such an obseruer more happy then by obseruing times of sowing and season of reaping yea then Rules of policie Precepts of Art course of the skies Lord or Lady Maister or Mistris yet most happy because hee shall see heare and knowe the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Heere is the end of Wisedome to inioy his louing kindnesse to know his wil to haue his Wages to worke in his Vineyard to receiue his penny to keepe his Sheepe to inioy his Rachell to heare his word to possesse his promises to liue in his feare to die in his fauour 4. Now for the attaining of this Wisedome to counsell and teach our selues and others wee must as the Husbandman carrie our seede abroade out of the Barne into the field and as he for his increase doeth as it were craue helpe of the Earth of the Oxe of the Plough of the Sunne of the Raine yea of the Marle and compasse thinges straunge to the seede so must wee seeke this wisedome abroad out of our selues in holy diuine books as in a fielde crauing helpe of the laborious diligent Pastor of the assiduous and daily reading and Prayer of the powerfull illumination of the Holy-ghost and of the hopeful euent successe and perpetuity of our diligence For our way to heauen is by compasse as the Israelites came into Canaan out of Egipt and the Lord doth exercise vs by windings and turnings and going out of the nighest way to humble vs for he could bring vs a nearer way to heauen to teach vs to value prize our calling at a higher estimate and rate for if the heathen coulde obserue that earthly knowledge was solde for sweat much more woorth is Heauenly wisedome euen water and bloud which our Sauiour indured for our sakes before we could bee conuerted Turne therefore your eyes to all things to gather this wisedom not onely to Heauen but to Earth to Men to Beasts to hel to seas to all For a Heauenly knowledge of earthly thinges will helpe to Heauen and an earthly knowledge of heauenly things will send to hell He that will first see the Sun when it ariseth must not like common fooles set his face to the East expecting her body but contrary let him sasten or rowle his eies Westward vpon the toppes of hils and Trees where hee shall see her shining before her selfe and that is as much light comfort and assurance as if he sawe her selfe euen so if wee turne our eyes from the inscrutable and vnsearchable Maiesty of the eternall Trinity look vppon the radiant beames thereof shining vppon the creatures wee shal sooner see both the beginning and ending of our wisedome then by dazling our weake sight and iudgement against the impenetrable body of his infinite goodnesse which yet in due time we shall behold if in the meane season we remaine contented and studious in his word workes and creatures Saint Basil to stirre vp the Christians of his time vnto an earnest and laborious searching after this Diuine Wisedome by familiar comparisons sheweth that euen in nature it shineth and in the works or writings of men we must also look for the same For saith he euen as Dyers in their tincture of Purple first set a Glosse by some flowers or other Artificiall inuention vpon their wooll and then after it hath bin well dipped and as it were stained and altred by that first colour which yet is not the same wherewithall and whereinto it is to bee changed then they cast into it the Purple or Scarlet which doeth worke the more easily and effectually vpon the substance to be changed and died euen so they which will seeke and find this perfect purple and Scarlet of diuine wisedom must first seeke it in the tincture of Nature of humane Inuentions Principles of reason that thereby the Diuine Oracles may more easily bring them to a perfect conformity with Iesus Christ their Heauenly Wisedome And whereas it might bee obiected that it is supersluous to seeke for these things which wee must forsake because they cannot continue when the better is come euen as Iohn Baptist giueth place to Christ and the shadowes of the Law to the substance of the Gospell The said Father answereth it by another comparison that although the fruit be the end of the Tree without which it were good for nothing but burning yet Est aliqua gloria frondium there is some glory and comely vse of the very leaues which shew the life of the Tree before the fruite buddeth and also couereth the fruit in the tendernesse thereof against the violence of storme tempest euen so humaine Learning although it faile like the leaues that fall hath glory and comelinesse in it and giueth much helpe Honour and Grace to this Deuine wisedome 5 Where first of all I cannot but taxe and reprooue them who hauing wit youth time health other helpes for their better and more easie accomplishment of this excellent quality if I may so terme it of Wisedome yet sit downe and spend out their miserable dayes in vaine pleasures which cost them more deare and most of all in the end I reade of a certaine Abbot who busying himselfe in building and other worldly occupations was reprooued by his foole in this manner ô stulte quid facis quid te in huiusmodi negotijs c. O foole said he what doost thou Why art thou so troubled with these laborious affaires Sit still foole sit still with thy good cheere in thy Parlour and thy Whoore in thy Bed-chamber and Sie