nothing can be spoken so falsely so foolishly so lyingly and so impudently as that the body a thing earthly should giue life to the soule a thing heauenly and deuine which of necessitie must be graunted if the soule liueth no longer then whilst it is in this vessell of flesh and that it dieth as soone as it is let loose from thence But there is nothing which either is or can bee more certaine then the mortalitie of the bodie because it consisteth of those things which haue their motion from others namely things vncertaine fading inconstant waxing olde withering perishing and readie to perish whereupon it is that there is nothing in the bodie which can be said to bee liuely For to liue is to be mooued of it selfe but the body hath his motions and agitations from the soule wherfore this whether it be called mortalitie or finishing of life or extinguishing seeing it is a sending out and a freeing of the soule it is not only not euill but the beginning of good and of that good which a-lone is the cheefe and perfect and eternall good By which things that may bee gathered which I sayd before that the dissolution of the bodie which we call death is not only not to be feared but I had almost sayd to be desired doubtles meerly constantly readily to be desired For this is that by which alone there is a passage made for the soules of good men to a true life his owne and euerlasting the same ende of life expecteth all but the effect that followeth of it is distinguisht For some dye once that they may dye eternally others that they may liue for euer Now thou seest how foolishly this bodily mortalitie is either feared or lamented after which immediatly followeth that heauenly immortalitie These and farre greater then these and by many degrees much stronger which neither the weakenes of my minde nor the slendernesse of my witte can attaine nor my selfe expresse which it is fitte should be taken out of the writinges of holy men thou canst not deny but they are confirmed by thy owne conscience the sence whereof although thy body bee olde cannot bee dulled For the conscience is the beame of Cods eye sent to euery man into the secret of his breast and the most inwarde part of his heart this euerie man beareth about him this no man can auoyde no more then himselfe It is fixed in his heart rootes It is giuen vnto man as an arbitrator and ouerlooker It can neuer be shund neuer extinguished neuer deceiued Why thinkest thou because it is that deuine force which is present in all thy thoughts actions vertues vices to those a fauourer and a commender to these euer present though as a secret yet as most seuere accuser This thou mayst vndestand to bee not one of the least arguments of Diuinitie Therefore O thou olde man if thou leanest that way thy soule is if that way thou standest firme thou wilt also be more equall and indifferent to that which thou callest death and wise men call the ende of miserie Thou wilt to conclud so perswade thy selfe that when thou shalt be sent from hence thou shalt bee receiued there so that thou goest that way where thou shalt be knowen as a Citizen and a heauenly inhabitant From hence also thou mayst vnderstand that mortall things doe little pertaine vnto thee seeing all the vse of them belongeth to thy body The body serueth the mind which vseth these no further thē is fit to keepe her dwelling vndesolued vntill she be commanded to forsake it For surely this which wee call life is nothing els but the way of the trauelling soule that goeth to his own Country And all these which incounter him in this life are but as prouisiō for this great iourney and foode to nourish the body whilst it is the chariot of the soule But to couet these things too vehemently to stay gazing and admiring these thinges by the way and so to forget that place whervnto we goe it is not the work of the soule but of the body not of a man but of a beast for it is certain that man in respect of his soule is a God in respect of his bodie is a wilde beast And therefore the longer the soule dwelleth in the bodie his worke is so much the harder And his praise the greater if it suffer not it selfe to bee infected with the contagion of it Yet I do not say that any man vncommanded must goe out of his standing but when he hath leaue and is called for And when he is cited and sent for to appeare then if hee be slowe then if hee bee vnwilling to goe if hee complaine if hee striue against it if hee suffer himselfe to bee drawne surely hee is ignorant of himselfe what hee is and of his owne good What Hee betrayeth himselfe by his owne ill confession hee maketh fetters to tye himselfe and for euer hee is excluded from that felicitie without which a man is nothing but a receptacle of miseries Now see what is thy iudgement of thy selfe who so much fearest death thou canst not plainely show that there is more earthly matter in thee that is claye filth impuritie then there is man that is then soule then celestiall substance The soule in the bodie is as a stranger in an Inne it is the