1 Of Disloyaltie.

WHat our friends counsell vs, is left vnto our owne discreti­on, to do or leaue vndon▪ but what a Religious Prince commandeth, that [Page 2] of force must bee perfor­med; It is well said of Samuel, that Rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft, for as the Witch knowing the Deuill to bee the Fa­ther of lies, yet will trust him: So the disobedient knowing, that he oweth all good loyalty to the King, will yeeld none vn­to him: These haue made mercy a warrant for sinn, which is onely a warning from sinning, busying themselues (with Haman) to prouide their owne gallowes: Zimry, who slew his master, had no peace; the Earth cloue a­sunder, [Page 3] and swallowed vp rebellious Corah and his faction, it was at once an executioner and a graue vnto them: Plu­tarch well obserues, that all those who had any hand in the conspiracy a­gainst Caesar, did come to bloudy ends; and Cassius one of the conspirators, slew himselfe with the same Dagger wherewith he wounded Caesar.

They that resist shall re­ceiue to themselues iudge­ment, Rom. 13. 2. acqui­runt sibi damnationem, as the vulgar reades it; they doe not onely receiue, [Page 4] but pull vpon themselues heauy iudgements; Kings are Gods by deputation: he who resisteth their au­thority resisteth Gods or­dinance, for the powers that be, are ordained of God. Traianus is com­mended for that saying of his, when hee gaue the sword vnto a chiefe Offi­cer. Hoc pro me vtere, si iu­sta imperauero, contra me si iniusta: Yet Dauid would not lay violent hands vp­on Saul (though none of the best Kings) because he was the Lords annoin­ted. The rule of Augu­stine is good, Bonus si fue­rit [Page 5] qui tibi praeest nutritor, tuus est, malus si fuerit tentator, tuus est, & nutrimēta li­benter accipe & in tentatione approbare: Ser. 6. dev. D: sec. Mat. So there must be no rebelling: good Gouer­nors we must obey wil­linglingly, bad ones wee must endure patiently: Gods ordinance must not be resisted, no not for the personable crimes of those who supply the seat of Iustice, but rather bee obeyed, because they beare diuinity about thē, and the sparkes of Gods Maiesty remaines in some measure in euery Maie­strate.

[Page 6] The image and super­scription of a Prince stam­ped in base mettall is cur­rant among his Subiects, as well as that which is made in the finest siluer, though indeede it be not so precious. Saint Peter 1. 2. 18. admonisheth ser­uants, and vnder that title Subiects, to be obedient in all feare, not onely, to the good and gracious, but also, to the froward. Iulian was an infidell Em­perour, an Apostata, an I­dolater, yet the Christian Soldiers serued the Infi­dell Emperor; but when he would haue them worship [Page 7] Idols, they preferred God before him: In such a case it is better to obey God then man: Aug Hic con­temne potestatem, timendo potestatem. But when Iu­lian led those Souldiers a­gainst an enemy, they presently obeyed him, propter Domiuum eternum subditi etiam erant domino temporali: Aug. de Psalm. 124. If nothing plucketh downe sooner then that which promiseth an vn­timely ende; Let no man thinke that God wil leaue that vnpunished in vs, which he hath not par­doned in our betters.

2 Of Sermon-hearers.

I Obserue three sorts of Sermon-hearers, one of which, I may not vn­fitly call indifferent pro­fessors; these walke (like Nicodemus) in the twi­light of their Infolded Faith, and not vnlike that white liuered Iewe, Ioh. 9. which chose rather to conceale his knowledge of Christ then to bee put out of the Sinagogue; and so it fareth with euery lanus in Religion. These haue good cause to pray, that by their wilfull blindnesse [Page 9] they fall not with Iudas into that euerla­sting night, whilest for their euening repentance, their be found with God no place of acceptance. These Heare-Sermons, as trauellers in the time of the Law, might take Grapes, eate some for the present time, but carry a­way none with them.

A second sort are such, as being tempestiously carried with the violence of their owne affections, doe come to Church, as did the Athenians, to heare newes, whose itch­ing eares would haue [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] scratching doctrine; they thinke not the word of God to bee his power to saluation, except it be de­liuered by a Chaplaine of their owne choosing.

Such Ammons of the people cannot be perswaded to let any cakes goe downe but those of Tha­mars baking. If others looke but into the Pulpit, presently they cry out a­gainst him as those did a­gainst Paul. Quid vult se­minilegus dicere; They hold it lawfull to checke their Teacher, as they taunt their Tailor, if hee fit them not with a Ser­mon [Page 11] of the fashion.

The last in place, but the first in price, are zea­lous Protestants, who being backed by the ho­ly-Ghost, doe resemble their Father Abraham, with a fire in one hand, and a knife in the other, to figure their full resolu­tion, to affect what God affecteth, hauing their hearts bleeding at their eyes in sorrowe for their sinnes.

If a Rauen bring these men food with Elias, they will receiue and eate it. Dum cadunt eundo, ca­uent cadendo: they loose [Page 12] not the faculty of going, but learne to looke better to their feete by falling: though their braines should bee beaten out of their heads, yet the iusti­fying Faith is neuer ba­nished out of their hearts. They are as willing to suffer euill, as to receiue good at the hands of God: else were they guil­ty of charging God foo­lishly; like good N [...]aboth they are ready and wil­ling to defend the Vine with their heart-blood: whilst others (being but Comedians in Religion) act in voice & gesture di­uine [Page 13] vertues, but in the course of their liues renounce the persons and parts they play: These with Simeon take Christ in their armes by Faith, and carry him about in their liues by a holy con­uersation, hauing learned that the practike know­ledge of the Scriptures, is the perfect knowledge of them, and the art of do­ing that saues the soule.

3. Of Atheisme.

A Theisme not daring to say with Rabsaketh that our God decei­ueth [Page 14] vs, as an Imposture, like enuy creepeth close­ly, where it dares not ap­peare openly: In corde dixit insipiens non est Deus: Diagoras was but a foole for saying so; if hee had but asked the heauens they would haue told him that they are the worke of Natures God. The world is a faire table wherein God hath drawn and imprinted himselfe in so many Charrecters and legible letters, as the simplest man liuing may read and vnderstand the same, and by the great­nesse of the beauty of the [Page 15] creature may the Crea­tor thereof bee seene and knowne. Those who in old time were accounted Atheists, some of them ra­ther iested at the false­hood & number of their owne Idols, then denied the being of one true God. Socrates, who was pronounced by the Ora­cle of Apollo to bee the wisest man of all, was put to death for iesting at the number and multitude of Gods amongst the Hea­thens. Though there be some such fooles which suffer their hearts to bee diuorced from the know­

selfe is vnfruitfull, and like the Vine vnprooued, runnes foorth into many superfluous stemmes and branches: nothing on mans part but a holy and vertuous education can make it fruictifie; good­nesse, although it may be repaired in our selues, yet it cannot bee propagated vnto ours: very seldome doe men see the sonnes of excellent men, excel­lent: vice is propagated not vertue: Euen the clearest graine sends forth that chaffe from which it was fanned before the sowing.

