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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51986	Fair warnings to a careless world in the pious letter written by the Right Honourable James Earl of Marleburgh, a little before his death, to the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Pollard, comptroller of his Maties houshold. With the last words of CXL and upwards, of the most learned and honourable persons of England, and other parts of the world.	Pollard, Hugh, Sir, 1610-1666.; Lloyd, David, 16315-1692.; Smith, Henry, f. 1665.; Marlborough, James Ley, Earl of, 1618-1665.	1665 (1665)	Wing M686; ESTC R1009	20,131	51

Miraris hominem ad deos ire Deus ad homines venit nulla sine Deo mens bona c. Et hoc habet argumentum divinitatis quod illum divina delectant nec ut alienis interest sed ut suis i.e. The soul hath that argument of its divinity that it is most pleased with divine speculations and conversed with them as with matters that neerly concerned it and when it hath once viewed the dimensions of the heavens contemnit domicilii prioris angustias Sir CHRISTOPHER HATTON A Little before his Death advised his Relations to be serious in the search after the will of God in his holy Word For said he it is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent Knowledge to understand the Law of the Land and the Customs of a Mans Countrey how much more to know the Statures of Heaven and the Laws of Eternity those immutable and eternal Laws of Justice and Righteousness to know the will and pleasure of the Great Monarch and Universal King of the World I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandments O God are exceeding broad Whatever other Knowledge a man may be endued withal could he by a vast and an imperious Mind and a Heart as large as the Sand upon the Sea-shore command all the Knowledge of Art and Nature of Words and Things could he attain a Mastery in all Languages and sound the depth of all Arts and Sciences could he discourse the Interest of all States the Intrigues of all Courts the Reason of all Civil Laws and Constitutions and give an Account of all Histories and yet not know the Author of his Being and the Preserver of his Life his Soveraign and his Judge his surest Refuge in trouble his best Friend or worst Enemy the Support of his Life and the Hope of his Death his future Happiness and his Portion for ever doth but sapienter descendere in infernum with a great deal of wisdom go down to Hell FRANCIS JUNIUS A Gentile and an Ingenious Person as he was reading Tully de Legibus fell into a perswasion nihil curare Deum nec sui nec alieni till in a Tumult in Lyons the Lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent death so that he was compelled to acknowledge a Divine Providence therein And his Father hearing the dangerous ways that his Son was mis-led into sent for him home where he carefully and holily instructed him and caused him to read over the New Testament of which himself writ thus Novum Testamentum aperio exhibet se mihi adspectis primo augustissimum illud caput In principio erat Verbum c. When I opened the New Testament I first light upon John's first Chapter In the beginning was the Word c. I read part of the Chapter and was suddenly convinced that the Divinity of the Argument and the Majesty and Authority of the Writing did exceedingly excel all the Eloquence of Humane Writings My Body trembled my Mind was astonished and I was so affected all that day that I knew not where and what I was Thou wast mindful of me O my God according to the multitude of thy Mercies and calledst home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold And as Justin Martyr of old so he of late professed That the power of Godliness in a plain simple Christ wrought so upon him that he could not but take up a strict and a serious Life The Earl of LEICESTER IN Q Elizabeth's days though allowing himself in some things very inconsistent with Religion came at last to this Resolution That Man differed not from Beasts so much in Reason as in Religion and that Religion was the higest Reason nothing being more rational than for the supreme Truth to be believed the highest Good to be imbraced the first Cause and almighty Maker of all things to be owned and feared and for those who were made by God and live wholly upon him to improve all for him and live wholly to him Agreeable to the Apostle Give up your Souls and Bodies unto him which is your reasonable Service SOLOMON KEpt his wisdom he pursued such manly and noble delights as might not vitiate but rather improve his intellectuals Eccles. 