imperfecti As no man can measure the winde or weigh the fire so no man can attaine vnto the vnsearchable iudgements of the Lord. Euen as one standing vpon the shoare doth see the Sea and yet doth not see the breadth and depth of it so the Angels and all the other elect which bee in Heauen doe see God really yet they cannot comprehend either the depth of his greatnesse or the altitude of his etâ—nitie Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducâ—s peccatorum Euen as there can be found nothing more bright and visible then the Sunne yet nothing is lesse seene then it by reason of the excellency of his brightnesse and the weakenesse of our sight so there is nothing in it selfe more intelligible then God yet there is nothing in this life lesse vnderstood then he for the same reasons Ibidem As the Painter when he depainted the funeral solemnity of a certaine Kings Daughter pourtrayed her kinsfolks with heauy countenances and her Mother more sorrowfull then the rest but when he came to delineate the Father he did couer his face with an artificiall shadow signifying thereby that his Art did here faile him so when we speake of God and the deepe mysteries of his diâ—â—nitie vnder awe of admiration wee are to lay our hands on our mouthes and to adore him with ineffable and chast silence Ibidem God is not the Authour of sinne AS the Sunne which is made to illustrate and enlighten things cannot obscure and darken them so God who is righteousnesse it selfe cannot doe vniusily Origines lib. 3. contra Celsum As the wicked doe naughtily entreate the goodnesse of God so God doth vse to good ends the euill workes of the vngodly Eusebius Emissenus hom 4. de Epiphania As the Smith is not the cause why the iron rusteth nor the progenitour of a liuely body is the cause of the filth and blemishes it afterwards gathereth so neither God although he make and order all things is the cause of any sin and wickednesse in them Mercurius Trismegistus in Pymandro As it belongeth vnto God being only good to bee the cause of euery good worke so it is vnmeete and incongruous that hee should be supposed the authour of any euill Fulgentius lib. 1. As a Master that would try his serâ—ant whether he be good or bad setteth in place where hee may come to sweet meats money now if this seruant dee take any his Master compelled him not to ill but laid open his bad disposition so also God giuing vnto men occasion to sin if they will sinne he doth not make them to sin but manifesteth the maliciousnesse of their hearts Chrisostomus homil 46. operis imperfecti As the Sun is not hurtfull although it seemeth so vnto weake and bleare eyes and as hony is not bitter to the tast albeit sicke folke deeme it so so God â—s not euill nor carelesse of mens actionsiâ— albeit wicked and reprobate men thinke him so Chrisost. hom 7. in Ioan. As it is no wonderfull thing to make a golden Bracelet of gold but it is admirable to make pure gold of base lead so to make good of good is a thing of no such wonder but to extract vertue out of vice this is diuine God out of the wickednesse of the vngodly done against the righteous doth extract their profit yea out of our owne faultes hee doth produce our welfare for by it he worketh in vs contrition and by his fauour wee bring forth the fruits of repentance Pintus in Eze. cap. 38. The patience and long animity of God AS God patiently suffered Ionas to bee swallowed of the Whale not that he should perish but that he being cast vp againe might more submit himselfe vnder the mighty hand of God and more glorifie him so God from the beginning hath beene patient in suffering man to bee swallowed vp of that great Whale who was the authour of preuarication not that hee should finally perish but that he might prepare him to seeke for that saluation of which Ionas was a signe Irenaeus lib. 3. contra haereses cap. 22. An houshoulder doth not suddainly cast forth a faithfull seruant but desireth him to stay so the Lord long suffereth if any one hath beene faithfull vnto him August sermone 146. in Lucam As Cities and Common-wealths doe nourish hangmen and executioners of iustice by whom â—hey may exceute offenders and malefactors not praysing the office of the hangman but tolerating his ministry for necessary vses so God the great magistrate and justicer of this world doth suffer tyrants and oppressors as certaine hangmen that by them he may take vengeance of vngodly men and afterwards deliuereth the tyrants vnto torment so God punished the Children of Israell by the Assyrians Theodoretus ser. 6. de Gracarum affectionum curationâ— Gods Prouidence AS a King when he would keepe any man safe from danger placeth him in his palace that not onely the wals of the King but also the eyes of the King may