[Page 19] Yet many Parents take more care to leaue their Children rich in goods then in goodnesse, by reason whereof, their ri­ches make them retch­lesse; For comming to their Inheritance too young, their heads being as full of folly, as their purses of money, They (like the Prodigall Son) consume all in riotous li­uing: so giuing their Pa­rents iust cause to com­plain, as Tiberius once did of his Sonne Caligula, that he had brought him vp to bee the ruine of his House. This mischiefe, [Page 20] good and Religious edu­cation will helpe to pre­uent: Socrates confesseth that with the study of Philosophy he had made dull and blunt his disho­nest inclinations; those infectious and venemous qualities which are in the springs of youth, the falt of good education will helpe to cure: for want of this, Parents, who haue named their Sons Caine, a Possession, in the end find them to be Abell, Losse and Vanity.

5. Of the Commons.

POpulari vento nihil in­constantius; for the Commons (as vnstable as quicksiluer) fawning on a man will make him a King to day, and a Beg­ger to morrow: Seianus in the forenoone was so fauoured and followed by the people, that they would haue made him their Caesar, yet hated him so much in the after­noone, that they sent him as a malefactor vnto pri­son; The same Antiochus was at one time saluted [Page 22] both [...] and [...] a glorious Prince, and a fu­rious Tirant. Homer (as blind as hee was) sawe as much; hee compares the disposition of the com­mon people to the stan­ding corne, there comes a puffe of wind & blowes it all on the one side, there comes another blast and swayes it as much on the other side. It is a fit com­parison made by that Kingly Prophet: It is the Lord that stilleth the rage of the Sea, the noise of the waues, and the madnesse of the people. Psal: 65. Agree­ing therein with the Pro­phet [Page 23] Esay, Chap: 17. 12. Where the nature of the people is compared to the billowes of the wor­king-sea that cannot rest; so easily set agog, so de­lighted with nouelties, so full of alteration & chang are the affections of the common people: The Mariner may aswell wrap vp the winde in his saile-cloth, and keepe it for another voyage, as the Prince can mannage the vntamed multitude; those mouthes which cryed, Hosanna, at the first, cryed out ere long, Crucifige.

6. Of bribing.

THe best Gouernours are not all-seeing Gods, for Gehezi wil haue a bribe, though he serue a most reuerend Master, of him none can expect a blessing, vntill with I­saack hee hath felt your hands; all his sences be­ing turned into feeling: He speakes to poore sui­tors, as that olde strumpet in Plautus did to a worne­out Customer of hers, (who asked dayes of pay­ment for his pleasure) oculatae nostrae sunt manus, [Page 25] credunt quod vident: peo­ple of our trade haue eyes in their hands, they be­leeue nothing but what they see. Petty Officers diue deepe into poore suitors purses, for spin­ning out a short subiect into a long matter, they doe bring in a large recko­ning for much needelesse writing; And yet as time­sellers, the Clarke causeth the poore Clyent to pay for expedition too, when the suite hath depended seauen yeares before: This often causeth both an ebbe and a flood both in an hower, the empty­ing [Page 26] of the Clyents purse, being the full, filling of the Clarkes, who like Ge­hezi when he receiueth a bribe, belieues hee recei­ueth a blessing: but as there lay a curse vnder Gehezi his hoping for blessing (as he felt to his own cost, when the Leprosie of Naaman cleaued vnto him,) So there is a curse vnder their blessing; For fire (as Iob speaketh) shall deuoure the houses of bribes, Iob. 15. 34. It was a worthy answere made by the Heathenish Prince Tiberius to a polling Cu­stomer of his, that thoght [Page 27] to haue highly pleased him with racking his sub­iects, and exacting great summes: Meum tondèri pecus volo non deglubi: It is the property of these vnder-hand dealers to pretend great husbandry for their Maisters, and dou­ble diligence in their ser­uice.

Vnder which colour they practise their iniqui­ty without check or con­troulement, I referre such to that threatning of the Lord in the Prophet. I will visit all those that stand vpon the threshold so proud­ly, which fill their Maisters [Page 28] houses by cruelty and de­ceit: Zephan: 1. 9. The Throne of King Salomon had Lyons carued about it to declare a kinde of Maiesty and grauity in the steppes of it; not Ra­uens, not Wolues, Birds and Beasts of prey. So should great mens ser­uants, and Officers of Iu­stice, bee Lyons in shewe for grauity; yet harmeles as those Images about Sa­lomons Seate, rather terri­ble to them that stand a­loofe, then hurtful to any who haue occasion to come neare.

7. Of Vsury.

THis sinne of vnlaw­full getting vnlawful gaine is as the forbidden Tree; for men hauing ma­ny honest Trades to get their liuing by Gods or­dinance, yet they vse in­direct meanes, turning the Princes tolleration into an imparatiue law, like them Math: 19. Who saide vnto our Sauiour, Moses commanded, when of force hee was faine to suffer diuorcements to a­uoide further inconneni­ences. This sinne is like [Page 30] Salomons louing of strang women. 1. Reg: both e­strange men and turne their hearts from the loue of God, and enrich their bodies with the sinne of their soules; for Faenus pe­cuniae, funus animae. This is hee who maketh some­thing of nothing, mauger the head of naturall Phi­losophy; for hee maketh that breede and encrease, which by nature is barren and vnapt to encrease. Ba­sil tearmes Vsury a beast of a strange and monste­rous nature, because in bringing foorth it differs from other Creatures, [Page 31] which hee sheweth be­cause other creatures haue a time to bring forth perfect young, but the v­surers money is borne to day, & to day begins to bring foorth. They say hat Hares (saith Basil: Hom: aduers. vsur.) at one time do litter, giue sucke, and are with young. So the Vsurers mony at one time is put to vsury, and borne, and breeding.

Albeit this sinne is con­trary to the feare of God, Levit: 25. 36. and 15. A forgetting of God. Ezech 22. 12. Albeit it shuts out from Gods Tabernacle, Ps: [Page 32] 15. And excludeth from Eternall Life, and made subiect to Eternall Death, Ezech: 18. 13. Yet hether­to all labour hath bin lost in washing this blacke­more.

8. Of Pride.

OVr Sauiour said that silken rayment was in Kings Courts, but now it is in euery priuate house where costly attire is v­sed as a net to catch King Salomons fooles; Pride (like a Dogge) hath lic­ked vp all the outcast fa­shions that euery Nation [Page 33] hath vomited.

If his Maiesty should banish (as did Licurgus) all inuenters of new fa­shions, I thinke the Land would bee much vnpeo­pled, The Prouerbe was, the garment must bee well made, that shall please all; but now it is, the garment must be well made that shall please a­ny at all.

Men now haue as much labour to clothe their Wiues, as Mercury had to cloth the Moone; Send they must to the In­dians for Silke to apparell them, for Pearles (the [Page 34] excretions of Shel-fish) to adorne thē; for Smells (the excrements of beasts) to fume and sent them; for Gold, (Iliater­rae) to deck and lace them; forgetting themselues to be Daughters of Adam, whom God at first turnd out in a plaine leather Suit.

And if any of these be chalenged for their ex­cessiue pride; they an­swere (as Iulia did) witti­ly, but not wisely; they haue a care of their hus­bands credit. In the mean time, it robbeth the Ma­ster of his money, the [Page 35] Mistres of her honestie▪ for these fleeces of vanity are banners of Pride and nests of lust, one weares a loosebodied gowne, an other a gowne with a loose body: Sometime the Husband is proud of his welath, like Haman, whose pride ended on a high paire of Gallowes: sometime of his wife, as Assuerus was of Vasthi for her beauty.

