very requisite to be sought after in all good waies and actions SECTION II. How Honour is to be attained unto HOnour or good estimation is commonly gained either by high and noble birth by riches or by vertuous pious and worthy actions especially by such as are most profitable to the Church or common wealth Vertuous pious and worthy actions are alone sufficient to ennoble men of a low meane birth and degree and to make them very illustrious and honourable Doe that which is good saith Saint Paul and thou shalt have praise of the same Rom. 13.3 Abdolominus was a Gardiner and yet for his vertues was made King of Syria Iphicrates and Marius were meanly borne Caesar was a potters son so also was Agathocles the King of Cicily These for their vertues and valor attained great honour Pizarro that poore Spanish souldier was by Charles the fifth for his valour made Marquesse of Anatillo Pertinax Valentinian Probus Aurelius and others by their vertues and worthy actions became Emperours of Rome And divers others in all ages have been advanced to great honour and dignity for their valour and other vertues And for those glorious actions which they have done for the good of the common wealth wherein they have lived Socrates Virgill Horace Homer Demosthenes Bias and infinite others of low and unworthy birth have been famous for their wisedome And very many also which is indeed the best honour have been famous for piety and those worthy actions which they have done for the advancement thereof and so for the good of the Church of God However vertuous pious and worthy actions give true pleasure to the conscience and makes us honourable and illustrious in the sight of good men and most certainly however the maligne spirits of the world may censure of Angels yea and of God himselfe 1. Sam. 2.30 Psal 149.9 Psal 45.13 Cant. 6.10 Iohn 1.12 Gal. 4.7 1 Iohn 3.2 But in such as are of highest authority of noblest descent and parentage and of greatest riches in Emperours Kings Princes Nobles Magistrates and all Superiours doe worthy vertuous and pious actions shine more splendently and gloriously then in others And it is most usuall that such as are of greatest birth and authority are also of more courteous faire and so honourable deportment and carriage and of a more generous heroicall and noble spirit then others for honourable descent authority and dignity are strong motives and spurres to the noble exploits of vertue They canot but consider that it is a most unworthy thing to belye a mans birth and authority and most worthy to innoble the same by honourable actions Wherefore it is said that such as are of royall and noble births and in places of greatest dignity majestracy and authority either in Church or common wealth ought to demeane themselves most worthily and nobly for vertuous pious and worthy actions are legitimate parents of true honour without which it can no more be then a shadow without a body for otherwise it is only as a shadow of honour and a bubble of vaine glory nor can such false and vitious honour be any true pleasure to the conscience of such men but rather ought to be a grief unto them knowing that themselves are foule and darkesome within however they may paint themselves with the gay outside of ostentation and hipocrisie And no wise man will bow to a molten calfe though made of gold And little better or worse are vitious unworthy men though great then Images Calfes Bruites As King David signifieth Man that is in honor and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish Or if the body doe bow to such a vitious unworthy man the minde tels it that it honours an unworthy subject and even then while the body bowes the minde contemnes him Nor doth vice and wickednesse shew more deformed in any men then in such as degenerate from their high birth and authority since their greatnesse drawes more eyes to behold their vices and therefore commonly they leave a more infamous and rotten name behind them to posterity And if we peruse all histories wee shall finde that such as have given themselves to vitious courses are alwaies registred as infamous for their unworthy governing in their places of authority And on the contrary the friends and followers of vertue to have been men of divine spirits and of most heroicall performances for the benefit of mankinde and so registred for excellent in the list of Princes soldiers and Philosophers There are also divers kinds and degrees of true honour which are to be attained unto by vertue in our particular and generall vocations The first is in respect of a mans selfe For he that possesseth vertue giveth lawes unto himselfe and thereby endeavoureth to conquer his unruly and moderate passions and affections whereby he becommeth Lord of his owne Dominions and to make himselfe a perfect man by the exercise of good and vertuous actions Without this no man can be said to be truly honourable For what greater servitude and basenesse then to be in a slavish subjection to our owne disordered passions and affections And what an excellent honour is it such as God and Angels approve of to see a man conquer and be commander of himselfe This is the ground of all true Honour The second is in respect of a family When a man hath once gotten a habit of vertue and so knoweth how to governe himselfe he shall easily be able also to governe and instruct a family No man liveth more unworthily then he that liveth meerely for himself But he that imployeth his endeavours for the good of his family friends kindred and neighbours in good and laudable wayes liveth well worthily and honorably The third is in respect of the common wealth There is great affinity between a politicall and oeconimicall body insomuch as some Polititians say they differ only in magnitude and proportion of businesse and have likely the same period So that hee who well knoweth how to govern himselfe and a family may by diligence study wisedome and usuall conversation in the affaires of State in the lawes and customes of the countrey be able to governe a common wealth or at least with no great difficulty to execute and performe the duties of his office place and dignity therein in a laudable and so honourable manner Neither indeed ought we to give greater honour to any men then to such as imploy themselves for the generall good of the Church and common wealth And it is certaine that such as are truly honourable and generous spirits doe feele themselves lively toucht in soule with an earnest desire of doing good unto those with whom they live so that herein they are not daunted with the greatnesse of paine or feare of perill Let us therefore learne to demeane our selves worthily and laudably in our places and callings whatsoever they be as well particular as generall For although the greatest honour is due to such as doe
