soule is celestiall not in that sense as if it were a parte of the substance and nature of god him selfe but it is saide to be celestial in 3. respectes First to shewe a difference betweene the soule of men and the soule of beastes Secondly in regard of the agreement which it hath with the deuine nature through immortalitye Thirdly in respect it approcheth neerer to the nature of god thē any other creature except Angels and yet Angels are not of the nature of God neither for they are not immortall of themselues but haue their immortaltty and their superexcellencie of God who both giueth it vnto them and preserueth them in it and can if it please him depriue them of it How the soule is in the body THe soule is in the body not as proceeding from the generatiue seed or the commixture of the humours for then the soule should be corruptible as they are but the soule is in the body by infusion of God the creator after that the parts of the body are already framed fashioned and that by no other vertue but by his own omnipotent power so that we must thinke when God inspired a soule into Adam he made not a blast of his own nature nor of the ayre round about him but euen of nothing who being himselfe incorporall made the soule also incorporall but yet he being vnchangable made the soule mutable because himselfe being vncreated made the soule a creature Vpon this may rise a question that if the soule be infused and created of God and comes not by propagation from our parents whence hath it then the pollution which we call originall sinne It were horrible to say it were so created knowing that all the workes of God are pure and holy and from the body it cannot come
for the bodie infectes not the soule but the soule the body whose instrument it is Wee answere that as the soule is infused by god in that respect it is clean without spot but so soon as it is entred vnder the line of the children of Adam it is presently made subiect to the curse which God laide vppon Adam and his posterity and so becomes guilty of originall sinne The difference betweene soule and Spirit BEcause these words are often times confounded it shall not be amisse to know their difference By the soule we may vnderstand man as he is born hauing the vse of the annimal naturall and vitall powers and by the spirit whatsoeuer grace and knowledg is giuen vnto man by God so that by soule we may vnderstand man as he is in the corruption of his nature and by spirit as he is regenerate and borne anew There is also another difference which may giue some light in maner to discerne between these twoe names which is this Soule is a word more general than spirit for it may be attributed to other creatures as well as to man As hearbs plants tree haue haue onely a vegetatiue soule Sea-spounges cockles and such like haue onely a vegetatiue and sensetiue soule brute beasts haue a vegetatiue sensetiue and cogetatiue soule for they do not onely growe increase and haue sence and feeling but they likewise are indued with cogitation knowledge and memory how to preserue their liues guide and gouerne themselues according to naturall inclination but the soule rationall and regenerate by the grace of adoption and therfore called a spirit is onely proper to men and inriched with immortality How the soule is immortall THat the soule is immortal appeareth by some reasons before aleadged as that it is the Image of god who is imortal therfore hath som agreement with him in that respect but for further assurance we haue scripture her owne properties In the booke of Gen. 2.7 it is said God made man a liuing soule that is immortall In the gospell after S. Mathew Christ admonisheth his disciples that they should not stand in feare of those that kill the bodie meanning bloudy tyrants but could not kill the soule whereby it is manefest the soule liueth after the bodie Likewise in the gospell after S. Luke 16.22 the begger dyed and his soule was carried into Abrahams bosome And in the 23. of the same gospell the 43. verse our sauiour christ said to the repentant theefe This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradice meaning his soule and not his body which words he would not haue vttered if the soule had perished with the bodie and not been immortall Many other places might be recyted but if these seeme insufficient so wil the rest Further the soule appeares to bee immortall by her owne properties first in that it giueth life to the body and is so farre from corruption that so long as it bides therein it preserues the body from corrupting Secondly in that it is in continuall motion and neuer ceaseth whether wee sleepe or wake walke or sit still to apprehend think or ponder vpon something in a moment it wanders through the heauens compasseth the earth and crosseth