Meditations and vowes, diuine and morall. Seruing for direction in Christian and ciuill practise. Deuided into two bookes. By Ios. Hall. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. 1605 Approx. 121 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 119 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A02553 STC 12679.5 ESTC S103712 99839458 99839458 3882 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A02553) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3882) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1070:1 or 2119:2) Meditations and vowes, diuine and morall. Seruing for direction in Christian and ciuill practise. Deuided into two bookes. By Ios. Hall. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. [8], 231 p. Printed by Humfrey Lownes, for Iohn Porter., At London : 1605. The second book has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. In this edition the title page is all in black; B1r line 5 has "bread". Signatures: A-K12. Incorrectly identified as STC 12679 at reel 1070:1. Reproductions of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Conduct of life -- Early works to 1900. Meditations -- Early works to 1800. 2005-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-08 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2006-08 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion MEDITATIONS and Vowes , Diuine and Morall . Seruing For direction in Christian and Ciuill practise . Deuided into two Bookes . By Jos . Hall. AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes , for Iohn Porter . 1605. Votum Authoris . QVas ego non vano deprompsi e pectore leges , Quaeque ego vota tuli pacis honesta meae . Alme Deus ( nec enim sine te vouisse i●●abit , Te sine nil facio , nil fugio sine te ) Da placide seruem , & praesta seruando quietem , Sic mihi certa salus , sic mihi sancta quies . To the Right Worshipfull Sir Robert Drury , Knight , my singular good Patron . All increase of true Ho●or a●d Vertue . SIr , that I haue made these my homely Aphoris●es publique , needes n● other reason ; but that , though the world is furnished with other Writings , eu●n to satietie and surfet : yet , of these , which reduce Christianitie to practise , there is ( at least ) s●arcitie enough : wherin ( yet ) I must needs confesse , I had some eye to my selfe ; for ( hauing after a sort vowed this au●tere course of iudgement and practise to my selfe ) I thought it best to acquaint the world with it , that it might either witnesse my answerable proceeding , or check mee in my straying there-frō : by which meanes , so many men as I liue amongst , so many monitors I shall haue , which shall point me to my owne rules , and vpbrayd me with my aberrations . Why I haue dedi●ated thē to your name , cannot be strange to any , that knows you , my Patron ; and me , your Pastor : the regard of which bond , easily drew mee on to consider , that whereas my body , which was euer weake , began of ●ate to languish more ; it would be not in-expedient ( at the worst ) to leaue behind me this little ●onument of that great respect , which I ( deseruedly ) beare you : And i● it shall please GOD to reprieue me , vntill a longer day ; yet●●t shall not repent me , to haue sent this vnwoorthie scrowle , to wayte vppon you , in your necessarie absences ; neither shall it be ( I hope ) bootlesse for you , to adioyne these my meane speculations , vnto those grounds of vertue , you haue so happily laid : to which , if they shall add but one scruple , it shall be to me sufficient ioy , contentment , recompence . From your Halsted . Dec. 4. Your Worships humbly deuoted IOS . HALL . The first Booke , contayning a full Centurie of Meditations and Vowes , both Diuine and Morall . 1. IN Meditation , those , which begin heauenly thoughts , & prosecute them not , are like those , which kindle a fire vnder greene wood , and leaue it , so soone as it but begins to flame : leesing the hope of a good beginning , for want of ●econding it with a sutable proceeding : when I set my self to meditate , I wil not giue ouer , till I come to an issue . It hath beene said by some , that the beginning is as much as the midst ; yea , more thē all : but I say , the ending is more thē the beginning . 2 There is nothing ( but Man ) that respecteth greatnes : Not God , not Nature , not Disease , not Death , not Iudgement : Not God , hee is no accepter of persons : Not nature , we see the sonnes of Princes borne as naked , as the poorest ; and the poore child as faire , wel-fauored strong , witty , as the heire of nobles : Not disease , death , iudgment , they sicken a-like , die a-like , fare a-like after death : There is nothing ( besides naturall men ) of whō goodnes is not respected : I will honour greatnes in others , but for my self , I wil esteem a drā of goodnes , worth a whol world of greatnes . 3 As there is a foolish wisedome : so there is a wise ign●rance , in not prying into Gods Arke : not inquiring i●to thinges not reuealed . I would faine know all that I need , and all that I may : I leaue Gods secrets to himselfe . It is happy for me , that God makes me of his Court , though not of his Coūsell . 4. As there is no vacuity in nature , no more is there spiritually : Euery vessell is full , if not of liquor , yet of ayre ; so is the hart of man : though ( by nature ) it is empty of grace , yet it is full of hypocrisie and iniquitie . Now , as it filleth with grace , so it is emptied of his euill qualities . As in a vessell , so much water as goes in , so much ayre goes out : but mans heart is a narrow-mouthed vessell , and receiues grace but by drops ; and therefore askes a long time to emptie and fill . Now , as there be differences in degrees , and one hart is neerer to fulnes then an other : so , the best vessell is not quite full , while it is in the bodie , because there are stil remainders of corruption : I wil neither be content with that measure of grace I haue , nor impatient of Gods delay : But euery day I wil endeuor to haue one drop added to the rest , so my last day shal fill vp my vessell to the brim . 5 Satan would seeme to be mannerly & reasonable , making , as i● he wold be cōtent with one halfe of the hart , wheras God challengeth all or none : as ( indeed ) he hath most reason to claime all , that made all : But this is nothing , but a craftie fetch of Satan , for he knowes , that if he haue any part , God wil haue none ; so , the whole falleth to his share alone . My heart ( when it is both whole , & at the best ) is but a strait & vnwoorthy lodging for God ; if it were bigger & better● I would rescrue it all for him . Sathan may look in at my doores by a temptation , but he shal not haue so much as one chamber-room setapart , for him to soiourne in . 6 I see , that in naturall motions , the neerer anie thing comes to his end , the swifter it mooueth . I haue seene great riuers , which at their first rising out of some hills side , might be couered with a bushell , which , after many miles , fill a very broad channel ; & drawing neere to the Sea , doo euen make a little Sea in their owne bankes : So , the wind at the first rising , as a little vapour from the cranies of the earth , and passing forward about the earth , the further it goes , the more blustring and violent it waxeth ; a Christians motion ( after he is regenerate ) is made naturall to God-ward ; and therefore , the neerer he comes to Heauen , the more zealous hee is . A good man must be like the Sunne ; not like Ezechias Sunne , that went backward , nor like Iosuahs Sunne , that stood stil , but Dauids Sunne , that ( like a Bride-groome ) comes out of his chamber ; and as a Champion reioyceth to runn● his race : only , herein is the difference , that when he comes to his high noon , he declineth not . How euer therefore , the mind ( in her naturall faculties ) followes the temperature of the body , yet in these supernatural things shee quite crosses it , for with the coldest complexion of age , is ioyned in those that are truly religious , the feruentest zeale and affection to good thinges : which is therfore the more reuerenced , and better acknowledged , because it cannot be ascribed to the hot spirits of youth . The deuil himselfe deuised that olde slaunder of ●arly holines ; A young Saint , an olde Deuill : sometimes young Deuils haue prooued olde Saints ; neuer the contrary ; but true Saints in youth , doo alwayes prooue Angels in their age . I will striue to bee euer good , but if I should not finde my selfe best at last , I should feare I was neuer good at all . 7 Consent hartneth sin , which a little dislike would haue daunted at first ; As wee say , there would be no theeues , if no receiuers : so would there not be so many open mouthes to detract and slaunder , if there were not as many open eares to entertain them . If I cannot stoppe other mens mouthes frō speaking ill● I wil either open my mouth to reproue it , or els I will stop mine eares from hearing it ; & let him see in my face , that hee hath no roome in my heart . 8 I haue oft wondred howe fishes can retaine their fresh taste , and yet liue in salt waters ; since I see that euery other thing participates of the nature of the place , wherein it abides : so , the waters passing through the chānels of the earth , varie their sauour with the ve●nes of soyle , through vvhich they slide : So , brute creatures transported frō one Region to another , alter their former qualitie , & degenerate by little and little . The like daunger haue I seene in the manners of men , conuersing with euill companions , in corrupt places : For , besides that , it blemisheth our reputation , and makes vs thought ill , though wee be good ; it breedes in vs an insensible declination to ill ; and works in vs , if not an approbation , yet a lesse dislike of those sinnes , to which , our eares & eyes are so continually inured . I may haue a bad acquaintance , I will neuer haue a wicked companion . 9 Expectation in a weake minde , makes an euill , greater ; and a good , lesse : but in a resolued minde , it digests an euill , before it come , and makes a future good , long before , present . I will expect the woorst , because it may come the best , because I know it will come . 10 Some promise what they cannot doo , as Sathan to Christ ; some , what they could , but meane not to doo , as the Sonnes of Iacob to the Shechemites : some , what they meant for the time , and after retrayt , as Laban to Iacob ; some , what they doo also giue , but vnwillingly , as H●rod ; some , what they willingly giue , and after repent them , as Ioshu● to the Gibeonites . So great distrust is there in man , whether from his impotence or faithlesnes● as in other things , so in this , I see God is not like man : but what euer hee promises , hee approoues himselfe most faithfull , both in his abilitie and performances : I will therfore euer trust God on his bare word , euen with hope , besides hope , aboue hope , against hope : and onwards , I will rely on him for small matters of this life : for how shal I hope to trust him in impossibilities , if I may not in likelihoods ? how shall I depend on him , for raising my body from dust , and sauing my soule ; if I mistrust him for a crust of bread , towards my preseruation . 11 If the world would make me his Minion● he could giue me but what he hath : and what hath he to giue ? but a smoake of honour , a shadow of riches , a sound of pleasures , a blast of fame ; which , when I haue had in the best measure ; I may be worse ; I cannot be better : I can liue no whit longer , no whit merrier , no whit happier . If he professe to hate me , what can he doe but disgrace me in my name , impouerish mee in my state , afflict me in my body ? in al which , it is easie , not to be euer the more miserable : I haue beene too long beguiled with the vaine semblances of it : Now hence-forth accounting my selfe borne to a better world , I will in an holy loftines , beare my self as one too good to be enamoured of the best pleasures , to be daūted with the greatest miseries of this life . 12 I see there is no man so happy , as to haue all thinges , and no man so miserable , as not to haue some ; Why should I looke for a better condition , then all others ? If I haue some-what , and that of the best thinges , I will in thankfulnes enioy them , and want the rest with contentment . 13 Cōstraint makes an easie thing toilesom , wheras againe , loue makes the greatest toile , pleasant : How many miles do we ride & run , to see one silly beast follow another , with pleasure : which , if wee were commaunded to measure vppon the charge of a superiour , we should complaine of wearines . I see the folly of the most men , that make their liues miserable , and their actions tedious , for want of loue to that , they must doo : I will first labour to ●ettle in my heart a good affection to heauēly things ; so , Lord , thy yoake shall be easie , and thy burden light . 14 I am a stranger euen at home , therefore if the doggs of the world bark at me , I neither care , no● wonder . 