2.1 2 3. I said in my heart Go to now I will prove thee with mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanity I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doth it I sought in my heart to give my self unto wine yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom and to lay hold on folly till I might see what was that good for the sons of men which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life Again his wisdom was furnished with variety of subjects to enquire into he had magnificence and provisions suitable to the greatness of his Royal minde sumptuous and delicate Diet under the name of wine vers 3. stately Edifices vers 4. Vineyards and Orchards yea very Paradises as large as Woods vers 5 6. Fish-ponds and great Waters multitudes of Attendants and Retinue of all sexes mighty herds of Cattel of all kindes vers 7. great Treasures of Silver and Gold all kindes of Musick vocal and instrumental Further Solomon exceeded in all these things all that ever went before him Vers. 9. Moreover as he had the most abundant so likewise the most free undisturbed unbated enjoyment of them all he withheld not his heart from any there was no mixture of sickness of war or any intercurrent difficulties to corrupt their sweetness or blunt the taste of them Here are as great preparations as the heart of man can expect to make an universal survey of those delights which are in the creature and yet at last upon an impartial enquiry into all his most magnificent works the conclusion is they are but vanity and vexation of spirit vers 11. Which vexation he further explains 1. By the necessary divorce which was to come between him and them he was to leave all vers 18. 2. By his disability so to dispose of them as that after him they might remain in that manner as he had ordered them vers 19. 3. By the effects that these and the like considerations wrought in him they were so far from giving real satisfaction as that First he hated all his works for there is nothing that maketh one hate more eagerly then disappointment in that which a man expected When Amnon found what little satisfaction his exorbitant lust received in ravishing his sister Tamar he as fiercely hated her as he desired her before Secondly he despaired of finding any good in them because they beget nothing but travel drudgery and unquiet thoughts Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Saint POLYCARP WHen perswaded to swear by the Fortune of Caesar and blaspheme or

Fair Warnings TO A Careless World In the Pious LETTER WRITTEN By the Right Honourable JAMES Earl of MARLEBURGH a little before his Death TO The Right Honourable Sir HVGH POLLARD Comptroller of his Ma ties Houshold WITH The LAST WORDS of CXL and upwards of the most Learned and Honourable person● of England and other parts o● the world London Printed for Samuel Speed at the Rainbow in Fleet-street 1665. To the Right Honourable Sir HVGH POLLARD Comptroller of his Ma ties Houshold Right Honourable WHat influence our Saviours injunction to Penitents When thou art converted confirm thy brethren had on our honourable Convert's generous Soul appears from these words subjoyned to the Noblest Retractation that ever was made since that of S t Augustines And as many of my friends besides as you will or any else that desire it I pray grant this request What power the great obligation of friendship and the greater of doing good had on your Honours Goodness appears by the numerous Copies you were pleased to communicate with no less designe I am sure and I hope with no less success then the Reformation of a sinful Nation to gratifie the Curiosity of some persons therein the Piety of others and the general Wish of all becoming impossible by transcription a way by reason of the Carelesness of some transcribers and the Knavery of others not so exact as the Paper it self or its Author deserveth is endeavoured by Printing in either of which capacities what good soever it may do and it promiseth with Gods blessing not a little together with these other Papers of the same tendencie which demonstrate that men of all qualities whatsoever when they reflect seriously on themselves and the state of things without them in their last and best thoughts conclude that it is mans great interest to be seriously and strictly religious shall redound to your Honours account in that day wherein they that convert sinners from the errour of their ways shall shine as the Stars for ever I am Your most humble servant HENRY SMITH FAIR WARNINGS TO A Careless World A Letter from the Right Hon ble James Earl of Marleburgh a little before his death in the Battel at Sea on the coast of Holland To the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Pollard Comptroller of his Majesties Houshold SIR I Believe the goodness of your nature and the friendship you have always born me will receive with kindness this last office of your friend I am in health enough of body and through the mercy of God in Jesus Christ well disposed in minde This I premise that you may be satisfied that what I write proceeds not from any phantasing terrour of minde but from a sober resolution of what concerns my self and earnest desire to do you more good after my death then mine Example God of his mercy pardon the badness of it in my life-time may do you harm I will not speak ought of the vanity of this world your own age and experience will save that labour But there is a