repent not of their gluttony idlenesse licentiousnesse luxury impiety God will one day say to them as it follows vers 20. Thou foole thy soule shall be required of thee Further concerning the extent of these abuses How much doth this age goe beyond former Arges in gluttony How abstemious were many Philosophers and Heathens as well as Christians How sparing was Eliahs diet That when hee had eaten the Angell came to him the second time and bid him eate more but our superfluity is such as wee had need of Angels to come daily and bid us eate lesse It is true indeed that histories in former ages have found out and branded some belly-gods with infamy and disgrace insomuch as Maximinus Geta Galba Caligula Heliogabulus Sardanapalus Vitellius Tiberius Lucullus Sergius Aurata Abdius of Rome Fabius called also for his gluttony Gurges and the rest who are registred in the list of gluttons rot in their corruptions and therefore lye more covered with infamy than with earth But certainly never did intemperance extend and spread it selfe in all respects more than in our times If ever that saying were true 't is in our age That many more perish by intemperance than the sword Had Plato lived in our dayes surely hee would have turned his divine eloquence to the prayse of those Syracusians whom in his time hee taxed of gluttony for filling their bellies twice a day for these men in respect of our usages and customes may seeme great masters of temperance He that with us in our age eates but two good meales a day is applauded and well hee may in our climate if hee be an able sound man for a person of great temperance and singular good dyet How many excellent Heroicall spirits noble and generous Gentlemen in our times who have had ingenuous and liberall education might have lived many happy yeares in great prosperity shined like bright starres in their Spheres and much good might have reflected from them to the Common-wealth Country and to their friends also if they had not too much prostituted themselves to intemperate licentiousnesse and so glutted and spoyled both their bodies and soules SECTION II. The dangers and abuses of eating ought to be eschew'd since the same causeth much evill misery and hindereth happinesse therein THat wee may avoyd the abuses of eating and so be happy therein let us view and hate the evill and miserable effects thereof Though King Solomon saith There is nothing better than that a man shoulâ— eate and drinke c. Eccles 5.25 that is in a good and temperate manner yet a disorderly and intemperate diet doth a man very much hurt and mischiefe It doth especially hinder and annoy Students idle Gallants and such as use little exercise or stirring of the body as shop-keepers and diverse others who live in great Townes and Citties for hereby health is decayed the body becomes sluggish noysome ill sented and full fraught with mucke and excrements causing crudities rheumes distillations obstructions oppression of stomacke appoplexie epilepsie and many wofull distempers and maladies And such a disorderly intemperate diet not onely hurts our selves but osten propagates noysome hereditary diseases to posterity Hereby also life is shortned as the Wise man signifieth By surfetting saith hee many have perished but hee that dieteth himselfe prolongeth his life And that sentence of his is worthy most diligent consideration who saies The sword hath killed thousands but gâ—uttony ten thousands And that by the worst kinds of diseases and death for by reason of a multitude of distempered and ill humours caused by intemperance is usually occasioned unnaturall loathsome diseases and distempers painfull sicknesses and violent death Let me here tell what is written of Gorgius That hee spent his whole Patrimony rich revenues in feasting and intemperance spoyled both his body and minde by gluttony filled his belly full of noysome crudities and humours grew extreame fat and foggie his cheekes became like blowne bagges his belly hung over his knees like an Artificiall Penthouse his legges by hydropticke humours were growne bigge enough to beare Goliah and yet so weake and painefull as they could scarce beare this gluttonous Monster In summe he became filled with a multitude of noysome diseases and so in raging paines and distempers he died Thus By riotous feasting Gorgius spent his pelfe Spoyled his body and so kill'd himselfe To proceed by reason of a disorderly intemperate diet are ingendred abundance of unnecessary humours stopping the passages of the spirits cloying and filling the joynts and the whole body too full of rheumes and moisture causing dulnesse drowzinesse stupidity sloth and lumpishnesse Every man may in time finde in himselfe how prejudiciall both to his body and minde a usuall full intemperate diet is in this kinde Also by reason hereof the spirits are annoyed and distempered whereby the passions become enthralled and the minde prone to all sensuall and evill desires insomuch as it is observed that many intemperate gluttonous men are commonly enemies to vertue and goodnesse examples and maintainers of dissolutenesse and impiety By this meanes of an intemperate disorderly diet the memory and understanding is also dulled and stupified and so the minde becommeth heavie and unapt for the performance of the functions proper thereunto such as are studie prayer meditation In such sort as the quicknesse and activity of the soule is quite dampt utterly disabled and made unfit for any good excellent imployments to conceive or receive deepe and divine contemplations or heavenly illuminations by reason of the corruption and burthensome fulnesse of a distempered disordered body Wherefore let us by all meanes avoid intemperate and disorderly eating It seemes we should rather put a knife to our throat then spoyle our selves with gluttonous eating Prov. 23.1.2 And when wee have eaten and are full then let us beware lest we forget the Lord c. Deut. 6.11 Let us pray with wise Agur. Feed me O Lord with foode convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee or lest I want c. Prov. 30.8.9 So let us eschew all abusive intemperate eating and accustome our selves to such a good moderate and convenient course of diet as I intend to treat of in the next ensuing Sections which if we use our selves unto as shall be dilated will be sufficient pleasant and most beneficiall It is onely an ill custome that increases the appetite and desire beyond a due measure and order wherefore if wee have by intemperance brought our stomackes to an inordinate desire of eating let us now alter the same by a contrary good custome It is safer for bodily health to decline an ill custome in this kinde by degrees then suddenly in as much as sudden alterations doe much distemper and indanger the body but if the same be by little and little abated it bringeth the stomack by degrees to a good disposition and temper and so contracts the same as its former greedinesse will bee abated and it will bee contented
moderate due and convenient fasting and abstinence from meate according to the prescription of our Saviour and good customes of the Church and Saints is good and necessary disburthening our bodies and mindes of many grosse humours vapours and spirits and so taking away sloth dulnesse and many distempers making our soules to become the more Angel-like free quicke and sprightly in the performance of all spirituall and divine exercises and so most apt and well prepared for the conceiving receiving and retaining of all divine and heavenly contemplations illuminations and consolations But this fasting and abstinence is to be used onely at due and convenient times and upon occasions and without superstition and annoyance to the body and minde But usually a temperate cheerfull dyet is best both for the body and minde And such as accustome themselves to a due moderate and convenient dyet are commonly observed to be the most healthfull free cheerfull happy men most fit best prepared for the performance oâ— all good exercises both corporall and mentall both humane and heavenly but of this convenient dyet and the good effects thereof more hereafter Against the superstitious refusall of the good and convenient use of meates and other blessings of God as many Papists and others doe I have written formerly in the booke called The Terrestriall Paradise and therefore here I omit the same Onely now