Dying and dead mens living words published by Da. Lloyd.

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Title
Dying and dead mens living words published by Da. Lloyd.
Author
Lloyd, David, 1635-1692.
Publication
London :: Printed for John Amery,
1668.
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Subject terms
Conduct of life.
Spiritual life.
Cite this Item
"Dying and dead mens living words published by Da. Lloyd." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A48788.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 6, 2024.

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Page 1

Fair Warnings TO A CARELESS WORLD.

Letter from the Right Hon Iames Earl of Marleburgh, a little before his death in the Battle at Sea, on the Coast of Holland, 1665.

the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Pollard, Comptroler of his Majesties Houshold.

Sir,

I Believe the goodness of your nature, and the freindship you have al∣wayes born me, will re∣••••ive with kindness the last of∣••••e of your friend. I am in health

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enough of body, and (through the mercy of God in Jesus Christ) well disposed in mind. This I pre∣mise, that you may be satisfied that what I write proceeds not from any phantastick terrour of mind, but from a sober resolution of what concerns my self, and earn∣est desire to do you more good af∣ter my death, then mine example (God of his mercy pardon the bad∣ness of it) in my life-time may do you harm. I will not speak ought of the vanity of this world; your own age and experience will save that labour: But there is a cer∣tain thing that goeth up and down the world, called Religion, dressed and pretended phantasti∣cally, and to purposes bad enough, which yet by such evil dealing lo∣seth not its being: The great goo God hath not left it without witness, more or less, sooner o later, in every mans bosome, t

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direct us in the pursuit of it; and for the avoiding of those inextri∣cable disquisitions and entangle∣ments our own frail reasons would perplex us withal, God in his in∣finite mercy hath given us his Holy Word; in which as there are many things hard to be understood, so there is enough plain and easie, to quiet our minds, and direct us concerning our future being. I confess to God and you, I have been a great neglecter, and (I fear) despiser of it: (God of his in∣finite mercy pardon me the dread∣ful fault.) But when I retired my self from the noise and deceitful vanity of the world, I found no true comfort in any other resolution, then what I had from thence: I commend from the bottom of my heart the same to your (I hope) hap∣py use. Dear Sir Hugh, let us be more generous then to beleive we die as the beast that perish; but

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with a Christian, manly, brave reso∣lution, look to what is eternal. I will not trouble you farther. The only great God, and holy God, Father, Son and holy Ghost, di∣rect you to an happie end of your life, and send us a joyful resur∣rection. So prays

Your true friend, Marleburgh.

Old Iames, neer the coast of Holland. April 24. 1665.

I beseech you commend my love to all mine acquaintance; par∣ticularly, I pray you that my cou∣sin Glascock may have a sight of this Letter, and as many friends besides as you will, or any else that desire it.

I pray grant this my request.

THis Letter, though very weigh∣ty in the matter of it, very serious in the phrase and expressi∣on, yet is most observable fo

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the time it was written in; a few dayes before this honourable per∣sons Soul went we hope to be hap∣py into another world, did he in this solemn manner of a Will and Testament, rather than a Let∣ter, leave his mind about the ne∣cessity of being religious in this: It was after he had made tryal of most of the great variety of opini∣ons which were in this licentious age broached, and had experience of most of the vanities which have been in these loose times practi∣sed, that recollecting himself, and, as it becomes every rational man, (who onely of all the creatures in the world hath therefore power to reflect) communing with his own heart about his passed life which he knew was but a state of tryal in order to a future; upon serious consideration (or putting together of and dwelling upon rational thoughts, for want

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whereof the thousands that pe∣rish are cast away) of the ac∣count he saw by the frame of things made for men, men must give to the first being that made them for them. 2. Of the invisible things of God that were seen by the things that are made. 3. Of an immortal Soul he felt within him, and an eternal estate expected by him. 4. Of the consent of Na∣tions, and the dictates of every mans own conscience attesting re∣ligion. 5. Of the providence of God sealing it by miracles in the former ages, & owning it by extraordinary dispensations both of mercies and judgements in the latter ages of the world. 6. Of the experience all men have of religion on their hearts in the comfort it affords in doing well, and the terrors it sends upon doing ill, together with the strange success it hath had by bare perswasion against the learn∣ing,

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the lusts, the Laws, the Customes, and Interests of the world, and that in the hands of men that could doe no more for the propagation of it than live up to it; and (to shew they had no design) in different Countries, times, interests, professions, Lan∣guages, and abilities, die for it. 7. Of the wisdom of being serious and religious, considering there is no inconvenience in being so (nay to be sober, temperate, just, loving, humble, faithful, which is to be religious, &c. are things that car∣ry along with them a great deal of convenience) in this world; and a great necessity of being so, if here be, as no man is sure there is not, another world; I say, upon seri∣ous considerations of this & the like nature, our noble Lord looking through and beyond all that is in this world, and of all that makes up this frame and scene of things

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finding nothing likely to stay with him during his everlasting state but grace, virtue, & true goodness, came up to these noble thoughts, which (as true goodness is communicative) he thought the great interest of a Careless world to know & ponder, the rather be∣cause all men arrive at these senti∣ments at last, why will they not brace them at first? Ah why will any rational man live in those things wherein no rational man dares dye? if irreligious courses be bad, why do you, why doth any ingenious person rashly enter up∣on them? If good, why do all men sooner or later soberly re∣nounce them. What is the reason that men of understanding buy re∣pentance so dear, when there is not a man who doth not in his latter yeares sadly reflect upon those things which in his younger dayes he so much pleased himself in? No

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other can be imagined than this, that we embrace evil courses and neglect good by fancy, opinion, and lust, the worst judges of things for many yeares, the first whereof we loath, and the second we love at last, by experience the best; and but that sin is folly, and doth infa∣tuate as well as defile, would any thing indued with reason make that matter of pleasure, which eve∣ry body for these 6000 years hath upon tryal [the best ground of knowledge] found matter of grief? or that a matter of scorn, which all the world hath experi∣rienced the only matter of com∣fort? Its sad, that after Eusebius his learned demonstrations, Iu∣stin Martyrs stout and successeful Apologies, Tertullians pressing and close Discourses, Clemens A∣lexandrinus his various Learning, his Scholar Origens sweet and powerful reasonings, Minutius

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and Arnobius nervous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 acuté Tractates; & Lactantius that Christi∣an Cicero's flowing arguments, the School-mens convincing reasons, besides the satisfactory and useful labours of Ludovicus Vives, the Lord Du Plessis, Grotius, Amyrald, Ficinus, Stilling fleet, &c. of the rea∣sonableness of religion; any should hazzard their reason, & interest so far as to make tryal whether is bet∣ter, a religious or an irreligious life; but it is much sadder that after a tryal of so many thousand years as have been since the Creation, and every man (that had the use of his reason) either while he lived in the world, or when he departed from the world, leaving behind him this testimony, that nothing repen∣ted him but the evil he had com∣mitted, and nothing pleased him but the good he had done (Of the thousands whose death we have seen or heard, what one person,

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though never so much besotted, ever recommended a debauched life (to those that stood about him ready to gather his last breath) as desireable, nay earnestly as they loved him or themselves by his own sad example warned them not from it as mischievous? What one man in the world repented of a good life, yea with teares for his own miscarriages did not with all the arguments imaginable exhort to it?) I say it is much sadder that after the experience of all men that went before us, any man should be able so far to sup∣press his reason as to fall into that snare and pit of licenciousness that all men before him warn him of: What advantage have we of liv∣ing after others and observing in their History, that however they lived they died piously, if we be∣come Histories our selves and gve others occasion to say the same

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things of us that we did of our fore fathers? all the miscarri∣ages in Arts and Sciences, in War, peace, in Laws and Government, found by experience inconveni∣ent, we have cast off, retaining only those of life and manners? What is more an argument against or for any thing than experience? And what experience can be in this world more than that of mens whole lives? And what declara∣tion can there be more solemn than that of dying men; Soules even almost separate, just freeing themselves from the burden of the body, and inlightned with the approaches of God. An holy desire of a religious death, is not the pang, the humor, the fancy, the fear of some men, but the serious wish of all; many having lived wickedly, very few, in their senses died so.

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Sect. 1.

§. 1. For upon this occasion having recollected the ends of most men, of whom either the Scripture of prophane History hath made mention, I find, besides the many Scripture instances as 1. of A∣dams being ashamed and affright∣ed with the guilt of sin, Gen. 3. 4, 5. as soon as he had injoyed the pleasure of it, and leaving to his posterity, besides seven rules of a serious religion, this cau∣tion as the Iews report it that no man would sin if he saw from the begin∣ning to the end of things

2. Cain who though he is said by the Talmudist (Ruz∣zia) to challenge his brother to the field upon this assertion, that there was no other world, and no everlasting reward to those

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that did well, or punishment to them that did ill, yet overcoming his brother he was overcome of that great truth of an everlasting state, owned by him, for fear of which he trembled, being (as the most jolly sinners are) all his life time in bondage for fear of death: He that stabbed half the world at a blow could not command the dictates of conscience (which make them who are without Law a Law to themselves) so far as to kill the Worm that shall never die.

3. Lamech had no sooner com∣mitted the sin of Cain (whether upon Cain's own person, or upon some other, cannot and need not be decided) but he lived all his dayes under the fear of his punish∣ment; for Gen. 4. 23, 24. La∣mech said to his Wives (when in all probability there were none he needed to fear but them and God) Adah and Zillah, hear my

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voice ye Wives of Lamech, heark∣en to my speech, for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt: if Cain shall be avenged seven fold, truly Lamech shall be avenged seveny times seavenfold. Insomuch that men convinced by these instances of the power of a natural consci∣ence began then, as it followeth in the text, to call on the Name of the Lord, verse 36. (So I understand the word with Iosephus Archaio the best Antiquary in this case.) R. Eliezer in Maase-Beresithe c. 22. Cyril. orat ad Iul. Epiph. 1. against the Targum of Ionathan: The ac∣count given of Idolatry by Mai∣monid l. de cultu Stellarum and Proseld. 3. ad synt. de diis Syris.

And as appeares in the in∣stances of Enoch & Noah, men who walked with God, and God took them.

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Sect. 2.

1. And besides that sin sooner or later makes all men as well as David and Heman have their Soules sore vexed, become weary of their groaning, while all the night long they make their bed to swim, and water their Couch with their teares, their eyes be∣ing consumed because of grief; and they saying how long shall we take counsel in our Soules, having sor∣row in our hearts daily; my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, why art thou so far from help∣ing me and from the words of my roaring? Remember not the sins of my youth: look upon my afflicti∣on, and my pain, and forgive all my sins. I had fainted unless I had beleived the goodness of the

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Lord in the Land of the living. My life is spent with greif and my years with sighing, my strength failed because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed; when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long: for Day and Night thy hand lay hea∣vy upon me; I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said I will con∣ess my transgressions to the Lord. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. Be not ye as the Horse and mule that have no understanding. Many sor∣ows shall be to the wicked. What man is he that desires life, and oveth many dayes that he may see good? depart from evil and do good. Thy arrows stick fast in me, thy and presseth me sore: Neither is here any rest in my bones by reason of my sin. I have roared for the ve∣y disquietness of my heart. When

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thou with rebukes doest chasten man for iniquity, thou makest his beau∣ty to consume away. Surely every man is vanity. My sin is ever before me: make me to hear of joy and glad∣ness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce. A broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, thou wilt not despise. There were they in great fear where no fear was. Fearfullness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me; and I said, O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee a∣way and be at rest. Mine eyes fai while I wait upon my God. My Soul refused to be comforted. remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was o∣verwhelmed. My Soul is full o trouble, and my life draweth nig to the grave. I am afflicted an ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. All men, I say, as well a

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these in the Psalms, out of which I made this collectio, find first or last, that sin as it hath short pleasures, so it hath a long sting; that though men seem not to be able to live without the commission of it, yet are they not able to live with the thoughts of it when committed: that as when they have done well, the pain is short, but the pleasure lasting, so when they have done ill, the pleasure is short, and the pain lasting. (Sin and sorrow are so tyed together by an Adamantine Chain; and the Temptation to E∣vil tickleth not more than the re∣lection upon it torments, when all he enjoyment being spent in the acting of sin, there is now nothing eft but naked sin and conscience.)

Tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ ur tamen hos tu vasisse putes quos diri conscia acti ens habet attonitos & surdo verbere coedit; ••••cultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum, oena autem vehemens & multo gravior illis.

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Quas & caeditius gravis invenit, ut Rhadaman∣thus, Nocte die{que} ••••um ge•••• are in pectore testem.

Not to discourse to men out of books, what they feel in their hearts, that the things they eager∣ly pursue, they shall sadly lament; that evil it self, to a rational Soul carryeth with it so much shame and horror, that as many Poes, Iven. &c. believed there were no Furia, Al••••tores, Eumenides, or whatever Names were given of old to those daughters of Nemess or the results of mens thought after sin, concerning the proceed∣ings of the Divine justice against it) like the conscience of having done evil, so many wise men (a Cicero ad Pisonem) thought there were none besides it, and that hel is no other than conscience, wherefore Iudas and others ventured into that to avoid this; whose wor that dyed not was more insup¦portable

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than the other fire that is not quenched. Although this were enough to reclaim men from their frolicks, that they are sure they shall be sad, although there need not more be said to a man in his wits then this; Sir, a quiet mind is all the happiness, and a troubled one is all the misery of this world; you cannot enjoy the pleasure, honour or profit you imagine follows your evils with a troubled mind, and yet no man ever followed those courses, with∣out it: all the calamities you meet with in doing well, are eased much by the comforts of a good conscience, And the Spirit of a good man bears his infirmities: but all the pleasures we have in doing ll, will have no relish or satis∣faction, when we lye under the errours of a bad one, A wonded pirit who can bear? But to shew hat a strict and a serious life is

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not the humour of some conceit∣ed and singular persons, but the opinion of all men, when they are most impartiall and serious. Ob∣serve 1. The wisest men that have been in the world, & among them. 2. Instances out of Scripture.

