POLYDORON: OR A Mescellania of Morall, Philosophicall, and Theologicall Sentences.
MAn is like a Citie.
His skin the walls.
His eyes and eares the Factors and Merchants.
His hands the trades men.
His legs the porters.
His mouth the gate.
[Page 2]His teeth the portculize.
His appetite the Cater.
His stomacke the Kitchin.
His digestion the Cooke.
His expulsion the Scavenger
His soule the Church.
His reason the Preacher.
His fortitude the Souldiers.
His words the Shot.
His understanding the Governor.
His senses the Officers.
His braine the State-house.
His heart the Cittadell or Castell.
Though a man hath no apparent or eminent vertue, yet if he dye rich, his heires [Page 3] will finde good parts about him.
Our life is like an houreglasse, and the sand worldly riches, which runnes with us but the time of our continuance here, and then is turn'd up by another.
All our life is but a Childing or bearing for the other world.
Historicall Poetry, is a spruce dressing of Sense.
Love Poetry, a loose Courtizane of the wit.
Satyricall Poetry, like a payre of snuffers snibbing [...] filth in others, but retayning[Page 4] it in it selfe.
Physicall Poetry, a perspective, to see remote things by.
A man studious in Science, is oft poore outward, because his purchase is all inward.
A man made of meere complement, is like the shavings of horne made into flowers.
Hee that thinkes proudly of himselfe for speaking in a learned or forraigne language, is like him that thinks himselfe rich, & fine, because in another mans ground or cloathes.
[Page 5] Grammer should not bee so much studied for it selfe, as for the Arts founded in it; yet many thinke them very learned if they can speake Greeke and Latin, and the vulgar hold them so; when language to a wiseman, is but as a dish to serve up the sence.
Hee that meddles with false Arts, workes in the shoppe of shame, and his journey man is repentance.
In all professions, it is ignorance that strives for admiration.
The last thing a wiseman [Page 6] leaves, is to love himselfe.
The reason that vertue is in lesse credit than riches in the vulgar esteeme, is, few know no other coyne, most desire no other stampe.
Lend not thy money to wine drinking and gaming; for the one causeth forgetfulnesse, the other repentance.
It is a perfect minde Fortune hath no place in.
The hereditary diseases of the soule, are sorrow, love, anger; the accidentall, covetousnesse, pride, envie.
The best Physitian to a [Page 7] sicke soule is prayer.
Hee doth not truly love, that loves the body more than the minde.
Truth needes not many words, but a false tale a large preamble.
Good is that feare that hinders us from shamefull acts, & makes a man circumspect.
As the shaddow follows the body going to the Sunward, so doth glory vertue going to Christward.
Hee is neerest to the Divine nature, whom reason, not anger moves.
We neede not goe farre to [Page 8] seeke a Temple to pray in, for our selves are either a foule or cleane one; but an Egyptian Temple should be clensed first by repentance.
Hard accidents darkens a weake minde, but an Heroicall soule then shines brightest.
The wheele or vicissitude of earthly motions turnes still: happy is hee whose minde is not perturbated beyond his reason, that is, whose braines or affections are not turned from good actions thereby.
Hee that strives to shake [Page 9] care from his life, is like one that knawes his flesh from his bones.
If there bee no true comfort in this life but in God, how blinde is he that gropes for it in these lower things?
Since experience approves earthly things to be the worshippe of this world: may it not bee justly said the world worshippes the golden Calfe still?
Hee that strives to show his wisedome, is like him that whiffles an Ensigne, delightfull onely to children [Page 10] and fooles; but to doe good by that one knowes good, is carrying the colours quietly.
There is a fashion in speaking and writing as in cloathes; but it is easily perceived where a foole overlaceth it.
Hee that lets loose his anger vpon every occasion, is like him that lets goe his hawke upon every baite.
Roaring and drinking is the horse-way to hell, whoring and cheating the footway; but swearing and blaspheming followes Corah, Dathan, and Abiron.
[Page 11] There are many use the word; God damne me, superflously, if they repent not.
He that can make his passions stand about him bare, is a true master of his underhoushold:
Passions are the over-set of humours; they sinke him that too constantly beares up with them.
He that depends upon others, lets himselfe out ot farme.
The best countenance of truth, is to be what we seeme.
To seeme what wee are not, is player-like.
[Page 12]It is a passible vertue to speake well, a praisable to do well; the one resembles the shadow, the other the body: but wisely to hold ones peace makes a due Zenith.
The censure of others, troubles not a well planted minde.
To contend with fooles, is to be in the same parallell.
The blessing of God keepes company with vertuons actions; but that Gods blessing many Rich-men bragge of, is but eight in the hundred or worse.
Hee who lives poorely in [Page 13] rich havings, is like him that's a cold in a furr'd gowne, the cause onely inward.
An understanding soule in a grosse body, is like a good leg in a winter boote; but a foolish spirit in a well featured body, is like a mishapen spindle shanke, in a bombasted stocking.
It is a rancke courteosie, when a man is forc't to thanke for his owne againe.
He that thinkes too well of many, for the most part, betrayes himselfe to the borrower.
[Page 14]He that loves all alike, loves none well; and he that hates and suspects all, loves himselfe too much.
What thou judiciously holdest lawdable in others, seeke to make reall in thy selfe.
Those who prayse others thereby to bee commended themselves, resemble horses when they knibble one another.
A palpable flatterer is like a horstealer, that strokes the horse with sweete-gloves, & Whose ende is to get vp, and ryde him out of his pasture.
[Page 15] Craft reqvires more witt, than plaine honestie doth: which makes knaves so nimble and officious.
A lyar without memory is like one has lost his purse to a reckonning.
A young vnthriftie heyre that is greene inward, black outward, is like a morning dreame, wakes and finds all gone.
Hee that oversets his confidence upon false projects, is like him that handes a loose haulser, falls over-bord.
He that delights in doing brave evill, as they call Swaggering, [Page 16] &c. is like him that sweares vildly in some learned language.
The first and last thing we should doe upon sleepe, is to pray to, and prayse God.
If the wine be good, bee thou the more wary; for if thou drinkest drunke, thou defacest the Image of God in thee, (that is) thy reason.
Hee that drinkes drunke, Cudgels his owne braine.
To Swagger in drinke, is to put a horrid Visour upon an il-favored face.
There is no cause why any man should bee proud, bee [Page 17] they Lords, Knights, Gentlemen &c. For if they consider themselves truely, they are but Millers, Cookes, and Dungmen; Millers in grinding their Meale, Cookes in decocting it, Dungmen by carying and expulsing excrements.
Hee may well clayme a boat-sons place in Barkleyes Shippe of fooles, that befooles himselfe; and he then blowes the whistle, when hee proclaymes his vayne confidence.
The difference betwixt Fortitude, & desperate dareing, [Page 18] it is betweene the Sunne and common Fyer, the one produceth much good, the other consumes and destroyes what is put into it, and at last goes out it selfe.
A Gamester that depends his meanes on the hazard, is like the weather about Michaelmasse, now fayre, then foule; but in the adversitie of losse, hee's winters fowle way to a lender.
It is impossible thrivers by play should still prosper; for their best is losse waste of time, their thrift, vndoing of others.
[Page 19]Ordinary play is an ungodly exercize, for it is the whetsstone of anger, the father of Blasphemous oathes, the murtherer of many mens estates; and the box an Iron-fac't bold pickpocket.
An honest playn-meaning man amongst Cheators, is like one that sleeps on an Ant-hill.
A noted coward is like a Dogge running through a Towne with a bottle at his tayle.
Esteeme of thy selfe but justly as thou art, and no [Page 20] more; for the world will doubt thee in that, and strive to make thee lesse.
It is a running plague to a horse, when a hastie asse rides him.
You lame the nimble diligence of a Taverne, when you come on the score.
Hee who offers any thing to sale, diminisheth the estimation thereof.
If you'l put a false friend on the Test, offer to borrow mony of him, and hee'l like lead and copper fly away; but his Silver shall still remaine his owne, on the coppell of excuses.
[Page 21] A borrower is the veriest subject in a Kingdome, if without a pawne, a meere slave to censure.
He that goeth into a bawdihouse, putteth one foote amongst theeves, the other amongst murtherers.
A craftie fellow is somewayes proffitable to a wise man, viz. makes him wary.
Drunkenesse looseth a mans reputation, as a bad gamester doth his mony, both commonly eyther laughing, or quarrelling.
He that is drunke finds alwayes something in his way, [Page 22] because his fantasie is full of figures.
He that is a true judge of himselfe, acquits him from the censure of others.
Chymicall philosophers say, Facilius est, construere, quàm destruere: But fooles have experience to the contrary.
There is a sport in recounting witty jeasts, which who so over-stretcheth, becomes Buffone to the Auditory.
Hee that showes store of money amongst needie persons, whets a borrower to cut his courteosies purse, or a theefe to steale it.
[Page 23]Fayned excuses in a friend, are like false dice with a gamester.
He that still talkes for his owne endes, should bee worne by his Auditors, as woemen weare fringe (or lace about the tayle peece.)
Drinking frindship, is but drunken kindnesse.
That is an idle tale that neyther profits the teller; nor hearer: but a pernitious one, that benefits the teller, and hurts the hearer.
Hee that over-feeds his sences, doth like him that feasts his enemies.
[Page 24]Hee that hath good businesse to doe, and wants meanes to effect it, is like a shippe ryding vpon her Anchor in the wast of victualls.
It is vanity to put more confidence vpon this life, than on a winde at Sea: but it is wisedome to have tackling ready for all changes.
Fooles are like the Sea waves, flying from the breath of good counsell.
We are apt to conceipt of our selves, farre beyond the worlds esteeme, and to finde repentance too late, with his servant had I wist.
[Page 25] That poverty is justly contemptible, which is purchassed by following vice; but that not shāefully, gotten by acquiring vertuous sence.
Who give themselves to be the companions of vice, in the end become the slaves of it.
When thou findest thy selfe apt to frailty, make the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ thy Looking glasse.
It is wisedome to be stayed by the advice of many wise man; rather than to run with thy fantasie in the field of opinion.
[Page 26]Things out of the common course of trade, neede have an extraordinarie investigator.
He that gives himselfe to ebriety, becomes the servant of letcherie, and at last is attended on with povertie. Meditation of holinesse is as glowing Cinders, but hearty prayer a flame reaching heaven, or Elias his fierie Chariot.
If every one would mend but one, wee should have the golden age againe.
Auxilliarie Souldiers may bee compared to gamesters, [Page 27] the Cheefetaines the Setters, the common Souldiers the Monies, which for honour, or gaine, the Captaihes will hazard.
A poore man standing up on tearmes of Gentility, is like one cloathed in silken ragges.
Gentility in the best definition, is but ancient riches; but where the Kings favour gives Title, Office authority, or vertue ornament, to them rightly belongs respect.
Suppose all thy auditors thy enemies, when thou dispraysestary.