part of an inconsiderat and vnwise man to goe vnwillingly out of his Inne in respect of some obiect of the throat or the belly To conclude it is the point of an vnskilfull man and of one that thinkes little of his owne safetie with the behoulding of earthly things to forgoe heauenly seeing then that in death there is so much good doest thou blame thy olde age which hath brought thee to so great a good Why doest thou not rather lay aside this voluntary blindnes and this so carefull a frowardnes looke at the light why dost thou not acknowledg this same excellent gift or rather seruice of this old age which bringeth thee so neare so excellent a good Oh sticke no longer in these sands pull out thy selfe as speedely as thou canst shake of these lettes breake in sunder these hinderances call the assistance of thy ancient and former minde stirre vp thy learning bend the force of thy witte call vpon the holy spirit bee carried aboue thy sences awake thy selfe to giue God heartie and immortall thankes esteeme his so many benefits in thy mind expresse them all in thy words in thy countenance in thy gesture in imitation in example then thou shall learne by little and little that thou oughtest seriously to reioyce that the time of thy human mortality is come to an end that the time of thy earthly aboad is expired that the ende of thy sinning is at hande that mortall hopes are cut of and that heauenly hopes are augmented and increased surely when thou cammest from thy childhoode to bee a youth thou begannest to scorne all those things which
and vnthfankull mind I beseech thee acknowledge that these lets are remooued from thee which hinder the attaining of thinges excellent and that the occasions are taken away into which pouertie doth ofteÌ„ thrust men with violence Surely from riches to vertue the way if it be not straighter yet it is more easie then from pouertie peraduenture thou wilt say it is more deceitfull I graunt to a man that is not sufficiently circumspect but to a man warie and diligent this way by riches is much the shorter Blot out of thy minde O thou rich man whatsoeuer doth defame thee as a rauenous wilde beast in the mouthes of men and the richer thou art by so much liue more warily and then inioy and spare not what thou hast gotten at length rest and fauour thy selfe torment not thy selfe with perpetuall gaping after whatsoeuer may begotten this done then more reuerently and more carefully giue thankes to him who as when he might not haue giuen these things to thee yet gaue them freely so he now may take them from thee prouoked by thy vnsound and vnthankefull minde Amongst the vnthankefull persons I finde him who is troubled with sickenesse CHAP 21 THen these that I haue remeÌ„bred he is no lesse vnthankefull whom infirmitie of bodie and desperate sickenesse hath tyed vnto his bed who afflicted with continuall torments pineth and wasteth O life saith he liker a death then life yea a coÌ„tinuall death do I liue who am borne to continuall punishment whome greefes daily torment what profit is it for me to be borne into this light when this light is to me a punishment If this my life bee continually vext with feare of death miserie and greefe if in the ende it bee concluded with a death slowe and bitter and aunswerable to the rest of my life As pouertie is greeuous to the poore man basenesse a reproach to the ignoble and to euerie man that which doth most oppresse him yet no mans condition is more intollerable then mine from mee those two fearefull companions neuer depart feare and sorrow I cannot rest I must not mutter I may not breath there is no calamitie so great no plague so cruell wherein the minde with some comfort is not refresht but this of mine is increased with comfort It doth greeue me if anyman goe about with artificiall termes to appease my greefe I seeme to be derided I am not mytigated but made worse for greefe driueth away whatsoeuer driueth not away greefe Him that is worne with griefe in that he is vnthankefull I neither pardon him nor speake him faire CHAP 13 I should confesse my selfe verie voyd of humanitie if I should not pittie thee whosoeuer thou art who art plunged into this bottome of greefe I am not ignorant that their is scarce any strength of minde to bee found which greefe doth not weare and cast downe to triumph ouer greefe is not the parts of a man but of some deuine power it is a cruell tyrant and seildome leaueth a man before it haue brought the bodie lowe and afflicted the minde for the affinitie with it but if thou dost remember thy selfe that thou wert a man before thou weart miserable before thou weart loaden with that miserie and those diseases consider a little remember with mee thy condition Thou art a man Therefore thou art not only a bodie but a soule The soule ought to haue rule ouer the bodie not the bodie ouer the soule why art thou noâ—… therfore erected and listed vp O thou soule that thou maist behould that place which belongs vnto thee preserue that dignitie and worthinesse which is thine