defend him from his enemies then the which guard none can be saser so the heauenly King by the same prouidence doth defend his Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducis Peccatorum As the Sun doth not onely illuminate Heauen the Sea and the Earth but shineth also thorow a window or a little â—reuice and doth cast light into the inmost place of the house so the diuine prouidence doth not only preserue great things but also respecteth the very least that are in the Earth Clemens Alexandâ—mus lib. 7. stromatum As wee know that there are men in a Ship that directly sayles into an hauen although we 〈◊〉 none of them by reason of the right guidance of it so we know that God is the gouernour of all things by his prouidence albeit we cannot see him with our carnall eyes Theophilus Antiotheâ—us lib. 1. ad Antolycum As an house decayeth without an inhabiter as a Ship perisheth without a Pylot and as the body dyeth being forsaken of the soule so all things goe to wracke and ruine without the diuine prouidence Lactantius lib. 3. cap. 20. As a Wagoner directeth his chariot and a Pylot his Ship so God guideth all his creatures Philo. lib. de Sommijs As we know that there is a soule in a mans body by the motion of the body albeit the soule be inuisible so God by his prouidence and ordering of all things is apprehended although by no eye hee can be discerned Theophilus Antiochenus lib. 1. ad Antolycum As an Eagle caryeth her young ones vpon her wings and as a mother carieth her child in her armes so God supporteth his Deuteron cap. 1. cap. 32. As God respecteth a little bird of the Sea called Alcyon that in the midst of winter he sendeth a calme for fourteene dayes which the Mariners call Alcyoâ— dayes till she hath hatched and fledged her young ones that the waues of the Sea may not trouble her nor destroy her brood so the diuine prouidence regardeth men in all their actions
body is lent them of Nature for a shorâ— time doe liue more temperatly and die more willingly Seneca As an euill â—ree cannot bring forth any good fruit as rotten and worm eaten seed cannot ingender any thing but like it selfe and as from a poysone and infected vessell wee cannot draâ— one drop of good wine so since oâ— lapse wee are not able of our selues â— produce any good worke but whaâ— soeuer springeth from vs sauoâ— reth of corruption and pollution As waxe cannot indure before the fire so mans righteousnesse cannot stand perfect before God As Merchants alwayes prayse and esteeme their wares and Marchandise more then they are wroth so man doth his vertues but when they are examined and prised by those which know them as by the Spirit of God and his Prophets they are altogether iudged as old â—ragges torne tied together and patched vp againe and as old images new gilded ouer which outwardly haue glistering shew but within are nothing but dust and durt or as counterfeit money which is of ill metall how goodly a print soeuer it haue Some dreame when they are asleepe that they haue found great treasure and haue a great ioy in it but after their wakning they see that all is vanished like smoke whereupon they vexe and grieue themselues so when man thinketh that hee is righteous this is a dreame which passeth through his Spirits and vanisheth as soone as hee â—s awake and deliuered from the darknesse of ignorance wherein hee was asleepe and buried The arke of the couenant was but a cubite and a halfe high the wheeles of the Cauldron were but a cubite and a halfe high now we know that a cubite and a halfe is an vnperfect measure so there is no man in this life perfectly perfect seeing that the very highest is as the Arke in Moses Tabernacle or as the wheeles in Salomons Temple but a cubite and a halfe high perfectly vnperfect when he beginneth vnperfectly perfect when hee endeth Euen as the silkeworme keeps her body spare and empty and vseth to fast two or three dayes together that sâ—ee may stretch out her selfe the better and spin her threed the finer so man must endeuour to bring vnder his body and as I may say to dyet it for the nonce that hee may no longer weauâ— the spiders web but with the silkâ— worme spin a new threed As the Viper perceiuing her old skiâ— to bee so stiffe that shee cannot easily stretch out her selfe in it strips it quitâ— off so wee which are by nature â— generation of Vipers must strip off our old skinne and perceiuing wee cannot well doe our endeauour and stir our selues in the armour of Saul we must with Dauid put it off and put on the armout of light As Fletchers to make their shafts flie steadily peece them with Sugarchest or Holly o such like heauy wood so we must adioyne to that Aspe or Seruice tree or such other light matter which we are all made of the sweete