I wish the superstitious therein to read the 14. Chapter to the Romans wherein it plainly appeares that such are the weaker Christians who are too nice and superstitious in this kinde and yet also that wee are not to despise judge and offend those weake Christians since they doe it to please God though superstitiously but rather that wee should endeavour to convert them from their superstition mildly lovingly and peaceably Rom. 14. And also 1 Tim. 4.3 4 5. By this blessing of eating also wee may be stirred up to praise and glorifie God as Saint Paul adviseth us 1 Cor. 10.31 and so to love and rejoyce in him the fountaine of this and all blessings Also to seeke and enjoy the celestiall manna and food of Heaven that eternall feast of delights and pleasures which we expect to enjoy in God himselfe Thus much of the benefits of eating in generall and briefly In the next place according to my former method I thinke I shall not need to studie a way for men to gaine food or victuals for hee that hath or can gaine but a very meane estate of riches of which I have writ before cannot want meate and drinke largely sufficient yea nature is so bountifull in this that who so hath his Armes and his hands at liberty need not complaine of want And 't is Saint Pauls command that if any would not worke they should not eate 2 Thess 3.10 Enough to suffice nature is everywhere to be had and what need wee care for more than sufficient enough is as good as a feast as the Proverbe sayes and indeed better than our usuall feasts yea meales which are commonly so intemperate as wee had better to eate much lesse than wee use to doe Therefore in these ensuing Partitions I thinke that somewhat a differing Method from the former is most necessary and first to begin with the abuses of eating hindering happinesse therein the manner and extent thereof and after the dangers and remedies of these abuses and then the rules and right order of a due good and convenient diet also the felicities thereof c. See then first the abuses and mischiefes thereof Many men finding such excellencie benefits and pleasures in eating as hath beene said doe plunge themselves beyond the good uses thereof into disorderly and immoderate abuses hindering themselves of much happinesse therein and instead thereof causing much mischiefe and miserie For now in this intemperate age gluttony and disorder domineeres What a numberlesse many of needlesse Cookes Taverne-keepers Comfitmakers and others are there in the world who do daily bring in an unnecessary company of new inventions making much more businesse in the world than needs in procuring this and that kinde of dainty dish from severall countries and after strange and nice fashions whereas with much lesse cost and trouble wee might bee much better served with that which growes at home and is easie to be found in every village Many men do incessantly weary themselves and others in searching the world for rarities and compounding of new delicacies to satisfie their pride vanitie curiosity their licentious unreasonable unnaturall monstrous desires and to sacrifice to that Curtian Gulph that devouring Minotaure their bellies whom the ordinary creatures cannot content in refreshing nature which is and ought to be sweetly pleased and contented with moderation and reason But these will needes over-ballance and overwhelme Nature with superfluities both in qualitie and quantitie insomuch as some like gurmandizing Helluo's will eate enough to suffice many reasonable men some men will eate foure or five full meales in a day againe and againe before the former meale be well digested Others sit two or three howres at a meale and so cause in time abundance of crudities distempers corruptions and dulnesse both to their bodies and mindes 'T is strange to thinke how men will stretch their bellies to the largest size swell them as bigge as blowne bagges stuffe and cramme them even top full so long and often pampering their paunches as if they did not eate to live but live to eate and eate to dye before their time So like cormotants they eate as if they had obtained Polyxenus wish even to have their neckes as long as Cranes the more pleasantly or rather monstrously to glut downe their gobbets not regarding all this while how they spoyle themselves but still endeavouring by all allurements of Cookery to provoke their Epicurean stomackes though already oppressed by their too curious sallets sauces and a multitude of idle devices These abuses are so common so little regarded and not blamed as they deserve to be as methinkes I could afford to write them over againe What excesse what a multitude and exquisite preparation of viands and delicacies is now come in request and it is our custome in our greatest and most sumptuous superfluities to crave pardon for not providing enough In our age many men with Alphonsus that Epicurean King of Arragon could most unworthily wish rather to live tenne yeares in gluttony and excesse than a hundred with temperance and sobriety and so like Appitius doe swinishly set their chiefe happinesse in gluttony as if they were no better than beasts They seeme to love their guts better than God Whos 's God is their belly according to Saint Pauls phrase Phil. 3.17 Their eyes stand out with fatnesse Psal 37.7 Than like Iesurun being waxen fat and growne thicke they kicke they forsake God c. Deut. 32.15 and breake his Covenant Chapt. 31.20 Then they say to their soules eate drinke and be merry as hee sayd Luk. 12.19 But if they
thought themselves happy without then with it insomuch as many Kings and Princes have voluntarily forsaken and refused it Dioclesian Sylla Carolus Martellus Ottanes King of Persia Pope Celestinus Edward the Confessor and eight crowned Kings of England while it was held of the Saxons and many others though it hath been thought superstition and unwarrantable for men so to forsake their dignities offices and callings have changed their Scepters for books knowing there was lesse trouble and perchance more peace joy and felicity in a study then in a kingdome He that is guided by reason and loves himselfe is contented with an indifferent fortune Likewise divers of the saints in all ages even the Apostles have voluntarily refused outward honour and our Saviour himselfe setting before him the glory of heaven as 't is said willingly endured the crosse and despised the shame For in such comparison of eternal and heavenly glory this externall terrestriall honour is not worthy to be esteemed but as altogether vain as meere aire breath clouds mists vapours shadowes dreames yea lesse even as nothing It doth not so much as touch a man onely his name which is nothing of his substance a thing separated in the aire from him very uncertaine fugitive and undurable So that if an ambitious man were but awaked out of his vaine-glorious dreame restored to his wits brought out of fooles paradise he would plainly see how in the prosecution of this vanity he did but run paths very vain devious and dangerous onely to build castles in the aire or according to a better phrase to sow the winds and reap the whirlwinds Then would hee remaine even most sweetly contented with a meane condition So uncertaine and undurable is honour that one day hath seene Haman honoured and hanged So Nebuchadnezzar a King and a beast Bajazet an Emperour and a caged prisoner I might instance in many more But if the renowne of a man doth make a longer noyse in the world a life time or more yet to what a small purpose is it since 't is but a noyse that passeth away with a thought and since the man himselfe also