I Am to write like to the report of a superficiall Traveller, who, passing thorow the confines of ignote Coun­treyes, registers onely the continents. I in like manner, being but superficially read, [Page 2] and presenting that which slight knowledge cannot ex­actly performe, like to such a Traveller must record by view, by reading, and some­thing by report; report of Centaurs and Gorgons I list not, I have seene no new found Land, nor read of Magellanick Earth, I speake of no such Parts. Partes ho­minum mihi sunt, my Trea­tise shall be reasonable and confined onely to the facul­ties of reasonable man, such as inchoats his happinesse in this world, and consummates his blisse hereafter. Virtutes sunt, and those Cardinall; Cardinall if Peraldus mistake not for foure Causes. Peral. Primò propter stabilitatem, ut Cardo stabilis manet licet ostium in eo vertatur: sic hae quatuor [Page 3] virtutes stabiles sunt, licet ea circa quae versantur sint in­stabilia. Secundò quia sicut ostium Cardini innititur: Sic tota conversatio bona his qua­tuor virtutibus innititur. Tertiò propter praeeminentiam primae sunt respectu aliarum. Quartò propter principalita­tem: caeterae enim virtutes ad has aliquo modo reducuntur. First, for the stability, for as the hinge of a doore remaineth firme and un­moveable, although the doore be turned theron: So these foure Virtues are firme and unmoveable, although those things about which they are conversant, are moveable, uncertaine and instable. Secondly, because as the doore hangs on the hinge, so all good conversa­tion [Page 4] depends on these foure Virtues. Thirdly, for their Praeeminence, these being the first in respect of other Virtues. Fourthly, for their Principality: for other vir­tues some way or other are reducible unto these. D. Hier. D. Ambr. Dicun­tur hae quatuor virtutes Car­dinales ab Hieronymo & Am­brosio, propterea quod ut fores Cardinibus, Sic illis omnis moralis vitae honestas, & san­ctitas fulciatur. Saint Am­brose and Saint Hierome cal­led these foure Virtues Car­dinall, because that as gates are supported by hinges, so is the honestie and sanctitie of all morall life by these Cardinall virtues.

But heere the opinion of Menedemus, Ariston, and [Page 5] others, who abolishing all pluralitie and difference of Virtues, suppose there is but one onely Virtue, which is Prudence, and the same is knowne by divers names. For, consider wee what ought to bee done, or not done, then it carrieth the name Prudence. Consider we what is due in cōmerce, it hath the name of Justice. What in suffering, then For­titude; and when we governe our lusts and affections, then we call it Temperance. For as fire, though it worke upon divers subjects, yet it is one and the selfe same fire; or as a knife, though it cut now one thing, now another, al­ters not it's property: no more doth a good man, be­ing tanquam ipsa virtus, [Page 6] though hee bee conversant in divers matters, and sundry affaires. True it is, no one Virtue can bee without another. D. Ambr. Saint Ambrose saith, when they are per­fect, then are they joyned, but disjoyntly, no way can they be perfect. Because Prudence cannot be true, which is not just, valiant and temperate; nor Temperance perfect, which is not pru­dent, valiant and just; Ac­cording to that of Saint Gre­gory, D. Greg. Istae virtutes ita in qua­dro sunt, ut una aliam non ex­cedat, magna quippe est Pru­dentia, sed, si minùs est à vo­luptatibus temperans, minùs in periculis fortis, minùs in operationibus justa, profectò minùs est Prudens. Magna est Temperantia, sed, si minùs in­telligit [Page 7] undè se temperat, si ad­versa sustinere per fortitudi­nem minùs valet, atque in ti­more animum deijcit, si per praeceptionem suam aliquandò ad injustitiae opera prorumpit, minùs est temperans. Magna est Fortitudo sed si minùs in­telligit, quae bona custodiat, quibus malis resistat, si mi­nus à voluptatis appetitu se temperat, Sed vincitur dele­ctatione; si Iustitiae opera mi­nùs tenet, atque aliquandò ad injustitiae opera dominatione superatur, minùs est fortis. Magna est justitia, sed si mi­nùs quàm debet, inter justa & injusta opera discernit, si mi­nùs cor a mundi delectatione temperat, si minùs se contra adversa confortat, minùs est justa. Mensuretur ergo perfe­ctorum fidelium vita per qua­drum, [Page 8] & tantum habeat spiri­tualis atrij latus unum, quan­tùm latera singula, quia unus­quisque tantùm prudens est, quantùm temperans; & justus tantùm, quantùm prudens, temperans & fortis fuerit. And to this purpose saith Saint Bernard.

But if I have runne too long in Saint Gregories Qua­drature, his Elegance invited mee to it, nor will I make him to speake English, lest I should prejudice his better Dialect. The whole scope of what I have urged from him, is to shew, Concentum & harmoniam, the harmo­nious concent and agree­ment of those virtues among themselves, and the mutuall dependencie of each one up­on the other, by way of uni­on [Page 9] and communion, till they all (as it were) conspire and meet in one and the same u­nity, which unity Aristotle conceiteth, Arist. when hee sayeth Prudence alone, and by it selfe is no way perfect, ac­cording to that saying, Hee that is prudent, is constant, and hee that is constant, is without molestation, and he that is without molestation, is without sorrow, hee that is without sorrow is blessed; therefore a Prudent man is a blessed man, and Prudence is sufficient for a blessed life. These virtues are so conjoy­ned together among them­selves, with a certaine mu­tuall copulation, as the mem­bers of our body, and so a­gree in amiable concord as musicall harmony, that I [Page 10] may say, this is that mani­fold order of rings, which Plato writeth to be drawen out of the Loadstone, Plato. and hence it may bee, that they are tearmed, Matres virtutum, connexae sunt sibi virtutes & coordinatae, ita ut, qui unam habet, habeat omnes. Prima ratio est largitas Dei dantis: quia non dat unam sine aliâ. Secunda ratio est: quia sicut unum membrum indiget alio, sic est in virtutibus. Tertia ratio est, quia sicut in Citharâ, si defuerit una chor­da, non erit harmonia perfe­cta: ita nec in animâ erit spi­ritualis melodia, nisi adsint omnes virtutes. Quarta ratio est, quia contra singula vitia sunt aliquae virtutes, unde o­portet omnes virtutes habere, ut omnia vitia impugnentur: [Page 11] nam sicut miles mundi non est expeditus, nisi omnia sua ar­ma habeat: ita nec Miles Christi, si aliqua virtus sibi defuerit. Quinta ratio est, quia sicut Stellae & Planetae semper sunt in sphaeris suis: ita virtutes in animâ esse debe­ant. Sexta ratio est, quia ani­ma est sicut vas auri solidum, ornatum lapide precioso, id est virtutibus. Septima ratio est, quia anima est sicut hortus no­bilis, cui non deest decor ali­cujus floris, vel arboris. Octa­va, quia anima est sicut A­potheca, cui deesse non debet alicujus radicis vel pigmenti Medicina. These vertues are so knit together by conne­xion and coordination a­mong themselves, that who­soever hath one, hath all, saith Iohannes de Combis, Ioh. d. Comb. and [Page 12] addes the eight following reasons, or at least, Illustra­tions for the same. The first reason is, The bountie of God the giver, because hee doth not give the one with­out the other. The second reason is, because as in the state of the Body, one mem­ber needeth another: so is it in the dependencie of Vir­tues. The third reason is, because as in a Harpe, if one string be wanting, there will not bee a perfect harmonie: so neither will there bee a Spirituall melodie in the soule, unlesse all Virtues are present. The fourth reason is, because against severall vices, there are severall Vir­tues: wherefore it behoo­veth to have all Virtues, that they may resist all vices: for [Page 13] as the Souldier of the world is not skilfull unlesse he have all his weapons: so neither the Souldier of Christ, if he want any Virtue. The fifth reason is, because as Starres and Planets ever are in their Sphaeres; so virtues ought to bee in the soule. The sixt reason is, because the soule is (as it were) a sound vessell of gold, beautified with pre­cious stones, that is, with Virtues. The seventh reason is, because the soule is (as it were) a fruitfull Garden, wherein the comelinesse of any tree or flower ought not to bee absent. Eightly, be­cause the soule is, as it were, an Apothecaries shop, where there ought no herbe or rootes fit for medicine to be deficient.

Now that there are but foure Cardinal Virtues, Tul­lie hath done mee the office to prove it; Tullie. because Hone­stie (saith hee) stands upon foure parts; One of Know­ledge, another of Commu­nitie, the third of Magnani­mitie, the fourth of Mode­ration. Knowledge belongs to Prudence, Community to Justice, Magnanimity to For­titude, Moderation to Tem­perance. These foure ac­cording to Beda, Beda. seeme to bee against Ignorance, Ma­lice, Infirmitie, and Concu­piscence. There are foure Cardinal Virtues (saith Tho­mas Aquinas) whereof Pru­dence belongs to Reason, Tho. Aquin. Justice to Will, Temperance to Appetite, and Fortitude to Anger; and each hath his [Page 15] reference, peculiari quadam ratione, after a certaine pecu­liar manner; thus he argues: Every morall Virtue either belongs to Reason, or to Ap­petite; if unto Reason, it is Prudence; if unto Appetite, it doth either encline to an others, or to our own good; if to an others, it is Justice; if to our owne, it appeares either in brideling our Con­cupiscence, which is Tem­perāce, or our Anger, which is Fortitude. To this pur­pose Saint Augustine, D. Aug. D. Greg. D. Ambr. Grego­rie and Ambrose: Quatuor Paradisi fluminibus totam ter­ram intersecantibus compa­rant has quatuor virtutes, quae uberrimis fluentis honestarum rerum vitam nostram irri­gant. If this suffice not, five arrowes may be drawne out [Page 16] of the quiver of holy Writ; the first, from the foure Ri­vers of Paradise: The foure Rivers water Paradise; so by these foure Virtues the heart is watered, till it bee made fruitfull, and is also tempered from the heat of carnall desires. The second, from the foure colours, with which the hangings of the Tabernacle were graced, which signifie these foure Virtues, in which the orna­ment of the Church con­sists. The Hyacinthian be­longs to Prudence, being of an a riall or celestiall co­lour, whereby wee imitate God and Angels. The Fla­xie, having whitenesse, ap­pertaines to Temperance, because it makes Candidam & mundam animam. The [Page 17] Purple, to Fortitude, which is prepared Sanguinem pro Christo fundere. The Scar­let, to Justice, propter zelum ipsius. The third, from the foure ingredients wherwith the Oyntment was made, which annointed the Taber­nacle, the Vessels and Mini­sters thereof. The Myrrhe belongs to Prudence, the Cinnamon to Humilitie, w ^ch is altogether Justice, accor­ding to that in Matth. For thus it becommeth all righ­teousnesse, that is, perfect Humilitie. Cassia, which growes in waters, to Pru­dence, which is nourished in the waters of knowledge. Calamus, that odoriferous tree, to Fortitude. These foure (the Oyle of divine love being added) make that [Page 18] most sweet smelling savour of a good name, according to that of Ecclesiastes, A good name is better than pre­cious oyntment. The fourth from Elias his Chariot, the foure Virtues being (as it were) the foure wheeles in that fiery Chariot, by which the friends of God are taken up on high. The fifth, from the figures of Ezekiels foure Creatures, the Eagle, the Calfe, the Lyon, the Man. In the Eagle is figured Pru­dence, whose property it is, to watch in discerning things: In the Calfe temperance, the Calfe being ordained for Holy Sacrifice in the Law; in the Lyon Fortitude, and in the man Justice, which is the bond of humane society. Bellarm. Nor is Cardinall Bellarmines [Page 19] musicall comparison altoge­ther untuneable, who, wri­ting on the ninety eighth Psalme, applies the foure Instruments therein mentio­ned, to the foure Cardinall Virtues. For saith hee, Ci­thara Prudentiae similis est, psalterium Iustitiae, tuba du­ctilis Fortitudini, tuba cornea Temperantiae. Cithara varia­rüm chordarum sonos miscens, unum dulcem concentum effi­cit: Sic Prudentia, varias circumstantias operis boni con­jungens, perfectum opus red­dit. Psalterium decem chordis instructum decalogum nobis representat, id est, omnia prae­cepta Iustitiae. Tuba ductilis malleorum ictibus extenditur, & formatur, ut sonum sua­vissimum edat; Sic Fortitudo, tribulationes, & angustias pa­tientèr [Page 20] ferendo, ita extendit & perficit hominem dei, ut suavem sonum edat: Deni­que Temperantia quasi durum cornu carnem mollem exce­dens, & superans, id est, Cor­pus castigans jejunijs, atque vigilijs, & in servitutem Spiritus redigens, tubam Spi­ritualem efficit. Hee apples the Harpe to Prudence, the Psalterie to Iustice, the Trumpet to Fortitude, the Cornet to Temperance. For as the Harpe sending out the sound of divers strings, makes one melodious con­cent; So Prudence joyning together divers circumstan­ces of well-doing, makes up the perfection of good workes. The Psalterie ador­ned with ten strings, repre­sents the ten Commande­ments, [Page 21] that is, all the pre­cepts of Divine and Morall Iustice. The Trumpet, as it is extended forth, and fashio­ned by the strokes of the hammer, that it might give a sweet sound, so Fortitude bearing patiently tribulati­ons, and troubles enlargeth and perfects the man of God in such manner, that hee ut­ters a perfect sound to all hearers. Finally, as the Cornet is made of hard horne, that growes forth, and overtops the flesh; so Temperance, as if it were of a hornish composure, is too hard for the flesh, by keeping under the body with fastings and watchings, till it bring it in obedience, and make a spirituall harmo­nie betweene the flesh and [Page 22] the spirit. Neither will I forget that luckie observati­on of Prosper, Prosp. who writing of the foure Cardinall Vir­tues, hath it thus: Principa­les quatuor esse virtutes, non solum Philosophi sentiunt sed etiam nostri consentiunt, si­quidem totus orbis Oriente, & Occidente, Aquilone, & Merid [...]e. Et ipse Adam vel generale nomen, quod dicitur homo, quatuor in literis: Cor­pus quoque quatuor elementis, & anima ipsius quatuor affe­ctionibus explicatur; ideò vir­tutes istas, quae tantam perfe­ctionem in numero habent, sol­licitè considerare debemus, quia nihil perfectionis uspiàm sit, quod in istis virtutibus non sit. That there are foure principall Virtues is the con­sent, not onely of Philoso­phers, [Page 23] but of us Divines also (which the Father manifests thus:) The whole world is expressed within the circum­ference of East, West, North, and South. And Adam himselfe, as also his generall name, which is Ho­mo, is expressed in foure let­ters. His body likewise by foure Elements, and his soule by foure Affections. Therefore wee ought dili­gently to consider of these Virtues, which have in num­ber so great perfection, be­cause indeed no perfection is any where to be found, which is not found in these Virtues. Now to quarter out the Quaternion with Saint Bernard, D Bern. Hugo de S. Victore. and Hugo de sancto victore; Iustitia quae­rit, Prudentia invenit, Forti­tudo [Page 24] vindicat, & Temperan­tia possidet. Prudentia docet & informat, Iustitia ornat, & consummat, Fortitudo retinet & roborat, Tēperantia mode­ratur & discernit. Prudence instructs, Iustice beautifies, Fortitude strengthens, Tem­perance moderates. Pru­dence in elegendis, Iustice in distribuendis, Temperance in utendis, Fortitude in tole­randis. And this is that foure-fold linke, that chain­eth man to eternity. The last invites me on the left hand, Non succumbere in adversis, the third on the right hand, Non elevari in Prosperis: the second, a Posteriori, to satis­fie de Praeteritis, and now my insuing Prudence gives me a Caveat defuturis.

Though it is held prepo­sterous [Page 25] in the Schooles, to divide before we define, yet let us know from whom, to whom, and then to my De­finition, What this Virtue is, Chrysip. because as Chrysippus tells me, each hath a peculiar qualitie, and therefore needeth a severall De­finition.