15 It is the greatest madnes in the world , to bee an hypocrite in religious profession : Men hate thee , because thou art a Christian , so much as in appearance : God hates thee double , because thou art but in appearace : so , while thou hast the hatred of both , thou hast no comfort in thy selfe : Yet if thou wilt not bee good , as thou seemest ; I hold it better to seeme ill as thou art : An open wicked man doth much hurt with notorioussinnes , but an hypocrite doth at last more shame goodnes , by seeming good ; I had rather be an open wicked man , then an hypocrite , but I had rather bee no man , then eyther of them . 16 VVhen I cast downe mine eyes vppon my wants , vpon my sinnes , vpon my miseries ; mee thinkes no man should be woorse , no man so ill as I ; my meanes so many , so force-able , and almost violent ; my progresse so small , and insensible ; my corruptions so strong , my infirmities so frequent , and remedilesse ; my bodie so vnaunswerab●e to my minde . But when I looke vp to the blesinges that GOD hath enricht mee with all , mee thinkes I should soone be● induced to thinke none more happie then my selfe : God is my friend , and my Father : the world not my Master , but my slaue : I haue frends , not many , but so tryed , that I dare trust them . An estate not superfluous , not needy : yet neerer to defect , then abundance : A calling , if despised of men , yet honourable with God : A body not so strong , as to admit securitie , but often checking mee in occasion of pleasure : nor yet so weake , as to afflict me continually : A mind not so furnished with knowledge , that I may boast of it ; nor yet so naked , that I should despaire of obtayning it : My miseries afford me ioy , mine enemies aduantage ; my account is cast vp for another world : And if thou thinke , I haue said too much good of my selfe , either I am thus , or I would be . 17 The worldlings life is ( of all other ) most discōfortable , for that which is his God , doth not alway fauour him , that which should bee , neuer . 18 There are three messengers of death : Casualty , Sicknes , Age : The two first are doubtfull , since many haue recouered them both ; the last is certaine : The two first are suddaine , the last leasurely and deliberate : As for all men vpon so many summons , so , especially for an old man , it is a shame to bee vnprepared for death : For , where other see they may die , hee sees hee must die . I was long a-gone olde enough to dye , but if I liue till age , I will thinke my selfe too olde to liue longer . 19 I will not care what I haue , whether much or litt●e 〈◊〉 If little , my account shall bee the lesse ; If more , I shall doo the more good , and receiue the more glory . 20 I care not for anie companion , but such as may teach mee somewhat , or learne somewhat of me . Both these shall much pleasure me ; one as an agent , the other as an subiect to worke vpon , neither knowe I whether more ; for though it be an excellent thing to learne , yet I learne but to teach others . 21 If earth ( that is prouided for mortality , and is possessed by the Makers enemies ) haue so much pleasure in it ; that Wor●dlinges thinke it woorth the account of their heauen : such a Sun to enlighten it , such an heauen to wall it about , such sweet fruits and flowers to adorne it , such variety of creatures , for the commodious vse of it : What must heauen needes be , that is prouided for God himselfe , & his friends : How can it be lesse in woorth , then God is aboue his creatures , and Gods friends better , then his enemies . I will not onely be content , but desirous to bee disso●ued . 22 It is commonly s●ene , that boldnes puts men forth before their time , before their abilitie . Wherein , we haue seene many that ( like Lapwings , and Partridges ) haue runne away with some part of their shel on their heads : Whence it followes , that as they began boldly , so they proceede vnprofitably , and conclude not without shame : I would rather bee haled by force of others to great duties , thē rush vpon them vnbidden : It were better a man shou●d want work , then that great worke● should want a manne aunswerable to theyr weight . 23 I will vse my friends , as Moses did his rodd ; While it was a rodd , he helde it familiarly in his hand ; when once a Serpent , hee ranne away from it . 24 I haue seldome seene much o●tentation ; and much learning met together : The Sunne rising and declining , makes long shadowes , at mid-day when hee is at highest , none at all : Besides , that skill when it is too much showne , looses the grace , as fresh-coloured wares , if they bee often opened , leese their brightnesse , and are soyled with much handling : I had rather , applaude my selfe for hauing much , that I showe not : then that others should app●a●d mee , for showing more , then I haue . 25 An ambitious man is the greatest enemie to himselfe , of any in the world besides . For hee still tormentes himselfe with hopes , and desires● and cares , which hee might auoid , if he would remit of the height of his thoughts ; and liue ●●ietly . My onely ambition shall bee to bee in Gods fauour on earth , & to be a Saint in heauen . 26 There was neuer good thing easily comne by : The heathen man could say , God sels knowledge for sweat , and so , he doth honour for ieopardie : Neuer anie man hath got either wealth , or learning with ease● Therfore , the greatest good must needs be most difficult . How shall I hope to get Christ , if I take no paines for him ; and if in all other thinges the difficultie of obtayning , whets the mind so much the more to seeke , why should it in this alone daunt mee , I will not care what I doo , what I suffer , s● I may winne Christ ; If men can endure such cutting , such lancing , searing of their bodies , to protract a miserable life , yet a while longer ; what pain shou●d I refuse for eternity ? 27 I● I die ; the world shal misse mee but a little , I shall misse it lesse ; Not it mee , because it hath such store of better men ; Not I it , because it hath so much ill , & I shal haue so much happines . 28 Two thinges make a man set by , Dignitie and Desert , amongst fooles the first without the second is sufficient : Amongst wise men , the second without the first ; Let mee deserue well , though I be not aduaunced . The Conscience of my woorth , shall cheere me more in others contempt , then the approbation of others can cōfort me● against the secret checke of my owne vnworthines . 29 The best qualities do so cleaue to their subiects , that they cannot be cōmunicated to others : For , where patrimonie , & vulgar acc●unt of honour , follow the blood in many generations , vertue is not traduced in propagation , nor learning bequeathed by our will to our heires : least the giuers shou●d waxe proud , and the receiuers negligent : I wil account nothing my owne , but what I haue gotten ; nor that my owne , because it is more of gift then desert . 30 Then onely is the Church most happy , when Truth and Peace kisse each other ; and thē miserable , when either of them balke the way , or when they meete and kisse not : For truth without peace is turbulent ; and peace without truth is secure iniustice ; thogh I loue peace well , yet I loue mayne truthes better ; and though I loue all truthes well , yet I had rather conceale a small truth , then disturbe a cōmon Peace . 31 An in-discreete good action , is little better thē a discreet mischiefe , for in this , the doer wrongs onely the patient : but in that other , the wrong is done to the good action ; for both it makes a good thing odious ( as many good tales are mar'd in telling ) & besides , it preiudice● a future oportunity : I wil rather let passe a good gale of wind ; and stay still on the shore , then launch forth , whē I know the wind wil be cōtrary . 32 The world teaches me , that it is madnes to leaue behinde mee those goods , that I may carrie with mee : Christianitie teaches mee that , what I charitably giue aliue , I carrie with me dead ; and experience teaches me , that what I leaue behind I leese ; I will carie that treasure with mee by giuing it , which the worldling looseth by keeping it ; so , while his corps shal carie nothing but a winding-cloath to his graue , I shal be richer vnder the earth , thē I was aboue it . 33 Euery worldling is an hypocrite , for while his face naturally lookes vpward to heauen , his hart grouels beneath on the earth ; yet if I would admit of any discord in the inward & outward parts ; I would haue an heart , that should looke vp to heauen , in an holy contemp●ation of the things aboue , and a countenance cast downe to the earth in humiliation ; this only dissimilitude is pleasing to God. 34 The heart of man is a short word , a small substance , yet great in capacitie , yea , so infinite in desire , that the round Globe of the world cannot fill the three corners of it ; when it desires more , and cries , Giue , Giue . I will set it ouer to that infinite good ; where the more it hath , it may desire more , and see more to be desired ; when it desires but what it needeth , my hands shal soone satisfie it ; either of which , if it may cōtaine it , when it is without the body , much more may both of them fill it , while it is within . 35 With men it is a good rule to try first , and then to trust , with God it is contrary : I will first trust him as most wise , omnipotent , mercifull , and trie him afterwards : I know it is as impossible for him to deceiue me● , as not to be . 36 As Christ was both a Lambe and a Lyon , so is euery Christian : A Lambe for patience in suffering , and innocence of life . A Lyon for boldnesse in his innocence : I would so order my courage and mildnesse , that I may bee neither Lyon-like in my conuersation , nor sleepish in the defence of a good cause . 37 The godly sowe in teares , reape in ioy : The seede●time is commonly waterish , and louring : I will bee content with a wet spring ; so I may bee sure of a cleare and ioyfull haruest . 38 Euerie man hath an Heauen and an Hell : Earth is the wicked mans Heauen , his Hell is to come ; On the contrarie , the godly haue their hell vpon earth , where they are vexed with tentations , and afflictions by Sathan and his complices ; their heauen is aboue in endlesse happines ; If it be ill with mee on earth , it is well my tormēt is so short , and so easie : I will not be so couetous , to hope for two heauens . 39 Man on his Death-bed hath a double prospect , which in his life-time the interposition of pleasure and miseries debard him from : The good man lookes vpward , and sees heauen open with Steuen , and the glorious Angels readie to carie vp his soule . The wicked manne lookes downe-ward , and sees three terrible spectacles , Death , Iudgement , Hell , one beyond another ; & all to be passed through by his soule : I maruell not , that the godly haue beene so cheerefull in Death , that those torments , whose very sight hath ouercomne the beholders , haue seemed easie to them● I maruell not that a wicked man is so loath to heare of death , so deiected , when hee feeles sicknes , and so desperate , when hee feeles the pangues of death ; nor that euerie Balaam would fain die the death of the righteous . Henceforth , I will enuie none , but a good man ; I will pitie nothing so much , as the prosperitie of the wicked . 40 Not to be afflicted , is a signe of weakenesse : For therefore God imposes no more on mee , because hee sees I can beare no more : God will not make choyce of a weake Champion● when I am stronger , I will looke for more ; And when I sustaine more , it shall more cōfort me , that God findes mee strong , then it shall grieue me , to be pressed with an heauy affliction . 41 That the wicked haue peace in themselues , is no wonder , they are as sure as Tentation can make them : No Prince makes Warre with his owne Subiects : The godly are still enemies : Therefore , they must look to be assaulted both by Stratagems and violence : Nothing shall more ioy mee , then my inward vnquietnes . A iust warre is a thousand times more happy then an ill-cōditioned Peace . 42 Goodnes is so powerfull , that it can make thinges simply euill ( namely our sinns ) good to vs ; not good in nature , but good in the euent ; good , when they are done , not good to be done : Sinne is so powerfull , that it can turne the holiest Ordinances of God in it selfe : But heerein our sinnes goes be●ond our goodnes ; that sin defiles a man or action otherwise good ; but all the goodnes of the world cannot iustifie one sinne : As the holy ●le●h in the skirt makes not the bread holy that touches it ; but the vncleane touching an holy thing , defiles it . I will loath euery euill for it owne sake , I wil do good but not trust to it . 43 Fooles measure good actions by the euent after they are done : Wise men before-hand by iudgement , vppon the rules of reason and faith : Let mee doo well , let God take charge of the successe , if it bee we●l accepted , it is well . If not , my thanke is with God. 44 Hee was neuer good man , that amends not . For if hee were good , hee must needes desire to be better . Grace is so sweete , that who euer tastes of it , must needes long after more : and if hee desire it , hee will endeuour it , and if h●e doo but endeuour ; GOD will crowne it with successe . Gods familie admittes of no Dwarffes ; which are vnthriuing , and stand at a stay ; but men of meas●res . What euer become of my body , or my estate ; I will euer labour to finde somewhat added to the stature of my soule . 