passeth away to nothing or worse to death the grave and corruption Where is now great Alexander whose valour could admit no comparison whose victories have spread through the Vniverse as likewise Cyrus his predecessour who upon his golden chariot was attended with that magnificent pomp as made men idolatrize in admiration of it So also Caesar Marke Antony Pompey Hanniball Scipio and all the rest who have bin registred in the world for famous They are dead and parted from their glory And to what a small purpose is all their conquests their honour and glory come to since even the very wormes have conquered them all and reduced them to nothing but corruption I am even astonisht when I consider that so great a number of Emperors Kings Princes Prelates Nobles who have commanded the world should now be conquered by so poore and contemptible things as death and the wormes and be imprisoned for ever in a narrow darksome grave and there to become onely a lump of filth a box of pallid putrifaction a nest of crawlers so full of gastlinesse and horrour as you would be even afraid to looke upon them Let us be contented then and not be ambitious or envy any mans honour and glory No not if an unworthy vitious impious man should grow great and honourable in the world Be not afraid saith King David when the glory of his house increaseth for he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall his pomp follow him Psal 49.16 What difference is there between the most honourable and the most despised man in the grave The poore despised mans comfort is his excesse to heaven is as free and 't is like freer with lesse impediments then the other and his departure from the earth not so grievous since he hath no pomp and glory but rather infamy disgrace and misery to depart from and if hee be a pious Christian he expects a crown of glory in heaven Why then should wee too much feare the losse or grieve for the want of externall honour and glory since as hath been shewed in respect of the eternall and heavenly which wee expect to possesse it is not worth our thoughts but in such comparison appeares altogether vaine fading and undurable as also the possessors thereof And it is most worthy consideration that such spirits as are divine enough to contemne earthly in respect of the heavenly honour and glory which they looke for and in some sort already view by a heavenly light in their soules are the most happy men The renowne of a vertuous pious man is much greater and more glorious then that of Caesar or Alexander And this honour onely lasteth eternally If we have this honour it matters not for any other we need not care which way we goe whether thtough honour or dishonour on earth so wee come to that glory in heaven Let us trust and relye on God and we are however blessed God makes us to be borne and live in what degree he pleases If we live in a mean low and despised condition among men till death God hath so ordained So it must be And if we can as if we were divinely wise we may even willingly and with sweetest contentment obey his heavenly decrees and relye on his divine providence without distrust we are certainly happy It should and why should it not be an heaven of joy to us to thinke that God whom wee should love Infinitely above our selves is in heaven that his name is glorified and his will is done on earth as in heaven To conclude then let us in respect of worldly honor rely on Gods providence what ever befals us knowing that if we trust in him we shall have that which is most good most fit for for us Let us make a good use both of honour and dishonour And so we may and let us endeavour to be contented and rejoyce in this respect and so in all things SECTION V. The good and divine use of Honour ALthough the vaine immoderate ambitious desire of praise and honour bee not good yet the moderate and vertuous desire thereof is certainly very commendable and also profitable aswell for private as publick good for it containes men in their duty awakens stirs up and inflames them to worthy and honourable actions and may serve to many good and divine uses Such honour therefore and good estimation as we have let us use the same well and in the good use thereof enjoy it freely However many vitious men use this treasure of Honour to many ill purposes to the countenance and furtherance of vice and impiety and so perhaps to their owne ruine and doe desire and seeke the same in a vain and vitious way onely to satisfie their pride arrogancy covetousnesse and other ill desires yet vertuous pious men can desire and use
enough to reade them But in good earnest againe Marriage is said to be a Rocke on which many men cast themselves away also a Yoke and a bondage a multitude of hinderances charges cares crosses and annoiances are incident to married people What wise man would marry Some men are Cornuted and father Children which are none of their owne To many men their children prove undutifull disobedient arrogant prodigall and become bitter Crosses to their Parents as Ham to Noah Absolon to David Hophni and Phineas to old Eli. Of moderne Examples to this purpose there are innumerable If I should reckon up all the troubles vexations cares charges hinderances and miseries belonging to marriage I should be very much too long and tedious Besides I might for this purpose tell how happily Batchelours live without wives how freely securely merrily pleasantly and without controule There are yet further more generous and sublime remedies considerations and consolations to ease and cheare the soule of a discontented and pining Lover As to consider that S. Paul and very many wise men learned Divines Philosophers and others prefer a single life before marriage I hope you will beleeve them And also that marriage corrupts many great and good spirits hinders many good and worthy actions and enterprises I have married a wife saith one and therefore I cannot come Luke 14.20 Also to consider that it is fittest for such to marry who are of lower minds such as have the most grosse spirits more of earth than heaven in them tye such men to women to the flesh to mundane troubles cares distâ—actions c. Let the other be free and happy Also to contemne and even scoffe at Cupid and all his wooden darts like that young man who could merrily sing Sir Cupid is blinde I say Though some have thought he seeth And though he hit my heart one day A T in Cupids teeth So to endeavour to be Cupids Masters to use him as we list and if we chance to play with him a little sometimes for recreation as wise men doe with a foole or Ladies with a little dog yet let us also scoffe at contemn and despise him when we please and see good occasion But now concerning that which is the best and most glorious remedy and consolation not onely against pining Love but against all other mundane desires wants losses and crosses which is to endeavour so to be possessed and inflamed with divine love of God and heavenly joy in him and so to trust in his never fayling providence as to be most sweetly contented and pleased at heavens will and pleasure to rejoice even in losses and crosses and thinke them divine love-tokens as certainely they are to them who love him Rom. 8.28 He that loves God better than himselfe cannot but be sweetly pleased with his will in all things So let us endeavour to love him above our selves and so to be pleased with his pleasure as to say yea Vow to God men to this purpose if there be occasion as I doe now That since 't is Gods will I wish no other happinesse then what I doe enjoy but all things to be as they are since he thinks good Me