FOr the à Quo, whence Virtue is derived, De­um esse multis modis ostendi­tur, hoc enim fides recta testa­tur, sacra scriptura loquitur, comparatio rerum ad ipsum idipsum indicat, sancti praedi­cant, creaturae clamant, ra­tio naturalis dictat. And if all these proofes were silent, yet the heathens would con­fesse a Divinitie in its O­riginall, Plat. Totius rerum natu­ra, origo & causa deus est; God is the cause and begin­ning of all things, saith Plato, the Philosophicall Divine. [Page 27] Socrates, Soc. no lesse a Divine Philosopher, held, that there was but one God, and that was Alpha and Omega: Deus in unâ existentiâ omnia ha­bet; God in one existence hath all things, Dio. (sayd Dio­nysius) Esse omnium est ipsa divinitas, omne quod vides, & quod non vides, the very being of all things, whether of things visible or invi­sible is the Godhead it selfe. And Plato affirmes, Pla. that vir­tue is given us from God, and not from men. Mer­curius Trismegistus tells us, Tris. that God is, Principium uni­versorum, the originall of the Vniverse. Arist. Aristotle con­fessed, Quod omnes antiquide-creverunt, quasi quoddam re­rum principium, ipsumque infinitum; That all antiqui­ties [Page 28] have decreed as it were, a certaine beginning of things, & the same infinit. For God, whosoever he be (saith Pli­nie) and in what place soever resident, Plin. is all Science, all Light, all Life, all Soule, and all of himselfe. As Philoso­phers conjecture, so the Fa­thers of the Church with all modern Divines justifie, that there is a Coelestiall power from w ^ch al goodnes flowes. Among the rest saith Raimū ­dus Sabundus by way of simi­litude: Sicut homo non dedit inferiori rei esse, Sab. ita neque sen­tire, ne (que) intelligere, ergo ea­dem manus omnia fecit, idem dominus, idem artifex omnia ordinavit, proportionavit, & limitavit; Evē as a man hath not given power to any in­ferior thing, either to live, or [Page 29] to perceive: so neither doth man give unto himself, either to be, either to live, either to perceive, or to understand; therfore the same hand hath made all things, the same Lord, the same builder, hath ordained, proportioned, and limited all things. Againe, Deus est author & cōditor om­nium rerū; God is the author and founder of all things. If of all things, then of all goodnesse. Omnia bona, quae in hoc seculo habemus, per gratiam dei habemus; All the goods, Bern. which wee have in this world (saith S. Bernard) wee have by the grace of God. Certainely hee is the beginning of all things; the Idea and Patterne of all Good. He is that Almighty which wanteth beginning [Page 30] and ending, which, being made of none, hath by his power created all things, and therefore by some he is ter­med a Well, both because he hath all good things from himselfe, and also, for that hee doth communicate all good things from thence unto his creatures, without any hinderance to himselfe. Superior verò, ratione, autho­ritate, virtute, sapientiâ, om­nibus Deus est, sub quo volun­tariè vel invitè curvantur omnes, qui regunt, vel regere cupiunt orbem. Quorum leges, velut aranearum telae sunt, Si divinis legibus adversantur: imò (ut arctiùs astringam) si non obsequuntur; God is, verely superior to all, in Rea­son, Authority, Virtue, Sa­pience, under whom volun­tarily, [Page 31] or against their will, all are curbed, who governe, or desire to governe the world, whose lawes are as the webs of Spiders, if they but crosse divine lawes: yea (that I may speake more closely) if they accord not with them (if Simon de Cassia erre not.) Sir Thomas Elliot, Sim. de Cass. Ell. in his Dialogue betweene Plato and Aristippus, urgeth, That Philosophers spake too little of God, since they did not conclude, that all good­nesse proceeded from him, and that hee was the Foun­taine and Principall thereof. For although they did, al­most all, acknowledge a dei­tie, yet the Philosophers di­vers opinions have justified that old Proverbe: Quot homines tot sententiae. To [Page 32] which purpose Lactantius writes very pithily, Lactan. Horum omnium sententia, quamvis sit incerta,, eodem tamen spe­ctat, ut providentiam unam esse consentiunt: sive enim natura, sive aether, sive ratio, sive mens, sive fatalis necessi­tas, sive divina lex, idem est, quod a nobis dicitur Deus; All these opinions, though uncertaine, come to this, that they agree upon one provi­dence, whether the same be Nature, or Light, or Vnder­standing, or Destiny, or divine Ordinance, and that it is the same, which is called of us God. Dicitur Dominus quasi dans munus; & nota, quod dicitur domi­nus propter triplex munus: [Page 33]Propter

• terrae fertilitatem,
• aëris claritatem,
• temporis tranquil­liltatem.

Primum munus datur divi­nitùs propter nostram susten­stationem;

Secundum propter actionem;

Tertium propter contempla­tionem.

Hee is called the Lord, Bonaven. (saith Bonaventure) because (as the Psalmist acknowled­geth) he loadeth us with be­nefits; and note, that hee is called the Lord for a three­fold benefit given us: for the fertilitie of Earth, the clearnesse of light, and the tranquility of time. The first gift is given us from above for our sustentation; the se­cond, [Page 34] for our action; the third, for our contemplati­on. Omnes Corporis & animi vires, omnia membra nostra, Oculi, Aures, Lingua, Manus, Pedes, Affectus, & quicquid modò in nobis, ejus dilectioni, et obsequio totum intrà et ex­trà mancipetur, et syncerè con­secretur. All the strength of Body & Mind; all our mem­bers, Eyes, Eares, Tongue, Hands, Affections, and what­soever is in us either intrin­secall or extrinsecall, ought to obey, and syncerely con­secrate themselves to his wil and pleasure (saith Theodori­cus. Theod.) Volumes might bee written to this purpose, yet all would bee but so many Items to make up one sum, which are included in these words of Clemens Alexan­drinus, Clem. Al [...]xand. [Page 35] which serve my turne to conclude this poynt, Lau­demus unum Patrem, & Fili­um, unà cum Spiritu sancto, qui unus est omnia, in quo om­nia, per quem omnia, qui est undequá (que) bonus, undequáque pulcher, undequáque sapiens, undequáque justus, cui gloria nunc est, & in secula.

NOw let us determine the Quibus, and con­sider of Virtues sub­ject aright: for here some scruple may arise from the different opinion of Philo­sophers and Divines: For, (saith Aristotle) this one Province belongs to a pru­dent man, Arist. Vt rectè prospiciat. Therefore certaine beasts may bee said to be prudent, to wit, all those that seeme to bee endued with an eagre desire of providing those things, which doe belong to the defending of their life, to [Page 37] which purpose saith one:

Lucan saith, It is reported, that Elephants come out of the Rabathaean woods, Lucan. and in a flood neere adjoyning wash themselves, (as if to pu­rifie) then prostrating fall downe, & adore the Moone, and with joy returne unto the woods againe.

What if I should compare [Page 38] this Story of the Elephants with that of Plinie? Plin. (per­haps you would judge these beasts wiser than some men) who in his naturall Historie thus rebukes men for their pluralitie of gods; to beleeve that there bee gods innume­rable, and those according to mens virtues or vices, to wit, Charitie, Concord, Vn­derstanding Hope, Honour, Clemencie, Faith, or (as De­mocritus was of opinion) that there were two Gods onely, Punishment, and Reward, makes mens idlenesse the greater. Hereupon it is (saith he) that sundry Nations have gods named according to their devotion; nay, some­times hurts unto men have been reckoned gods, which superstition hath caused a [Page 39] Chappell to bee dedicated to the Feaver in the mount Palatium, even by publike order from the State; Like­wise an altar to Orbona, neere the temple of Lares; Besides an other erected to bad For­tune in Esquiliae, which would argue, that there were more gods in heaven, than men on earth.

And what of those, that ac­count beasts, and some filthy things for their gods. If all the ridiculous idolatrie men­tioned in the olde Scripture were let slip, Godw. yet Godwin in his Antiquities will tell us, that at the last, inferiour creatures were canonized for gods, in way of thankful­nesse for benefits received from them; For which rea­son, these, as the Winds, the [Page 40] Ayre, the Earth, the Fruits of the earth, became deified. At last, well deserving men, nay Crocodiles, Serpents, Rats, Cats, Dogs, Garlike, and Onions were reputed gods.

Lactan. Lactantius writing of the varietie of the Romane, Ae­gyptian, and Lacedemonian gods, not only blames them, because they did, Deos sibi ex eventis fingere, feign gods to themselves from each se­verall accident, according to their owne imaginations, but falleth fowler on them in these words, Quid, qui lapi­dem colunt informem atque rudem? What of those, that worship a rude and unbeau­tified stone? And in another place he thus explaines him­selfe, Quid de ijs dicam, qui [Page 41] colunt talia, nisi ipsos potissi­mum lapides, ac sripites esse? What shall I say of those that worship senslesse stocks and stones, unlesse they, in the highest degree, were stockes and stones? Is it not then safer to live more pecu­dum, after the manner of sa­vage beasts, then to bee the authors of such idolatry. But the Scripture tells us, wee must not expect grapes of thornes, nor figs from thi­stles. It is no wonder then, that these things bee, since they proceed from Barbari­ans, Quorum religio cum mo­ribus congruit. Some per­haps admire these Stories, o­thers blame mee for urging them; but all must like that ingenious translation of May on Lucan, May. who concerning [Page 42] that of the Elephants, thus writes;

Though beasts in the act of generation will accom­pany with none other, but such as bee of their owne proper kind, (though con­gruous in proportion, and shape) as Wolves and Ma­stives, Hares and Conies, &c. Though the Bee suffer not another, that is not of [Page 43] the same kind, to enter into her Hive, though dogges at the voice of the Faulconer, or Huntsman, seeme to joy, as if they should enjoy pa­stime; yet this is not pru­dence. Doth the horse know that he is a horse, or, that he is a beast, and thou a man? or the Bee when her hive is broken, whether it be a man, or a beast that takes her ho­nie combes, and puts her out of her lodging? or doth the Dogge (which of all beasts is mans chiefe atten­dant) know, whether thou art a man, or a beast? no cer­tainely. What thinke you of your Fauni, your Satyri, your Hippocentauri, and di­vers other beasts, some ha­ving the visage, others the whole figure of mans body, [Page 44] are these endued with Pru­dence? no; for they want a reasonable soule, which is the sole difference betweene man and beast, which soule makes man prudent and wise unto salvation: doe they know that they are such beasts? or, that they doe re­semble man? no verely: onely man knowes that hee is man, and every beast in his severall kind, according to that of Socrates; Socrat. Wisedome is in man, and not in a beast, and all wisedome is conclu­ded in him in this word, [Nosce teipsum.] Though beasts observe order, yet, I can no way conceive, that to bee otherwise, then an imagination engendred by custome. For that know­ledge which is in beasts, is [Page 45] by a naturall influence, if you adde thereunto their senses. In this I refer you to Piccolomineus his judgment, Piccol. who saith, that Prudence is two-fold, one divine, the other proper to mortality; divine prudence is eminent, separated from all indaga­tion, and imperfection, which is given to God, Et separatis mentibus. The Pru­dence of Mortality is two-fold, either naturall, or hu­mane: that which is natu­rall, is not a true Prudence, but a shaddow thereof: in­somuch as by nature, and the instinct of nature, beasts doe choose those things which also wise men doe. So Ants gather their grane, Bees make their combes, and fol­low their King, and Birds for [Page 46] variety of time change their places. Now humane Pru­dence is also two-fold, either in spe & semine, which are children, when by nature they shew themselves facile to Prudence, and yeeld a fu­ture hope thereof: or in ha­bitu & formâ, which is used for callidity or craft, such are Devils, subtill Machevilians, and those which are fre­quently called the prudent or wise men of this world, but the true humane pru­dence, properly taken, joy­ned with morall virtue, see­king meanes to attaine unto honesty, is my ensuing dis­course, which bids me Quaere for'd Quid est.

THE Stoicks say, that it is Scientia bonorum, malo­rū, & mediorum. Speusip pus is of opinion, Spen. that it is onely Scientia bonorum & malorum. Whereby wee judge, what is to be done, and what not: and so saith Cicero. Plotinus informes us, Plot. that Prudence is an understan­ding, declining inferiour things, and directing the mind to supernall. But the Genus of Prudence is found in none of these definitions, according to Piccolomineus, Pieco. [Page 48] for eligere divina & negligere mortalia, is not the office of Prudence, as it is universall, but as it is heroicall; neither is Prudentia, Scientia et Intel­ligentia, Arist. according to Aristo­tle. Eurip. Euripides and others say that it is Habitus mentis, whereby every one doth seeke that which is profita­ble to himselfe, which also is not to bee approved, be­cause the principall gift of Prudence, is to seek out that, which is most good for the publike, not our owne pro­per good, the end whereof is rather to bee accounted honest then profitable: but Audi Philosophum, Prudence is a habit directing to doe those things with true rea­son which are good to man; whereupon saith one, the [Page 49] habite is the Genus, and the forme thereof, it is ad­ded (with true reason) by which is shewed that Pru­dence, doth belong to Vn­derstanding, and to that fa­cultie of Vnderstanding, which is called Rationatrix, according to that in Aristo­tle, those are prudent, Arist. who can rightly take Councell in those things, which are good and profitable to themselves, not which is ad valetudinem aut vires, but altogether to reason of our well living: Againe hee termes it a virtue of the un­derstanding, by which wee may well consult of Good and Evill things which be­long unto Felicitie. Gol. Gollius closeth with him, and thus he sayeth: Prudentia est ha­bitus [Page 50] mentis secundum veram rationem consultandi, & a­gendi ea, quae homini in uni­versâ vitâ sunt bona vel ma­la. Prudens est is, qui potest be­nè consultare de ijs, quae ipsi, vel alijs sunt bona, & utilia, non ex parte solùm aliquâ, sed ad totam benè vivendi ratio­nem; Prudence is a habite of the understanding, accor­ding to the true reason of consulting, and doing those things which are good, or evill, during mans life. He is Prudent, who can well consult concerning those things, which are good, and profitable for himselfe or o­thers, not alone for some particular part, but for the whole course of well living. Macrobius confesseth, Macr. That it is a Virtue directing all [Page 51] things to the rule of reason, which doth thinke and doe nothing, besides what is right and laudable. And Thomas Aquinas will tell us, Thom. That true and perfect Pru­dence is, wherby wee coun­sell, judge, and obey what things belong Ad finem bo­norum, to the end of all good things in humane conversa­tion. As for the preceden­cie, I approve of Gregories opinion among Divines, and Platoes among Philosophers, The first instructs us, That Prudence, inter reliquas Principem locum obtinet, do­cet alias virtutes, nisi, quae a­gunt, Prudenter agant, vir­tutes esse neutiquàm posse. D. Greg. Amongst other virtues, Pru­dence obtaines the prece­dencie, and teacheth the [Page 52] rest, that unlesse, what things they doe, they doe wisely, they cannot be vir­tues. And Plato, Virtutes omnes ad Prudentiam revoca­bat, Plat. illasque sine hujus praesi­dio, quasi Daedali statuas so­lutas, fugaces, & instabiles esse aiebat. Plato reduced all virtues unto Prudence, and affirmed that those, without its ayde, are but, as it were, the statues of Daedalus, weakened, fading, and un­stable. Well then hath Cha­rowne termed it, Char. The super­intendent, and guide of all other virtues; Aurigam vir­tutum, without which no­thing is good; The know­ledge and choice of those things, which wee desire or fly, The just estimation and triall of things, the eye, that [Page 53] seeth all, directeth and ordaineth all. Better is that of Tully in his Tusculanes: Tul. Non potest esse jucunda vita, à quâ abest Prudentia: But best of all, sayeth Iambli­cus, Iamb. after a long commen­dation of this virtue: Me­ritò Dei similes facit sui pos­sessores Prudentia. I need not incite any to the desire ther­of, for it is Gratuita virtus (as Peraldus noteth) as it is Gratuita, Per. so ought it to be Amabilis, every way as much to be beloved, as it is freely bestowed on us. Bon [...]v. Bonaven­ture urgeth foure Reasons, wherefore it is Amabilis.

1. Because it is Luminosa in quantum temporum discre­tiva.

2. Fructuosa in quantum futurorum provisiva.

[Page 54]3. Studiosa in quantum prae­teritorum recordativa.

4. Operosa in quantum prae­sentium ordinativa.

And now you have read so many Definitions, or De­scriptions, take your choice; yet this of Saint Augustine I must approve of, D. Aug. which is, Scire quid anima debet facere. And heere a division would be demanded; yet before I come to it, a word or two of the difference betweene Prudentia, & Sapientia. True it is, in holy Writ, the words are promiscuously handled; An instance or two of the congruitie of the wordes. Prudentia carnis mors est, pru­dentia autem Spiritus vita, & pax; quoniam sapientia carnis inimica est Deo; The wisedome of the flesh is [Page 55] death, but the wisedome of the spirit is life, and peace; because the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God. Qui sapiens est corde, appella­bitur Prudens: The wise in heart shall be called Pru­dent. And againe, Os meum loquitur sapientiam, & medi­tatio cordis mei prudentiam, saith the Psalmist. Damas. Dama­scene dividing the Rationall soule into two parts, into that, which is Active, and into that, which is Contem­plative, sayeth, that the Contemplative belongs to Sapience, the Active to Pru­dence. But how will this a­gree with Aristotle. Arist. Sapien­tiam, in ipsis artibus, ijs tri­buere solemus, qui in quâque arte excellunt maximè, ut Phydiam sapientem lapidum [Page 56] sculptorem, & Polycletum statuarium sapientem nomi­namus; Wee are accusto­med, saith hee, to attribute Sapience to those, which doe in the highest degree excell in any kinde of Art, As wee call Phydias a wise Carver of Stones, Polycletus a wise maker of Images, which name of Sapience signifies no other thing, than the virtue or excellencie of Art; and in another place, Quod sapientis nomine appel­latur, quod verò prudentis no­mine dicitur, aliud atque a­liud: What is called by the name of a Sapientiall man, is one thing, what of a Pru­dent man▪ is another thing: And here hee gives another Example; Anaxagoram, Tha­letem, caterosque tales sapien­tes [Page 57] nominamus, prudentes non itèm: We call Anaxagoras, Thales, and such men wise, but not prudent. His reason followes, because they doe not perceive, but are igno­rant of those things, which are profitable to them­selves. Sapientia est de rebus humanis & divinis cognitio, Prudentia de moribus; Sapi­ence (saith Tullie) is a know­ledge of divine and humane things, Tul. Prudence appertains unto manners. Est in ratione quiddam, ad superna & coele­stia incendens, & id dicitur Sapientia, & est quiddam ad transitoria, & caduca respici­ens, & id vocatur Prudentia: haec duo ex ratione sunt, & in ratione consistunt; & dividit se ratio in duo, scilicet, in sursùm, & deorsùm; sursùm [Page 58] in Sapientiam, & deorsùm in Prudentiam; D. Aug. There is in Reason (saith S. Augustine) a certaine thing bending to­wards supernal, and heaven­ly things, and that is called Sapience: there is a certaine thing respecting ttansitorie and fleeting things, and this is called Prudence: These two are from Reason, and consist in Reason, and Rea­son divideth it selfe into two, to wit, upward, and downward; upward into Sa­pience, downward into Pru­dence. There hee gives a similitude, Quasi in virum & mulierem, ut vir sit supe­rior, et regat; mulier inferior, & regatur: As it were be­tweene a man and a woman; the man being superior, in the active voyce governes, [Page 59] the woman inferior, in the passive, is governed: so that I might liken Sapience, and Prudence to those two great and heavenly Lights, the Sunne, and the Moone; for as the Moone receives her splendour from the Sunne; so Prudence its from Sapi­ence: and as the Moone rules the night, and the Sunne the day; so Prudence rules this, Morall Sapience the divine life. And now descend wee in the next place to a Di­vision.