[Page 28]There was great difference between the Stoickes and Epicures, and likewise betwixt the Sadduces & Pharises. viz. Whether austerity or the full vse of plenty was the way of mans life. The Epicures and Sadduces held Post mortem nulla voluptas, the Stoickes and Pharises that by voluptillity heere, wee lost the future ioyes of the other life. I would leave the judgement to my Masters the Sorbonists, but that I read of many of the Iewes Prophets, and best men in all nations, as S. Iohn the Baptist, and above all [Page 29] our Saviour Iesus Christ, who both could and did chuse and take the best course; for hee sayeth, He that is curious to please himselfe, is lesse carefull to please God; but he that is curious to please God, doth little care to please himselfe: but the Peripatetique or indifferent man sayes, they were choyce and exemplar persons, but the vulgar may take the free vse of things with moderation. I could hold well therewith, but that our Saviour sayth, Blessed are they that mourne, hunger, weepe, &c. for they [Page 30] shall bee comforted; These sayings were practised by the ancient Hermits, but are abused in these sensuall times; for surely there bee not two heavens for them; make one here, with all mundane delights and deserve nothing of the other, which they scarce reckon of. I can laugh at Chaucers wife of Bathe, that would bee content to eate browne bread in heaven for a little tolleration of her will, heere in earth.
Why should a man think himselfe better than an other (vnlesse hee bee an Epicure [Page 31] and Saducee) because he hath the benefits of some earthly goods connexed to the cherishing of his frayle and earthly body? when the Divell offered our Saviour all the earth to worship him.
Wee see God as it were through a Cloud or Veyle, for all the world is but his Curtaine.
Names were first questionlesse given for distinction, facultie, consanguinitie, desert, qualitie: for Smith, Tayler, Ioyner, Sadler, &c. were doubtlesse of the trades; Iohnson, Robinson, Williamson, [Page 32] of the blood; Sackville, Saville, names of honorable desart; Armestrong, Shakespeare, of high qualitie: and Turde, Porredge, Drinkall, ridiculous in condicion: but the best appellation (in my judgement) that can bee, is good man, good wife; but pride hath almost brought it in contempt, for a City woman told her neighbour, none was good but God, and therefore shee would bee called Mistris.
It is worth the noting how about the suburbs and confines of a great and populous [Page 33] Citie, the Victuallers and houses of recreation, lye at advantage to catch the Citie Flyes humming about their Trapps: and how the Citizens hang out their shop-Cobwebbes, to catch the Countrey Flyes; so Spider turning fly, and fly Spider.
The expression of our inward good conceites hath two reasons, one is to benefit others thereby, the other still to remember our selves therewith.
A wise mans thoughts walkes within him, but a fooles without him.
[Page 34]Wisedome is foolishnes to them vnderstand it not, as playing on Instruments, fencing and wrestling; his blood having lost the vigor.
Amongst fooles and worldlings there is nothing so valuable as wealth, whereof they neither have, nor can enjoy (without Surfeyt) more than a single part, rightly considered; and some by their miserable penurie scarse that.
Hee is of a poore and superficiall iudgement that esteemes the dresse of words, more than the substance or matter.
[Page 35] I have seene and noted some, that being followed with too much wine, would become humorous; but fools are alwayes so.
Nothing now payes scores for estimation amongst the vulgar sort, as wealth doth.
It is an exceeding miserie to a free minde to be depended upon an all undertaking man that is a break-word or promiser, unlesse hee'le turne parasyde which is worst of all.
The dresse of words is but as the dresse of women to a wise man; for bee the [Page 36] fleeve of what fashion soever, yet the arme is still the same.
It is folly for any to write of that hee discovers not plainely; for it drawes his reader to thinke, he understands not what hee writes, because all men preferre their owne iudgements.
Absurdittie hath but two partakers or foolish friends, viz. Ignorance, and opinion.
If a Stoicke should see us whiffe, Tobacco, drinke healths (as the phrase is) play the merrie Greekes still &c. [Page 37] He would fall with Cato, to question and reade, whether the Soule were immortall or no?
In my iudgement, the Clergie should not follow the Layetie in idle fashions of Cloathes, as the broad Hatt, ruffled Bootes and Stockings, &c. But the Layetie ought to follow the Clergie in good life and maners.
I could more willingly heare and reade the learned Controversies of these times, if the great Scholers on both sides, were not so envious to one another; But where envie [Page 38] dwels, charitie hath no Chamber to logde quietly in.
Observe regularly the speech of man, and there is nothing almost spoken but by figure; as one sayes, this is my hand, for his hand writing: this is my deed, when it is but his consent thereto.
The best observation in changing Religion, is to observe your selfe in your new course, viz. doth this make you pray more? love goodnes better? contemne mundane delights and vaine things more? bee more charitable, [Page 39] love God and his goodnesse more fervently, respect his Priests and Prophets, and husbandmen more lovingly? Then have you changed wel; but the contrary is fearefull.
I finde many times I overset my selfe by supposing too much, and well of others; but seldome deceaved by thinking too little and ill, for they in their actions (for the most part) approve it.
Put no more trust upon mortall man, neither streatch him further in thy hopes, than to his owne endes, for he is a frayle Creature, and to [Page 40] trust unto, but a rotten reede; whom the upper Spirits know to bee every minute Changeable, and vncertaine in himselfe, almost even to himselfe: and the lower find him often so in his actions, if his profits bee not therein throughly interessed.
Wee have by instinct a veneration of Natures operatitions in somethings, but to a wise man Idem is Idem.
Of all manner of People I hate the paradoxion babling wit shewers; & those place, good and better, in the ranke of one esteeme.
[Page 41] He is a foole that offers to give the paring againe, if one will give him an Apple; but hee an Asse worthy to eate thistles; that takes it: for I hold (be it spoken with reverence to holy writ) Esau was a notable hangman, that sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage.
Blame not men because they are variable and humourous; for wee by nature are so, & as the humour predominating gouerners, and encounters occasion, so wee seeme to our selues or others. If otherwise better, the let us [Page 42] acknowledge with Socrates, Philosophy & God his goodnesse and grace makes vs so, but a man drownd in the Lethargie of his vice oft makes himselfe so, by lanching or wading too deeply into the sensuall and tickling pleasures of the flesh.
Teach me thy knowledge in this or that thing saies one, you thereby loose not your owne share, your fire will warme us both &c. but who shall pay mee for spoyling my Cloathes in fetching of the wood, sayes the fire maker; or feed my hungry stomacke [Page 43] and radicall moisture spent thereby? Had meere thankes! Magner fedd his henns with meere thankes, and they laid no egges. O unconscionable coveteousnessel O blind selfe louel nothing is a mans owne truely, that hee comes not by duly.
The world accompts him a gentleman that can liue of his reuennewes without doing any thing: but he is the true gentleman, that doth the brauest and best actions.
The Ocoult Philosophers in their books do tell there is such a thing that you may [Page 44] have, but tell not plainly how to come by it. For how ever ignorants, couetous & idle persons prate; If so soveraigne a knowledge were to be purchased, by the buying and reading of a twelvepenie booke, the course of man would bee in confusion; wherefore one sayeth Deus Celauit Apollo ne mundus devastaretur. And old English proverbe, viz. I stout and thou stout, who shall carry the dirt out? The children of this Arte understand the Language of the parents; onely, to the rest they speake in obscure [Page 45] riddles: for as cocks the birds of the Sunno crow and are onely answered by other cocks, so in this divine mysterie the intelligent must be a bird of the Sunne also.
In all thy merrie-makings and feastings, take heed of embracing Crapulae.
Be still most wary aud suspicious of thy selfe and actions; but to consider the various conditions of Man, is a judgment necessarie in these times of libertie.
Laughter is the hickock of a foolish spleen, but he notes himselfe judicious, or stupid, [Page 46] that changeth not his countenance vpon his owne talke.
A Puritane seekes reputation more by words then by deedes, and supposeth more of God's hearing then his seeing.
Storme not too much when thou art standred by some evill and envious tongue, but thinke how the Sunne curtaind with clouds, yet in time stripps: and dissipates the congealed vapours, and getts the victory, and brings those veyles into thinnesse, and so to nothing, [Page 47] but ayre; so Magna est veritas & praevalet.
It it an Arcanum almost, to knows Mens dispositions, by nothing their affections in diet: for the melancholy and earthly, loues to feed on grosse and great substances, hunts with slow hounds, the ill digesting hare; The Flegmaticke on broaths, eates butter, cheese, rootes, cabbage, pornpions, mellons, cucumbers; drinkes whay and foure shillings Canarie. The ayerie, clymes at dainty fowles, delights in hunting the roe bucke, fowling, fishing [Page 48] and hawking, and esteemes more of the sport then the prey. The fiery and high constitution cares rather for that is spirituall then corporall, drinks wine largely, loues hot spices: and as Natura Natura gaudet, so hee to cherish his fire, loues the Quintessence and heate of things, as the Pigeon (a hot bird) loues salt, and so did Alexander the Great wine; the spirit whereof, was food to his fierie spirit: and not (as many will mistake,) his delight was in ebriety, for Nature many times makes [Page 49] (tacitly) our appetites seruants to her ends. To this may be objected; Then all your alehouse knights, & domineering drunkards, are his kinsme; Answer, No, they are led to guzzell by their ebrious voluptibility, not by their naturall inclynation: Witnesse the weaknesse of their spirits, when with a small charge they goe reeling and stumbling in the streets, a vice most punishable for misusing Gods good gifts, and defacing his Image in themselues. viz. reason. So the sedulus glutton and the [Page 50] goutie letcher, not provok't by the surcharge of the third concoction; unable, except onely to groap, talke bawdely and so obsceanly, &c. is very reprehensible, as Rebells in nature, and mutiners against order.
It is a pusillanimous and meere womannish weakenesse of the judgment to dissesteeme any excellent thing offered, for the pouerty of the offerer.
A resolued greatnesse of the minde stands firme against the event of a doubtfull cause.
[Page 51] A drunkards love is as brittle as glasse mettall: for a slipp, or fall of a word, breakes it in cutting peeces.
Make thy selfe sure of nothing without the power of thy action, (that is not wholy in thy hands) for inter Poculum et labra, chance is a dicer.
when I consider maturely how life in these lower things is disposed and retaken by the Almighty Creator and ordainer of all things; I finde in the most centrall and Terrestriall, (that is) the metalline bodies [Page 52] their life is termined, shut, and imprisoned within themselues; in the vegetable, that they haue their spring, station, and dissolution. And then their life is breath'd vp into the common aire, the instrument from whence it came, insused by the Sunne, Moone, and Starrs &c. In the Animall, that they eate, drinke, steepe, moue, and dye; and their lives are given up into the generall spirit of the world; But in mankinde, that he hath a reasonable soule, and according to his desert, is adjudged by him [Page 53] that infused it. O then, how precizely ought we to consider our courses here!
If there were not a hope for vs in the goodnesse of God, the better sort of Men which are most afflicted in this life, were more wretched then ether vegetable or Animall creatures.
The prosperity, and sensuall felicitie of this life, is but Animall happines.
Few men attaine true wisdome heere in this world; that have not seene Fortunes both faces, that is, adversitie before a rich estate.
[Page 54] Riches is a muffler, and makes many in this life, play at blind-man buffe with their soules.
The minde that lookes too vehemently upon the goods of this world, makes its thoughts a slave; yet wee ought not to let passe an honest necessary care, or due occasion.