The Scripture menti­oneth but of one who painted her face, and soone after the doggs eat her; nor but two, who wore long haire, and it [Page 36] was the destruction of them both, which pro­ueth the Prouerbe true, that which men make their chiefe felicitie, doth often prooue their heauy desteny; Let no man fa­shion himselfe like vnto this world: howsoeuer foolish men (like Ierobo­ [...]m,) worship a golden Calfe; yet man, not God looketh on the outward appearance. He who with Iacob desireth to get the better blessing of our hea­uenly Father; must (as Ha­gar was commanded) humble himselfe: there is no nearer way to heauen, [Page 37] no not for Princes; for God resisteth the proud: God and pride cannot dwell in the same minde▪ which could not dwell in the same heauen: & pride once fallen from heauen, ascends no more from whence it is fallen.

9. Of Couetousnes.

IF wee may not trust in the person or power of Princes, who are stiled Gods, much lesse should mans confidence consist in their siluer pictures, seeing they either leaue vs suddenly like Crates [Page 38] coyne, or Iobs substance; Or we them, as did that ouerioyed Penny-father. Luk: 1 [...].

The wisest King did well compare the eager holding of wealth to a sore sicknes, which brin­geth paine to the partie and griefe to his good friends, God made the world of naught because men shuld set it at naught not choaking themselues with too much, nor suffe­ring others to pine with want, but the couetous not seeing what God hath in store for them, they take before-hand [Page 39] what the world offereth them, not caring how they get so they haue their desire.

The wealth of these men is vnto them, as the wings of the Grassehop­per wherewith shee can­not flie. It fareth with these men as it doth with the Sea-Eagle, Cum ferre quod coepit nequeat in gur­gitem demergitur, being not able to lift vp that which shee fastened on, she is drawne vnder wa­ter and drowned: Dum vultesse prado, fit praeda. Aug: of the couetous; of all, he is the most misera­ble [Page 40] man in the world; God abhorres him, hee speaketh good saith Dauid of the couetous whom God abhorreth: for the coue­tous man is an Idolater, Ephes. 5, 5. He adores grauen Images in his coyne, Sculpturam ipsius nummi colit: Heron: in Loc: O­thers worship Aurum in imagine, but the couetous doth adore aurum in aeru­gine. So Saint Iames spea­keth. Your Gold and Siluer is cankered, and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse a­gainst you. Iam: 5. 3. Hea­uen gates stand fast bard against him, amongst [Page 41] those who shall not inhe­rit the Kingdome of hea­uen. Saint Paul reckoneth Couetous, 1. Cor. 6. 10. the Swallowes dung of this world doeth so blind his eyes: that as hee seeketh not, so hee seeth not the way to the Kingdome of God. Fulgentius in his Fable of Midas (who de­sired Apollo, that euery thing hee touched might instantly bee turned into gold) is so called in Greek, Mida Quasi [...], be­cause couetousnes hath so blinded his eyes that hee cannot perceiue what is for his owne good, nor [Page 42] see to enter that Needles eye of Gods Kingdome: Men hate him, because he is nemini bonus, good to no man, He loueth to Rake, the Shouell he can­not indure, All his daies he eateth in darkenesse. Ecc. 5. 16.

Sleepe hee would but cannot, Et motae ad Lu­nam trepidabit arundinis vmbram: His saciety wil not suffer him to sleepe, Eccles. 5. 11. If hee saw a greater man then himself in the day time, he think­eth on him in the night, and feares he wil oppresse him▪ if hee saw a poorer [Page 43] then himselfe, hee cannot sleepe, for feare he should rob him: Out of these feares he starts vp, and as­keth, whether the doores be barred, where be the Keyes? at the least noise he calls vp his seruant, sends him then foorth, bolts the doore after him, and then studieth whe­ther it were better to keep within doores, or goe foorth and see.

Eate he may, but will not, one good meale, but at his neighbours table: corpus extenuat, vt lucrum extendat; hee feareth to eate, because hee feareth [Page 44] in Albertus, which dares not eate of the earth, for feare hee should want earth to eate.

If he eateh it is com­monly of the worst and coursest, like the Bakers boy, though hee hath White bread in his bas­ket, yet himselfe feedes vpon browne. Amongst his many wishes, one is (that Camelion like) hee could liue by the ayre: nothing can more vexe him then to heare that Corne falls, or that there is store of Danske Rye, then could he hang him­selfe, but that hee is vn­willing [Page 69] to cast away a lit­tle money to buy a Cord. What he enioyeth neuer contents him: Like an­other Ahab, hee is ficke of his next neighbours field: though his mouth be full of Siluer, yet like Peters Fish he is still byting, still gaping to get more.

His greedy affections are like vnto Pharaohs leane Kyne, of whom the Text saith, When they had eaten vp the fatt, it could not bee knowne that they had eaten them, but they were still as euill-fa­uoured as they were at the [Page 46] beginning: Gens. 41. 21. Vnto wealth hee estee­meth no way (whether it bee of fraude or vio­lence) to be indirect, for Gaine is his godlinesse: if▪ he haue goods enough, he thinkes hee is good e­nough. Trust him with the poores stocke, and like Iudas hee will robbe the poore: If he be then to cloth them, hee will doe as Hanun did with Da­uids seruants, 2. Sam. 10. Cut off their Garments by the middle and re­serue the rest for a horse­mans Coate for him­selfe when he rides to the [Page 47] Deuill.

Vntil this earthworme come vnto the earth, hee minds nothing but earth­ly things, like a Swine he neuer doth good till his death: as an Apprentices box of earth, apt he is to take all, but to restore none till hee bee bro­ken: And hauing made many beggers by Vsury & oppression in his life; at his death he will cōmand his Executor to build some Hospitall, as a mo­nument of his bloudy deuotion: After hee hath bought and sold Christ, hee will buy a Field to [Page 72] bury strangers in: I feare this man, whilest with Shemei hee runneth after his seruants, his riches, in forbidden wayes, in the end will loose himselfe.

10. Of the decay of Hospitality.

IT was St: August: com­plaint long agoe, and men may now take it vp: Religio peperit diuitias et fi­lia deuor auit matrem: For many Professors in these times haue made all the body a tongue, Ostentan­tes non Ostendentes pieta­tem, Abraham saide not to the rich man, Memento quod rapuisti, sed quod ac­cepisti: [Page 73] So that the euill vsing of what they haue shall be a witnesse against them, who notwithstan­ding their great professi­on, are but blessed thistles and haue suffered their handes to mocke their tongues: There is great reason that they should doe more good then o­thers; who haue recei­ued more goods then o­thers. Vnto whom-soeuer much is giuen, of him shall be much required, Luk: 12. 48. Moisture was not gi­uen vnto springs that they should remaine in the places where they were [Page 50] bred, but to be conueyed by Conduits to the wate­ring of barren and drye grounds.

And Plato that Diuine Phylosopher, had this con­ceit, that Nature at the first was deliuered of two Daughters, Plenty and Pouerty, to this ende, that the one needing might craue what shee lacked, and the other abounding might supplye all that wanted. Diues factus est propter pauperem, et pauper propter diuitem, pauperis est rogare, diuitis erogare▪ August: It is obserued of Ioseph of Arim athea [Page 51] who buried our Sauiour, that hee was a rich man, and the reason why our Sauiour would be buried by the handes of a rich man, was, to teach rich men that they aboue all others are bound to libe­rality and workes of mer­cy, because God aboue others hath blessed them with wealth, and plen­tie.