COncerning the Divi­sion of Prudence, I finde too too much division in opinions. Thomas Aquinas brancheth it into more parts, Thom. than any other mention, to wit, Memoria Intelligentia, Docilitas, Soler­tia, Ratio, Providentia, Cir­cumspectio & Cautio. But these may be drawen into a lesser circle, Per. Peraldus ap­proves the opinion of Tully and Seneca, Tul. Sen. who say the parts thereof, are three, Me­moria, Intelligentia, et Provi­dentia, and so is the opini­on [Page 61] of others, no lesse lear­ned in Divinitie, than they in Moralitie. Others would adde one wheele more, to make it a compleate Cha­riot, which is Astutia mentis; But in mine owne opinion, I conceive it to be, rather an Appendix on the three for­mer parts, then to challenge any part thereof; and so in­tend to handle it. Aug. Saint Au­gustine I believe will cleare all, (whose opinion Peter Martyr confirmeth) who speaking of the parts of Pru­dence, sayeth thus: Partes ejus Memoria, Intelligentia & Providentia; Memoria est per quam animus repetit illa quae fuerunt; Intelligen­tia per quam ea perspicit, quae sunt, Providentia per quam futurum aliquid videtur, an­tequàm [Page 62] est; The parts there­of are Memory, Vnderstan­ding, Providence; Memo­rie is by which the minde repeates those things, which were; Vnderstanding, by which shee sees those things which are; Providence by which any thing to come is seene before it cometh; Me­morie hath reference to things past, Vnderstanding to things present, but hee is provident, who can appoint, from things past, and things present, that which hereaf­ter shall come to passe, saith Peter Martyr. Pet. Mar. And now, if my memory faile me not, I will relate what I have read de Memoriâ.

MEmoria sumitur tri­plicitèr: primò, pro ipsâ facultate, ceu po­tentiâ quâ recordamur; secun­dò, pro recordandi actu; ter­tio, pro habitu: Memorie is taken three manner of waies (saith Albertus): First, Alb. for the very facultie or power, by which we remember, Se­condly, for the act of re­membring, Thirdly, for the habite; but to my definition: Memoria est, quâ repetit ani­mus quae fuerunt, Memory is, by which the minde re­peates what things were (saith Cicero) Cic. Memoria est [Page 64] vis animae accepta retinens, praeterita repetens, elapsa re­colligens; Memory is a force of the Vnderstanding, retai­ning things received, re­peating things past, recol­lecting things let slip; Ac­cording so Saint Augustine and Hugo de sancto victore. Aug. Hug. Memoria est ad mentis intu­itum imaginaria quaedam re­presentatio praeteritorum; Me­morie is a certaine imagina­rie representation of things past, according to the inti­mation of the Vnderstan­ding. Memorie is the trea­sury of innumerable imagi­nations, Aug. (saith St. Augustine) Memoria thesaurus cognosci­bilium, Per. saith Peraldus. Om­nium rerum thesaurus & cu­stos memoria est, Hug. saith Hugo. Memory is the consort and [Page 65] fellow-worker of reason, be­cause without it, reason nei­ther can proceed to knowne things, nor retaine the know­ledge of thinges knowne. Ingenium requirit incogni­ta, memoria recondit dijudi­cata, ratio judicat inventa: ingenium quod invenit, ra­tioni adducit, ratio memoriae, memoria recondit: Wit (saith Bonaventure) seeketh unknowne things; Bonaven. Memory puts up things that be judg­ed; Reason judges things, that be found out: what Wit findes out, it brings to Reason, Reason to Memory, Memory keepes it safe-guar­ded. Memory is in place of a Notary, and Secretary, and, as it were, a Register Booke, in which is entred, whatsoe­ver is ordained, and decreed [Page 66] by Reason: For, as we have need of such a Judge, as Rea­son, to conclude, and deter­mine finally in the Minde whatsoever may bee called into question, and doubted of: so it is requisite, that the Conclusion, and definitive sentence, should be registred in Memory, as it were in a roll, or booke of Accompts, that it may bee alway ready and found, when need re­quires. Arist. Memoria species om­nes sensibiles judicatas, & co­gitatas, tanquam depositum, recondit, ac servat, ut eas, cum opus fuerit, exhibeat; Memory keepes and hides (saith Aristotle) as it were a thing deposited, all sensi­ble species judged, and thought one; that she may use them, when neede re­quires. [Page 67] Sicut lux at (que) omnes co­lores, formae (que) corporū per ocu­los discernuntur; per aures om­nia genera sonroū: omnes odo­res per aditum narium: om­nes sapores per oris aditum: per sensum autèm totius cor­poris, quid durum, quid molle, quid calidum, frigidumve, lene aut asperum, grave seu leve, sive extrinsecùs, sive intrinsecùs corpori; haec om­nia recipit recolenda (cum opus est) & retractanda gran­dis memoriae recessus; As Light and all colours, and shapes of bodies are discer­ned by the eyes; by the eares all kindes of sounds; all odours by the passage of the nose; all tastes by that of the mouth, and by the sense of the whole body, what is hard, what soft, [Page 68] what warme or cold, gentle or sharpe, heavy or light, either extrinsecally or in­trinsecally: so all these things doth that grand re­ceptacle of the memory re­ceive; yea shee restores and calls them backe to minde at pleasure: Aug. And here this holy Father is almost puz­led betwixt ignorance and wonder, Adding, & nescio, qui secreti atque ineffabiles ejus sinus, I know not, saith hee, her secret and unspeak­able wayes of receipt, so in­finite is the memories ca­pacity. You may, by these words of Saint Augustine, perceive, that all species of things extrinsecally, and in­trinsecally belonging to the body of man, are compre­hended within this great re­ceptacle [Page 69] Memory, yet let me advise that none hoord up all their treasure in memo­rie, lest time should lessen their stocke. Now Memory is two-fold, as some would have it, one Sensitive, the other Intellective: according to this distinction, Memo­ria est iterata resumpsio ali­cujus apprehensi sensu vel in­tellectu: Memory is an ite­rated resumption of some thing apprehēded by Sense or Vnderstanding. Others well learned, thinke there is only a Sensitive memory; and good reason for it, it being one of the internall senses, Memoria in parte sensitivâ ponitur, quia est ali­cujus, prout cadit sub deter­minato tempore; non enim est nisi praeteriti, & cum non ab­strahatur, [Page 70] nisi à singularibus conditionibus, non pertinet ad partem intellectivam, quae est universalium; Memory is placed in the sensitive part (saith Thomas Aqui: D. Tho.) be­cause it is of some thing, e­ven as it chanceth in a de­terminate time; for it is not but of things past, and since it is not drawne but from singular and particular con­ditions, it doth not belong to the Intellective part, which is of universalls. And Albertus speakes to the same purpose. Alb. Others would have an Intellective memo­rie, Memoria intellectiva so­li homini pèculiaris est, & custos & conservatrix fidissi­ma conceptuum & imaginum, vel rerum, quarum species sunt ab intellectu perceptae; [Page 71] The Intellective memory (say they) is peculiar onely to man, it is the faithfullest keeper of conceipts and imaginations, or of things, whose species are percei­ved by the Vnderstanding: But, by their owne con­fession, this is not Organicall. And this, I conceive, to bee that Memory, which by the Philosopher is called Pars integralis prudentiae. Evident is the opinion of Plinie, that Dogges, Kine, Oxen, Plin. and Goats, &c. doe dreame, Non somniarent bruta nisi ha­berent in somnis, &c. Brute beasts would not dreame, unlesse they had in their sleepes encountering imagi­nations kept in the inward sense; which, if it hold true, what shall wee conceive of [Page 72] Tullies saying, Tull. that Inter ho­minem & belluam hoc maxi­mè interest, quod haec tantùm, quantùm movetur sensu, ad id solum, quod adest, quodque praesens est, se accommodat; Paululum admodum sentiens praeterium, vel futurum? Be­tweene man and beast this is a speciall difference, that a Beast, onely as farre as hee is moved by sense, applyeth himselfe to that alone, which is present, very little perceiving a thing past, or to come. Alij authores ma­nifesta indicia memoriae pro­bant, quae in brutis deprehen­duntur; certa loca, nidos, la­tibula, & sobolem suam dig­noscunt; Other Authours prove manifest shewes of Memory, which are discer­ned in brute Beastes; they [Page 73] know certaine places, their nests, their dennes, and their off-springs, this opinion cau­seth the distinction between Memoria and Reminiscentia; quod illa brutis animantibus cōpetat solus verò homo remi­niscendi facultatem habeat; Because Memory (as some thinke) appertaines to brute creatures, but only man hath the faculty of reminiscence. Or better thus, Memoria dif­fert à reminiscentiâ, quia me­moria discretè, & distinctè re­vertitur ad res, componēdo in­tentiones distinctas cum ima­ginibus; reminiscentia antem sivè recordatio est motus quasi interceptus, & abscissus per ob­livionem, et est cum collatione tēporis, & loci, & hujusmodi: Memory differs frō reminis­cence, because Memory dis­cerningly, [Page 74] & distinctly reverts unto things, by cōparing di­stinct intentions with imagi­nations, but Reminiscence, or recordation, is a motion, as it were, intercepted, and quite lost through oblivion, but is attained againe by collation of time, and place, and the like; Ioh. de Comb as Iohannes de Combis observes. Now Me­moriae est retinere species in­telligibiles, Reminiscentiae est mortuas species resuscitare, & oblivioni tradita recordari; It is Memories office, to re­taine intelligible species, whereas Reminiscence doth renew lost species, and, as it were, recall to memory things delivered over to ob­livion. To this purpose wee may find by cōmon experi­ence, that, those things which [Page 75] wee have heard, seene, or knowne, and for a little space kept in memory, when once oblivion hath got the superiority, wee thinke no more of, then if wee had never knowne them: nor could remember them, were there not some body, or evident token to put us in minde againe thereof. Saint Augustine tels us, D. Aug. Arist. Me­mory is in beasts; Aristotle confesseth it, but withall, That the memory that is in beasts, is imperfect, and (in mine owne opinion) so im­perfect, that I rather thinke it a customary imagination, helpt by the externall sen­ses, then any memory at all.

And now inquire wee where it is seated. Tres, tanquàm, ventriculi cerebri [Page 76] demonstrantur; Vnus ante­rior ad faciem, à quo sensus omnis: Alter posterior ad cervicem, à quo omnis motus: Tertius inter utrumque, in quo memoriam vigere demon­strant; There are, as it were, three Ventricles of the Braine demonstrated (saith Saint Augustine) One be­fore, D. Aug. towards the face, from which all sense; Another behinde, towards the hin­der part of the necke, from which all motion; A third between both, in which they shew that Memory flourish­eth. But the truth is, Divines, as well as Philosophers, doe cōclude, That Memory is sea­ted in the hinder part of the head. And thus they prove it, by a threefold reason. Primò, quià, laesa illâ parte [Page 77] offenditur memoria, &, eo lo­co percusso, rerum caepit obli­vio: Secundò, quta ejus partis soliditas, ad id videtùr potis­simùm procurata à naturâ, ut tenacius haereant infixae speci­es: Postremò, quià, cùm recor­dari volumus, quasi naturâ nos docente, occipitium scalpimus, ut memorandi vim quodam­modò excitemus, & acua­mus; First of all, because, that part being hurt, the Me­mory is offended; and blowes or hurts on that place beget oblivion: Se­condly, because the solidity of that place, especially, seemes to be procured from nature: that the infixed spe­cies may take the more sound hold: Last of all, because, when wee would remem­ber, as it were by natures [Page 78] instinct) wee scratch the hin­der part of the head, that af­ter a sort we may stirre up, or sharpen the facultie of re­membring. If these reasons serve not. Fr. Ac. The French Aca­demie will tell you, That God hath assigned Memo­ries seate, or lodging in the hindermost part of the braine; to the end, that af­ter such things, as are to be committed to it, have passed all the other senses, they should be kept there, as by a Secretary; and for this cause that part of the braine is most solid and firme. His reason you may reade at large in his Chapter of Rea­son and Memory. Now there are foure things necessarie to whet the Memory. The First is, to dispose with good [Page 79] order, things committed to Memorie; Then attentive­ly to meditate, and ruminate of the same; Afterwards to fasten the thing to be re­membred by some certaine peculiar affection of joy, or griefe; Last of all, when things are infixed, often to repeate and commend them to Memory. Debemus habe­re memoriam trium (saith Bo­naventure) primorum, medio­rum, infimorum: Data sunt enim nobis.

Tria

• Prima▪ ad gubernādum
• Media ad conservādum
• Infima ad sustentādum.

As there are foure things necessary to sharpen Memo­ry, and three things to have in Memory: so there are ten [Page 80] things (as Peraldus noteth) for retaining of which, Per. Memo­rie is especially to be prai­sed. First, the memory of benefits is to be commen­ded, especially, the Memo­rie of the Creator and Re­deemer: Memento Creatoris tui. Secondly, the Memorie of the Commandements of God, Et memores sint manda­terum ipsius ad faciendum ea. Thirdly, the Memory of the Iustice, which God doth ex­cercise against the transgres­sion of his commandements, Memor esto judicij mei, sic e­nim erit & tuum. Fourthly, the Memorie of spirituall warre, Memento belli. Fift­ly, the Memorie of Divine mercie, Memoratus sum mi­sericordiae tuae, Domine. Sixt­ly, the Memorie of the lau­dable [Page 81] lives of the Saints, which wee ought to imitate; Facta praecedentium patrum consideremus. Seventhly, the Memorie of adversity in prosperity, Memento pauper­tatis in die abundantiae. Eightly, the Memory of the Rocke, whence wee were hewed, or the Root, whence we did spring, Attendite ad Petram, de quâ excisi estis. Ninthly, the Memorie of others wants, when wee our selves are in prosperity, Me­mento mei, cum benè tibi fue­rit. Lastly, the Memorie of private sinnes, to grieve for them, Recogitabo tibi omnes annos, in amaritudine animae meae. The contrary to this is Oblivion, which, Greg. though it be (as Gregory would have it) quaedam mors: yet in some [Page 82] things to be approved of. First, the oblivion of in­juries. Secondly, the for­getting a good turne done to another. Thirdly, the not remembring of de­lights in former sinnes. And last of all, the non-recor­dation of temporall things, To this purpose was the an­swer of Themistocles to Symmachus; to whom, be­ing desirous to teach him the art of memory, he an­swered, hee had rather learne the art of forgetful­nesse. A contradictory an­swer, yet a reason tolerable, Meaning, that there was no defect in his memory, but that hee could not for­get those things that were requisite to bee buried in oblivion. I might here [Page 83] tell you what constitutions are subject to the best Me­mories, and that you shall seldome see a quicke wit, and a strong memory meet, and hold: What are the causes of good and bad me­mories; That surfeits, and colds, according to Galen, Gal. confound the memorie; That the matter of the in­strument of the Memory, if too soft, will cause a quick entertaining, but not a good retaining; if hard, not easi­ly imprinted, but, when it is once setled, hardly re­moved. The reasons might evidently appeare, were they not fitter for a naturall Philosophy Lecture, then for my Morall information. And thus have I done with memory, Quae non est futu­turorum [Page 84] nec praesentium, sed praeteritorum tantùm: sensus praesentium, spes futurorum; which is not of things to come, nor of things pre­sent, but only of things past, sense onely having to doe with things present; Hope alone being in expectation of things to come.

