The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

CHAP. VI.

IF a man had giuen thee a few acres of land, thou wouldest say that thou hadest receiued a benefit at his hands, and deniest thou that the vnmeasurable extent of the barren earth is no benefit? If a man should giue thee money, and fill thy coffer (for that see∣meth a great thing in thy sight) thou wouldest terme it a be∣nefit. And thinkest thou it no fauour, that God hath hidden so many mettals in the earth, spread so many riuers on the sands, which floating, discouer ingots of massie gold, siluer, brasse, and iron, which he hath hidden euery where; that he hath giuen thee meanes and knowledge to finde it out, by setting markes of his couert riches on the vpper face of the earth? If a mā should giue thee a house enriched with marble pillars, if the couer thereof were resplendent, and painted with gold and goodly colours, thou wouldest highly esteeme this present of his? God hath builded thee a great palace, without any danger of feare or falling downe, wherein thou seest not little peeces, smaller then the chizell it selfe, wherewith they were carued, but entire huge masses of precious stone, all fastened and fashioned after a diuers and different maner, the least peece where∣of maketh thee wonder at the beautie of the same: the roofe whereof shineth after one sort by day, and after another by night: and wilt thou then deny that thou hast receiued any benefit at all? Againe, whereas thou settest great store by that which thou hast, thinkest thou (which is the point of a thanklesse per∣son) that thou art beholding to no body for them? Whence hast thou this breath which thou drawest? Whence commeth this light, whereby thou di∣sposest and orderest the actions of thy life? From whence hast thou thy blood, in the motion and flowing whereof, thy naturall heate is maintained? Whence come these meates, which by their delicate tastes and pleasing sauours, inuite thee to ••ate farre more then thy stomacke can disgest? Whence come these

things which awaken thy pleasures and delights, when thou art wearied? Whence commeth this quiet and repose, wherein thou ••ot••••st and witherest a∣way? Wilt thou not say, if thou beest thankfull:

From God springs this repose, and euermore Him for my God ••••e honor and adore.* 1.1 Vpon his Altar, to performe my vow, A fir••tling Lambe my pastures shall allow: For he it is, as thou dost plainly see, That yeelds my wandring teame their pasture free, He lets me time at pleasure, as they feed, My country layes vpon mine ••••te•• re••d.

It is that God, which hath not onely permitted vs to feede a small number of meate, but that hath filled the whole world with great troopes of cattell, that nourisheth all beasts which wander heere and there, in so many and diuers pla∣ces; that giueth them new pa••ture•• in Sommer time, after they haue eaten vp their Winter prouision: which hath not onely taught vs to play vpon a reed, and after some manner to tune a reede, and delightfully sing to it; but also hath inuented so many artes, so many varieties of voices, and so many sounds, to yeeld sundry tunes, some by force of our owne breath, and some by a borrowed and externall aire. For thou canst not call those things ours, which we haue in∣uented, no more then thou canst call it our owne doing that wee grow, or that the bodie hath his full proportion, according to his determinate times. Now our teeth fall in our infancie, anone after wee passe into an age, which in a few yeares giueth vs all our encrease, againe, ripe age after our yong and spring∣ing yeares, making vs become more strong, setleth vs in a perfect and manly age. Finally, we are come to the last period, which maketh an end of the care and course of our life. The seeds of all ages and sciences are hidden in vs from our birth, and that great work-man God produceth out of the hidden all naturall instincts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Virg. 1. ••cl••g.