safe and vntoucht what wilt thou suffer the bodie to haue greater preheminence then thy selfe shall those foolish irreligious voyces of this earthly frame detracting from thy commandements following which waye soeuer sence leads them and shall not thy commandement bee heard Go to say vnto thy bodie it is my dutie to rule and then to obey is it not my part to affect the bodie and to impose vpon it whatsoeuer I please say I will lead thee and thou shalt followe me and as I feell and am affected so speake thou I am and haue a being without thee but thou vnlesse thou art quickened by me art but a lumpe of flesh meere claye or if any thing can be more filthie then clay thy dignitie is nothing but as I haue aduanced thee to a deuine knowledge and as all things with me are excellent and admirable so with thee they are contemptible and base to say truth what hast thou in thy selfe that is not common with the brute beasts would not thy weight depresse thee into the deepest bottomes if I did not lift thee vp and ingraft thee to a diuinitie Therefore O body whatsoeuer it is that offendeth thee I reckon it as those things that are vnder mee which neither ad nor detract from me These griefes to thee peraduenture are bitter to me also I do not say vnprofitable but for the aâ—… fâ—…ty that I haue with thee vnsweet and vnpleasant But that they should haue power ouer me that they should compell me to dispaire that they should rob mee of my felicity that they should counsâ—… and I â—…e perswaded that they should command I obey that they should compell and I be inforst this were to make me whose essence is more deuine subâ—…ct to corruptâ—… 〈◊〉 all these things which comâ—…se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which haue their affinity with thee and where of thâ—… aâ—… made are true assurances and direct pathes to mortality But I am immortall I am without the danger reach of these darts and therfore with mortall things I can neither bee touched nor affâ—…ed â—…ay with these shadows of feare and affâ—…le me O grifes at your pleasure bee madde and feare as you thinke good mâ—… that is the inward and better part of a man yee cannot â—…rt I will keepe my 〈◊〉 noâ—… only unconquered but vntoucht 〈◊〉 nothing from hence wherof to glory I will 〈◊〉 yee with my strength and are solute hâ—…t 〈◊〉 iâ—… bearing I will ouercome you I that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to â—…e wounded that am 〈◊〉 that am not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with these 〈◊〉 Nâ—…y I am thâ—… most frâ—…de most at mine owne command then doe I most triumph when I see thee O body affected with griefe as if a strong tower and holde of dangerous affections weare beseedgâ—… and taken by me Thus will a wise and a valiant man thinke Thus will hee compasse himselfe thus firmely and resolutely will hee stand and the more hee vnderstandeth his misery and feeleth his griefe the more wisely will hee deale the more valiantly will hee suffer that which hee must needes suffer 〈◊〉 more generously will hee speake the more gloriously will hee triumphe to conclude hee will perswade himselfe that those remedies which bring griefe are best and most â—…fectuall and then as griefes hinder the oâ—…ces of the â—…ody so they stirre vppe the strength
All Earthes shall speake of thee And sundry coastes shall register thy Name VVhen times to come shall Chronicle the same Thus thou vnderstandest how little acquaintance thou oughtest to haue with sordide and infectious pleasures which most of all do hurt him whome most of all they flatter which effeminate any man bee hee neuer so strong wheresoeuer thy are from thence strength both of the body and mind are speedily banisht whosoeuer he is be hee neuer so valiant after that pleasures haue laide hold vpon him hee is nothing else but the relikes and shadowe of that he was To conclude pleasures do drowne the minde in that gulph from whence it cannot easily be freede ◅ye what can be more vnworthy him that is beautified with that honour to be called a man what can be a greater enemy to him who is a Prince Neither the armed troupes nor the enemy that hath possessed the field or shaken the walles is so much to bee feared by a Prince as this sorrow making monster pleasure These doe not besiege the wals but deceiue the sences they come not a farre off but are at hande and within our selues they assault vs not with foote and horse but they stirre vppe our whole body and all partes of it against the soule I say they distract man and are authors of a ciuill warre within himselfe In mans inward parts they fight so fiercely and so treacherously that the better and more noble part of man is brought into subiection to the worse so that whilst man particularly dissenteth in himselfe hee is wholy conquered all brought vnder the rule of an other wholly compelled to yeelde altogether from himselfe and plainely transformed into a brute beast Therefore O Prince if thou desirest that thy Name may bee gratefull and honourable to posterity and