HEre I will not be so scrupulous, as to make a difference be­tweene Intelle­ctus and Intelligentia, the one being taken by some for the Vnderstanding facul­tie, the other for the Act of the Vnderstanding; but both two-fold, Divine, and Humane. The Divine In­tellect is a property of God, whereby hee knowes all things most perfectly in himselfe. Which Divine [Page 86] Intellect of his, may bee understood foure manner of wayes. First, the under­standing of God is a most simple act, therefore God doth not understand discur­rendo à noto ad ignotum; but by apprehending the matter simply, and by it selfe. Se­condly, the Vnderstanding of God, understandeth God himself directly, and by him­selfe: but other things, Tan­quàm in exemplari, as they are certaine Images of God. Thirdly, all distinctions of times God doth understand at one act, Simùl & Semèl, those things, which wee call things past, present, and to come. Lastly, the Vn­derstanding of God un­derstandes all things ne­cessarily, nothing contin­gently, [Page 87] or by Opinion.

Many have beene of opi­nion, that Intellectus, and Opinio are all one. To con­fute this, Saint Bernard saith, D. Bern. that Multi suam opinionem, intellectum putaverunt, & erraverunt: & quaedam opi­nio potest putari intellectus, intellectus opinio non potest [...] unde hoc accidit profectò, quia haec falli, & fallere po­test, ille non potest: aut si falli potuit, intellectus non fuit, sed opinio. Verus nempè intellectus certam habet non modò veritatem, sed notiti­am veritatis; Many have thought their opinion to be Vnderstanding, and have er­red; And some opinion may bee thought to bee Vnder­standing; but understand­ing cannot bee taken for o­pinion, [Page 88] which commeth to passe certainely, because O­pinion may deceive, and be deceived: Vnderstanding cannot: or, if it could bee deceived, it were not Vnder­standing, but Opinion. For true Vnderstanding hath not onely a certaine truth: but a knowledge of the truth: But Divine Intellect is no part of my Prudence; mine is Humane, which is defined by Saint Bernard, D. Bern. to be Rei cujuscunque invisibilis, certa, & manifesta notitia. An invisible, certaine, and ma­nifest knowledge of any thing. Others thinke that the understanding is a power of the Rationall soule, wher­by man doth perceive, judge and know Intelligibles, e­specially Vniversalls: and [Page 89] here is unfolded the Triple office of the Vnderstanding, Percipere, Iudicare, & Cog­noscere. Thus (according to Saint Augustine) Intellectus est vis animae, Aug. quae sub visu non cadentia percipit: quem­admodùm ipsa quoque anima, sensus adminiculo, corporatas formas intuetur; The Vnder­standing is a facultie of the soule, which doth perceive things beyond the appre­hension of sight, or sense: as the soule it selfe doth be­hold corporeall formes by the assistance of the senses. Here Philosophicall in­sights raise a difference Inter animum, & animam. Nor is the distinction to bee sligh­ted, for Animus est, quo sa­pimus, anima, quâ vivimus; the mind is it whereby wee [Page 90] consider, and grow wise, the soule whereby we live, and grow men. Divers trouble themselves with divisions of the Intellect; In mine owne opinion, Pet Mar. Peter Martyr gives it the plainest, and the best: Vnus vocatur practicus, & alter speculativus, non quasi sint duae vires aut fa­cultates animae, sed, quia circa objecta sua speculativa vel practica versatur intel­lectus, aut speculativus, aut practicus; The one is cal­led (saith hee) the Practicke, the other the Speculative, not, as if they were two di­stinct faculties of the minde, but, because about those things that are Speculative, or Practicke, the Vnder­standing is busied or con­versant. Mag. Magirus jumpes [Page 91] with Aristotle in the divi­sion; but doth adde fur­ther, That the Vnderstan­ding is first separated in specie from the other fa­culties of the soule, next it is separated from the bo­dy, for wee can understand without the body, and the Vnderstanding useth not a­ny Organe of the body, but is freed Ab omni consortio ejus. Lastly, the Vnder­standing is separable from the same, not onely accor­ding to operation, but also according to subsistence: because, the body being taken away, the Vnderstan­ding subsists, and remaines permanent by it selfe. It being therefore plaine, that the Vnderstanding is a facultie of the soule, that it [Page 92] hath no certaine Organ in the body, and can subsist without the body, it must be, as the soule is. That there is a Vegetative, a Sensitive, and a Rationall Soule, I think few so irrationall, but know it. The Vegetative Soule, Trees, and Plants partake of; The Vegetative, and Sensi­tive Beasts, Birds, and Fi­shes; The Vegetative, Sen­sitive, and a Rationall Soule is in Man alone. Concer­ning which Rationall Soule, there is a four-fold opinion: The first is, That it is trans­ferred, and brought forth, as a part of the Substance of God, who inspireth it in­to the Body, according to that of Moses; Inspiravit in faciem ejus spiraculum vitae. The second is, That it pro­ceedeth [Page 93] from the soules of our Parents, and is transfer­red, even as, and when the seede is. The third, That the soules of men have been from the beginning all crea­ted of God, made of no­thing, and reserved in hea­ven, afterwards to be sent into the lower parts, as need should require, and that the bodies of men are formed, and disposed to receive them. The last opinion is, That all soules are created of God, and infused into Men, and that the Creation and Infusion is effected Vno eodemque tempore. But a­mong all Opinions, mine is, That it is a Mysterie beyond the Philosophers reach, and not to be understood Abs­que Numine, I need not have [Page 94] troubled my selfe with a de­finition of the Rationall Soule, since I am to write onely, Arist. where it is placed. Aristotle saith. That it is Tota in toto, & tota in quali­bet parte; Which is true concerning the soules ener­geticall information, but not concerning her Royal Palace of chiefe habitation. Charown is of opinion, Char. That the soules Chiefe or Tribunall Seate is in the head, and not in the heart, forgetting, it seemes That Cor est primum vivens, & ultimum Moriens: but a­bout her chiefest place of re­sidence, I finde a threefold, and different opinion. The Physitions hold her Princi­pall seate in the braine: the Philosophers in the heart: & some Divines (that believe [Page 95] the soule to be Ex traduce) in the blood.

By reason of this variety in opinion concerning the proper seate of the soule, Rawlins, an ingenious Fryer, Raw. takes occasion to wonder at the learned, and (as it were) laboured Malice of the Iewes, in pursuing the ve­ry soule of Christ, even till it left his body; For (saith he) there being three chiefe opinions, where the soule is chiefely seated: to wit,

1. Either in the Blood, according to that in Leviti­cus, Anima omnis Carnis in sanguine est.

2. Or in the Braine, as ma­ny noted Physitions think.

3. Or in the Heart, as your best and soundest Phi­losophers hold.

That maliciously-wicked rabble of Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees (as if they had beene studied and expert in the severall subtilties, and varieties of those severall o­pinions) sought to force the soule of Christ out of his body, through those the ten­derest and liveliest parts of his body; seeking, if they could, to let it out

First, Through his Head, and Braine, by a twisted Crowne of sharpe-pointed Thornes.

Secondly, Through his Bloud by Whips & Nayles, in piercing, and tearing the veynes of his body, especi­ally his hands and feet.

Thirdly, Through his ve­ry Heart, when that bloudy Souldier, Longinus so na­med, [Page 97] if Rome mistake not, ran him through the side with his deadly Launce.

These severall opinions do all carry Truth with them in their severall kindes. For the soule hath its seat both in the bloud, and in the braine; but Principally, and most Radically in the heart. Plain it is, That the Vnderstan­ding is seated with the Soule, and the Soule seated in the Heart, and both of them, ne­cessarily, joyned together. Saint Basil observes, D. Basil. That the Court hath got the at­tributes of the Queene, that dwells in it, the Queene the name of the Court; the Heart the attributes of the Soule, the Soule the name of the Heart; so that the Soule is where the Heart is, [Page 98] the Vnderstanding inhabi­ting with them both; Ac­cording to the words of God to Solomon, For I have given thee an Vnderstanding Heart. Sir Tho. Ell. Sir Thomas Elliot, in his disputation Platonicke, saith, That the Heart of Man is the Soules booke, wherein all Thoughts are written. And wee know there are two Veines in the Tongue, the one (as it is thought) hath recourse to the Heart, the other to the Head: that of the Heart, what it suggests, it brings up to the Head, where both meete, and deliver over their joynt, and severall er­rands to the Tongue; Ac­cording to that in the Go­spell, Ex abundantia Cordis os loquitur. And now will I [Page 99] close up this Point with the words of the ever to be ho­noured for Learning, Vi­count Saint Alban, who, Vic. St. Alb. in his Booke entituled The Advancement of Learning, thus saith; The Arts Intel­lectuall are foure in num­ber, divided according to the ends, whereunto they are referred; For Mans la­bour is to invent that, which is sought, and propounded; or to judge that, which is in­vented; or to retaine that, which is judged; or to deli­ver over that, which is re­tained, so that the Arts must bee foure; Art of Enquirie, or Invention; Art of Examination, or Judge­ment; Art of Custody, or Memory; And Art of Elo­cution, or Tradition. Thus [Page 100] cursorily have I run over the Vnderstanding. In the next place I am to Write De Providentia.

THere are three Opi­nions concerning Providence. The first is the Epicureans, al­together Vngodly; Who deny, That there is a God, not plainly in Words, but in Heart; and in like man­ner, deny the Providence of God. The second, is of the Stoicks, Who rightly allow, That all things are [Page 101] by the Providence of God; because nothing is done without the Divine care and knowledge: yet, will they have all things fall out by a fatall necessity. The third Opinion is of the Peripate­ticks (which carrieth more truth then the former) who rightly Judge, That all things are done by the Pro­vidence of God; and yet that some things fall out ca­sually and fatally both; and those were the Aristoteli­ans, Platonists, and many Schoolemen at this day. And now give me leave to branch forth a division, be­fore I give you the Defini­nition. There is a Divine, and an Humane Providence. Pet. Mar. Divine Providence is de­fined by Peter Martyr to be [Page 102] Ratio quâ deus utitur in rebus dirigendis ad suos fines, in quâ definitione non modo notitia, sed voluntas, & vis id faciendi comprehensa est; It is (saith hee) a reason which God useth in directing things to his owne ends; in which definition not onely the knowledge, but the will, & power of his doing is com­prehēded. Providentia dei est ipsa divina ratio, in summo om­nium Principe (Deo) consti­tuta, quâ is cuncta praeterita & futura videt, & praecognos­cit: Hoc est, Providentia Dei est Scientia Dei certa, in ejus mente concepta ab aeterno, de ijs, quae olim facta, & un­quàm futura sunt necessariò & contingentèr; The Pro­vidence of God is the very divine reason constituted in [Page 103] God the chiefe Prince of all things, wherby hee sees and fore-knowes all things past, and to come; That is, The Providence of God is the certaine knowledge of God, conceived in his Vnder­standing from eternity, con­cerning those things which were necessarily and contin­gently done in times past, or which any time are to come. Peter Martyr hath it thus; Est facultas Dei, Pet. Mar quâ res omnes dirigit, & ad­ducit ad suos fines; Tis a faculty of God, whereby hee directs, and reduces all things to his owne ends. Trelcatius tells us, Trel. That Providence is an outward action of God, whereby hee keepeth all and severall things that are done, to that [Page 104] end, which he hath deter­mined according to the li­berty of his will, and that, to the end, he might in all and severall things bee glo­rified. The efficient cause of this Providence or go­vernment is the same, which is of creation, sith one, and the selfe same beginning is of both, from, and by which all things doe pro­ceed, and are conserved, to wit, God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost. The Fa­ther, or the love and good­nesse of the Father, is the first beginning cause: the Sonne, in that hee is the Wisedome and Word, is the working cause, the Ho­ly Ghost, in that he is the virtue and power of the Fa­ther, and Sonne, is the fi­nishing [Page 105] cause, Sicut Adam a nullo homine, Evah ex solo homine, & Seth ex utroque; ita Deus pater a nullo, filius ex solo patre, & Spiritus Sanctus ex utroque; Even as Adam was from none, Eve from man alone, and Seth from them both; so God the Father is from none, the Sonne from the Father alone, and the Holy Ghost from them both. Now the workes of God summarily are two; That of the Creation, & that of the Redemption; both these workes, as, in the totall, they may appertaine to the Vnity of the Godhead, so, in their parts, they may be referred to the three Per­sons. That of the Creati­on, in the Masse of the mat­ter [...]

hee may bee in all his un­dertakings Magnanimus actu, That British tongues may triumphantly say, Charolus ille Magnus: & as in my So­veraignes cause, I have plaid the Priest, So let the British World bee my Clearkes, and say, Amen. That I may also pray for them. Otherwise, I shall but curse that soule, that will not say so. But here­in I am loth to divulge the utmost of my thoughts; yet I feare, that tongue will burne in unquenchable fire, that dare presume to scan­dalize his Soveraigns name, or detract from his worth. And this dare I justifie. For he cannot be a true servant to God, that beares not a true heart to his King; But, [Page 125] mee thinkes I heare Blesen­sis say, Ble. Pro regibus orare est nova traditio, To pray for Kings is a new tradition; I wonder hee, or any dare broach such new Heresie, since wee are commanded by S. Peter, and S. Paul, to pray for them which are in Authority, especially for our Supreame Soveraigne. Pro Rege quasi praecellenti. When Abishai would have slaine Saul, the mortall ene­my of David, David sayd to Abishai, Destroy him not, for who can stretch foorth his hand against the Lords Annointed, and be guiltlesse, It was King Iohns very case in the viewing the Castle of Rochester, as is to bee seene in our History. And thus much for the Reci­procall [Page 126] Duties betwixt Kings and their Subjects.

THE Children, saith S. Paul, are not for the Parents, but the Pa­rents for the children; Be­gin we therefore with their Office and Duty, since theirs is the Precedency. When the Childe is borne, let not the Mother (though good in disposition) nurse any un­lesse she nurse all. I am not against the generall Opini­on, as if it were not meete [Page 127] for a Mother to nurse her owne Childe: Yet this I conceive, that if she should nurse one, and refuse ano­ther, she should with much partiality incline to one, ra­ther then another. For Womens affections are ma­ny times transported be­yond Judgement, And let the Fathers intentions bee never so upright, yet the Mothers survivorship may finde out new inventions to performe her Naturall Af­fections. Choose, if you be droven to a choice for your Nurse, a Woman Witty, Handsome, and if you can (having the two former qualities) Honest; For that Childe, that re­ceiveth nutriment from his Foster Mother, will goe [Page 128] neere to Sympathize with her in condition. And now the Horne-booke appeares. If thou hast Daughters, Mu­sicke, Dancing, Needle-working may serve turne to keepe them from Idle­nesse; They are hardly got, and quickly lost. To make them schollers, were frivo­lous, it being by some ob­served, That Learning in a Woman, is like a Sunne­diall in a Grave. And we have a Caveat given us from our late Solomon in his Pro­verbs; King Iames It hath like opera­tion to make Women lear­ned, as to make Foxes tame, which only teacheth them to steale more cunningly. The possibility is not equall, for where it doth one good, it doth twenty harme. True [Page 129] it is, divers Women have beene very well learned. I have read, that Zenobia Queene of the Palmerians, being skilfull in the Greeke, Latine, & Aegyptian tongues, taught them to her two sons, and wrote an Epitome of the Easterne parts. Cornelia taught her two sonnes the Gracchi, the Latine tongue. And Aretia taught her son Aristippus philosophy, but he proved a Sycophantical Phi­losopher. Indeed knowledge in a Woman commonly purchaseth more Inconve­nience then profit. Exem­pli gratia. A Romane and a Grecian Embassadour, meeting in the Senate of the Rhodians; the Gre­cian spake these words; True it is, Romane, you [Page 130] are bold in Armes, but un­skilfull in Sciences, for the Women of Greece are more skilfull in Learning, then the Men of Rome in Wea­pons. These words cau­sed Warre in Sicily. At last the Rhodians perswaded, that those Warres should be ended, not by Weapons, but by Feminine Disputa­tions. It was like to be a so­lid Piece, when Women tooke it in hand, Stout War­riers they are, to end Em­bassadours Quarrels. The Arguments my Author no­teth not; Nor do I know his Reason, But certainely, as farre as they tended to a Logicall Disputation, o­ver and over excellent. Loo­king-glasses, are the fittest Bookes for Womens Stu­dies; [Page 131] For there they may rectifie their Deformities, and take Counsell, which may be the best way to shew that part, which is best. Yet I would have no Woman so farre dote on those Bookes, as to offer up her Morning Sacrifice to them, Eying her selfe so long, till Narcissus like, she fall in love with her owne Shadow, I do hate this Face Physicke. Diog. Diogenes said to one, that had perfumed his Locks, Be carefull your o­doriferous Head procure you not a stinking Life. Be­ware, with Absolon, you take no Pride in your Locks, lest you be insnared by them; For I believe these Daubed ones are in easie possibility, to be Polluted [Page 132] ones. Laert. I like Laertius Ob­servation, Optimi sunt odores, qui odorant Mores, alitèr non sunt flores, sed faetores; Strong perfumes argue guil­tinesse of some loathsome Savour; Glorious outsides, imply some inward Filthi­nesse, that would faine e­scape notice: overmuch Ornament: importing De­formity; If shee be Faire, she must be Proud, and she cannot be Proud unlesse she love her Face, which is the better beloved, when repre­sented in a flattering Glasse. In a word, the Learnedst Woman, that ever was, her knowledge being Weighed with an indifferent Mans, will prove like the Woman and the Feather in the Car­dinals Scales,

Yet, for all this, I must confesse, I would not have them altogether Illiterate. Let them Read, and Write, but not Indite: Casket them not up for Holy Reliques; but when nature hath made them fit for the Rites of Marriage, marry them, lest they save you a labour. And there is an end with them, and their Education.