the broadest Seas Thirdlye it may be thought immortall in respect of that propertye which it expresseth in the mindes euen of Atheistes and heathen men who notwithstanding they not beleiue or deny the immortality of the soule yet the deuinity of their souls with in them working to the contrary make them balke their owne opinions and by the monumēts which they set vp to continue their name remembrance bewraies the soule to be immortall because in that respect they plainly shew a feruent desire to liue for euer Why some beleiue not the immortallity of the soule THe reason that moues them heareunto in some is the blockishnes of nature who obstiniately refuse to beleiue any thing but what they may be able to comprehend by their outward sense And againe some are so peruerse as they wish not only their soules were not immortall but that there were no god nor any other life to the end they might haue no Iudg but that this life might end with their delight the soule vanish with the body But here may rise an obiection If the soule be immortal why is it said in scripture euerie soule that sinneth shall die the death And againe it appeares by manie places that the soules of the wicked shall suffer eternal death We may answere that the soule is said to dye not that it is quite bereft of any beeing but for that it is for euer bannished the ioyes of heauen which vnto the soule is accounted death as the bannishnement of the soule from the bodie is accounted the bodies death What makes the soule mortall and in danger of such a death THe first thing that indangers the soule with mortality is originall sin which sinne by regeneration of holie baptisme being remoued the next thing that indangers it is the passions and affections of the soule which fall backe into their first corruption by spurning against vnderstanding and reason the soueraigne faculties of the soule which are spirituall and intelligigible stirring vs vp to virtue to pietye and godlinesse and by yeelding obedience to the sensual and inferior facultie of the soule which is the will who by reason it is neerer and more famillier with the corporal senses then vnderstanding therfore rather consenteth to the Lawes of the members which are full of ignorance frowardnesse miserie shame death and condemnation than to the workes of the spirit which are loue ioy peace long suffering gentleness faith meeknesse temperance and such like The difference betweene vnderstanding and the will and affections FIrst they differ according to the place and situation which they haue in the bodie of man Secondly according to the time wherein they are imploide and thirdly according to the dignitie of their offices They differ according to their situation in that vnderstanding hath his seat in the braine and the will and affection in the heart And this is the reason that we se many men indued with great knowledge of diuerse good and virtuous thinges but haue no willingnes or affection to follow after them or to shew them in their life and conuersation because their hart and their braine their will their vnderstanding agree not Likewise we see others to haue a will to do well yet because they want vnderstaning knowledg to discern what is iust they faile of the execution thereof Secondly they differ according to the time wherin they are imploide in that vnderstanding alwaies goes before and the affections follow For we cannot hate or loue vnlesse we first know the thing which is to be hated or loued Thirdly they differ acording to the dignitie of their offices in that vnderstanding sits as a King to commaund and the wil and affection stand as subiectes to obey For as God hath
treasure both in heauē and earth yet voluntarilie fasted forty daies and fortye nightes and of Iohn Baptiste whose best delicates was but Locustes and wilde honny And of the apostles that so awed their bodies with temperate diet as they were glad to pull the eares of corne to satisfie hunger We read that Gallen was a hundred and twenty yeare old and when it was wondred how hee liued so long hee made answere that he neuer rose from his table with a full stomach The Egyptians vsed in the midst of their banquets to bring in the anathomy of a dead body dried that the horror thereof might keepe them within the bounds of temperance so that for the bodyes health and for the vigour and alacritye of the soule there is nothing better then fasting nor any thing worse or more fatall than this sinne of gluttonie Of Wrath. WRath may be called the frenzy of the soule and is defined to be a vehement motion of the hart tending to reuenge whereby the bloud boiling exceedingly sendeth vp hot and burning vapors to the braine so that reason is smothered and the wil made obedient to the affections Of Wrath there are eleuen