from hence obtaine ioyes that are sound and continuall if thou wilt haue this dignity to be a steppe to those happie and euerlasting rewards that are reserued for good Princes blowe away and disperse these darke cloudes of vulgar and base pleasure which interposed before thy eyes eclipse from thee the sight of those heauenly ioyes If thou at any time bee brought into a true contemplation of these then thou wouldest not knowe what those impure pleasures are which are alotted to sordide and base persons Let them keepe vnto themselues that which is fit for them vndergoe thou that difficult labour in the ende whereof there is true felicity It is euery mans worke to looke at that which is before his feete But it is thy office to looke further and to aime higher and those thinges which are either behinde or beneath thee as beeing ouer base not once to regard them Surely whosoeuer is drawne throughly with the loue of heauenly things can be no more intangled in these base and vile desires then an Aeagle in the small threades of a spyders webbe Therefore resolue thy selfe that no base thing is to bee thought of by thee that nothing is to bee desired of thee which is not great and excellent And last of all that nothing is to bee esteemed great by thee which is not indeede such in the iudgments of all Thus shalt thou obtaine that thy wishes shal be worthy thy selfe and that place which thou sustainest and in the highest place thou shalt obtaine the highest honour Thus if thou neuer seuer thy wishes from the common wishes if thou intendest nothing that is of a priuate and vnlawfull hope if thou equalest thy hopes to the rule of right al men wil striue who shal most further them hee will thinke to haue gained much vnto himselfe who shall approue himselfe most to thee who shall performe to thee most labour most studie most seruice Thus walking this way thou shalt neuer be thrust into those headlong and dangerous downfalles thou shalt couet nothing that is anothers thou shalt neuer take armes for glory and only to boast thy greatnesse and power Couer not thy ill ambition with false names thinke it not a Kingly thing to striue for that which is an others and inglorious onely to defend thine owne but proceede vnwillingly and as it weare compelled with the malice of those with whome thou hast to deale to reuenge publike iniuries and recouer the right of thy kingdome from vniust possessours with a vertuous and religious warre Admit for thy companions not headlong Couetousnesse and blinde desire but duty and fortitude and then doubt not but thou shalt breake open those passages that are shut thou shalt goe through those pathes that are beset thou shalt make playne those places that are vneuen and easily escape all difficulties whatsoeuer in one word what course soeuer thou take it is sure to bee ballanst and certaine The reason is manifest because all things are easie obuious and open to these two vertues Iustice and Fortitude And as infelicity repentance and sorrow are vsually the end of wicked and vnwise designes so victory successe and felicity are the recompence of those actions that are well begun If these and such like thoughts be firmely rooted in thy inward soule thou whosoeuer thou art that sittest in the throne of Maiesty if thou professest the feare of GOD if thou crauest his holy spirit to be the author of thy councell and the directour of thy life thy mind doubtlesse shal be purified and all blemishes of an vnthankefull minde being remooued and thy eyes cleered thou shalt then perceiue those heauenly and happy giftes wherewith thou art compased and aduaunced to that honour Thus banishing all inward blindnesse thou shalt not measure this place with his watchfull cares with his vngratefull labours not with the liberties of vices not in the opertunities of pleasure but in the occasions of iuste aduantages of well deseruing of mankinde which is the onely and chiefe end of Souereignity and by this meanes thou shalt giue iust and deserued thankes with due honour and a gratefull full minde to the KING of all kinges who is only most great and most wise Here I shew how this sinne of vnthankefulnes is ingrafted in mans nature in that Children are not lesse vnthankefull then others CHAP. 20. I Did thinke that I had finished this labour of rehearsing of admonishing of chastising vngratefull persons and I was ready to lay aside my pen when behold sudainely I saw a great troup of vnthankfull creatures and indeed such a one as that those whō I haue reckoned already are but few in comparison of these If I should goe about to rehearse them all the day woulde hide it selfe before I had fully acomplisht halfe And indeede as many men as I see so many men likewise doe I see vnthankefull wicked iniurious esteemers of those benefits that they haue receiued Nay I do not except him who although he can scarce speake yet euen the words of his infancy are but lamentatiōs of that misery which he faineth to himselfe and being so little yet he carrieth a heart swelling and full