certain thing that goeth up and down the world called Religion dressed and pretended phantastically and to purposes bad enough which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its being The great good God hath not left it without a witness more or less sooner or later in every mans bosom to direct us in the pursuit of it and for the avoiding of those inextricable disquisitions and entanglements our own frail Reasons would perplex us withal God in his infinite mercy hath given us his holy Word in which as there are many things hard to be understood so there is enough plain and easie to quiet our mindes and direct us concerning our future being I confess to God and you I have been a great neglecter and I fear despiser of it God of his infinite mercy pardon me the dreadful fault But when I retired my self from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world I found no true comfort in any other resolution then what I had from thence I commend from the bottom of my heart the same to your I hope happie use Dear Sir Hugh let us be more generous then to believe we die as the beasts that perish but with a Christian manly brave resolution look to what is eternal I will not trouble you farther The onely great God and holy God Father Son and holy Ghost direct you to an happie end of your life and send us a joyful resurrection So prays old James neer the coast of Holland Your true friend MARLEBURGH April 24. 1665. I beseech you commend my love to all mine acquaintance particularly I pray you that my Cousin Glascock may have a sight of this Letter and as many of my friends besides as you will or any else that desire it I pray grant this my request King CHARLES the First HAd that sense of Religion upon his spirit as that the one act of passing the Bill for the Earl of Strafford's death and the other to the prejudice of the Churches of England and Scotland troubled him as long as he lived and brought him not onely to vow as he did before the most Reverend Father in God G. Lord Archbishop of Canterbury to do Penance for them but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing though it was but the little Assemblies Catechism against his conscience And when it was told him his death was resolved on he said I have done what I could to save my life without losing my soul and sinning against my conscience Gods will be done Sir WALTER RAWLEIGH AT the meeting usually held with the Virtuosi in the Tower discoursing of Happiness urged that it was not onely a freedom from Diseases and pains of the body but from anxiety and vexation of spirit not onely to enjoy the pleasures of Sense but peace of Conscience and inward tranquillity to be so not for a little while but as long as may be and if it be possible for ever And this happiness so suitable to the immortality of our souls and the eternal state we must live in is onely to be met with in Religion M r HOWARD AFterwards the Learned Earl of Northampton being troubled with Atheistical suggestions put them all off this way viz. If I could give any account how I my self or any thing else had a being without God how there came so uniform and so constant a consent of mankinde of all ages tempers and educations otherwise differing so much in their apprehensions about the being of God the immortality of the soul and Religion in which they could not likely either deceive so many or being so many could not be deceived And when it was urged that Religion was a State-policie to keep men in awe he replied That he would believe it but that the greatest Politicians have sooner or later felt the power of Religion in the grievous lashes of their consciences and dreadfulness of their apprehension about that state wherein they must

live for ever DAN HEINSIUS A Master as Selden expresseth it tam severiorum quàm amoeniorum Literarum History-professor of Leyden Secretary and Bibliothecary of the same University and appointed Notary of the Synod of Dort said at last Alas as to humane Learning I may use Solomon's expressions That which is crooked cannot be made strait We may understand it several ways First all our Knowledge by reason of mans corruption is but a crooked ragged impedite Knowledge and for that reason a vexation to the minde for Rectitude is full of beauty and Crookedness of deformity In mans Creation his Understanding should have walked in the strait path of Truth should have had a distinct view of Causes and Effects in their immediate successions but now sin hath mingled such Confusion with things that the Minde is fain to take many crooked and vast compasses for a little uncertain knowledge Secondly the weakness of all natural knowledge is seen in this that we cannot any way either prevent or correct the crookedness of the smallest things much less to make a man solidly or substantially happie Thirdly That which is crooked cannot be made strait It is impossible for a man by the exactest knowledge of natural things to make the nature of a man which by sin is departed from its primitive rectitude