branches MAllice Furie Impatience Malediction Blasphemy Reproch Reuenge Contention Threatning Crueltie and Murder Mallice what MAllice is a kinde of anger deeplie rooted in the hart and closely concealed til opportunity serue to do mischiefe the contrarie to this is clemencie soone forgetting and easily pardoning an offence Furie what FVrie is a chollericke passion of the minde which presentlie breaketh foorth into violence either by worde or deed and is deafe to all trueth and reason during the time it is in heat the contrarie to this is meekenesse whereby we are hardlie mooued to anger Impatience what Impatience is an easie inclination to wrath or anger and it happneth three maner of waies First when the minde stirred vp by offence inuolueth it selfe in manye bitter cogitations studying how he may be reuenged on him with whom he is displeased Secondly when the minde surcharged with vnkindnesse breaketh forth into disordered clamors and confused speeches Thirdly when we grudge and repine at the harmes calamities sicknesse or other euils inflicted vppon vs by god not remembring that for three causes wee ought rather to reioice first because tribulation is the badge of a christian souldier and it is more honor for a souldior to be in battell then to hide his head in a Castle or fortresse Secondly because in patient suffering of afflictions we are made like vnto our captaine Chirst and to bee lyke him is the greatest glory Lastly afflictions are a sure testimony vnto our consciences that wee are the beloued of God for whome the lord loueth he correcteth The contrary to impatience is patience which is a voluntarie and longe suffering of affliction and hard extremities for the loue of vertue and honestie Malediction what Malediction is when through wrath or anger we cursse banne or wish euil to another which sinne I finde to bee very detestable for these three reasons First in that for the most part curses redound vppon the head of him that curseth Secondly in that the euill doer is rather to be praied for than to be cursed considering that to curse is to heape more euill vpon him whereas he had enough and too much before And thirdly in that it is so vnlawfull a thinge as that it is not permitted against the diuell much lesse against anie christan as appeares by the example of Michael the Archangell whoe when he stroue with the diuel aboute the body of Moses he did not reproue him with cursed speaking but onelie said The Lord rebuke thee Sathan The contrarie to malediction is benediction or blessing when wee wish well to all men yea vnto our enemies Blesse them that curse Do good to thē that hate Blasphemie what BLasphemie is a reuengefull intent vttered against God himselfe thorough opprobrie and contumelious speeches which for fiue causes is held a most horrible sinne First in respect of the greeuous punishment which god himselfe did set downe against it in the old Tastament which was stoning to death Secondly in respect of the ingratitude of the blasphemer that dishonoreth god with that member of his bodie in which god hath honoured him aboue all other creatures namely his tongue Thirdlye in that the blasphemer is more wicked and rebellious then al other creatures for all other creatures doe praise and magnifie their creator according to their kinde declaring his power wisdome goodnesse and omnipotence but the blasphemer dooth not only neglect that dewty but what in him lies contriueth to make a scorn of his name and dignitie Fourthly in respect of the peruerse disposition of the blasphemer which attributes to himselfe that good which he doth but the euill which befalleth him he ascribeth vnto God whereas contrariwise euils doe fal vpon vs thorough our owne desert and whatsoeuer is good proceedeth only from god Fiftly in thar the diuel speaketh in blasphemers for their wordes are so horrible and full of terrour as no man of any conscience or hart-feeling pitty can indure their speeches but will be moued to stop their eares againste them the contrary to blasphemye is Sanctification adoring and worshipping the name of God neuer presuming to haue it in our mouthes but with great and singuler reuerence for as it is written our God is a consuming fire and will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine Reproch what REproch is an imperfection whereby we are moued to scorne check or deride another man either for the defect of minde or bodie or when we studie to detract or speake euil of a mā behinde his backe the contrarie vnto this is humility or vprightnes of heart and toong giuing to euery one a good report for therefore hath god in the creation of the tongue obserued these foure thinges First he hath made it tender and soft to signifie our wordes should be of like temper Secondly he hath