45 Pride is the most dangerous of all sinnes , for both it is most insinuatiue , hauing crept into HEAVEN , and Paradise ; and most dangerous where it is : For where all other Tentations are about euill , this alone is conuersant only about good things● and one dram of it poysons many measures of grace . I will not be more afraid of doing good things amisse , then of beeing proud , when I haue performed them . 46 Not onely Commission makes a sinne : A man is guilty of all those sins he hateth not . If I cannot auoyd all , yet I will hate all . 47 Preiudice is so great an enemie to truth , that it makes the minde vncapable of it . In matters of faith , I will first lay a sure ground , and then beleeue , though I cannot argue : holding the conclusion in spight of the premises : but in other lesse matters , I will not so fore-stall my mind with resolution , as that I will not be willing to be better informed . Neither wil I say in my selfe ● I will hold it , therefore it shall be truth ; but , This is truth , therefore I will hold it : I will not striue for victorie , but for truth . 48 Drunkennes and Couetousnes doo much resemble one another , for the more a man drinkes , the more hee thirsteth ; and the more hee hath , still the more hee coueteth : and for their effects , besides other , both of them haue the power of transforming a man into a beast , and of all other beasts , into a Swine . The former is euident to sense ; the other , though more obscure , is no more q̄uestionable : the couetous man in two thinges plainely resembleth a Swine : That he cuer rootes in the earth , not so much as looking towards Heauen : That hee neuer doth good , till his death : In desiring , my rule shall bee necessitie of nature , or estate ; in hauing , I will account that my good , which doth me good . 49 I acknowledge no Maister of Requests in Heauen but one , Christ my Mediatour : I know I cannot bee so happie , as not to neede him , nor so miserable , that hee should contemne mee : I will alwayes aske ; and that of none , but where I am sure to speede , but where there is so much store , that when I haue had the most , I shall leaue no lesse behind ; Though numberlesse drops be in the Sea , yet if one be taken out of it , hath so much the lesse , though insensibly ; but God , because hee is infinite , can admit of no diminution : Therefore are men niggardly , because the more they giue , the lesse they haue : but thou , Lord , maist giue what thou wilt , without abatement of thy store : Good prayers neuer came weeping home ; I am sure I shall receiue either what I aske , or what I should aske . 50 I see that a fit Bootie many times makes a thiese , and many would be proud , if they had but the common causes of their neighbours : I account this none of the least fauours of GOD , That the world goes no better forward with me ; for I feare , if my estate were better to the world , it might bee woorse to God. As it is an happie necessitie that inforces to good , so is that next happy , that hinders from euill . 51 It is the basest loue of all others that is for a benefit ; for heerein wee loue not another , so much as our selues : Though there were no Heauen , O Lord , I would loue thee : Now there is one , I wi●l esteeme it , I will desire it , yet still will loue thee for thy goodnesse sake ; Thy selfe is reward enough , though thou broughtest no more . 52 I see men point the fielde , and desperatelie ieopard their lyues , as prodigall of their blood , in the reuenge of a disgracefu●l word against themselues , while they can be content to heare GOD pulled out of Heauen with blasphemie , and not feele so much as a rysing of theyr blood : Which argues our colde loue to God , and our ouer-seruent affection to our selues : In my owne wrongs , I will hold patience laudable , but in Gods iniuries , impious . 53 It is an hard thing to speake well , but it is harder to be well silent , so as it may bee free from suspition of affectation , or ●ullennes , or ignorance : Else loquasitie , and not silence , would be a note of wisedome . Heerein I will not care how little , but how well ; Hee said well for this . Not that which is much , is we●l , but that which is well , is much . 54 There is nothing more odious , then fruitlesse olde age . Now , for that no Tree beares fruite in Autumne , vnlesse it blossome in the spring ; to the end that my age may be profitable , and laden with ripe fruit I will endeuour , that my youth may be studious , & floured with the blossomes of learning and obseruation . 55 Reuenge commonly hurts both the offerer , and sufferer : as we see in the foolish Bee ( though in a ● other things commendable ) yet heerein the patterne of fonde spightfulnesse ; which in her anger inuenometh the flesh , and looseth hersting , and so liues a Drone euer after . I account it the onely valour to remit a wrong , and will applaude it to my selfe , as right noble and Christian , that I might hurt , and will not . 56 Hee that liues well , cannot choose but die well ; for if hee die suddainly , yet hee dies not vnpreparedly ; if by leasure , the conscience of his well-led life , makes his death more comfortable : But it is seldome seene , that hee which liues i● , dy●th well , for the cōscience of his former euils , his present paine , and the expectation and feare of greater , so take vp his heart , that he cannot seek God ; and now it is iust with God , not to be sought , or not to bee found , because hee sought to him in his life time , and was repulsed : Whereas therfore , there are vsually two maine cares of good men , to liue well , & die well , I will haue but this one , To liue well . 57 With God there is no free-man , but his Seruant , though in the Gallies , no slaue , but the sinner , though in a Pallace , none noble , but the vertuous , if neuer so basely discended , none rich , but hee that possesseth God , euen in rags , none wise , but hee that is a foole to himselfe , and the world ; none happy , bu● him whom the world pities : Let mee bee free , noble , rich , wise , happy to God ; I passe not what I am to the world . 58 Whē the mouth praieth , man heareth ; when the heart , God heareth ; euerie good prayer knockes at Heauen for a blessing ; but an importunate prayer pierces it ( thogh as hard as brasse ) & makes way for it selfe , into the eares of the Almighty : and as it ascends lightly vp , caried with the winges of Faith , so it comes euer laden down againe vpon our heads : In my prayers , my thoughts shall not bee guided by my wordes ; but my wordes shall follow my thoughts . 59 If that seruaunt were condemned for euill , that gaue God no more then his owne , which he had receiued , what shall become of them that rob God of his owne ; If God gaine a little glory by mee , I shall gaine more by him : I will labour so to husband the stock that God hath left in my hands , that I may returne my soule better then I receiued it ; and that hee may make it better then I returne it . 60 Heauen is compared to an hill , and therefore is figured by Olympus among the Heathen , by mount Sion in GODS Booke : Hell contrariwise to a Pit● The ascent to the one is hard therefore , and the descent of the other easie and headlong : and so , as if wee once beginne to fall , the recouerie is most difficult : and not one of manie stayes , till hee comes to the bottome , I will be content , to pant , and blow , and sweat , in climbing vp to Heauen ; as contrarily , I will bee warie of setting the first step downward towards the Pit : For as there is a I●cobs Ladder into heauen , so there are blind stayres that goe winding down into death , wherof each makes way for other ; From the obiect , is raysed an ill suggestion , suggestion drawes on delight , delight consent , consent endeuour , endeuour practise , practise custome , custome excuse , excuse defence , defence obstinacie , obstinacie boasting of sinne , boasting a reprobate sence : I will watch ouer my wayes , and do thou , Lord , watch ouer mee , that I may auoyd the first degrees of sinne , and if those ouer-take my frailtie , yet keepe mee that presumptuous sinns preuaile not ouer mee . Beginnings are with more ease and safety declined , when wee are free ; then proceedings when wee haue begun . 61 It is fitter for youth to learne then teach , and for age to teach then learne ; and yet fitter for an olde man to learne then bee ignorant ; I know I shall neuer know so much , that I cannot learne more ; and I hope I shall neuer liue so long , as till I bee too olde to learne . 62 I neuer loued those Salamanders , that ar● neuer well , but when they are in the fire of contention ; I will rather suffer a thousand wrongs , then offer one ; I will suffer an hundreth , rather then returne one ; I will suffer many , ere I will complaine of one● and endeuour to right it by contending ; I haue euer found , that to striue with my superiour is furious , with ●y equall doubtfull , with my inferiour , sordid & base , with any , full of vnquietnes . 63 The praise of a good speech stādeth in words & matter : Matter which is as a faire and well featur'd body ; Elegance of words , which is as a neat and well fashioned garment ; Good matter slubbred vp in rude & carelesse wordes , is made loathsome to the hearer , as a good body mishapen with vnhandsome clothes : Elegance without soundnes , is no better then a nice vanitie : Although therefore the most hearers are like Bees , that goe all to the flowers ; neuer regarding the good hearbes that are of as wholsome vse , as the other of faire shew ; yet let my speech striue to bee profitable ; plausible as it happens● Better the coate bee mishapen , then the body . 64 I see , that as black and white colours to the eyes , so is the Vice and Vertue of others to the iudgment of men : Vice gathers the beames of the sight in one , that the eye may see it , and be intent vpon it . Vertue scatters them abroad , and therefore hardly admits of a perfect apprehension : whence it comes to passe , that as iudgement is according to sence , we doo so soone espie , and so earnestly censure a man for one vice , letting passe many laudable qualities vndiscerned , or at least vnacknowledged ; yea , wheras euery man is once a foole , and dooth that perhaps in one fit of his folly , which hee shall at leasure repent of ; as Noah in one houres drūkennes , vncouered those secrets which were hid sixe hundred yeeres before ; The world , is herevpon readie to call in question all his former integritie , and to exclude him frō the hope of any future amendment . Since God hath giuen me two eyes ; the one shall bee busied about the present fault that I see , with a detesting commiseration , the other about the cōmendable qualities of the offender , not without an vnpartiall approbation of them : So shall I doo GOD no wrong , in robbing him of the glorie of his gifts , mixed with infirmities , nor yet in the meane time encourage Vice , while I doo distinctly reserue for it a due portion of hatred . 65 God is aboue man , the brute creatures vnder him , he set in the midst : least he should be proud that he hath infinite creatures vnder him ; that one is infinite degrees aboue him ; I doo therefore owe awe vnto God , mercy to the inferiour creatures ; knowing that they are my fellowes , in respect of creation ; whereas there is no proportion betwixt me and my Maker . 66 One saide , it is good to mure the mouth to speake well , for good speech is many times drawne into the affection ; But I would feare , that speaking well without feeling , were the next way to procure an habituall hypocri●i● : Let my good workes follow good affections , not goe before them , I wil therefore speake as I thinke ; but withall , I will labour to thinke well , and then I knowe I cannot but speake well . 67 When I consider my soule ; I could be proude to thinke of how diuine a nature and qualitie it is ; but when I cast downe mine eyes to my body , as the Swanne to her blacke legges ; and see what loathsome matter issues from the mouth , nosthrils , eares , pores , and other passages , and how most carrion-like of all other creatures it is after death ; I am iustlie ashamed , to thinke that so excellent a guest dwels but in a more cleanelie dunghill . 68 Euerie worldling is a madd manne : for , besides , that hee preferres profite and pleasure to Vertue , the worlde to GOD , earth to Heauen , ti●e to eternitie ; hee pampers the bodie , and starues the soule : Hee feedes one fowle an hundreth times , that it may feede him but once , and ●eekes all Landes and Seas for dainties ; not caring whether anie , or what repast , hee prouides for his soule : Hee cloathes the body with all rich ornaments , that it may bee as faire without , as it is filthy within ; whiles his soule goes bare and naked ; hauing not a ragg of knowledge to couer it : Yea , hee cares not to destroy ●is soule to please the b●dy , when for the saluation of the soule , he wil not so much as holde the body short of the least pleasure . What is , if this be not a reasonable kind of madnes ? Let mee enioy my soule no longer , then I preferre it to my body ; Let mee haue a deformed , leane , crooked , vnhealthfull , neglected bodie ; so that I may finde my soule ; sound , strong , well furnished , well disposed both for earth and heauen . 