strait again to repair that image of God which is so much distorted when they knew God they glorified him not as God they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned 'T is the Apostle's speech of the wisest Heathen Aristotle the most rational Heathen man that the world knows of in his Doctrine confesseth the disability of moral Knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of Nature and made it good in his Practice for he used a common Strumpet to satisfie his lust Seneca likewise the exactest Stoick that we meet with then whom never any man writ more divinely for the contempt of the world was the richest Usurer that ever we read of in ancient Stories though that were a sin discovered and condemned by the Heathen themselves A second ground of vexation from Knowledge is the defects and imperfections of it that which is wanting cannot be numbred There are many thousand Conclusions in Nature which the inquisitive judgement is not able to pierce into nor resolve into their just Principles nay the more a man knoweth the less discovery he maketh into the things he knoweth Thirdly in much wisdom is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow In Civil wisdom the more able a man is the more service is cast upon him and the more business he runs thorow the less enjoyment he hath of time or liberty His eminence loads him with envie jealousie observation suspicion forceth him oftentimes upon unwelcome compliances upon colours and inventions to palliate unjust counsels and stop the clamours of gainsaying Conscience fills him with fears of miscarriage and disgrace with projects of humour and plausibility with restless thoughts how to discover prevent conceal accommodate the adversaries or his own affairs in one word is very apt to make him a stranger to God and his own soul. In other Learning let a man but consider first the confusion uncertainty involvedness perplexity of Causes and Effects by mans sin Secondly the pains of body the travel of the minde the sweat of the brain and tugging and plucking of the understanding the very drudgery of the soul to break thorow that confusion and her own difficulties Thirdly the many invincible doubts and errours which will still blemish our brightest notions Fourthly the great charges which the very instruments and furniture of Learning puts men to Fifthly the general disrespect which when all is done it findes in the world great men scorning it as Pedantry ordinary men unable to take notice of it and great Scholars are fain to make up a Theatre amongst themselves Sixthly the insufficiencie thereof to make up what is amiss in our nature the malignant property it hath to put sin into armour to contemn the simplicity and purity of Gods Word And lastly the neer approach thereof unto its own period the same death that attendeth us being ready also to bury all our Learning in the grave with us These and infinite the like considerations must needs mingle much sorrow with the choicest Learning Methinks I could bid the world farewel and immure my self among my Books and look forth no more were it a lawful course but shut the doors upon me and as in the lap of Eternity among those divine souls employ my self in sweet content and pitie the rich and great ones that know not this happiness Sure then it is a high delight indeed which in the true lap of Eternity is enjoyed Cardinal MAZARINE HAving made Religion wholly subservient to the Secular interest amassed to his own interest and person all the Treasure and Interest of Europe and managed the Crown of France for several years together discoursed one day with a Sorbonne-Doctor concerning the immortality of the soul and a mans eternal estate and then wept repeating that Emperours saying Animula vagula blandula quae abibis in loca O my poor soul whither wilt thou go Immediately calling for his Confessor and requiring him to deal freely with him and vowing ten hours of the day for Devotion seven for Rest four for Repasts and but three for Business saying one day to the Queen-mother Madam your favours undid me were I to live again I would be a Capuchin rather then a Courtier Cardinal RICHLIEU AFter he had given law to all Europe many years together confessed to P. du Moulin that being forced upon many irregularities in his life-time by that which they call Reason of State could not tell how to satisfie his Conscience for several things and therefore had many temptations to doubt and dis-believe a God another world and the immortality of the soul and by that distrust to relieve his aking heart but in vain so strong he said was the notion of God on his soul so clear the impression of him upon the frame of the world so unanimous the consent of mankinde so powerful the convictions of his conscience that he could not but taste the power of the world to come and so live as one that must die and so die as one that must live for ever And being asked one day why he was so sad he answered Monsieur Monsieur the soul is a serious thing it must be either sad here for a moment or be sad for ever ARISTOTLE A While pleased himself with the worlds eternity but going off the world that notion could not secure him from the trouble and fear of a God for on his death-bed he said Ensentium miserere mei SENECA THe greatest Courtier and richest Subject of his time in the world was sometimes dubious as to the future condition of his soul yet could tell his dear Lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it