thinks I neither dare nor can wish greater happinesse then to know that God whom I would love infinitely above my selfe is infinitely happy Let us then endeavour to be of such an heavenly temper so enlightened with divine Love and Joyes as to have little or no roome left in our soules for carnall grosser love and joyes while we are elevated in heavenly thoughts and contemplations for certainly those spirits which are truly raised to the knowledge of divine things and doe well know the Art of heavenly contemplations are elevated above all the love and pleasures of the earth inasmuch as eternall heavenly felicities are above humane temporary earthly vanities and not finding any thing on earth worthy of their love and desires they doe note and set out their desires their pleasures and felicities in heaven So as they doe in part beforehand taste of the sweetnesse of those delights which they pretend to receive at the end of their life which makes them very graciously to set under their feet all the Love and pleasures of the earth while their soules are in such contemplations directing their aimes to heaven And while they are in these divine extasies their spirits are so strong as they doe overcome their carnall desires so heavenly as they doe then esteeme the greatest pleasures of the body as this of carnall Love but as dung and drosse in comparison of the heavenly Love and pleasures which they enjoy in their soules And in such contemplations and comparison they rejoyce more inâ—contemning this earthly love and pleasures then in enjoying the same What need wee care for farthings who may have gold enough for earthly that may have heavenly happinesse But as Saint Paul signifies Marriage hinders this divine Love and heavenly pleasures He that is married saith he careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife But he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord c. 1 Cor. 7.32 c. One doubted not to say that if men could live without desiring women and other superfluous things of the world they would be visited and very familiarly accompanied with Angels And certainely there bee many married men in the world if they did but truly know the excellency of such a contemplative heavenly life and did seriously consider how freely and joyfully Batchelors may live they would even runne through fire and water to be so happy But now lest married men should be too much displeased with what I have written Let me tell them I write this chiefly to comfort ease and cheere the hearts of discontented melancholy pining languishing Lovers And herein I thinke I have endeavoured to doe a very good deed and to shew very good causes and reason enough to cheere comfort and rejoice the most sad drooping languishing and discontented Lover if he be not gone out of his senses or without reason And let those displeased married men if any be so know or thinke that when we speake against Marriage wee meane onely of unfit and evill marriages Such as that of Spungius and Philtra They would quarrell sweare curse fight c. Let such be alwayes scoft at and remaine miserable till they mend their manners And least Batchelours should bee too averse from Marriage and such as lose their first Love should forbeare a second choyce which alwayes drowns the love of the former in oblivion and is one of the best Remedies against Loves losse for heere they finde it againe in another Let us still say as Saint Paul saith That marriage is honourable in all men and that it is good to marry though better to live single And that a Consonant equall and fit marriage when both parties bee loving kinde wise constant and of good conditions is even a
to avoyde all occasions of strife and discontent as much as they may and such as cannot be avoyded either to dissemble or contemne and to make the best use thereof And in all respects to endeavour to live lovingly familiarly and pleasantly in such sort as becomes them Saint Paul giveth us excellent directions So ought men to love their Wives saith he as their owne bodies for no man ever yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord his Church Ephes 5.25 And againe ye men love your Wives and be not bitter unto them Col. 3.19 And to women hee saith Wives submit your selves unto your Husbands as unto the Lord for the Husband is head of the Wife even as Christ is head of the Church Ephes 5.22 S. Peter also giveth directions to this purpose in his first Epistle and third Chapter I will write the same at large for they are most excellent He begins with Wives and is longest about them they having as it seemes most need of Instruction Ye Wives saith he bee in subjection to your owne Husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be wonne by the conversation of their Wives while they behold their chast conversation coupled with fear whose adorning let it be the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their owne husbands even as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye doe well c. Likewise ye husbands saith he dwell with your wives according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessell and as being heires together of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered Finally be ye of one minde having compassion one of another be pittifull be courteous not rendering evil for evill or railing for railing but in contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye may inherite a blessing Thus much S. Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. So then let men and their wives in all respects endeavour to live together as they ought according to such divine directions Let them alwaies be familiar kinde pleasant and as loving as may be and mutually enjoy together all the blessings and benefits belonging to this lawfull conjugall or marriage love and society And especially let them be pious and religious Then though their beauty and bodies should decay and become infirme yet their very soules may be in love with one another which is far more excellent than bodily love So while they view one another as divine and celestiall creatures as the beloved of God himselfe their loves may still kindle and increase untill both they and it ascend to that glorious Paradise of God where love all divine and heavenly flames beyond imagination and endures beyond time for ever SECTION IV. Of unlawfull Lusts the extent thereof in this Age. The miseries and remedies thereof with a briefe perswasion to marriage WHile we view the excellency of lawfull and true love let us also beware of unlawfull and raging lusts There is well nigh as much difference as one saith betweene true love and unlawfull lusts as between heaven and hell for lawfull marriage or conjugall love is honourable blessed and ordained of God A remedy against these unlawfull lusts And from this love springeth as hath been declared a million of blessed and joyfull effects But all unlawfull lusts and the effects thereof as fornications adulteries incests and the like are cursed and often forbidden and threatned against in Gods sacred Word as all men acquainted therewith doe well know and from thence proceedeth a multitude of evill and miserable effects And yet in this age how strangely doe these evils extend themselves so as it seemes it is now as it was in the Prophet Ieremies time The land is full of adulterers Ier. 23.10 It is strange to thinke how many men range after many severall women They run abroad as beasts run to rutt after every Gill and Queane they can meet with though perchance their owne wives be far more comely amiable and chast yet will they like