  • 1. The one Nu. 23. 9, 10. The most knowing man in the East, Balaa the Prophet, so much courted by Balak the Prince, reckoned the same in Mesopotamia, that Trismegistu was in Egypt, or Zoroaster in Persia who against his own interest the and his opinion, with that whol Countries at all times from th high place wherein he was to defie all the religion that was the in the world to please Bala owned it, though he displease him, and he took up this parable and said Balak the Kin of Mab hath brought me fro 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out of the Mountains of th East, saying, curse me Jacob, an

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  • come defie Israel: how shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defie whom the Lord hath not defied: For from the top of the Rocks I see him; who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? let me dye the death of the righteous, and my last end be like his.
  • 2. The second 1 Kings 4. 29. o 34. The most knowing man in he world, Solomon, to whom God gave wisdom and understanding xceeding much, and largeness of eart, even as the sand that is on he Seashore. And Solomons wis∣om excelled the wisdom of all the hildren of the East-countrey, and ll the wisdom of Egypt, for he was iser than all men; than Ethan the zrahite, and Heman, and Chal∣ol, and Darda the Son of Mahol, nd his fame was in all Nations ound about, and he spake three

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  • thousand Proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five; and he spake of the Trees from the Cedar Trees that are in Lebanon even to the Hysop that springeth ou of the wall; he spake also of fowle•••• of beasts, of creeping things, and o fihes. And there came of all Pe••••ple of the earth to hear the wisdo of Solomon, from all the Kings o the earth which had heard of h•••• wisdom. Who being the most e••••perienced for enquiry, the mo•••• wise for contrivance, the mo•••• wealthy for compassing all the s••••tisfaction that can be had in t•••• things of this world, after man years sifting (for saith he in Eccl•••• that his Book of repentance, Cha•••• 2. vers. 1. I said in my heart, g to now, I will prove thee wi myrth, therefore injoy pleasur therefore Chap. 1. vers. 17. gave my heart to know wisdo and to know madness and folly

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  • ... hat there was in Learning, Ho••••our, Pleasure, Peace, Plenty mag∣ificent, entertainments, For∣eign supplies, Royal visits, Noble onfederacies, variety and abun∣ance of sumptuous provisions, & elicate Dyet, stately difices, and rich Vine∣ards, Orchards, Fish-ponds, and oods, numerous attendants, vast reasures, of which he had the ost free, undisturbed, and una∣ted enjoyment, for he saith, he ••••th-held not his heart from any ••••y: after several years, not only ••••••suall, but Critical fruition, to ••••d out as he saith, that good ••••ich God hath given men under ••••e Sun, after he had tortured Na∣••••re to extract the most exquisite ••••irits, and pure quintescence, ••••ich the varieties of the Crea∣••••••e, the all that is in the world, ••••e lust of the ••••esh, the lust of the ••••e, and the pride of Life, at last

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  • pronounceth them all vanity, and vexation of Spirit, and leaves thi instruction behind, for late Posterities, Let us hear the conclusio of the whole matter, fear God an keep his commandements, Fo this is the whole duty of man; fo God will bring every work in judgement, with every secret thin whether it be good, or whether it evil, Eccles. 12. 13, 14. Is it n•••• cheaper believing this, than 〈◊〉〈◊〉 loose a brave Life, wherein a m•••• cannot erre twice in the sad trya and at last with tears and groa own this conclusion?

II. These following out such other records as we ha•••• next the Scripture; waving the u••••certain Cabala, and the Fabul Talmud of the Jews, who bring men seriously to confess at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that it had been their interest be good at first. In the famo•••• words of the wise Son of Sira••••

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〈◊〉〈◊〉 man who profited in the Jewish earning above his fellows, Wisd. 5. , 5, 6, 7. We fools counted their ••••fe madness, and their end to be ithout honour; how are they umbred among the children of od, and their lot among the aints?

We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and de∣struction? What hath pride pro∣fited us, or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us; all these are past a∣way as the shadow, and as a post that hasteth by, but the Souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; in the sight of the unwise they seem to dye; and their de∣parture is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction, but they are in Peace: for though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immor∣tality, and having been a little

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chastied, they are greatly re∣warded or God proved them and found them worthy of him self.
I say these following examples, we will take out of the•••• Histories, viz.

1. The Phenician history 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sanconiathon, as it is translated b Philo-biblius, and quoted by Pophyry, where Mast•••• Kircher out of Ieruba•••• the Priest of the God Ia, that Iehovah, and other publick r••••cords and inscriptions, speaking 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the religious end of the wise m•••• of those times, brings in two d••••••coursing to this effect.

Quest. Is there another wo•••• or state?

Answ. I am willing there shou not, but I am not sure there not.

Quest. Why, are you willi•••• there should not?

Answ. Because I have not liv

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in this state, so well as to have hope to be happy in another.

Quest. What a mad∣ness was it in you when your reason dictated to ou, that there might be nother world, to live as if you had een sure there were none.

Answ. If men could look to their eginning or ending, they would ever fail in the middle.

Quest. Then it is the safest way o be good.

Answ. It can do no harme, it ay do good.

2. The supposed Egyptian writers, uch as, first, Hermes Trismegistus, ho in his old age is brought in ith a serious Dialogue of Religi∣••••, to make amende for the vain ••••eces of history he had writ in his outh, and among many other ••••ings, Mantho pretends to, from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inscriptions, this is very consi∣••••••••••le.

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1. That there was some great reason, not yet well understood why men enjoyed their pleasure with fear; why most mens deat is a repentance of life; why n man is contented in this life; wh men have infinite wishes, and wh••••ther those that dream when the are asleep, shall not live when the are dead.

3. The Caldeans, such as Zor∣aster and the Zabij, by the visibl things that are seen, the Sun, th Moon, the Stars, (which as Ma••••monides speaks of them, we•••• their books) saw so much into t•••• invisible things of God, his wi••••dom and power, that their o•••• men, as Kircher speaks somewher durst not dye before they h•••• been by sacrifices reconciled 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him by whom they lived.

4. And besides that Tertullia l. de. Prescript. Cont. Hr. I. Mart Apol. II Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. ••••f

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Prep. Evan. 10. of old, and Vossius de orig. Idol. Grotius de verit. Christ. Rel. Bochart Geog. Sacra of late have taught us, that the fables of the Greek Heathenism, are but the depraved and corrupted truth of Jewish Religion; there is not an eminent man among the Grecians that dyes a heathen or an infidel, though he lived so. Heraclides, Ponticus, Antisthenes, Democritus, and his Schollar Pithagoras, a little before their deaths writ books, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 about them that lived in the invisible state, which they profess they thought not of in their lives.

1. Socrates, whom we set here now, as the Oracle placed him for∣merly, by himself, reckoned there∣fore the wisest man of his time, because he brought Phylosophy from the ob∣scure and uncertain Spe∣culations of nature to useful con∣derations

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of vertue; in all hi discourses recommended goodness, as the trues wisdom; although he confesse 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. that h had no perfect knowledge of thos who were in the invisible state yet among other great dicourse he made between his condemnation and death, (collected by Plat in his Phaedone, that is, a discours of the immortality of the soul, an Apology for Socrates p. 31. Edi•••• Franc.)

This was very consid••••rable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. certainly saith he, death mu•••• be one of these two, either a bein utterly insensible, or a passag into some other place. If th first, then it is a pleasant rest, lik an undisturb'd sleep; but dying Souls go into other h••••bitations as its certain they wi•••• then I shall go from before the Judges to higher,
and there co••••verse

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with Orpheus, Musaeus, He∣siod, Homer; how often would I have died to see how they liv••••

how pleasantly shall I dwell with Palamedes and Ajax equal in the injoyments of another World; as we have been in the injuries of this both happie in that we shall be everlastingly so. Death differeth nothing from life; and he may be sure to live well that lived iustly,
approving himself not to giddy men, but to that one wise God who is truth (his choice words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 concluding his life with these ex∣pressions (after he had been accused for being one who did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 too curi∣usly enquire into the state of things above the Heavens & elow the earth, and for bearing

Page 34

to the truth of one God; (for which Iustin Martyr and other thought him Christian before Christ, and a partaker of our faith because he actd according to his own reason)

It is time for me to goe and die, and you to live 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is best, is known to God.

2. Xenophon who in his life time did nothing without So∣crates advise was at his death of his opinion for after several years spent in Cyrus his Court and Camp and reflecting on the manly plea∣sures, as Hunting, Riding, &c. which he practised as well as writ of, he left this Memento among his friends, that in the midst of his delights he had this grief, that he doubted the•••• was no place for these divetisements in the upper world, and that wise Souls should begin

Page 35

betimes those exercises which shall last ever, exer∣cises pure and eternal as spirits, words to be as much e∣steemed by us as his Cyropaedia was by Scipio Affricanus; the graces as appears by these senten∣ces dwelling in his mouth as they said the Muses did.

3. Eschines a fluent and stately Orator (Quint. Inst. 10. c. 1.) being questioned for dispersing Socrates his books, made Socrates his answer, that he was not afraid to dye for scat∣tering instructions among men to teach them to live, Being asha∣med of nothing more than that he advised Socrates to fly, when no man should be afraid to dye but he that might be ashamed to live; adding that life was a thing which none almost under∣stood but those that were ready o leave it.

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4. Thales the first of the seven wise men, before whom none taught he motions of the Heavens so clearly, saith Eudemus, and none proved the immorta∣lity of the soul so evidently, saith Chaerilus though he shewed by his foresight of a dear year, and the provision he brought in against it, that a Philosopher might be rich; yet he convinced men by his fore∣sight of another world, that they need not, blessing God that he was a knowing Grecian, not an ignorant Barbarian, and a ratio∣nal man, not a beast; he profes∣sed at his death that he had stu∣died all his life for the ancientest thing in the world, and he found it was God; What was the most lasting thing about him, and it was his Soul? What wa best, and he found it was tha which was e∣ternal;

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what was hardest, and he found it was to know himself; What was wisest, he found it was time; and as the Epitaph saith of him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Stars which for age he could not see on the earth, he was taken up nearer to see them in Heaven.

5. Solon having done the grea∣test services to, and received the greatest injuries from his native Country, said that man had the hardest measure of any Creature, if he lived but three-score; & admonished Craesus swim∣ming in the greatest affluence of enjoyments and pleasures imagi∣able, that he should not be happy ill he ceased to be, who esteemed is words as little as he under∣••••ood them, till deprived of all hings, but his reason and conside∣ation, he cryed, O Solon, Solon, thou ••••rt in the right.

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6. Chilon trusted in the sixty fifth Olympiad with the extraordi∣nary power of Ephorus, or Lord High Constable in Sparta, and so jovial a man, that I think he dyed with excessive joy, being asked what the difference was between the learned, and the unlearned, at last? Answered (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) good hope,— 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. He being of opinion that a fore-sight of things to come, was all a mans vertue for the present; and that an honest loss was to be preferred before a dishonest gain, for this reason, because the sad∣ness that followeth the first, is but for once; but that which fol∣loweth the other perpetual: to which I may add Pittacus his sen∣tence much used by him, who be∣ing demanded what was the best thing in the world, replyed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to perform well a man present duty; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Know thy

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opportunity, being his Apoth∣thegm.

7. Bias, (who going with some wicked men that prayed in a storm, intreated them to be silent least the gods should hear them; and being asked by one of them, what that piety he talked of meant, he held his peace, saying, it was to no purpose to speak to a man of those things that he ne∣ver purposed to practise) be∣queathed this instruction to those tha survived him (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) that we should measure life, so as f we were to live a very little, nd a very great while; from which principle his friend Clebu∣••••s on his death bed inferred this onclusion, that those ••••en only lived to any urpose, who did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. overcome leasure, make vertue ••••milar, and vice a

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stranger; the great rule of life, being as he said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the great work of it medi∣ation, according to that of hi contemporary Priander (who hated pleasures which were not immortal) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Meditation is all.

8. Anacharsis the e∣thian to deer young men from tasting pleasures, by the ill effects of them he felt, when old, left this saying behind him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. that the vin bore three branches, or clusters on the first whereof grew plea∣sure, on the second sottishness, on the third sadness: yea Pherecides himself, otherwise no very seriou man, hearing one saying, that he had lived well, answered 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I wish you may dye well; an being asked, why he said so, be ca••••••e, returned he, we Live to Dy and Dye to Live.

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9. Those Ionick Philosophers the hearers of Thales (who as Diod. sic. l. 1. affirmeth, went into AEgypt and the other knowing parts of the world, to be acquainted with all the Learning and Laws then in being, conveighed by a genuine Cabbala and tradition from the Founders of mankind) among other useful considerations that they had at the close of their lives (when as Ar aeus affirmeth in Hie ron Mercurialis his Variae lectiones, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c.

Those that are sick at heart have their senses more quick, their thoughts more free, their minds more enlightned, their hearts more pure, their rea∣son better settled, their imagi∣nations more divine)
these were most remarkable 1. Anaxi∣anders saying on his death bed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that infinity he found, after much study, was the beginn∣ng of all things, and thence con∣cluding

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it must be the end, wishing when he had studied the Sphere much, that he might dwell in it, and comforting himself when he saw time passing away on the Dyall he made (for he was thought the first inventor of Di∣alls) that he was born for eternity. 2. his Scholar Anaximenes being asked how he could study confin'd to a Prison and expecting death, answered that his soul was not confined, having as large a walk as the heavens he studied, nor frighted, having as great a hope as immortality which he looked for.

3. His hearer Anaxagoras (as I have it from simplic: his comment upon Aristotle, Cicero's Tuscalan 1. Et Nat. Deor.) who firs (to use Aristotles words l. 8 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) observed tha there was an eternal mind movin the material world, whence h

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himself was called Mind, being seriously expostulated with for re∣tyring as he did a little before his death, and neglecting the care of his Country rejoyed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I have now the greatest care of all of my Country, pointing at Heaven, of which he said to one that was sor∣ry he must dye in a forraign Country, you may go from any place to Heaven; and being demanded when he was dying, what he was born for, he answered, to contem∣plate the Sun, the Moon, and Heaven while I live, and to dwell here when I am dead; at the thoughts of which he was so raised that when he was informed in one hour hat he himself was condemned nd his on dead, he said no more him, 1. That Nature had con∣emned his judges. 2. And that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knew when he begot his son

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that he had begotten one that should dye. And when he was to dye he required of the Citi∣zens (who desired to know what he would have them do for him) that the boyes should play every year on the day of his death.

4. The Droll & great actor Ari∣stippus, who for his flattery & lux∣ury was called the Kings dog, being asked before his death what wa the difference between; a Philoso∣pher, and another man, answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. though ther were no Laws, we should live a we do; and another tim he said it was a brave thing to use no pleasures at all, but to over∣come them: as when in a dis∣course about Socrates his way o dying, he said that that man dye as he desired; and that it woul never be well in the world unti oys learned those things whic they were to use when men, an

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men learned those things which they were to practise when happy, in the attainment of the end of good men, which he said was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. (if I under∣stand him right, though with the help of Cicero's translation. Tusc. quaest. l. 1.) A sweet motion towards an immutable fru∣ition. Nay mad Theod. himself, wh writ no contemptible books, if we may believe the above cited Au∣thor, against the gods, and a while believed himself a God, yet at last comes to this conclusion, viz. That the end of good men was joy, & of bad men sorrow, the first the effect of prudence, and the other of folly. And that most solid man Euclid. of Megara, who reduced Phyloso∣hy from loose discourses, to lose and cohaerent reasonings, itched after much enquiry up∣n this conclusion, which is to be een in Tully Arcad. Quest. l. 2. That there was but one good,

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which some called Prudence, others Mind, others od; see Ramus his Pref. to Schol. Math G. Neander Geog. p. 1. Blan Disert. de Nat. Math. Sail. Lect. 1. Eucl. Not to mention a dis∣course to the same purpose which may be seen at large in his con∣temporary Cebes, to whom of th Socratiques I shall adde onely Menedemus, who being told on hi death bed that he was a happ man that attained to what h design'd, answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that he was happi who desired not more than he ough which puts me in mind of an o¦servation (much to our purpos•••• which those which will hard•••• beleive should seriously conside gathered by Dr. M. Casab. En p. 60. out of the Author of t•••• History of the Counsel of Tre•••• Solenne in Confinio mortir positis humanas ex ignota quadam & sup••••

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naturali causâ fastidere, that it is an usual thing for men how∣ever ensnared in the world all their lives, at their deaths to loath the things of it, from an unknown and supernatural cause, meaning no doubt depth of prudence and height of religion.

