Politeuphuia VVits common wealth.

Of Wickednes.

Defi. VVickednes is any sinne, vice, or euil, com∣mitted or imagined in the whole course of our liues, and the meane by which we loose Gods fauour, and expose our selues to the danger of hell fire.

THe prosperity of euill men, is the calami∣tie of the good.

VVhen wicked men reioyce, it is a signe of some tempest approching.

It is the corruption of the good to keepe company with the euill.

Reioyce as often as thou art despised of euill men, and perswade thy selfe that their euill o∣pinion of thee is most perfit praise.

Ill men are more hasty then good men be forward in prosecuting their purpose.

Hee that worketh wickednes by another, is guilty of the fact committed himselfe. Bias.

It is better to destroy the wickednes it selfe then the wicked man.

Vnexperienced euils doe hurt most.

The remembrance of euill thinges is to be obserued by the contemplation of good matters.

Phillip K. of Macedon, assembled together the most wicked persons, and furthest from correction of all his subiects, and put them into a Towne which hee builded of purpose, calling it Poneropolis, the Citty of vvicked persons.

Continuance of euill doth in it selfe increase euill. S. P, S.

A wicked life is the death of the soule. Chris.

VVho can be more vnfortunate then hee which of necessity will needs be euill?

VVho soeuer hee be that spareth to punish the wicked, doth thereby much harme to the good. Anachar.

It is a praise to the godly, to be dispraised of the wicked, and it is likewise a dispraise to be praised of them.

Sinne blindeth the eyes of the wicked, but punishments open them. Greg.

The wicked man is daily drawne to punish∣ment, and is ignorant therof.

The minde of an ill disposed person, is more vnstable then the superficies of the water.

VVhen wicked men be in the midst of all

theyr iollitie, then some misfortune comes knocking at the doore.

VVhen the euill man vvould seeme to be good, then is he worst of all.

He is euill, that doth willingly associate him selfe with wicked men.

VVicked men are the deuils shadowes.

Vertue is health, but vice is sicknes. Plato.

The wicked man attempteth thinges im∣possible. Arist.

The wicked man is euer in feare. Plato.

Hee vvrongeth the good that spareth the wicked.

A good sentence proceeding from a wicked mans mouth, looseth his grace.

The progeny of the wicked, although it be not wholy infected, yet it vvill sauour some∣thing of the fathers filthines.

As vertue is a garment of honour, so vvic∣kednes is a robe of shame.

Cursed is that man, that knoweth not to be a man, but by his wickednes is far otherwise then he should be.

Hee that intendeth not to doe good, should refraine from dooing euill; but it is counted euill if we refraine to doe good.

Purifie thine owne vvickednes, then prate of others sinnes.

All things are tollerable, except extreame wickednes.

The wickednes that is done by the permis∣sion of a Prince, shall be reckoned vnto the Prince for his sinne.

The wicked man, in a monstrous kinde of pride neuer heard of before, glorieth & boa∣steth of his euill deeds.

Nothing maketh men more miserable then wickednes and impiety.

A man shall bee meruailouslie mooued to goodnes, if hee doe but remember the plea∣sures comming from the same to be continu∣all, not transieory; and againe, if he remem∣ber the pleasures springing from vvicked things, he shall find them mingled with griefe and vexation; the pleasure passeth, but the paine endureth.

VVhen a man doth subiect himselfe to the wicked affections of his owne minde, he doth weaken and cut in sunder the strings of vn∣derstanding. Cicero.

VVicked counsaile is most hurtfull to the giuer.

In good things, nothing is eyther vvanting or superfluous; vvhich made the Pythago∣rians say, that wickednes could not be com∣prehended, but godlines might.

The wayes to wickednes are many, plaine, and common, but to goodnes are not many, but one, and that same is hard to find, because it is but little troden,

Non ob •••• solum incommodo, quae eueniunt im∣probis, fugienda est improbitas: sed multo etiam magis, quod cuius in animo versatur, nunquam sinit eum respirare, nunquam acquiescere.

Si impietas improbé molita quippiā est, quam∣uis occulté fecerit, nunquam tamen confidet id fore semper occultum; plerumque enim impro∣borum facta primo suspicio insequitur: deinde sermo atque fama: tum accusatorū iudex, multi etiam se iudicant.