Sugarchest of the Holy Ghost that we may not bevnsteady as arrowes of Aspe nor yet slothfull in seruice but feruent in Spirit seruing the Lord. Saint Amâ—rose reporteth that the Bee being to flie home to her hiue and fearing least if shee should be taken by the way with the wind she might perhaps be blowne about in the ayre counterpeises her selfe with a little stone and so flyes straight home soâ—we must build our selues â—pon the chiefe corner stone and be grounded vpon the rocke and established with grace that howsoeuer the raine fall or the floods arise or the winds blow or what times soeuer come yet we may stand fast in the faith of Christ. As Euâ— deceiued Adam so the flesh deceiueth man Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducis peccatorum The Moone being in the wane is againe renued so is man after his death at the last resurrection The Sunne appeareth againe after it setteth so doth man at the sound of the Arch-angell The Sunne the Moone the Starres the Sea the Earth Trees Herbs 〈◊〉 Beasts and among these Bees 〈◊〉 and Shell fishes doe forefeele and foresee a tempest so should man forefeele and foresee his owne danger Plinius lâ—ibro 8. cap. vlâ— As things that are bred vpon the earth are for the vse and commodity of man so one man should bee for another As a vessell is knowne by the sound whether it bee whole or broken so are men proued by their speach whether they be wise or foolish Good MEN. AS the Laurell tree is not subiect to lightning nor hurt with the fiers violence so the iust man in the fire of tribulation is neither hurt nor impaired but alwayes continueth fresh and greene Stella de contemptu mundi As in the winter a fruitfull tree cannot bee knowne from one that is vnfruitfull so in this World a good man can scarcely be discerned from an euill man Vermas sua Past. 〈◊〉 ockell and darnall springeth vp â—â—ong good corne so euill men grow vp with good men and righteous people with vngodly folke Cyprianus contra Demetrianum As a Bird soone getteth out of a snare so good men if the fall soone rise againe Origenes hom 5. in Psal. 36. As the light of a candle is dimmed by the brightnes of the Sun so al the works of good men are obscured by the perfection of Christ. Orig. hom 9. in Ezech. As wrestlers for a prize sustaine heat sweat dust labour so good men for a crown must beare many things patiently Chrysost. hom 1. dâ— resurrectione As we say that that is a good body that can indure heate and cold hunger and thirst so wee say that he is a good man that can generously and valiantly beare all the inuasions of sorrow and griefe ibidem hom 5. de patientia Iob. As a rich subiect compared to a wealthy King seemeth poore so the best men compared to holy Angels are found sinners Idem hom 4. in 1. Timoth. As the vnderstanding of a sinner is more and more darkened so the mind of a good man is more and more enlightened Idem hom 18. operis imperfecti In the vineyards of Engaddi there is a Tree that when it is pricked ointment commeth out of it but if it be not pierced it smelleth not so fragrantly so it is with a good man Ambrosius in Psal. beati immaculatiserm 1. As a house built vpon a Rocke stands firme against all tempests so a righteous man building himselfe vpon the Rocke Christ stands strong against all the stormes of Sathan the World and the Flesh. As a tree that is planted by the water side spreadeth out the roote vnto moistnesse neither can the heate harme it when it commeth but his leafe continueth greene so a good man that is planted by the waters of Gods grace spreadeth out himselfe vnto euery good worke neither doth the parching heate of persecution hurt him nor the pinching cold of aduersitie benumme him but he alwayes remaineth fruitfull The gifts of Men
that eateth wood in the night shineth and maketh a crackeling but in the day time is knowne to be a Worme and putrifaction so also Vaine-glory shineth glistereth with great pompe in the night of this world to weake and dimme eyes which cannot iudge but by outward appearances but when that cleare and bright day of iudgement shall come wherein God shall reueale the darkest and obscurest things of our soules and shall manifest the secret counsels of ou◠〈◊〉 then those that seemed happy and glorious shall bee knowne to bee â—ilthy and vile and without any hope of saluation Lodouicus Granateâ—sis in lib. de septâ—m Meditationibus Meditatione quinta Braggers THey that are hungry are more prouoked with appetite if they see others eate so braggers are more inflamed with glory when they heare others extolled As many riuals snarle about one loue so they iarre that affect glory and prayse by one thing idem As a Chamaleon is fed with none other nourishment then with the ayre and therefore shee is alwayes