10. The founder of the Aca∣demy Plato, who was surnamed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, though the accutest and smoothest writer of his time himself (Quint. inst. orat. l. 10. c. 1.) yet when sick was more taken with this plain verse of Epicharmus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Gods alwayes were, and alwayes will be, their be∣ing never beginning and never ceasing, than with all his own com∣position; of all which, he poke of none with

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ver after, th•••• he could not get 〈…〉〈…〉 hoght (that he should 〈…〉〈…〉 a beast, and wa 〈…〉〈…〉 e should have 〈…〉〈…〉 longer to live a man) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his mind; wherefore Crate 〈◊〉〈◊〉 away all his estate that he 〈…〉〈…〉 Philosopher, and make 〈…〉〈…〉 use of his life, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said was no other than a con∣templation of death: And Cranto gae himself so much to the study of good and evil with thei cosequence, that his book of tha subiect bequeathed by him t po••••erity, is by Cicero and Panaetius Master or Friend to Tubero ••••lled non magnus, at aureolus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ui ad verbum, ediscendus. A ••••e reading of which Carneade (who disputed many years again•••• the motion of good and evil and Cheilaus, (who proteted h knew for many yeares nothin that was good, but what w••••

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pleasant; and nothing that was evil, but what was unpleasant) both durst not die sober without a great draught of Wine, because they said no voluptuous man could goe in his wits to an invi∣sible state. And to menti∣on no more Platonists: ion, a Cynech indeed ra∣ther than an Academick. aid, that the torments of evil men in the other life were great∣er than any man imagined in his, and though he had defied he Gods a while, deriding heir worshippers and never ouchsafing to look into their Temples, yet when he fell sick he ormented his body with exquisite enance, as thorns, thonges, &c, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hat he might repent of what e had done against the Gods, hose Altars he filled, when dy∣g, with sacrifices, and their eares

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with petitions and confessions (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Laerti•••• feared in vain then wise when he was just r••••dy to say. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 good mor∣row Putus.

11. Aristotle, when he came to the end of his walk and life, (however he was for the eterni∣ty of the world, thinking it in∣conceivable that things should be any otherwise than they are; and that there can be no producti∣on but in a ordinary way of ou generation, measuring the origin of the world by the present stat of it) thought God was a separate being, the cause o all motion, himse•••• one immoveable an therfore onely eternal, that ther was a providence which Craca••••thorp proves at the sam time that the book Mundo is his, and with

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that reason which he reduced into the ex∣actest method and rules of any man, he could not pitch upon a greater comfort in a dying hour, than that of Ens entium mei miserere, thou being of beings, have mercy upon me. Yea Ocellus Lucanus himself (to whose book 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Aristotle was so much beholding, though he acknowledges not by whom he profited,) saith that though he could not see how the world had a beginning, yet could not he dye without fear and reve∣rence of one by whom all things had a beginning.

2. His Schollar Theo∣pha stus, in Laertius, ha∣ving bewailed the ex∣pence of time, gave this reason for it, viz. That we are so foolishly sen∣ual, that we begin not

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to live, untill we begin to dye. Ci∣cero, who called him alwayes his delight, in his Tusc. quest. l. 4. saith, that Theophrastus dying complained of nature, that it gave long life to creatures whom it little concerned to be long-lived, and so short a life to men, who are so much concerned, weeping that he no sooner saw this by much study and experience, but he must dye, saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That the vanity of life was more than the profit of it; I have no time to consider what I should do speaking to those that were a∣bout him at his death) you have— which words, stuck so close to hi Schollar and successor Strato that he studied himself to a Skel••••ton about the nature o spirits, the glory •••• heaven, the chief goo and the blessed life, which because he could not comprehen

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he desired it should comprehend him. Cic. in Lucullus Plut. lib. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Euseb. in Chron.) and to his successor Lycon, who said on his death bed, that it was the most foolish thing in the world to repent, and wish for, as most men do, that time which cannot be recalled; to whom I may adde out of Cael. Rhodiginus, l. 29. c. 5. Demetrius, who said, that when he was a child at home, he reverenced his Parents; when a man a∣broad, the people and the Magistrates; and when an old man and retired, himself: which advise being followed by Heracli∣de, when he felt himself sick put him upon writing his books of the Heavens, of those who are in hell, of temperance, piety, and the chief good.

12. Among the Cynicks, 1. An∣tisthce, who though in jest he

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bid the man who was discoursing of the happy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of then in ano∣ther world, dye himelf, yet af∣terward he used to assert 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he had rather be pu∣nished with madnes than enjoy pleasure, adding, when sick, this ••••••••ence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that those who would be hereafter immortal, must be here godly and just.

2. Diogenes grounded all his Cynical and antere regards of this world upon this pleasant contemplation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. that all thing were the gods; an that wisemen we the gods friends, and therefor that all things belonged to wi•••• and good men, whom he though the image of the Gods. To a ma on a sick ed complaining th

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life was a sad thing, he answered, Yes a bad one is so, because it is but a tampering of the body, when it should be the exercise of the mind, which he inculcated so much to his Auditors, that his disciple Monimus counterfeited himself mad, that he might be at Liberty from his master, to study truth and vertue (abhorring luxury and drunkenness, as madness in∣deed.) with Crates, who comforted a mocked but good man with these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. those that make themselves so merry with thee, thou shalt see one day sadly calling thee, the blessed man for thy vertue, and themselves wretched for their sloath, thou being one of those good men who want few things, because they are like the gods that want nothing

Indeed Religion had such a power over these Cynicks, that one of them by name Menedemus,

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as Laertius calleth him, and Me∣nippus as Snids (in verbo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) out of a zeal against the looseness of his time, walked up and down in the habit of a fury, declaring himself a spectator of mens exor∣bitances on earth, sent on pur∣pose to be a witness against them in hell.

13. The Stoicks among whom Zeno was looked upon as the chieftain, came after a world of rea∣sonings (which you will find in ully, Seneca, Autoninus, Lipsis, lutarch, de com. notion. ad stoicos de placitis Phil. Epictetus, Hiero∣le) and subtlety (which you may observe in Diog. Laertius his Zeno, l. 7. p. 185. & ed. Rom.) To these great conclusions,

  • 1. That the great end of ma was to have the pleasure of living according to right reason, th daughter of Jove, the great moderator

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  • of all things, to whose will it is good mens pleasure and all mens necessity to submit.
  • 2. That vertue is the regula∣ting of passions and affections, by reason: for indeed I think the Stoicks did no more aim at the destruction of natural affections, by their discourses of apathy, than Saint Paul, by his ex∣hortation, to mortifie the flesh with the af∣fections and lust, both aiming at the redu∣cing of the disorder, and the raising of the nature of our facul∣ties, that the wisdom of vertue should so compose and consolidate the mind, and settle it in such sta∣bility and resolution, that it should not at all be bended from the right, by any sensitive perturbati∣ons or impulions.
  • 3. That the consequence of goodness, was calmness and sere∣nity;

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  • and of evil, fear, bondage, grief, stupidity.
  • 4. That that was only good, which was honest, desirable for it self, satisfactory, and lasting.
  • . That nothing base was truly pleasant.
  • 6. That all disorders of the soul proceed from misapprehensi∣ons of the understanding, and con∣inue by disturbing and clouding ••••••son, which they say is in them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God, whom it represent∣••••, they say, so as he is wicked, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dares displease him, and he a mad man that dares doubt of him
  • 7. That the good man is free and happy in the worst condition, and the bad a slave in the best; vertue being sufficient in it self to render happy, and vice so to make men

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  • miserable, and that all things are unalterably ordered by the eternal mind: In testimony whereof a man need only goe over the several Ti∣tles of Chrysippus his sober and good books mentioned by Laerti∣us in his ninth book, which I will not transcribe, ne Chrysippi, Sarinia compilâsse videar, being contented with that of Horace concerning Homer and himself, Quid sit pul∣chrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non Plenius & melius Chrysippo aut Grantore dicit.

14. Pythagoras, (who traveld into Egypt for learning; and if we beleive Origen. Clem. of Alex. Porph. and others to be seen in Seldons book de jur. Nat. el. gentium apud Hebraeos. l. 1. c. 2. con∣verse with the Iews in Chaldea, yea, and if we listen to Vossius, c. 6. §. 5. de sectis Philosoph. with Elisha ••••n: Mount Carmel.) Summed up is observation into this con∣lusion.

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1. That there were two prin∣ciples of all things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. An active and a forming principle, which is the Mind or God by all to be wor∣shipped.

2. The other 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. the pas∣sive principle, which was not to be regard∣ed. 2. That he himself came from the infernal Mansions some yeares past, and must return (see Horace Carm. l. . od. de Architâ Tarenti∣o. 3. That he had found one to be the beginning and end o all things, which he said were man aged by fate as men we•••• by providence. 4. That ther should be a separation of Souls, their pure immortal Souls being carried up to the highest feat and the impure to the lowest i the World, never t approach the other, alwayes

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to be tormented with furies and chains, among themselves; and and Plutarch brings in Pythagoras asserting the immortality of the Soul, and giving this quaint reason for it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it must return to the Soul of the World as to first and most perfect of its kind.

5. That the greatest good or evil amongst men, was opinion or perswasion. Empedo cles one of his followers, hearing a discourse of the immortality of the Soul, n his old age threw himself into he flames of AEtna to injoy it. Sidas in voce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ep. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉 poet.)

15. When Heraclitus ••••d all his lifetime wept t the folly of makind, he was

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at last asked this question, where∣in consisted true wisdom? to which he gave this answer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that it was the only wisdom in the World to know that mind that go∣verned all things and (to use his friend Xenophon's wordes, Laer. p. 24. 1.) is all eye, and all ear, all things at once, Omniscient, Omnipotent and Eternal; and as Melissus thought (in Simplic. his Comment on the first of Aristotl•••• Physick) not to be rashly spoken of, because not fully known.

16. And when Democritus had all his life time laughed at the folly of mankind, he at last stated the happiness of man, to lye in th seenity of the mind; and bein to dye, he prolonged his life b many applications for three days that he might live to pay h•••• d••••votion to the great goddess, an depart upon her solemnity: Ye

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when he and Epicurus loathing the absurd notions men had by poetry, &c. Entertained of the heathen Gods, (for they with Dy∣onisius, Diagoras, Theodorus, and o∣thers, then called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Atheists, got that name rather by jeering the ri∣diculous Polutheism of those times than by denying that Religion which is supported by the consent of all times) set their Philosophical wits on work to salve the appear∣ances of nature, without the true God, by asserting the beginning of the world, from a lucky conflu∣nce of infinite little particles, cal∣led Atomes, and that so confident∣ly that Lucretius, who put those Atomes into the best order, and ••••nest poem of any I know, in hi shrew'd book de natur a rerum (but be it remembred, that that great and witty Epicurean lived and dyed a mad man, (and I think with Mirandula, there is no Aheist

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in the world in his wits) Geeh. Chron. l. 2. Pet. Crinit. de Poeti latinis, l. 2. c. 19.) affirms Epicurus to be the first Gyant that tol∣lere contrà est oculos ausus, tha drst encounter, and did over∣throw that notion of the Gods, that had for so many years op∣p••••ssed, ad kept under the free toughts of men; Yet Catta in Cic. d ••••t. deorum l. 1. c. 86. report that they were so far from gainin their beloved ease, pleasure, & th carnal security of the beast whic perisheth that never was a School by more afraid of a rd than on of them, Epicurus by name was o the thoughts of a God and Deat ••••c quenquam vidi, (they are Ctta ords) ui magis ea quae tien•••• sse egaret, timeret, mort•••• di & deos. So hard it is (saith Maste Silling fleet upon these words, e••••cellently, as he doth in all his di••••course (whose life God long pr••••serve

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for the good and service of his Church) for an Epicurean, even after he hath prostituted his conscience, to silence, it but (whatever there be in the air) there is an elastical power in the conscience, that will bear its self up notwithstanding the weight that is laid upon it. Yea Epicurus his followers confess that it is to no purpose to endeavour the ooting out wholly of the beleif of deity out of the World, because of the unanimous cosent of the World in it; and there he admits his as a principle quod in omni∣•••• animis deorum notionem im∣resset ipsa Natura, that Nature ts self had stamped an Idea upon h minds of men, and that up∣n this ground, cum enim non in∣tituto aliquo, aut more, aut lege it opino constituta, manet at{que} na omnium consensio, intelligi ecesse est Deos esse, quoniam insi∣tas

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eorum vel potuis in nata cogitationes habemus; de quo au∣em omnium natura consentit id verum esse necesse est; i. e. (The are an Epicreans own words) Since the belief of a deity neithe rose from Custome, nor was enacted by Law, yet is unani∣mously assented to by all mankind, i necessarily followeth, that there must be a deity, because the Ide of it is so natural to us, that thoug it be very troublesome to man men, yet could it be laid aside b none as it might, if there had be no God. For as the stoicks urg very well, if there were no Go considering the wishes of som and the abilities of others, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 overthrow such a false notio non tam stabilis opinio permaner nec confirmaretur diuturnita temporis, nec una cum seculis aet a••••bu{que} hominum inveterare potuiss•••• ••••e. Nat. deor. l. 2. vid. Gass•••• Tom. 2. l. 3.

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17. Although Protagoras the Sceptick begins his book of the gods in this doubtful manner 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. As for the gods, I know not whether they be or be not; yet he and Pyrrhon the Master of the Scep∣ticks being asked why they walked alone so much? answered, that it was to meditate how they might be good; and being urged again, what necessity there was of be∣ing good, since it was not certain hat there was a God? they used o reply, it cannot be certain here is not, and it being an even ay between the serious and good, nd the vain and bad man, that here is a God, though upon wo∣ull odds, the good man hazzard∣ng only the loss of his lusts (which t is his interest to be without) or t furthest, some little advantage, eing in this world at more rest nd inward serenity, more health∣full,

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repected, befriended, secure and free; and in the other, if there be not a God, as happy as the bad but if there be, infi∣nitely as much hap∣pier, as an unspeakable and eternal bles∣sedness is beyond ex∣tream and endles Torments.

So that (as an excellent perso saith)

if the Arguments for an against a God were equal, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were an even Question whethe there were one or not; yet th hazzard and danger is so infinitely unequal, that in point of prudence every man is bound to stic to the safest side of the Questio nd make that his Hypothesis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to live by. For he that acts wis••••ly, and is a thorowly-prude man, will be provided in omne ••••••••tum, and will take care to s••••cure the main chance, whatev••••

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happeneth: But the Atheist, in case things should fall out con∣trary to his belief and expecta∣tion, he hath made no provision in this case.
If, contrary to his confidence, it should prove in the issue that there is a God, the man is lost and undone for ever. If the Atheist, when he dyeth, finds that his soul hath only quitted its lodg∣ing, and remains after the body; hat a sad surprise will it be, to find imself among a world of spirits ntred on an everlasting and an nchangeable state!