Those Arts wherein young men most excell by their agilitie, should not bee an old mans practise or election; for it fits age to excell in wisedome & judgement, not in delights and pastimes, but as [Page 55] a moderate hearer and beholder.
The earth even to our comprehension is but a point or centrall pricke in regard of the universe, a mole-hill in Gods sight, and we thereon Ants, to whom he hath given a sparke, droppe, or portion of reason, thereby to discerne his Almighty greatnesse, and prayse his holy name; The rest are but as creeping vermine in his sight; the difference is, of us he will take a seuere account, as of those to whom he hath given that Talent of understanding, [Page 56] how we have disposed of it.
When I consider the great, good, & generall providence of the Almighty, who hath opened his hand of aboundance, and throwne downe his goodnesse upon the earth, for every man by his endeavour to obtayne; some I see florish and wallow in all fulnesse and plenty; others by labour gaine a mediocrity: many are poore, indigent, and miserable; and which is note-able, none fully content, as if they all had too short measure; then in my thoughts [Page 57] I say; O you full and rich in these earthly blessings, have you Quayles and Manna, and yet doe you murmure? You that labour, doe you not see you are well and happy? for man is borne to labour, as the birde to fly, the fish to swimme, the horse and oxe to beare and draw. And you poore and indigent, consider how your poverty comes, or by your sloth, or love of idlenesse or vice; blame not then the bounteous goodnesse of God. And to you lame, blinde, deformed, and diseased, repine not, O doe [Page 58] not; for the punishment fals justly upon you, if you doe well and wisely waigh it, viz. either for your parents, or your owne sinnes; for God is goodnesse it selfe, and cannot joyne with evill.
A forc't conceite is like a press't Souldier, who for the most part serves not so well as a voluntary.
Most men being arived into yeares, by experience see many of their youths actions appeare in fooles habits.
To be rid of many knawing thoughts, it is not amisse to imitate old Raynard the [Page 59] Fox, that by standing in the water by degrees, drave all the fleas nipt his pelt, into the locke of wooll he had in his mouth, and then left it in the river; so when thou art opprest with byting worldly cogitations, take some good booke or holy meditation, and therein drowne all thy worldlings.
Hee that is over carefull; showes distrust in Gods providence; and hee that is too carelesse, showes an idle minde.
It is not well spoken to say, I will do this or that, because [Page 60] thou canst do nothing of thy selfe, neither art master of one minute of thy time: but better to say, by Gods leave and permission I will, &c. which if thou utterest not, yet at least thinke.
To truly Sabbathize is not onely to keepe reverently to God his service the seaventh day or Sonday, but every minute to retyre thy thoughts from these worldly occasions to him-wards: as to consider thy fraylty, his Almightinesse; thy poverty in all good actions, his bounty in all good blessings, &c. And [Page 61] this is true Sabbathizing.
In God his Speculum all men are alike, onely those who truly & heartily love & serve him, are taller & fairer then the rest. But in man his glasse, there are many differences in estates, and the respects betweene the one and the other, is in outward things, as bodily feature, strength, riches and hauing power & princelike authoritie &c. But these poore Mundaine accounts terminate, in themselues as smoake into aire: for the best and most perdurable, last heere [Page 62] but in breath.
Choller falling into passion and rage, is like the seething ouer of a pot.
To speake or name all vices in one diction or word, is to say ingratitude.
I protest my experience is yet short in true knowledge of a crafty companion, for he hath so bred himselfe up in base and customarie courses of subtiltie, that the Iack will turne the spit round of his owne endes, to which he will make my credulity but the fire.
If wee would conceive [Page 63] that the wrong and mischiefe we doe to others had impetration so with God's justice, to still afflict us by Apparition or Genius, it would deterre a good mind from offering any, and give cause of feare to a bad.
Although the causes of mens intentions passe for the most part under the common and ordained providence of God, yet in the best achivements, and things, I perceive wee are stopt, vnlesse the particular blessing admit us to it; the meanes is prayer and good life.
[Page 64] be not too familiar with thy servants, nor with people of base condition; for then thou shalt find the proverbe true: familiarity breeds contempt; but a generous spirit is thereby most flexible.
All Alchymists can doe well, till they come to doeing.
Some praise nothing but what is their owne, and they give few others cause to doe that deseruedly.
when I encline my attention to musicke, I listen to the sweetnesse of Cadence, Choice of Choardes, &c. [Page 65] when to words or discourse, then I hearken after sence; for a tale that is sencelesse or dull is like a plaine-fac't woman with a flat nose, or one that's like the Ace of Clubs.
Leave not thine owne accustomed fashion (if good) to follow the guize, fashion or habit in manners of another; for what sitts comely in another is questionable whether, it will do so in thee. Euery man weares his owne naturall best, and limitation is euer short.
Religion is the fairest flower [Page 66] growes in the garden of the Soule.
To flatter a friend is to play false in the game of friendship: to neglect thy once honest beloued acquaintance, is to throw the Cardes i'th fire.
He that breakes his word and promise with men, is like him that receives cutts and wounds in his skinne, the greater the deeper, and are seldome cured without skarres of suspition; but he that esteemes not his promisse and protected word, looseth a joynt or member [Page 67] in his credit and estimation.
He that makes vowes to forbeare this or that, terminatly; showes no great strength of gouernment and rydes behind himselfe.
Woemen for the most part rather desire to lye with men, then Schollers.
Experience euery day more and more scrapes away an understanding mans confidence in others words and promises.
In consideration is the divels hawkes-hood, whereby hee carries carelesse men quietly into perdition without [Page 68] ever bayting at the Inne of repentance.
Hee that puts confidence in uncertaine men, is as one that goes upon the Ice.
He that reveales the secrets of occult Philosophie, resembles boyes, that tels tales our of schoole; and some Philosophers have seemed to promise their readers so, but they play the crafty wagges with meere litterallists.
In a yong man the sword in an old man the word young men hold the sword should give satisfaction fo [...] wrongs; but Gods wor [...] [Page 69] reckons further and otherwayes.
When thou wrongest another, thinke justice humane, or divine, hath thee on the score.
To suppresse anger in thy selfe, is to conquer with Hercules one of the Furies; but to tame all passions in thee, is to leade Cerberus in chaynes.
To strongly and patiently endure worldly afflictions, and crosses, is with Atlas to beare the world on thy shoulders.
Who doth confidently [Page 70] love and trust in God and his goodnesse, may with Charles the fift write Non plus vltra.
Mars his concubinarie lying with Venus in Ouid, signifieth iron changed into copper; Vulcan's finding them, and discouering their false play; is the fire, and tryall; for iron is not transmuted, as some suppose, but the coppresse or vitrioll, corporated into a metalline forme by the power of Mars or iron, his lustfull and fiery sulphur. The Gods laughing, is Truth discerning the Alchymist [Page 71] mistake; for the like is betwixt Mercury and Saturne.
Actaeon pursued by his houndes will suffer diverse expositions: for it may aenigmatize a lover chased and devoured by his thoughts: but more properly, one given (as the phrase is) to good fellowship, and whose followers devoures his estate, The history of Phaeton, Iason, &c. haue golden expositions also; but the Pedagogues teach the children all they can, as the old crowes put the wormes into the young [Page 72] ones mouthes: (As sayeth Erasmus,) without tasting them, themselves.
It is blame and shame enough, to plainely deny, an unconsiderate, and unconscionable demander, his requests.
Give a drunkard that hath learned to reele of the tapspinning Mearmaide, and a divell bomm-eRuffian, the wall, in any case; for the one needes it, the other in right should haue wall on all sides of him, viz. Newgate.
Hee that rowzeth vp a fierce wrath against women [Page 73] and scolds, is like him that draweth his sword upon offensive schoole-boyes.
No man can say of himselfe he is good, if he enters into due consideration of what he knowes by his desires: but he may justly say and boldly affirme, Man was good, if hee lookes into the unspotted puritie, and suffering of our Saviour Iesus Christ and reckon his good thereby.
That man may have some hope of himselfe, that sees Penetration, compunction; with sorrow and shame, [Page 74] standing within him, with dejected countenances, and frowne upon his sinnes; but he that hath no consideration therein, is in a desperate case.
A man rich and highly favoured is like a Sun Diall regarded so long as his prosperitie shineth on him; but poore, no more look't on than the Diall is, the Sun being in a Cloud; so by man hee is regarded, as regarded: but by the Sunne of Heauen, as his heart is, so he is respected, be his estate poore or rich.
[Page 75] I haue heard many seafareing men pray for diverse windes, as their way was bound, North, South, East, West, which Lucian in his dialogues laughs at, husbandmen for raine, and at the same time travellers for faire wether, so in all a confusion. As if the Sunne, Winde and Raine were to bee fitted to the measure of our sensuall occasions; so doth selfe-loue blind most men, when indeed the Sunne, Wind, and Raine, are God his Creatures, not ours, but by sufferance of his goodnesse, and [Page 76] however it blowes, shines, or raines, wee ought to bee content and thankfull, (not grutch at: Heauen with Mistris minkes riding to Ware) but reverence so great creatures, however to our endes contrary.
To desire of another any thing without valuable consideration is foolish selfe-love and childish craving.
It is honourable to ayd honest investigation; for though not suddainly obtain'd, yet the intent was noble, but if found; profitable, & with every one praysable. [Page 77] When we winke at a friends faults, our judgment turnes like vineger, the spirituall part inward, and is last distill'd, in a worthy minds accusation or wonds.
A drunkard is a mad man for the tirne, but a mad man is alwayes drunke.
When we meditate or act good things, wee onely live; but when wee eate, drinke, spend time vainly, and sleep, wee are dying.
Stage-playes, and pleasures, are but wakeing dreames.
All things are ordayned to [Page 78] prayse God, the Metalline stands brightly fixt for his glory, the vegetable springs up, and spreads his flowers and fruits as in sacrifice; the Animalls suffer; and labour, and therein shew us our duty; And we were worse then them all, if wee doe neglect withall humiliation to still laude, and thanke his bounteous goodnesse; to whom hee hath onely given a reasonable and discoursive soule.
The more we shew our understanding with humilitie and prayer unto God; [Page 79] the better hee loves us; the more wee shew our wit to Criticall man, the more hee disesteemes us.
Iudgment pearceth into the cause, and streatcheth with th'extension of a thing: Conceit hath taken but a superficiall eye and a small circulation.
Art thou crossed and unhappie in thy worldly dedesires and workes? why, thinke with thy selfe art thou better then thy Captaine and Master Iesus Christ? was not hee crossed even to the suffering a most bitter death upon [Page 80] the crosse, despised &c. And as his great grandsiere (David) by the mothers side, was throwne out of the world as a broken potshard. Hold thy selfe then up in God, who is not onely the Creator but preserver of all his workes: and if thou beest one of his, thou neede not feare but that thou art in the eye of his providence. And examine thy selfe closly if thine owne courses are not the cause of thy affliction; a hundred witnesses to one thou wilt find it so.
It discovers an earthly [Page 81] soule, where the discourse is most of morceaux friands (as the French call dainty dishes) for wee should eate to live, not live to eate.
A large complement ushers a close craft; an honest meaning, gives due respects.