tyed it with many threades and stringes to restraine and bridle it Thirdly it is euery way blunt where by we are admonished that our words ought not to be pricking or hurtfull And fourthlye it is inclosed with a quicke-set and strong rampier of teeth and gummes and with lippes which are as gates to shut it vppe for feare it should take too much liberty Reuenge what REuenge is to take the rod of Iustice out of gods hand and our selues to render euil for euill which is very absurde considering that it is the soule which offendeth and we haue power ouer nothing but the bodie like him that breakes the sword and suffers him that gaue the wounde to passe awaye without blame or preiudice the contrary to reuenge is lenitie and mildnes forgiuing euery one as we looke to be forgiuen our selues Yet is not reuenge altogither forbidden maiestrates may vse it for they are as Gods substitutes prouided they do not execute it as caried away by their
them as when the Lorde for their rebellion against him determined to cut them off Moses rather besoght him that his name might be wipte out of the booke of life then any such harme should befal that people Dauid a man chosen of God and an anointed king euen in the midst of his guard and men of warre suffered a base fellow to reuile him and throwe dust in his face Finally let vs alwaies obserue this one rule that when soeuer wee finde our hart kindled with anger we deuise some meanes to prolong the time before we strike or make reply as Theodosius and other vertuous men haue done that would either reade the Alphabet ouer play vppon some instrument or make a certaine space before they would reply vpon their offenders and by this meanes as they so shal we the more easily subdue and vanquish this wilde and sauadge passion Finis Wrath. Of Sloth SLoath may be called the lethargie of the soule being a lither deiection of the whole man from the laudable exercise of virtue so that in a māner he becomes sencelesse but in truth altogether vnprofitable There are eleauen branches of sloth protraction Remisnes Negligence improuidence indeuotion sluggishnesse pusilanimity irresolution disperation misprision of time and omition Ptotraction what PRotraction is that defect of minde which when a man is to enterprise or take in hand some good woorke or other makes him defer the time and vse much delay ere he attempte it and this is the fault of those that know that with out repentance we shal die in our sinnes and yet defer their amendment of life from day to day Remisnesse what REmisnesse is where hauing begun a good woorke wee quicklye are mooued to leaue it off againe and this is the fault of such as entring into religion and resoluing vppon a Godlye course of life by the vaine inticements of the worlde or the corrupt pleasures of the flesh fal to their old bias again Negligence what NEgligence is when we enter vpon a good worke and proceede in it but without care whether it bee well done or no and this is the fault of such as are content to come to church to pray heare sermons and giue to the poore but doe it more for fashion sake and feare of punishment then vpon any true zeale or labour not effectually to deserue the name of Christians but thinke it sufficient howesoeuer they performe the outward ceremony Improuidence what IMprouidence is when a man doth not prouide aforehand against that which is like to happen but standeth still or spendeth the time carelessely till an inconuenience take hold vpon him and this is the fault of those that neuer forsake sinne till sinne forsakes them nor haue anye thought to liue well vntill they see they must die presently thinking their rotten old age sufficient for God whereas they haue spent their lusty youth in the seruice of the diuell but there are fiue reasons to moue vs to beware of improuidence that wee defer not our conuersion to virtue and godly life The first is induration for that olde age hauing a long time continued in the custome of vicious life like a stiffe tree is hardly bowed or brought to better order The second is the longer a man abideth in sinne the greater will bee the burden of sinne the greater the burden of sinne is the more hardly will he rise from vnder it especiallye considering his chiefe strength and vigour is before wasted and consumed The third the more strange we are to virtue and godlye life the larger expence of time wil be required for our entertainment and familliar acquaintance so that hauing alyenated our selues all our life time death in our olde age layeth hold vppon vs before wee can put foorth our hand to apprehend the benefit of her presence The fourth the difficulty and vnaptnesse vpon our death bed to turne vnto the Lord by reason of the torment of sicknesse the care of our goods the clamour of wife