Yea, Pyrrhon himself would ften repeat that of Euripides, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. who knoweth ut to dye is to live, and to live s to dye? and therefore Epicurus imself in his letter to Meneceus, aith, he observeth him a fool who s vain at death, wherein because of he consequence (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, aith he) there is no jesting, it be∣ing

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〈◊〉〈◊〉 infinite concernment to be serious; in fine, it appears from 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Berg••••ius, Theolgen∣ium ••••ym. de sbud. Theol. Nat 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Egusb. Perenni. Philos. and others, that all the learned men in the world found, as Ci•••• d Nat. deor. l. 1. et de leg. 2. that th•••• notion of God and Religion i the first notion that is engraven in and the last that is defaced out o the minds of men; and that, tak away the being and providence 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God out of the World, you take ••••way all reason, faith, vertue, peac ya & humane society; yea all men though never so barbarous an 〈◊〉〈◊〉, have been Religious; an though they had neither Art nor Laws, nor Letters, yet h•••• Gods. See Benzon Hist. de occi Indi a Acostas, both Eman. an Ioseph Hist. No. orbis Chr. Aco•••• ep de Reb. Ind. So authentic Tu•••• quest: is that of Tully, nulla ge••••

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tam barbara, nemo omnium est tam immanis, cujus mentem non imbue∣rit deorum opinio, multi de dijs pravà sentiunt, id enim vitioso more effici solet omnes tamen esse vim & naturam divinam arbi∣trantur. Nec vero id collocutio ho∣minum aut consensus efficit, non in∣stitutis opinio est conirmata, non logibus; omni autem re consenso omnium gentium lex naturae pu∣anda est; and elsewhere, Gentes licet qualem deum haberent igno∣rant, tamen habendum sciunt. There is no Nation so Barbarous, that hath not some sense of a deity, many have odd imaginations of he diety from ill habits, but all ind there is a Divine power, by ure reason, &c. Thinking it un∣easonable, as the same Heathen oeth on, that all mn should be∣ieve there is a mind and reason n themselves, and none in the orld, and that there should be

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such a glorious order of things, and none to be reverenced for it; See Iust. in serm. ad Gent. quoting Orpheus, the Sybils, Sophocles, Hom. &c. to this very purpose. So that we see there was never any man, that to enjoy his pleasures stifled his Religion, but at last after thoughts of Religion, stifled his pleasures, this being one argu∣ment of the Divinity of the Soul which is another argument of the being of God, that it can and doth correct sooner or later, loose mens imaginations concerning this world, and the next; And that reason doth at last form apprehenions of things quite different from those con∣veighed at first by sense. But how can any man live securely upon the principles of Atheism when those commonly thought Athiests, as Heraclides, Ponticus, Antisthenes, Democritus, Prota∣goras,

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&c. have written books 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of those in the invisible state; nay the punish∣ments which wicked men must look for in another World, though never so secure, and the rewards good men may expect, though never so much discoura∣ged, were so inwoven into the first thoughts of men, and looked upon as of so great concernment to common life, and society, that the Jews who have kept the tra∣dition of religion the best of ny, doe say that Heaven and Hell were one of the seaven things created before the World. See Talmud. Tract. Nedarim. & Pesae∣him & Pirt. R. Eleas. c. 3. Chalde-Paraph. in Gen. 2. and the knowledge of the eternal in the other World was of so much onsequence that Eris and Pam∣hylus, are by Plato Rep. Antillus,

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and Timarchus Thespe∣sius by Plutarch de sera dei vindicta, Aristaeus in Herodotus in Mel∣pomene. The Woman in Heraclides his Noble Book 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Pli∣ny calleth it, Hist. Nat. 7. c. 52. all grave Authors, not to mention instances of the like nature in their Poets, Orpheus, whom Ho∣mer, Plato, as little as he loved them, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) are brought in coming from the dead to declare their state there, which they would not beleive while they were living; it seems as most men when dying endeavour so all, when dead, would return if they might to perswade those to be religious that are alive. And the words of the rich man in the 16th of St. Luke (I pray thee there∣fore that thou would send him to my Fathers house, For I have five

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brethren, that he may testifie unto them, and they come not to this condemnation,) are not the words of any one man, but the words of all men in the eternal State, who could wish men did beleive what they feel, which if they had beleived they had not felt, and that when they are gathered to their Fathers, they are gathered to a future state 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Procopius interprets that phrase, Mundum Animarum, the World of Soules, as the Iews (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) nay where Religion hath been much corrupted people have been affraid to speak or doe any unhansom thing near the dead before they were buried, because they thought their Souls fluttred about the bodies till they were laid in their graves, and

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would tell all they saw or heard as soon as they came into the in∣visible state, (Bar. Nachomi in Be∣resheth. Rabb. c. 22. Talm. sande∣drin c. 4. & misdrain. de anim. Na∣dab, Abihu, Naboth Homer Il.

A late learned man of our own observing a new notion of She in Maimonides, D. Dub. l 2. (of which he saith we had ha a greater account, if learning ha not lost 12000. excellent Jewi books at Cremona and othe parts of Italy) hath this remar••••able passage out of R. Sam. Eb•••• Tibbor, an old man dying said 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those about him, that he had be•••• asleep all his life, and that he w•••• now awake, and there was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sloath, ease and folly, but in th world; whose words the Auth•••• concludeth in these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. but you throughly weigh these thing

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and what did he see when awaked? even an eternal state, of which Hip∣pocrates saith, Dedieta that which the common people think is born, comes only out of the invisible state [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they are his words] and what they think is dead, goeth only into that state whence they came, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or the eternal circle of things returning to one as they came from one, as Musaeus writes: the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Py∣thagoras, and the Rota in aeternum ircum-voluta in R. Ionas his Por∣ta poenit. fol. 42. Nay that great man among the Heathens, whom Hierocles makes a paralel to Christ among the Christians, Apollonius Tyaneus perswaded Va∣lerian in a letter to him (to be seen in Cujacius his pretended latine version) that the dead were not to be lamented, for they ex∣changed not company but place, (Plato calleth death some∣where

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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) by going to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the first being, whom he calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the God to be feared by all. Clemens Strom. 3. p. 433. brings in an old man out of Pindar, giving this reason of his cheerful death, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c) happy is he who having seen the common course of this upper world, goeth into the lower where he may understand the en of Life, and see the beginning o it. Another sick man is mentione by Salmasius, somewhere, wh could not quietly dye till he understood what the meaning w•••• of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Homer, D••••mus & porta Lethi, the house an gate of Hell, in Lucretius, Virg and Ennius; and that some knowing men of that time being b answered him, that he could no know it, because he had not pu••••ged his Soul, this being one of th misteries that were not to be u••••derstood

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by the (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) men that had not made it their business to purge their Souls, (vid. Casaub. excerp. ex co∣dice Caesar) the pure among the Jews and Greeks understanding the two everlasting Seats of the Vertuous and the Vitious, R. Eli∣az. in Pirk. c. 3. Gaulman not. ad vit. mosis) the one North, and the other South, where the Souls of good men, after three tryals, being freed from all their bonds, leap for joy, and are carried on high. Diodorus Siculus placeth the judgement of the unjust, and the enjoyment of the just in the invisible state, whereof Rabban Iochanan Ben. Saccai in Gemar, Be∣rachoth, fol. 27. 2. as he was a dy∣ing, said, he had before his eyes two ways, the one leading to Pa∣radise, and the other to Hell: the last of which places is represented by all the world, as full of tortures,

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furies, [called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Plut. de defect. Orac. See the same notions in the Talmud or heap of disputations, like those of our School-men upon the Jewish Law, Tract. Rosh. Hashannah, c. 1. fol. 16. p. 2. See Maymon, well skilled in both Talmuds in cap. 10. Sande∣rim. See R. Abdias, Spharnus the great Physitian in or Hashem. p. 91. Nobly describing the bliss of good men after death.] The book of Moses his life fol. 23 p. 2. brings in God encouraging Moses to dye, by the same description of Heaven, and the everlasting hap∣piness of good men in it, tha Pindar hath in the 2. Ode of hi Olympiads concerning the blessed and that is the same with Sain Iohn, Revel. 21. 21. 25, 7. ult. 21 And Moses chiding his Soul fo its delay in going into the Societ of Cherubims and Seraphims u••••der the throne of the Divine M••••jesty

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of which Ioseph Ben Perat R. Mekir in Aukath Rochel, R. Ephodi. in D. Dub. c. 70. R. Shem. Tobh. Eben. Esdra. R. D. kimchi, that King of Gram, & deadly enemy of Christi∣anity in Psal. 110. R, sal. Ben. Gabirol, the famous Jewish Poet in Kether Malcuth, whose words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. the seating of just Souls under the throne of glory in the bundle of life, with a state of perfection is the futurum aevum, the future state into which R. Ionah ben. Levi in his Tikune Sockar fol. 63. Col. 1. et. 2. affirm∣eth that most of the Rabbies said, they were to go when dying, as do most of the Talmudists as we may find in Constant L. Emperour, who made a key to them; yea, and Mahomet himself in his Alco∣ran, that Oglio Iudaisme, Groe∣cism and Neorianism, surat 2. ver. 22. as in his Dialogue with Sinan discourseth of a blessed

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state of good men begun in the inward pleasures of good men here, and perfected in their ever∣lasting pleasures hereafter. It is a great argument to all men to live as if they believed a future state, that these men who had so little knowledge of it, by reason of their corrupt reason, as to de∣scribe it foolishly, yet had so much knowledge of it by natural reason, as to own it, and that so far as to believe tha all the poetical descriptions of Pa∣radise, and Elizium, in the Hebrew and Arabian Authors in the Greek and Latine Poets are Allegories of a more Spiritual state, and so the Persian Ali, and his faction under∣stands Mahomet; and divine Plat in many places understands the Hellenists expressing (in Phaedro) the feast of the Soul in contempla∣ting the first and real being, as di∣vinely as the Jews do, the happi∣ness

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of it in the beholding the She∣cinah, or the light of the coun∣tenance of the King of life, or the Christians in the beatifick vision: and concluding that all good men have a share in that as confident∣ly as the Jews affirm 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. that every Israelite hath a part in the world to come; all men with Socrates expect a future judgment, the good for a happy sentence, the unjust, the Insancibles, the encorrigible for an unhappy one to be (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) to unjust men everlast∣ing monuments and examples, that Common sentence of the Rabbines being the common sence of mankind 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &. there is no place after death for repentance: so much there was of the sense of Religion upon these men, other∣wise ignorant enough, that a learned Arabian, when dying con∣sidering the contradiction of the

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Practises of men in this worl with the notion all me have of another World, breath'd out his oul in this wish, Sit anima mea cum Philosophis, Be my soul with the Philosophers: The same man being pleased much with the AEgyptian Hierogliphyck of the Soul which was a Pyra∣mis and the correspondence thus, As a Pyramis (if it be turned about its Axis, the Axis continu∣ing still the same is Geometricall transformed into a new soli cone. So mortality having gone it its rounds, as it were i this circle of time, u••••on the immoveable ce••••ter of the soul shall become new Body and unite again.

In a discourse concerning th resurrection had before Iuli•••• Caesar the Emperour, at which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gamaliel was present, Cleopat•••• the Queen asked R. Meir a••••

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said, we know that they that lye down shall live because it is written, and they shall spring out of the City like the herb of the ground, but when they stand up from the dead shall they rise up naked or cloath∣ed? he said unto her, Valmechonier (i. e. argumentum a minori ad Ma∣jus, aut e contra) from the Wheat; the Wheat is buried naked, and yet riseth up very well Clad, how much more the just men who are buried in their Cloaths; Cae∣sar said to R. Gamaliel, &c. Talm. in sanded. c. 11. fol. 90. 6. apud. Greg. Nat. p. 128. I will conclude this part with a remarkable say∣ing of an Arabicke Commentator upon the Turkish Alcoran; he that desires to escape Hell fire and go to Paradise, let him beleive in God, and the day of judgement, and doe to every man as he would

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be done by; What saith the care∣less and debauched man to this? doth he think to be without those thoughts that all mankind hath? if he thinks he shall be posses∣sed with them as men are, when dying, will it not be a torment to him that he thought not of them sooner? and that he can only think of them then when it is too late: I there greater torment in th World then for a man on hi death bed to be racked wit the consideration of his eterna state, and to reflect how often h was told it would come to that and that all men sooner or lat have those thoughts; how poss••••ble, yea how easie it had been t prevent them, how serious God and men warned them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them. Good God! that men w•••••• not embrace Religion, when the see they cannot avoid it; th

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men will not come under the yoke of it, when all men doe so, or else at last come uder the torments of it: what think you? will you stifle religious reflections then as you doe now, you can∣not doe it, because your fond imaginations and conceits, your foolish hopes, all that ill ground∣ed peace within, all your car∣nal mirths and recreations, all your sensual delights and con∣tentment which assisted in the diverting of these thoughts will fail you, and you will be left alone to dwell with your pain and conscience.

Sect. 3.

You see the wisest in all ages at their death, when they were freest from design, owning that Religion which they did not con∣sider as they ought in their lives

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and they were too many, and too wise to be imposed upon; see the greatest doing the like, though too great to be otherwise over awed or frighted.

1. Nimrod the founder of the Ass••••rian Monarchy, who from his dominion overbeasts whereof he wa a mighty Hunter, advanced the first to a government over men (Abar••••nel in par. Noach;) acknowledged in his later dayes Gods powe over him as great as his over h•••• subjects, wherefore he Institute the worship of the Sun and Sta•••• the greatest instruments of Go government, (and many are •••• opinion that the He thens worshipped n the creature, but G appearing in them in verse wayes of administrations, but the same Lo working all and in all) and wh

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carried away by Spirits at his death, as Annius in his Berosus re∣lates the story, he cried out, Oh! one year more Oh one year more, before I must goe into the place from whence I shall not return. What you are born to doe, doe while you live; as who should say with Solomon, whatever thine hand findeth thee to doe, doe it with all thy might, for there is no knowledge nor understanding in the grave whit her thou art going.

2. Ninus the next from Nimrod save Belus, the time, place, manner of whose death is un∣certain, hath this Hi∣story (in Colophonius in Phoenix in Atheneus his twelfth Book) viz. Ni∣nus the great Emperor who ne∣ver saw the Stars, nor desired it, worshipped neither Sun, Moon, nor Stars, never spoke to his people, nor reckoned them

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strong in eating and drinking, and skilfull in mingling wines, yet when dead left this testimony a∣mong all men, viz. Looking o this Tombe, hear where Ninus is whether thou art an Assyrian, Mede, or an Indian, I speak to thee no frivolous or vain matters formerly I was Ninus, and lived a thou dost, I am now no more tha a piece of earth; all the meat tha I have like a glutton eaten, all th pleasures that I like a beast e•••• joyed, all the handsome women that I so notoriously entertaine all the riches and glory that I proudly possessed my self failed, and when I went into th invisible state, I had neith•••• Gold, nor Horse, nor Chario I that wore the rich Crown of f••••ver, am now poor dust.

Nay, There is a tradition mong the Jews, (in the bo•••• Maase Toral. quoted by Muns••••••

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upon Genesis) that Abraham being brought before Amraphel King of Assyria, for burning his Father Terahs Idols, though but three years old, discoursed before the Tyrant concerning the Creator of Heaven and Earth; Am∣aphel proudly replyed, hat it was he that made he Heaven and the ost of Heaven; if so, said Abraham, ay thou to thy Sun, that he should ••••se in the West, and set in the ast, and I will believe thee: Am∣aphel being exasperated with the hilds boldness and discretion, ommandeth that he should be ast into the fire, out of which God elivering the child (whence the ord is said to bring him from Vr the Chaldees) convinced the an, so far as to make him worship od in the fire.

Sardanapalus, that prodigy of ••••faeminacy, as wanton as Cicero

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observed his name is, who (as Iustin writes) did nothing like a man but that he Died as he did; yet had a Tomb at Anchialus, which with Tarsus he built in one Day, upon which he ordered this inscription 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eat, drink, Play &c. All is not worth this; his Statue being drawn il∣liping the World.

Phul. in Herodotus his Euterp hearing that the Oracle should pronounce against him that he should live but six years and dye the seaventh, the King hearing this, commanded that certain Lamps should be made for the Night time, which he intended to spend in Jovialty whilest other lept, that so he might delude the Oracle, and live twice the longer by taking so much more notice of his Day, but when he w•••• called to Dye, Oh said he if had thought I had thus dye I had not so lived.