It is easie to make men beleeve they are better than they be: but you may flatter some women beyond the knowledge of themselves.
An ingratefull nature hath great cause to feare necessity, for it is but just he be the most despised wretch may bee: if hee relapse in his best, his [Page 82] thoughts bestinke his memory.
Make no secret contracts or close businesse with a weake braynd man, for lookers on will judge thee crafty by his weakenesse, how sincerely soever thou dealest.
It is a misery in a free spirit to depend on others, so unstable are most men in these times; wherefore with Paracelsus, Ne sit alterius qui suus esse potest.
The best answer to an ignorant denier of principles, is silence, and to an obstreperous [Page 83] arrogant, a cudgell or laughter.
Alchymie is the knowledge of things hidden in nature, the revelation thereof the gift of God.
It is worth a large smile to observe how in things darkely discovered, every one through selfe love thinks themselves cunning.
Seest thou that the world runnes not on thy side, give over the world then, and goe upon Gods side, (that is) despise the desires of it, which is but cherishment of this frayle and fading body: but [Page 84] if thou changest then to God his side, thou shalt at last finde a perpetuall way of blisse, when thy soule is got free of his prison.
It is worth the observing in a knowing man, to see how one unknowing Alchymist presumes upon the ignorance of his brother.
To condemne good and Authentique Authors, to uphold a selfe loved argument or opinion, showes a reprobate ignorance.
Keepe not company with him is servant to his servants, and they servants to [Page 85] vice, basenesse, & ignorance.
You can hardly finde a rich Gentle weake unthrift, but his house is lyned with Queanes and Knaves diggon.
Shew no inward excellencie to an ignorant, for he is apt to contemne that where of hee is uncapable.
The science of hidden Philosophie may bee true, but most of the Artists the world knowes false.
A mettall-monging Alchimist is but a hors-keeper to a coyner, however hee curries his tromperie; but if [Page 86] he rides on the jade himselfe, his iorney by odds reaches to the Gallowes, if imprisonment Inne him not by the way.
Humane understanding followes high science slowly, but fooles and women quest with Quando.
He cannot justly be deemed dishonest that putteth supposition to the proofe, though with charge: but he that knowes a thing to bee false, and for wicked gaine leades others to repentance therein, is a knave.
A bold foole hath great [Page 87] advantage in quiet ouer a sober wiseman; for the foole accounts an earthquake but the earth's Morice-dance, Thunder the Cloudes Colique, the warrs a may-game, fighting at sharpe a sport, till hee bee beaten to better respects.
Take him for one of the unworthies, that cannot endure the prayse of another.
In abstruse things, arguments are endlesse; obedience is better than Sacrifice.
Base sloathfull minds never [Page 88] thinke themselues satisfied for small panes.
The word, good fellow as it is now senced by the vulgan, imports a drunkard in a man, a light huswife in a woman.
In our youth the senses bore the dominion, but in our age the understanding should.
It is a poore back-biting stinking shift, to caluminate authentique Authorities, and Authors; but plaine Roguerie to decurte or mispoint their writings.
Aproud man of all others [Page 89] should not be penurious, for it engenders his hatred, and due contempt.
Study, reade, practise, and doe what can be to obtaine knowledge; yet you shall finde an Ignorant will contemne all, rather then lose the opinion of himselfe.
I am many times forc't by the lawes of hospitalitie to endure the hearing of goodmen calumniated, but I beare it the easier because the servants of vice doe it.
In argument strive not too violently with an Obstinate; for as staires mounts [Page 90] us to a chamber, so must you graduate him.
An unlearned disputant, is troublesome company, but if angred very evill society 'and a sponge for defamatory intelligence.
Bookes are the best companions can bee; for they keepe their passions inward; and you neede not be troubled with them longer then you list or will.
A good booke should be read three times; first, to set his method; secondly, his matter; thirdly, to gather his instruction.
[Page 91] Anothers oppinion of thee, concerns thee not so much as thine of thy selfe; in which thou shouldest not bee partiall.
I never tooke a quicke answerer, to have a great understanding, for small things are sooner contracted then great.
We haue three things to doe in this world, though some say but two: viz. to avoide evill, to doe good, and things necessarie or indifferent.
Seest thou thy poverty and improsperitie makes enemies [Page 92] of thy former thought friends? Faint not therefore, for they were but outward friends not in ward, and are like dogges that follow the meate not the men.
A prejudicate conce [...] workes like Yeast in a weake judgment.
Never trouble your selfe with anothers immagination or what hee speakes o [...] thee in secret: for it is no [...] worth thy understanding unlesse hee durst speake it openly.
Hee that backbites other [Page 93] let him take care hee weare cleane linnen himselfe, and keepe no company with women and doggs.
Point not at an others spots with foule fingers.
When I behold a man bravely accoutred, a Lacedaemonian euen to the shoulders, I thinke of Adams nakednesse, and smile to see how For-like the world esteemes us, more for the case then the carkase.
Passions are of diverse natures, and choler the most unruly and untunable to all gentle societie; which if [Page 94] you can command, you are master of the captaine.
Disprayse, by a foole, Queane, or Knave, may stick like burs for the time, but they pearce no further then the outside of the stookings, and garments; and are rather an honest mans comendation.
There's secret poyson to the soule, lurking in the bottome of great bowles of wine.
Men for the most part shake hands with sobrietie in the third cup of wine; women in the second; children [Page 95] in the first. Bacchus and Venus are neere friends; yet will Bacchus breake Venus her glasse when hee is much drunke.
A coniurer without learning, showes his divell is but an asse, or the spirit hee workes by, an ignorant slave.
Drunkenesse is the gate to all vice, or a paire of spectacles to see the Divell and his workes by.
Life cannot dye; that which wee vulgarly call death, is but dissolution of partes.
[Page 96] God his fire is life, which may bee removed; but cannot be extinguished.
That pleasure which is modest, moderate, and permanent, is most to bee desired, and highest to bee found.
A robust breeding makes a rough spirit, and condition; and is apter to anger, then reformation.
There's no telling a bred Seaman his errors aboordship, or a drunkard hee is so, when hee is so.
A voluptuous man will be master of his word, that is, [Page 97] hee will rather command it then it shall force him; but a just man is a servant to his promise.
They are the proud indeed, who overpasse the bounds of their calling and parts, to challendge respect of others.
Our Appetites are Danaus daughters, and our bodies their Tubbs.
Good objects stay and helpe the wandering of our mindes: hence the Historicall use of pictures and holy Images are not unprofitable, though Devotion [Page 98] sometimes overshoots the marke.
The cleanest of our clay houses have many durty corners, which like Sluts wee loue not to looke upon till wee are chidden by affliction.
Men in Ancient time fought to preferre vertue & vertuous men; now silkewormes doung hath gotten the upper place.
A Flye with a candle does as a Foole with a fray, and mony.
A Poet hath advantage of a true Historian, for hee can [Page 99] fashion men as they should bee with invention onely; the other ought to report them truely, as hee finds them in many records.
Vaine boasting of knowledge showes emptinesse therein, or vaine glory thereof.
He that steepes his Iest in his owne laughter, is like him that swallowes his spettle, but uncomely.
Ancient Heralds did denote the qualitie of deserts pretily and properly, when they gave the field Sables to gownmen; a field Gules, to [Page 100] deserving Soldiers; Argent and Or to men favoured in Courts of great Princes; &c. But now they sell monsters, and cruell beasts to one another.
Few men weare in their coate Armours, Lambes, Doves, and such harmlesse creatures, but ravenous, devouring and horrible beasts and birds; which denotes that Pride is cruell, and this invention is a child be got by warre.
A Serjant at law, will endure the discharge of a great peece as stoutly, as the proudest [Page 101] souldier of us all.
Sleepe of the body is the Image of its death, and dreaming showes the soule is neither at home, or needs sleepe.
A translator of bookes, is but as one that deales anothers bread to all about him.
A translator & an Anagrammatist are both in a narrow roome or entry, cannot bestirre their witts if they deale truely.
Vulgar and meane witted people that meddle with the affaires of mighty; Potentates, [Page 102] resemble clownes and russettings in a Stage-play, when they presume to sit in the play kings seat.
A students wife precizely fine and faire, denotes her husband hath oft trouble in his studies.
The Mother knowes best whether the child be like the father or no?
Lustfull people resemble those sharp-stomack't gluttons, that take delight to often whet their knives, and so weare them for the Bellies sake, to the back.
A foole that tels some dull [Page 103] saltlesse jeast to hold company with wit crackers; is like Aesops asse, that imitated the fauning dogge.
It is musicke of the sphears to heare a wise and learned man discourse; but a trouble to the eare, and a burthen to the mind, to heare an ignorant foole prattle.
Hee that hath valiantly approved himselfe in his youth is excused for answering swearing brabling darers in his age; and hee that hath written well, is excused for speaking much.
In our childhood we were [Page 104] fooles; in our manhood we are servants of care, & in our age Porters to diseases.
Reprehend not thy friend too plainly unlesse thou knowest him wise, else thou shalt find it unseasonable at all times.
An opticke multiplying Glasse is like a travelling young gallants thoughts, or a vulgar Alchimists hopes, both great through perspective.
Hee that strives to agrandize himselfe above his place, shall finde envye lye lurking a th'wart his way, and in [Page 105] Court it lies smiling too.
Souldiers and Saylors should bee the Godliest men of all other professions, because so often exposed to danger; and the saylor is reasonable at sea, and cannot abide whistling, but at Land, they are both Vpzeefreeze.
Why should any bee immoderately covetous, or unfittingly penurious, who hath neither Childe nor a lease of his life?
You may more offend a Pedagogues disposition by breaking. Priscians head, then by wounding Reasons [Page 106] side with non-sence.
Lawiers because they are in the shipps poope, neere the stirrage of the State, thinke their places before the Martialists: but soldiers know their precedence, for they are in the force-castle; the difference is, the lawiers have often apparitions of good Angells, when the soldiers many times are payed with crackt crownes.
Suppose our Thunder and lightning to bee one of the fairest dayes in Hell, but the burning of Sodome and Gomorath, their ordinary weather.
[Page 107] He that strives to live beyond his meanes and place, puts a burthen upon his lives backe.
An usurer that lives upon eight in the hundred is like a pike that feeds and lives by devouring the smaller fish: but the difference is, when Death brings him to the dresser, hee butters himselfe.
There is no presumption from the Center of the begger, to the circular of the promoted rich; if graduated by vertue, and worthy deserts; for vertue was the first promoter.
[Page 108] There are 3. sorts of honest men, viz. your exchangeman for the bearing up of his credit; your cautionarie, for feare of lawes; but your true honest man is hee, that is so for it selfe.
Nature workes by her ordained quallitie on quantitie; your Vniversitie Physition, on forme by prescript; but an empirike layes about him like a Fencer.
Libelling is but an itching of the wit, but if hee be taken scratching, hee smarts more for it then his reader profitts thereby.
[Page 109] A libeller of great Princes errors, is like on throwes the snuffe of a candle amongst a heape of people; which a wise and moderate man, treades out.
When thou findest vanity beare too much dominion in thy humors, thinke on thy Death, judgment, Heaven and Hell.