A dutie too much for­gotten by many men who N [...]abal-like, liue, as if they were onely borne to themselues and their Fa­milies. The Iacke hath turned Iohn out of doors; [Page 76] where in the former times (as at the poole of Bethesda) the Orphan, and the Widdowe, and the poore haue found comfort and reliefe: now (as to Lazarus at the rich mans gates) there is not any one to giue them crummes, for many haue left faire houses without any dwellers in them; The poore must treade their Winepresse, and yet be a thirst, they finde no more tast in them then in the white of an egg, Cum fame cruciantur Christi pau [...] peres, effusis largitatibus nutriunt histriones, saide [Page 77] Gregory of some in his time; their like we haue in ours, who when the poore are pinched with famine, they wastfully spend their substance on Rymers and Players; This is not dispensare, but dissipare, bona domini: the creatures by them abu­sed, the pot, the pillowe, the candle will accuse them that they haue bin vniust Stewards. These men should imitate Iob, as he did the Eagle, who is so honourable that hee eateth not his prey alone: the thing that keepeth rich men from giuing, is [Page 54] a faithlesse feare that they should lacke before they die, When Dauid neuer saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging their bread.

But so good is God vn­to them, that hee taketh them away in the mid­dest of their Mammon, ridding them of what they are afraide of, and prouiding for posteritie what they haue neede of. The Widdowe of Sarep­ta might haue answered Elias with her own want, The Macedonians might haue pleaded against St. Paul, that they had suffi­cient [Page 55] poore of their own to receiue their reliefe; but without delay these did minister to their ne­cessities; knowing well; hoc est hominem occidere, vi­tae, ei subsidia denegare. This it was that made our fore­fathers so open-handed as they were: with that good Samaritan they ne­uer passed by any woun­ded man, without some compassion.

To doe good, and to distribute, to lodge stran­gers they were not for­getfull, for thereby some haue receiued Angels in­to their houses vnawares, [Page 80] Heb. 13. 2. They knewe, Non quod abstulerit aliena, sed quod non donarit sua, the rich Glutton is not tormented in hell, for that he did hurt, but be­cause hee did not helpe poore Lazarus: when he did begge a drop of water in Hell to coole his tongue, God would not heare him, because when Lazarus begged of him on earth, hee would not helpe nor reliue him; Au­diant ista diuites qui nolunt esse misericordes; Audiant irrogari supplicia, qui no­lunt erogare subsidia. Giue vnto euery man that as­keth, [Page 81] is our Sauiours counsell, Luke 6. 30.

Plenty shall furnish the Table, where Charity takes away, and giueth to the poore. Rich mens goods (like those fiue Bar­lye Loaues and two Fi­shes which that little boy did beare Iohn 6.) Clausa onerabunt, reclusa recrea­bunt: Hee who deman­deth mercy, and sheweth it not, is like vnto him who ruines a Bridge, o­uer which hee himselfe is to passe.

11 Of Gluttony and Drunkennesse.

ALthough pot Com­panions be seldome good Trencher-men, yet here I will yoake these beastes together, they both vsurping Sobrieties Kingdome, as Adoniah did Salomons. There are in this Land an infinite number of these vaine persons, which passe vn­der the title of true Tro­ians and boon Companions: They will pay their Host for their superfluous [Page 59] drinke, sooner then for any other debt; whereby it comes to passe, that when mony faileth, they can drinke vppon their credit, chalke being as good payment with them as ready money. Their first Sacrifice is offered to Bacchus, they will bee in the Tauerne, or Tip­ling-house, before they come to Gods house.

These thinke no Wine good which is brought o­uer two thresholds; A­mongst them there is a kinde of accursed emula­tion, for the expert drun­kard, counts it a great dis­grace [Page 84] that another should be druncke before him, Mensuras sine mensura; Measures are now drunck without measure, healths without health. Habebi­tur aliquando ebrietati ho­nor, et plurimum meri ce­pisse, virtus erit, said Se­neca long since, the time shall come when honour shall bee ascribed vnto drunkennes, & to drinck much wine shall be held a vertue, that time is come, non hahet vlterius quod nostris potibus addat posteritas, there are those of whom wee may say that which was spoken of [Page 85] the Emperour Bonosus, Non vt viuat natus est, sed vt bibat. He it was who (hauing strangled him­selfe with a halter) was thus iested at by the peo­ple. Amphoram pendêre, non hominem: But woe to those who rise vp early to follow drunckennesse: Esai: 5. 11. Crates throwing his money into the Sea said, I will drowne thee, that I may not bee drowned of thee.

But Drunckards so drown their money, that themselues are drowned with it, Dum absorbet vi­num absorbetur a vino. A­mongst [Page 62] these accusationis occasio est (saide Hierom long since) adiuratum per Caesarem frequentius non bibisse; Who will not bee druncke for Caesar, is thought no friend to Cae­sar.

Our Sauiour seekes to beat men from this sinne with a take-heede vnto your selues. Luk: 21. 34. For this sinne robbes a man of himselfe, and laies a beast in his roome. Noahs nakednesse is seene in his Wine, drunckennes doeth both make imper­fections, and shewe those wee haue to the eyes of [Page 63] euery scoffing Cham: To whom is strife, To whom is woe? saith Salomon, E­uen to those who tarry long at the Wine: Prou: [...]3. 29. For Drunckards are com­monly quarrelsome. Bac­chus (tearmed by the Heathens the God of Wine) is painted with hornes, to signifie that druncken men are euer pushing and quarrelling. Men herein are like Ele­phants, If once made druncke, they presently growe angry, and fall a fighting: Alexander in his cuppes kild his deare friend Clitus: Saint Aug: [Page 88] ad fratres eremo. serm: 33. reports of a young man the sonne of Cyrillus, who being drunke, rauisht his Mother, kild his Fa­ther, and wounded two of his Sisters vnto the death. Nunquam egoebri­um putabo castum, said Ie­rome; A drunckard will soone become wanton. Saint Paul, hauing per­swaded from gluttony and drunckennesse, Rom: 13. 13. Addeth withall, neither in chambering and wantonnesse, noting that these birds of a fea­ther will flye together, for pascitur libido conuiuijs [Page 89] nutritur delicijs, vino accen­ditur ebrietate inflamma­tur. He that could not be tainted with vnclean­nesse in Sodom, was ouer­taken with Incest and drunckennesse in a Caue; drunckennesse is the high way to all bestiall affecti­ons and actions; It is therefore Saint Pauls ex­hortation, Be not drunke with Wine wherein is ex­cesse, Ephes. 5. for then a man is drawne to excesse, and led by the Diuell to commit any villany euen with greedinesse.

The Diuell in this is like your blacke-smith, [Page 66] when his Iron is red-hot, hee can then forge it vn­to what fashion himselfe pleaseth; So when a man is made hott with Wine, the Diuell can worke him then to any villany what­soeuer: Saint Paul yokes this swine with the co­uetous man, and excludes both these beastes from the Kingdome of God: some collect as much from the Greeke word, [...] which is the name of an intemperate man, he is so called saith Phae­uorinus, Quod non possit [...] because he cānot be saued, 1. Cor. 6. 9. I leaue [Page 67] this Brewers friend, and come to the Powlters, to Gluttons: As for them the Apostle maketh them plaine Idolaters, Phil: 3. 19. As the Babilonians v­sed daily to sacrifice to their Idoll Bel: so doeth the Glutton to his belly making this his God, and the graue wherein he bu­rieth all his substance, for venter vitae Caribdis: As Diogenes sometimes saide, the gut is a gulfe wherein many one drowneth all his Patrimony, Solebant Dijs construi templa, altaria erigi, &c. In former times men did vse to builde [Page 68] Temples, erect Shrines, maintaine Priests, to of­fer Sacrifice, and burne Incense to the Eternall Deity saide the Heathen, but the belly now hath eaten vp all these, for now many maintaine no Priests but a Cooke, and serue no other God but their belley.