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3. Senacherib going forth with his Army against Egypt, it came to pass one Night that a plague of mice came upon him and disarmed his souldiers by devouring their har∣nesse of leather, in memory whereof there was erected a statue like this Prince in stone, holding a mouse in his hand with this in∣scription 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. who ere behold∣eth me let him learn to be re∣ligious. How Nebuchadnezzar was taken down from the pride of a great King to the despicable condition of a poor Beast till he ift up his eyes unto Heaven and his understanding returned unto im, and he blessed the most high, and praised, and honoured him hat liveth for ever, whose do∣minion is an everlasting domi∣nion, and his Kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting, hat is till he acknowledg∣ed

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the most high to have ruled in the Kingdoms of men; is worthy all mens most serious consideration, as it is set down in Dan. 4. compa∣red with the fragments of Berosus in Iosephus 1. Affricanus, Eusebius, Scaliger, and Sedar olam Rabba As is the sad instance of Belshaz∣zar, the last Assyrian Monarch being greatly troubled, his coun∣tenance changed in him, his Lord astonied, his thoughts perplexed, so that the joynts of his loyns wen loosed, and his knees smote on against another amidst the mos Joviall entertainments of his mos solemn Feastivals called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 upon the Caldee decree upon the wall, Mene, Tekel, Perez God hath numbred th Kingdom, and finished it thou art weighed in the ballanc and found wanting; thy Kingdo is divided and given to the M••••des and Persians. In the sam

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night was Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans slain, Dan. 5. compa∣red with Scaligers notes upon the Greek fragments.

4. Cyrus the Persian left this emento behind him to all mankind (Plutarch: Paral 703 edti. Par.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Who∣soever thou art man, and whence∣soever thou comest (for I know hou wilt come to the same con∣dition that I am in) I am Cyrus, ho brought the Empire to the ersian, do not I beeech thee en∣ie me this little peice of ground hich covereth my Body.

5. Alexander the Founder of he Grecian Monarchy, though e allowed himself all the exces∣es that a man was capable of, pon an imagination that he was God, yet after he had had expe∣••••ence of all things in the World, ••••d his Master Aristotle had by

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his command studied the ground and bottome of all things in Na∣ture, Plutarch and Curtius both testifie of him, that in his latter dayes he called the Gymnosophists to resolve him whe∣ther the dead or the living were most: How a man might become a God: How a man might live s•••• as to dye well. And at last wa so possessed with the sence of Religion, as to lye under so much trouble and disturbance of Spirit, as to look upon every littl matter as portentous and ominou and to fill his Palace with Sacrificers, Expiators, and Diviner 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. So dreadf•••• a thing (saith Plutarch is unbeleif and contemp of the Gods, which sooner o later filleth all mens minds (as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did Alexanders, who thereby a••••knowledged one greater then hi••••self) with fears and terrors.

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6. Iulius Caesar conquered the Roman Empire, but not his own Conscience which troubled him with dreams and terrified him with visions, putting him upon Sacrificing, divining, and con∣sulting all sorts of Priests and Augures, though he found com∣••••••g from none, insomuch that a ••••••le before he died he was as ••••artless as the ominous Sacrifice 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he offered, professing to ••••s friends, that since he had made 〈◊〉〈◊〉 end of the Wars abroad, he ••••d no peace at home, for having ••••spised as well all the Gods particularly in his expedition ••••inst Iuba,) as all men, although 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Religious ••••••s were not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great as his ••••••the rer Bru∣•••••••• in whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Caesars blood cried so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he could not sleep

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for the noise he thought he hard at his doors, and an apparition he thought he saw in his chamber, which told him it was his evil Ge∣nius, which he should see at Phi∣lippi, where he no sooner saw it, than in the Career of his Victory he drooped, & retired to fall up∣on his own sword, that he migh not fall by the Enemies; as in o•••• own Chronicles, the young chi••••dren of Edward the fourth, who he is reported to have murthere troubled Richard the third ov•••• night more then Henry the ••••∣venths Army did the next da for he started ever and anon in h•••• sleep, Crying out take away the•••• Children from me. Religion c•••• torment those whom it cannot •••• claim.

7. It were worth our while 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consider; why, so wise and gre•••• a Prince as Philip of Macedon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one every morning to call up••••

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him to remember that he was a man; why he was so afraid to be charmed with the sweets of life, as to be roused every day from sleep with the news of death; and why so puissant an Emperour as Saladine would have these words proclaimed to his Army, and com∣municated to posterity, viz. Great ••••ladine, Magnificent Conqueror 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Asa, and Monarch of the whole ast, carries away nothing with im to the grave, for fruit of his ictories, but onely a shirt which overeth the mould of his body, nd even this rag of linnen too ortune giveth him onely to give he worms: Fui, & nihil amplius, have been, and that is all.

To see the Emperour Adrian elebrating his own Funerals, and ••••rrying before him his Coffin in riumph, when he lived; and hen he was a dying, to hear him y, animula, vagula, blandula, &c.

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Ah poor Soul, whither wilt thou goe? is an Argument to all sobe men, that though Riches, Honour, and Pleasures possess the imagi∣nation, yet Religion dwells in ou ••••ason; those things staying with us only, during the age of phansie and this lasting, during the tim of our being; a consideration tha may bring all men of Gueva•••• mind, that the m•••••• Courtly and ple••••sant lives are pu••••lick Pennances, a•••• that a serious life is the only ple••••sure.

8. Nero having run up a•••• down to all the pleasures in t•••• world, to divert and suppress a•••• thoughts of the deity, found impossible, the apprehensions God, in the midst of Theaters, fea•••• and sports, stinging his heart; if 〈◊〉〈◊〉 slept on roses, or down, the de•••• men he had killed troubled hi

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he scosfed at Religion, and feared: one while he despised sacred things, and at another time they made him tremble with horror, in vain seeking all ways imaginable for expiation, his Soul being torn with exquisite torments; wilde as a stung beast a great while, and at last sottish as a tame one, beseech∣ing the Senate to have so much ercy on him as to kill him, to ave him the labour and horror of doing it himself; who had not a more tormenting thought than this, that he was an Athiest, notwithstanding the warning given him by the burning of Dia∣goras, the lice of Pherecides, the dogs of Lucian, the thunderstruck Olympius, and the fearful death of others that led Atheistial lives; (vid. Dion. Prusaeus Orat.)

9. Tiberius Caesar in Tacitus had his sins so turned into punish∣ments,

that he thought nothing

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would confirm men more in ver∣tue than to see wicked mens breasts opened with their in∣ward wounds and gashes, where their minds are tormented with guilt, lust, and evil thoughts, as much as the body is vexed with stripes;
neither the greatness of his fortune, nor the pleasure of his diversions and solitudes, being able to remove the punishment he carryed about him, insomuch that he doth profess his anguish to the Senate in these words; Qui vobis scribam patres consripti, a•••• quomodo scribam, aut quid omnin non scribam hoc tempore Dij deae{que} pejus perdant quam quotidie me perire sentio. An Dion Cassius in Tib. doth profes to the world his acknowlegment o the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Th first, and great God, that made an governeth all things.

10. Otho having killed Gal∣ba could not kill his ghost, whic

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though in vain, by all wayes of ex∣piation attoned, gave his consci∣ence as great a wound as he had done his body; so that in his di∣stress he came to that serious con∣clusion, which Livy, l. 3. saith all men come to in distress, prose quis{que} deos esse, & non negligere humana fremunt, every man then believes a God; whence that smart saying of Saint Cyprian [haec est summa delicti] &c. this is the highest, both folly and im∣piety, not to have those lawful sentiments of a God, which a man cannot be without.

11. Ne{que} enim post id Iugurtha, &c. neither had Iugurtha [writes Salust. of him]

after his many villanies a quiet day or night, nor could he trust any place, time, or man, fearing both Friends and Foes, looking about, and pale, at every noise, tumbling from one Room to another,

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several times in the night, in a way unseemly for a Prince; and so mad with fears, as sometimes to get up in his sleep in arms, di∣sturbing the whole house:
whence the Author concludeth that there is a God within men, who seeth and heareth all that they do: and I may infer with Tertullian ex an•••• pol. 9. mae ipsius testimonio pro∣bamus deum quae licet corporis car∣ere pressa, &c. We may see and feel a God in our Souls, which hough kept close in the prison of the body, though depraved by il principles, though weakened by lusts and concupiscence, though enslaved to false gods; yet whe it awakes and recovers, as out o a drunkenness, a sleep, or sick∣ness, it owns, fears, and appeale to a God, and repenting look up to the heaven, from whence i came.

12. Iulian the Apostate (o

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whom Crakanthorpe de provid. ••••ej hath this character, quo tetrius, ma∣gis{que} deo simul, & hominibus exosum animal orbis vix vidit.) Yet gave this testimony towards the latter end of his life to Religion in ge∣neral 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. We all by nature without any in∣struction have ingraven in us strong perswasions of a Divine being, to whom we must look up; and I be∣lieve, saith he, that our minds are to God, as our eyes are to light; and at his death to Christian Reli∣gion, in particular when having two plots for the honour of his Go∣vernment, & Idols, the rooting out of the Galileans (so he called the Christians) & the subduing of the Persians, he was prevented in the former by being overthrown in the latter; and being shot or thrust in the belly, he threw up his blood towards heaven, saying, icisti Galilee, thou hast overcome.

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O Galilean, meaning Christ Ita simul et victoriam fassus est, & Blasphemiam evomuit (see Naz. or. 4. in Iulian) Socrates Sezom: Theodoret in Iul. collected in Pez. mellific. Histor p. 2. p. 273. Indeed St. Basil gave the right reason why he and all o∣ther Apostates slight Religion, even because they understand it not. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I read, I understood, I condemned, said Iulian; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thou hast read but not understood; for if thou hadst understood, thou hadst not condemned, said Basil.

13. Seneca, a man of great parts prudence and experience, after a serious study of all the Philosophy then the World, was almost a Christian in his severe reproofs of vice, and excellent discourses of vertue, (Lips••••s epist. ad Paul. Quintum.)

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and a Saint as Ierome (de Script. eccles.) rec∣koneth him for his supposed Epistle to St Paul, and St. Pauls to him, to be read saith Mr Gataker in his prelo∣quium to Antonius by those that study Divinity, as well as those that study other in learning. And Came to this excellent temper by this consideration in hi reduced yeares (which is to be seen in his excellent preface to his natural questi∣ons) O quam contempta¦res est homo, nisi supra umana se erex erit, what a pit∣tiful thing is man, were it not that his Soul soared above these earthly things. Yea, and when he was somewhat dubious as to the future condition of the Soul, yet he could tell his dear

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Lucilius with what pleasure he could think of it: and at last that he was setled in his opi∣nion of an eternal state with this thought, & hoc habet argumentum divinitatis suae, quod illam divina delectant, nec ut alienis interest sed ut suis; the Soul had that mark of divinity in it, that it was most pleased with divine specu∣lations, and convered with them as with matters that did neerly concern it; and when it had one viewed the dimensions of the Heavens contemnit domicilii prioris augustias, it was ashamed of the Cottage it dwelt in; nay were it not for these contempla∣tions, non fuerat operae pretium nasi, it had not been worth while for the Soul to have been in the body, and as he goeth on in detrahe o maestimabile bonum, non est via tanti ut sudem aut aestuem. Whence come such amazing fears,

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such dreadful apprehensions, such sinking thoughts of their future condition, in minds that would fain ease themselves by beleiving that death would put a period both to Soul and body? whence on the other side comes such incouraging hopes, such confident expectations, such comfortable prepossessions of their future state in the souls of good men, when their bodies are nearest to the grave, An dubium est habitare deum sub pectore nostro, an caelum{que} redire animas, coelo{que} venire. And while the Soul is here in its cage it is continually fluttering up and down, and delighteth to look out now at this part, and then at ano∣ther, to take a view by degrees of the whole universe, as Manilius, Seneca's contemporary, expresseth t, Quid mirum noscere mundum, i possunt homines quibus est & mun∣us in ipss. To these notions of he future state it was, that Caesar

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owed that his opinion of death, that it was better to dye once than to lose his life in continual ex∣pectations: Being troubled with that unhappiness of men, menti∣oned in Atheneus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. That he had done his work as if it had been his play; and his play as if it had been his work.

14. Aug. Cesar consulting the Oracle about his successor, received thi answer (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) An Hebrew child hath bid me leave these shrin, which Oracle Augustus having re∣ceived, erected an Altar with this inscription, Ara primogeniti dei, the Altar of the first born of God: and when Tibe∣rius by Pilates Letters, qui pr•••• conscientia Christanus himself heard of the wonderful death of Chris (at which there was a voice hear saying, that the great God Pa•••• is dead, and at the ecclipse it wa

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said, that either nature was dead, or the God of Nture) and his more wonderful resurrection he would have had him made a God. (See Phlegon. de temp. in orig. cont. Celsum. l. 2. Fol. 21. Pliny l. 2. c. 25.

15. That Deity which Tiberius owned he feared, securing his head with Laurel against the Thunderer; and running to his grave, as Ca∣igula did afterwards under his ed, for fear of a God. That God which the great Scipio had at last uch a reverence for, that before e went about any business into he Senate he went to prayers in∣o the Capitol, looking for no good success from the Counsells nd indeavours of men, without he blessing of God, who he hought made, and was sure overned the World; and indeed here was no man ever went eriously about any great matter

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but at last he was glad to take in the assistance of a God, as Numa consult with Egeria, Zamolcus the Thracia with AEgis, Lucurgus, Solon & Min with Iove, Mahomet with the An∣gel Gabriel, Gods messenger, Caligula with Castor and Polux.

16. And as we have made clear, that all men have near thei latter end a sence of Religion So Plutarch in his Book of Liv concludes most of his Hero Histories with discourse of Relig••••on, how divine doth he treat Immortality, an the happiness of a future stat 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. whe the body lyeth under pale deat the Soul remains carrying upon the image of eternity, for that is t•••• only thing that came from the God & must return thither, not with, b without the body altogether pu and spiritual, nothing followin

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it but vertues, which place it a∣mong the Heroes and the Gods. How rationally doth he discourse of the Divine Nature, and the be∣ing of a God, towards the close of Pericles his life? how seriously doth he bring in Fabius Maximus that great commander in the em∣minent danger of the Common∣wealth, not training his men, but ••••rching in the Sybills books, and ••••lling his Countrey-men that they ere overthrown, not by the eakness or rashness of the Soul∣diers, but by their neglect and contempt of the Gods, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, beginning his great enterprize for the saving of is Country bravely, with the ervice of the Gods; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, s Plutarch goeth on p. 176. not esigning to ensnare mens minds with superstition, but to confirm heir valour with piety, and to

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ease their fears with the hope of Divine assistance, raising the de∣sponding peoples minds by Religi∣on to better hopes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it was a common principle amongst them, that the Gods gave success to vertue, and prudence: upon which Fabius advised them, not to fear their enemies, but to worship the Gods; and speakin of his successes, he hath thes words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, But these you must ascribe t the goodness of the Gods: It wa the same man, who when he wa asked what he should do with th Gods of Tarentum, answered 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Let us leave to the Tarentines th Gods that are angry with them.