69 Asa was sick but of his feet , farre from the hart , yet because he sought to the Phisitians , not to God ; hee escaped not : Ezekiah was sicke to die , yet because he trusted to God , not to Phisitians , he was restored Meanes without GOD cannot helpe ; GOD without meanes can and often doth : I will vse good meanes , not to rest in them . 70 A mans best monument is his vertuous actions , foolish is the hope ofimmortality , and future praise by the cost of a senceles●e stone ; when the passenger shall onely say , heere lyes a faire stone and a filthie carkasse : That onely can report thee rich , but for other prayses , thy selfe must build thy own monument aliue ; and write thy owne Epitaph in honest and honorable actions : which are so much more noble , then the other , as liuing men are better then dead stones : Nay , I knowe not if the other bee not the way to worke a perpetuall succession of infamie : Whiles the censorious Reader , vpon occasion thereof , shall comment vpō thy bad life ; Wheras in this euerie mans heart is a Toombe , and euerie mannes tongue writes an Epitaph vpon the well behaued : Eyther I will procure mee such a Monument to bee remembred by , or else it is better to bee inglorious , then infamous . 71 The basest thinges are euer most plentifull ; historie and experience tel vs , that some kinde of Mouse breedeth 120. young ones in one nest , whereas the Lyon , or Elephant beareth but one at once . I haue euer found , the least wit yeeldeth the most words : It is both the surest and wisest way , to speake little , and thinke more . 7● An euill man is clay to God , waxe to the Diuell : God may stampe him into powder , or temper him a new , but none of his meanes can melt him . Contrariwise , a good man is Gods waxe , and Sathan clay , he relents at euery looke of God , but is not stirred at any temptation . I had rather bow , then breake to God ; but for Sathan , or the world , I had rather be broken in pieces with their violence , then suffer my selfe to be bowed vnto their obedience . 73 It is an easie matter for a man to be carelesse of himselfe , & yet much easier to bee enamoured of himselfe : For if he be a Christian , whiles hee contemnes the worlde perfectly , it is hard for him to reserue a competent measure of loue to himselfe : If a worldling , it is not possible but he must ouer-loue himselfe . I will striue for the meane of both ; and so hate the world , that I may care for my selfe , and so care for my selfe , that I bee not in loue with the world . 74 I will hate popularitie and ostentation , as euer daungerous , but most of all in Gods businesse : which who so affect , doo as ill spokesmen , who when they are sent to wooe for GOD , speake for themselues ; I knowe howe daungerous it is to haue GOD my riuall . 75 Earth affords no sound contentment : for what is there vnder Heauen not troublesome , besides that which is called pleasure : and that in the end I finde most irksome of all other . 76 God is euer with me , euer before me ; I know hee cannot but ouer-see me alwayes , though my eyes bee helde that I see him not ; yea , hee is still within mee , though I feele him not : Neither is there anie moment , that I can liue without God ; Why doo I not therefore alwayes liue with him ? Why do I not account all ho●res lost , wherin I enioy him not ? 77 There is no man so happy as the Christian ; When hee lookes vp into Heauen , hee thinkes , That is my home , the God that made it , and owes it , is my Father ; The Angels more glorious in nature then my selfe are my attendants ; mine enemies are my vassals : Yea , those things , which are the terriblest of all to the wicked , are most pleasant to him : When hee heares God thunder aboue his head , hee thinkes this is the voice of my Father ; whē hee remembers the Tribunall of t●e last iudgement , he thinkes it is my Sauiour that sits in it ; when death , he esteemes it but as the Angell set before Paradise ; which with one blowe admits him to eternall ioy ; and which is most of all , nothing in earth or Hel can make him miserable : There is nothing in the world woorth enuying but a Christian . 78 As manne is a little world ; so euery Christian is a little Church within himselfe . As the Church therefore is sometimes in the wane through persecution , other times in her full glorie and brightnesse : So let me expect my self somtimes drouping vnder Tentations , and sadlie hanging downe the head , for the want of the feeling of GODS presence ; at other times carried with the full sayle of a resolute assurance to Heauen : Knowing that as it is a Church at the weakest stay , so shall I in my greatest deiection hold the child of God. 79 Tentations on the right hand , are more perilous then those on the left ; and destroy a thousand to the others tenne ; As the Sunne more vsually causeth the Trauailer to cast his cloak , then the wind : For those on the left hand miscarie men but two wayes , to distrust , and deniall of God ; more rare sinnes : but the other , to all the rest , wherewith mens lyues are so commonly defiled : The spirit of Christians is like the English Iet , whereof we reade , that is fired with water , quenched with oy●e . And these two , prosperity and aduersity , are like heat and colde ; the one gathers the powers of the soule together , and makes them abler to resist by vniting them , the other diffuses them , and by such separation makes them easier to conquer : I hold it therefore as praise worthy with God , for a man to contemne a profered honour , or pleasure for conscience sake , as on the rack not to denie his profession : When these are offred , I will not nibble at the bayte , that I bee not taken with the hooke . 80 GOD is Lord of my body also , and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture , as inward deuotion : I will euer in my prayers , either stand as a Seruaunt before my Maister , or kneele as a Subi●ct to my Prince . 81 I haue not beene in others breasts ; but for my owne part , I neuer tasted of ought , that might deserue the name of pleasure ; And if I could , yet a thousand pleasures cannot counteruaile one torment , because the one may be exquisite , the other not without composition ; and if not one torment , much lesse a thousand ; and if not for a moment , much lesse for eternitie ; and if not the torment of a part , much lesse of the whole ; for if the paine but of a tooth bee so into lerable , what shal the racking of the whole body bee ; and if of the body , what shall that be , which is primarilie of the soule . If there bee pleasures that I heare not of , I will be wary o● buying them so ouer-deere . 82 As hypocrisie is a cōmon counterfet of all vertues , so there is no speciall vertue , which is not to the very life of it seemingly resembled by some speciall vice : So , deuotion is counterfaited by superstition , good thrist by niggardlinesse , charity with vaine-glorious pride : For as charitie is bounteous to the poore , so is vaine-glory to the wealthy ; as charity sustaines al for truth , so pride for a vain praise ; both of them make a man curteous & affable : So the substance of euerie vertue is in the heart ; which since it hath not a window made into it by the Creator of it ; but is re●erued vnder lock and key for his owne view : I will iudge onely by appearance : I had rather wrong my selfe by credulity , then others by vniust censures & suspitions . 83 Euerie man hath a kingdome within himselfe : Reason as the Princesse dwels in the highest & inwardest roome : The sences are the Gard and attendants on the Court ; without whose ayde nothing is admitted into the Presence : The supreame faculties as will , memorie &c. ar● the Peeres : The outward parts and inward affections are the Commons : Violent Passions are as Rebels to disturb the cōmon Peace . I would not bee a Stoick to haue no Passions ; for that were to ouerthrow this inward gouernmēt , God hath erected in me ; but a Christian , to order those I haue : and for that I see that as in commotions , one mutinous person drawes on more , so in passions , that one m●kes way for the extremitic of another ( as excesse of loue causes excesse of grie●e , vpon the losse of what we loued ) : I will doo as wise Princes vse , to those they misdoubt for faction , so holde them downe , and keepe them bare , that their very impotencie & remisnesse ●hall affoorde me security . 84 I looke vpō the things of this life , as an owner , as a stranger : As an owner in their right , as a stranger in their vse . I see that owning is but a cōceit besides vsing : I can vse ( as I lawful●y may ) other mens commodities as my owne ; walke in their woods , looke on their faire houses , with as much pleasure as my owne . Yet againe , I will vse my owne , as if it were anothers , knowing that though I hold them by right , yet it is onely by Tenure at will. 85 There is none like to Luthers three Maist●rs . Prayer , Tentation , Medita●ion : Tentation stirres vp holy meditation , meditatiō prepares to prayer , & prayer makes profit of ●entation ; and fetcheth all diuine knowledge from Heauen : O● others , I may learne the Theorie of Diuinitie , of ●hese onely , the practise . Other Maisters teach me by rote , to speake Parot-like of heauenly things , these alone with feeling and vnderstanding . 86 Expectation is the greatest enemie both of doing well , and good acceptance of what is done I hold it the part of a wise man , to endeuor rather t●at Fame may follow him then goe before him . 87 I see a number which with Shimei , whiles they seek their seruant , which is riches ; loose theyr soules : No worldly thing shall draw mee without the gates , within which , God hath confined mee . 88 It is an hard thing for a man to find wearinesse in pleasure , while it ●a●teth , or contentmen● in paine while hee is vnder it : after both ( indeed ) it is easie : y●t both of these must bee found in both ; or else we shall be drunken with pleasures , and ouerwhelmed with sorrow : As those therefore which should eate some dish ouer deliciously sweete , allay it with tart sauce , that they may not be cloyed ; and those that are to receiue bitter pils , that they may not be anoyed with their vnpleasing ●ast , role them in Sugar ; so in all pleasures it is best to labour , not how to make them most delightful , but how to moderate them frō excesse ; and in a●l sorrowes so to sett●e our hearts in true grounds of comfort , that wee may not care so much for being bemoned of others , as how to bee most contented in ourselues . 8● In wayes , we see Trauailers choose not the fairest and greenest , if it bee either crosse or contrary , but the neerest , though mirie & vneuen : so in opinions , let mee follow not the plausiblest , but the truest , though more perplexed . 90 Christian societie is like a bundle of stickes layde together , whereof one kind●es another : Solitary men haue fewest prouocations to euil , but againe fewest incitations to good : so much as doing good is better then not doing euill , will I account christian good fellowship better then an Eremitish & mel●ncholike solitarines . 91 I had rather confesse my ignorance , thē falsly professe knowledge : It is no shame not to knowe all things ; but it is a iust shame to ouer-reach in any thing . 62 Suddaine extremity is anotable triall of faith , or any other disposition of the soule : for as in a suddaine feare , the blood gathers to the heart , for garding of that part which is principal ; so the powers of the soule cōbine thēselues in an hard exigent , that they may be easily iudged of : The faithfull ( more suddainly then any casualty ) can lift vp his heart to his stay in Heauen : Whereas the worldling standes amazed , and distraught with the euill , because he hath no refuge to fly vnto , for not beeing acquainted with God in his peace , how should he but haue him to seeke in his extremitie . When therefore some suddain stitch girds me in the side , like to be the messenger of death , or whē the sword of my enemy in an vnexpected assault threatēs my body , I will seriously note how I am affected● so the suddainest euill , as it shall not come vnlookt for , shall not goe away vnthought of : If I finde my selfe courageous , and heauenly minded , I will reioyce in the truth of Gods graces in me , knowing that one dram of tryed faith , is woorth a whole pound of speculatiue : and that which once stoode by me , will neuer faile me : If deiected , and hartlesse , heerein I wil acknowledge cause of humiliation , and with all care and earnestnesse seeke to store my selfe against the dangers following . 93 The rules of ciuill policie , may wel be applied to the minde : as therefore for a Prince , that he may haue good successe against either rebels or forraine enemies , it is a sure axiome , Diuide and rule : but when hee is once seated in the throne ouer loyall Subiects , Vnite and rule : So in the regiment of the soule , there must bee variance ' set in the iudgement , & the conscience , and affections , that that what is amisse may bee subdued ; but when all parts brought to order , it is the only course to maintaine their peace ; that all seeking to establish and helpe each other , the whole may prosper . Alwayes to be at warre , is desperate ; alwayes at peace , secure , and ouer Epicure-like . I doo account a secure peace , a iust occasion of this ciuill dissension , in my selfe , and a true Christian peace , the end of all my secret warres ; which when I haue atchieued , I shall raigne with comfort , and neuer will bee quiet , till I haue atchieued it . 