Their chiefest care is to prouide meate for their bellies, and their bellies for meate, as Brewers ordaine drinke for their barrels, and their barrels for drinke: with Philoxe­nus they wish that their throats were as long as a [Page 69] Cranes necke, that the sweetnesse of their meats and drinkes might the longer abide. All their Faith is in the Kitchen, all their Hope in the Pan­tery, all their Loue in the Kettle; The Kitchen is their Temple, the Cooke their Priest, God their Cater, and their belley their God; Their exer­cise is walking to gett them a stomacke to their meate, as others labour to get them meate for their stomacke: With the Sodomites they feede themselues against the day of slaughter, which [Page 70] cannot be farre off: If you aske (sayth Seneca) why we die suddenly, it is be­cause we liue by the death of many creatures. And how can they liue long, Qui meris mortibus vi­uunt: The Fowles are more endaungered by these two-legged then by the foure-footed Foxes, and themselues may feare one day with their fellow-glutton to be most tormented in their tongues, because they haue offended most in their tasts: Nothing is more absurd then that E­picurean resolution, Let [Page 71] vs eate and drinke, to mor­row we shall die: As if wee were made onely for the panch, and liued that we might liue. Wee should say rather, let vs fast and pray, to morrow we shall die. A strong body makes thy death more violent; bestowe not then a costly roofe vpon a ruynous te­nemēt, or a mudde-wall: That mans departure wil be happy & easie, whom Death findeth with a weake Body, and a strong Soule.

12 Of Goods ill gotten.

NOthing is more hun­ted after in this world among many men then wealth and riches, as if store of Gold and Siluer were the onely Venison that could pro­cure a blessing; we make our selues drudges and slaues beneath all names of basenesse, to get a lit­tle white or redde earth, which haue made many prouder, none better for enioying them: and yet nothing is more vncer­taine then are riches: [Page 73] Quem dies vidit veniens superbum: hunc dies vidit fugiens iacentem. Saint Pauls aduise is not to trust in vncertaine riches 1. Timoth. 6. Fugitiuus est & ingratus seruus pecunia: quamvis seruorum adhibi­ta sit custodia, saepius tamen seruis persuadens cum ipsis fugit Custodibus: Chrys. Among other reasons, why Riches are so vncer­taine, one is, because they are ill gotten: There are those who grow rich and wealthy by the oppressi­on of the people. Iob speakes of a man who builds his house as the [Page 74] moath, Chap: 27. As a moath is made rich by spoiling the garments, bookes, and barkes in which it liueth, so there are those who grow rich and wealthy by deuou­ring the poore; thinking with Vespasian, that gaine is sweete howsoeuer got­ten: but wealth which is gained by vniust meanes (like Ionas his gourd) soone withereth: the ow­ners thereof are like Es­dras his visions, for a time goodly and glorious to behold, but in a moment vanished.

Hee hath deuoured sub­stance, [Page 75] and he shall vomit it saith Zophar of the Oppres­sor: Iob 20. 15. The mea­ning is that ill gotten goods lye vppon the con­science as rawe meate vp­on a sick stomacke: which a man is neuer well vntill hee hath cast it vp againe by restitution.

As Lewis the leauenth King of France did on his death-bed restore two Counties to the heyres of Iohn, King of Arragon, to which in his life time hee would neuer before condiscend.

As the Partridge ga­thereth the young which [Page 76] shee hath not brought forth, so he that getteth riches vniustly & wrong­fully, shall leaue them in the midst of his dayes, and at his ende shall bee a foole, 17. Ierem: 11. The Partridge, (saith Am­brose) maketh her a neast of stolne egges which she hath not layed, but as soone as the birds are hatched, the true mother calls them all away from their theeuish stepdame, so it is with the couetous and cruell man Incubat auro: Like a Hen that sits he may keepe his neast for a while, and sit at home to [Page 77] hatch more wealth by vniust & vnlawfull meanes: But when his Chickens are hatched, God the true owner of them will call them away, drawe them out of his belly, and none of his meate shall bee left, Iob: 20. 15. 21. He shall haue nothing to his po­steritie as some expound it; for what is gotten vpon the Diuels backe will surely be spent vnder his belly. Shee gathered it of the hyre of an Harlot, and they shall returne to the wa­ges of an Harlot: Mich: 1. [...]. What men get by Vsury, Fraud, Sacriledge, or Ex­tortion, [Page 78] Vsury, Oppressi­on, or somewhat else shall consume it; Talis substantia non est stabilis, aut ipsis inventibus est peri­tura, aut a malis haeredibus est dissipanda, Chrysost: in Math: The Eagle stole a piece of fleshe from the Altar, but with the meat she carried away a coale that set her neast on fire: who seeth not this verifi­ed in those who get their wealth by Sacriledge and vniust means, themselues & their heyres (like those who robbed the Temple of Tholossa) neuer pros­per afterward. Gaine so [Page 79] gotten may seem a sweet spoile: yet will it prooue as pernicious as Achans wedge; or as that lucklesse belt to Turnus which be­reaued him of his life, that otherwise should haue beene spared. So Christ when he would gracious­ly pardon, beholding the stolne cognizance of his Spouse, may take away his mercy, or adde a ven­geance further, (Pallas te hoc vulnere Pallas immo­lat) One torture more for this.

The Arke when it was in Dagons house, broke Dagons necke, our Arke [Page 80] hath so dealt with our Dagons, who with lay handes haue imprisoned it, where there is Gloria Patri, without a sicut in principio, there cannot be gloria filio nunc et in saecula: Gnipho the Vsurer (as Lu­cian faineth) lyeth in Hell lamenting his miserable estate, that one Rodochares an incestuous Prodigall did on earth cōsumne his goods wastfully, which hee with care and vniust meanes had scrapt toge­ther. There is a worthy obseruation made vppon the fortunes of the house of Desmond in Irelaud, [Page 81] that as Maurcice Fitz-Thomas the first Earle did first raise the greatnes of that house by Irish exacti­ons and oppressions: So Girald the last Earle did at last ruine and reduce it to nothing by vsing the like extortions: what op­pression and extortion shall get and build vp; op­pression, or extortion, or prodigality, will ruyne and pull downe, which may well be expressed by the olde Emblem of a Torch turned downe­wards with this word. Quod me alit extinguit.

[Page 82] That which doeth nourish and maintaine my flame, Euen that ere long doth quite put out the same.

13 Of Whooredome.

VVHoredome al­though a Ba­stard, yet mee thinkes it doth naturally father it selfe vpon Pride, while the harlot trimmed vp placeth her selfe in the door to cal in customers, and hauing impudently kissed a man in the streets, shee easily leadeth the willing Oxe vnto the [Page 83] slaughter. This sinne, though not so generally, is among many leawde ones as openly professed as some honest and law­full vocaton: by this craft (as Demetrius by his sil­uer Temples of Diana) many get their goods: some esteeme this sinne but a tricke of youth, De­tur aliquid aetati, non est crede mihi vitium, &c. As that vnwise Tutor some­times spake: youth must be borne withall, And to followe harlots it is not, trust me, a fault in young men, but by these tum­bling-tricks, they often [Page 84] breake their own neckes.