If thou hast Sons, in the first place, be carefull of their Paedagogue, That hee be Modest, Sober, Learned; And be sure that hee have a good Forme of Teaching, lest the succeeding Masters [Page 134] should have more to doe, to Vnteach, then to Teach. Dimo the Musitian deman­ded alwaies a greater re­ward of them whom others taught, then of them, who never learned any thing. In this Provision of Tutors, the Gentrie are farre short of their Inferiors, as it will appeare by the words of Quintilian, Quin. urged by Sir Thomas Elliot. And these are they, Common Expe­rience teacheth, That no Man will put his Sonne to a Butcher, to learne; or bind him Prentice to a Traveller, if hee intend to make him a Scholler: or if hee will have him a cunning Gold­smith, will first binde him Prentice to a Tinker; These things Poore Men are cir­cumspect [Page 135] in, and the No­bles and Gentlemen (who would have their Sonnes by excellent learning come to Honour) or for sparing of Cost, or for lacke of dili­gent search for a good Schoolemaster, wilfully de­stroy their Children; cau­sing them to be taught that Learning, which would re­quire sixe or seaven Yeares to be forgotten; By which time the most part of that Age is spent, wherein the chiefest sharpenesse of Wit, and also then approacheth the stubborne Age, when the Childe brought up in Pleasure, disdaineth Cor­rection. And herein Poore men and Great men differ, the one esteeming Learning an Honour, the other (too [Page 136] often) rather a Disparage­ment then an Ornament.

Diod. Diodorus the Sicilian Writeth, That the Law-maker Charondas appointed, that all the Children of the City should learne their Letters at the charges of the Common-wealth, which was to maintaine Publick Masters, to teach both Poor and Rich. Like to this cu­stome are our Free-schooles in England, where, though perhaps the Schoole-ma­ster or Schoole-masters may very well instruct a multitude in learning, Yet he or they can hardly order them in good marners. For what are two men, or three, at the most, to a giddy-headed company of Boyes? My opinion is (if conveni­ency) [Page 137] will permit) Let them learne first at home, in those annis pubescentibus. Then your owne eyes may see their education. Licurgus his whelps, both of a Litter, may give sufficient satisfa­ction, The one being well educated, would kill a Hare; The other instead of hun­ting, would fall to gnawing of bones which he found in the High-way. When Antipater demanded of the Spartans fifty Children for Hostages, they replyed, That they had rather let him have a double portion of those which were at their full yeares; For they knew the ingenuity of their Men, but not (by reason of good education) what their chil­dren might come to Edu­cation [Page 138] is Prima, Secunda, Tertia pars vitae. That croo­kednesse which a Tree hath in it's tender growth, en­creaseth dayly with the growth of the Tree, sea­son them well in their Infan­cy, they will Savour of it in their Age, According to the Poet.

And now, I suppose, my Striplings are formally clad, and togated, newly arrived at the Vniversitie, where before they are well ac­quainted with, the Colleges and Halls, they must bee sent for home, to be cocke­red up in their Fathers par­lours; if they suffer them to stay so long, as to see the [Page 139] Library, they suppose they are able to discourse of the Vniversities great Learning, in that very houre they eyed the Bookes, though not profited their Vnderstand­ings. But every man may take notice; That perfect schollers are perfect Men, halfe schollers halfe Men, no Schollers no Men. For the illiterate are like Sta­tues, or like a picture, which causeth this Motto, This is the Effigies of such a man. What a lamentable sight is it, to see a good pro­portion of Body want an Head-piece? O quale Caput, sed non habet Cerebrum. Na­ture without Learning hath lost it's eye-sight; And cer­tainly it is lesse paine to learne in youth, then to be [Page 140] ignorant in old age; Vi­ta hominis sine literis mors est, & vivi hominis is sepul­tura: The life of a man without knowledge is a death, and the sepulchre of a living man (saith Cicero. Cic.) Wit without Learning is like a Tree without fruite; As an untilled field, so is the minde without Lear­ning. William the Conque­rour, finding the defect of Learning in himselfe, utte­red these words to his son, That an unlearned Prince was a Crowned Asse. If it be so with Kings, what is it with Inferiours? Now there are some Pretenders to Learning, who by their silken Out-sides would have the World suppose they had Golden Insides, [Page 141] whose Cringed knees, An­ticke gestures, with a whole rabble of Superlative foo­leries (prating as amply, as unnecessarily, their Tongues being Gentlemen-Vshers to their Wits, still going be­fore) leade vulgar Judge­ments into Labyrinths of amazements, Who onely measure Inward Sufficien­cies by Outward Formes, or Fortunes, Esteeming them most Wise, who are most Fantastically deckt, Rich, Honourable; As if these things without an E­state Magnified their Wits, and with an Estate did put the World in minde of their Fortunes. But what hath my Pen to doe with Folly? Yet why should I say so? Since the common Opinion [Page 142] is (urge what I can to the contrary) No Wisedome without Wealth.

Yet I like not to see in­sulting Ignorance domi­neere over poore Schollers, Who are forced to come sneaking in with Paradoxes of Poverty. But if you ob­serve what is sayd by Syra­cides in his Ecclesiasticus, You shall find the words and actions of the Rich farre surpassing those of the poore; So that, make mee Rich, I must bee Just, Va­liant, Honourable, Wise, Et quid non. For Virtue in poverty is like a goodly Ship ready rig'd, but can­not saile for want of Wind. But Quo vado.

To tell you of all the Kings, and Emperours, that [Page 143] were Schollers, and Favou­rers of Learning, were but to fill up my Papers with Proper Names. I reserve them for some other, though not for my better uses. I will onely urge the Empe­rour Claudius Caesar, Cosroes King of the Persians, the Vespasians, Ptolomy King of the Aegyptians, and the good Emperour Trajane, who at his owne charges maintained five Hundred Children at Schoole, there­by to banish Ignorance. It is observed, That, from the death of Domitianus the Emperour, untill the raigne of Commodus (comprehen­ding the raigne of sixe Prin­ces) all were Learned, or singular Favourers, and Ad­vancers of Learning. It was [Page 144] a wise answer of Alexander, when question was made, what should be put into the rich Cabinet of Darius, hee answered, Homers Workes. And reason good; For Ho­mer hath given more men their Living, then Sylla, Cae­sar, and Augustus. Happy then is it, when Kings are Philosophers, or Philoso­phers Kings. It was Varroes good fortune to light upon Anthony, who, being con­demned to die, for his Lear­ning was pardoned by him, uttering these words, Vivat Varro vir doctiss mus; And Alexander was never more renowned in all his Con­quests, then he was in that of Thebes, when he sold all the Free-men (Priests onely ex­cepted) and in the greatnesse [Page 145] of that Massacre, not onely gave charge for the saving of Pindarus the Poet; but also s [...]w himselfe, both him, his house, and family undamni­fied. Whosoever hath but seene History, shall not onely find the Learning of these, and many more, but their well wishing, and bounty towards it. I con­ceive therefore, that Parents are bound to lend their hel­ping hands, that their Chil­dren may be instructed, Tàm Moribus, quàm Doctrinâ: tàm Doctrinâ quàm Moribus; Otherwise the Childrens faults will light upon the Parents heads. And by the Law Falcidia, if the Child commit an offence, the Fa­ther should be punished. To this purpose was that of [Page 146] Diogenes, who being to buy commodities of the Father, and the Sonne, the Sonne swore, that Diogenes offered lesse, then it cost his Father. Diogenes strucke the Father for the Sonnes oath, the Fa­ther demanded wherefore hee strucke him; Diogenes replyed because he had not instructed his Sonne better, then to commit such an offence. But in point of Schollership I might here urge Architrenius; Archi.

The Labourer blisters but his Hands, but the Scholler [Page 147] his Braines; And when all is done, he is but as a Fish cast upon the sands, that must stay, till the Tide of others Good-will flowes. Indeed there are too many Politicks, that hold it a needlesse thing to be any way indulgent to Schollers, (Poverty being thought to be their Naturall Patrimony) terming them by the title of Scholastici. And some others thinke schollership to bee but the Emblem of beggary (though I hold it but a beggarly opi­nion) so that Schollers me­rits, like Ciphers, stand for nothing. It is reported, that one of the Philosophers de­livered a stock of money to a friend of his upon this condi­tion; That if it should hap­pen his Children should bee [Page 148] Fooles, he should deliver it unto them; but if Philoso­phers, then to the Common-people. A strange resolution from so wise a Man, which perhaps drove an other of the Philosophers into a Pas­sion, the World so industri­ously heaping up Treasure, and being so negligent, whom to leave it to. And here abruptly I breake off, lest the prosecution of my Discourse should beget of­fence, where I meant none; For by a due proceeding, I should fall upon some points which are Orthodoxall, if the Fathers of the Church, and Moderne Writers of the best sort, as also Expositors as well of Antiquity, as of latter times, of severall reli­gions, and of all sorts neere [Page 149] an hundred bee of validity to have steered my severall silenced Tenets.

I choose rather to em­brace that grand Politicians advise, who bids me not to come, &c.

A And thus I passe from the descendent to the ascendent dutie.

And here, in respect of mine owne obedience, as well as others, I will bee more freely bold to set downe truth, knowing that none but Children and Fooles can take exception. Where then lies this dutie ascendent? Vndoubtedly in the Childs awfull service and observance, both of his Parents persons, and Pre­cepts: For thereto are Children bound, both by naturall instinct, and super­naturall injunction. Nature teacheth their respect and obedience towards those, who gave them being: And the God of nature enjoynes them no lesse in the first [Page 151] Commandement of the Se­cond Table. And the elder of the two Sonnes in the Gospell shewes by the ex­pression of his dutious be­haviour there, what is due from the Sonne to the Fa­ther, that is service, and obe­dience to his Commande­mens. If therefore Parents performe their duties, a curse will light the heavier on the Children, that doe not really act theirs; And let them bee sure to receive it corporally in this, or spi­ritually in the World to come.

Yet Plutarch, Plut. that great Moralist saith; That the Child is not bound to his Parents, of whom hee hath not received some good thing. In which point, I [Page 152] doubt whether it holds truth on the Childs part, for he is bound absolutely to obey: But certainely 'tis true on the Parents, they ought to doe good to their Children, and not to grieve, or provoke them, (if Saint Paul be to bee believed) but howsoever to doe them all manner of good, unlesse they will bee worse then the worst of the Iewes; For even of them hath our Sa­viour said, Yee your selves being evill know how to give good gifts to your Children. But I proceed in Childrens duties, Bast. and must tell them, that Bastingius reduces the duties of Chil­dren towards their Parents unto three principall Heads: The first is, De Obedientiâ, [Page 153] quam liberi debent ipsorum fidelibus, & pijs praeceptis; The Second de Fide, nempe, ne illos pauperes negligant, sed ut vicissim ijs praemia nutri­cationis retribuant; The Third, de Amore, hoc est, Vt eorum vitia & mores tole­rent, & piâ quâdam indul­gentiâ ad senectutis sordes, & errata conniveant; I leave this for the Reader to tran­slate, and come to the words of Herolt, Her. who determines their duties in sixe things, Filij in sex tenentur parenti­bus suis, sive sint vivi, sive mortui. Primò, Tenentur ser­vire eis corporalitèr, scilicet, cum proprio suo corpore: se­cundo, Tenentur filij parentes eorum diligere ex corde, con­tra hoc faciunt, qui parentes odorunt, & optant ijs mortem, [Page 154] ut eorum haereditatem parti­cipent; Quod est valdè re­prehensibile, & grave pecca­tum. Tertiò, Tenentur paren­tibus dulcitèr, & reverentèr respondere, cum ab ipsis corri­piuntur. Quartò, Filij tenen­tur parentibus in temporali­bus & corporalibus subveni­re. Quintò, Filij tenentur pa­rentibus, in his, quae ad bo­num & salutem ipsorum per­tinent. Sextò, Tenentur filij parentibus defunctis subve­nire, & animas parentum suo­rum cum Missis, Eleëmosy­nis, & Orationibus de Purga­torio liberare; Sonnes in sixe things are bound to their Parents, whether they be alive or dead; First, they are bound to serve them Corporally, to wit, with their owne Body. Second­ly, [Page 155] Children are bound to love their Parents, with their Heart: Against this they transgresse which hate their Parents, and wish their death, that they may parti­cipate of their inheritance; Which is excedingly to bee reprehended, and a Grie­vous Sinne; (and in my opi­nion such a Sinne as will hardly be forgiven.) Third­ly, they are bound mildly, and reverently to render an answer, when they are cor­rected of them. Fourthly, they are bound to relieve their Parents in Temporall, and Corporall things. Fift­ly, Children are bound to obey their Parents in those things, which belong unto their good and safety. Sixt­ly, Children are bound to [Page 156] helpe their dead Parents, to free their Soules out of Pur­gatory by saying Masse, gi­ving Almes, and making Prayers; The Fourth I be­lieve if need requires. The last shall never bee any part of my Creed. Howsoever let all Children remember the first Commandement of the Second Table, dividing it selfe into two particulars; into a Precept, and a Rea­son, or rather a Reward, which is annexed unto this Commandement, and none else. The Precept (Honour thy Father and thy Mother) the Reason or the Reward [That thy dayes may bee long in the Land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee:] Now, the word for Honour in the Originall signifies [Page 157] Aggravare; So that wee must Addere Pretium and Addere Pondus, and so Hono­rem: make it a matter of weight to honour them. And seeing they beare the persons of God, they must not be set slightly by. Phil. And here by the way Philo the Iew conceiveth this Com­mandement to bee halfe Di­vine, halfe Humane; and so would have that, which con­cernes God, to be in the first Table, that which belongs to our Neighbour in the se­cond Table. Parents questi­onlesse ought to be reveren­ced and obeyed; As it is in Leviticus, the Kings, Luke, the Epistle to the Ephesians, &c. Taurus the Philosopher, when the Father and the Sonne came to him about a [Page 158] Controversie, the Sonne be­ing a Magistrate, the Father none, appointed, that the Father should sit on that one stoole hee had, till the Que­stion were decided, whether of them ought to have the place. Sufficient might bee urged for the manifestation of this point, but all to this purpose. Offend not thy Parents in Thought, Word, or Deed; In thy Thoughts harbour not the least con­ceit against them; In thy Deeds doe not any thing to grieve them; In thy Words speake not amisse of them. Remember what Chrysolo­gus saith, Chrys. Lingua in capite est caput mali; The Tongue in the Head is the Head of evill; especially in this case. And this Dutie stands as [Page 159] well in the Action, as in the Manner of the Action; And neither to be omitted, and in both be sure thou art not arraigned at the Barre, and proved guilty: for my part, I had better; nay, rather un­dergoe Isaakes Burden, then offend my Father Abra­ham. Thus have I shewed the respective duties, both from Parents to their Chil­dren, and from Children to their Parents. And thus I shake hands on both sides, wishing both Parents and Children answerable unto what I have wrote; Chil­dren especially: For by the Mosaicall Law, You shall feare every Man his Mo­ther, and his Father. And in the Proverbes you may find, Honour thy Father, [Page 160] that begate thee, and thy Mother that bare thee: Cer­tainely then, the Child is in a litle deeper bond of dutie, then the Parents, if the Wisedome of Solomon failed him not, when hee thus ad­vised, Honour thy Father with thy whole Heart, and forget not the sorrowes of thy Mother. Remember that thou wast begot of them, and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee? And thus much for this part of Providence.

ANd now a word or two betweene Ma­sters of Families, and their Servants. And First for the Master. The Master of a Family, accor­ding to Aristotle, Arist. exerciseth a three-fold Power; A Power Regall over his Children; A Power Ma­gisteriall over his Servants; And a Power Aristocrati­call over his Wife; which is not after his owne Will, but agreeable to the Honour and Dignity of the Married estate. But this is not the [Page 162] Duty, which is urged in Saint Pauls Epistle to Ti­mothy, If any provide not for his owne, especially those of his owne Houshold, hee hath denyed his Faith, and is worse then an Infi­dell. A single provision of Victualls is not sufficient to supply this want; There is a care to be had of their Soules; (For the greatest part of them have little of their owne) I meane not Pu­ritanically to Catechize them; For that is Officium Sacerdotis; But, as neere as you can, to beate downe Sinne in them, Especially, that of Swearing. Suffer them not to enterlard their Discourse with Oathes: For believe it, the hand of God will light heavie upon [Page 163] that House, where Blasphe­mers dwell. O Barre not then thy Servant of his due. If hee can say unto thee, as Iacob did unto Laban, These twenty yeares have I beene with thee; thy Ewes and thy Shee-goats have not cast their Yong, and the Rams of thy flocke have I not eaten; That which was torne of Beasts, I brought not unto thee, I bare the losse of it. Of my hand didst thou require it, whe­ther stollen by day, or stol­len by night. Thus I was, in the day the Drought con­sumed mee, and the Frost by night, and my sleepe de­parted from mine Eyes. Thus have I beene twenty yeares in the House, I ser­ved thee fourteene yeares [Page 164] for thy two Daughters, and sixe yeares for thy Cattell; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. If hee can say thus, give him not then a bleare-eyed Leah, for a beautifull Rachel: In a word, barre him not of ought, that is his due.