The ouer lavish talke of a thick-witted foole, is like the roasting of a fatt goose; much folly droppes into the dripping-pan of others eares.
It is no wisdome to refuse [Page 110] the fruits of August, for the flowers of May; that is; to give Benefits for fayre words.
Vituperate no man, to couer thine owne defects.
A striving affected quicknesse, denores a giddie and unstable condition.
It is not materiall what men say: but what Reason speakes in men.
Esteeme not so much what the societie bee you keepe, as what the company is. For company is the cloathes of your habit.
Prejudicate that most common [Page 111] lawes esteeme all quallities excepting his owne and ready mony, as hee speakes French.
To deeme a Man by his actions and deeds, is the certaine and unfailable way of judging.
Hee is not out of the estate of grace, who chides himselfe for errors, but hee who is caried by vice like a straw on a streame inconsiderately.
The rust of usury many times frets in the Childrens fortunes.
There is nothing proclaymes [Page 112] a mans wisdome more, then the gouernment of his passions: for fooles through the spectacles of fury, see repentance in the red letters of their shame.
It is the Naturall of most ignoble spirits to iudge and censure others in the worse part; but noble Sr P. S. sayd evill speaking of others comes of the evill wee have in our selves.
Euill men delight to make others so, but a good man is apten to amend his owne defects then to accuse others.
[Page 113] Seeke to remoue thy crosses by fervent prayer to God, and withall doe honestly what thou maiest; for the Armes of heaven, sayeth one, are our endevours: make the husbandman thy example.
A man growne shamelesse in his talke is like a bagg full of Eeeles and snakes; if opened, who knowes what comes out first?
A Musitian or a Poet over-curious to give his fantasies compositions, is as a gardener that denies leaves [Page 114] and smelling flowers: for matters of delight and recreation are but so in comparison of the fruites and seeds of necessary arts and sciences.
Mariadge in the budd of making, is like the moneth of Aprill, but May and the heat of Sommer over, and familiaritie worne to September, things appeare naked and as they are, and sometimes have cold greefes.
When I heare people in comaparison of disgrace with one another, as, I am [Page 115] as good or better then hee or shee, &c. I deeme such wordes proceeds from the want of true judgment, wisdome and goodnesse, and that they both may mend.
Where private opinion is sole judge of ambiguous texts, there unitie is no houshold guest, either in Philosophy, Alchimie, naturall Physicks &c.
Little young birds and women are very different in sufferance; for much handling kills the one, and makes the other wanton.
Actions are others [Page 116] bookes, where wee reade by their thoughts, and accordingly iudge.
It is the periphrasis of a foole when hee hath spoken (as hee thinkes) well, to aske the hearers if be not so?
Sleight loves are sullied with smalle distastes, but a well grounded affection, is like a strong how, hardly broken unlesse extreamely ouer-drawne.
Musicke in young men hath fingers, but in aged men only eares.
Many are better guarded [Page 117] then regarded: but a criminal shall have faultie spy-faults enough going to prison.
Novelties with a wife man are but as dust, brusht or blowne off by examination; but stick in a fooles mind as the durt of Paris in an Englishmans cloathes.
A low'd raenting Speaker that engrosseth all the talke may well be called the Drum of the Company, and a woman of the same quality the Fife.
It is a laudable quality to keepe touch, as they call holding promisse: but when it [Page 118] is against the keepers profit and to do good, Honorable.
Hee is not maliciously to bee blamed that would pay his debts but cannot: but hee that may and will not, should bee plac't in the singing schooles of the Counters to learne better to keepe time.
It is no matter to call or prove a suspicious foole a foole, for in time hee'le make himselfe so knowne.
If an Illiterate mechanique will force his poore wisdome upon the company: [Page 119] the best course for understanders is to let him weare himselfe out of his owne suite of tale.
Soldiers in these peacefull and vicious times of most other professions, stand cleare of one vice, viz. vsury.
Of all the letters in the Crossrow a, w. is the worst and ill pronounced, for it is a dissemblers, and a knaves epitheton.
As a Gentlemans comely audacity, came by his good breeding & generous inclination: so a base fellowes argancy [Page 120] came first by the tolleration of his malapert sauciriesse.
A wife, and truely learned man, needs not care how fooles and base upstarts expounds him.
How can fooles take learning in good part, or embrace learned men, beeing bound about the eyes of judgment with the swadling clouts of Ignorance?
Most men how faultie so ever, love not reprehension, though without envy it intends their good; but a wise man embraceth admonition, [Page 121] and loves the good counsell giver.
It is taken for a disgrace to call the meane cittisens now goodman, or good wife &c. but if they had cause for it, they need not bee so offended therewith.
Hope beares up the heavie hearted poore man, as bladders and corke an unskillfull Swimmer.
Fly that house as a plaguie one, where suspicion is master, and Calumnie and slander vicious servants: for the world will Iudge thee desperate of thy credit [Page 122] else, or that thou hast none.
Prevent that an evill Conditioned man wrong thee not; for wee ought not to desire or reioyce in any ones punishment, either in this life, or that to come.
All words and actions penetrate not deepely (force excepted) where good opinion is stopt up by prevaricated ill conceit.
The three notes of a selfe-lover, are over dandling his Children, over suffering his servants, over chearishing his beard and haire.
[Page 123] It is easy to add to things found, but difficult to invent.
There is such a thing questionlesse as the vulgar Chymicks, or Philosophers mimicks, uncertainly seeke after: for error denotes a veritie.
I can resemble some of our Gingling gallants, to Bartholmein faire in London, viz. the bruite more then the substance, consisting of rattles, drummes, and such Childish toyes, at the best, fine pictures and ginger-bread speaches.
[Page 124] The understanding of our vulgar Chymicks is like Whittington with his Catt and bells; for although they prove not as hee did Lord-Mayors in their art, yet they all can sindg the Catt.
An Alchymist hath the reputation of a common lyer, for though hee should tell true, yet hee should not bee beleeved.
There is an old saying (Iacke would bee a gentleman if he could speake frēch) by which most of our attorneyes are but halfeway yet, for they scarse halfe do it all.
[Page 125] I would have a translator to give the names according to the same Language: for so might an intelligent reader know the Country man spoken of.
No man can truely say he is better then another, because he is rich, strong, faire, nimble &c. only he may adde the letter, r. more then others may: But where Casualtie and sickenesse &c can deprive men of all these qualities, none excelleth another but in good and vertuous actions, or in suppressing insurrectious passions, therein he [Page 126] may justly clayme a due superioritie.
A man too full of suspition doth either accuse his owne inward disposition, or these times very plainely.
That good is cleanely donne which stands free from our owne particular interresses.
A prating Drunken busie headed foole, is like a Brewers Cart upon the stones, makes the most noyse when his vessells bee emptiest.
A man that hides and flatters himselfe in his subtiltie, [Page 127] doth but deceive himselfe, for his actions and desires will at last bewray him: yea and betray him to derision, and contempt.
A broaker endures to bee cast in the same mould the usurer is form'd in, though his stuffe bee not so good or currant; and it is high eloquence can make either of them fit for heaven; yet their selfe-loves would also make it their interrest.
That man is a good proficient in true wisdome, that esteemes of the pleasant enticements of this world, [Page 128] truely as they bee (that is) fadeing shaddowes, and like a Stage-play, a meere waking dreame.
Hee that can make agreement amongest Elements, may make peace in himselfe and health in others.
A humane body in its variation and surcrease, may be similized to the nature of the 7. planetts; viz, milkie enfancie to Luna, the pratling Schoole age to Mercury, the juvenall flowring May time to Venus; the florishing and resplendent middle age to Sol; the virile and dareing [Page 129] manhood to Mars; the better tempered and advized gouerning to Iupiter; the highest soule flying, and decrepit body moueing, to Saturne.
Desperate foredoers of themselues denote that they turn'd their backs upon God his goodnesse, and their faces from his mercy.
It is a wreched estate that supports it selfe by lying and forgeries.
A Painter and a Poet should have a great Fantasie, a Lawier a strong memorie, but a Philospher and a Divine, [Page 130] a deepe judgment.
To swagger and roare, is to play the little Divell in this world; to letcher is like the spider that spinns a webb out of his owne bowells; to swill and drinke in excesse, is to turne trype-wife and wash gutts.
Hee that glories to goe away with a great deale of drinke, shall bee incomparably excelld, by a brewers horse.
God hath given us out of his free bounty, and for meere thankes, all things for enough; but not any thing [Page 131] for too much.
Who would depend any reckoning upon the breath of man or woman, when one and the same thing, shall have such variation in Epithetes, as what a friend calls bounteous liberallitie, an enemy calls lauish prodigalitie; so frugalitie penury; valour, foolehardinesse; boldnesse, rashnesse; audacitie, arrogance; warynesse, craft; learning, bookishnesse; and also the women call one anothers beautie snowt faire.
Thou canst not esteeme [Page 132] cheaper of thy selfe and parts then a detracting disposition will.
Povertie is shamefully worne by a slothfull man or an Ignorant person, but by a deserving and good spirit, it is the witnesse of the worlds unworthinesse, or the badg of his misfortune.
The Philosophers say Anima, Media Natura, is the Actor of the greatest Philosophicall secrets; the Italians hold the middle place the most honourable way. The Ancients cald Temperance the golden meane; keepe thee [Page 133] there, it matters not for others censure.
Hee is ill servanted that hears his mayde before hee sees her, and smells his man before hee eyes him.
To truely judge of a woman, is to suppose her Masculine, and so waigh her conditions, as breeding, state &c. for wee all befoole our Iudgments with thinking too much of her invisibilities.
A busy headed tradesman stock't, hath a hive of bees in his pate; but turnd broker; or Serjant varlet, a nest of [Page 134] waspes in his scull, and his mace is the sting.
It was properly similizd of him that sayed, passions in a foole were like ordinance broke loose in a storme at sea; for they ruine themselves commonly without great helpe; and a cholericke and undisswasable man approues it.
Some Trades man made Scavenger, stroakes up his stockeings, carefully; picks motes from his clothes; discourses of reformation; then made Constable, extraordinarily cherisheth his beard, [Page 135] and getts a humme of state; but being Churchwarden, acknowledgeth himselfe to bee one of the worshipfull, and picks quarrells with any glazier in the parish.
Wee are slaves to the elements, and faine to give the fire food before hee will warme us or cuit our meat; entreat the ayre with voice and instruments before hee will speake us musicke: beare and embrace the water ere hee will clense or quench our thirst; manure the earth ere hee will bring us sustenance: and they to [Page 136] God are but his Serving Creatures; for the fire is his Chamberlaine, the aire his musician, the water his bason, the Earth his footestoole,
All things obey their ordinance in Nature but Man, and hee seduced by his will and vaine Appetites many times turnes rebell. But when hee returnes and becomes true subject, the Cittisens of Heaven rejoyce.
The honest informers I know are bookes; for they crave nothing but unclasping and turning ouer.
[Page 137] Wise Sir Thomas Moore laught a man should thinke himselfe better then his neighbour, because the cloth of his gowne was a finer threed: and Democritus I thinke would breake his spleene, if hee lived now to heare a man should be wiser then his neighbour by five hundred pounds.