God neuer saide vnto Adam and Eue, increase and multiply before they were married, to shewe that God hath a curse, not a blessing; for that in­crease which is not law­full: Turdus sibi malum. The Adulterer doth bu­sie himselfe to worke his owne Babel: Vlisses was slaine by Telegonus his base son begot on Circe.

When Paris bestowed the Ball on Venus, shee gaue him backe againe Helena, who in the ende proued his ruine and de­struction; for Whore­mongers [Page 85] and Adulterers, God will iudge, Heb: 13. 4. Into this sinne men are often drawne by their eyes; Of Putiphars Wife it is saide, that she cast her eye vpon Ioseph and saide lye with me; Vritque viden­do foemina. Among other markes of false Teachers, Saint Peter sets downe this one remarkable, ha­uing eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease to sinne, 2. Pet: 2. 14. From whence some collect that the ve­ry chayre of Adultery is seated in the eye: but indeede the eye is but a Pipe to leade it to the [Page 86] soule, [...]: An nescis? oculi sunt in a­more Duces: Vpon this ground was founded that same wise and wholesome Law of Zaleucus of Locris, which commanded that the eyes of Adulterers should be pulled out, be­cause they steale away the heart, and guide, or coun­sell men to vncleannesse. The beauty of the daugh­ters of men betrayed the holy seed; they saw, and lusted: their sinne be­gan at their eyes; they looked, lusted, sinned, dyed.

As that Chalky brim­stone [Page 87] (spoken of by Pliny lib. 2. Cap. 105.) draweth & snatcheth fire vnto it selfe though farre remoued & distant from the same: so the eyes draw the fire of Lust to the Soule, in a farre larger distance; Vpon which considera­tion Alexander (who named the Persian maides dolores oculorum) refused to haue Darius wife (a Lady of incomparable beauty) brought before him, fearing least he who had lately subdued the Husband, should him­selfe in the ende be con­quered at the sight of the [Page 88] Wife. This it was that moued Iob to make a co­uenant with his eyes, not to looke vpon a mayde, for by them commonly, Sathan creepes into the Heart. This will one day bee the lasciuious mans complaint, I saw and lusted.

That Soule which de­sireth to flye Fornication must not suffer his eyes, with Dinah, to goe and see the maydes of the Countrey, for the minde of Man will conceiue great and little spots by the mediation of the eies, as Labans sheepe did their [Page 89] young, at the sight of the pilled rodds, which Ia­cob laid in the watring troughes.

14. Of Idlenesse.

THat Prouerbe is as olde in truth as it is in time, Otia dant vitia, Idlenesse bringeth much euill. This is the Mother of Adultery, If you would knowe why Aegisthus was an adulte­rer, In promptu causa est, desidiosus erat: When Da­uid speakes of sensuall men, he saith, Non sunt [Page 90] in laboribus, what was the issue? This was the cause They be so holden with pride Psalm. 73. 6. Wee know that Idlenesse was one of the sinnes of Sodome, this with others did help to lay her in the dust: whilst the Romanes had warres with Carthage, and ene­mies in Affricke, they knewe not what vices ment in Rome.

The time when the en­uious man did sowe his tares, was whilst men slept. The Crab-fishe (whenas the Oyster doth open her selfe) casteth a stone into her shell, and [Page 91] so not being able to shut her selfe againe, becomes a prey vnto the Crab. The Fathers apply this vnto the Deuill, when hee findeth men gaping and idle, hee casteth into them some stone of tem­ptation, whereby hee works their ouerthrowe: The slothfull man is the Deuils shop; there hee workes, euer busie when men are lazie. A wise and auncient Counsellor, sometimes of this King­dome, saw asmuch when he wittily rebuked the manners and customes of a strange Countrey [Page 92] not much differing from his own, but in the little, for that they first made thieues and taught them to steale, and after han­ged them vp: They made thieues saith hee, in that they suffered such a mul­titude of Seruingmen to be trained vp in ydlenes and pride, who after­wards being thrust out of seruice must needes bee driuen vnto thieuery, for then (like their fellowe in the Gospell) to digge they cannot, and to begg they are ashamed; many ruo into this vice out of wealth and abundance, [Page 93] these with the Nightin­gale hauing feathered their neasts sing no more: as vnprofitable are they vnto the world as Margi­tes, of whom it is said, that he neuer plowed, nor dig­ged, nor did any thing all his life-long that might tend vnto any goodnes. Their care is to seeke out merry company, and ydle pastimes to spend away time: If otherwise then (with Domitian) they fall to catch flyes; hauing wearied themselues in this spider busines, they get them out towards the euening vnto the fieldes, [Page 94] not to pray (like Isaack) but to prouide them a stomacke, which as they get vppon other mens grounds: So they study where they may allay it at other mens ta­bles, and there they lay a­bout them like the Priests of Bell, of whom it is said, they did eate and drinke vp all; For howsoeuer they are lesse then wo­men at their worke, yet at their meate they are more then men. Other ydle bodies there are who blame neede, when but for sloth they might worke and haue enough. [Page 95] These Caterpillers de­uoure the sweete which others haue swett for. If God would deale with these iustly, and men strictly obserue the A­postles rule, That he which would not worke, should not eate. 2. Thes: 3. 10. I thinke as many would die of I­dlenesse, as of sicknesse. Pitty it is that like Droan bees they should eate of the honny, or liue in the hyue, much lesse swarme and muster like the flies and frogges in Pharaohs Kingdome.

For these men God hath no blessing, it was [Page 96] not said, call the loyterers or ydle bodies, but Call the labourers and giue them their hire: Mat: 20. 8. And none but labourers had the penny; euery man must haue either a swea­ting browe, or a working braine. It was not Adams case alone, but it is the case of euery one in his calling, In sudore vultus. tui; those who were found ydle were rebuked with a Quid statis? God who hath made nothing to be ydle, can endure no ci­phers in his Arethmetick, no slothfull persons in his Vineyard: Adam was [Page 97] put into the Garden to till and dresse it; no soo­ner created but by and by he is set to labour,: Para­dise which was the store-house, was also his work-house, it serued not one­ly to feed his senses, but to exercise his hands; All his delight could not make him happy in an idle life, therefore no sooner made but by and by he is set to worke. Hee must labour, because hee was happy; much more must wee, that hereafter we may be. As for idle bodies, whenas like drun­ken seruingmen, they [Page 98] haue spent the allowance of their lights in ryot, they shall at last goe to bed darkeling, And then shall they weepe and howle, because they did not those things in time which belonged to their peace.

15. Of Cosenage.

THis Sinne, (like the Sunshine day, which deluded Esops Dogge) beguileth men of that they haue, with a vaine hope of that they neuer shall haue. And although [Page 99] euery day some buy repē ­tance too deare, yet one young Master, or other, is perswaded to pay a­forehand for the Pigge in the poake: for when the simple goe to Market, thē the Crafty get mony: and had I wist, comming al­waies at the last, com­meth euer to late, as Esau was sorry when hee had sold his Birth-right.

