sute, either a right of equity, if it be a sute of controuersie: or a right of desert, if it be a sute of petition. If affection lead a man to fauour the wrong side in justice, let him rather vse his countenance to compound the matter then to carry it. If affection lead a man to fauour the lesse worthy in desert, let him do it without deprauing or disabling the better deseruer. In sutes a man doth not well vnderstand, it is good to refer them to some friend of trust and judgment, that may report whether he may deale in them with honor. Sutors are so distasted with delaies and abuses, that plaine dealing in denying to deale in sutes at first, and reporting the successe barely, and in challenging no more thanks then one hath deserued, is growen not only honorable, but also gratious. In sutes of fauor the first coming ought to take little place, so far forth consideration may be had of his trust, that if intelligence of the mater could not otherwise haue been had but by him, aduantage be not taken of the note. To be ignorant of the value of a sute is simplicity, as wel as to be ignorant of the right thereof is want of conscience. Secrecy in sutes is a great mean of obtaining, for voycing them to bee in forwardnesse may discourage some kind of sutors, but doeth quicken and awake others. But tyming of the sutes is the principall, tyming I say not onely in respect of the person that should graunt it, but in respect of those which are like to crosse it. Nothing is thought so easie a request to a great person as his letter, and yet if it be not in a good cause, it is so much out of his reputation. OF EXPENCE. Riches are for spending, and spending for honour and good actions. Therefore extraordinary expence must bee limited by the worth of the ocasion, for voluntary vndoing may be as well for a mans country as for the kingdome of heauen, but ordinary expence ought to be limited by a man's estate, and gouerned with such regard as it be within his compasse and not subiect to deceite and abuse of seruants, and ordered to the best shew, that the billes may be lesse than the estimation abroad. It is no basenesse for the greatest to discend and looke into their owne estate. Some forbeare it not vpon negligence alone, but doubting to bring themselues into melancholy in respect they shall find it broken. "But wounds cannot bee cured without searching." He that cannot looke into his own estate, had need both chuse wel those whom he employeth, yea and change them often. For newe are more timerous and lesse subtle. In clearing of a mans estate he may as well hurt himselfe in being too suddaine, as in letting it run on too long, for hasty selling is commonly as disaduantagable as interest. He that hath a state to repaire may not dispise smal things: and comonly it is lesse dishonorable to abridge petty charges then to stoupe to pettye gettinges. A man ought warily to begin charges, which once begunne must continue. But in matters that returne not, he may bee more magnificent. OF REGIMENT OF HEALTH. There is a wisedome in this beyond the rules of physicke. A mans own obseruation what hee findes good of, and what he findes hurt of, is the best Physicke to preserve health. But it is a safer conclusion to say, This agreeth not well with me, therefore I will not continue it, then this, I finde no offence of this, therefore I may vse it. For strength of nature in youth passeth ouer many excesses, which are owing a man till his age. Discerne of the comming on of years, and thinke not to doe the same things still. Beware of any suddaine change in any great point of diet, and if necessity inforce it, fit the rest to it. To be free minded and chearefully disposed at houres of meate, and of sleepe, and of exercise, is the best precept of long lasting. If you fly physicke in health altogether, it will bee too strange to your body when you shall need it. If you make it too familiar it wil work no extraordinary effect when sicknes commeth. Despise no new accident in the body but aske opinion of it. In sicknesse respect health principally, and in health action. For those that put their bodyes to endure in health, may in most sicknesses which are not very sharpe, be cured onely with diet and tendring. Physitians are some of them so pleasing and comfortable to the humours of the patient, as they presse not the true cure of the disease: and some other are so regular in proceeding according to art, for the disease, as they respect not sufficiently the condition of the patient. Take one of a middle temper, or if it may not be found in one man, compound two of both sortes, and forget not to call as well the best acquainted with your body, as the best reputed of for his faculty. OF HONOUR AND REPUTATION. The winning of honor is but the reuealing of a man's vertue and worth without disadvantage, for some in their actions doe affect honour and reputation, which sorte of men are commonly much talked of, but inwardly litle admired: and some darken their vertue in the shew of it, so as they be vnder-valued in opinion. If a man performe that which hath not been attempted before, or attempted and giuen ouer, or hath been atchiued, but not with so good circumstance,,. hee shall purchase more