renounce his Saviour said Fourscore and six years have I served Christ neither hath he ever offended me in any thing I have lived by him I will live to him Bishop USHER THat most learned and knowing Prelate after his indefatigable pains as a Christian a Scholar a Prelate and a Preacher went out of the World with this Prayer Lord forgive me my sins of Omission and desired to die as Mr. Perkins did imploring the Mercy and Favour of God My Lord BACON THat understood the World and himself as well as any man in Europe would say That a little smattering in Philosophy might tempt a man to be an Atheist but a through study of it would bring him back to be Religious And after variety of Fortunes in the World breathed ou● his Soul thus Sir JOHN MASON PRivy Councellor to King Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth whom some make Secretary of State setting him a little too high others Master of the Requests placing him as much too low upon his death-bed called for his Clerk and Steward and delivered himself to them to this purpose I have seen five Princes and been Privy-Councellor to four I have seen the most remarqueable observables in forreign parts and been present at most State-transactions for thirty years together and I have learned this after so many years experience that Seriousness is the greatest Wisdome Temperance the best Physick a good Conscience is the best Estate and were I to live again I would change the Court for a Cloyster my Privie Counsellers bustles for an Hermits retirement and the whole life I lived in the Palace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel all things else forsake me besides my God my duty and my prayer Sir HENRY WOTTON AFter his many years study with great proficiency and applause at the University his neer relation to the great favorite Robert Earl of Essex his Intimacy with the Duke of Tuscany and James the sixth King of Scotland his Embassies to Holland Germany and Venice desired to retire with this Motto Tandem didicit animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo being very ambitious of the Provostship of Eaton that he might there enjoy his beloved Study and devotion saying often that the day he put his Surp●ice on was the happiest day of his life That being the utmost happiness a man could attain to he said to be at leasure to be and to do good Never reflecting on his former years but with tears would say How much time have I to repent of and how little to do it in Sir THOMAS SMITH AFter he had many years served Q. Elizabeth as Secretary of State and done many good services to the kingdome particularly to the setling of the Corne-rate for the Universities discharged all affairs and attendants a quarter of a year before he died sent to his singular good friends the Bishops of Winchester and Worcester intreating them to draw him out of the word of God the plainest and exactest way of making his peace with God and living godly in this present world adding that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world until they were ready to go out of it My LORD BACON WOuld say towards the later end of his life that a little smattering in Philosophy would lead a man to Atheisme but a through insight into it will lead a man back again to a first cause and that the first principle of right reason is Religion in reference to which it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely for if the opinion of another world be not true yet the sweetest life in this world is Piety Virtue and Honesty If it be there are none so miserable as the loose the carnal and profane Persons who lived a dishonourable and a base life in this world and were like to fall to a most woful state in the next TERTULLIAN COme life come death I will worship none but God Almighty O Lord God Almighty receive the soul of thy Servant in peace who suffereth death for thy Cause and the Gospel ORIGEN IF my Father stood weeping upon his knees before me and my Mother hanging on my neck behind and all my Brethren Sisters Children and Kinsfolks howling on every side to retain me in a sinful life I would fling my Mother to the ground run over my Father despise all my Kindred and tread them under my feet that I might run to Christ. I am sayling with the Marriner through the boysterous Sea but shortly I shall be in the haven c. Help me with your prayers To my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my Hope and my Salvation I wholly offer up my soul and body I cast my self wholly upon his Mercy and Grace Sir THOMAS COVENTRY ONce hearing