be For those that are dead are not Consider in this speech how much ignorance thou bewrayest thus things without life do liue because they are why dost thou blush I know thou wishest it vnspoken this witte of thine doth in this discouer his ignorance take heed therefore that thou do not say that thou liuest because thou art I confesse nothing hath life but that which is but to man there must something more be added to make him liue not the life of plants hearbes and such like nor the life of beastes but of men the life of man is the societie and vnion both of bodie and soule The soule is a deuine breath which infused into the body doth mooue it with his owne and proper motion Therefore thou mayst cal man a body animated or rather a reasonable soule composed with a bodie giuen vnto it for his gouernour Therefore when weesay man liues wee doe not say man only vseth the offices of the body but of the soule which possesseth the bodie as an instrument or a se◅uant or a slaue If then thou vnderstandest what are the offices of the soule thou shalt obserue that the same are the offices of the whole man this doth the soule at this it aymeth to make it selfe and the bodie that is the whole man like vnto God So that humanitie is nothing els but a certaine diuinitie exprest in this mortall flesh now with what steppes dost thou think do wee ascend into this high dignitie Surely with pietie and good manners pietie we haue sayd to be a true knowledge and worship of God manners are the fruites and effects of pietie or rather a pietie which seasons the affections from whence it is dispersed into the sences then seeing to liue is nothing else but dayly to be purgd to waxe pure to be lifted vp and more vnited to God man in his life ought to propound no other thing but pietie and reformation of his manners to bee indued with these not of any sorte but with the least the most chast the most seuere the most holy Thus thou seest that thou art not borne by chance but of purpose and to a great ende namely that thou mayst bee come religious and holy and a renued Image of that Diety that framed thee Now I demand of thee if thou of thy selfe knowest what these are which I haue named piety maners I think thou wilt answere that thou knowest not those things which thou cāst not know vnles thou learne them and now thou confessest that thou art ignorāt of vertue which is nothing else but a Pietie working in the inward man and showinge it selfe foorth in his life in one word vertue is nothing else but actiue pietie Now thou must needes confesse that thou knowest not what it is to liue be not afraide to confesse it It is an excellent thing saith Columella and hee is a wise and a skilfull writer who vnderstandeth that hee is ignorant of that hee knoweth not and desireth to learne that whereof he is ignorant If thou art ignorant thou art to bee taught and to bee instructed Dislike not this speech as too hard For in the increase of yeares and when thou hast more experience thou shalt finde thy selfe full of rashnes and ouermuch loue what art thou to be taught to know to loue to follow God and consequently to auoyde those things which God hateth abhorreth These are the true effects of that Pietie which I haue spokē off and vntill thou commest to this degree of knowledge and vertue beleeue me thou art not a man but halfe a wilde beast that is a mans body in shape but inwardly full of sauadge and wild behauiour Therfore if thou wilt be wholy a man not halfe a man and halfe a beast yeeld thy selfe wholy into the gouermēt of thy soule let thy soule with the bridle of reason rule thy affections let thy affections commaund thy sences then shall thy sences bee contained within the lymittes and boundes of chastitie holinesse Innocency they shal be such as is fit for those that are seruants to the soule Thus thou shalt frame Pyety vnto thy selfe that most holy good and the fountaine of all good things From Pyety Holinesse is disperst into the manners both these waies directly lead vs to that most happy estate which I haue spoken of before which is a likenesse of God Thus according to that towardnesse that is in thee thou art wholly to be stirred vp wholly to be inflamed with an honest desire to lay aside whatsoeuer sauadge disposition is in thee that thou maist bee wholly a man and from being a man be translated into God I doe see thy mind which out goes thy age I see thy sparkes of gentility which if thou follow rightly doubtlesse thou shall attaine this honor I see those branches of vertue in thee swelling full readie to burst foorth I do see the blossomes forerunners of thy shining vertue therefore proceede to lend thy mind and thy eares to my councell thither whither thou must goe nothing can bring thee but seuerity of education The ground though it be fruitful yet it is tamed with the plough the clods must be broken harrowed and the whole field duly husbanded in this maner there must be a violence done to thee thy wit must be manured which thogh it bee good yet till then it is