and children and the terror that death brings with him The fift because at the houre of death the diuel is more ready to assaile vs thē at other times knowing that if he then faile his pray is euer after past recouery and we then most vnable to resiste Indeuotion what INdeuotion is the spiritual drouzines of the soule when neither through weaknesse or wante of power but by a certaine wearisomnesse in the execution of good workes we cast them behinde our backes and leaue them vndone and this is the imperfection of those whose faith is wauering and inconstant loosing the heate and vigour thereof Sluggishnesse what SLuggishnesse is a kinde of heauy and lumpish vnwillingnesse to any good or commendable practise and it is of two sorts corporall or spirituall corporall sluggishnesse is when we had rather indure any necessity thē by industrie to paine the body for the auoiding thereof Spirituall sluggishnesse is when we had ratherlie walloing in the pleasures of this life though to our destruction then wander thorough the thorny and bitter path of affliction though to our eternall happinesse and this is the falt of those that so their bodies be secure and at ease haue no further care but thinke all thinges well with them Pusillanimity what PVsillanimity is a faintnesse of heart whereby we become slacke euen in things which we are sufficient able to performe And this is the fault of such as hyde their tallant or shrinke backe from the waye of virtue because they presume it is to hard for them to folow and so consequently fall into distrust of the helpe and assistance of God The cause of Pusillanimity THe cause of pusillanimitye is feare which is of two sorts one good the other bad Good feare what To stand more in awe of blame reproch and dishonour then of death or griefe Bad feare what BAd feare is a false opinion of euill imagining it to be greater thē it is and this is of two sortes first when the soule thorough a cowardlye dispotion bocomes ydle dead and void of euery good effect Secondly when the wicked through horrout of paine and punishment and not for loue of godlines are bridled and restrained from their villanies Irresolution what IRresolutiō is a hanging of the mind between two opinions now determining this now that yet in the end attempteth nothing at all And this is the fault of such that would faine inioy the blessednesse prepared for true christians and yet are loath to forsake their carnall affections like the yong man in the gospell that came to our Sauiour with a desire to obtaine heauen but when he was bid to sell all hee had giue it to the poore hee went away very sad and pensiue making no reply whether he woulde at such a rate purchase the kindome of heauen or no. Desperation what DEsperation is a kind of sloth where by the soule waxeth fainte vnder the burden of sinne or of anye good woorke and thinketh there
decent cariage of the body wherby such as are so disposd are said to be men of a good presence or men of a faire behauior Secondly it wil appeare outwardly in things belonging to ourselues as sobriety of diet or in thinges belonging to others as in comely entertainment well gouerninge of our house and family and such like The difference betweene wit and Wisedome AS a tuneable Instrumente in the hand of a an vnskilfull musition so is witte to manie men in it selfe verie ripe and pregnant but because they know not how to vse it therfore it stāds them in little steade so that wee may define wit to be a faculty of the minde whereby men vnderstand and knowe much good but oftentimes they neglect to follow it but wisedome wee may tearme to be that correspondencie of the powers of the soule when will and vnderstanding knowledge practise goe together Why wisedome is said to be the light of the minde WIsedome is said to be the light of the minde because as the bodie hath two instruments to direct it which are the two eies euen so Prudence to giue both minde and bodie better direction is likewise said to haue three eies The first is the eye of memory with which she beholdeth time past The second is the eie of vnderstanding with which she beholdeth time present And the third the eye of prouidence by which she takes a vew of thinges to come Two sortes of Prudence THe first kinde of Prudence may be said to be that ripnesse of knowledge and experience which men haue in worldlie matters and so Machevile may be said to be a wiseman but such wisdome is accounted foolishnesse before God 1 Cor. 3 19. And in the end intangles the owners in their owne craftinesse as appeares by the desperate end of Achitophell 2. Sam. 17.23 The second kinde of Prudence is that knowledge which is had in deuine matters touching the vnderstanding of Gods word and the mysterie of our saluation which is called true wisedome