some Gallants jesting with Religion said that there was no greater argument of a foolish and inconsiderate person than profanely to droll at Religion It 's a Sign he hath no regard of himself and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest who playeth with life and death and makes nothing of his soul. To examine severely and debate seriously the principles of Religion is a thing worthy of a wise man whosoever turns religion into Raillery and abuseth it with two or three bold jests rendreth not religion but himself ridiculous in the opinion of all considerate men because he sports with his own life for a good man saith If the principles of religion were doubtful yet they concern us so neerly that we ought to be serious in the examination of them JUSTIN MARTYR HEre I stand before God and this honourable Audience and take him to witness that I never willingly and wittingly taught any false doctrine and therefore have I a good conscience before God and all good men I am sure that you and I shall come before a righteous Judge before whom I shall be as good a man as you pointing at the Accuser and I nothing doubt but that I shall be found then a true member of Jesus Christ be everlastingly saved Merciful Father Father of Heaven for the Lord Jesus Christ my Saviours sake receive my Soul into thy hands An Excellent PERSONAGES Sentiments for Religion IT may justly seem strange that true Religion which containeth nothing in it but what is truly Noble and Generous most rational and pleasing to the spirits of all good men should yet suffer so much in its esteem in the world through those strange and uncouth Vizards it is represented under some accounting the life and practice as it speaks subduing our wills to the will of God which is the substance of all Religion a thing too low and mean for their rank and condition in the world while others pretend a quarrel against the principles of it as unsatisfactory to Humane Reason Thus Religion suffers with the Author of it between two Thieves and hard it is to define which is most injurious to it that

which quarrels the principles or that which despiseth the practice of it And nothing will certainly more incline to believe that we live in an age of Prodigies then that there should be any such in the Christian world who should count it a piece of Gentility to despise Religion and a piece of Reason to be Atheists For if there be any such thing in the world as a true hight and magnanimity of spirit if there be any reason and depth of judgment they are not onely consistent with but onely attainable by a true and generous spirit of Religion But if we look unto that which the loose and profane world is apt to account the greatest Gallantry we shall finde it made up of such pitiful ingredients which any skilful and rational minde will be ashamed to plead for much less to mention them in competition with true goodness and unfeigned piety For how easie is it to observe such who are accounted high and gallant spirits to quarry upon such mean preys which onely tend to satisfie their brutish appetites or flesh Revenge with the bloud of such who have stood in the way of that airy title Honour or else they are so little apprehensive of the inward worth and excellencie of Humane nature that they seem to envie the gallantry of Peacocks and strive to outvie them in the gayety of their Plumes such who are as Seneca saith Ad similitudinem parietum suorum extrinsecus culti who imitate the walls of their houses in the fairness of the outsides but matter not the rubbish which is within the utmost of their ambition is to attain enervatam foelicitatem quà permadescunt animi such a felicity as evigorates the soul by too long steeping it being the nature of all terrestrial pleasures that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by degrees consuming Reason by effeminating and softning the intellectuals Must we then appeal to the judgement of Sardanapalus concerning the nature of Felicity or enquire of Apicius what Temperance is or desire that Sybarite to define Magnanimity who fainted to see a man at hard labour Or doth now the conquest of Passions forgiving of Injuries doing Good Self-denial Humility Patience under crosses which are the real expressions of Piety speak nothing more noble and generous then a luxurious malicious proud and impatient spirit Is there nothing more becoming and agreeable to the soul of man in exemplary Pietie and a holy well-ordered conversation then in the lightness and vanity not to say rudeness and debauchery of those whom the world accounts the greater Gallants Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness candour and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition then in the revengeful implacable spirit of such whose Honour lives and is fed by the bloud of their enemies Is it not more truly honourable and glorious to serve that God who commandeth the world then to be a slave to those Passions and Lusts which put men upon continual hard service and torment