How easily doth the same A••••ther dispute of the influence Go hath upon the will of man by ve••••tue, and on the frame of nature b

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miracles and prodigies, in Coriola∣nus, Camillus, and Dion: how gravely doth he assert in Marius, that the neglecting of the study of true wisdom will revenge it self, the despisers of it [as he saith] not being able to do well in their greatest prosperity, and the lovers of it not doing ill in their lowest adversities. How seriously doth Themistocles promise the Persian King (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) to honour the ing, and to worship the God that reserveth all things. How de∣outly doth Camillus, p. 131. ap∣eal to the Gods as Judges of ight, and Wrong, Confessing fter all his great exploits, that e owed his greatness, not to his wn actions, but the Gods favour, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] ho was upon all occasions pre∣••••t with him by many and great ••••nifestations of himself,

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of which Plutarch hath this grave discourse, To believe these mani∣festations or disbelieve them is a matter of great uncertainty, som by too easy a Faith falling to su∣perstition, and vanity, others by too obstinate an unbelief into neglect of the Gods, and loosnes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, wa••••∣ness, and a mean are best. Ho resolvedly doth Cato minor, wh•••• he would not yield to Caesar, •••• whom the world submitte choosing rather that Caesar shou•••• envie his death, than save h•••• life;) First read over Plato discourse of the Soul, which w•••• found over his beds head, an then he dispatched himself wi•••• assurance of enjoying what h•••• read: As Empedocles having p•••• ••••sed a discourse of the etern•••• state of Souls, threw himself in AEtna, and Pliny into Vesvius t•••• emblem if not the real sat

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hat state. And there was nothing made Artaxarxes so afraid of death when the Assassines broke nto his Chamber, as the uncertain∣y of his state after he was dead, he reason why he wept when he ooked upon his vast Army to onsider that of 300000 men there ould not in sixty yeares be two en in the land of the Living. he vanity, indeed and shortness •••• life was so much upon Augustus ••••sars spirit, that when he was ••••ying he spoke to his friends bout him to clap their ••••nds, intimating to them that ••••s life was only a short stage, and •••• dying a going off from it. Of is, Titus Vespasian, the delight of ankind, that dismissed from him ••••ne sad, was so sensible, that if •••• remembred at night that he ••••d done no good that day, he ••••ould cry out Amici diem perdidi ••••ends, I have lost a day. And

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that Prince was so sensible of a deity in the government of the World, that when Crowns were sent him upon his conquest of Ieru∣salem, he refused them, saying that he did it not himself, but God to shew his wrath upon the chil∣den of disobedience (if I ma so translate Pezel. p. 35.) made u of him as an instrument and th rod of his anger. And so serio•••• was he and Nerva upon the thoughts, that Apollonius Thyan∣us in Phylostratus saith, neither them was ever seen to smile play. And Trajan entring upo his government said, I enter int this palace in the same temp that I wish I were of when I g out of it. These persons no dou finding the vanity of the Wor as feelingly as septimus Sever did, who left this testimony of •••• life I have been all things, and

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profiteth me nothing. And Alex∣ander severus allowed Christianity out of love to that one precept, do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done to thy self, a precept, upon consideration of the excellency of it, he had engra∣ven on his Plate, and Roomes, and proclaimed at the punishment of all malefactors. And indeed Religion was so amiable in the eyes of most of the greatest men n the World, that Charles the reat said of it as another Em∣erour had done before him, that e gloried more in being a Son of he Church, then in being an Em∣erour of Rome; and when an Affrican King ready to be Bap∣••••zed in his house, saw twelve Christian beggars, and asked hose servants they were, was ld they were Christs, thereupon ••••fused Baptism, because the ser∣ants of Christ were so poor, the

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Emperour replied, that if he went to prayer three times a day as he did he would ind such in∣ward excellencies in Religion as would recompence all the out∣ward inconveniences that might attend it.

Dan. Heinsius, a Master (as Sel∣dn expresseth it, tam severiorum quam amoeniorum Literarum, Histo∣ry-professor at Leyden, Secretary and Bibliothecary of the same U∣niversity, and appointed Notary of the Synod of Dort, said at last, Alas, as to humane Learning, I may use Solomon's expressions, That which is crooked cannot be made strait.

Methinks (saith Hensius, and Master Baxter out of him) I could bid the world farewel, and im∣mure my self among my Books, and look forth no more, (were it a lawful course) but shut the doors upon me, and (as in the lap of Eter∣nity)

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among those Divine Souls employ my self with sweet con∣tent, and pitty the rich and great ones that know not this happiness. Sure then it is a high delight in∣deed, which in the true lap of Eternity is enjoyed!

Cardinal Mazarine, having made Religion wholly subservient to the Secular interest, amassed to his own interest and person all he Treasure and Interet of Eu∣ope, and managed the Crown of rance for several years together; iscoursed one day with a Sorbon Doctor concerning the immortali∣y of the soul, and a mans eternal state; and then wept, repeating hat Emperours saying, Animula agula blandula, quae abibis in lo∣••••? O my poor Soul, whither mil hou goe? Immediately calling for ••••s Confessor, and requiring him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deal freely with him, and vow∣••••g ten hours of the day for De∣votion,

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seven for Rest, four for Repasts, and but three for busi∣ness: saying one day to the Queen-mother, Madam, your fa∣vours undid me: were I to live a∣gain, I would be a Capuchin rather then a Courtier.

Cardinal Richlie, after he had given law to all Europe many years together, confessed to P. du Mou∣lin, that being forced upon many irregularities in his lifetime by that which they cal Reason of State, he could not tell how to satisfie his Conscience for several thing and therefore had many temptations to doubt and disbeleive 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, another World, and th immortality of the soul; and b that distrust, to releive his akin heart: But in vain; so strong (h said) was the notion of God o his soul, so clear the impressio of him upon the frame of th World, so unanimous the conse••••

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of mankind, so powerful the con∣victions of his conscience, that he could not but taste the power of the world to come; and so live as one that must die, and so die as one that must live for ever. And being asked one day why he was so sad: he answered, Monsieur, Monsieur, the soul is a serious thing; it must be either sad here for moment, or be sad for ever.

Sir Christopher Hatton, A little before his Death, advised his Re∣lations to be serious in the search after the will of God in the holy Word: For (said he) it is de∣servedly accounted a piece of ex∣cellent Knowledge, to understand the Law of the Land, and the Customs of a mans Country; how much more to know the Statutes of Heaven, and the Laws of Eter∣nity, those immutable and eternal Laws of Justice and Righteous∣ness! to know the will and plea∣sure

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of the Great Monarch and U∣niversal King of the World! I have seen an end of all Perfection; bu thy Commandments, O God, are ex∣ceeding broad.

Whatever other Knowledge a man may be endued withal, could he by a vast and imperious Mind and a Heart as large as the San upon the Sea-shoar, command l the Knowledge of Art and Nature of Words and Things; could h attain a Mastery in all Languages and sound the depth of all Art and Sciences; could he discours the Interest of all States, the In∣trigues of all Courts, the Reason of all Civil Laws and Constitutions, and give an Account of a Histories; and yet not know t•••• Author of his Being, and the Pr••••server of his Life, his Soveraig and his Judge; his surest Refug in trouble; his best Friend, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 worst Enemy; the Support of h••••

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Life, and the Hope of his Death; his future Happiness, and his Por∣tion for ever; he doth but sapienter descendere in infernum, with a great deal of wisdom go down to Hell.

Francis Iunius, a Gentile and an Inge∣nious Person, who hath written his own Life, as he was read∣ing Tully de Legibus, fell into a perswasion nihil curare Deum, nec sui, nec alieni; till in a Tumult in Lyons, the the Lord wonderful∣ly delivered him from imminent death, so that he was com∣pelled to acknowledg a Divine Providence therein: And his Fa∣ther

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hearing the dangerous ways that his Son was mis-led into, sent for him home, where he carefully and holily instructed him, and caused him to read over the New Testament; of which himself writ thus: Novum Testamentumaperio, ex. hibet se mihi adspicienti primo au∣gustissimum illud caput, In principio erat Verbum, &c. When I opened the New Testament, I first lighted upon Iohn's first Chapter, In th beginning was the word, &c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 read part of the Chapter, and wa suddenly convinced that the Di∣vinity of the Argument, and th Majesty and Authority of th Writing, did exceedingly exce all the Eloquence of Human Writings: My Body trembled, m Mind was astonished, and was s affected all that day, that I kne not where and what I was. Th wast mindful of me, O my God, a••••cording to the multitude of t••••

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Mercies; and calledst home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold. And as Iustin Martyr of old, so he of late professed, that the power of god∣liness in a plain simple Christian wrought so upon him, that he could not but take up a strict and a serious Life.

The Earl of Leicester, in Queen Elizabeths days, though allowing himself in some things very incon∣sistent with Religion, came at ast to this Resolution; that Man differed not from Beasts so much n Reason, as in Religion: and that Religion was the highest Reason; nothing being more Rational, than or the supream Truth to be be∣ieved, the highest good to be em∣raced, the first Cause and Al∣mighty Maker of all things to be wned and feared; and for those who were made by God, and live holly upon him, to improve al for im, & live wholly to him: Agree∣ble to the Apostle, give up your Souls

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and Bodies unto him, whieh is your reasonable Service.

Galeacius Caracciolus, Marques of Vico, a Noble Personage of great estate, powerful Relations both in the Emperours and in the Popes Court the latter of which wa his near Relation; not∣withstanding the grea Overtures of his Ma∣ster, Pathetick lette of his Uncle, bitte Cryes and Tears of hi Parents, his Wife and Childre the loss both of his Honou and Estate, forsook his Country and all that was dear to him, t come to Geneva, and embrace reproached, despised and persecuted truth, with Moses, to who he is compared, choosing ather suffer afflictin with the people 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, than to enjoy the pleasur of sin for a sasn; esteeming th

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reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of the world, because he had a respect to the recompence of reward, And en∣dured as seeing him who is invisi∣be: where he used to say, that he would not look upon himself as worthy to see the Face of God, if he prefered not one hours commu∣nion with Christ, be∣fore all the riches, and pleasures of the world. —(Saith a great man speaking of this Mar∣quess) Non celandum est hominem primariâ fa∣miliâ natum, honore & opibus flo∣rentem, nobilissimâ & castissimâ uxore, numerosa prole, domestica quiete & concordia toto{que} vitae statu beatum, ultro ut in Christi Castra migraret patria cessisse: ditionem fertilem, & amnam

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lautum patrimonium, commoda non minus, quam voluptuosam ha∣bitationem neglexisse splendorem domesticum, patre, conjuge, libe∣ris, cognatis ex affinibus sese pri∣vasse, &c.

Galen, (who should have been mentioned before) in his ex∣cellent book de usu partium, which Gassendus supposeth he writ with a kind of enthusiasm upon him (adeo totum opus videtur conscrip∣tum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,) and so that [to use the words of a learned man] all those seventeen books of his upon that subject, are a kind of 119 Psalm in Phylosophy, or a perpe∣tual Hymn upon the praise of the great Creator, a just commentary upon those words of the Psalmist Psal. 139. 14. I am fearfully, an wonderfully made: marvellous ar thy works, and that my Soul know∣eth right well.

I say, Galen observing the beau∣tiful and useful contexture o

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mans body, which Lactantius calls Commentum Mirabile, could not choose but break out into the praise of him that made it, hand∣ling this argument for the Divine providence & wisdom, in ordering the several parts of animals, and a∣dapting them to their several uses against Epi∣curus then, with as much zeal & exactness as any Christian can do now against Atheists; So that, that whole book contains in it a most full and pregnant Demon∣stration of a deity, which every man carryeth about him, in the rame of his body, on which ac∣ount men need not goe out of hemselves to find proof of a deity, hether they consider their minds r their bodys, those Domesticos stes, of which all men that have ••••nsidered them, have said as He∣raclitus

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said in another case, etiam hû dii sunt.

This instance makes good a learned mans observation, that however men may for a time offer violence to their reason, and con∣science, subduing their under∣standing to their wills and appe∣tites; yet when these facultie get but a little Liberty to examine themselves, or view the world; or are alarumed with Thunder, Earthquake, or violent sickness, the feel a sense of a deity brough back upon them, with greate force and power than before the shook it off with. These and som other considerations of this natu•••• wrought upon Funcius the learne Chronologer, that reflecting upo his deserting the calling of a D••••vine to advance to the honour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Privi-counsellor, he left th warning to posterity.

Disce mei exemplo mandato m

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nere fungi, & fuge ceu pestem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which you may un∣derstand by the admonition, Iustus Ionas, Son of a Divine of that name, bequeathed next year to all that came after him: Quid juvat innmeros scire at{que} evolvere casus, si facienda fugis, si fugienda facis.

9. Sir Philip Sidney (a Subject indeed of England, but they say chosen King of Poland, whom the Queen of England called her Philip, the Prince of Orange his Master, whose friendship the Lord Brooks was so proud of, that he would have it to be part of his Epitaph, here lyeth Sir Philip Sid∣eys friend; whose death was la∣ented in verse by the then ings of France, and Scotland, and he two Universities of England, epented so much at his death, of hat innocent vanity of his life, his rcadia, that to prevent the un∣lawful

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kindling of heats in others, he would have committed it to the flames himself; and left this farewel among his friends,

Love my memory, cherish my friends, their faith to me may assure you that they are honest,but above all, govern your will and affections by the will and word of your Creator; in me behold the end of this world and all its vanities.

10. The late famous Frenc Philosopher, De Cartes (who shoul have been thought on sooner) though no Atheist, because s zealously asserting the existenc of God, and the immortality o the Soul, yet because he is muc in vogue with men Atheisticall disposed, as if his Hypothe•••••• ascribing so much to the power o matter, served theirs that thin there is nothing left to do for th providence of a God; and as

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he thought he could clear up the account of the worlds beginning without a God; is a great evidence of the power of Religion, when af∣ter his long discourse of the pow∣er and notion of matter, this great improver, and discoverer of the Mechanical power of matter doth ingeniously confess the ne∣cessity, not only of Gods giving motion in order to the Orgine of he universe but of his conser∣ving motion in it, for the uphold∣ng of it: considero Materiam (they are his own words in his nswer to the third letter of H. M. p. 104) Sibi libere permissam, & nullum aliunde impulsum susci∣ientem, ut plane quiescentem, illa

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autem impellitur a deo, tantunde motus sive translationis in ea co••••servante quantuw ab initio posui•••• And therefore its no wonder tha it is reported of one of the greates unbelievers now among us; tha he trembleth at the thought o death, because though in an h••••mour, he speaks strangely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, yet in his study, a•••• thoughts, he cannot but tremb•••• before him; and whatever his pe••••vishness hath spoken of the ete•••••• Spirit, his Phylosophy owns, a•••• fears him, without whom he m•••• wrangle, but he cannot sleep; ye•••• he that talketh so peremptory of the great God in public looketh not so in private: The may be some Atheists in comppany, but there is none alone; acertainly he would not be so fraid in the night to put out t•••• light on the beds head, but that confesseth it impossible to ext••••guish

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the candle of the Lord in his bosome, for we may say of those that are commonly called Athiests, as Plato [de rep. l. 9.] doth of Ty∣ants [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] &c. If any erson could but see hroughly into their Souls, he should find hem all their lives ull of fear, grief and torments; ectus inuste deformant maculae itis{que} inolevit imago.