vntilled and full of thornes from thence must bee weeded whatsoeuer is hurtfull oftentimes must it be turned ouer and brought vnder that it may be ciuill soft and tender that it may bee bettered and fit for to receiue good seede this is the digging and pruning of it to c◅ off that which is superfluous luxuriant and hurtfull in the country this is done in the earth in the vine in the braunches in the trees with thee in the mind in the affections in the sences in the words in the manners This is neuer done without much wearinesse of the husbandmen and not without some vexation vnto thee whilst the person is cured they set farre from him the touch of those meates which are not only apparently hurtfull but of those which are somewhat vnwholesome the one ouerthrow the strength of medecines the other hinder it so when the witte is tamed with the force of education with all thou art to bee drawne from thy desires thy delightes thy pleasures thy insolent spirits are to bee supprest and kept vnder thy insulting and quicke wit is to bee contained within the bonds of frugality and modesty amongst all vertues there are none fitter for that age none fitter to receiue learning thy opinion beeing at that yeares if thou hast any is to be directed by the sentence and will of an other thou must of necessity wholly depende vppon the iudgment of those to whome thou art committed these are those carefull workemen of so great a taske who vndertake to perfect and finish what nature hath begunne Doubtlesse thou art thrice happy if timely thou gainest
thou complainest that ciuill professions are dispised that learning is contemned and also that thou lyest open and vnhidden to the outrages and disorders of all men as though thus euery honest and innocent disposition is not best seene in his aduersities If thou art wicked this is a scourge to beate thee If thou art good think that a hand is reacht out to thee that thou bee not idle or forgetfull but watchfull least thou catch a grieuous and a deadly fall Well howsoeuer it is consider whether thou haste not in the time of peace abused thy skill and knowledge to the hurte of men and not to defende them Dooth not worthely then which nothing can bee more iust thy owne example fall vpon thy owne head These cogitations will driue out of thy minde all that vniust complaint which thou makest against God Surely displeased with thy owne vices thou shouldest first seuerely blame thy selfe before thou accusest anie other Last of all whosoeuer thou art learned or vnlearned whether one of the states or a common person whether thou art a leader or an ordinary souldier whether thou art rich or poore of what sort soeuer thou art for it were infinit to reckon vp all therefore I speake vnto all that euery man may take it spoken to himselfe Thou that hast passed the flower of thy age thou art he with whoÌ„ my speech is at this time if thou vsest not thy strength health to some good purpose if before the powers of thy body and mind faile thee thou vse them not for the true defences of thy soule and doe not inrich thy selfe with true riches thou in the olde age wilt in vaine desire those things wherein thou oughtest to be instructed Now it were fitte to arme thy selfe with wisedome and true valour sad and loathsome olde age ouertaketh men that are inconsiderat and vnprepard In time to come thou wilt bee able to do nothing but trifles the mind will wax olde in a decayed bodie Thou shalt be vnfitte for any thing and death at last vnawares shall ouertake thee subiect to many scoffes and dangers and in vaine looking about for helpe which wheÌ„ thou mightest thou didst not prouide vnto thy selfe Therefore free thy selfe from these delayes least thy sluggishnes bring thee into those daungers from whence thou canst not deliuer thy selfe without much perill Repentance at the last yeares is late Wee looke for meanes of life then late when wee are in the last part of it when our burdens are to be packt vp nay to bee layd aside O lamentable condition of that man who by his inconsideratnes is brought to that which is the beginning of eternall miserie and hee that commeth to that I confesse his life so much the more hatefull in that it is ended most vnfortunatly Thou whosoeuer thou art ascribe thy owne euill to thy selfe who abusest thy owne good thy life vnknowing is lent vnto thee not short but longe and heaped with many and great benefits of God and thou man the vngratfullest of all men spendest the same in error and vanitie thou consumest all thy time in frosen and foolish trifles Dost thou suffer this so great a benefitte by thy negligence to passe from thee without profit and art not ashamed to vpbraide God with the smalenes of the benefit beleeue me thou wholly dependest vpon a small threed thou mayst immediatly be cast headlong down into a perpetuall 〈◊〉 of misery if thou dost not speedily lay hand vpon those meanes with which being supported thou mayst attaine to that felicitie to which thou weart created thou oughtest to contemne all other