Great is the number of these subtle Foxes, who like the Deuill are alwaies compassing the earth, and dayly goe vp and downe seeking whō they may deuoure. [Page 100] These are sonnes of those Locusts, which haue fa­ces like the faces of men, but killing stings in their tailes: like Gnatts, after they haue made a sweet kinde of Musicke with their entising wordes, they euermore sting be­fore they depart. Not vnlike the Herbe Sardo­nia of which Solinus re­ports, that it maketh the eaters thereof to looke as if they laughed, but in laughing dye. Though many bee skilfull in this guilefull practise, yet A­chans wedge of Gold, & Babylonish garment, in [Page 101] the end shall worke his confusion; These Men with Perillus perish in their owne inuentions, their cunning at the last fayleth and leaueth them as Absoloms Mule left his rebellious Master betweene Heauen and Earth.

16. Of Swearing and Forswearing.

THere are many liuing that cannot tell how to begin to Pray, and know not when to make an end of Swearing, oaths [Page 102] striue for number with words, and no wonder, Impunitas transgressionum nutrix est; He is seldome corrected who blasphe­meth the dreadfull God: Some are of opinion that the sinne of that Israelite who was stoned for Blas­phemy, was only this, that he durst name that inef­fable name Iehouah: there feare could keepe them from mentioning the dreadfull name of God, our feare cannot bridle vs from abusing it; a sinne detested euen by the very Heathens. Among the Egiptians the common [Page 103] Swearer was to be behea­ded: The Grecians puni­shed it with losse of Eares: But our righte­ousnes should exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies, that so we may escape the iudgement denounced by the Prophet Ieremy, The Land is full of Adulte­ries, and because of Swea­ring the Land mourneth. 23. 10. The Light (not being a bare brightnes but a cleere discerner of things vnseene) doth well ex­presse and declare the na­ture and vse of an oath, which the Grecians call [Page 104] [...] of [...] for truth lyeth hidden; And the Latines note no lesse, in calling it, Iusiurandum, be­cause a trueth and no­thing but a trueth is to be sworne; as in calling it Sacramentum they im­ply the conscyence we should make of it; a mat­ter quite forgotten by our Knights of the Post; who (like Putiphars Wife) doe only shew the Garments of an honest Man to prooue their dishonest cause, being of Lysanders minde, who was wont to say Pueri talis, viri Sacramentis, [Page 105] Children must be decey­ued by Dice & Blanckes, Men by oathes.

Auncient Pleas passing by record, and latter con­trouersies Viua Voce, both seeme to say, that Men of lesse wealth and more ho­nesty are most worth. The rest haue sprung vp as Nettles & Thornes when God cursed the Earth. These Priscilia­nists are of great antiqui­tie, though neuer growne so shameles as now. Mo­ses prouided Legem talio­nis for them who would beare false witnes. The Iudges (saith he) shall [Page 106] make diligent inquisition, and if the Witnesse be found false, and hath giuen false witnes against his Bro­ther, then shall yee doe vnto him as he had thought to haue don to his Brother; Life for life, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth. Deut. 19. 18. As that decree argu­eth that in his time such vngodlines was feared; So the plot of Iesabel (who, writing to the Iud­ges commaunded them to set vp two wicked Men, Sons of Belial or Vnthrifts as some trans­lation hath it suborned Witnesses against the life [Page 107] of innocent Naboth) plainely sheweth, that this abuse was both knowne and practised by those who should rather haue sought out and pu­nished such Sons of Belial then haue made vse of their falshood. Iuuenal the Poet in his time deri­ded these lewd and loose companions, for betaking themselues to such pro­fessed villanie, and wished them rather to be Bro­kers of old Stuffe, Hoc sa­tius quam si dicas sub Iudi­ce, vidi, quod non vidisti: Any base Trade were far better then to affirme be­fore [Page 108] a Iudge, I saw that which thou neuer sawest: Faciant equites Asiani: Let the Asian Knights, renowned for Periury and false eui­dence, liue by that profes­sed villany; He thought it a disgrace for Romans, and wee may thinke such damned practises vnwor­thy to be named amongst Christians, except it be with reproofe and ha­tred: For the Lord him­selfe (who is a swift Wit­nes against false Swear­ers) will shoote at those with a swift Arrow: And as when the Elders left [Page 109] Susannaes cause in wrong sentence; Daniel tooke it in hand to right it with the ruine of those who did beare false witnesse a­gainst her: So when these wicked Men by their per­iury and falsehood, haue peruerted the seate of Iudgement and course of Iustice: God him selfe will take it in hand to de­cide it with the confusion of those, who mock at Iudgement and swallow Ini­quitie. Pro. 19. 28. For although with great pa­tience God beareth with this intollerable Sinne for a long season, yet [Page 110] Tarditatem supplicij graui­tate Iudicij recompensat, Gr: They shal not be vnpuni­shed for euer; Truely in this thing speaketh the Poet Tibullus.

This as it seemeth was fulfilled in Phillip King of Macedon his posteri­ty, whom Pausanias re­cordeth to haue fallen in­to [Page 111] many miseries and ve­ry great calamities, be­cause hee made no con­science to violate and fal­sifie his oathes: Eusebius in his 6. Booke 8. Cap: re­ports how three lewd varlets accused Narcissus a holy and reuerend Bishop of a haynous crime, and confirmed their accusati­ons with oathes; the first swore, If I lie let mee bee burned to ashes. The se­cond, If I report not the truth, let me be consumed with some cruell disease: The third, If I beare false witnesse, let me be smit­ten with blindnesse.

[Page 112] In processe of time, God punished their per­iuries by wrapping them in the same curses which they had wished to them­selues; The first, had his house fired in the night, wherewith he and all his family were burnt: The second had the Iaundice whereof he died most vn­comfortably: The third seeing the miserable end of the other two (though he repented and confes­sed the conspiracy,) yet hee lost his sight and be­came blinde with wee­ping. God in Iustice of­tentimes taks men at their [Page 113] word, and effects that which their lippes speake against their hearts. There is no better remedie a­gainst false swearing, then not to sweare at all; not to accustome our selues to swearing; admonitio non iurandi conseruatio est a pec­cato periurij. August: The admonition in Scripture not to sweare: is a pre­seruation from false and wrongfull swearing. As for those who make no conscience of an oath, but will sweare and forsweare for the wages of vnrigh­teousnes, I wish them no other punishment then [Page 114] that which Phillip of Ma­cedon inflicted vpon two of his Subiects in whom he saw no hope of Grace, Vnum a Macedonia fuge­re, alterum persequi iussit, He made the one of them to runne out of Macedo­nia, and the other to driue him, a faire riddance of them both▪ (as it is in the prouerbe) without a Ses­sions.

17. Of bad company.

HOwsoeuer Fishes li­uing in salt waters doe retaine a fresh tast, [Page 115] and neuer sauour of the brinish qualitie of the Sea wherein they are bred and doe liue. And it may bee true which Soli­nus reports of the Ri­uer Tigris in Armenia, that passeth many miles through the lake of Are­thusa, yet it neither min­gleth waters nor fishes with the lake, but is quite of another colour from the same, yet inficitur ter­rae sordibus vnda fluens, As siluer streames hauing any vicinity with putrifi­ed and infected soiles, are tainted with their cor­rupt qualities, and varie [Page 116] their sauours with the vaines of the soile throgh which they passe, so it fareth in the manners of men for the most part, if they among whom wee liue be infected with any sinne, we doe often sauor of their corruptions.