gaping so popular applause doth nourish some neither doe they gape after any other thing but vaine prayse and glory As in times past Horostratus and Manlius Capitolinus did and in our age Peter Shakâ—rly of Pauls Monarcho that liued about the Court. As thâ— Moone is sometimes bigge sometimes small and sometimes is not seene at all neuer continuing in one estate so Braggers that place their prayse in 〈◊〉 mouthes are someimes extolled as great personages and sometimes depressed as base peasants and sometimes they are no body and sometimes some body as it pleaseth their slipperie tongue to make them Beruardus sâ—rnâ—one de Natinâ—â— Ioan. Baâ—tistae Gratitude AS wee doe not grudge to giue the pawns backe when the goods are restored so let vs not grudge to restore and repay thankes to God for the benefits that he bestowes vpon vs. Plut. in Moralibus As wee repay Vsurers their money with gaine so let vs repay both God and man Seneca As Beanes and Lupines doe not make the ground leane where they grow but doe fat it so a gratefull man doth make his estate the better of whom hee hath receiued a benefit and rendereth as good as hee receiued Plin. lib. 18. cap. 14. cap. 1â— â—odem lib. A learned man is learned albeit hee hold his peace a valiant man is valiant albeit hee hold his hands a good Pylot is skilfull albeit he be on drie land because they are men of perfect skill and nothing is wanting vnto them but opportunitie to shew it so is he also a greatefull man that is onely willing to requiâ—e and regraciate albeit he hath none other witnesse of it but his owne kind and thankefull mind Seneca de benefic lib. 4. cap. 21. As our Ancestours haue left their learned writings vnto vs their posterity so we should not onely be gratefull â—o one age idem cap. 30. As glory doth rather follow them that flie it so the fruit of a benefite is more gratefully repayed vnto them that doe not expect it Idem lib. 5. de benefiâ— As it is meete that we â—arden them-that vnwittingly haue offended so they are not to be repayed thanks that haue benefited vs of necessitie Cicero libro 1. de inuentione As fertill fields doe render more then they receyued so should a gratefull man in repaying of thankes Hesiâ—dus Cicero lib. Offi. Ingratitude AS Swine eating Acornes vnder an Oke neuer looke vp that they may see from whence they come so vngratefull men receiuing benefits from God neuer cast vp their eyes to heauen to giue him thanks Lodouicus Granatensis lib. 1. Ducis peccatorum As he is exceeding vngâ—acious that hauing receiued large and ample gifts of a king which then forth with mustered vp an armie and setteth vpon the King so is that man most vngratefull that with those same benefits which God hath bestowed vpon him moueth warre and seâ—â—eth himselfe against him ibidem As it is a wickednesse intollerable if a married woman should giue all her ouches tablets rings chaines eare-rings and bracelets which her husband gaue her that shee might bee beautified with them and so please him to an adulterer that she may allure him to her loue so it is ingratitude vnsufferable if man spend and consume his fortitude strength health and riches which God hath giuen him to glorifie and honour him withall vpon euill workes and most filthy and dishonest actions ibidem As Iuy cleauing to the boughts of trees is raysed aloâ—t through the helpe of another so base peasants mounting aloft through the countenance of mightie men become a meanes to strangle them of whom they were promoted Plut. in Moralibus The stone Siphnius being heated in oyle waxeth hard otherwise it is very soft so some are made worse by beâ—efits As hee is an ill Father that giues his daughter to a diuorced man as he is an ill housholder that commits his goods to a spend-thrieâ—t as he doates that leaues his Sonne to a couetous Gardian so is hean ill benefactor that bestowes his benefits vpon thankelesse persons Seneca lib. quarto de ben cap. 27. As that seruant is exceeding vngracious that hauing recieued kindnesse of his master for his ill deeds if he repay ingratitude so is that man exceeding faultie that for all his misdeeds done against God receiueth benefits and yet remaineth thanklesse Basilius in 2. ad Timoth. hom 5. As a husband louing his wife tenderly to make his affection knowne vnto her bestowing vpon her many great presents of Gold and costly iewels is very heauie if shee dissemble the gifts which hee hath bestowed vpon her and say shee hath purchased them by her owne money so God can in no wise bee pleased with vs if wee will conceale or else attribute to our selues the graces which hath bestowed vpon vs which he would haue to be testimonies tokens and demonstrations of the inuiolable loue and fidelitie that hee beareth vnto vs. As