things and to desire this one thing and not to desire it as one Ill slouthfull and weake but as one strong diligent intent to to his greatest happinesse Amongst vnthankefull persons I account the old man whom neither the plentie nor the greatnes of Gods benefites nor any wisedome gathered out of long experience can reclayme from this vnthankefulnes CHAP. 26. C Considering the dispositions of men vewing the corruptnes of them as it lyeth open as also their cunning as they foolishly thinke wherewith all mortalitie seeketh to couer it selfe that it may not as it is so appeare vnto God to conclude thinking with my selfe howe many wayes euerie man delighteth to wronge that sacred power which hee shoulde reuerence maddinge against his wisedome and rising with complaints against that great power I begin to tremble I say a horror possesseth mee when I take but a vewe of the sharpe of this fowle deformed vice I see nothing but a heape of vnthankfull persons amongst whome most notable is hee whom it least becommeth The olde man I am mooued at none more then at him who ought to haue learned by that great benefit of longe age howe hee only more then all other men of all ages is not only loaden with benefits but almost opprest whome the satiety of liuing ought to haue clensed from this drosse whome the longe vse of the goodnes of God should haue brought to that aequitie of mind which is requisit for one that is readie to leaue the earth yet I see him more froward and more afflicted with this humor of discontent then any other Thus the shaken age out-goeth the most part of mortall men and hauing liued a long time is not for all this more skilfull in this iournie nay oftentimes is more vnprepared and more stained In one worde these seeme to haue gathered vp out of euerie corner and carefully to haue heaped together the seuerall viceâ—… of all ages and to haue layd open the blemishes and spottes that are in all and from all this to haue framed this monster whose name is an vnthankefull minde For hee doth not complaine of this or that euill as those whom I haue reckoned before but of all things as altogether There is none so weak none so shamlesly furnished to this offence none thinketh more impurely none speaketh euill of GOD more proudly none turneth his head more boldly against his maker there is no where where all the faces of this monster are discouered better then here which are as many as the corruptions that lye hidde in man wherewith he with long liuing is most infected which way soeuer this old man layth open himselfe he is weake forgetfull arrogant vnthankful he sinneth not as others of ignorance of folly of infirmitie inwardly and outwardly he sinneth hee is wholly wicked in word in deede in thought to conclude what can you thinke of him who for this dare not complaine that he is and that his life is giuen vnto him For what sayth he is my life giuen vnto this end that in my life there may be nothing which is worthie to be called a life For what should I remeÌ„ber the miseries which I had froÌ„ my infancy where of I cannot tell whether the sence or the memorie be more greeuous vnto mee had I euer in all my life any honnie but it was mixed with
immortality is their sure hope this the comfort of their hope this their onely defence Therefore they wishe nothing more then that being taken speedely out of these troubles out of the multitude out of this filth and darkenesse and being brought into those holy dwellings they may enioy that euerlasting life purely cleare and perfectly bright to which is added a sound rest and perpetuall security To conclude that inaccessable and vnexpugna ' ble possession of that great good with whose vnshaken confidence they haue assuredly defended their hearts in this life The man that constantly endeauoureth to this layeth vnder his feet all those things which either doe not leade hither or leade from hence All this sinke of other things hee leaueth to those that are euill and to wits that are in admiration with base and vile things Of this kinde are riches pleasures the nourishments of ambition that which dazeleth euery ignorant eye inlargeth their desires and woundeth the mind He knoweth that with these things he is neither beautified nor inriched but holden backe and hindred He knoweth that with these things he is deluded and led into errour and deceipt He knoweth that of these things there is not onely a satiety but a hatred at the onely mention of this perpetuall felicity he is awaked this onely holdeth him hath him possesseth him he delighteth to heare and speake of this this hee often repeateth and imprinteth in himselfe all this time he bestoweth in the meditation of this in this he doth diligently labour heere he doth more satisfie himselfe and what maruaile For where els almost doth he meet with himselfe heere he seeth his beginnings and his nobility from hence he esteemeth himselfe and would haue himselfe esteemed from hence he beginneth to bee nourished with an etheriall and deuine breath now he beginneth