them for it when they have done it Were there nothing else to commend Religion to the mindes of men besides that tranquillity and calmness of spirit that serene and peaceable temper which follows a good Conscience wheresoever it dwells it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it Whereas the amazements horrours and anxieties of minde which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their Consciences to a violation of the Laws of God and the Rules of rectified Reason may be enough to perswade any rational person that Impiety is the greatest folly and Irreligion madness It cannot be then but matter of great pitie to consider that any persons whose Birth and Education hath raised them above the common people of the world should be so far their own enemies as to observe the Fashion more then the rules of Religion and to studie Complements more then the sacred Scriptures which alone are able to make them wise to salvation CHARLES the V. EMperour of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands after three and twenty pitcht Fields six Triumphs four Kingdoms won and eight Principalities added to his Dominions resigned all these retired to his Devotion had his own Funeral celebrated before his face and left this testimony of Christian Religion That the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that Courts were strangers to Sir FRANCIS WALSINGHAM TOward the later end of his life grew very melancholy and writ to the Lord Chancellor Burleigh to this purpose We have lived enough to our Country to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign it is high time we began to live to our Selves and to our God In the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands there must be some miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace Whereupon some Court-humorists being sent to divert Sir Francis Ah said he while we laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he preserveth us and hath patience towards us Christ is serious when he dieth for us the holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the holy Scripture is serious when it is read before us Sacraments are serious when they are administred to us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in hell and heaven and shall a man who hath one foot in his grave jest and laugh Don LEWIS de HARO AFter he had lived a great while the grand Favourite and States-man of Spain but with too little regard of Religion growing melancholy was taken up by a Wit of Spain for being Priest-ridden and troubling his head with those notions of the immortality of the soul and the state of the other world he answered him with Tertullian 's words Quaedam Natura nota sunt ut mortalitas animae pene plures ut Deus noster penes omnes Utar ergo sententia Platonis alicujus pronunciantis Omnis anima est immortalis Utar Conscientia populi contestantis Deum deorum Utar reliquis communibus sensibus qui Deum judicem praedicant Deus videt Deo commendo at cum aiunt mortuum quod mortuum Vive dum vivis post mortem omnia finiuntur etiam ipsa tunc meminero cor vulgi cinerem à Deo deputatuns ipsam sapientiam seculi stultitiam pronunciatam Tunc si haereticus ad vulgi vitia vel seculi ingenia confugerit discede dicam ab Ethnico Haeretice Count GONDAMAR WAs as great a Wit and States-man as ever Europe knew and took as much liberty in point of Religion till declining in years he would say as they say of Anselm I fear nothing in the World more than Sin often professing that if he saw corporally the horrour of sin on the one hand and the Pains of Hell on the other and must necessarily be plunged into the one he would chuse Hell rather than

Sin yea That what liberty soever he had taken he had rather be torn in pieces by will Horses than wittingly and willingly commit any Sin CALEACIUS CARACCIOLUS MArquess of Vico a noble Person of a great Estate and as great Relations lived a great while in Popery and at last left his Country his Estate and Friends to profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Moses judging it better to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season for he had respect unto the recompence of the Reward and endured as seeing him who was invisible SOCRATES BEing near his Death said thus Magna me spestenet Judices bene mihi evenire quòd mittar ad mortem necesse est enim ut sit alterum de duobus ut aut sensus omnino mors omnes auferat aut in alium quendam locum ex his locis morte migretur quamobrem sive sensus extinguitur morsque ei somno similis est qui nonnunquam etiam sine visis somnorum pacatissimum quietem affert Dii Boni quid lucri est emori c. Sin vero sunt quae dicuntur migrationem esse mortem in eas oras quas qui ante è vita excesserunt incolunt id multo jam beatius est te cum ab iis qui se judicum numero haberi volunt evaseris ad eos venire qui vere judices appellantur c. convenerique eos qui justè cum fide vixerint Haec peregrinatio mediocris vobis videre potest Ut vero colloqui cum Orphaeo Musaeo Homero Hesiodo