And I do not wonder at it since trabo reckoneth this among the pophthegms of the Indians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there are judgements in he invisible state, and that the rachmans esteemed his life, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut the state of a new orn Infant, and death as a new birth, to a etter and a more ••••essed life to them ••••at followed wisdom; whereof

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the Gaules, and the Brittains were in Cesars time so confident, that he saith, [1 de bel. Gal.] that the reason why they fought so ob∣stinately was because they were taught by the Druids not to fea death, because they knew it wa but passage to a better life, th Soul in their opinion not perishing but passing from one to another which Lucan hath expressed in hi ranting way, thus Longae, Canitis cognita, vitae mors media est, cer•••• populi quos despicitarctos Faelices errore suo, quos illetimorum maxim haud urget lethi metus, inde ru•••• di, in ferrum, mens prona viri•••• animoe{que} capaces mortis, & ig••••vum est rediturae parcere vitae.

Gregentius Arch-bishop of T••••phra, in the Kingdom of the Ho••••rites, in the Empire of AEthiopi many hundred years agoe, up the request of the Godly King that place, undertook a Disputa••••••on

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with the Jews about the truth of Christian Religion, (the dispu∣ation is at large Printed out of an ncient M. S. procured by Abbat Noall, his Christian Majesties Envoy to Constantinople, and the East: in the first volume of the Bibliotheca patrum, p. 194. pub∣ished at Paris, 1624.)

Lent being over, and the Jews omming to give an account of hemselves before the King, and ll the Nobility of the Kingdom. oly Gregentius the Arch-bishop ndertook for the Christians, and erbanus a learned man in the ewish Laws and Prophets under∣ook for the Jews in a solemn isputation before the most ••••lemn assembly in the world, ••••veral dayes until Herbanus be••••••g astonished to hear so many pla∣••••s of the Law and Prophets al∣••••dged for Christ, was so ingeni∣s as to confess, that since Moss

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came from God, the Iews should hear him; and since Christ came from God the Christians should hear him, and to offer, that if Chris were come already as he believed he was to come in Person, and end the controversie with mankind an offer which all the Jews asse••••ted to, with a loud voyce to God the King and the Archbishop saying, shew us Christ, and we wi•••• believe in him, whereupon th Archbishop leaving the assembl went aside to pray, and as th King and the assembly said Ame to the close of his prayers, ther w an Earthquake about them; an in the East, the heaven opene with a great brightness abo•••• them, from whence the Lo•••• Jesus appears in glory befo•••• them: and after each side wa little recovered of its Extasies, t the one of joy, the other of fe bespeaks them thus, with a Io

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voyce upon the prayer of the Archbishop and the Faithful; I ppear before your eyes, who was ••••••cifyed by your Fathers; at hich voyce the astonished Jews ere struck blind, and upon en∣••••uiry, finding that the Christians ere not so, Herbanus being led the Archbishop, desired that he ould pray Christ to open their ••••es, as he had shut them, and ••••ey would believe when they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he could do good as well evil; adding that if he did 〈◊〉〈◊〉, he should answer it in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Judgement.

The Archbishop answered, that ••••on condition they would be ••••ptized, they should receive ••••eir sight: what if we should Baptized and continue blind 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Herbanus; let one of you be ••••ptized, answered the Arch∣••••••hop; they consented, and the

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man no sooner had his head sprinkled, but he had his eyes opened, and cryed out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Christ is true God, and I believe in him, where∣upon all the rest were Christened, to the number of 505000. men Moses appearing likewise to Her∣banus, for whom the King stood who made him a Senator, in vision, submitting himself 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ, in whose Religion th•••• whole Country was instructed becomming as strict Christian (after many days praying for pa••••don) as they had been obstinat Jews.

Sophronius Bishop of Ierusale delivereth the fo••••lowing History, as most certain and i••••fallible Truth to P••••sterity.

That Leontius Apiamens

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a most faithful and Religious man that lived many years at Cyrene, assured them that Synesius (who of a Philosopher became a Bishop) found at Cyrene one Eva∣grius a Philosopher, who had been his old acquaintance, fellow-student, and intimate friend, but n obstinate Heathen, with whom ynesius was earnest, but in vain, to become a Christian, following with arguments for Christian Reli∣ion so close, that the Heathen, hough he persisted a great while n discourses to this purpose;

that to him it seemed but a meer fable and deceit, that the Christi∣an Religion teacheth men, that this world shall have an end, and that all men shall rise again in these bodies, and their flesh be made immortal, and incorrupti∣ble, and that they shall so live for ever, and shall receive the reward of all that they have

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done in the body; and that he that hath pitty on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have treasure in Heaven, and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ, toge∣ther with eternal life.

Yet being convinced by Synesi•••• his close arguments, that they wer certain truths he and his famil was Baptized, and not long afte brought Synesius three hundre pounds in Gold, to be distribute among the poor, upon conditio he would give him a bill under h•••• hand that Christ should repay hi in another world, which he did not long after, Evagrius being ne death, ordered his Sons •••• his burial to put Synesius his b in his hand; they did so, and t•••• third day after, the Philosoph seemed to appear to Synesius the night, and say unto him [co••••

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to my Sepulchre where I lye, and take thy bill, for I have received the debt, and am satisfyed: which for thy assurance I have written with my own hand] whereat the Bishop informed his Sons what he had seen, when he knew not what they had done, who going with him to the grave, found this bill n the dead mans hand, thus sub∣cribed [Ego Evagrius Philosophus &c. i. e. I Evagrius the Philoso∣her, to the most holy Lord Bishop ynesius greeting: I have received he debt which in this paper is written with thy hand, I am satis∣yed, & have no action against thee or the gold which I gave thee, nd by thee to Christ our Saviour] hey that saw the thing admired, ••••d glorified God that gave such onderful evidences of his pro∣ises to his servants: and saith ••••ontius, this bill subscribed thus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Philosopher is kept at

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Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this day, to be seen of as many as desire it, though (to use Master Baxters words, who recites this very passage before his book of Crucifying the world) we have a sure word of promise suf∣ficient for us to build our hopes on; yet I thought not it wholly im∣profitable, to cite this one History from so credible Antiquity, that the Works of God may be had i remembrance.

King Charles the firs had that sense of Religion upon his Spirit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that the one act of passing the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the Earl of Strafford's deat

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and the other to the prejudice of the Churches of England and Scotland, troubled him as long as he lived, and brought him not on∣ly to vow as he did before the most Reverend Father in God G. Lord Archbishop of Canterbur, to do Penance for them; but also to a resolution never to allow the least thing, though it was but the little Assemblies Catechism, against his conscience. And when it was old him his death was resolved on, he said, I have done what I ould to save my life, without losing y Soul, and sinning against my onscience. Gods will be done.

Sir Walter Rawleigh, t the meeting usually eld with the Virtuosi

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in the Tower, discoursing of Hap∣piness, urged, that it was not only a freedom from Diseases and pains of the body, but from anxiety and vexation of Spirit; not only o enjoy the pleasures of Sense, but peace of Conscience, and inward tranquility; to be so, not for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 little while, but as long as may be and, if it be possible, for ever And this happiness, so suitable f•••• the immortality of our Souls, an the eternal state we must live i is only to be met with in Religion.

Master Howard, afterwards th Learned Earl of Northampton, b••••ing troubled with Atheistical suggestions, put them all off this wa viz. If I could give any accou•••• how my self, or any thing else, h a being without God; how the came so uniform and so constan cansent of mankind, of all ag•••• tempers and educations, (otherwi••••

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differing so much in their appre∣hensions) about the being of God, the immortality of the Soul, and Religion; in which they could not likely either deceive so many, or be∣ing so many, could not be deceived; I could be an Atheist. And when it was urged that Religion was a State policy to keep men in awe; he replied, that he would believe t, but that the greatest Politici∣••••s have sooner or later felt the ower of Religion in the grievous ashes of their consciences, and dreadfulness of their apprehension bout that state wherein they must live for ever.

Bishop Vsher, that most learned nd knowing Prelate, after his in∣efatigable pains as a Christian, a cholar, a Prelate, and a Preacher ••••ent out of the World with this rayer, Lord, forgive me my sins f Omission; and desired to die as Master Perkins did, implor∣ing

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the Mercy and Favour of God.

Sir Iohn Mason, Privy Councel∣lor to King Henry the eighth, and King Edward the sixth, whom some make Secretary of State, setting him a little too high; o∣thers Master of the Requests placing him as much too low, up∣on his death-bed called for hi Clerk and Steward, and delivered himself to them to this purpose: have seen five Princes, and bee Privy-Councellor to four; I have seen the most remarkable observables in forreign parts, an been present at most State-tran••••actions for thirty years together and I have learned this after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 many years experience, that Se••••ousness is the greatest Wisdo Temperance the best Physick, good Conscience is the best 〈◊〉〈◊〉 state; and were I to live again, would change the Court for

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Cloyster, my Privy Cousellers bustles for an Hermits retirement, and the whole life I lived in the Palace, for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel: all things else forsake me, besides my God, my duty, and my prayer.

Sir Henry Wotton, after his many years study, with great proficiency and applause at the University; his neer relation to the great fa∣vorite Robert Earl of Essex, his ntimacy with the Duke of Tusa∣ny, and Iames the sixth King of Scotland, his Embassies to Holland, Germany, and Venice; desired to re∣ire, with this Motto, Tandem didi∣it animas sapientiores fieri quies∣cendo; being very ambitious of of the Provostship of Eaton, that e might there enjoy his beloved Study and devotion, saying often, hat the day he put his Surplice on, was the happiest day of his ife: That being the utmost hap∣piness

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a man could attain to (he said) to be at leisure to be, and to do good; never reflecting on his former years, but with tears he would say, How much time have I to repent of! and how little to do i in!

Charles the fifth, Em∣perour of Germany, King of Spain, and Lor of the Netherlands, af∣ter three and twenty pitcht Fields, six Tri∣umphs, four Kingdom won, and eight Princi∣palities added to hi Dominions, fourtee Wars managed, resign∣ed all these, retired to his Devotion in a Monastery, had his ow Funeral celebrated before

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his face; and left this testimo∣ny of Christian Religion, That the sincere profession of it had in it sweets and joys that Courts were strangers to.

Sir Francis Walsingham, toward the latter end of his life grew very melancholy, and writ to the Lord Chancellor Burleigh to this pur∣pose: We have lived enough to our Countrey, to our Fortunes, and to our Soveraign: it is high time we began to live to our selves, and to our God. In the multitude of affairs that passed thorow our hands, there must be some miscarriages, for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace.

Whereupon some Court-humo∣its being sent to divert Sir Fran∣is, Ah, said he, while we laugh, all hings are serious round about us: God is serious, when he preserveth s, and hath patience towards us; Christ is serious, when he dith for

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us; the holy Ghost is serious, when he striveth with us; the holy Scrip∣ture is serious, when it is read be∣fore us; Sacraments are serious, when they are administerd to us; the whole Creation is serious, in serving God and us: they are seri∣ous in hell and heaven; and shall a man who hath one foot in his grav jest and laugh?

Don Lewis de Haro, after he had lived a great while the grand Favourite and States man of Spain, but with too little regard of Reli∣gion, growing melancholy, was taken up by a Wit of Spain for be∣ing Priest-ridden, and troubling his head with those notions of the immortality of the Soul, and the state of the other world; he an∣swered him with Tertullian' words, Quaedam & Natura not sunt, ut mortalitas animoe pene plures, ut Deus noster penes omnes Vtar ergo & sententia Platoni

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alicujus pronunciantis, Omnis ani∣ma est immortalis. Vtar & Con∣scientia populi contestantis Deum deorum. Vtar & reliquis commu∣nibus sensibus, qui Deum judicem praedicant [Deus videt] & deo commendo, at cum aiunt [mortuum quod mortuum] & [Vive dum vivis] & post mortem omnia fini∣unur, etiam isa tunc meminero & cor vulgi cinerem à Deo deputatum, & ipsam sapientian seculi stultiti∣m pronunciatam. Tunc si & haere∣ticus ad vulgi vitia, vel seculi in∣genia confugerit, discede dicam, ab Ethnico, Haeretie.

Philip the third of Spain lying on his death bed the last of March. 1621. Sent thrice at midnight for Florentius his Confessor and Court-preacher, who with the Provincial of Castile discoursed to im of approaching death, ex∣orting him to submit to Gods ill so gravely that Majesty its

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self could not choose but weep and after some inter∣mission from his tears, and thanks for his wholesome Admoni∣tion, the King spake to him, thus, do you not remember that in your Sermon on Ash-wednesday, you said that one of your Auditors might dye that Lent that toucheth me, and loe now my Fatal hour is at hand; but shall I obtain eternal felicity? at which words great grief and trouble of mind seising the poor Prince, he said to the Confessor, you have not hit upon the right way of healing, is there no other remedy; which words when the Confessor understood of his body, the King subjoyne Ah! Ah! I am not sollicitious o my body, and my temporary dis∣ease, but of my Soul; and the Confessor sadly answered, I have done what I could, I must com∣mit

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the rest to Gods provi∣dence.

Upon this occasion Florentius discourseth at large of Gods mer∣cy, remembring his Majesty what he had done for the honour and worship of that God: to which the King replied, Ah, how happy were I, had I spent these twenty three years that I held my King∣dom in a retirement; and the Con∣fessor rejoyned, that it would be very acceptable to God, if he would lay his Kingdom, his Ma∣jesty, his Life, and his Salvation at the feet of his crucified Saviour Jesus Christ, and submit himself o his will: willingly, willingly, aid the heart-sick King, will I do his, and from this moment, do I ay all that God gave me, my Do∣inions, Power and my Life at he feet of Jesus Christ my Savi∣ur, who was crucified for me, hose image he then kissed with

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ingular affection, sayig, more∣over to Florentius (and it was some of the last words he spake) now really you have suggested to me very great comfort.

Count Gndamar, was as great a Wit and States-man as ever Europe knew, and took as much liberty in point of Religion; till declining in years, he would say, as they say of Anselm, I fear nothing in the World more then Sin: often pro∣fessing, that if he saw corporally the horrour of sin on the one hand, and the Pains of Hell on the other, and must necessarily be plunged into the one, he would chuse Hell rather than Sin; yea That what liberty soever he ha taken, he had rather be torn in pieces by wild Horses, than wit∣tingly and willingly commit an Sin.

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Should we now turn over the Lives of the Fathers, and the Saints in all ages, we shall find that they had so much comfort from Religion since they professed it, [for he that believeth hath the witness in himself] that they can joyn with Saint Polycarp. who when perswaded to swear by the ortune of Caesar, and blaspheme or renounce his Saviour, said, Fourscore and six years have I served Christ; I have found him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good master, neither hath he ever offended me in any thing: I have lived by him, I will live to him.

Salmsius, that excellent French Scholar, whom the Learned men of his time never mention without suh expressions as these, Vir nun∣quam sat is laudatus, nec temere sine laude nominandus, Gu. Riv. Pref. ad Vindic. Evang. otius Reipub. Literariae decus, went out of this World with these words in

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his mouth, Oh I have lost a world of Time! Time, that most precious thing in the World, whereof had I but one year longer, it should be spent in Davids Psalms, and Paul's Epistles: Oh Sirs! (said he to those about him) mind the World less, and God more; all the Learn∣ing in the World without Piety, and the true fear of God, is nothing ••••rth: The Fear of the Lord, that is ••••sdom; and to depart from evil, that is Vnderstanding.