A Goosquill scribe to some fat Saducae, or storvling wrangling Pharisae, thinks himselfe more knowing and wise then Albumazer the Heavens notary that sommond the revolutions; [Page 113] but and you unty the string of this barmie youths pride, hee will blot out his corke, and spend all his witt in frothy scoffs.
The blacke dogge of New-gate I thinke is but the Genius of envy at Court, of subtilltie in the Citty, and of knaverie in the Country, and shakes his loose haires in most houses once a yeare, but is not visible but by effect to sence.
That which a man hath attained unto through the dilligence and industrie of honest endevours, is shott [Page 139] free from care of others heart knawing envye: Yet it is wisdome to bee wary of their malice.
It matters not what the person is that speakes, or acts to good purpose: but what the matter, deed, and speach is.
When a fellow braggs of his swift and farre riding in a day &c. I inwardly prayse the horse; and when I see an Heyre prowd of his ancesters leavings, I likewise cō mend the purchassers if they well achieved it.
Most folke are more care [Page 140] full to preserue their cloathes from dust and spotts, then their soules from guilt, and bodies from surfeits.
Povertie is not amisse to a minde not rich in gouernment; but a true wiseman esteemes not worldly wealth to bee right riches.
All earthly and corporall contentments doe but ranke us amongst our fellow Antes: for the whole terrestriall globe is but as an Ant-hill to God, and wee the pissmires.
Warre is a horrible Monster; which were better [Page 141] drownd when borne; (as the ancient Lawes of some Countries was to hide natures defects) then bred up and cherisht by ambitious Princes as it is, to vex the world with roaring.
Warre the child of injury is prodigall beyond ordination: it is pride in a soldiers mouth, offence in a civill eare; a Tygar and furious beast when assaylant, a goodly man whē defendant; a monster to heaven, a comaedie to euill spirits, a tragedie to the good Angells, where men are verbs Active and [Page 142] passive, and the slayne death's windfalls.
Noble Persons should resemble starrs in the Firmament, the higher they are, the lesse in pride they should seeme.
To prayse and disprayse one person upon every fleight occasion is like writing and rubbing out in a Tablebooke.
To be ouer curious in trifles, is like a Tobacco seller, that discourseth the whitnesse of the ash, rysing in the pipe &c.
Wee ought not to bee [Page 143] proud of that anothers true disprayse, can blemish or tread out.
Words are vagabonds where the perswaded hath an ill opinion of the perswader.
Prosperitie, Court, Law, the Citty and a play-house, have all the quallitie or gift to teach folks to bee shamelesse.
So speake of all men, and to all men, as they would all bee thy enemies and shame thee to their power; for men are various, and by nature affect the left hand in censure [Page 144] of others: it is not what thy witt and understanding is, that God respecteth (for, hee gave it thee as thy Talent) but what thou doest with it, for of that, hee meanes to take account.
The principall cause as the Spāiard thinks, the Duch man fell from the Romane Church, was that they denyed the Cup to the Laietie.
Conceive that an other mans intention (Couered however) is most part for his owne ends, and affects therein most his owne good, however hee will seeme to be thine.
[Page 145] Contradiction is the ruine and death of a lye.
Take no part with people affected to the disprayse of others, for thou knowest not thy turne amongst them; but avoyd them, and the subject whereon they worke in thine owne condition.
A common weale resembles a Shippe, the King the master, the Councellors and officers, the pylot and mariners; the ordinary subjects the passengers, good-lawes the compasse, afaire wind and sea roome God his blessing, and yeares of plenty.
[Page 146] Those wretches which fore-doe themselves for worldly afflictions and troubles, are like the flownders that leape out of the frying-pan into the fire: The greevous difference is, the one is momentary and terminate, but the other everlasting; to similize it more neerer, let us conceave a man bitt with fleas in his bed, who should therefore throw himselfe for ease into a cauldron of scalding oyle, or amongst a tubb of Snakes.
Youth, health, and Riches [Page 147] makes a well furnisht Pallace of this world: but age, sicknesse and povertie, a prison of this life: but a good mind expects delivery with patience.
A Student is with his thoughts, as an Artificer with his fingers.
A flatterer is fodder to a foole.
Where the reason is subjected and forced to follow the will, the actions runne in a Kind of madnesse.
God saw it was not good for man to live alone, and therefore made him a helper, [Page 148] viz. woman: Wherefore in consequence a woman ought not onely to bee a companion, but also a helper.
Covetousnesse, sensuallitie, and opinion, are the three Divells stirres most men to motion.
Care not for mens thoughts of thy workes, if thy operations bee good; for their cogitations and thoughts are not thy works; but thy workes is the good thou shouldst bee constant in.
As Conjurers when they [Page 149] call up evill spirits, provide before for the safetie of their persons: so if by course of argument thou art forc't to contradict the evill spirit of any man, bee sure of thine owne safety too; for many are no better then evill spiritts, and kinds of Divells.
It is a care every man ought heedfully to looke unto, what company hee keepes: for evill, base, and ignorant company, are like copper, which if thou mixe thy selfe with, it wil alaye thy reputation, as gold and [Page 150] silver is alayed therewith, by the gold-smiths.
In thy Election and choice, let not thy affection shame thy judgment; but so choose that thy Iudgment may bee commended in thy election.
The rayling mouth of an envious villaine against the good, is the divell's baggpipes.
Answere arguments with reason; if reason will not bee heard or approved, then answere them with silence.
Remember alwaies that [Page 151] practize or action takes more deepe impression with men then precept or discourse; which Diogenes well knew when hee tombled his tubb.
Our desires begetts our cares, and our courses our fortunes, or the accidents befalls us meeting with others in the same passages; which wee wrongfully attribute to destiny, for all things with us, comes from our selves, or by our selues; I meane mundanely: therefore when thou hearest a man complaine of fortune, consider his courses, [Page 152] with himselfe and others.
The Philosophers stone is like the northwest passage, lockt up in strechio D'avies, but not so cold in seeking.
Things profferd and easie to come by, diminish themselves in reputation & price: for how full of pangs and dotage is a wayling lover, for it may bee some browne bessie? But let a beautie fall a weeping, overpressed with the sicke passion; she favours in our thoughts, something Turnbull.
A man poore, yet rich in knowledge; undertaking to [Page 153] worke some excellerie in this helpelesse age, is like a Merchant that intends some rich Sea voyage, without a Barke, Victuals, or Men.
The wiser fort of humane judgements, doe not accept forme for matter, but matter for forme: otherwise our Sophisters would bee taken for wise men, who are yet but Prentises therein.
A constant and wise considering Spirit, giveth onely place to mens humours, not to variation in truth.
A bold talking braggart, is like the torrent running from [Page 154] a Mill, troubles the eare and eye fruitlessly, with what he hath done and seene; but angle him of his knowledge, and you may perhaps catch a Gudgeon.
The true correction of an ill tongued man or woman, is to bid them speake as they have found, and knowne, and not more, or lesse; and forfit for untruths.
He that converseth amongst ill tongued people, is like him that walkes amongst thorns, and to contend with them is to tread on Snakes and Adders.
[Page 155] Conversation with earthly Company and terrestriall things, is but groueling upon this surface of our great Molehill the earth: but when wee in our ayerie discourses lift our selves higher, let us take heed wee put not our mouths too peremptorily into heaven.
Natur's Instruments wherewith she so wisely and wonderfully workes in the Vniverse as we see, are the Sunne, Moone and Starres Influencies, motions, upon, in and with the Elements and seeds; But God omnipotent works his will by his unspeakable [Page 156] power and word, by Angels, Nature, and all things; to whom bee all praise.
It is no more iniustice in almightie God to kill and destroy evill men, then in one makes glasses, and disliking his workmanship therein, breakes them into the fornace againe.
When extreames oppresse thee, consider wisely thy courses, and search well into thy selfe and actions, if thou beest not the cause of them thy selfe, and through the perversnesse of thine owne will, before thou blamest [Page 157] Fortune, or that wee call Destinie; the one a word or figment, the other a course of occasion, or chaunce.
Cast the eye of thy imagination as a stranger upon thy outward actions, course, and behaviour amongst people; and thou maiest find that thy selfelove hath covered many things they secretly blame in thee; and which thou oughtest tacitly to amend, and discerne in thy selfe.
Seest thou thy store small and meanes weake? bee content then with small things; [Page 158] thanke God for that thou hast, despaire not of enough, and doe thy endeavour honestly, and say, Deus providebit.
When thou art tempted by that sensuall or substill Spirit (thy will) to eate of the forbidden fruit (that is) to cōmit any evill act, eyther fleshly or mentally, pray to God, seeing thy weaknesse or nakednesse, and cast thee downe at the foote of his mercy seate, laying hold upon the merits of his Sonne our Saviour and mediatour Iesus Christ, and say with the Psalmist, If thou [Page 159] O great God shouldest looke on all that is done amisse, who can endure thy Iustice? O consider that we are but dust, and seeing there is mercy and compassion with thee, pardon my frayleties, and keepe mee from presumptuous sinning, and suffer me not to be led into temptation, but deliver me from all evills.
Wee passe our time here with great care of our present being and the conversation thereof; but God bee mercifull, for the most part of men, little looke to the future; which is perdurable. O let us [Page 160] note and remember what the wise man sayeth, viz. As the tree falles so it lyes.
Goe not to a covetous man with any request too soone in the morning, for his covetousnesse is up before himselfe and hee before thee; but stay till the afternoone, then hee'le bee drunke upon some borrowers purse.
Musicke breathd by a gentleman, is a juell or earing in others hearing: in a begger or fidler, it is a wallet in the eyes of others thoughts.
Wee neede not goe any further then the consideration [Page 161] of our selves (who are by Moses in Genesis said to be Gods Image) to prove or as it were see, the Trinitie in Vnitie, and Vnitie in Trinity; for is not Deus pater anima Mundi? is not Filius mens aut velle Dei patris? and is not spiritus Sanctus operatio & gratia Dei? & deus ipse in potentia & actu. Compare then our bodies to the great world, our bodies and flesh shall turne to dust or earth, so shall the world to his pristine Chaos; our soules shall endure for ever; God is eternall; our minds affects this or that, [Page 162] God the Son came downe, was incarnate, showed and taught his Fathers will miraculously, suffered, descended, rose againe; and ascended into his first place. The mind of man circuits, but still it returnes the mind, conclusively; as the Soule and mind setts the spirit to organize in the body to act; so the Holy spirit proceedes from the Father and Sonne, in the motion of the universe; to effect and act his minde aud will. Wherefore with Anaxagoras all things are in all things, Anima, Mens, spiritus, One in [Page 163] that all, who is three in parts or persons; who moves this all, making all things obay and serve this one God, as his instruments or organons: wherefore Plato sayed well, Caput eius est Coelum, oculus eius Sol; lula & stellae; venter mare, pedes terra, &c.
Thicke fire was the medium betweene God and Moses in the bush; So the unspotted flesh, though elementall, of the Sacred virgin; the interpose betwixt the Deietie of Christ and us.
For Ethnicks, Atheists, Turkes, Iewes &c. making question [Page 164] why an Eternall should have a Sonne? answere is, God's power and word tooke flesh of the Sacred virgin, to satisfie his justice by the order of his mercie; and since it was for man, hee served it in the same livery; which no Angell, or creature, could doe, no more then the hatchet can worke alone.