honor, then by effecting a matter of greater difficulty or vertue, wherin he is but a follower. If a man so temper his actions as in some one of them he do content euery faction or combination of people, the Mvsicke will be the fuller. A man is an ill husband of his honor that entreth into any action the failing wherin may disgrace him more, then the carrying of it through can honor him. Discreet followers help much to reputation. Envy which is the canker of honor is best extinguished by declaring a mans selfe in his endes, rather to seeke merite than fame, and by attributing a mans successes rather to deuine prouidence and felicity, then to his vertue or policy. The true Marshaling of the degrees of Soueraigne Honour are these. In the first place are "Conditores," founders of states. In the second place are "Legislatores," Law-giuers, which are also called second founders, or "Perpetui principes," because they gouern by their ordinances after they are gone. In the third place are Liberatores, such as compounde the long miseries of ciuil wars, or deliver their countries from servitude of strangers or tyrants. In the fourth place are "propagatores," or "propugnatores imperii," such as in honorable wars inlarge their territories, or make Noble defence against inuaders. And in the last place are "Patres patriæ," which raigne justly, and make the times good wherein they liue. Degrees of honour in subiectes are first "Participes curarum," those upon whom princes do discharge the greatest weight of their affaires, their Right hands (as we call them.) The next are "Duces belli," great leaders, such as are Princes Lieutenantes, and do them notable services in the warres. The third are "Gratiosi," fauorites, such as exceed not this scantling to be solace to the Soveraigne, and harmles to the people. And the fourth" Negotys pares," such as have great place vnder Princes, and execute their places with sufficiency. OF FACTION. Many have a newe wisedome indeed, a fond opinion: That for a prince to gouerne his estate, or for a great person to govern his proceedings according to the respects of Factions, is the principall part of policy. Whereas contrariwise, the chiefest wisedome is eyther in ordering these things which are generall, and wherin men of several factions do neuertheles agree, or in dealing with correspondence to particular persons one by one. But I say not that the consideration of Factions is to be neglected. Meane men must adheare, but great men that haue strength in themselues were better to maintaine themselves indifferent and neutral, yet euen in beginners to adheare so moderately, as hee be a man of the one faction, which is passablest with the other, commonly giveth best way. The lower and weaker faction is the firmer in conjunction. When one of the factions is extinguished, the remaining subdiuideth, which is good for a second. It is commonly seene, that men once placed, take in with the contrary faction to that by which they enter. The traitor in factions lightly goeth away with it, for when matters have stuck long in ballancing, the winning of some one man casteth them, and he getteth al the thanks. OF NEGOCIATING. It is generally better to deale by speech then by letter, and by the mediation of a third then by a mans selfe. Letters are good when a man would draw an auns were by Letter backe againe, or when it may serue for a mans justification afterwards to produce his owne Letter. To deale in person is good when a mans face breedes regard, as commonly with inferiors. In choyce of instrumentes it is better to chuse men of a playner sort that are like to doe that that is committed to them, and to report backe againe faithfully the successe, then those that are cunning to contriue out of other men's busines somewhat to grace themselues, and will help the matter in reporte for satisfactions sake. It is better to sounde a person with whom one deales a far off, then to fall vpon the point at first, except you mean to surprise him by some short question. It is better dealing with men in appetite then with those which are where they would be. If a man deale with another vpon conditions, the start or first performance is al, which a man cannot reasonably demaund, except either the nature of the thing be such which must go before, or else a man can perswade the other party that he shal stil need him in some other thing, or els that he be counted the honester man. All practise is to discouer or to worke: men discouer themselues in trust, in passion, at vnwares, and of necessity, when they would haue somewhat done, and cannot finde an apt pretext. If you would work any man, you must eyther know his nature and fashions, and so lead him; or his endes, and so win him; or his weaknesse or disaduantages, and so awe him, or those that haue interest in him, and so gouerne him. In dealing with cunning persons wee must euer consider their ends to interpret their speeches, and it is good to say little to them, and that which they least looke for. MEDITATIONES SACRÆ. eth these things; sustenance, defence from outOF THE WORKS OF GOD AND MAN. ward wrongs, and medicine; it was he that drew GOD beheld all things which his hands had a multitude of fishes into the