Alexander Phrygius who of Poets is commonly called Paris was ingratefull to Menelaus and to the King of Sydon who had giuen him friendly entertainment as Dictys Cretensis writeth in his first Booke de Bello Troiaâ—o in stealing away the ones wife and treacherously killing the other so M. and D. Brutus C. Cassius Câ— domitius C. Trebonius Q. Tulliuâ— Cimber they two Seruilij Casca Hala and many others were very vnthankfull to Iulius Caesar who slue him with three and twenty wounds in the Senate house albeit he had laâ—ely pardoned them for their fighting against him on Pompeys side as saitâ— Appian in his second Booâ—â— of Romane ciuill warre As the Romanes sufferâ—â— P. Scipio Aphricanus the first whâ— defended them from so many perils most miserably to dye in Lynterâ—um so the second Scipio Aemilianus Aphricanus for all that he subdued Carthage and Numantia which refused to become tributaries to the Romans found in Rome a murtherer but not a reuenger As the Athenians were ingratefull to Theseâ—s and Solon
As Xenophon admonisheth wee should especially remember to honour God in prosperity that if at any time need and necessity fall vpon vs we may boldly goe vnto him as being already our friend so thoâ—e sayings which may cure the diseases of the mind are long before to be prouided that when wee haue need they being familiar vnto vs they may easily helpe vs. idem As fierce and â—â—â—ell Dogges barke at euery noise but are quieted onely with that voyce they know so the diseases of the mind when they rage cannot bee restrained except the sayings and admonitions bee knowne and familiar which may correct them being moued idem As a sicke body can neither endure heate nor cold so a sicke minde is alike offended in prosperity aduersity idem They that cast and vomit sailing vpon the Sea in a ship doe thinke that they should bee better if they went out of that ship into a foist or gally but it is to no purpose they carrying about with them fearefulnesse and choler so they in vaine doe change the course of their life who doe beare about with them the diseases of them inâ— idem To them that be sicke all things are tedious and troublesome they loath their meate they accuse their Physitions and are angry with their friends but their health being restored all things are pleasant vnto them so to a sicke minde euery kind of life is vnpleasant but to a sound mind no kind of life is vnpleasauâ—t idem One Cough doth not breed the consumption of the lungs but that which long continueth so one errour doth not forthwith beget a disease of the mind Seneca As some doe alwayes carry about with them precious stones against diseases bewitchings drunkennesse thunder and lightning against ruines and such like euils so it behooueth vs to haue alwayes at hand some precepts of Phylosophy against the diseases of the mind as against lust anger ambition couetousnesse and such like The HEART EVen as he that would 〈…〉 an harpe or any other instrument of Musicke ought before all things to haue his strings well tuned that they may fitly and melodiously agree one with another so it is necessary also that our heart seeing it is the chiefe instrument of that heauenly Musicke bee first well tuned and prepared for there can bee no harmonious consort in a iarring and vntuned instrument Lodouicus Granat lib. de deuotione As milke and many other meates are so delicate and daintie that the very ayre doth taint them and make them vnsauoury and the vntemperatenesse of the aire as some affirme doth put a Lute or a Harpe out of â—une so great or without doubt much greater is the tendernesse and daintinesse of mens heart and is troubled for lesser cause ibidem Enen as the sight of the eyes is hurt with a small thing and the brightnesse of a glasse is stained and obscured with a little breath so a much lesser chaunce and a much lighter hurt is enough to dimme the brightnesse of our heart to darken the eyes of our soule and to disturbe together with our deuotion all our affections ibidem As painters are wont first to mundifie and whitelime the table in which they paint so also the table of our heart is first to be wiped and whited in which tâ—e image of God shal be pictured and formed ibidem As an handmaid that worketh in the presence of a Queene standeth before her Lady with great grauitie with presentnesse of mind and orderly composition of body making notwithstanding neither losse nor delay in her worke so the heart of man hath such aptnesse and promptnesse that with due reuerence and attention it may bee lifted vpto that Maiestie which filleth Heauen and Earth not omitting nor neglecting any of those things it doth ibidem As there is nothing which doth more stirre vs vp vnto good then the vigour and strength of the heart so