94 I brought sinne enough with me into the world , to repent of all my life , though I should neuer actually sinne ; and sinne enough actuallie euery day to sorrow for , though I had brought none with mee into the world : but laying both together , my time is rather too short for my repentance : It were madnes in mee to spend my short life in iollity & pleasures , wherof I haue so small occasion , and neglect the oportunitie of my so iust sorrowe : especially since before I came into the world , I sinned ; after I am gone out of the world , the contagion of my sinne past , shall adde to the guilt of it ; yet in both these states I am vncapable of repentance ; I will doo that while I may , which when I haue neglected , is vnrecouerable . 95 Ambition is torment enough for an enemie , for it affordes as much discontentment in inioying , ●as in want , making men like poysoned Rats , which when they haue tasted of their bane , cannot rest till they drinke , and then can much lesse rest , till their death : It is better for mee to liue in the wise-mens stocks in a contented want , then in a fooles Paradise to vexe my selfe with wil●full vnquietnes . 96 It is not possible but a conceited man must be a foole : for that ouerweening opinion , hee hath of himselfe , excludes all oportunity of purchasing knowledge . Let a vessell be once full of neuer so base liquor , it will not giue roome to the costliest ; but spilles beside what so euer is infused : the proude man , though hee be empty of good substance , yet he is full of conceite : Many men had proued wise , if they had not so thought themselues . I am emptie enough to receiue knowledge enough : Let mee thinke my selfe but so bare as I am , & more I neede not . O Lord , doo thou teach me how little , howe nothing I haue : and giue mee no more thē I know I want . 97 Euery man hath his turne of sorrow ; whereby , some more , some lesse , all men are in their times miserable , I neuer yet could meet with the man that complayned not of somewhat . Before sorrow come , I will prepare for it , when it is come , I will welcome it ; when it goes , I will take but halfe a farewell of it , as still expecting his returne . 98 There be three things that follow an iniurie , so far as it concerneth our selues ( for as the offence toucheth GOD , it is aboue our reach : ) reuenge , censure , satisfaction ; Which must bee remitted of the merciful man ; Yet not all at all times : But reuenge alwayes , leauing it to him that can , and will doo it ; censure oft times ; satisfaction sometimes ; Hee that deceiues mee oft , though I must forgiue him , yet charity bindes mee not , not to censure him for vntrustie : and he that hath endammaged me much , cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking his restitution : I will so remit wrongs , as I may not encourage others to offer them : and so retayne them , as I may not induce God to retayne mine to him . 99 Garments that haue once one rent in them , are subiect to bee torne on euery nayle , and euery brere ; and glasses that are once crackt , are soon broken : such is a mans good name● once tainted with iust reproch : Next to the approbation of God , and the testimonie of my owne conscience , I will seeke for a good reputation with men● not by close carriage concealing faultes , that they may not bee knowne to my shame , but auoyding all vices , that I may not deserue it : the efficacie of the agent is in the patient wel● disposed ; It is hard for mee euer to doe good , vnlesse I be reputed good . 100 Many vegetable , and many brute creatures exceede man in length of age ; which hath opened the mouthes of heathen Philosophers to accuse nature , as a step-mother to man : who hath giuen him the least time to liue , that only could make vse of his time in getting knowledge : But heerein religion doth most magnifie God in his wisdom and iustice , teaching vs , that other creatures liue long , and perish to nothing ; only man recompēces the shortnes of his life , with eternity after it ; that the sooner he dies wel , the sooner he coms to the Perfectiō of knowledge : which he might in vaine seeke below ; the sooner he dies ill , the lesse hurt hee doth with his knowledge : There is great reason then , why man should liue long ; greater , why hee should die early : I will neu●r blame God for making me too soone happy , for changing my ignorance for knowledge , my corruption for immortality , my infirmities for perfection● Come Lord lesus , come quickly . The second booke OF MEDITATIONS and Vowes , Diuine and Morrall . AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes , for Iohn Porter . 1605. TO THE RIGHT vertuous and Worshipfull Lady , the Lady Drury , all encrease of Grace . MAdame , I knowe your Christian ingenu●ti● such , that you will not grudge others the communication of this your priu●t right : which ye● I durst not haue presumed to aduenture , if I feared that either the benefit of it would be lesse , or the acceptation . Now it shall be no lesse yours , onely it shall be more knowne to be yours . Vouchsase therefore to take part with your worthy husband , of these my simple Meditations . And if your long and gracious experience , haue written you a larger volume of wholsome lawes , and better informed you by precepts fetcht from your owne ●eeling , then I can hope for , by my b●re speculation , yet where these my not vnlikely rules shall accord with yours , let your redoubled assent allow thē , and they cōfirme it . I made them not for the eye , ●ut for the heart ; neither doo I cōmend thē to your reading , but your practise : wherein also it shall not be enough , that you are a meere and ordinary agent , but that you be a patterne propounded vnto others imitation : so shall your vertuous and holy progresse , besides your owne peace and happinesse , be my crowne , and reioycing in the day of our common appearance . Halsted . Dec. 4. Your L. humbly deuoted , Ios . Hall. 2 I finde that all worldly things require a long labour in getting , and af●ord a short pleasure in enioying them . I wil not care much for what I haue , nothing for what I haue not . 3 I see naturall bodies for●ake their owne place and condition , for the pre●eruation of the whole , but of all other creatures , man , and of all other men , Christians , haue the least interest in themselues ; I will liue as giuen to others , lent only to my selfe . 4 That which is said of the Elephant , that being guilty to his deformity , he cannot abide to look on his owne face in the water , but seeks ●or troubled and muddy channels , we see well moralized in men of euill conscience , who know their soules are so filthy , that they dare not so much as view them ; but shift off all checkes of their former iniquity , wit● vaine excuses of good ●ellowship : Whence it is , that euery ●inal reprehension so galles them , because it calles the eyes of the soule home to it selfe , & makes them see a glance of what they would not : So haue I seene a foolish and timerous patient , which knowing his wound very deep , would not endure the Chirurgian ●o search it ; Wheron what can ensue , but a festering of the part , and a daunger of the whole body● so I haue seene manie prodigall wasters runne so farre in bookes , that they cannot abide to heare of a reckoning . It hath beene an olde and true Prouerbe , Oft and euen reckoninges make long friends . I will oft summe vp my estate with GOD , that I may knowe what I haue to expect , and aunswere for : Neither shall my score runne on so long with GOD , that I shall not knowe my debts , or feare an Audit , or despaire of payment . 5 I account this bodie nothing but a close prison to my soule , and the earth a larger prison to my body . I may not breake prison , till I bee loosed by death , but I will leaue it not vnwillingly when I am loosed . 6 The common feares of the world are causelesse , and ill placed ; no man feares to doo ill , euery man to suffer ill : wherein if we consider it well , wee shall finde that we feare our best frends ; for my part , I haue learned more of God and of my selfe in one weekes extremity , then all my whole lyues prosperity had taught mee before : And in reason and common experience , prosperity vsually makes vs forget our death ; aduersity on the other side makes vs neglect our life : Now if we measure both of these by their effects , forgetfulnes of death makes vs secure , neglect of this life makes vs carefull of a better ; so much therefore as neglect of life is better then forgetfulnesse of death ; and watchfulnes better then securitie , so much more beneficiall will I esteeme aduersitie then prosperity . 7 Euen griese it selfe is pleasant to the remembrance , when it is once past , as ioy is , whiles it is present . I will not therefore in my conceit make any so great difference betwixt ioy and griese ; sith griese past is ioyfull , and long expectation of ioy is grieuous . 8 Euery sicknes is a little death , I will bee content to die oft , that I may die once Well . 9 Ofte times those things which haue been sweete in opinion , haue prooued bitter in experience ; I will therefore euer suspende my resolute iudgement , vnti●l the tryall and euent , in the meane while I will feare the worst , & hope the best . 10 In all diuine and morrall good thinges , I would faine keepe that I haue , and get that I want ; I doo not more loath all other couetousnes , then I affect this : in all these thinges alone I professe neuer to haue enough : If I may encrease them , therfore either by labouring , or begging , or vsurie , I shall leaue no meanes vnattempted . 11 Some children are of that nature , that they are neuer well , but while the rod is ouer them : such am I to God : let him beate me , so hee amend me ; let him take all away from me , so he giue me himselfe . 12 There must not bee one vniforme proceeding with all men in reprehension : but that must varie according to the disposition of the reprooued : I haue seene some men as thornes , which easily touched , hurt not ; but if hard and vnwarily , fetch blood of the hand● others , as nettles , which if they bee nicely handled , sting and pricke , but if hard and roughly pressed , are pulled vp without harme : Before I take any man in hand , I will knowe whether hee be a thorne or a nettle . 13 I wil account no sinne little , since there is not the least , but works out the death of the soule ; It is all one , whether I bee drowned in the ebbe● shore , or in the midst of the deepe Sea. 14 It is a base thing to get goods to keep them : I see that GOD which onely is infinitely rich , holdeth nothing in his owne hands , but giues all to his creatures . But if we will needes lay vp ; were should wee rather repose it , then in Christs treasurie : The poore mans hand is the treasurie of Christ : All my super●luitie shal be there hoorded vp , where I knowe it shall bee safely kept , and surely returned me . 15 The Schoole of God and Nature require two cōtrary manners of proceeding : In the Schoole of Nature , we must conceiue , and then beleeue● In the Schoole of God , wee must first beleeue , and then wee shall conceiue : He that beleeues no more then hee conceiues , can neuer bee a Christian ; nor hee a Philosopher that assents without reason . In Natures Schoole wee are taught to bolt out the truth by Logicall discourse : God cannot endure a Logitian in his Schoole ; hee is the best Scholler that reasons least , and assents most : In diuine things , what I may , I wil conceiue , the rest I wil beleeue and admire . Not a curious head , but a credulous & plaine heart is accepted with God. 16 No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it , but as a Bee , hauing honey in the mouth , hath a sting in the tayle ; Why am I so foolish to rest my heart vpon any of them ; and not rather labour to aspire to that one abso●lute good , in whom is nothing ●auouring of griefe , nothing wanting to perfect happines . 17 A sharpe reproofe I account better then a smooth deceit ; therefore when my friend checks me , I will respect it with thankfulnesse ; when others flatter mee , I will suspect it , and rest in my owne censure of my selfe , who should bee more priuie , a●d lesse partiall to my owne deseruings . 18 Extremitie distinguisheth friends : worldlie pl●a●ures like Phisitians , giues vs ouer when once wee lie a dying , and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts : Christ Iesus standes by his in the pangues of death ; and after death , at the barre of iudgement , not leauing them either in their bed , or graue : I will vse them therefore to my best aduantage , not trust them . But for thee ( O my Lord ) which in mercy and truth canst not faile mee , whom I haue found euer faithfull and present in all extremities ; Kill me , yet will I trust in thee . 19 Wee haue heard of so manie thousand generations passed , and wee haue seene so many hundreths die within our knowledge , that I wōder any man can make account to liue one day . I will die daily , it is not done before the ●ime , which may bee done at all times . 