and though the drift hereof especiallie tend vnto that end yet is it not without a sharp insight also and an able discretion in such thinges as appertaines vnto this world but it vseth this but as a seruāt or handmaid to the other And this is that wisedom which Solomon so greatly cōmendeth and so largely beautifies and sets forth in his booke of prouerbes accounting all other knowledg but as vanity in respect of this When petition was made to the oracle of Apollo to know what people or nation in the wolrd was the wisest best learned the answer was that the Hebrews were the wisest mē for that they had the knowledg of the true God and so had not the rest The daughters of prudence or Vertues third issue THough we may well say that all other vertues take their beginning from Prudence as the head and fountaine of the rest without which they are altogether vnprofitable yet for the better vnderstanding of her gracious effectes which shee bringeth foorth in the hearts of men it shal not be amisse to consider that from her doe springe proceed these fiue peculier vertues namely consultation vigilancy dillygence prouidence and constancy all which are made manifest vnto vs in that one example of the fiue wise Virgins recorded in the 25 Chapter of the Gospell after S. Mathew Firste they had consultation in preparing and prouiding themselues to meet the bridegroome Secondly they had prouydence in regarding the length of time and so furnishing thēselues accordingly with oile Thirdly they had vigilācie in watching for the houre of the bridgromes cōming Fourthly they were dilligent in triming their lamps lastly they were cōstant in that though they wayted long yet they were not weary of their labour So that by these necessary and helpful effects which follow wisedōe we may gather other vnnecessary hurtfull accedents which it may run into if not ruled and tempered as it should be The maimes to Prudence THere are three speciall euills which wisedome may indanger it selfe with all if it be not carefullie looked vnto The first is temerity or rashnes when it either giues councell or puts in execution anie thinge before mature and serious consultation be had or when vpon a sudden determination it concludeth vpon thinges vnknowne for knowne vncertaine for certaine The second is credulitie when it ouerlightly beleeueth or giueth credit to any thinge it heareth and doeth not first examine the circūstances of euery matter nor confer and lay them together that so the truth may by sifted out The third is curositie which appears two manner of waies First when we pry into thinges forbidden or couet to know more than God hath thought good to reueale vnto vs. As Aristotle that died for griefe because he could not finde the natural cause why the sea did ebbe and flow or of those men that now a daies by their curious questions striue to knowe what god did before he made the world or why he gaue not man such a soule as mighte not sin with a number such like impious and vnlawfull demaundes And secondlie when we seek to be renowmed in shewing and expressing what power of wisedome we haue in triflles and thinges of no moment as he that spent much time and labor in making a locke and a chaine of three and fortie linckes that was in waight no more but one graine or wheat corne so that it being tied about the necke of a flye she was able to drawe it after her Anno Regno Elisa 21. The opposites to Prudence EVerie vertue holdes the myddle betweene two extreames so that on the one side prudence is beset with ignorance and on the other with craft or subtletie And as the one is vicious in respect of the defect so the other is odious in respect of the excesse the one is so farre from knowledge as it knowes nothing or verie little and the other is so fraught with skil and experience as it turnes the vse thereof to many most vile and vngracious purposes What ignorance is WE may call Ignorance an vnskilfulnes both in human and deuine matters what we haue to doe or what wee haue to leaue vndoone what wee haue to choose and make much of or what wee ought to reiect and auoid The effects of Ignorance IT takes awaie the sight of the minde as blindnesse dooeth the sight of the bodie it makes a man prodigal whē he should be liberall couetous when he thinkes to auoid superfluitie if a man be meane it makes him fearefull superstitious vnprofitable needie slothfull and vnfit for any thing If hee be mightie it makes him arrogant rash cruell talkatiue inconstant and giuen to voluptuousnesse and luste It is the spring of all errours bad opinions and absurd behauiors and as by wisdome men are renowmed and had in reputation so by ignorance they become base contemptible and of no reckoning Yet it is better than subtletie because that which is misdoone through