some goatish Procullus or lustfull Clodius take all they can get and never be contented unlesse like a common Bull or Boare they may run and range where they list and would if they could have more severals than ever Solomon or Ahasuerus had or as many as the Turkes Muscovits Zeriffes and Persians have at this day And although perchance they often loath their owne actions yet in a while againe they are of another minde and Stallion-like will againe runne after their Gils and Truls and so though perhaps they may be sometimes satiated yet not satisfied Etna and Vesuvius will be as soone quenched with Oyle as their raging lust satisfied They will never bee contented with that One whom they ought to love truly and enjoy only but so inconstant and incontinent they are that within a few Moones after marriage they thinke themselves cloyed glutted grow wisesick and perchance preferre some ill favoured ill conditioned common quean before a good wife She that before marriage was wooed by many monstrous solicitations oathes promises and protestations of love is now undeservedly distasted and perchance loathed as Amnon loathed Thamar or forsaken and disrespected as Demophoon dealt with Phillis and some idle stinking whore respected before her and this perhaps for little or no cause or reason but only because it is the nature and nurture of such beasts so to doe although they be better in their owne pastures yet they will breake over all fences of credit civility conscience and Christianity for new and other pastures and although the same prove to them as Rot-grasse to sheep bring them to diseases undoing shame and misery But especially among idle young Taverne Taphouse Tipling companions their principall discourse tends to the increase of these unlawfull lusts as of women and their appurtenances of Cuckolds and Cuckoldmakers what men weare hornes what women britches and what willing ones there be in the Towne or Parish how such pieces are to be handled and many ribaldry obscene discourses songs tales and jests Of such things is their chief mirth and their wit is never so prompt as here especially among young men who usually at their pot-meetings pervert all occasions of talk into baudery and out of all other discourses they commonly fall into this and are most taken with it and this sets the young gamester on edge and if he once get the trick on it he is very unlike to leave it untill the poxe shame or some other mischiefe take him And in these Taverne and Tap-house meetings among such companions to the intent that wives may bee out of request among them and perhaps for other base
dish most pleasing to our Palate is more delightfull than abundance which cloyes our eyes and stomacke I shall now endeavour briefly to perswade such as may conveniently though a single life be otherwise to be preferr'd before it to this honourable and blessed estate of Marriage Marriage saith one filleth the world with men and heaven with Saints It hath alwayes beene confest by all reasonable men That a Consonant Marriage such as when both parties be equally matcht in respect of yeres birth constitution and fortunes and especially of loving kinde wise constant and good conditions such as live together like Abraham and Sarah Isaack and Rebecca Petus and Aria Seneca and Paulina Cato and Portia Rubenus Celar and his Ennea and the rest of those who are recorded as true and happy Lovers is even an earthly Paradise of Happinesse And no man can justly blame such marriages unto which the Lawes both divine and humane exhort Nature provoketh Honesty draweth all Nations approve of aboundance of felicity inviteth and necessity of continuing mankind constraineth If all men should live unmarried an hundred yeeres the world would be unpeopled and this alone may excuse and commend such men who like of Marriage better then single life since the one turnes to desolation and the other to encreasing of Mankinde The Grecians the Romans did and the Spaniards do in honour of Marriage give priviledges thereunto Marriage is honourable among all men Saint Paul saith Among Christians Iewes Turkes Pagans and why not among Fryers and Jesuites too if they be men in praise of which ordnance of God and men the pennes of many Authors in all Ages have beene exercised yea of the Papists themselves who make it a Sacrament and yet forbid the same to their Priests The best most learned Philosophers have praised and used the same as Socrates Plato Aristotle Seneca Plutarch and divers others Though there be many enemies to the name of marriage yet few to the use of it He was made imperfect that is not tending to propagation He that is perfect and marries not is said to be guilty of a contempt against Nature and Justice And why should any man thinke that God is pleased with that rigid inhibition of Marriage among the Papists which crosseth the current of Nature and his owne ordination It is the doctrine of Devils to forbid marriage 1 Tim 4.1 3. Some thinke the best chastity is Matrimoniall or Conjugall Chastity when Paires keep themselves in a moderate intermutuall enjoyance one constant to the other And though as hath beene said a contemplative divine spirit can overcome Nature and contemne the greatest earthly joy and pleasure in comparison of heavenly delights and take great pleasure in such contempt Yet all men have not this divine grace of Continency And looking downewards againe we may consider that we have bodies as well as soules which require due and convenient recreations And though as Saint Paul well observed Marriage hindereth a heavenly contemplative life in respect of care and other disturbances yet in respect of all these forenamed considerations and many other it is good to marry though better to live single if we burne not and if we have divine grace enough to live continent Whoso findeth a Wife saith King Solomon surely he meaneth a good Wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord Prov. 18.22 And since this Conjugall or Marriage society is ordained and blessed of God in Paradise in the state of perfection approved of and commended by Christ when he was on earth and since by his Apostles and Saints and is said to be honourable among all men A remedy against fornication and unlawfull Lusts a resemblance and figure betweene Christ and his Church An uniting of two into one flesh and as some affirme into one spirit also saying that the spirits of true Lovers doe passe one into another so as Saint Peter adviseth them and us they may be of one mind 1 Pet. 3.8 and since it is the sweetest and nearest relation of Love friendship and society the occasion and encrease of children families and all Mankinde it cannot be deni'd but it is good to marry especially for such whose bodies and mindes doe sympathize and who are both of loving and good conditions From such a marriage as hath beene dilated springeth the best and pleasantest delights and felicities of this life To conclude then let us wish all joy to such happy Lovers Let all the Muses sing the most delightful strains and all the Graces dance the choysest Rounde layes at their Wedding Let all pleasantnesse Love and Joy dwell in their hearts And as their yeares so may their love and joy increase that in after times they may say This is the twentieth or thirtieth yeare of our joy And let them still take King Solomons counsell Rejoyce with the Wife of thy youth let her be unto thee as the loving Hinde and pleasant Roe c. Pro. 5.19 SECTION V. The good use of Conjugall Love and so concluding with a briefe Discourse of Divine Love SVch men who use these externall Felicities