nets, that he might made, and lo they were all passing good. But give unto men more liberal provision: He turned when man turned him about, and took a view of water, a less worthy nourishment of man's body, the works which his hands had made, he found into wine, a more worthy, that glads the heart of all to be vanity and vexation of spirit: wherefore, man: He sentenced the fig-tree to wither for not if thou shalt work in the works of God, thy sweat doing that duty whereunto it was ordained, which shall be as an ointment of odours, and thy rest as is, to bear fruit for men's food: He multiplied the the sabbath of God: thou shalt travail in the scarcity of a few loaves and fishes to a sufficiency sweat of a good conscience, and shalt keep holy to victual an host of people: He rebuked the day in the quietness and liberty of the sweetest winds that threatened destruction to the seafaring contemplations; but if thou shalt aspire after the men: He restored motion to the lame, light to the glorious acts of men, thy working shall be accom-blind, speech to the dumb, health to the sick, panied with compunction and strife, and thy re- cleanness to the leprous, a right mind to those membrance followed with distaste and upbraid- that were possessed, and life to the dead. No ings; and justly doth it come to pass towards miracle of his is to be found to have been of judgthee, O man, that since thou, which art God's ment or revenge, but all of goodness and mercy, work, doest him no reason in yielding him well- and respecting man's body; for as touching riches pleasing service, even thine own works also he did not vouchsafe to do any miracle, save one should reward thee with the like fruit of bitterness. only, that tribute might be given to Cæsar. OF THE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR. "He hath done all things well." OF THE INNOCENCY OF THE DOVE, "The fool receiveth not the word of wisdom, except thou dis cover to him what he hath in his heart." A TRUE Confession and applause. God when he created all things saw that every thing in particular and all things in general were exceeding To a man of a perverse and corrupt judgment good; God, the Word, in the miracles which he all instruction or persuasion is fruitless and conwrought, (now every miracle is a new creation, temptible, which begins not with discovery and and not according to the first creation,) would do laying open of the distemper and ill complexion nothing which breathed not towards men favour of the mind which is to be recured, as a plaster is and bounty: Moses wrought miracles, and unseasonably applied before the wound be searchScourged the Egyptians with many plagues: ed; for men of corrupt understanding, that have Elias wrought miracles, and shut up heaven, that lost all sound discerning of good and evil, come no rain should fall upon the earth; and again possest with this prejudicate opinion, that they brought down from heaven the fire of God upon think all honesty and goodness proceedeth out of the captains and their bands: Elizeus wrought a simplicity of manners, and a kind of want of also, and called bears out of the desert to devour experience and unacquaintance with the affairs of young children: Peter struck Ananias, the sacri- the world. Therefore, except they may perceive legious hypocrite, with present death; and Paul, that those things which are in their hearts, that Elymas, the sorcerer, with blindness; but no is to say, their own corrupt principles, and the such thing did Jesus, the Spirit of God descended deepest reaches of their cunning and rottenness down upon him in the form of a dove, of whom to be thoroughly sounded, and known to him that he said, "You know not of what spirit you are." goes about to persuade with them, they make but The spirit of Jesus is the spirit of a dove; those a play of the words of wisdom. Therefore it servants of God were as the oxen of God treading behoveth him which aspireth to a goodness (not out the corn, and trampling the straw down under retired or particular to himself, but a fructifying their feet; but Jesus is the Lamb of God, without and begetting goodness which should draw on wrath or judgments; all his miracles were con- others) to know those points, which be called in summate about man's body, as his doctrine re- the Revelation the deeps of Satan, that he may spected the soul of man: the body of man need-speak with authority and true insinuation. Hence is the precept, "Try all things, and hold that not to-morrow's men, considering the shortness of which is good;" which endureth a discerning our time; and as he saith, "Laying hold on the election out of an examination whence nothing at present day;" for future things shall in their turns all is excluded: out of the same fountain ariseth become presents, therefore the care of the present that direction, "Be you wise as serpents and sufficeth and yet moderate cares (whether they innocent as doves." There are neither teeth nor concern our particular, or the commonwealth, or stings, nor venom, nor wreaths and folds of ser- our friends) are not blamed. But herein is a twopents, which ought not to be all known, and, as fold excess; the one when the chain or thread of far as examination