Now, for the Servants Duty towards his Master, it is foure-fold. First, In executing well his Masters Commandes, and Acting them diligently. Secondly, In not beguiling. Thirdly, In not reporting that before his face, which hee will not justifie behinde his backe. Lastly, In seeking all things for his Masters good, in his Goods, and otherwise. This last Duty in the chiefest Points thereof is two-fold. [Page 165] First, In not harshly re­plying to his Masters words, (for nothing is so odious as a scurrilous An­swer, especially, from an Inferiour.) Secondly, In keeping his Masters secrets at home and abroad: But by the way, Hee shall not locke up his Secrets safely, that makes choice of his Servants Heart for a Cabi­net. I must confesse hee is like a Ladder, ascending and descending; bound like a Shadow, neither to be lon­ger nor shorter: His Live­ry being rather a badge of Servitude, then Devotion; And when all is done, hee is but like him, who in a Win­ters night takes a long slum­ber over a dying fire, as loath to depatt from it; yet [Page 166] parts thence as cold, as when hee first [...] downe. As for his Duty, you may reade it [...] divers places of Holy Writ, especially▪ in Genesis, the Epistle to the Ephesians, Colossians, Ti­tus, &c. I might here give them a Morall Instruction, but they will performe what they list, say what you will, they will doe what they please. And thus much for Providence.

I Come now to write De Astutiâ mentis, which (as was for­merly said) I conceived to be an Appendix of the three former Species of Prudence: Yet will I allow it a distinct Definition, Astutia mentis est, quâ in rebus industrijs cautum captatur consilium, & acutè discernitur, quid bo­num, quid malum, quid uti­le, quid incommodum; The Subtilty of the Vnderstan­ding is that, whereby wee [Page 168] take wary Counsell in in­dustrious matters, and pun­ctually discerne, what is good, what evill, what pro­fitable, what incommodious. But such is our broken-bel­lied Age, that this Astutia is turned into Versutia, and wee terme those most A­stute, which are most Ver­sute. D. Aug. Saint Augustine ma­keth a difference betweene them. For (saith hee) Astu­tia est quiddam, quod nùnc in bonam, nùnc in malam par­tem accipitur; Versutia est observatio nostri commodi in aliquâ re cum alterius detri­mento; Astutia is a subtilty, which is taken sometime in a good Sense, sometime in in a bad. Versutia is a crafty heeding our owne profit with anothers dam­mage; [Page 169] And this is called Callidity. The end of this base craft is, First to get Ri­ches, then Honour. The way to attaine unto these is, by that ugly, uncouth Mon­ster (Dissimulation or Flatte­ry) which because it lights casually on my Pen. A word or two of it.

THis is the old Sicknes of the Roman Com­mon-wealth, and the most Pestilent contagion of our British Nation.

The Originall of this Flattery first came from the Devill, the Devill put it over to the Serpent, the Serpent left it to the Woman: Where it had its beginning, it is probable, it will have its ending. And here, Com. by the way, Petrus Co­mestor, [Page 171] in his Scholasticall History, gives us this note; That at the time, when the Serpent tempted the Wo­man, hee was straight, and upright like a man, but af­terwards by the Curse hee was cast downe to the Earth to glide along thereon. To this purpose (saith Beda) the Devill chose a Serpent, Bed. that had a face like a Woman, because Similia similibus ap­plaudant, that like may be pleasing to like. And Saint Cyril observes, Cyr. That Mans first destruction was in Pa­radise, when the Rib was taken out of him to make Woman: So that the fashi­oning of our first Mother, hath caused multitudes of her Sonnes to loose their hearts; For ever since that [Page 172] time Sinne assailes the heart there, where it wants that Rib for defence. And the holy Father Ambrose seemes to bee very angry with our Grand-mother Eve, D. Ambr. wishing that either Eves Tongue had beene out, or both hers, and Adams eares stopped, before either the Woman had listned to the Serpent, or the Man to the beguiled Woman, Vtinam aut surdus Adam fuisset, aut Eva obmu­tuisset, ille ne vocem uxoris audiret; ista ne loquatur ma­rito; Would to God, saith he, Adam had been deafe, or Eve dumbe, hee deafe in not listning to his Wives Serpentine Tongue, or shee Tongue-tied, that she could not have spoken the Ser­pents Language to her Hus­band, [Page 173] Vicissemus, si Eva ta­cuisset; We had beene hap­py, saith hee, and still kept Paradise, could the Woman but have kept her Tongue in her Head, which Tongue hath so sorely broken Mans head, that all the Balsome in the World can never heale so deepe a Wound. But to the purpose. Adulatio est ex­cessus delectandi alios verbis, vel factis; Flattery is an ex­cesse of delighting others by Words, or Deeds; or, A­dulatio est peccatum ex ser­mone vanae laudis alicui exhi­bitae, intentione complacendi; laudare enim aliquem, qui non est laudandus, vel plus quam est laudandus, vel non eo fine, quo fieri debet, pecca­tum est, secundum Alexan­drum; Alex. Adulation is a Sinne [Page 174] used to any with the speech of vaine praise, and an in­tention of pleasing; For to praise any one, which is not to be praised, or more then he is praise-worthy, or not to that end, whereto it ought to be done, is a sinne, if the Author erre not. D. Greg. Saint Gre­gory speaking of the Aegyp­tian Locusts, saith, Locustae vocabulo linguae adulantis ex­primitur; By the name of the Locust, the Tongue of the Flatterer is exprest, De­vorata est herba terrae, et quic­quid pomorum in arboribus fuit; By the first was onely devoured the Grasse of the Earth, and the fertility of Trees; But these Flatterers, Terrenorum hominum mentes si bona aliqua proferre conspi­ciant, haec immoderatiùs lau­dando [Page 175] corrumpunt, Corrupt by immoderate praising the Vnderstanding of Men, if they regard to publish ought that is good. The Locusts lasted in Aegypt but three dayes; this is the customary vice of every day. The Lo­custs were blowne away with a West Wind into the Red Sea: no one Wind, no not all the Winds can blow these Diabolicke Servants to their Master the Devill, till there be no more Poste­rity upon Earth.

But some may allege Saint Paul for authority of dissi­mulation, because he would please the Iewes in Timothy, and not circumcise Titus to please the Gentiles. A Question needing no An­swer; For it was to save all, [Page 176] Non simulantis astu, sed com­patientis affectu; Not by feigned Dissimulation, but by compassionate Affection. I would willingly here shake hands with it, but I am loath to part with it, many doe so dearely love it, which makes me tell you, It is the poyso­ning of Mans Vnderstan­ding, the Feeder of humors, the whole Volume of it is bound up in the Vellome Cover of Deceit; its acti­ons are worse then Rave­nous Beasts or Birds, the one doe prey but upon the dead Bodies, the other upon the living Soules. The Reports thereof are like Ecchoes, still imperfect, such sha­dowes that gaine-say no­thing, yeelding with your Body, the Looking-glasses [Page 177] that represent every thing, that is set against them: Ca­melion like, having all co­lours but White, all Points but Honesty. A Flatterer, as some say, is either an Ape by imitation; For hee will sooth a Man, till he have got somewhat by him: or a Sha­dow by Deceit; For hee quickly passeth by: Or a Ba­siliske by stinging; For with his very sight hee woundeth a Man: He is that Mus cam­pestris, that still nibles on the hard Rinde of sowre Lea­mons, but when he cometh to those, that are sweet and wholesome, his Stomacke fals into a loathing. Indeed Flatterers are like Taylors, who will tell you, that your Clothes are fit, when you must needs know better [Page 178] then they. Wee might therefore paint out Flattery, as the Philosophers did For­tune, diversly, as shee was to them, but certainly good to none. Eele-like, never yeel­ding good hold-fast. They do, as Ioab did to Amasa, embrace to kill. It is the Aspe, that kills us sleeping, that Syrens voyce, whose Ravishing is Murthering. Those then, that take de­light to be commended by Flatterers, one may take their Vnderstandings in Purse­nets. Yet I grieve with Pittie, and pittie them with Griefe, who had rather be soothed, then advised: sub­scribing more willingly to the Tongue of Flattery, then to the Heart of Ho­nesty, so that a Non-merito­rious [Page 179] parasite shall obtaine a Sun-shine admission, when dejected desert shall bee forced to freeze in atten­dance, and pine away in fruit­lesse Expectation.

But let each Wise man scorne those, the Clocke of whose Tongue is not answe­rable to the Diall of their Hearts. Let him banish such Trencher-flies, that waite more for Lucre, then for Love; For my part it shall alwayes be in my Litany, From them all the Lord de­liver mee. But now a dayes I muse the Mysterie of Flat­tery is not made a Science, since it is so Liberally pro­fessed. The time hath been, when Flatterers have beene altogether ruinated; Philip, and Constantine banished [Page 180] them from their Courts. The Athenians put Tyma­goras to death, because to in­sinuate with Darius hee sa­luted after the Persian man­ner. Augustus contemned it so much, that he would not suffer his Servants to kneele, nor Tiberius suffer his Ser­vants to call him Lord. King Canutus being, as it were, Deified by Flatterers, wal­ked one day on the Sands, at a flowing Water, and com­manded the Waves, that they should not touch his feete, no sooner had hee spoken, but the Sea dashed him: Ye see now my Lords (saith hee) what reason you have to extoll mee, that am not able to stop one Wave. Atheneus reports, Athen. that the Thessalians cleane raced [Page 181] downe a Citie of the Me­leans, because it was named Flattery. I confesse, it were better with Diogenes to bid Alexander stand out of his light, and not deprive him of that, hee could not give him, then with Aristippus to speake to Dionysius his heeles, instead of his eares. The World is full of Dio­nysius his Schollers: Wee know too many Clisophi, that will imitate Philip; And will not our Platonists array themselves with Impuden­cie insteed of Modesty?

If our Eares must bee in our Heeles, there our Syco­phants Tongues must dance attendance; If we could let them alone, where God hath placed them, they must packe up their Pipes, and re­move [Page 182] their Siege. Now Flattery hath so enwrapt it selfe into the skirts of Honesty, that wee are Oves in fronte, vulpes in corde; The Cloake of Sanctitie covering the body of Ini­quity, that makes me with the Poet, say

Where shall Gyndanes find another Abaucus, who will carry out his wounded Friend, and leave his Chil­dren to bee burnt: His Rea­son for the Act is to bee al­lowed of. Incertum (saith he) an hi boni sint futuri, &c. It is uncertaine, whether or [Page 183] no my Children will bee good hereafter, Hee hath beene long my Friend, and I shall hardly find out such a­nother as Gyndanes; Or where shall wee find ano­ther Damon and Pythias, whose love was such, that (before that Tyrant Diony­sius) the one dares to bee pledge for his Friends life, the other failes not the day of his Returne? What thinke you of Pilades, and Orestes? Nisus and Eurya­lus? Perithous and Theseus, whom Death it selfe could not separate? or what of Castor and Pollux, who in respect of their realty of Friendship were translated into Stars? these were as the Verses are.

And therefore a Friend is said to bee Animi custos, True Friendship is like Quick-silver put to Gold, which adheres so close unto it, that it workes into its Intrals, and so farre incorporates it selfe, that both Mettals are become one Lumpe. Such Friendship there was in the Heroicke times, But now, Friends are as scarce as Beacons, they stand alone, and farre off one another: Suspi­cion [Page 185] now-adayes marres Friendship and almost dis­solves Naturall Affection: So that I may tell you, If you have a Friend, to suspect him unworthily, instructs him the next way to suspect you, and prompts him even to de­ceive you, Mistrust being that stifling Spirit, which insinuates it selfe into e­very Action, or Passion of the Mind. Suspicion pro­ceeds from selfe defect, and if thou dost receive an Injury, Neglect de­stroyes with swifter Wings then Revenge; Howsoe­ver, all kind of Iealousie is worse then Frenzie, there may bee some end of the one, none of the other; [Page 186] Of all Passions no bitterer Potion. It begets unquiet­nesse in the Mind, hunting after every Whisper, and amplifying it with Interest, as that well skilled Master in Melancholy cals it.

Leave these superfluous Thoughts which beget Tor­mentors to thy Soule. Isocra­tes prayed, that hee might be safe from the danger of his Friends, rather then his Enemies, For that hee could beware of his enemies, be­cause hee would not trust them. I feare that now a­dayes Friendship is like the [Page 187] journy of the two Friends in the Fable, whom if the Beare meet, the one will fly to the Tree; while the other fals to the ground. Such, as this Traveller, are those Friends, who wither in the Bud, be­fore they come to the Blos­some, not like the Indian Tree, which (as History re­ports) never flourisheth, but in the night, for whilest the Sunne shineth it seemeth to Languish: nor resembling Glo-wormes, which, dark­ned in the day of Prosperity, reserve their Splendor for the night of Adversitie. Adversitie being that Judge, which discovers our ene­mies, and unmasketh our Friends.

But are none to bee taxed with this Malady, but the [Page 188] Laity? He were no injurious Patron, that should herein taxe the Clergie too: But I am loath to pinch on the Parsons side: nor meane I any Reverend Ministers, who make Conscience of their wayes; but those who terme themselves Profes­sors, challenging that, which is none of their due, making Religion nothing, but a com­position of Knavery. If their Habit caracterize them not, yet you may know them by their Vse and Do­ctrine, and their Doctrine and Vse, till there be no use of their Doctrine. Let them captivate the Illiterate, as Bees by the Bason, if they list, For my part, I have done with them: let them with Aesops Asse get on the [Page 189] Lyons skinne, and terrifie the Flocke, they shall never cozen mee; I will play the Countrey-man in the same Fable, and tell him, whatso­ever he bee, Vae mi aselle, tàm benè novi, &c. If any preciser Idiots quarrell at my distast towards them, I passe them by as regardlesly, as Master Quarles in his Poem. Quar.

These kind of Birds were hatched of addle Egges else could they not have such idle Heads; making Religion like the Law of Procrustes among Theeves, with the Iron Bed cutting off al that were too long, and stretching forth all that were too short. Their Conscience for the most part, is without Wit, and if they have any Wit, 'tis without Consci­ence making the sacred Art of Pietie to bee the Bond of Iniquity. But they may take notice of the ingenious Ob­servation of one, that said Zeale without Wisedome was like Mettle in a blind Horse, which though it free the Rider from the toyle of the Spurre, yet it encrea­seth his labour in using the [Page 192] Reines, lest the Iades met­tle becometh his owne, and his Riders overthrow. Mi­nerva put a Golden bridle upon Pegasus, that he should not fly too fast: and (per­haps upon this occasion) the Emperor Vespasian did stamp in his Coine a Dolphin, and an Anchor, with this Im­presse [Soon enough, if well enough.] A Dolphin outstrips the Ship, that's soone enough, an Anchor stayes the Ship, that is well enough; a Dolphin and An­chor, Soone enough, if well enough. Their mindes ri­ding faster then their horses can gallop, must needs tire; Nor could their madnesse so plainly appeare, did not the pride of their owne conceite raise up a dust, which blinds [Page 193] them, otherwise should I wonder that they should not see the senselesnesse of what they say, even whilest they are speaking. Whence comes it to passe, that our Pulpits are too often fraught rather with libellous Pas­quills, then with religious Meditations, but that these men have neither will to Learne, nor wit to Teach: outwardly demeaning them­selves, as if Religion were quoted in their lookes, and Sanctity obliged to their service. (Great difference there is betweene a Gospel­ler, and a Libeller.) And perhaps from hence Saint Gregorie groundeth his speech, D. Greg. That when they neglected to be the Schol­lers of Truth, they became [Page 194] the School-masters of Er­rour. And thus much for the Religion of Raylers.

Yet I would have none thinke that I owe a knee to the See of Rome, since I have read, shee is full of Imperfections. Angelo the famous Artizan of Italy may sufficiently informe; who drawing the Pictures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, for a Cardinall, a good Friend, and Benefactour of his, portrayed them with very red, and high coloured faces, whereas neither the Scripture, nor any Eccle­siasticall History, nor any Originall Tablet described them by any such Com­plexions: And being asked the Reason, because (quoth hee) if they were now li­ving, [Page 195] they could not but blush at the Pompe of you Cardinals, the Pride of this Court, and the Abuses of the Church in generall.