of the World as this of Conjugall or Marriage Love to the glory of God and to good ends with moderate delectation are better to be reputed then they who unduly inconsiderately rashly inconveniently and superstitiously as some Monks and others doe neglect and refuse such a good which God himselfe freely offers and commends to our acceptance and the rather since these externall Pleasures and earthly blessings may serve to many excellent uses stirring us up to all duties of Piety to the Love of God to joy in him to thankfulnesse and so in all respects to his praise and glory But the principall good use of this Conjugall or Marriage Love and the felicities thereof which I shall now insist upon is That by viewing and enjoying such pleasures and felicities of the Earth we may looke higher to their fountaine contemplating the Love Lovelinesse Beauty sweetnesse and excellency of the Creator and giver of these who is infinitely more excelling And so to conclude this division with this Section of Divine Love a Subject requiring our purest and most Angelicall attention and affection True it is that all other excellencies are but dung and drosse in respect of God yet by and through these lower Loves delights and felicities of the Earth these little glimmering Rayes proceeding from that Sunne of Glory God himselfe wee may espie some light of him and of that eternall Love Beauty Glory and happinesse which we pretend hereafter to enjoy and so in some measure spell and spie Heaven from the Earth Neither ought wee to disdaine to make such comparisons between corporeal spiritual things between Earth y and Heavenly though in respect of the excellency of the spirituall and heavenly there is no comparison yet as children have need at first to be allured to the acquist of great and excellent matters by such toyes and trifles as they apprehend so
now concerning my selfe I confesse that I love sometimes to drinke two or three cups of wine or good liquor for recreation among my friends and although I dislike our common excessive drinking courses and some silly pernitious devices and customes of this drinking age and also although I love to bee civill and to heare other men talke more then my selfe yet truely I thinke very well of mirth and good-fellowship in good sort and it doth me much good to see and heare men drinke sing discourse be joyfull pleasant and merry without abuses But I proceed SECT IIII. Rules concerning a right order and due proportion of drinking and shewing that the same is very sufficient pleasant easie and most beneficiall TO the intent that wee may bee happy in respect of drinking let us use the same in such sort as by a right ordering and moderating of every severall kinde of drinke by sutable degrees and convenient proportions the same may tend to our well being Such a moderation and proportion I meane as is very easie to bee undergone pleasant and beneficiall so much as brings strength and vigor both in minde and body and on the contrary not so much as is troublesome or breeding distemper therein To treate thereof briefely it is best for young men cholericke and sanguine complexions usually to drinke coole small and milde wine beere or ale And to avoid such as is very strong hot stale and sower as much as they may And for the phlegmaticke grosse fat and melancholy men it is best commonly to drinke such wine and beere as is thin piercing and pure And to forbeare new thick sweete and muddy stuffe A cup or two of Sacke Metheglin strong Beere Ale or other good liquor is not amisse for old weake and decayed men and for such as are heavie sad and sorrowfull sometimes to comfort their drooping spirits yet too much strong and hot liquors by reason of the superfluous multitude of vapours exhaling to the braine remaining unconcocted and after the heate thereof is past are there refrigerated into cold phlegme doth cause even to old sad and drooping men a greater heavinesse and melancholy However a reasonable quantity doth much cheere quicken and revive them The quantity most convenient is so much as by reason and our own experience doth make our bodies and mindes apt and healthy to performe their offices and no way distempers or hinders them But for as much as our appetite is deceitful especially if by custome we get an ill disposition in the stomacke and is alwayes canvassing for sensuality blinding our reason and carrying us beyond the due measure of temperance and welfare Let us therefore consider a due proportion and measure Physitians say that usually three or foure reasonable draughts at a meale is sufficient for any man and that betweene meales it is not good to drink above the same proportion This proportion of three draughts at a time at the most was determined by the Synod of Nants as being sufficient in nature and reason for any man and the same is approved of by divers Philosophers Poets and others Or if you will according to the laudable custome of some men now and then for recreation sit in a Taverne or Ale-house till you have dranke each man his pint of wine or jug of beere or thereabouts and no more is commendable so as the same be onely sometimes not commonly and onely for good recreation or occasion and without abuses But forasmuch as a different proportion is to be allotted in respect of â—ime age complexion and the like â—his may easily be and commonly is naturally remedied either by drinking greater or lesser draughts or adding a draught or two more in a day when and to whom it is requisite As in Summer more then in Winter the cholericke more then the phlegmaticke so as it bee not too strong or hot children usually drinke lesser draughts then men labourers may drinke more and more often then idle people So to drinke when naturall thirst requires if the body be not too hot or distempered is good for very much thirst is ill for the stomack and it is good that the same be commonly kept cleane and sometimes moist Physitians also say it is not good to drinke betweene meales till after the first concoction or till two or three houres after the meale unlesse much thirst require especially for such as are phlegmaticke But some thinke a good draught or two of warme beere taken halfe an houre before meales is a good preparative for the stomacke especially for such as are dry and thirsty Neither doth it much matter concerning bodily health if sometimes we be drawne to digresse a little from such a due order and proportion To exceed sometimes this quantitie and water the body by a more liberall drinking then usuall is by some thought not amisse for health so as the same be done but very seldome and so as we presently return again to our wonted and usuall sobriety for such accidental and seldome excesses are of little prejudice to health And in this respect it is not good over-scrupulously and too precisely to tye our selves to an exact proportion lest we contract our stomackes to such an habit as will not admit of any errours when they happen without distemperature but long and often excesses are very pernitious However it is good to have our mindes directed to a perfect precise and exact measure and to have the same as a patterne diligently marked and imprinted in our mindes to the intent that wee may imitate the same or come as neer therunto as we may without too much nicenesse and inconvenience knowing that all vertue is most really and best performed when we observe the same in a perfect manner And also let us the rather as neere as we can conveniently most willingly apply our minds thereunto knowing that such a due proportion and order as is before mentioned is very sufficient easie pleasant and most beneficiall as now followeth to be declared And first that the same due proportion and order of drinking is sufficient and easie to be undergone appeares inasmuch as a well tempered nature requires no more for what reasonable man who hath not by ill custome altered his nature desires to drinke above three or foure draughts at a time or if you will above a pint a wine or an usuall jug of beer for his part at a sitting or otherwise any way out of good order insomuch as he thinkes it an easie and pleasant thing to bee temperate whereas all intemperance and disorder displeases and very likely distempers him yea even brute irrationall creatures are contented with and desire no more then sufficiencie It is onely an unrasonable nature and perhaps corrupted by ill custome that makes us desire more for wee know that one or two draughts at once is sufficient to quench thirst and suffice nature And that we may the rather know how largely sufficient and easie such a due