20 Desire oft-times makes vs vnthankfull ; for who hopes for that , hee hath not , vsually forgets that which he hath . I will not suffer my heart to roue after high or impossible hopes , least I should in the meane time contemne present benefits . 21 In hoping well , in being ill , & fearing worse , the life of man is wholly consumed . When I am ill , I will liue in hope of better , when well , in feare of worse , neither will I at any time hope without feare , least I should deceiue my selfe with too much confidence , wherein euill shal be so much more vnwelcome & intollerable , because I looked for good ; nor againe , feare without hope , least I should be ouer-much deiected ; nor doo either of them without true contentation . 22 What is man to the whole earth ? what is earth to the Heauen ? What is Heauen to his Maker ? I will admire nothing in it selfe , but all things in God , and God in all things . 23 There be three vsuall causes of ingratitude , vpon a benefit receiued , Enuie , Pride , Couetousnesse : Enuie looking more at others benefits then our owne : Pride looking more at our selues , then the benefit ; Couetousnesse looking more at what we would haue , then what wee haue . In good turnes I will neither respect the giuer , nor my selfe , nor the gift , nor others ; but onely the intent and good will from whence it proceeded ; so shall requite others great pleasures with equall good-will , and accept of small fauors with great thankfulnes . 24 VVhereas the custome of the world , is to hate thinges present , to desire future , and magnifi● what is past● I will contrarilie esteeme that which is present , best : for both , what is past , was once present , & what is future , will bee present ; future thinges next , because they are present in hope ; what is past , least of all , because it cannot be present , yet somewhat , because it was . 25 We pitie the folly of the Larke , which while in playeth with the feather , and stoopeth to the glasse , is caught in the Fowlers net ; & yet cannot see our selues a-like made fooles by Sathan , who deluding vs by the vaine feathers , and glasses of the world , suddainly enwrappeth vs in his snares ; wee see not the nets indeede , it is too much that we shall feele them , and that they are not so easily escaped after , as before auoyded ; O Lord keep thou mine eyes from beholding vanity , and though mine eyes see it , let not my heart stoope to it ; but loath it a farre off ; And if I stoope at any time , & bee taken , Set thou my soule at liberty , that I may say , My soule is escaped euen as a birde out of the snare of the Fowler ; the snare is broken , and I am de●iuered . 26 In suffering eui●l , to looke to secondarie causes , without respect to the highest , maketh impatience ; for so we bite at the stone , and neglect him that threw it . If we take a blowe at our equall , we returne it with vsurie , if of a Prince , we repine not : What matter is it , if God kill mee , whether hee doo it by an Ague , or by the hand of a Tyrant● Againe , in expectation of good , to looke to the first cause , without care of the second , argues idlenesse , and causeth want : As wee cannot helpe our selues without God ; so God will not ordinarily helpe vs without our selues ; In both , I wil look vp to God , without repining at the meanes in one , or trusting them in the other . 27 If my money were another mans , I could but keepe it ; onely the expending showes it my own : It is greater glory , comfort , and gaine , to lay it out well , then to keepe it safely : God hath made me not his Treasurer , but his Steward . 28 Augustines friend Nebridius , not vniustly hated a short answere to a weighty & difficult question : because the disquisition of great truthes requires time , and the determining is perilous : I will as much hate a tedious and farre-fetched answer to a short and easie question : For as that other wrongs the truth , so this the hearer . 29 Performance is a binder ; I will request no more fauor of any man , then I must needs : I will rather choose to make an honest shift , thē ouermuch enthrall my selfe by being beholden . 30 The world is a stage ; Euery man an actor ; and playes his part heere either in a Comedie or Tragedy ; The good man is a Comedian , which howe euer hee begins , endes merily : but the wicked man acts a Tragedie , and therefore euer ends in horror . Thou seest a wicked man vant himselfe on this stage , stay till the last act , and looke to his end , as Da●id did , and see whether that bee peace : Thou wouldst make straunge Tragedies , if thou wouldst haue but one acte : who sees an Oxe grazing in a fat and rank pasture , and thinkes not that hee is neere to the slaughter ? whereas the leane beast that toyles vnder the yoake , is farre enough from the Shambles . The best wicked man cannot be so enuied in his first showes , as hee is pitiable in the cōclusion . 32 Of all obiects of Beneficence , I would chuse either an olde man , or a childe ; because these are most out of hope to requite : The one forgets a good turne , the other liues not to repay it . 32 That which Pythagoras said of Philosophers , is more true of Christians : for Christianitie is nothing but a diuine & better Philosophy : Three sorts of men come to the Market , buyers , sellers , lookers on : The two first are both busie , and carefully distracted about their Market ; onely the third liue happily , vsing the world as if they vsed it not . 33 There be three things which of all other I will neuer striue for : the wall , the way , the best seate● If I deserue well , a lowe place cannot disparage me so much , as I shall grace it ; if not , the height of my place shall add to my s●ame : whiles euery man shall condemne me of pride matched with vnworthines . 34 I see there is not so much difference betwixt a man and a beast , as betwixt a Christian and a naturall man : For wheras man liues but one life of reason , aboue the beast : A Christian liues foure lyues aboue a natural man : The life of inchoate regeneration by grace : The perfect life of imputed righteousnes : the life of glory begun in the seperation of the soule ; the life of perfect glory in the society of the body , with the soule in full happinesse : The woo●st whereof is better by many degrees , then t●e best life of a naturall man : For whereas the dignitie of the life is measured by the cause of it ; in which regarde the life of the plant is basest , because it is but frō the iuice arising from the roote , administred by the earth : the life of the bruit creature better then it , because it is sensitiue ; of man better then it , because reasonable ; and the cause of this life , is the spirit of GOD ; so farre as the spirit of GOD is aboue reason , so farre doth a Christian exceed a mere naturalist . I thanke God much that he hath made mee a man ; but more that hee hath made mee a Christian ; without which , I know not whether it had beene better for mee , to haue beene a beast , or not to haue beene . 35 Great mens fauours , friendes promises , and dead mens s●ooes I will esteeme , but not trus● to . 36 It is a fearefull thing to sinne , more fearefull to delight in sinne , yet worse to defend it , but worse thē worst , to boast of it : If therefore I cannot auoyd sinne , because I am a man ; yet I will auoyde the delight , defence , and boasting of sin , because I am a Christian . 37 Those thinges which are most eagerly desired , are most hardly both gotten , and kept : God commonly crossing our desires , in what wee are ouer feruent . I will therefore account all thinges as too good to haue , so nothing too deere to loose . 38 It is best to bee curteous to all , entire with few● so may we ( perhaps ) haue lesse cause of ioy , I am sure , lesse occasion of sorrow . 39 Secrecies as they are a burden to the mind ere they bee vttered , so are they no lesse charge to the receiuer , when they are vttred : I will not long after more inward secrets , least I should procure doubt to my selfe , and iealous feare to the discloser : But as my mouth shall bee shut with fidelity , not to blab them , so my eare shall not be too open to receiue them . 40 As good Physitians by one receit make way for another , so is it the safest course in practise : I will reueale a great secret to none , but whom I haue found faithfull in lesse . 41 I will enjoy all things in GOD , and GOD in all things , nothing in it selfe : So shall my ioyes neither chaunge nor perish ; for howe euer the thinges themselues may alter , or fade , yet he in whom they are mine , is euer like himselfe , constant , and euerlasting . 42 If I would prouoke my selfe to contentation , I will cast downe my eyes to my inferiours , and there see better men in worse condition : If to humility , I will cast them vp to my betters , and so much more de●ect my selfe to them , by how much more I see them , thought worthie to bee respected of others , and deserue better in themselues . 43 True vertue rests in the conscience of it self , either for reward , or censur● . If therefore I know my selfe vpright , false rumours shall not daunt me ; If not answerable to the good report of my fauorers , I will my selfe finde the first fault , that I may preuent the shame of others . 44 I will account vertue the best riches , knowledge the next , riches the worst ; and therefore will labour to bee vertuous and learned without condition ; as for riches , if they fall in my way , I refuse them not ; but if not , I desire them not . 45 An honest word I account better then a carelesse oath , I will say nothing but what I dare sweare , & will performe , it is a shame for a Christian to abide his tongue a false Seruant , or his minde a loose Mistresse . 46 There is a iust and easie difference to bee put betwixt a friend , and an enemie ; betwixt a familiar and a friend ; and much good vse to bee made of all ; But of all with discretion . I will disclose my selfe no whi● to my enemie , somewhat to my friend , wholly to no man , least I should bee more others then my owne : Friendship is brittle stuffe , how know I whether hee that now loues mee , may not hate me hereafter ? 47 No man but is an easie Iudge of his owne matters ; and lookers on oftentimes see the more . I will therefore submit my selfe to others , in what I am reproued , but in what I am praysed , onely to my selfe . 48 I will not be so merry as to forget God , nor so sorrowfull to forget my selfe . 49 As nothing makes so strong and mortall hostility , as discord in religions , so nothing in the world vnites mens harts so firmely , as the bond of faith : For whereas there are three grounds of friendship , vertue , pleasure , profit , and by all confessions , that is the surest which is vpon vertue , it must needs follow , that what is grounded on the best , & most heauenly vertue , must be the fastest● which as it vnites man to God so inseparably , that no tentations , no torments , not all the gates of H●ll can seuer him ; so it vnites one Christian soule to another so firmely , that no outward occurrences , ●o imperfections in the party loued , can dissolue them ; If I loue not the childe of GOD for his owne sake , for his Fathers sake , more then my friend for my commodity , or my kinsman for blood , I neuer receiued any spark of true heauenly loue . 50 The good duty that is differed vpon a conceite of present vnfitnes , at last growes irksome , and there-vpon altogether neglected . I will not suffer my heart to entertaine the least thought of loathnesse towardes the taske of deuotion , wherewith I haue stinted my selfe : but violently breake through anie motion of vnwillingnes , not without a deepe check to my selfe for my backwardnes . 51 Hearing is a sense of great apprehension , yet farre more subiect to deceit then seeing ; not in the maner of apprehending , but in the vncertaintie of the obiect : words are vocal interpreters of the minde , actions reall ; and therefore how euer both should speak according to the truth of what is in the heart ; yet words do more belie the heart , then actions : I care not what wordes I heare , when I see deedes ; I am sure what a man doth , hee thinketh , not so alwayes what he speaketh : Though I will not be so seuere a censor , that for some fewe euill actes I should condemne a man of false-hartednes ; yet in common course of life , I need not be so mopish , as not to beleeue rather the language of the hand , then of the tongue . Hee that sayes we●l , and doth well , is without exception commendable ; but if one of these must bee seuered from the other , I like him well that doth well , and ●aith nothing . 52 That which they say of the Pelican , that when the Shepheards in desire to catch her , lay fire not far from her nest , which ●he finding , and fearing the danger of her yong , seekes to blow out with her winges , so long till ●he burne her selfe , and makes her selfe a pray in an vnwi●e pittie to her young● I see morally verified in experience , of those which indiscreetly med●ling with the flame of discension kindled in the Church , rather encrease then quench it ; rather fire their owne wings then help others . I had rather b●waile the fire a farre off , then stirre in the coales of it . I would not grudge my ashes to it , if those might abate the burning , but since I see it is daily encreased with partaking ; I will behold it with sorrow ; and meddle no otherwise then by prayers to God , and entreaties to men ; seeking my own safety , and the peace of the Church in the freedome of my thought , & silence of my tongue . 