Rerum natura sic est, vt quoties bonus malo coniun­gitur, non ex bono malus melioretur, sed ex malo bonus contaminetur: Chrys: Such is the nature of things, that when a good man is ioyned with a bad, the euill is not bettered by the good, but the good corrupted by the euill. [Page 117] The Lacedemonians ve­ry wisely inquiring after the behauiour of their children, demaunded with what playfellowes they were lincked, not doubting but they would bee like vnto such, whose fellowship they fancied. Amicitiae vt pares quae­runt ita et faciunt, Friend­ship as it seeketh, so it maketh men alike in con­ditions.

Euen Ioseph by liuing in Pharaohs Court did learne to sweare by Pha­raohs life: Peter being a­mong the high Priests seruants did deny his Ma­ster, [Page 118] Quanto calescebatigne sacerdotali, tanto frigesce­bat amore diuino, The war­mer hee was by the high Priests fire, the colder he was in loue to his Master: Commisti sunt inter gentes, said Dauid of the people of God; what was the is­sue? and they learned their workes. If we be compani­ons to Ostridges wee shall sauour of their wildnesse, as they who sleepe with dogges, shal swarme with fleas.

One Corah did but kin­dle the fire of conspiracy, and presently two hun­dreth and fiftie Captaines [Page 119] brought sticks to increase it. A leawd man is a most pernicious creature, hee commonly drawes ven­geance vpon others, ei­ther by the desert of his sinne, or by the infecti­on of it. So venemous is wickednesse (especially, when it lights amongst Gods people) that one dram of it is able to cor­rupt the whole lumpe of Israel. Saint Paul there­fore giueth this whole­some admonition, Be not Companions with them. E­phes: 5. 7. For if wee liue with the froward, we shal loue frowardnesse. The [Page 120] sonnes of God by marri­ing with the daughters of men, were drawne from their former purity; these marriages did not beget men so much as wicked­nesse: Vitia ad vicinos ser­punt et contactu nocent: Se­neca. Sinne among men, like the rot among sheepe is of a catching and in­fectious quality: many haue fallen into a fashion of swearing, drinking, and theeuing, out of the euill practise of others: it is a hard matter for that soule not to fall into those vices vnto which the eies and the eares are invred. [Page 121] Swallowes would not come within Thebes, be­cause the walles were so often besieged, let not men, put on wings to flie into the company of those men whose manners are corrupted, for feare of de­struction: Be not partakers in her sinnes that yee receiue not of her plagues, Reuel: 18. 4. The reason why our Sauiour would not giue that Disciple leaue to goe bury his dead father, was (say some Diuines) least his vnbelieuing kindred (who would bee present at his fathers Funerall) should corrupt him againe, and [Page 122] so hee should die with them: bad men keepe o­thers from goodnesse as those dead carkasses did the Rauen from Noahs Arke: Runne wee then from these as Moses did from his rod turned to a Serpent; for if we ioyne our selues to Baal Peor: Like the Israelites, wee will eate the offerings of the dead, and bow down to their Gods. Num: 25. 2. 3.

18. Of Enuy.

ENuy in some sort is like the eye that seeth [Page 123] other things, but not it selfe; it is the canker of good mindes, reaching vp to the Crowne on the Kings head: For Atha­lia crying Treason, Trea­son, when Ioash was crow­ned lawfull King pointeth at all such as say; that is vnfit for others, them­selues would haue: it is as true of enuy as it is of loue that it will creepe where it dares not goe: Haman hath all fauour of the King, yet being at oddes with Mordecaie maketh the Queene her selfe a marke to shoote at, it is like a flye sucking sores to [Page 124] make them sorer: Felicity and vertue (which are the life of good men) are death to the euuious: pa­rū est si ipse sit faelix nisi alter fuerit infaelix: [...] and [...] are ioyned together by the Apostle, because Inui­dia [...]ons Cladium, enuy is the fountaine of murther: when I behold Enuy (as the Poet describeth her) to haue a pale face with­out blood, a leane body without moysture (like one of Pharaohs leane Kine) squint eyes, foule or blacke teeth, a heart ful of gall, a tongue tipt with poison, neuer laughing [Page 125] but when others weepe; neuer sleeping because she alwaies thinketh on mischiefe; I then abhorre this Monster: But when I consider the delicate food whereon the enui­ous man feedeth, I then abhorre and hate him: for the enuious man is fed with the daintiest food that may be: hee feedeth on his owne heart: for there was neuer Enuy that was not bloody, if it eate not anothers heart it will eate it owne. Socrates called enuy an impostume of the soule: Salomon, Prouerb: 14. Tearmeth it [Page 126] the rotting of the bones; it shorteneth the life saith Ecclesiasticus, 39. 24. A­mongst other euils God hath furnished Enuie with one onely profita­ble and iust quality. Au­thori incommoda, saith Ba­sil, the owner thereof is most plagued with it: As Aetna consumed it selfe, so the enuious man is burnt and consumed with the fire of his owne heart, Carpitque et carpitur vna, Hee biteth and is bitten a­gaine, and becomes his owne hangman. I leaue this moath labouring to extinguish the light of o­ther [Page 127] mens goodnesse I know in the ende hee will sindge his owne wings.

19. Of Flatterers.

FLatterers like the re­flection of a looking glasse, doe imitate any a­ction that you vse: their ende is to catch Dotte­rels. These liue of gentle mindes, honourable per­sonages, and worshipfull gentlemen, like Apes and Parrats, by shewing feats of actiuity, piping, wan­ton disoursing, and mag­nifying all that is done. [Page 128] Antisthenes said truly of them, Praestat [...] quam [...] incidere: for Rauens feede onely vpon dead carkasses, but Flatterers vpon liuing men. Of all wild beasts the Tyrant is the worst; of all tame beasts, the Flatterer, said Diogines. For a mans greatest ene­mies, are his greatest prai­sers: The tongue of a flatterer, saith Augustine, wounds worse then the hand of a murtherer.

The one killeth but the body, the other both bo­dy and soule, whereas it is the speech of the Spouse in the Cant: 2. Take vs the [Page 129] Foxes which destrooy the Vines. Ber: Vpon those words saith, Duo sunt vul­pium genera, There are two kindes of Foxes, the Slanderer, and the Flat­terer; these destroy the Vines, & bring destructi­on to the sonnes of men, the Flatterer tickleth his friends to death, stealing goodnesse from them by his intising speeches, as Absolon stole the hearts of the people by flattering words. This man is a friēd for his owne occasion. Like the Polipus hee tur­neth himselfe into any colour for aduantage.

[Page 130] For a crust this Spaniell will fawne vpon any man: but if a storme of afflicti­on beginnes to beat vpon thee, this sommer-bird sings no more: hee hath the persons of men in ad­miration because of ad­uantage: The Asse which carried the Egyptian God­desse, had many bared heads, and bended knees; yet none to the beast, but all to the burthen; if there be no honny in the gally­pott, these waspes will no longer houer about it, but flye and runne from it as Myce from an empty barne, or Lice from a dead [Page 131] body which hath neither heate nor moisture: they deceiue others and main­taine themselues (like To­bacco-sellers) with a litle smoake; it were no great iniustice with smoake to choake them: So Alex­ander Seuerus (a great ene­my to flatterers) serued one Turinus, who had craftily gottē many great bribes and guifts in ma­king the people beleeue that hee was of great au­thority with the Empe­rour, and could helpe them to whatsoeuer they sued for, whereof the Em­perour being certified, [Page 132] caused him in the open Market to bee fastened to a stake and there killed him with smoake. The Cryer thus crying to the people, Fumo pereat qui fu­mum vendidit, Smoake he sold, and with smoake hee is choa­ked.