doth lead, tried: neither let our cares, extended and spun out to an over great any man here fear infection or pollution, for the length, and unto times too far off, as if we could sun entereth into sinks and is not defiled; neither bind the divine providence by our provisions, let any man think that herein he tempteth God, which even with the heathen, was always found for his diligence and generality of examination is to be a thing insolent and unlucky; for those commanded, and God is sufficient to preserve you which did attribute much to fortune, and were immaculate and pure. ready at hand to apprehend with alacrity the present occasions, have for the most part in their actions been happy; but they who in a compass, wisdom, have entered into a confidence that they had belayed all events, have for the most part encountered misfortune. The second excess is, when we dwell longer in our cares than is requisite for due deliberating or firm resolving; for who is there amongst us that careth no more than sufficeth either to resolve of a course or to conclude upon an impossibility, and doth not still chew over the same things, and tread a maze in the same thoughts, and vanisheth in them without issue or conclusion: which kind of cares are most contrary to all divine and human respects. OF EARTHLY HOPE. "Better is the sight of the eye, than the apprehension of the mind." OF THE EXALTATION OF CHARITY. "If I have rejoiced at the overthrow of him that hated me, or took pleasure when adversity did befall him." THE detestation or renouncing of Job. For a man to love again where he is loved, it is the charity of publicans contracted by mutual profit and good offices; but to love a man's enemies is one of the cunningest points of the law of Christ, and an imitation of the divine nature. But yet again, of this charity there be divers degrees; whereof the first is, to pardon our enemies when they repent of which charity there is a shadow and image, even in noble beasts; for of lions, it is a received opinion that their fury and fierceness ceaseth towards any thing that yieldeth and prostrateth itself. The second degree is, to pardon our enemies, though they persist, and without satisfactions and submissions. The third degree is, not only to pardon and forgive, and forbear our enemies, but to deserve well of them, and to do them good but all these three degrees either have or may have in them a certain bravery and great-mind of man hath this nature and property even in ness of the mind rather than pure charity; for when a man perceiveth virtue to proceed and flow from himself, it is possible that he is puffed up and takes contentment rather in the fruit of his own virtue than in the good of his neighbours; but if any evil overtake the enemy from any other coast than from thyself, and thou in the inwardest motions of thy heart be grieved and compassionate, and dost noways insult, as if thy days of right and revenge were at the last come; this I And that contrary, interpret to be the height and exaltation of charity. : OF THE MODERATION OF CARES. "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof." THERE ought to be a measure in worldly cares, otherwise they are both unprofitable, as those which oppress the mind and astonish the judgment, and profane, as those which savour of a mind which promiseth to itself a certain perpetuity in the things of this world; for we ought to be day's men and PURE sense receiving every thing according to the natural impression, makes a better state and government of the mind, than these same imaginations and apprehensions of the mind; for the the gravest and most settled wits, that from the sense of every particular, it doth as it were bound and spring forward, and take hold of other matters, foretelling unto itself that all shall prove like unto that which beateth upon the present sense; if the sense be of good, it easily runs into an unlimited hope, and into a like fear, when the sense is of evil, according as is said "The oracles of hopes doth oft abuse." "A froward soothsayer is fear in doubts." But yet of fear there may be made some use; for it prepareth patience and awaketh industry, "No shape of ill, comes new or strange to me, All sorts set down, yea, and prepared be." But hope seemeth a thing altogether unprofitable; for to what end serveth this conceit of good. Consider and note a little if the good fall out less than thou hopest; good though it be, yet less because it is, it seemeth rather loss than benefit through thy excess of hope; if the good prove equal and proportionable in event to thy hope, yet the flower thereof by thy hope is gathered; so as when it comes the grace of it is gone, and it seems used, and therefore sooner draweth on satiety; admit thy success prove better than thy hope, it is true a gain seems to be made: but had it not been better to have gained the principal by hoping for nothing, than the increase by hoping for less; and this is the operation of hope in good fortunes, but in misfortunes it weakeneth all force and vigour of the mind; for neither is there always matter of hope, and if there be, yet if it fail but in part, it doth wholly overthrow the constancy and resolution of the mind; and