53 That which is said of Lucillaes faction , that anger bred it , pride fostered it , and couetousnes confirm'd it , is true of all Schismes , though with some inuersion : For the most are bred through pride ; whiles men vpon an high conceit of themselues , scorne to goe in the common road , and affect singularity in opinion ; are confirmed through anger , whiles they stomake & grudge any contradiction ; & are nourished through coue●ousnes , whiles they seek ability to bea●e out their part . In som other again Couetousnesse obtaines the first place , Anger the second , Pride the ●ast : Heerein therefore I haue be●ne alwayes wont to commend and admire the humi●ity of those great & profound wi●s , whom depth of knowledge hath not led to by-paths in iudgement , but wal●ing in the beaten path of the church , haue bent all their forces to the estab●ishment of receiued truthes : accounting it greater glory to confirme an ancient verity , then to deuise a new opinion ( though neuer so probable ) vnknowne to their predecessours : I will not reiect a truth for m●ere noueltie ; olde truths may come newly to light : neither is God tyed to times for the gift of his illumination , but I will suspect a nouell opinion of vntruth ; and not entertaine it , vnlesse it may be deduced from ancient grounds . 54 The eare and the ey● are the minds rece●uers ; but the tongue is onely busied in expending the treasure receiued , if therfore the reuenues of the minde bee vttred as fast or faster then they are recei●ed , it cannot be but that the minde must needes be held bare , and can neuer lay vp for purchase . But if the receiuers take in still with no vtterance , the mind may soone grow a burden to it selfe , and vnprofitable to others . I will not lay vp too much , and vtter nothing , least I be couetous , nor spende much , and store vp little , least I be prodigall and poore . 55 I will speake no ill of others , no good of my selfe . 56 That which is the miserie of Trauailers , to finde many hostes , and few friends , is the estate of Christians in their pilgrimage to a better life : Good friendes may not therefore bee easily forgone ; neither must they be vsed as sutes of apparell , which when wee haue worne thred-bare , we cast off , and call for new ; Nothing but death or villanie shall diuorce me from an olde friend : But still I wil follow him so farre , as is either possible or honest : And then I wil leaue him with sorrow . 57 True Friendship necessarily requires Patience , for there is no man in whom I shall not mislike somewhat ; and who shall not as iustly mislike somewhat in mee . My friends faults therefore , if little , I will swallowe and digest ; if great , I wil smot●er them ; how euer , I wil● winke at them to others , but louingly notifie them to himselfe . 58 Iniuries hurt 〈◊〉 mor● in the receiuing , then in the remembrance : A small iniurie shall goe as it comes , a great iniurie may dine or suppe with me ; but none at all shall lodge with mee ; why should I vexe my selfe , because another hath vexed me . 59 It is good dealing with that , ouer which wee haue the most power : if my estate will not bee framed to my minde , I will labour to frame my minde to my estate . 60 In greatest companie I wil be alone to my self ; in greatest priuacie , in company with God. 61 Griefe for things past that cannot bee remedied , and care for thinges to come that cannot bee preuented , may easilie hurt , can neuer benefit mee ; I will therefore commit my selfe to God in both , and enioy the present . 62 Let my estate bee neuer so meane , I will euer keep my selfe rather beneath ; then either leuel , or aboue it : A man may rise when hee will with honour , but cannot fall without shame . 63 Nothing doth so befoole a man as extreme passion ; this doth both make thē fooles , which otherwise are not ; and show them to be fooles that are so : Violent passions , if I cannot tame thē , that they may yield to my ease ; I will at least smother thē by concealment , that they may not appeare to my shame . 64 The minde of man , though infinite in desire , yet is finite in capacitie : Since I cannot hope to know all thinges , I will labour first to knowe what I needes must for their vse ; next , what I best may for their conuenience . 65 Though time be precious to mee ( as all irreuocable good things deserue to be ) and of all other thinges I would not be lauish of it ; yet I will account no time lost , that is either lent to , or bestowed vpon my friend . 66 I will honour good examples , but I will liue by good precepts . 67 As charity requires forgetfulnes of euil deedes , so Patience requires forgetfulnes of euill accidents● I will remember euills past to humble me , not to vexe me . 68 It is both a misery and a shame , for a man to be a Banckrupt in loue ; which he may easily pay , and bee neuer the more impouirished . I will be in no mans debt for good will ; but wil at least returne euery man his owne measure ; if not with vsurie : It is much better to be a Creditor , then a Debter in anie thing ; but especially of this : yet of this , I will so be content to bee a debter , that I will alwayes be paying it where I owe it ; and yet neuer will haue so payd it , that I shall not owe it more . 69 The Spanish prouerb is too true ; Dead men & absent find no friends : All mouthes are boldly opened with a conceite of impunity : My ●are shall bee no graue to burie my friends good name : But as I will bee my present friends selfe , So I will bee my absent friends Deputie ; to say for him what he would , and cannot speake for himselfe . 70 The losse of my friend as it shall moderately grieue mee , so it shall another way much benefit me in recompence of his want : for it shal make mee thinke more often , and seriously of earth , and of heauen : Of earth , for his body which is reposed in it : of Heauen for his soule , which possesseth it before mee : of earth to put me in mind of my like frailtie and mortality : of Heauen , to make mee desire , and after a sort emulate his happines and glory . 71 Varietie of obiects is wont to cause distraction ; when againe a little one lay● close to the eye , if but of a peny breadth , wholy takes vp the sight , which could else see the whole halfe Heauen at once : I wil haue the eyes of my minde euer forestalled , and filled with these two obiects , the shortnes of my life , eternity after death . 72 I see that hee is more happy , that hath nothing to leese , then hee that looseth that which he hath . I will therefore neither hope for riches , nor feare pouerty . 73 I care not so much in anything for multitude , as for choyce ; Bookes & friends I will not haue many : I had rather ●eriouslv conuerse with a fewe , then wander amongst many . 74 The wicked man is a very coward , and is afraide of euery thing of God , because he is his enemie , of Sathan , because hee is his tormenter ; of Gods creatures , because they ioyning with their Maker , fight against him ; of himselfe , because hee beares about him his owne accuser , and executioner : The godly man contrarily , is afraid of nothng● not of GOD , because hee knowes him his best friend , and therefore will not hurt him ; not of Sathan , because he cannot hurt him , not of afflictions , because he knowes they proceed from a louing God , and end his owne good ; not of the creatures , since the very stones of the field are in league with him ; not of himselfe , since his conscience is at peace ; A wicked man may bee secure , because he knowes not what hee hath to feare , or desperate , through extremitie of feare ; but truely courageous hee cannot be . Faithlesnes cannot chuse but bee false hearted : I will euer by my courage take tryall of my faith : By howe much more I feare , by so much lesse I beleeue . 75 The godly man liues hardly , and like the Ant toyles heere , during the Sommer of his peace , holding himselfe short of his pleasures , as looking to prouide for an Winter● which when it comes , hee is able to weare it out comfortably ; whereas the wicked man doth prodigally lash out all his ioyes in the time of his prosperitie : and like the Grashopper , singing merily all Sommer , is starued in Winter . I will so enioy the present , that I wil lay vp more for heereafter . 76 I haue wondred oft , and blushed for shame , to reade in meere Philosophers ( which had no other Mistresse but Nature ) such strange resolution in the contempt of both fortunes ( as they call them ) ; such notable precepts for a constant setlednes and tranquilitie of minde ; and to cōpare it with my owne disposition , and practise ; whom I haue found too much drouping and deiected vnder small crosses , and easily againe carried away with little prosperitie . To see such courage and strength to ●ōtemne death in those , which thought they wholy perished in death , and to finde such faint-hartednes in my selfe at the first cōceit of death , who yet am throughlie perswaded of the future happines of my soule : I haue that benefit of nature as well as they , besides infinite more helpe that they wanted● Oh the dulnes & blindnes of vs vnworthy Christians , that suffer Heathens by the dimme Candle-light of Nature , to goe further then wee by the cleare Sunne of the Gospell● that an indiffer●nt man could not tell by our practise , whether were the Pagan . Let me neuer for shame account my selfe a Christian , vnlesse my Art of Christianitie haue imitated and gone beyond nature so farre , that I can finde the best heathen as farre belowe me in true resolution , as the vulgar sort were belowe them . Else , I may shame Religion , it can neither honest nor helpe me . 77 If I wou●d bee irreligious & vnconscionable , I would make no doubt to bee rich , for if a man will defraud , dissemble , forsweare , bribe , oppresse , serue the time , make vse of all men for his owne turne , make no scruple of any wicked action for his aduantage : I cannot see how he can escape wealth and preferment . But for an vpright man to rise is difficult ; whiles his conscience straightly curbes him in from euery vniust action ; and will not alow him to aduance him selfe by indirect meanes : So riches come seldome easily to a good man ; seldome hardly to the consciencelesse . Happie is that man that can bee rich with truth , or poore with cōtentment , I will not enuie the grauell in the vniust mans throte . Of riches let me neuer haue more , then an honest man can beare away . 78 God is the God of order not of confusion : As therefore in naturall thinges hee vses to proceede from one extreme to another by degrees , through the meane ; so doth hee in spirituall . The Sunne rises not an once to his highest from the darknes of mid-night , but first sends forth some feeble glimmering of light in the dawning ; thē looks out with weak and waterish beames , & so by degrees ascends to the midst of heauē : So in the seasons of the yeare , we are not one day scorched with a Sōmer heat , and on the next , frozen with a suddaine extremitie of cold : But Winter comes on softly , first by colde dewes , then hoare frostes , vntill at last it descende to the hardest weather of all : such are GODS spirituall pro●eedings● Hee neuer bringes ani● man from the estate of sinne , to the estate of glorie , but through the state of grace . And in grace seldome when , any man from grosse wickednes , to any eminencie of perfection : I will be charitably iealous of those men , which from notorious lewdnesse leape at once into a suddaine forwardnes of profession . Holinesse doth not like ●onas gourd grow vp in a night . I like it better to go on soft and sure , then for an hastie fit to runne my selfe out of winde , and after stand still and breath me . 79 It hath beene saide of olde , To doo well and heare ill , is princely ; which as it is most true , by reason of the Enuie which followes vpon iustice ; so is the contrarie no lesse iustified by many experiments : To doo ill , and to heare well , is the fashiō of many great men : To doo ill , because they are borne out with the assurance of impunitie . To heare well , because of abundance of Parasites , which as Rauens to a carkasse●●ather about great men . Neither is there any so great miserie in greatnesse as this , that it conceales men from themselues ; and when they wil needs haue a sight of their own actions , it showes them a ●alfe glasse to looke in . Meanenesse of state ( that I can finde ) hath none so great inconuenience . I am no whit sorrie that I am rather subiect to contempt , then flatterie . 80 There is no earthly blessi●● so precious , as health of body , without which all other worldly good thinges are but troublesome : Neither is there anie thing more difficult , then to haue a good soule in a strong and vigorous body ; for it is cōmonly seene , that the worse part drawes away the better : But to haue an healthfull and sound soule , in a weake sickly body , is no noueltie ; whiles the weaknesse of the body is an helpe to the soule : playing the part of a perpetuall monitor , to incite it to good , and check it for euill : I will not bee ouer glad of health , nor ouer fearefull of sicknes . I will more feare the spirituall hurt that may follow vpon health , then the bodily paine that accompanies sicknes . 