Hee gave Moses lawes in Tables of stone, which Moses brake in anger of the Israelites Idolatrie: but hee gave us precepts in our owne similitude, which was darkned likewise by our Sauiour [Page 165] his death on the Crosse, but renewed by his resurrection, as the other by Moses remounting.
If there were 100000000 millions of people on the earth's surface, more then there is; every one having a burning glasse, yet all might use it to effect by one Sunne; In which there are excellent, cogitations to bee meditated.
The glory of the Almighty shines in all good things, as his relucent creature the Sunne, spreades his beames in the universe: but when it [Page 166] pleased him to contract himselfe to his word, then as a burning glasse; gathers the rayes of the worlds Sunne: so hee kindled a fire on Syon hill, and a bright flame in the wombe of the blessed Virgin, which the proud malice of the Iewes striuing to extinguish, made this Gods Son our soules lumination shine the brighter.
Whensoever thou seest the Moone goe into a Clowde, thinke of the glorious ascension of our Saviour, and how hee is in the Sacrament or Communion.
[Page 167]God is one in himselfe, but as hee appeares to the world and us, is three, viz. God the Creator, and our Father; God the Sonne, as he wore our humanitie, suffered, and redeemed us: God the holy Ghost, as hee instructeth, gouerneth, and Consolateth us. Yet all is one God, to whom bee all prayse.
The exceeding difference betwixt us and our Saviour Iesus Christ, is very apparent in our disposition; for we are bent to the Humanitie, and he bent it to him.
[Page 168]When we contemplate in the feruour of Prayer to find an Idea of the all-Creator, the utmost wee arive vnto is a light, which our limited thoughts cannot so expound, as belongs to his ubiquitie: and so wee are set up as with a period. Therefore O wonderfull bounty and goodnesse of God, that hath sent downe his Sonne, and cloathed him in the shape of our humanitie, whereby he is our speculum, and through whom we see Gods mercie, power, love &c.
[Page 169]The word Godly or Godlike, and it's Econtra, hath great signification, denoting some vertuous action, or contemplation, or the contrarie to the contrary.
The whole universe is but as a bowle in the hand of the Almightie; but no magnitude can containe him that made space and place.
As the luminous carboncle of the Firmament, whose presence makes the Day joy, and the Night mourne his absence, is the guide vnto our bodies in this world: So the incomprehensible [Page 170] glorious Sunne of Heaven is the presence of our day in God, and our guide to his presence.
All the workes of God are essentiall & concreate; not as man looking on his face in a glasse, a vanishing shaddow: for God from all eternitie could not but know himselfe, and looking upon himselfe, doubled the beames of his glorious essence, & begat his similitude or (quatenus nobis) his Son, the divine love of which resemblance, produced the holy Ghost or Spirit, three individuall persons, [Page 171] in one Godhead to whom bee prayse, honour, and glory, in one thankes.
Let God his studie, bee the cheefest place; in thy Soules house.
The highest orbe for our station, is the earth, the lowest orbe to God's vision is the earth, what hee hath done above is for us to looke upon, and admire, not to examine: but what hee hath by his Commandements, and his Sonnes precepts, directed us to doe, and beleeve, wee ought carefully to looke unto, (that is) by our Saviour [Page 172] his words thus in breefe: Loue God above all things, and thy Neighbour as thy selfe.
God is a spheare whose Center is every where, whose circumference is no where: A light which through too much claritie becomes invisible, a greatnesse containing all magnitude, a power gouerning all potencie, and a goodnesse inexplicable.
To beleeve things fall only under our sences comprehension, requires no reward, for reason payes it: but things beyond our reach and verified [Page 173] by two double Testimonies, engrosseth our blisse of faith in heavenly Characters.
The miracles of our Saviour being so supernaturall, showed the stony Jewes, had beene Gorgonized, before his comming.
All sacred words and divine figures, denote unto us, what wee ought to know, and knowne to hold inviolably and strongly.
The Humillitie of our Saviour, is th'exaltation of our hope to salvation; the foote of which Ladder was [Page 174] his humanitie, the top his deitie; the Angels going up and downe, figures of his Passion, Death, resurrection, and ascention; Iacob's sleeping our let hangie in sinne.
God who containes all glorious formes within him, cannot be comprehended in any figure by man: therefore hee sent his Sonne in man's owne figure, to bee the readilier cogitated by man.
The Ancient Ethnique world, were ever too apt and busie, in Deifying men; if they were but a litle taller in their deserts then the ordinarie [Page 175] pitch of others, as in Saturne, Iupiter, Hercules &c. And this was but a tricke of that evill and malignant intelligent spirit, that aped in them before hand, what he knew would really follow in our Saviour Christ Iesus; thereby thinking to stopp his reputation with such communitie.
By our pronenesse to evill and penetrative sorrow after the fact; it declares that our Nature is depraved from the first purity we were plac't in; for goodnesse cannot produce euill.
[Page 176]Doubtlesse the conuersation of some intelligent evill and depraved spirit through envy instigated, enticed and contaminated man's Soule; which was the fruite forbidden, or that Tree of knowledge in good and evill; even as coyture with an uncleane woman contaminates the body of a man.
It hath beene questionable in my thoughts, why that displaced & dejected spirit should so greedely seeke after mans ruyne: I can cogitate no further, then that his nature being depraved, his [Page 177] burthen of torments great, his despaire of release desperate and greevous; his enuy therefore is strong upon those are in way to obtaine his place, whom he seekes to hinder & ensnare in the nets of their owne sensuallities, which hee knowes and see's by their proceedings and life.
Paradise was created and the man in it, of pure and incorruptible Elements, and the corruptible World for all other things; but by mans breach of Gods Commandements, the puritie being taken away, man became [Page 178] Companion with the other Creatures, and by feeding on those Corruptible things, by little and little was so thrust out of Paradice; that is, out of Incorruptibilitie or tree of life, into Corruptibilitie, and death.
As by ill enclined will man fell, and was depraved: so by God his good enclined will, man may rise and be saved.
God could easiler performe the power of his will by his owne Essence, then by any under or subordinate power: and because no man can see him and live (he appearing [Page 179] in his pure Essentialitie) hee therefore Clowded himselfe under the flesh of the Holy Virgin.
I have noted many carefull to stoppe the wast of fire, and but carelesse in the wast of their time, the ravenous consumer of the most precious Iewell viz Salvation.
Mans Soule is a sparke of the pure Fire circuits God his Seate, strucke into the Tinder of the flesh by the will of the great Creatour, and life disposer; which if here contaminated by variation, and sensualitie, cannot approach [Page 180] to his puritie till purged; but obaying God his will, and acting to their power the precepts given by his Sonne, it becomes a glorious Essence, and shall resuscitate and illustrate the body into the same spirituall substance.
When I heare in some great Cittie, many Clocks strike neare together, I then judge the howers are neare true telling: so when I see, reade and heare the unitie of many ancient and moderne judgements agree in Conformitie, I deeme their exposition and declaration to bee [Page 181] next the truth in all science.
The best manner of meanes for us to know our owne soules, and immateriall matter whereof it was made, is to come neare unto God by fasting, prayer, humillitie, good deeds: and for that which is his seate and circuites his glorious Majestie, is of the same substance; and if worldlings knew their Ignorance, they would not bee so bold with their follie.
God his seate (as sayeth a Philosopher) is in the purest of pure and invisible Fire, which he by his gracious free [Page 182] Spirit onely hath distributed to man in his first infusion of life, whereby man is Microcosmos, (with reverence be it spoken to the Deitie) and as in the Threds of a Spiders webbe the Spider being centrall, the least touch in circumference gives notion, so all the actions of man are by infinite wayes, perceptible unto God, and hee nearer unto us, then wee to ourselves.
I conceive Heaven to bee repleatly filled with all spirituall delights, as the best and most excellent musicke, composed [Page 183] with a Homonimall Congruence of well chosen Chordes, and ayerie with the precedents tones.
The ende whereto wee were Created was to serve, love and honour God, who doth by blessed soules still encrease his kingdome, in lieu of those delapsed Angels once fell. Seeke to bee one of those Citizens by good and holy life.
When thou prayest to God, conceive thou speakest to the whole Trinitie, when by addition of Father, then to thy Creator; when to the [Page 184] Sonne, then to thy Redeemer; when to the holy Ghost, then to thy Sanctifier: So thanke thy Creator, through thy Saviour by thy Sanctifier, and so in all thou thankest God, for all.
Prayer is a speaking to God, in which let us regard what it were for a poore distressed worthlesse person, to come before the presence of some great Prince or Potentate of a Kingdome; and so stretch or enlarge thy conceit, how then before the king of all Potentates Coelestiall and Terrestriall, what a reverence [Page 185] and awfull respect ought to bee used? No fashion or words can expresse it, but an humble heart, and minde, voyde of all earthly cogitations, is the best oblation, if done with all sinceritie.
Pictures of sancteous histories are but notes of divine actions in humane characters.
Hee that doth not beleeve the Credo or Symbolum Apostolorum, hath little to doe with the Pater-noster.
The Pater-noster denotes hee is our Father by Christ: qui es in Coelis, that is, above all [Page 186] things in place, power and glory.
Sanctificetur nomen tuum, the dutie of our acknowledgement and due thankes to his goodnesse.
Aedveniat regnum tuum, that all things and wee are in and under his regiment, and so desire to bee.
Fiat voluntas tua, that we (as we ought) do lay downe all our affections and interrests under his will and dispose.
Sicut in Coelo & in Terra, that we may bee as obedient to his heasts and Commandements [Page 187] here, as his heavenly host high blessed is there.
The rest are all plaine particular petitions for our private good.
The ancient use of praying on both knees, signifies, in my judgement that wee should offer up all our actions and strength to God; for a man in so kneeling disableth himselfe of the possture to act, is unpassible, and as fixt to that hee came from, and to which he must returne: The lifting up of the hands, denotes hee is before a dreadfull judge, craves [Page 188] mercie, showes the cheefe actors of evill and wronges, and the receivers of many benefits; But the standing up when the Creed is pronounced, denotes, we should bee ready to justifie, stand too, and maintaine those Canons of our Faith against all Turkes, Iewes, and Infidells.
There is a Circle drawne about the list of mans libertie, and by God prescribed; out of which if any exorbitantly goe, they fall into the Divels lash, who haunts there as the whippe of God his just justice, whereby wee [Page 189] see many punished in this life, and by straying out of the fold, fall into the wolfes jawes.
The stars and second causes predominate but upon and in our earthly part and humours, for the Soule of man was inspired by God, and hee is above all: therefore accidents are but as stumbling blocks, which wise men sees, and stepps ouer, but fooles (as sayth Salomon) goe in the darke: And the Kingly Prophet David prayed saying, Set up thy selfe above the heavens, [Page 190] and thy glory O God above all the earth, and so (in my opinion) Sapiens dominabitur Astris.
Wee many times idlely blame Fortune, a meere imagination or Idea, when our owne follies and improvidence, is the reall cause of disasters. For suppose a tyle fall's on the head, and hurts: Why fortune therefore! you might have kept at home; but you must by necessitie goe that way! blame the necessitie then. Fortune is a figment to expresse chaunce by, unto which we are all subiect.