seruias Deo quiete and so serue God in quietnesse This foole hath the most part of voluptuous persons to follow his Counsell for besides their bellies and their lusts they haue no study care or trauaile and that which is worst of all they liue in an outward seruice of God without remorse of conscience for their vanity and thinke they serue God very sufficiently quietly whereas God calleth to them euerie day in that renewed reproofe of the wicked man in the Parable who Bid his soule take his ease Thou foole this night God will fetch away thy soule from thee You fooles which though neuor so Nobly borne and bred nor neuer so richly prouided for with Lands liuely-hood and reuenewes what meane you to spend that most precious time and wast the means of youth in Hauks Hounds Edifices Buildings Horses Banquettinges and such like yea euen in labours and toyling at Cart and Plough Shop or Sea without respect of heauen or heauenly wisedome because you want nothing I tel you this yeare this month this weeke this day or peraduenture this night they wil fetch away your soule from you oh then one drop or dramme of heauenly Grace and Wisedome is worth a whole worlde of honour wealth ease and pleasure wherein you haue wallowed and destroied your selues 6 But seeing this worlde is full of Fooles which do not only come short of Salomon but plainely reproue him and such
their Housholdes for no man can euer serue or rule well the Church of God that hath not well behaued himselfe in the Domesticall and oeconomical life The wise Cato woulde haue the Housholder Prouidere familiae instituta cibos medicinam to prouide first for the maners secondly for the maintenance and lastly for the Medicine of their Families in the time of sicknesse What is meat and large allowance of fare and dyet to our seruants without good and Diuine maners What are Diuine good maners without maintenance What are both of them without health And what is it to liue in such a family where neither God is feared nor the labours of good seruantes regarded in time of sicknesse Surely let no man trust that Maister that forgetteth seauen or but one yeares seruice for one monethes sickenesse A vile Nature or Prodigality or worse is the cause heereof Be studious therefore of your families good and with Salomons Mother Seeke Wooll and Flaxe and labour cheerefully with the hands Be like a Merchants ship to bring foode from farre Rise early while it is Night giue your portion to the Housholde and the ordinary to the Maides Put the hande to the Wheele and your Armes to the poore and needy Consider Fields and Carpets fine Linnen and Garments and buy them so shall honour bee your cloathing and â—ou shall reioyce in your latter dayes But yet remember in all your labours that Almighty God be not forgotten for it is in vaine saith Dauid to rise early eat the bread of carefulnesse going late to bed except the Lord giue rest to his beloued You may with Elisha Plow in the field and follow the Oxen but if Eliahs Mantle bee cast vppon you you must forsake the Plough and follow the Prophets Our sermons are like his Mantle and they call you to heauen as that did Elisha to be a Prophet Matthew may sit in his Publicans Office but if our Sauiour call him away Hee must arise and follow him Al Trades of life are but Hand-maids to Religion therefore vaine are they which forsake the Mistresses which is Godlinesse her Table and Parlour which is the Temple for the Maidens webs and Worke-houses of lesse value and estimation 10 How shall they bee able to looke almighty God in the face which either feeling wealth comming vpon them or els in an ouer-carefull desire to bee rich and accounted laborious forsake the Churches and Altars of the Lord sildome visiting the holy Communion as a day-feast sildome comming to the Church as a Market wherein there is nothing gotten and as sildome mumble vppe their priuate Prayers without Deuotion Vnderstanding or Diligence Oh I say what account shal they giue vnto the Lorde for this drousie Lethargical negligence in their soules cases Al their care is for the shoo none for the foote all for the Hat and Feather none for the head all for the Badge on the sleeue none for the Wages in the purse all for the body that body and soule are both lost It is a comely thing to see a ship rigged and with spread sailes floating on the Waters obseruing also how one is at the Sterne another at the top and euery man in his place the winds moouing withall so it will continue in order and sayle surely but if either Pilot or Steersman bee wanting or other Marriner the Winds wil soone rend the sayles and the Shippe split against the rockes euen so it is a goodly thing and a royall to see a Man sayling to heauen hauing vnder him the earthly Waters though inconstant aboue him the windes of heauen if hee want not in him Reason vnderstanding Religion and Grace which are the Mariners that row and waft our soules to the eternall kingdom It is good therefore to lay hold on this and not to forget that For what shall it aduantage a man to win the whole world and loose his owne soule 11. Now I returne againe to the carefull Housholder who must looke to euery part of his possession as it is in my text Hay graine Catle and Seruants yea although he weare the Crowne It was an