Sir Edwin Sandys wri­ting of the Romane Reli­gion, Sir Edwin Sandys. especially that of Italy, where it hath principally flourished; saith, That they communicating Divine Ho­nour to Saints, and Angells, by building Churches, e­recting Altars, by worship­ping their Images, going in Pilgrimage to their Relicks, attributing all kind of Mira­cles, both to the one, and the other, have wrought this ge­nerall effect in those parts; That men have more Affi­ance, and assure unto them­selves a greater conceit of comfort, in the Patronage [Page 196] of the Creatures, and Ser­vants of God, then of God himselfe, the Prime, and Creator. And touching the blessed Virgin, the case is cleare; That howsoever their Doctrine in Schooles bee otherwise, yet in all kind of outward Actions, the honour which they doe her is double (for the most part) unto that, they doe to our Saviour. Where one doth professe himselfe a Devoter, or peculiar Ser­vant of our Lord, whole Townes sometimes (as Si­enna by name) are Devoters of our Lady. Not much un­like this was the Storie of Gyovandria, Hist. Flor. when he killed Galiazzo Duke of Millaine, who, after hee had heard Masse, turned towards the [Page 197] Image of Saint Ambrose, and said, O Ambrose, Lord of our Citie, thou knowest our intentions, and the end, wherefore wee will adven­ture our selves to so many perils; Be favourable to this our Enterprise, and, by fa­vouring of Iustice, shew how much Injustice doth displease thee. If this will not serve turne, then hearken to the long dispute between Ignatius and Machiavel, Ig. Con. for Superioritie in Hell, which may satisfie sufficiently, the Devill himselfe being Iudge, who gave the Precedencie to the Laity, and tooke it from the Clergy of Rome; he was forced to make much of the Machiavelians, because they came seldome; but for the Iesuits, they tumbled [Page 198] downe to Hell daily, easily, voluntarily, and by heapes, the Reason was added, be­cause they were accustomed to sinne against their owne Consciences. More might be urged of this Religion, but enough, unlesse it were better: I will therefore close up this Chapter with the words of our late King of peaceable memory. K. Iames. The Papists Religion is like Ho­mers Iliads of the Siege of Troy, or Virgils Aeneads of the beginning of Rome; both of them had a Foun­dation of truth, so had the Papists the Bible, but they have added so much, that the first Truth is almost lost▪

AND is it so, that we must have a voiage into Hell, with an Itum est in viscera terra? If thou hadst all the Trea­sures, that lie hid in the Bowels of the Earth, envel­loped in the Concave of thine owne Belly, what would it gaine thee, thou Foole, if thou gaine the whole World, and loose thine owne Soule? I Re­member [Page 200] a Storie of a poore Man, who, for want of suste­nance, tooke an Halter in his hand, with a resolution to hang himselfe; and com­ming to the place, where he intended to bee his owne Executioner, found a Bagge of Gold, takes away the Gold, and leaves the Halter in the steed. He that hid the Gold, comming to the place, where hee left it, found it metamorphosed into an Hal­ter, takes the Halter, and hangs himselfe. Lord, what strange effects this Gold workes: The one, for the want of it, would have han­ged himselfe; the other for the losse of it, dispatching his worke, did hang him­selfe. Mee thinkes Midas his eares should forwarne us [Page 201] of such Hellish thrift. Midas the Image of a covetous Man, who, while he seekes to augment his Riches, de­nies to himselfe the use of his owne, and starves in a­bundance. And of this Di­vine Verity, the Barbarous Indians had a naturall no­tion, who imagined that Gold was the God of the Spaniards, in that they hun­ted after it so greedily. There is a Storie in Plu­tarch, not unlike, Plut. or unwor­thy the recitall, of one Pithius, an avaritious Prince, in the dayes of Xerxes, who exhausted his Subjects in the diging and refining of Gold; whose Wife, com­miserating the cryes of the people, caused certaine ad­mirable Worke-men, in the [Page 202] absence of her Husband, to make a golden Table with variety of Viands, all of the same Mettall, which at his returne, shee caused to be set before him: Who long feasting his eyes with so rare, and beloved a Spe­ctacle, at length called for Meate to satisfie his hunger: When the like Artificiall Food was set before him, he in rage crying out, that hee was ready to famish, his Wife replyed, wee have no­thing, Sir, to entertaine you with but this; For while you employ the labour of the Citizens, and their Art in the getting of Gold, a number dye in the Mines, and all for that, which is least usefull, the Fields lye unculturated, the Vineyards [Page 203] undressed, the Orchards un­planted; so that you must eate your Gold, or prevent the cause of this Scarcitie. Add to this that of Catiphus, Governour of the Citie of Susa, who had therein a Tower full of Gold, and Iewels; but for Avarice would not disperse bis hea­ped Treasure amongst his Souldiers; afterwards Alan King of the Tartarians, sur­prised his Citie, and taking Catiphus shut him up in his Tower, saying unto him; If thou hadst not so greedi­ly walled up this Treasure, thou hadst saved thy selfe, and this Citie: Now there­fore eate, and drinke, and take thy fill of that, thou lovest so dearely, So died he miserably through Famine [Page 204] in the midst of excessive Riches. Observe that of Solon to Craesus, who being asked of him, who was more happy then hee, since hee was Splendens auro & gem­mis; Solon told three times, who was more happy: This three-fold Answer of Solon caused a triple wrath in Crae­sus. Indeed it was with Crae­sus then, as it is with too many now, making many simple Conversions, Fooles Philosophers, and Philoso­phers Fooles: but let them take heed with Craesus, that they be not taken by Cyrus, and led to the stake, and then being demanded of Cyrus; who that Solon is, must con­fesse that he is not Vnus stul­torum, but Vnus sapientum; And indeed his Answer was [Page 205] right; for

Suppose then thou hadst the goods of Fortune fast locked in a Coffer; yet thy case may bee, as was this Kings of Lydia, who thought both God, and Men his Friends. To tell you, what Riches are, perhaps were frivolous, since others are better acquainted with them then my selfe.

To attaine unto Riches. Many wayes we know unto this Wood, but the ordinary way is Vsurie which, though it bee forbidden in holy. Writ, and, I thinke, scarce [Page 206] allowed of by the Fathers; yet some good Authors have approved, that some kind of Vsurie may be tole­rable; some (certaine I am) is intolerable. I will not in­sist upon the Point; onely acquaint you with the words of Bishop Andrewes. Vsuras cum dico, B. Andr. hoc dico, pactum ex mutuo lucrum; Tria haec (mutuum, lucrum, pactum) vim omnem faenoris appositè circumscribunt. Yet I am not so precise, as hee that told a Holy Sister, That shee should lend, looking for nothing againe. So to cleare his Sister from the Sinne of Vsury, he kept the Princi­ple.

But I come to treate of those, which are Avaritious, whom I might yoke to Beg­gars; [Page 207] You will say, That the linkes are unfit, one be­ing made of Gold, and the other of Iron; Yet their conditions hold a fit Cor­respondencie, both not wil­ling to part with any thing, before they dye; There­fore I make this Compari­son, because there are Mul­titudes, that Inter opes are mendici opum. S. Bernard. Saint Ber­nard affirmes, That Avarus esurit, ut Mendicus, Fidelis contemnit, ut Dominus; ille possidendo mendicat, iste con­temnendo servat; The Co­vetous man hungers, as a Beggar, the Faithfull con­temnes it as a Lord; Hee by possessing begs, the o­ther by contemning posses­seth. Or more properly to the Estridge, Plinie. That as Pliny [Page 208] reports, hath the wings of an Eagle, yet never mounts; Or they are like the Cardi­nall, who would not loose his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise. These men have an Itch, which hath alwayes need of clawing, Never satisfied, like Tanta­lus in Hell; or like a Dog in a Wheele, which roa­steth meate for others ea­ting; or like Ionathan, who for Hony-combs endange­red his life. And were not unsatisfied desire too pe­remptory for Counsell, too confident for dislike, too po­tent for Remorse, I would advise a man to live, as Sa­lust prescribes, Vt nec sordi­dè custodiat, nec prodigè-spar­gat, That hee neither Base­ly hoord up, nor Prodigally [Page 209] scatter it about, the one de­nominateth an ignoble mind, the other an improvident Indiscretion; Spare not then, where Reputation lay­eth claime for Expence, nor expend, where Frugalitie with Moderation will ar­raigne, and condemne thee of Prodigality, lest thou be forced to looke Necessitie in the face; for to be a Banke­rupt is to bee a Thiefe in an Honourable kind. Living above Fortune is but to bee a History to after times.

Let those Lavishers then, that made the Covetous their Voyders, Live so thrif­tily, as to pay their debts in their life time, so may they deprive their Execu­tors of a trouble. And here, by the way, I meete a diffe­rence [Page 210] among the Philoso­phers. The Aristotelians were of opinion, that Super­fluity of Riches might cause a tumult in a Common-wealth; Because, if Arro­gancie and Riches should chance to linke together (as too often they doe) then is great danger of Bellum ci­vile; I referre you for ex­amples to the History of Florence: Your Platonists thought poverty the chiefest cause of Insurrection in a Common-wealth, accor­ding to that old Saying, Ne­cessitas non habet legem; For examples hereof, wee see them daily, though not dan­gerously: Both which tenets among them are as yet unre­conciled; If I might judge, I should conceive the Golden [Page 211] meane the best: I need not here to bring in old Avarice to act its part, with Quo plus habet, eo plus cupit; or with Bonaventure, Bonav. by way of comparison, to liken it Orco, sive Mari; Yet it might serve turne, since the Water of the one might quench the Fire of the other: I terme it old Avarice; First, for its Antiquity; Next, be­cause it is most subject to old Age. And here I will tell you a Tale; Guz. When Iove had made the Fabrick of the Vni­verse, all things being per­fectly good, before he crea­ted Man, the asses eyes being newly opened, he begins to leape and bray; At last be­thinking himselfe, why hee was made an Asse (it being proper to Asses to take the [Page 212] ends of things into their consideration, when they are past remedy) hee came to Iupiter, to know where­fore he was created; Iupiter told him, for the use of Man, and to performe his dutie and service. The Asse, with his eyes set on the ground, demanded how long hee should live in that slavery: Iupiter told him thirty yeares: He besought Iupiter that hee might live but ten; and that hee would bestow the other twenty yeares up­on some other Creature, that were able to beare them: Iupiter condescen­ded to the request; The next living Creature that came to Iupiter was the Dogge, who partly understanding what had hapned betweene [Page 213] Iupiter & the Asse, after ear­nest soliciting for the curtai­ling of his dayes, it befell him, as it did the Asse; Whilst the Fact was doing, the Ape did the like, and the like did happen to the Ape: These things being finished, Iupiter created Man, giving him power over all: Man, being desirous to know the period of his dayes, desired Iove, that hee might know how long hee should live; Iupiter told him, that he had ordai­ned, ab Origine, thirty yeares to every living Creature, and that he was to enjoy no longer time; Man, being desi­rous of life, besought that those yeares, that these crea­tures had refused, might bee conferred on him, Iove yields to his request: So Man lives [Page 214] (according to the Tale) thirty yeares; Quatenus he is a Man, in all uprightnesse from the Preturbations of the World; from thirty to fifty, hee leads the life of an Asse, tumbling and turmoy­ling for the things of this World; from fiftie to se­ventie, the Dogs refused yeares, snarling, grumbling, and envying at others; and, if he chance to live from se­venty to ninety, really possessed of the Apes twen­tie, hee will counterfeit the defects of Nature, using foolish and fantasticall De­vises; and from thence I conceive the old Proverbe to arise, Senex bis puer.

But it may be asked, whe­ther the Spirituality are not as well troubled with Ava­ricious [Page 215] Infections, as the Temporality? I am confi­dent on the Negative part; for I thinke if Aesops Dogge should bequeath his fiftie Pounds for a Legacie, hee should never find any accep­tance of the Clergy; yet Saint Ambrose found fault with Simoniacall Composi­tions in his dayes, Amb. Quod de­dit, cum Episcopus ordinare­tur, aurum fuit, quod perdidit, anima fuit: cum alium ordi­naret, quod accepit, pecunia fuit, quod dedit, lepra fuit; That which hee gave (saith he) when hee was ordained Bishop, was Gold, and that, which he lost, was his soule: That, which he tooke, when hee ordained another, was mony; and that which hee gave, was Leprosie. It was [Page 216] stoutly, B. Sandys. and honestly spoken by Bishop Sandys in a Ser­mon, whose words my wi­shes attend. If Simoniacall affection hath corrupted the heart of any Bishop, it is not amisse, if his heart were gi­ven him in his hand, it is easi­ly delt with him, if he be dis­bishoped. And here perhaps it will be expected, I should descend A majore ad minus, Something of the inferiour Levits, for their Covetous­nesse, if not rather for their Simoniacall contracts: So that he that hath the greatest Purse, shall have the best Living. But, I hope, of this fault very few are guilty. As for your ingenious Clergy, they so handle the Cause, that all their actions are not, Propter privatum lucrum, sed [Page 217] propter honorem Ecclesiae, howsoever such Ingenuity, for the most part, is depri­ved, and Ignorance prefer­red. Certainely, there is an errour all over, but whether are most to blame, you may judge betweene the Doner, and the Donee; If one would not give, the other could not receive. But quo vado? I conclude on either side with a false verse, though true sense, ‘Improbus ille Parson, cru­delis tu quo (que) Patron.’

Let none set their hearts on worldly Riches, lest they be served, as the Rich Miser, who having fild a Chest with bags of Gold, wrote on the top of it, Hic est Deus [Page 218] meus; A mad Knave being desirous to see the Rich Mans God, broke open the Chest, and finding Gold, tooke it away; and, under Hic est Deus meus, wrote this Motto: Resurrexit, non est hic. Anxiè quaeruntur, diffi­cilè custodiuntur, adultimum omninò relinquuntur; They are doubtfully got (as you see) hardly kept, and at last, whether you will or not, to be left. Si divitiae effluxerint, non auferant nisi semetipsas; If Riches passe away from thee, let them carry nothing with them, but themselves. Riches, without Gods bles­sing, are but the Fountaine of mishap, they make young men Fooles, and old men Atheists- But, mee thinkes, wee are like the Young-man [Page 219] in the Gospell: wee can say, wee can keepe all the Com­mandements, but wee are loath to part with our Pos­sessions: But by his favour, though hee would try a Nisi prius with our Saviour, yet he sent his Mittimus along with him. It is easier for a Camell, &c. Chrysologus ob­serves, Chrys. That Dives his Dogs were set to feare away Beg­gars, yet they licked Laza­rus his sores; whence it may be noted, that Dogges are more naturally kind then some Rich Men. But all may take notice, that Mise­ricordiam qui seminat inopi, sibi metit; coeli pluvia infun­dit terram, lachrymae paupe­rum coelum rigant; Who sowes Mercy to the Poore, mowes it to himselfe; the [Page 220] Raine of Heaven refresheth the Earth, the teares of the Poore water Heaven. I can­not here passe by Fulgentius his Comparison, Fulg. betwixt the Rich Miser, and the poore Beggar, without observa­tion. For Dives ille, saith he, purpurâ & bysso indutus, & quotidiè splendidè epu­lans, quam inanis fuit in illis epulis? quam pauper in multitudine divitiarum? quam nudus in pulchritu­dine vestium? quam infir­mus in sanitate corporis? quam famelicus in saturitate ventris? quam miser in gau­dijs? quam desolatus inter amicorum colloquia? quam dejectus inter obsequia servu­lorum? Attende contra La­zarum in paupertate divi­tem, in miseriâ beatum, in [Page 221] infoelicitate foelicem, invulne­ribus sanum, & quidem sine domo, sed non sine Domino; sine veste, sed non sine fide; sine bonâ valetudine corporis, sed non sine robore charitatis; sine cibo, sed non sine Christo; canibus expositum, sed socium Angelorum; qui non accipie­bat de micis, quae cadeba [...]t de mensâ divitis, sed coelestem panem visceribus ructabat ae­ternis; The Rich man was cloathed with Purple and fine Silke, and daily feasted gloriously, but how emptie was hee amidst his banque­ting? how poore was hee in his riches? how naked in his beautifull garments? how infirme in the sanity of his body? how emptie in the fulnesse of his belly? how miserable in his joyes? [Page 222] how desolate in the confe­rence of his Friends? how destitute in the dutifulnesse of his Servants? Marke againe Lazarus, Rich in Po­verty, Blessed in Misery, Happy in Infelicity, Sound for all his Vlcers, not with­out the Lord, though with­out a Land-lord; without Rayment, but not with­out Faith; without the outward health of the Bo­dy, but not without the in­ward strength of Charity; without Meate, but not without Christ; exposed to Dogs, yet accompanied with Angels; who did not receive the Crums, that fell from the Rich mans Table, but had his internall bowels glutted with the Bread of Heaven. Though the Le­per [Page 223] be an Hospitall of Dis­eases, yet (as Saint Cyprian very well observes) the flesh of the Leper is as faire to God, as hee, that is bathed in Milke, and Spices. How often shall wee reade, Beati pauperes, in Holy Writ? but never, Totidem verbis, Beati divites. Mistake mee nor, I am not of that common Opinion of those, who say, Quo auctior in divitijs, eo co­piosior in vitijs. A man that is poore in Earthly treasure, may thinke himselfe rich in Heavenly; You may be both rich on Earth, and rich in Heaven, poore on Earth, and poore in Spirit towards Heaven. Wee know Abra­ham hath his poore, and his rich Sonnes in his bosome. But mee thinkes, I heare the [Page 224] words of a Reverend Fa­ther, Quisque Dives, quis­que pauper; nemo Dives, ne­mo pauper, animus omnia fa­cit; It is somewhat to be rich or poore, it is nothing to be rich or poore; it is as the mind is, the mind ma­keth all. D. Chrys. Saint Chrysostome speaking of what minde Dives carryed, gathered it out of Abrahams doubling and trebling, Tu, Tua, & Tuâ recepisti, tu, bona tua, in vitâ tuâ, which words are wor­king words, as hee concei­veth, and containe in them great Emphasis, understan­ding by Tua, not that so much, that hee had in pos­session, as that, he had made speciall reckoning of: For that is most properly ter­med ours. In a word, once [Page 225] againe, Animus omnia facit; Let mee then give this Ca­veat, that no man so farre dote on them, as (with Ahab at the perswasion of Iezebel) to sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, though hee be re­solved to put on Sack-cloath and Ashes to appease the wrath of God; lest the ini­quity of the Father in the Sonnes dayes fall upon the house. Or, with Ananias and Sapphira, for gaine to lie to the Holy-Ghost, lest they fall downe dead at the Apo­stles feet. Or last of all, with Iudas, for a small Portion of Silver to sell his Master, lest they should with Iudas, buy a Halter, and hang them­selves. I conclude this with Architrenius. Arch.