there is nothing which doth more extinguish heat and feruour in vs then the weakenesse and fainting of the same ibidem As that is the best way to driue danger from cattell to keepe them from feeding in dangerous places so also it is needful that wee doe if wee will driue away the dangers of a scrupulouâ— heart ibidem Euen as a stone is moued more swiftly when it approcheth nearer his Center as the Philosophers say because it now beginneth to tast and feele the vertue and conueniencie of his naturall place so also mans heart created of God is more strongly moued when it now beginneth to feele and tast somewhat of his Creator ibidem As a moorish and fenny lake doth send forth many grosse vapours which doe so darken the aire that scarce any thing can be seene clearely in it till the Sunne dissolueth them so our heart doth cast forth such mists and foggs of cloudy cogitations that nothing can be well discerned in it vntill they bee dissipated and disseuered by the heate of deuotion ibidem As the heart is the beginning of all our workes so according to the qualitie and affection of our heart such also is the qualitie and affection of our works proceeding from it which thing also wee see in water flowing from a fountaine if the fouâ—taine be muddy and troubled but if the fountaine bee cleare and bright the water will bee so too ibidem Euen as a yong set or slip cannot be grafted into a tree vnlesse first that branch bee cut off into whose place it is to bee inserted so the diuine will cannot be grafted into our heart vnlesse first our owne will be lopped away for these two willes are contrary the one to the other ibidem Euen as water of his owne naturall motion doth alwayes slide and drop downwards and if any one desireth to hinder that passage hee profiteth nothing for it will seeke for some corner or chink which it may break through so also our heart is alwayes ready bent to all kind of pleasure so that if silence be imposed vpon it and any one thing bee denied vnto it forth with it sweâ—leth and rageth now winding this way now that way seeking for a vent and neuer resteth till it hath satisfied the lust ibidem As working vessels are preserued from breaking by vent so wofull hearts are deliuered from bursting by words The stone Tirrhenus so long as it is whole swimmeth but being once broken sinketh so the heart of man being once broken it soone sinketh and being diuersly distracted it is easily ouerwhelmed Almightie God concerning the East gate of the Temple saith thus This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entered by it so although the heart of a Christian which is the temple of the holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet must keepe the East gate the most illuminate and highest power and part of it continually shut against all men yea against all the world and
capitall crime to killa Storke for none other cause but because shee killed Serpents and in England Kites are spared by an act of parliament because they purge Cities of garbage and entrals of beasts so honour and dignity is to be bestowed vpon some not that they are worthy of it but because their diligence is necessary for vs. Falling starres are suddainly extinguished so those that fortune hath suddainely aduanced are in a trice cast downe Plut. Meteors soone breed soone vanish so in honors and dignities those that are soone vp are soone downe As that which falleth from an high loft maketh a great noise and is heard of all so hee that falleth from an high estate his ruine is euery where heard of Chrysost. hom 40. operis imperf As hee that presumeth to vsurpe hoâ—our not giuen him of God is worthy of blame so hee that putteth it from him being giuen vnto him is guilty of disobedience Idem 1. in 1. Timoth. As they that climbe vp a rotten adder are in danger of falling so all â—onour power and glory which is contrary to humilitie doth endanger the possessour Climacus de discretionâ— gradu 26. As wise men doe not estimate the valour of horses by their trappings so neither doe they value great personages by their honours and dignities but by their vertues Isidorus de humilitate tomo primo Honour AS he that stands on a high Tower if his foote but slip is in danger of a shrewd fall so hee that sits in honours seat As the Iuy winds about an old dry Tree to make it saplesse so doth honour circle thee to leaue the accountles As there is nothing that flies away more speedily then a shadow so there is not any thing more vnconstant then 〈◊〉 As the Viper being burnt to ashes is good to heale the biting of a Viper so if thou beest beaten with worldly honours and vanities desiring likewise to be healed thereof remember that thou must returne to ashes the very corruptible matter whereof thou