excellent saying of Alphonsus a King of Spaine Principis inane nomen nisi habet in aerario the name of a king or Prince is an idle thing if he haue not a Treasury to maintain it The Crowne is maintained by diligence by the Plow and the Common-wealth flourisheth vnder the same I will not nor may I meddle with Princes but I say that the name of a Housholder is an ydle thing without a storehouse more or lesse according to the proportion of the family more or lesse The kingdome of heauen is likened to such a store-house out of which the Lordes Family is replenished with things new old The Lorde hath his Apple Trees and Orchards and Sellers as hee telleth his Church to teach vs that store is no sore but sorrow commeth by the default therof When God himselfe made the world he made man last of all hauing first prouided all other things for him as the world roofed with the Heauens and floored with the greene Grassie earth stored with all fruits incessantly and successiuely growing one after other The Starres being his lightes the Creatures of all sorts being Seruantes and Tributaries to him the Angels of heauen his assured friends waiting on his safety euery bird singing melody to his prosperity so did the great housholder prouide for man euen before he was made so hath he continued his store working hitherto And seede time haruest cold and heat Winter summer day and night hath not ceased but shal remain as long as the earth shal endure So must wise Housholders prouide aforehand things honest euen before mariage Meat and houses clothing before children as the mother doth the swadling cloaths That out of the heards he may with Abraham fetch a Lambe or a Kid or an Oxe out of the Pastry with Sara fetch the Meale for the bread of strangers It is not good to want store and prouision at hande the Venison is best in the Parke and the Cattle in our owne and not in others mens heards WheÌ„ Isaac would haue Venison because it ran wilde Esau was long in taking it so Iacob came in the meane time with the tame Kid a thing in store and at hande and got away the blessing Euen so when necessaries are then to bee sought when they should be vsed it preuenteth both the thankes and the benefit and store bringeth both for Iacobs Venison though not true had both the blessing and the thankes Store at hand is like friendes at hande whereof Salomon saith A friend at hand is better then a Brother a great way off The ancient Egiptians were woÌ„t to hang or paint at their doors a Vulturs Wing in token of their Gentry The Romans the Spears Shields Swords and warlike weapons which their Antecessors had gotten by their
Feathers of Diuine promises into the hard pots of carnall mindes and there shall be no more rest then before But change the mind according to that saying Bee ye renewed in your minde and then the softnes sweetnesse goodnesse and quietnesse of heauenly promises more waighty then Feathers shall yeelde eternal rest to our soules 18 I wil omit to speak of vaine feare which taketh away the wit of man the feares of the wicked which are causelesse and easelesse declared in the folly of Phanax the Graecian who euer feared the fal of the Moone and did often in a foolish Prophetically pitty lament the destruction of the Ethiopians vpon whom he thought of necessity the Moone must fal but let men feare their falling into sinne and with sin into hell more then the fall of the Moone vpon the earth or a deere yeare cold Winter or wet Summer Againe I might speak against that carelesse sottishnesse and wilfull ignoraunce of those thinges which they daily hear and see like to one Amphistides which woulde neuer learne to tell aboue fiue or to know whether his father or mother bore him in her wombe such surely are those who wil not busie themselues with Diuine numbers and know not certainly God to be their Father or the Church to bee their Mother I will also omit to discourse against the folly of prophanesse in the soules fits wherein carnall persons hauing beene stung in their consciences by some guilt of sinne presented to their memory by some Text of Scripture or other person guilty and priuy to their offence they cast offal care of diuine sayings and iudgement yea peraduenture make away the person guilty to their crimes that he may neuer stand vp in iudgment against them These men are resembled vnto vs in that foole who beeing in his bed grieuously bitten with fleas did put out the Candle to the end they might not see him but his foole-ship was deceiued as afterward he found when hee wanted light to take them out of his bed Euen so they which thinke to procure rest to their secret bytings by killing the Witnesses of their crimes or extinguishing in them the little care they had of godlinesse shal be deceiued for not only they shall haue more plague but also want helpe and light to recouer a remedy when they woulde haue it 19 I will conclude all with another story against the preposterous folly of worldly men who first labour for earthly and then for heauenly things I do read of a Noble mans foole whose labour was to bring in woode to the Kitchin when hee came to the pyle hee would alway draw out vnderneath vpon which the whole pyle lyeth and let the vppermost alone which had beene more ready saying that hee would do the