besides, though it doth carry us through, yet it is a greater dignity of mind to bear evils by fortitude and judgment, than by a kind of absenting and alienation of the mind from things present to things future, for that it is to hope. And therefore it was much lightness in the poets to fain hope to be as a counterpoison of human diseases, as to mitigate and assuage the fury and anger of them, whereas indeed it doth kindle and enrage them, and causeth both doubling of them and relapses. Notwithstanding we see that the greatest number of men give themselves over to their imaginations of hope and apprehensions of the mind in such sort, that ungrateful towards things past, and in a manner unmindful of things present, as if they were ever children and beginners, they are still in longing for things to come. "I saw all men walking under the sun, resort and gather to the second person, which was afterwards to succeed: this is an evil disease, and a great idleness of the mind." But perhaps you will ask the question, whether it be not better, when things stand in doubtful terms, to presume the best, and rather hope well than distrust; especially seeing that hope doth cause a greater tranquillity of mind? all our hope is to be bestowed upon the heavenly "The sum of life to little doth amount, OF HYPOCRITES. "I demand mercy, and not sacrifice." ALL the boasting of the hypocrite is of the works of the first table of the law, which is of adoration and duty towards God; whereof the reason is double, both because such works have a greater pomp and demonstration of holiness, and also because they do less cross their affections and desires; therefore the way to convict hypocrites, is to send them from the works of sacrifice to the works of mercy, whence cometh that saying: “This is pure and immaculate religion with God the Father, to visit orphans and widows in their tribulations:" and that saying, "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen." Now there is another kind of deeper and more extravagant hypocrisy; for some, deceiving themselves, and thinking themselves worthy of a more near access and conversation with God, do neglect the duties of charity towards their neighbour, as inferior matters, which did not indeed cause originally the beginning of a monastical life, (for the beginnings were good,) but brought in that excess and abuse which are followed after; for it is truly said, "That the office of praying is a great office in the church:" and it is for the good of the church that there be consorts of men freed from the cares of this world, who may with daily and devout supplications and observances solicit the Divine Majesty for the causes of the church. But unto this ordinance, that other hypocrisy is a nigh neighbour; neither is the general institution to be blamed, but those spirits which exalt themselves too high to be refrained; for even Enoch, which was said to walk with God, did prophesy, as is delivered unto us by Jude, and did endow the Surely I do judge a state of mind which in all doubtful expectations is settled and floateth not; and doth this out of a good government and composition of the affections, to be one of the principal supporters of man's life: but that assurance and repose of the mind, which only rides at anchor upon hope, I do reject as wavering and weak; not that it is not convenient to foresee and presup-church with the fruit of his prophesy which he pose out of a sound and sober conjecture, as well the good as the evil, that thereby we may fit our actions to the probabilities and likelihoods of their event, so that this be a work of the understanding and judgment, with a due bent and inclination of the affection: but which of you hath so kept his hopes within limits, as when it is so, that you have out of a watchful and strong discourse of the mind set down the better success to be in apparency the more likely; you have not dwelt upon the very muse and forethought of the good to come, and giving scope and favour unto your mind, to fall into such cogitations as into a pleasant dream; and this it is which makes the mind light, frothy, unequal, and wandering; wherefore left: and John Baptist, unto whom they did refer as to the author of a monastical life, travelled and exercised much in the ministry both of prophesy and baptizing; for as to these others, who are so officious towards God, to them belongeth that question, “If thou do justly what is that to God, or what profit doth he take by thy hands?" Wherefore the works of mercy are they which are the works of distinction, whereby to find out hypocrites. But with heretics it is contrary; for as hypocrites, with their dissembling holiness towards God, do palliate and cover their injuries towards men; so heretics, by their morality and honest carriage towards men, insinuate and make a way with their blasphemies against God. OF IMPOSTORS. "Whether we be transported in mind it is to Godward; Or whether we be sober it is to youward." man, of that belief; for seeing it makes not for him that there should be a God, he doth seek by all means accordingly to persuade and resolve himself, and studies to affirm, prove, and verify it to himself as some theme or position: all which