to liue with his glory which is to come and last of all as novv already receiued into those hye and Heauenly places hee returneth in his height and perfection and becommeth an admirer and worshipper of his owne diuinity I beseech thee why doost thou oppose against this wholesome and sauing light those mournefull and sadde darkenesses of impyety VVhy doost thou with this daungerous accutenesse of witte foolishly faine vnto thy selfe and falsely obiect those thinges which are not rather then truly and faithfully bee instructed in those things that are VVhy doost thou not free thy selfe out of this torment VVhy doe these thinges swimme in thy minde which if they bee not certaine sound and stable thou shalt bee drowned in the waues of Impyety VVhat doost thou more trouble teare and consume thy selfe wretch that thou art VVilt thou neuer pull vppe couragiously these too much growne branches of Impyety VVhy doost thou delay to plucke out these doubts out of thy minde Doost thou delight to bee miserable and to sollicit and trouble thy olde age with this blinde and vnfortunate vnderstanding why hadst thou rather dangerously floate then staye in a sure place of sayle with wind and oares ouer those rockes And striue for that quiet and calme harbour where thou thy selfe wholly maist bee quiet where thou maist without all doubt bee receiued into that wished hauen Out of which whosoeuer is long must needes suffer shipwracke Thinke that thy life was giuen thee for this meditation without this as thou sayest it is not life but death whosoeuer is not assured of the goodnesse of GOD toward him of his Immortality of eternall and euerlasting felicitie hee is past remedy If thou art such a one why do I talke to thee Why doe I striue with a shadowe VVhy doost thou lend thy eares to those thinges whose minde is a derider and contemner of them But consider how frendly I will deale with thee how I haue not cast away all care of thy saluation how much I doe giue vnto thee whatsoeuer I haue before spoken of the dignity of Man I knowe that thou dost beleeue it VVhatsoeuer thou hast heard concerning that whatsoeuer more subtelly more learnedly more largely may bee spoken of it deliuered by the auntient or late VVriters what more truely and more fruitefully Christian pyety doth promise all that howsoeuer thou seekest to auoid it I will haue thee grant it as most certaine and most knowne VVith these and such like I knowe thou hast fully beene instructed These once thou hast let sinke into thy brest of these thinges once thou hast thought religiously namely when thy minde was purer and not stained with so much frowardnesse In one vvorde I know thou knowest these thinges How shall I conuince thee Namely if I drawe thee into the lawe thou sayest before what Iudge Before that which thou little esteeming how truly and sharpely it confuteth all errour and euery false and truthelesse speaker calledst the Conscience Thither doe I call thee that thou maist not goe farre from thy selfe Dooth not thy conscience tell thee that the presages diuinations not of a drunksicke minde but of a certaine inward instinct that those predictions the inward and proper motions of the soule show the deuinity and immortality of it I say inwarde and propper because the chiefest beginning of those motions is in it selfe alone And therefore all things must first perish before it forsake it selfe and cease to mooue it selfe being immortall that which is immortall and being of a simple vncompounded substance cannot be deuided and if it bee not deuided it cannot dye For deuision is the death of that which is deuided Death is nothing else but the deuision and dissolution of one particular into two or many not content with these thy conscience proceedeth and sayth That the minde is the glasse of the soule the seate of councell and the gouernment of life From hence proceede those gifts of the soule which testifie the deuinity of it as quicknesse prouidence prudence and wisedome Vpon these attend memory vnderstanding knowledge and all the rest of the faculties that area kinne to these and vnseparable from them To these wee may ad those which from the euerlastingnesse of it are deriued into the affections from the affections to the sences In this ranke first is the swiftnesse of our thoughts Next our desires ioyes hopes feares From hence it certainely appeareth that the better part of man is the reasonable soule the praises that man hath belong not to the body but to the soule Likewise that dispraise and Infamy are not so much of the body as of the soule corrupted a runnaway frō his own nobility to those tents of euill affections It is most absurde to thinke that the soule which euer thinketh of his posterite and is so carefull of the long continuance of the memory of it selfe should dye together with the body Nay rather it is carefull what and how great it may be in the opions of men after it is freed from the body as though then it thought it had gotten life when the bodie had liued many yeares For there is