hardest labour first and then the easiest afterward And by no means could he be disswaded from this course but would spend more time in pulling out a sticke then hee shoulde haue done in carrying in an armefull So are the Children of this world they take the most and first paines for inferiour thinges which lye vndermost and let the superiour and heauenly thinges more easie to willing mindes which yet presse and keep downe the worldly things to be last and least regarded I referre my selfe to your consciences whether I speak not true if true whether you or he are more foolish Two parts there are in this Spirituall folly the first that men by giuing their first labours to the world which is vndermost like the foundation of a Wood-pile loose much time the world or wordly blessings come more hardly vnto them For I must euer rest in my sweet Sauiours saying Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things shall be cast vpon you And heauie things come more easily downeward then vpward therefore the Prophet telleth vs God remembreth the Heauens the Heauens the Clouds the Clouds the Earth and the Earth the people So al blessings must first be sought for in heauen and then as Agar we shal haue an Angell to direct vs to the Fountain of water on the earth Secondly another part of this folly is that we cannot be perswaded with this foole but that Heauenly thinges are more easily accomplished of all sorts then earthly and therefore he which is seuen yeares apprentice to a Trade and all little enough yet an houre in a Church at a Sermon is losse of time in Heauenly matters they may do it much sooner So one of you which liueth fifty sixtie or seauenty yeares and al that time laboureth in and for the Worlde thinketh it enough for heauen to haue a Minister and a few Prayers an houre or two before his death These are our cares and our Articles upon these we passe our time and venture our soules But ô Fooles How long will you delight in foolishnesse and hate Wisedome Bee wise as Serpentes bee innocent as Doues If you be onely wise for this world God wil destroy you None came to the birth of Christ on earth but the wise men in the East There were more men in the East but none of them looked vppe to heauen but these It is better you see to study on the Starres then the earth thereby wee are at least admonished to lift vp our heads and looke for Christ in heauen as those wise men did heare on earth We shal finde him wee shall see him for vnto them that Looke for him hee will appeare the second time to saluation You are all the children of wisedome you must iustifie her hearken to her complaint Can your hearts forbeare rending and yearning to heare her cry so earnestly ô Fooles how long will ye loue foolishnesse and scorners delight in scorning Be you turned at my Correction I will poure out my minde vnto you and make you to vnderstand my wordes Feare not the losse of any thing the lacke of that you haue she hath prouided all both house harbour meate Wine onely she wanteth you you she calleth Wisedome hath builded her house she hath hewen out her seauen Pillars Shee hath killed her fatlinges drawne her Wine and made ready her Table She hath sent foorth her Maides Viz the Preachers crying in the high places out of the Pulpits and saying He that is simple and destitute of vnderstanding let him come let him come and eate of my meate which I haue prepared and drinke of my wine which I haue drawne For sake your way ô ye foolish and you shall liue and walke in the way of vnderstanding 20 So cryeth Wisedome and let all her children and friends followe her yea not onely them to whom Dauid saith Bee you wise ô kings he you learned you that be Iudges of the earth But euery Maister euery Gentleman euery Cittizen euery husbandman euery Tradesman euery Labourer euery Man and Maid-seruant euery Olde and young man Receiue instruction not Siluer
cannot hope in him if wee know not our selues we cannot be humble and then we cannot bee blessed By the knowledge of our selues saith Saint Bernard wee Sowe in teares because we feele and see to our sorrow the defects of our Nature By the knowledge of God we reape in ioy because we feele and see and heare the plenty and copiousnesse of his Redemption therefore let vs go forth and carrie our seed weeping that we may return with our sheaues ioying and both for our knowledge and for our Humility neither with the Pharisies let vs boast our selues aboue others nor with the base multitude be contented to bee like others For in giuing Honor saith Saint Paule go one before another that is the rule of our Humility to wish with Martinus Turonensis that all our Vertues could bee concealed And again Couet the best gifts there is the rule of knowledge the best giftes are the greatest knowledge and the greatest knowledge if it be sanctified maketh the best men Difference of knowledge maketh difference of men and as Dauids grace and knowledge preferred him in the sight of God and Samuel before his Brethren thogh he were lower in stature and they taller and more personable men euen so God delighteth not in mens legs or strength but in their heart and soules The Angels are pictured not great but full of wings and wee that are in the last part and end of the world therefore lesse in our