81 There is nothing more troublesome to a good minde then to doo nothing ; for besides the furtherance of our estate , the minde doth both delight , and better it selfe with exercise . There is but this difference then betwixt labour and idlenes ; that labour is a profi●able and pleasant trouble , idlenesse a trouble both vnprofitable and comfortl●sse . I will bee euer doing something , that either God when he cōmeth , or Sathan when hee tempteth , may finde me busied . And yet since as the olde prouerbe is , Better it is bee idle then effect nothing , I will not more hate dooing nothing , then doing something to no purpose . I shall doo good but a while ; let me striue to do it while I may . 82 A faithfull man hath three eyes : The first of sense , common to him with brute creatures ; the second of reason , cōmon to all men ; the third , of faith proper to his profession : Whereof each looketh beyond other , and none of them medleth with others obiect● : For neither doth the eye of sense reach to intelligible things , and matters of discourse : nor the eye of reason to those things which are supernatura●l and spirituall ; neither doth faith looke downe to thinges that may bee sensibly seene . If thou discourse to a brute beast of the depthes of Philosophie neuer so plainly , hee vnderstands not , because they are beyond the viewe of his eye , which is onely of sense : If to a meere carnal man of di●ine things : He perceiueth not the thinges of God , neither indeede can doo , because they are spiritually discerned ; and therefore no wonder if those things seeme vnlikelie , incredible , impossible to him , which the faythfull manne hauing a proportionable meanes of apprehension , doth as plainely see , as his eye dooth anie sensible thing . Tell a plaine country●man that the Sun , or some higher or lesser starre , is much bigger then his Cart-wheele ; or at least so manie scores bigger thē the whole earth ; he laughes thee to scorne , as affecting admiration , with a learned vntruth● Yet the Scholler by the eye of reason , doth as plainly see & acknowledge this truth , as that his hand is bigger then his pen : What a thick mist ; yea , what a palpable & more then Egyptian darknesse doth the naturall man liue ? What a world is there , that hee doth not see at all , and how little doth he see in this , which is his proper element ; There is no bodily thing but the brute creatures see as well as he , & some of thē better . As for his eye of reason ; how dim is it in those things which are best fitted to it : What one thing is there in nature , which he doth perfectly know ? what hearb , or flower , or worm that hee treads on , is there , whose true essence hee knoweth ? No not so much , as what is in his owne bosome ; What it is , where it is , or whence it is that giues ●eing to himselfe : But for those things which concerne the best world , hee doth not so much as cōfusedly see thē , neither knoweth whether they be : He sees no whit into the great & awfull maiestie of God ; hee discernes him not in all his creatures , filling the world with his infinit & glorious presence ; he sees not his wise prouidence ouer●ruling all things , disposing all casuall euents , ordering all sinfull actions of men to his owne glory ; he comprehends nothing of the beauty , maiesty , power , & mercy of the Sauiour of the world , sitting in his humanity at his fathers right hand : Hee sees not the vnspeakable happines of the glorified soules of the Saints ; hee sees not the whole heauenly cōmon-wealth of Angels , ascending & descending to the behoofe of Gods childrē ; waiting vpō him at all times inuisibly ; not excluded with the closenes of prisons nor desolatnes of wildernesses ; and the multitude of euill spirits passing & stāding by him to tempt him vnto euil ; but like vnto the foolish bird , whē he hath hid his head that he sees no body , he thinks himselfe altogether vnseen : & then counts himselfe solitary , when his eye can meete with no companion . It was not without cause that we cal a mere foole , a Naturall ; for how euer worldlings haue still thought christians Gods fooles , wee know them the fooles of the world . The deepest Phylosopher that euer was ( sauing the reuerence of the schooles ) is but an ignorant sot to the simplest Christian : For the weakest Christian may by plaine information see somwhat into the greatest misteries of Nature , because he hath the e●e of reason common with the best but the best Philosopher by all the demōstration in the world , can conceiue nothing of the misteries of godlines ; because he vtterly ●ants the eye of faith . Though my in-sight into matters of the world bee so shallow , that my simplicitie moueth pity , or maketh sport vnto others ; it shal bee contentment & happines , that I see further into better matters : That which I see not is worthlesse , and deserues little better then contempt ; that which I see is vnspeakeable , inestimable , for comfort , for glory . 83 It is not possible for an inferiour to liue at peace , vnlesse hee haue learn'd to be cōtemned . For the pride of his Superiours , and the malice of his equals & inferiors , shal offer him continual● and ineuitable occasions of vnquietnes . As contentatiō is the mother of inward peace with our selues ; so is humility the mother of peace with others : for if thou be vile in thine owne eyes first , it shall the lesse trouble thee to bee accounted vile of others . So that a man of an high hart in a low place , cannot want discontentment ; wheras a man of a lowly●stomak , can swallow & digest cōtempt without any distēper . For wherein can he be the worse for being contemned , who out of his owne knowledge of his deserts did most of all contemn himself● I shold bee very improuident , if in this cal●ing I did not look for daily contempt : wherein , we are made a spectacle to the world , to Angels , & men : when it comes , I wil either embrace it , or contemne it . Embrace it when it is within my measure , whē aboue , contemne it : so embrace it , that I may more humble my self vnder it ; & so contemne it , that I may not giue hart to him that offers it ; nor disgrace him , for whose cause I am contemned . 14 Christ raised three dead men to life : One newly departed ; another on the Beere , a third smelling in the graue ; to showe vs that no degree of death is so desperate , that it is past helpe . My sinns are many , & great , yet if they were more , they are farre below the mercy of him that hath remitted them● & the value of his ransome that hath payde for them : A man hurts himselfe most by presumption , ●ut we cannot do God a greater wrong , then to despaire of forg●uenes . It is a do●ble iniurie to God , first that we offend his iustice by sinning , then that we wrong his mercy with despairing . &c. 85 For a man to bee wearie of the worlde through miseries that he meets with , and for that cause to couet death , is neither difficult , nor cōmendable ; but rather argues a base weakenes of minde . So it may be a cowardly part to contemne the vtmost of all terrible things , in a feare of lingring miserie : But for a man either liuing happily heere on earth , or resoluing to liue miserably , yet to desire his remoouall to Heauen , doth well become a true Christian courage ; and argues a notable mixture of patience & faith : ●f patience , for that he can and dare abide to liue sorrowfully ; of faith , for that hee is assured of his better Being otherwhere ; and therefore prefers the absent ioyes hee lookes for , to those he feeles in present : No sorrow shall make mee wish my selfe dead , that I may not bee at all : No contentment shal hinder me frō wishing my selfe with Christ , that I may be happier . 89 It was not for nothing , that the wise Creator of all thinges hath placed gold & ●iluer , and all precious minerals vnder our feete to bee trod vpon ; and hath hid them low in the bowels of the earth , that they cannot without great labour be either found , or gotten ; whereas he hath placed the noblest part of his creatiō aboue our heads ; and that so open to our view , that wee cannot chuse but euery moment behold them : wherein what did he else intend , but to drawe away our minds frō these worthlesse , & yet hidden treasures , to which hee foresawe wee would be too much addicted , & to ca●l thē vnto the contemplatiō of those better things , which besides their beauty , are more ob●iuious to vs ; that in thē we might see & admire the glory of their Maker , and withall seeke our owne . Howe doo those men wrong thēselues , & misconstrue God , who , as if hee had hidden these things , because he would haue them sought , and layd the other open for neglect , bend themselues wholly to the seeking of these earthly cōmodities & do no more mind heauē , thē if there were non . If wee could imagine a beast to haue reaso , how could he be more absurd in his choice ? How easie is it to obserue , that still the higher wee goe , the more purity & perfectiō we finde So earth is the very drosse & dregs of all the elements , water somwhat more pure then it , yet also more ●eculent thē the aire aboue it ; the lower aire lesse pure thē his vppermost regions , & yet they as far inferior to the lowest heauens : which againe are more exceeded by the glorious and empireall seat of God , which is the heauen of the iust . Yet they ( brutish men ) take vp their rest , and place their felicity in the lowest and worst of all Gods workmanship ; not regarding that , which with it owne glory can make them happie . Heauen is the proper place of my soule , I will sende it vp thither continually in my thoughts whiles it soiournes with mee , before it goe to dwell there for euer . 87 A man neede not to care for more knowledge , then to know him selfe ; he needes no more pleasure then to content himse●fe ; no more victory then to ouercome himselfe , no more riches then to enioy himselfe . What fooles are they that seeke to know all other things , & are strangers in themselues ; that seeke altogether to satisfie others humors , with their owne displeasure ; that seeke to vanquish Kingdoms & Countries , when they are not Maisters of themselues ; that haue no holde of their owne harts , yet seeke to bee possessed of all outward commodi●ies : Goe home to thy selfe first , vaine hart , & when thou hast made sure worke there , in knowing , contenting , ouercomming , enioying thy selfe , spend all the superfluity of thy time & labor vpō others . 88 It was an excellent rule that fel frō Epicure , whose name is odi●us to vs for the father of loosnes . That if a man wold be rich , honorable , aged , hee should not striue so much to ad to his welth , reputation , yeares , as to detract from his desires . For certainly in these things , which stand most vpon conceite , hee hath the most that desireth least . A poore man that hath little , and desires no more , is in truth richer then the greatest monarch , that thinkes hee hath not what he should ; or what hee might , or that grieues there is no more to haue . It is not necessitie but ambition that settes mens hearts on the racke . If I haue meate , drinke , apparell , I will learne therewith to bee content . If I had the world full of wealth beside , I could enioy no more then I vse ; the rest could please mee no otherwise but by looking on ; and why can I not thus solace my self , while it is others ? 89 An inconstant & wauering mind , as it makes a man vnfit for Societie ( for that there can be no assurance of his words , or purposes , neither can we build on them without deceite ) so , besides that , it makes a man ridiculous , it hinders him from euer attaining any perfectiō in himself● For a roling stone gathers no mosse ; and the minde whi●st it would be euery thing , proues nothing ; oft changes cannot bee without losse : yea , it keepes him from enioying that which hee hath attayned , for it keepes him euer in worke : building● pulling downe , selling , changing , buying , commaunding , forbidding : so whiles hee can be no other mans frend , he is the least his owne . It is the safest course for a mans profit , credit , and ●●se , to deliberate long , to resolue surely , hardly to alter . Not to enter vpon that , whose end hee fore-sees not aunswerable ; and when he is once entred , not to surcease till he haue attayned the end he fore-saw : so may he to good purpose begin a new worke , when he hath well finished the olde . 90 The way to Heauen is like that which ●onathan and his armour bearer passed betwixt two rockes , one Bozez , the other Sene● ; that is foule and thornie ; wherto we must make shift to climbe on our hands and knees ; but when we are comne vp , there is victorie , and triumph . Gods children haue three sutes of apparel , whereof two are worn dail●y on earth , the third layd vp for the in the wardrobe of Heauen ; They are euer either in black mourning , in red persecuted , or in white glorious : Anie way shall be pleasant to me , that leade● vnto such an end : It matters not what ragges or what colours I weare with men , so I may walke with my Sauiour in white , and raigne with him in glorie , Amen . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A02553-e370 Pro. ●9● 22 1 , Cor. 120● Math. 23. 28. Coloss● 3● 2●