labour, notwithstanding that sparkle of our creation light, whereby men acknowledge a Deity burneth still within; and in vain doth he strive utterly to alienate it or put it out, so that it is out of the corruption of his heart and will, and not out of the natural apprehension of his brain and conceit, that he doth set down his opinion, as the comical poet saith, "Then came my mind to be of mine opinion,” as if himself and his mind had been two divers things; therefore the atheist hath rather said, and held it in his heart, than thought or believed in his heart that there is no God; secondly, it is to be observed, that he hath said in his heart, and not spoken it with his mouth. But again you shall note, that this smothering of this persuasion within the heart cometh to pass for fear of government and of speech amongst men; for, as he saith, "To deny God in a public argument were much, but in a familiar conference were current enough:" for if this bridle were reOF THE SEVERAL KINDS OF IMPOS- moved, there is no heresy which would contend THIS is the true image and true temper of a and of him that is God's faithful workman; his carriage and conversation towards God is full of passion, of zeal, and of tramisses; thence proceed groans unspeakable, and exultings likewise in comfort, ravishment of spirit and agonies; but contrariwise, his carriage and conversation towards men is full of mildness, sobriety, and appliable demeanour. Hence is that saying, "I am become all things to all men," and such like. Contrary it is with hypocrites and impostors, for they in the church, and before the people, set themselves on fire, and are carried as it were out of themselves, and becoming as men inspired with holy furies, they set heaven and earth together; but if a man did see their solitary and separate meditations and conversation whereunto God is only privy, he might, towards God, find them not only cold and without virtue, but also full of ill-nature and leaven; "Sober enough to God, and transported only towards men." TURE. more to spread and multiply, and disseminate "Avoid profane strangeness of words, and oppositions of itself abroad, than atheism: neither shall you see knowledge falsely so called." "Avoid fond and idle fables." "Let no man deceive you by high speech." THERE are three forms of speaking, which are as it were the style and phrase of imposture: the first kind is of them, who as soon as they have gotten any subject or matter do straight cast it into an art, inventing new terms of art, reducing all into divisions and distinctions; thence drawing assertions or positions, and so framing oppositions by questions and answers. Hence issueth the cobwebs and clatterings of the schoolmen. The second kind is of them, who out of the vanity of their wit (as church poets) do make and devise all variety of tales, stories, and examples; whereby they may lead men's minds to a belief, from whence did grow the legends and infinite fabulous inventions and dreams of the ancient heretics. The third kind is of them who fill men's cares with mysteries, high parables, allegories, and illusions; which mystical and profound form many of the heretics also made choice of. By the first kind of these, the capacity and wit of man is fettered and entangled; by the second, it is trained on and inveigled; by the third, it is astonished and enchanted; but by every of them the while it is seduced and abused. OF ATHEISM. "The fool hath said in his heart there is no God." FIRST, it is to be noted, that the Scripture saith, "The fool hath said in his heart, and not thought in his heart;" that is to say, he doth not so fully think it in judgment, as he hath a good will to be those men which are drenched in this frenzy of mind to breathe almost any thing else, or to inculcate even without occasion any thing more than speech tending to atheism, as may appear in Lucrecius the epicure, who makes of his invectives against religion as it were a burden or verse of return to all his other discourses; the reason seems to be, for that the atheist not relying sufficiently upon himself, floating in mind and unsatisfied, and enduring within many faintings, and as it were fails of his opinion, desires by other men's opinions agreeing with his, to be recovered and brought again; for it is a true saying, Whoso laboureth earnestly to prove an opinion to another, himself distrusts it:" thirdly, it is a fool that hath so said in his heart, which is most true; not only in respect that he hath no taste in those things which are supernatural and divine; but in respect of human and civil wisdom: for first of all, if you mark the wits and dispositions which are inclined to atheism, you shall find them light, scoffing, impudent, and vain; briefly of such a constitution as is most contrary to wisdom and moral gravity. 66 Secondly, amongst statesmen and politics, those which have been of greatest depths and compass, and of largest and most universal understanding, have not only in cunning made their profit in seeming religious to the people, but in truth have been touched with an inward sense of the knowledge of Deity, as they which you shall evermore note to have attributed much to fortune and providence. |