marriage bed then our Fathers in their Cradle let vs flye about the worlde about our calling vppe to Heauen with the wings of heauenly knowledge 2 Salomon therefore commandeth to bee diligent to knowe our Heards take heed to our flocks for they signifie but one thing Whereby hee meaneth that wee should informe our selues of al our possessions and not onely referre their care to our Balyffes and Stewards who many times take more paines to get our Liueries Badges then to doe vs seruice and deserts It is well obserued that Almighty God hath giuen euery mā a minde and a state equall one fit or at least fitted for another and no man is so poore but his estate is big enough to occupie his mind and set that on worke for a little with righteousnesse will keepe an honest man in action But if righteousnesse be absent what is then the condition of such a person Namely to busie himselfe in other mens affaires to talke of their liuings of their stocke of their pedigrees of their sonnes and daughters and seruants and of the prizes of Corne and Merchandize as if he had ten Characks at sea when he hath neither Money to buy nor ware to sell away This man is neuer a stranger but at home knoweth euery man but himselfe summes vp all mens reckoninges but his owne is eeuen with all accounts till he leaue himselfe euen nothing From the roote of this vanity ariseth the ydle humour of seeking after newes in Italy Spaine Fraunce Turkey Morocco or the Low-countries and wanting good matter hee coyneth some of his own then he posteth to one Lord or Ladye or other great person but of meane intelligence and there hee venteth the winde in his braine Such is the nature of mans minde my beloued as is the Nature of good ground if you Till Sowe it will it not bring foorth good fruits But if you Till it not and let it alone vnoccupied will it not bring forth weedes or Grasse Euen so our mindes sowed with knowledge of good discipline yeeldeth a happy haruest of honest faculties but let alone and not filled with some better matter becommeth stuffed with the wind of vain humours lying Tales credulous lies and vnprofitable discourse From hence also it commeth that men haue leisure to sowe debate by immagining faults where none are and discouering imperfections and follies of other men which lying hid in secret were better buriand forgotten then remembred For what cōmeth of it but shame to our Countreymen contentions in the Law troubling of the seates of Iudgement hatred and diuision among honest families exhausting of Treasure and setting the soule either wide open by malice to the deuill or closed vp by shaking off grace and shame This is the fruite of them that are ignorant of their owne estates and yet be turbulent discerners of other men the best is the world payeth them well againe For if they haue as many Maisters as they haue hearers euery one payeth him with hatred reuilings and reproaches so as hee laboureth without fruite Sowing the winde and reaping the Whirle-wind discouereth without thankes speaketh without credit eateth without welcome liueth without reputation or loue dieth without teares or pitty sauing it is pitty such wretches treade vpon Gods deare earth 2 But you beloued which either heare this or heare of this binde and buckle your selues to knowledge if it were possible of euery thing Art Trade and Occupation but especially of your estates without which a Christian is vnlike to God and shameth his profession which crediteth other men where onely he shoulde beleeue himselfe You haue but two things in your estate to looke into your soules and your Temporalties do in the one as you do in the other I read of one Pomponianus a Mantuan that he was in secret accused for denying the soule and at last as all secret faults shall bee renealed it came into the light and hee was called into Iudgement for it His Iudges demanded of him whether hee did belieue hee had a soule or no hee answered Negatiuely hee did not whereat his enemies and accusers reioyced his graue Iudges reproued him sharply and gaue sentence vppon him The Prisoner meruailed and told them they were too hasty for said he do you belieue you haue souls Yea said they al and accurse them that do not But said he do you no more then beleeue it saide they that is sufficient then saith he Non credosed scio I do not only belieue it as a thing absent but I knowe I haue a soule and faith giues place to knowledge So my beloued do not onely beleeue you haue Leases and Lands and Friendes and Cattle and goods and Soules but know it it is better to know then to beleeue it Heauenly thinges I must belieue till I may know but earthly things I must know or else I cannot belieue I will loue my Seruaunt for his obedience but I will not belieue or trust him for all my state Know your selues to be rich and doe not onely beleeue it know your selues to be Christians and do not onely beleeue it know your selues to be in the way to heauen for if you doe but belieue it you are deceiued Knowe your selues to haue Hope Faith and Charity report and opinion are many times false Faith is the beginning of life eternal knowledge is the perfection and complement Faith goeth before as Grammar before other Arts or as the scholler belieueth his Master but knowledge commeth after and eyther