wast made As the first Adam lost honor by pursuing and following euill so the second Adam got honour by auoyding and â—schewing it As the Iron must first be well heated in the fire ere it can bee wrought by the hammer and driuen out on the anuile so cannot thy fame and name be honourably enlarged till they haue first suffered the strokes of many temptations and through the fire of piercing trials The purest wine gets soonest into the head which makes a wise Lord or ruler of Seruants when he sees any of his followers seeke to disorder themselues with drinking of the best wine that they shall abate the strength thereof with water euen so is the will of God when fauour of men and worldly regard doe trouble the sences and ouermaster our wits that they should bee qualified with the water of more prouident respect namely those blames and defects which depend vpon them When Aâ—tiochus entred the Temple hee tooke away the lights and the candlestickes euen so worldly fauor no sooner enter into our thoughts but it extingusheth all light of knowledge of our selues As things caried aloft by the winde the wind no sooner ceaseth but they fall to the ground so it fares with them who without desert and by the fauor of men are highlie promoted when fauor slacketh down-fals their dignity in a miserable case is he that hath no better assurance As the snowe in summer and as raine in haruest are not meete so is honor vnseemly for a foole As euery crown doth not become euery conqueror so euery honour doth not become euery man Plut. As a great Collossus and a huge statue ill poysed are easily subuerted so too much honour through enuy doth ouerthrew many Plut. They that heape honours and glory vpon an euill man doe giue wine to one sicke of a feuer honey to one oppressed with choler and meate to one troubled with morbus coeliacus which encrease the disease of his mind that is his foolishnesse Plut. Nobilitie AS faith is very rich but without works quite dead so nobility is good but if not accompanied with vertue most base and infamous Stella de contemptu mundi As of one roote springeth both the Rose and the brier so of one mother may descend both a bad Sonne and a good for a man may be borne of a noble birth and yet himselfe become vile and dishonorable ibidem As in fertill earth growes the Hemlocke which is a venemous and deadly hearbe and in the barren growes the pure Gold so oftentimes out of honorable house issues degenerate minds and out of base Stockes proceeds valorous thoughts ibidem As he is a foole who hauing at all no beauty in him will neuerthelesse extoll his owne beauty and perfection euen so as foolish is hee that beleeues himselfe to bee noble not hauing any part of nobility in him As of a bitter roote many times comes sweete and pleasant fruite so from a poore race may issue some to be famous and noble by the vertuous behauour which afterward shall renowne them Ibidem As grosse clowds couer the Sunne Moone and Starres and robs men of their celestiall splendour so the vices of them that are vertuously descended obscure the worthy actions of their famous forgers ibidem As brickes take their beginning from clay so nobility tooke her beginning from obscure parentage Gregorius Nyssenus apud Antonium monachum in Melissa As it nothing profiteth a muddy â—â—uer to haue sprung from a pure fountaine so it nothing helpeth vicious Children to haue descended from noble houses Hector Pintus cap. 16. Ezechiel As he that is borne a foole is borne a slaue so hee that is borne a wise man is noble borne And therefore Anâ—isthenes said very well that nobility did soly and onely consist in vertue and wisdome whereupon the Stoikes concluded that onely wise men were noble men As estimation many times springs from the foolish opinion of the people and not from desert so doth nobility Lodo Viues in introductione ad Sapientiam cap. 3. As little Crab fishes doe hide themselues in great empty shels that they may bee the more safe so some distrusting their owne strength and vertue doe protect themselues vnder the noble titles of their ancestors Erasmus As no bird can looke against the Sunne but those that bee bred of the Eagle neither any Hawke soare so high as the brood of the Hobby so for the most part none haue true sparks of heroicke maiestie but those that are descended from noble races As the wine that runneth on the lees is not therefore to be accompted neate because it was drawne of the same peece or as the water that springeth from the fountaines head and floweth into the filthy channell is not to bee called cleare because it came of the same streame so neither is hee that descendeth of noble parentage if hee desist from noble deeds to be esteemed a Gentleman in that hee issued from the loynes of a