liceat quanti tandem aestimatis Equidem saepe mori si fieri possit vellem ut ea quae dico mihi liceret invenire Quanta delectatione autem afficeret c. Ne vos quidem Judices ii qui me absolvistis mortem timueritis nec enim cuiquam bono mali quidquam evenire potest nec vivo nec mortuo nec unquam ejus res à Diis immortalibus negligenter c. ROBERT Earl of SOMERSET UNhappy in his good Nature would say often after he had lost the King and Courts Favour O the vanity of great Men who think it to be the chief fruit of their greatness to abuse their power insolently to the ruine of their Inferiours not remembring being blinded by their Passion that they have a Superiour over them to make them yeild an account of their unjust proceedings forcing them to make restitution with interest Farewel Riches welcome Poverty farewel Life welcome Death All that I have were it a thousand times more would I lose rather than speak one wicked word against God my Creator I yeild thee most hearty thanks O my God for this Gift of thy Grace that I can contemn and despise this frail and transitory World esteeming the Confession of Christ above all Treasures I shall not leave the Fellowship of these holy men with whom I lived in the fear of God and with whom I desire to dye and with whom I trust I shall obtain the Glory to come My Life is in thy hands O my dear God let it never be prolonged to the prejudice of thy Glory If my paces be few to walk my Journy to Heaven Lord give me Grace never to look back A little before he died he cried out horribly and that often Oh who will kill me and deliver me from these pains I know I suffer for the oppressions I did to poor men Let fire cross breaking of bones quartering of my members crushing my bones and all the torments that man and the devil can invent against me fall upon me so that I may enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ. Even at his departure he said O God the Father of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ through whom we have received the knowledge of thee O God the Creator of all things upon thee do I call thee I confess to be the true God thee onely do I glorifie O Lord receive me and make me a companion of the resurrection of thy Saints through the merits of our great High-priest thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. The Lord Chancellor EGERTON USed to say That to be profane was the simplest thing in the world for the Atheist and profane persons as it were lay a Wager against the serious and pious man that there is no God but upon woful oddes for he ventures his everlasting state the other hazards onely the loss of his lusts which it is his interest to be without or at the most but some short advantage and all the while is inwardly more contented and happie and usually more healthful and perhaps meets with more respect and faithfullest friends and lives in a more secure and flourishing condition and freer from the evils and punishments of this world then the Atheist doth however it is not much that he ventures and after this life if there be no God is as well as he but if there be is infinitely better even as much as unspeakable and eternal happiness is better then extreme and endless misery So that as an excellent person saith if the Arguments for and against a God were equal and it were an even Question whether there were one or not yet the hazard and danger is so infinitely unequal that in point of prudence every man is bound to stick to the safest side of the Question and make make that his Hypothesis to live by For he that acts wisely and is a thorowly-prudent man will be provided in omnem eventum and will take care to secure the main chance whatever happeneth but the Atheist in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation he hath made no provision in this case If contrary to his confidence it should prove in the issue that there is a God the man is lost and undone for ever If the Atheist when he dieth findes that his soul hath onely quitted its lodging and remains after the body what a sad surprise will it be to finde himself among a world of spirits entred on an everlasting and an unchangeable state IGNATIUS NIhil praestantius est pace bonae conscientiae There is nothing better then the peace of a good conscience Grace flowing from the blessed Spirit of God makes the soul like a fountain whose water is pure wholesome and clear for grace beautifieth and clenseth and so saveth the whole man IRENAEUS IF thou art backward in Repentance be forwards in thoughts of Hell the burning flames whereof onely the tears of a penitent eye can extinguish 'T is in vain to pray for the remission of sins without forgiving others we must not come to make an atonement with God before we make an atonement with our brother Nihil prodest verbis proferre virtutem factis destruere To set out vertue in words and by deeds to destroy the same is nothing worth CHRYSOSTOM TO know thy self is very difficult yet the ready way to Godliness As the eye can see all things but