ANd now of Honor; which Aristotle termes Benefacti­vae gloriae initium. Arist. Aquinas saith, Aquin. That Honour is Cujuslibet virtutis praemi­um; If I should here tell you, where this matchlesse Lady Honour keepeth her seate, you may marvell at my presumptuous Enter­prise. Some thinke in the Soule onely, or else in the Soule and Body together: some in Prudence, others in Goodnesse of maners; but I thinke all Nobility hath [Page 228] its Originall from Virtue; True Nobility being com­posed of Bloud, Virtue, and Power. Questionlesse, Kings never made any Noble-man Propter Lucrum; but as they thought, Propter Meritum; Perhaps some by By-wayes may buy Honour, but those, that enjoy it so, reape onely the commendations of good Polititians: For what they give in Money, for the most part, they save in Hospi­tality. And herein (by the way) those Heraulds may be blamed, who Honour, where it is not due, and shape so many new Coats for upstart Gentlemen. In this have they no way to a­voyd a Censure, but to compound with Africa and America to produce more [Page 129] Monsters, or else they must make fewer Gentlemen. Vaine Honour is but the I­doll of Fooles, for no wise man ever sought felicity in shadowes. Eurip. Indeed Euripi­des saith, The honest-min­ded man is onely Noble, and not he, that descendeth of ancient Race. For wee know, in processe of time, though the stallion be good, yet, by the Mares fault, the breed may alter, and so prove Jades. To this pur­pose valiant Ephricates a Shoo-makers Sonne, being upbraided by Hermodius a Peere, told him, my bloud takes its beginning from me, and thine from thee its fare­well. Observe Seneca, Senec. Hee first askes you a Question, then gives you his Resolu­tion, [Page 230] Quis generosus? Ad virtutem a naturâ benè com­positus animus facit nobilem, cui ex quacunque conditione supra fortunam licet surgere.

But as I shall herein justly commend Seneca; so shall I not unjustly taxe the too severe Censure of Salust to­ward the Nobility of his time in generall, Salust. When hee thus upbraids them, Con­temptor animus, & superbia commune nobilitatis malum; For where shall wee see su­perlative Arrogancy more setled, then in an upstart Gentleman?

Histor. Flor.True it is, that the No­bilitie of Florence had once so ill behaved them­selves, that the Citizens made a Decree; That, if any one had received a blow, [Page 231] or losse in goods, the party damnified might call him to the Councels, and pro­test him for one of the No­bility; so odious was the name. Among the Heathe­nish Romanes, they joyned the Temple of Virtue to the Temple of Honour, and so linked them together, that whosoever would come to the Temple of Honour, must first passe through the Temple of Virtue. Boast not then thy selfe of thy Ho­nourable place, but see, that thou be justly worthy of it; use rather the Spurs of In­dustry, then the Stirrops of Insolency.

I must confesse, Honour is a good Brooch to weare in a mans Hat yet in this▪ Wise men somtimes & fooles, take [Page 232] their Fortune. Every man knowes, that Lubrica est sca­la fortunae, Slippery is the Ladder of Fortune; and Quò altiùs scandis, eò gra­viùs cadis; The higher thou climbest, the more dangerous is thy fall; and the higher thou growest, the more subject to the danger of Windes; Why dost thou then waxe proud, thou fraile earth and ashes? Wee have read, that Caesar cum pompâ, Alexander cum Sceptro ceci­dit; Ambition is like a Tor­rent, that never lookes backe. Run then an easie Current, not over high, take not an Inventory of thine owne worth, nor wing thy thoughts with too high fly­ing Feathers, lest they spread themselves so wide, [Page 233] as to cover thy little world with their Shadowes. Be­ware of Icarus. Was it not Plinies Pride to finde out the secrets of Aetna? and what became of him? wee reade it was his ruine. Ob­serve what became of that Tyrant Dionysius, who, be­ing stript out of his Royal­ty, was glad to play the Schoolemaster at Corinth, and instead of a Scepter, bore a Rod, so that of a cruell Tyrant, hee became a frowning Pedant. Or that Ruler Bladud, or Baldud, Graft. who by his Necromanticke Art, and Daedalion-like en­deavouring to fly, falling, broke his necke at Troy-no­vant, now London. Nay, goe to the Text, and you shall finde that Pride was [Page 234] the downe-fall of Babel, the Gallowes for Haman, the butcher for Nichanor, the consumption of Herod, the destruction of Antiochus, and was not, for the same offence Pharoah, and his hoast drow­ned in the red Sea? Remem­ber the words of S. Bernard, D. Bernard. Quid tu igitur superbis, terra et cinis? Si superbtentibus An­gelis Deus non pepercit, quātò minùs tibi, putredo et vermis? Nihil ille Lucifer fecit, nihil operatus est, tantùm cogitavit superbiam, & in momento, in ictu oculi irrecuperabiliter se­paratus est; What therefore wouldest thou have proud earth & ashes? If God hath not spared the Pride of An­gels, how much lesse the pride of Man, who is but pu­trefaction and a worme? Lu­cifer [Page 235] did nothing, wrought nothing, onely he had proud imaginations, and in a Mo­ment, in the twinckling of an Eye, hee is irrecoverably se­parated from the blessed so­ciety of the Angels, Si igitur Diabolus propter superbiam de coelo dejectus est, multò minùs, superbus illic non intrabit, Bad. If therefore (saith Badeus) the Devill for Pride was cast out of Heaven, how then is it possible, that a proud man should enter therein?

Neque enim deberent ultrà coelum aspicere, qui in crea­torem coeli peccaverunt, & dominum Majestatis; Nei­ther indeed (saith Origen) ought their Pride to behold Heaven, Orig. who have sinned against Heaven, and the Lord of Majesty.

And note, Superbia dici­tur initium omnis peccati, tri­plici ratione. Primò, propter causam, quae invenitur in omni peccato, quia in omni peccato invenitur contemptus dei, qui est quaedam causa peccati, iste autem contemptus est aversio à creatore: secundò, quià pri­mum peccatum fuit: Tertiò, quià ex eo nascuntur alia vi­tia, secundum prius & poste­rius, hoc est, mediatè, & im­mediatè; Pride is sayd to bee the beginning of every sinne, for a three-fold rea­son. First, for the cause, which is found out in every sinne, because in every sinne appeares the contempt of God, which is a certaine cause of sinne; and this con­tempt is a proud Aversion from the Creator. Second­ly, [Page 237] because it was the first Sinne. Thirdly, because other vices are begot from this Secundum prius & poste­rius; That is, mediately, or immediately, as you may reade more at large in Io­hannes de Combis; Ioh. de Comb. True hap­pinesse stands not either in Riches, or Honour, or any kind of terrestriall thing. Doe not then like the Day-labourer lift up thy hands to Heaven, and strike thy Mattocke into the ground. Be not like Plinies Eagle, ha­ving one Foote shut more Anseris, whereby he swims; another sharpe after the manner of Eagles, whereby hee snatcheth; have not Cum pede aquilino pedem an­serinum; Worldly affecti­ons joyned with spirituall.

Ioseph. Iosephus is so farre from these feete of two Propor­tions, that Prius-quàm inci­pias communem habere cibum, magnis execrationibus adju­rat te primùm colere Deum; Before thou beginnest to take thy common suste­nance, hee adjures thee with great execrations, that thou first praise God. Theod. And Theo­doricus invites us to this Action by the example of the Dove, Columba, quùm singula grana rostro deglutit, rostrum & oculos in altum, Deo quasi gratias actura, ex­tollit. Accipit unum granum, [Page 239] & oculos in altum elevat, ac­cipit alterum, tertium, & quartum, & sic demùm simi­litèr ad singula grana facit; The Dove, when shee takes up with her Beake severall Granes, lifts up her Beake, and eyes towards Heaven, as if to give God thankes; she receives one Grane, and e­levates her eyes on high, she receives an other, and againe stirs up her eyes, she receives a third, and a fourth, and so in like manner shee doth for every Grane: And now he comes with a Quidni ergo & nos, ad singula Dei benefi­cia, oculos, & corda sursùm attolleremus, & benefactori nostro optimo gratias agere­mus? And shall not we then lift up our eyes and hearts for the severall benefits, we [Page 240] have received from God, and give thankes to our best Benefactour? Hast thou with Adam, by the Wo­mans temptations offended in Paradise; Hast thou with Noah, by overmuch tipling, been overcome with Drun­kennesse; Hast thou with Herod for a Dancing Da­mosell cut off Iohn Baptists Head; Hast thou with Solo­mon, by the allurement of strange Women worshipped Idols; Hast thou with Lot, taken so much: of the Grape, as to lead thee to an incestu­ous Bed; or hast thou with David, got a Pearle in one Eye, and the other blood­shotten: Pray then with him, that thy eyes be ope­ned, that thou maist see thy wayes; For when thou seest [Page 241] another suffer for those sinnes, whereof thou art guilty, art thou not then ex­ecuted by Atturnie? Pray therefore in season, and (if it were possible) out of sea­son; For how can it bee presumed, that God ever thought of one, that never dreamt of him? Let not thy Prayer bee like Ionas Gourd; grow up in one day, and perish in another. Let not then the Cinque-ports of thy senses allow of such enticing inlets, as may make thee a Slave to Satan. Let not thine Iniquity be frozen in Errour, nor benummed in the custome thereof, lest from Suggestion should issue Cogitation; from Cogita­tion Affection; from Affe­ction Delectation; from De­lectation [Page 242] Consent; from Consent Action; from Acti­on Custome; from Custome Obstinacie; from Obstinacie Hardnesse of heart; from Hardnesse of heart, Boa­sting; from Boasting Des­peration; from Despera­tion Damnation. Mans Soule is a precious Iewell, his Body the Cabinet, hee the Keeper of both. And, since hee is the Salt-celler of his owne Soule (the Soule being imprisoned in the flesh) hee should not suffer Ill-seasoned thoughts to usher him to ill Actions, lest by an hellish Arithmeticke, hee make one sinne a thou­sand. For let him be assured, the first fruits of evill will bee punished in this World, the After-crop hee must [Page 243] leave to God. Serve then thy sinnes, Plin. as Plinies Pigmies doe the Cranes, destroy them in the shels; or, at least-wise, assoone as they are hatched, lest they grow to multitudes, and then it will prove a hard matter to over-come them. Zanc. Zanchy observes in his Booke, De operibus Dei, that the Devill hath twelve severall names in the Hebrew, and twenty and one in the Greeke text, and all either of Seduciae or Astutiae. We know the De­vill had foure severall fields, wherein hee might exercise the part of a cunning Seeds­man. In Heaven, as it is in Esayah; In Paradise with the Woman, as it is in Gene­sis; In the Church, as it is now; And lastly, in every [Page 244] Mans heart. D. Chrys. Saint Chryso­stome makes a Comparison betweene the Devill, and a Dogge; for (saith hee) as a Dogge waiting at the Ta­ble, if you give him any thing, will still waite for more; if nothing, hee will depart: So the Devill, if once you make much of him, he will waite diligent­ly for farther Courtesies; but if you reject him, hee will forbeare his temptations. Man is in perpetuall Action, where Non progredi est re­gredi; non procedere recedere est; For goodnesse without perseverance, is like an Al­manacke out of date. Wee are like Spring-locks, rea­dier to shut, then to open, to shut goodnesse from us, then to receive it to us: Or like [Page 245] loose Stones on the tops of Hils, willing enough to tumble downe, but slow enough to mount up with­out ayde. Like the Bird, that Saint Anselme found tyed to a Stone, D. Ansel. which no soo­ner mounted, but presently was puld backe: The con­sideration whereof procu­red teares from this Holy Father, who bewailed the miserable estate of man, who endeavours by the Spirit to flye to Heaven, yet is stopt by the Flesh. It is with men, as it is with Raspisses, one Stalke grow­ing, another growne up, and a third withered. Or as with Flowers: Grow up, Seed, and dye. Like the three Sisters of Destiny, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atro­pos: [Page 246] The first spinning, the second drawing out, and the third cutting off the Thread of mans life. Men are like billowes of the Sea, which tumble, one after another, till they come to the Shoare. Or like water powred out of a Bucket, which the earth quickly sucketh up, and it appeareth not againe. Or (if you will) like a Glasse-house, wherein no man knowes what Glasse shall first be broken, but hee that owes the house. Plaine then it is, That wee must dy; the Poet can tell us, That there is no Redemption from Death,

Hence is it, Iuv. that Iuvenall playes with the danger of Mariners, and concludes them not certaine of an houres Lease of their lives, because at all times there is but an Inch betwixt them, and Death. And aptly doth my Kinsman translate the danger of one under Ship­wracke in his Ovid, George Sandys.

It is concluded, that wee must dye; observe then the rule of Seneca, Sen. Who, in his Youth, exercised the Art Benè vivendi; and in his Age, Benè moriendi; For thy life is like a Journey, the lighter thy Burden, the ea­sier thy Journey. Life is but a Parenthesis in a long Pe­riod, and who knowes, what will become of us, till wee heare that Watch­word, Venite Benedicti, or Abite maledicti; Let the heart then of each Christian embrace Saint Bernards Le­gacie, which, if Story lye not, standeth in this manner on his Tombe,

Tria vobis, fratres, obser­vanda relinquo, quae, ut po­tui, observavi. Primò, ne­mini scandalum feci, si quan­do [Page 249] incidit, sedavi, ut potui. Secundò, Minùs semper sen­sui meo, quam alterius cre­didi. Tertiò, Laesus de laeden­te nunquàm vindictam petij. Ecce, Charitatem, Humili­tatem. Patientiam vobis re­linquo; Brethren (saith he) there be three things, that I bequeath to your observa­tion, which, aswell as I could, I have observed my selfe; First, I never gave scandall to any person, if any scandall happened, I pacified the matter to my power. Secondly, I stood upon mine owne conceite lesse, then I did upon other mens. Thirdly, when I was, wronged, I never sought Revenge. Behold, Charity, Humilitie, and Patience I bequeath unto you.

What was said of all the Kings, that were mentioned in the Hebrew Text? They lived, they dyed, Well or Ill. For our parts let us live, that wee may dye; dye, that wee may live. For, as there is no Habeas Corpus from death; so, no Habeas Animam from Hell: that remaines for ever.

Each man is a Comedian, Acts his Part, then to the Tiring house, and ther's an end; Snore not then su­pinely in the state of sinne; Let us expect the first houre of the day to be the houre of our death; Brevis est ho­ra passionis, sequitur gloria sempiterna; Fer. As Ferus no­teth. Let every Third thought be thy Grave, and climbe up by the rounds of [Page 251] Contemplation into Hea­ven, Mentem in sublimi supra illum eximium coeli globum defixam habe. Death is but the Orient of Weale, and the Occident of Woe; The uprising of Consola­tion, and the downe-set­ting of Perturbation; The deliverer from Servitude, the curer of Cares, the Pe­riod to Paine, the Porter to Paradise, and the condu­ctor to the Deity. Thinke not then of any worldly thing, for all comes within the compasse of Vanitie, and vexation of the Spirit; And whosoever thinkes any Temporall thing to be Sum­mum bonum, fast [...]eth feli­city but to a rotten Cable. Only think thou of that [...]ver blessed name, Iesus, which [Page 252] is Mel in ore, In aure melos, & in corde Iubilum. I con­clude with those old but true Verses,