[Page 191]When stormes, inundations, Thunders and Lightnings, Earthquakes, Circuite us, wee then aptly confesse our selves under Creatures, and that with terror and miserable feare; but by forgetfullnesse wee againe clime aboue Ela; nay further into Gods closset, to his foresight, and predestination.
The Chaos of all things, may bee compared unto the flint and iron; the striker God, the lint or tinder, corporall substance, the sparkes, life, or soule.
In speaking to God by [Page 192] prayer, although thou canst not give the reverence is due; yet give what thou owest and canst duely: Let thy breath first laud him in his goodnesse; secondly, crave mercy for thy offences; thirdly, give him thankes for thy received benefits; fourthly, humbly crave the preservation of thy estate here, and life of blisse to come.
It is not the mouth or lip-labour God respects so much, as the heart or mind in an intelligent orator; yet the resurrection of the body denotes that our prayers [Page 193] should not bee meerely mentall, but conjoyned with corporall action: for shall wee not with Saint Paul hope to see God even with the same eyes? Lift them up towards Syon hill then, bend the knees, reach up the handes, offer the calves of the lipps, make all thy powers powre forth the prayse of him that made thee.
Meere worldlings in Iudgement, are blind in censuring divine mysteries; for did not Festus and the learned Athenians deeme Saint Pauls preaching foolishnesse? [Page 194] but an over stupid devotion ladeth out of the lighter of the fantasie more into the Arke of the Church then shee should carry; but Sectaries would throw the Churches treasure over boord.
All our life heere is but an entertayning of vanities; what good doth capps and reuerences really any man? The satisfaction of appetits, is but the uncouering of our wants; heaping of Riches, but as ill servants, that will runne to others from us, and lagge behinde us: nothing heere permanent or true happinesse; [Page 195] let us therefore bee carefull to purchasse by prayer and good deedes, treasure for heaven, that wee may have wherewith to satisfie our reckoning there with the great Host, who hath forgiven us one score already; and therefore let us not presume too much on the next.
When I consider the weakenesse of our humane nature, I wonder mankind can bee proud, for wee cannot subsist a little time without the props of meat and drinke, sleepe, rest, &c. [Page 196] which the Angells, and spirits need not nor use: but when I cogitate our frayltie and vanitie, I breath with the Prophet David, Lord, what is man that thou shouldst be mindfull of him!
The best use of dreames is to cogitate that as by fullnesse or coldnesse of the stomacke, Crudities causeth fearefull apparitions to the wakeing and working fantasie; and as good and temperate heate, digestion and humours, cause pleasant and delightfull passages; yet all but shaddowes and vanish [Page 197] like darknesse from the Sunne, when we rise; So when the soule is freed from this terrestreietie, which clowdeth the judgment and reason; then the evill workes cōmitted essentially, casteth the soule most really amongest those are indeed evill, not in apparition, but deformed Divells indeed: And the good & vertuous deeds amongst the blessed pleasures of holy spirits and Angells. Wherefore let us take heed wee goe not to the bed of our grave with a stomacke over-charged [Page 198] with Sinnes.
It much matters not, what Religion a foole or a knave is of, for their babling is but vaine prating, and the tree is best knowne by the fruit.
Dis the god of Mony now laughs out right, because his wares are in more esteeme amongst fooles, then vertue, and Stultorum plena sunt omnia.
Th' Almighty God, is the Soule of the universe, and the rayes of his splendour, is the quintessence in every thing, bee it Minerall, vegetable, or Animall; therefore [Page 199] in whatsoever genus or region an investigating Philosopher would grow intelligent, in that let him seeke the quintessence, which is his Moone; or else hee laboureth in vaine, and gathereth leaves in steede of fruites and seedes, for no man can truely meliorate any thing beyond his naturall perfection, but by multiplying his quintessentiall part.
Quintessence is not as Spageriques mistake it, separation of pure from impure, but must be taken from both [Page 200] the thinne and thicke, the spirituall and corporall. It is within all things non secundùm locum et partes; sed secundùm virtutem et actionem naturalem.
What is it to mee, what is in the Sunne, Moone, Starrs, whether they are worlds or whatsoever Containing; when there is a law set downe for me, viz. to serue their Creator and mine, on this earth; whereto I am fixt, by that upper ordinance who made them and all. But what I can lawfully finde heere, he hath given me leave [Page 201] thereby, to prayse him, and helpe my selfe.
What thou speakest. i. e. cogitates, within thy selfe, know God onely hears, that sees without the eye, heares without the eare, and made thee both interiourly and exteriourly; But what thou doest outward either by action or wordes, spirits and men both good and badde, see and judg of. Cave.
Not by eating, drinking, or sleeping doth the soule live, &c. but those additions helps her to sustaine the bodies ponder and grossnesse.
[Page 202]When thou tellest another any thing, thinke hee is thy enemy present in his rotation of thought, or may bee so futurely.
Man blessed by God, with a good understanding may be compared to those feathered Fowles, who lose their plumage in molting time: so may man his grace in the heat of sensualities, and yet by repentance recover; but he that is swallowed up by vice is as the Fowle taken, kild, and plum'd by Cooke ruffian the Divell.
God is the Spirit of Spirits, [Page 203] the Lord of Lords; King of Kings; to be worshipped in Spirit and truth; Angels, Spirits, Potestares, Powers, Sunne, Moone, Starres, Firmament, Fire, Ayre, Waters, Earth: the faculties of his hand; and the universe his Instruments; Man his Spirit is a sparke of that flame, a droppe of that Sea, a moate in that sunne, his soule with her powers, are his Spirits faculties, his body is the organon.
God made man and the whole, world to his glory, prayse, and use; yet without [Page 204] his needing them, as we doe neede, viz. garments, houses, &c.
God is within all things, but not included, without all things, but not excluded.
There are some of opinion that each man hath a double Genious, a good Angel and a bad, as they please to tearme them; which I hold no other but the Animall spirit and the intellectuall; The Animall desireth the bodies contentment, the intellectuall the soules: if the Animall hath the domination, the man is given to mundane [Page 205] lights which perish with the life: if the intellectuall hath the predominance, the soule rejoyceth in spiritual pleasure, and affects things good, and eternall. Every mans conversation for the most part showes who carieth the bridle of the will, how, and when.
Those that worke on Natures terminations, resemble them who swallow the nut, shell and all, for the kernels sake: for no man can further reach the determinate ordination of God in his handmaide Natures house, [Page 206] then by exuberation of the seeds; for, as sayeth the Philosopher, Species in Speciem non transmutation nisi reducantur ad primam materiam, and that ordinately digested, doth in Philosophie worke beyond Natures Creatures wee see; wherefore let no man despise, or condemne that he knoweth not.
God almighty, being the fountaine of all wisedome, as wee call excellent Sapiens, cannot be without the poore riveret of reason, which hee hath given to man.
As our Saviour suffered the [Page 207] afflictions of humane nature, as hunger, thirst, sorrow, feare, anger, weeping, abstinence, paines &c. So ought wee in soule and life to imitate him to our powers, viz. to abstayne from Ebrietie, to avoyd vayne mirth, and to greeve for our sinnes, to bee valiant in his defence, to bee meeke & humble, to mortifie our carnall affections & to endure afflictions patiently.
He that will duly waigh & consider the great and intollerable sufferings of our Saviour, par le menu as the French Phrase is; viz. his [Page 208] blowes, whippings, scourgings, the contumelies of the deryding and reioycing of his tormenters, his griefe for the lamenting of his friends, his burthen of the crosse, his stretching, nayling, drinking vineger and galle, his raylling spectators, &c. And withall consider his patience therein, and lamblike endurance, not opening his mouth to a murmur, but in prayer, & that even for them were his grievous afflicters: and then poyze thy ability to these endurances, and thou must by force confesse him [Page 209] not onely God but thy wonderfull good God, thy exceeding pittifull redeemer; and stand confounded in thy weakenes, saying, Glory and immortall thankes bee to the Lambe, that so tooke away the heavie burthen of our sinnes.
God his iustice is much to be feared, for as he is the fountaine of all wisdome and our loving creator and father, yet to show his detestation to willfull finners, like a wise schoolemaster hee did not much afflict Adam and his seed, so long as they stood [Page 210] but poore and weake man; but when his justice, mercie, word, and promisse, tooke flesh and cloath'd it selfe in our durty garments, then God to punish man and Adams fault showed forth the length of the Arme of his Iustice in our meeke and suffering inocent Saviour; then did his anger burne, nay flame, against disobedience, and that so extreamly, tha [...] had hee not beene God also, that beare the burthen thereof, flesh nor humane spirit, could have endured the thousand part of the torments hee [Page 211] suffered; which patiently borne and suffered, his iustice was satisfied, and man restored, & directed by a new law, which we are all bound to keepe heedfully; and to take heed of rebellion heer eafter.
When I observe a cruell Carter yerke and slash but a poore over-toyld Iade, or a hasty foole spurre him to the guts, I cogitate then, if our godlesse dainty gallants were but so pythagorized, how they would wish they had lived better.
Hast thou a great estate, and a great sparke of Promethian [Page 212] fire; a larger capacity, a quicker wit, a more solid judgement, a more penetrating understanding, than many others? art thou not deceived by thy selfe love? &c. then remember our Lords parrable of the Tallents, to whom much is given, of him much is required.
It is not the bare letter of sacred Scriptures men vary so much in, as the sence; therefore to sayle safely in such an immense and profound Sea of mysteries, where the gusts of selfe conceit will bee puffing, it is wise warynesse to [Page 213] waigh up the Anchor of faith, and set sayle of Christian passage, by the direction of the wisest and best experienced Masters & Pilots, who have made happy voyage before us; and such are the Ancient Fathers.
As the Iewes used our Saviour, so do Sectaries the Scriptures; first they see and wonder, then question & traduce; then turne them up & down, at last torture & crucify them.
Reporters of disputations in these latter times, resemble such Painters that make all the figures and houses according [Page 214] to their Country forme and fashion; but a true relater should give every sillable his due by report, however hee affect.
There is no Creature but loves themselves most, and others to themselves, else looke for no love in this lower world.
As addition and too apt Credulitie are motives to superstition, so diminution and incredulitie, is the way to Atheisme: keepe therefore right in the apostolique path of faith.
Hee may according to holy [Page 215] Athanasius Creed, be well held a Christian and Catholike, that hold's and beleeves the Trinitie in vnitie, and the Vnitie in Trinitie: that is our mayne, & all other Circumstances should not (in may opinion) make Christians shed the others blood, if the Divell were not too busie in the envious hearts of placeholders; for wee ought not to doe evill that good may come thereof.
In all thou doest intend, make God still thy chiefe materiall and end.
This life is worne away [Page 216] as a winter day, which to the happy worldlings, seemes faire and pleasant; but is short and variable: to the good and godly (if afflicted) it is foule, and windie; but the night of death brings them rest, and a home in heaven; when the wicked then lye without dores.
God is the Father of eternitie; men and Angells Sonnes of Aevum, all other Creatures subiects of Time.