Nymphes be present in this Imaginary Paradise Let them search within the compasse of Nature all the choysest Pleasures which it hath produced in the word hitherto to charme our Senses and to ravish our Spirits In summe let them assemble in one Subject all whatsoever is and hath beene most beautifull and delitious in the World Yet are all these but meere Chimera's and as a vaine Idea a meere shadow of a body of pleasure in comparison of these divine thoughts and pleasures which the Saints may and shall enjoy in the Contemplation of God and of his infinite Beauty Glory Love and of the Felicities which hee hath prepared for them that love him Their thoughts and Contemplations even in this life may be composed of unutterable Glories Crownes Kingdomes Divine Visions heavenly exultations of Spirit of extreame marveilous Joyes Pleasures and Felicities It is impossible to expresse the pleasures of a heavenly soule The Contentments thereof are not to be so called It 's Extasies and Ravishments cannot bee uttered Saint Paul himselfe could not expresse the same He could not tell whether he were in his body or no. So as the heart that feeles them cannot comprehend them Well and truely therefore doth Saint Paul say That such pleasures have not entred into the heart of man as God hath prepared for them that love him Not entred into the heart of Man This seemes to be a Riddle how can man enjoy it then Indeed hee must be above a naturall man above himselfe that enjoyes such pleasures he must be a Partaker of the Divine Nature of a super-humane and heavenly temper for all grace is above Nature And if by reason of our Frailties and Infirmities we cannot attaine to such a height of Love to and Joy in God in this life yet if wee endeavour truely to love him hee who alwayes accepts the Will for the Deed and whose power is made perfect in our weaknesse and infirmities as Saint Paul saith will lovingly accept of our good Wishes Wils and Endeavours And then there shall come a time when we shall see God as he is know him as wee are knowne love him beyond expression and enjoy in him infinite pleasures and felicities for ever And then wee shall bee made like him as Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 3.2 In such sort as fire by uniting it selfe to Iron in an exceeding extreame heate doth purifie the Iron and convert the same into fire In like manner but above all degrees of comparison doth God purifie and reduce us to a being supernaturall and deified unites and takes the soule into his owne divine Nature And this fire which shall so unite us to God is Divine Love And then shall we have a new being we shall bee like him 1 Iohn 3.2 Phil. 3.21 One with him as his members and as a wife to her husband Rev. 21. Wee shall dwell in him and he in us 1 Iohn 4.16 And then wee shall also have a new name that is of our Spouse of our Beloved of God himselfe for saith our Saviour I will write upon him the Name of my God Revel 3.12 So as hereby the soule becomes a part of God and as it seemes may be said to bee no more a soule but God himselfe and with him and in him enjoyes all happinesse Oh then let us fervently wish and long for this time which shall be at the marriage of the Kings Sonne to which the Angels shall invite us Then shall we celebrate an everlasting wedding feast our soules shall be the Bride and Love shall be the banner over us And then shall wee enjoy infinite pleasures and felicities for ever How may the thoughts of this heavenly happinesse delight and possesse us with divine Love and Joy before hand also while we live on earth To come towards a Conclusion If we could truly say with King Davids heart I love the Lord and with Saint Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee if all our streame could runne in that Torrent to love only him and all other things but only for him and so farre as they tend to his love and glory Oh then what peace what delight what a heaven upon earth should we enjoy If we were capable truly to love and know God it were impossible but wee should be infinitely pleased with what hee pleases and with nothing else Oh Lord if thou wouldest make me so love thee as I should and as I desire which is infinitely I should certainely enjoy such delights in thy love as would transport me to an heaven of joy immediatly Keepe me I pray thee with all my soule still in this minde to wish no other happinesse then what I enjoy in thy love of thy goodnesse to thy glory and which may encrease my love to thee Me thinkes I can desire nor wish no greater happinesse than I now enjoy in knowing that God whom I would love infinitely above my selfe is infinitely happy I doe esteeme it more happinesse to mee then heaven already to know that my Love my God is in heaven THE FOURTH PARTITION Of Eating SECTION I. The benefits of eating in generall also the abuses of eating and the extent thereof BEhold that which I have seene saith the Preacher Eccles 5.18 it is good and comely for a man to eate and to drinke and â—o take comfort in his labours for this is his portion And againe There is nothing better saith hee than to eate and drinke Eccles 2.24 The same is the gift of God chap. 3.13 and 5.19 Iob. 36.31 It is the blessing of God Psalm 128.2 Behold sayth God by his Prophet Esay my servants shall eate and rejoyce Esay 65.13 They shall eate and praise the Lord Chap. 62.9 By eating we sustaine Nature repaire infirmities of the body satisfie hunger please our appetites and preserve life it selfe Without this happinesse of Eating we should become on earth wholy miserable enjoy nothing and must of necessity die and perish For the most solid parts of the body are sustained strengthened and repaired by eating as the humid parts are by drinking and the aierie or spirituall parts are by pleasant and comfortable savours and wholsome aire Bread strengtheneth the heart of man saith the Prophet Psal 104.15 Eating also serves to glad and rejoyce the heart And especially Gods children and servants should eate with joy and gladnesse To such speaketh the wise Preacher saying Goe thy way eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy workes Eccles 9.7 See also as before Esay 65.13.14 and 1 Tim. 4.3 And so also for good society one with another as those ancient Christians mentioned in Acts 2.46 who eate their bread together with gladnesse singlenesse of heart The moderate naturall convenient and pleasant use of eating makes the body a fit and apt instrument for the Soule yea it preserves and maintaines the whole body and soule in due temper and good disposition Though it be true indeed that