Grotius, the greatest Schola that this age boasted of after so many Embassies well performed abroad, and as many Transaction well managed at home; after a exact survey of all the Hebrew, Greek and Latine Learning; afte so many elaborat Discourses in Divini∣ty, and other part of Learning; con∣cluded his Life wit

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his Protestation, That he would give all his Learning and Honour or the plain Integrity and harm∣ess Innocence of Iean Vrick, who was a devout poor man, that spent ight hours of his time in prayer, ••••ght in Labour, and but eight in leep, and other Necessaries: and his complaint to another that ad∣••••red his astonishing industry;

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Ah! Vitam perdidi, operose nihil agendo! and this Direction to a third, that desired him in his great Wisdom and Learning, in brief to shew him what to do, vi Be serious.

The Earl of Straf∣ford, O trust not i man that shall die, nor in the Son of ma that shall be made a grass. There is no confidence in Princes: the onl thing that stands by a man, is the blood of Christ, and the testimony of a good Conscience.

Doctor Donne, A Person of a great parts and spirit as any thi Nation ever beheld, being upo his death-bed taking his solem farewel of his most considerabl friends, lef this with them: I repent of all my life, but that part 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it I spent in communion with Go and doing good. That person in dying hour shall wish hiself not

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man, that hath not been a good Ch••••stian.

Sir Spencer Compton, Brother to he Right Honourable the Earl of Northampton, calling to him such Reverend persons as Bishop Mor∣ey, and Doctor Earles, when he was on his death-bed at Bruges, he aised himself upon his pillow, nd held out his arms as if he were to embrace one, saying, O my esus! Intimating the comforts hat then flowed in from the holy esus into his Soul. After which oly ecstasie, composing himself o a calm and serious discourse, e said to the standers by, O be ood; O keep close to the principles f Christian Religion; for that ill bring peace at the lst.

Edward Peito Esqire, fter he had told his hysitians that God had ent him his Summons, it as his expression, tha al the sins of

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his former life did even kick him in the face; and that if we do well, now he saw the evil attend∣iug well-doing was short, but th good eternal; If we do ill, th pleasures of doing ill pass away and the pain remaineth; his chie charge about his children, bein that they should have a Religio•••• Education, that they might hav God for their portion, as well 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Estate.

An Excellent person havi•••• writ exquisitely for Christian R••••ligion, hath this discourse of t•••• Nature of it, viz. Doth now th conquest of Passions, forgiving 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Injuries, doing Good, Self-deni•••• Humility, Patience under crosse which are the real expressions 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Piety, speak nothing more No•••• and Generous then a luxurio•••• malicious, proud, and impati•••• Spirit? Is there nothing more b•••• coming and agreeable to the So

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of man in exemplary Piety, and a holy well-ordered conversation, then in the lightness and vanity (not to ay rudeness and debau∣hery) of those whom the World accounts the greatest Gallants? Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness, ••••andour, and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition, hen in the revengeful, implacable Spirit of such, whose Honour lives nd is fed by the blood of their nemies? Is it not more truly ho∣ourable and glorious, to serve hat God who commandeth the World, then to be a slave to those assions and Lusts which put men pon contiuual hard service, and orment them for it when they ave done it? Were there no∣hing else to commend Religion o the minds of men, besides that ranquillity and calmness of Spirit, hat serene and peaceable temper

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which follows a good Conscience, wheresoever it dwells, it were enough to make men welcome that guest which brings such good entertainment with it. Whereas the amazements, horrours and anxieties of mind, which at one time or other haunt such who pro∣stitute their Consciences to a vio∣lation of the Laws of God, an the Rules of rectified Reason, ma be enough to perswade any ratio¦nal person, that Impiety is th greatest folly, and Irreligion madness.

Sir Thomas Smith, after he ha many years served Queen Eliz∣beth as Secretary of State, an done many good services to th Kingdom, particularly to the se∣ling of the Corn-rate for the U••••••versities, disharged all affairs a attendants a quarter of a year b••••fore he dyed, sent to his singul good Friends, the Bishops of Wichester

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and Worc. intreating them to draw him out of the word of God the plainest and exactest way 〈◊〉〈◊〉 making his peace with God, and living godly in this present world; dding, that it was great pitty men knew not to what end they were born into this world, until they were ready to go out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

My Lord Bacon would say, towards the ••••tter end of his life, hat a little smattering •••• Philosophy would ••••ad a man to Atheism, ••••t a through insight ••••to it will lead a man ••••ck again to a first ••••use; and that the first ••••inciple of right rea∣••••n, is Religion; in re∣ference

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to which, it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely: for i the opinion of another world be not true, yet the weetst life in this world is Piety, Vertue and Honesty; If it be, there are none so miserable as the loose, the carnal and profane Persons, who lived a dishonourable and a bas life in this world, and were lik to fall to a most wofull state in th next.

Prince Henry's l•••• words. O Christ, th art my Redeemer, an I know that thou h•••• redeemed me: I who depend upon thy P••••••vidence and Merc•••• From the very bott•••• of my Heart I comme my Soul into thy ha••••

A Person of Qua

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waitig on the Prince in his sick∣ness, who had been his constant Companion at Tennis, and asking im, how he did, was answered, h Tom! I in vain wish for that time, I last with thee and others, in ain Recration.

Now my Soul be glad, for at l the parts of this Prison the ord hath set his aid to loose ••••ee; Head, Feet, Milt and Liver re failing: Arise therefore, and ake off thy Fetters, mount from ••••y Body, and go thy way.

The Earl of Arundel, ••••ing on his Death∣••••d, said, My flesh and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heart faileth; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ghostly Father ad∣••••d the next words, ••••at God was the strength of his ••••rt, and his portion for ever; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would never fail him: He an∣••••ering, ll the world ath failed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will ever failue.

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Master Seldon, who had comprehended all the learning and know∣ledge that is either a∣mong the Jews, Hea∣thens; nor Christians; & suspected by many of too little a regard to Religion: one afternoon before he dye sent for Bishop Vsher and Doctor Langbar•••• and discoursed to the to this purpose: T•••••• he had surveyed mo•••• part of the Learn•••••• that was among the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Men; that he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Study full o Boo and Papers of most subjects in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 World; yet that at that time could not recollect any passa•••• o•••• of those infinite Books a•••• Manuscripts he was Master wherein he could rest his So••••

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save of the holy Scriptures; wherein the most remarkable passage that lay most upon his Spirit, was Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that de∣••••ing ungodliness and worldly lust, e should live soberly, and righte∣••••sly and godly, in this present orld; looking for that blessed ••••pe, and glorious appearing of the reat God, and our Saviour Iesus hrist; who gave himself for us, ••••at he might redeem us from all ••••iquity, and purifie unto himself peculiar People, zealous of good orks: these things speak, and xhort and rebuke with all Autho∣••••ty.

Sir Thomas Coventry, once hear∣••••g some Gallants jesting with eligion, said, that there was no reater argument of a foolish and ••••considerate person, than profane∣ly

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to droll at Religion. It's a sign he hath no regard of himself, and that he is not touched with a sense of his own interest, who playeth with life and death, and makes nothing of his Soul. To examine severely, and debate seriously the principles of Religion, is a thing worthy of a wise man: whoso••••ver turn Religion into Railler•••• and abuseth it with two or three old jests, rendreth not Religio but himself ridiculous, in the o∣pinion of all considerate men, ecause he sports with his o•••• ••••fe, for a good man saith, If the principles of Religion were doubtful, yet they concern us 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neerly, that we ought to be se∣rious in the examination o them.

I shall never forget a traditio of the Jews related by Masi•••• upon Ioshua, viz. that Noah i he universal deluge, instead o

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Gold, Silver, and all sorts of trea∣sure carryed the bones of Adam into the Ark, and distributing them among his Sons, said, take hildren, behold the most pre∣ious inheritance your Father an leave you; you shall share ands and Seas of God shall ap∣oint, but suffer not your selves to e intangled in these Vanities, my hildren all glideth away here elow, and there is nothing which ernally subsisteth; learn this esson from these dumb Doctors, he reliques of your Grandfather, hich will serve you for a refuge n your adversities, a bridle in our prosperity, and a Mirrour at ll times; provide for your Souls. he opinion of whose immortali∣y you will find got every where, here you sind men, so true is that f Plotinus, that never was there a man of understanding that strove not for the immortality of the

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Soul, Animam inde venire unde rerum omnium authorem parentem, spiritum ducimus. Quint. That which we call death being in Max. Tyrius, but the beginning of im∣mortality: Therefore Philostratus mentioneth a young man much troubled about the state of Souls in the other life, to whom Apollo∣nius appeared, assuring him [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that it was immortal, and bidding him not be troubled at it, since it was the Divine providence it should be so: Nay, Phlegon a Heathen hath written of a Maid in Trayls of Phrygia, Philenion by Name, who burned both with lust and a feavour to death, appeared to her Father and Mother, to tell them if they took not that course of life the gods designed men for, and wch they are to blame they did not instruct her in, they would find another state they little thought of where there was grief, and no remedy:

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and he addeth moreover that he sent this history, whereof he was an eye witness, by a parti∣cular messenger to the Emperour Adrian.

Curopalates relateth how the excellent Painter Methodius, drawing the last day heaven black, the Earth on fire, the Sea in bloud, the Throne of God environed with Angels in the clouds, wrought upon Bogoris the Barbarous King of Bulgaria, so as that in a short ime he yielded himself to God by a happy conversion, for he dreaming on the whole proceed∣ings of that day, among other things saw the sins he had made so light of, bespeaking him thus: I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed, I am the ambition whose slave thou wast, I am the avarice which was the aim of all thy actions; be∣hold so many sins, which are thy children, thou begatst them, thou ovedst them so much as to prefer

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them before thy Saviour.

These coniderations made weeping Heraclitus wipe his eyes, and look cheerfully, saying, that his eyes were never dry till he had settled his thoughts about his eternal state, and had a dry Soul, not steeped in lust, capable of the notions of immortality, the only support of Bellisarius, when having been the Thunderbolt of War, made the East, West and South to tremble, the mighty Pow∣ers of the Earth crawling in dust before him; he that drew the whole world in throngs after him was forsaken, and walked through the streets of Constantinople with two or three servants, as a man that had out-lived his Funerals, to serve as a spectacle of pity, at last loosing his eyes, and crying in the Streets dateabolum Bellisario.

This example, and others, of the sad uncertainty of humane affairs,

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and the necessity of yielding to religious thoughts, sooner or later, made Charlemain at the Coronation of his Son, utter these serious words; My dear Son, it is to day that I die in the Empires of the world, and that Heaven makes me born again in your per∣son, if you will raign happy, fear God, who is the force of Empires, and Soveraign Father of all Domi∣nions, keep his commandements, and cause them to be observed with unviolable fidelity, serve first of all for an example to all the world, ad lead before God and man a life irreproachable.

What Steph. Gardiner said of ju∣stification by Faith, a branch of our Religion, is true of all of it, viz. that though it be not looked upon as a good breakfast for men to live up to in the heat of their youth, yet is it a good supper for men to live upon in their reduced

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years. The Persian messenger in AEschiles the Tragedian, could not but observe the worth of Piety, in time of extremity: when the Grecian Forces hotly pursued us [said he] and we must venture over the great watr Strymon, frozen then, but beginning to thaw, when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it, with mine eyes I saw many of those Gallants, whom I heard before so boldly maintain there was no God, every one upon their knees, with eyes and hands lifted up, begging hard for help and mercy, and entreat∣ing that the Ice might hold till they got over. Those Gallants [saith a good man in the applica∣tion of this story] who now pro∣scribe godliness out of their hearts and houses [as if it were only an humour taken up by some precise person] and Galba like, scorn at them who fer and think of death,

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when they themselves come to en∣ter the lists with the King of ter∣rors, and perceive in earnest, that away they must into another world, and be saved or tormented in flames for ever, as they have walked after the flesh, or after the spirit, here without question they will say as dying Theophilus did of devout Arsenius, thou art blessed O Arsenius, Who hadst alwayes this hour before thine eyes; or as the young Gallant, that visit∣ed St. Ambrose lying on his death bed, and said to his comrade, O hat I might live with thee, and dye with Saint Ambrose: And it is observed among the Papists, that many Cardinals, and other gret nes, who would think their owle, and Religious habit ill ••••came them in their health, yet ••••e very ambitious to dye, and be uried in them, as commonly they re. They who live wickedly and

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loosly, yet like a Religious habit very well, when they goe into a∣nother world.

Cardinal Woolsey, one of the greatest Ministers of State that ever was, who gave Law for many years to England, and for some to all Europe, poured forth his Soul in those sad words [a sufficient ar∣gument that Politicians know no∣thing of that Secret whispered up and down, that Religion is a meer Court-cheat, an arcanum imperij, a secret of Government] had I been as diligent to serve my God, as I have been to please my King, he would not have forsaken me now in my gray haires.

Its an observation common and useful, that as there is no ma of quality hardly goeth out of th world now, without the instruction, prayers, and ministry of a Chaplain; however they have lived i it owning the comforts of Religion

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though they disowned the pra∣ctise of it. So there is no King or States-man, from the beginning of our history to H. 8. times, that left not legacies more or less to pray for his Soul, though it might be said of some of them, as the tart Historian saith, they never prayed heartily for it themselves; hose Masses that they laughed at, hen living, they craved and ayed dearly for, when dying.

About the year 1548. Francis pira saith this of himself, I was xcessively covetous of moneys, nd accordingly I applied my self 〈◊〉〈◊〉 get by injustice, corrupting ••••dgement, deceit, ••••••enting tricks to lude justice; good ••••ses I either de∣••••••ded deceitfully, or sold them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the adversaries peridiously: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 causes I maintained with all my ••••••ht, I willingly opposed the

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known truth and trust com∣mitted to me, I either betrayed or preverted. And for the inordi∣nate love of the things of this World, I wofully wounded my conscience by an infamous abju∣ration of the blessed Truth, which I formerly professed upon the se∣rious consideration of what I had done in cold bloud, acknowledg∣ing my self utterly undone, and for ever: This poor man became a spectacle of such spiritual misery, and woe to the whole world, that there is not any thing left unto the memory of man, more remarkable, his spirit suddenly smitten with the dreadfu sense of divine wrath for his A∣postacy, and split in pieces, as i were by so grievous a bruise, faint∣ed fearfully, failed him quite, and fell a sunder in his breast like drop of water, hear some ruful expressi∣ons

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of his desperate state from his own mouth.

O that I were gone from hence, that some body would let out this weary Soul! I tell you here was never such a monster as I am; never was man alive, a spectacle of such exceed∣ing misery; I now feel Gods heavy wrath, that burneth like the torments of Hell within me, and afflicts my Soul with pains unutterable.Verily desperation s hell it self,— the gnawing orms of unquenchable fire, hor∣our, confusion, and which is worst f all, desperation it self continu∣lly tortureth me. And now I ount my present state worse than 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my soul separated from my ody, were with Iudas; the truth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 never had mortal man such ex∣erience of Gods anger, and ••••tred against him; as I have, the amned in hell, I think endure not ••••e like misery; If I could conceive

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but the least spark of hope in my heart of a better state hereafter I would not refuse to endure the most heavy wrath of the great God, ye, for 2000. years, so that at length I might get out of mi∣sery.—O that God would let loose his hand from me, and that it were with me now as in times past; I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrants, bear tor∣ments with most invincible reso∣lution, and glory in the outward profession of Christ, till I were choaked with the flame, and my body turned into ashes.

Gribaldus addeth in the fore∣cited letter, that being sound in his mind, and memory; he woul in sober-sadness, wish that he we•••• either in Cain or Iudas his cas the worm had so eaten into hi conscience, and the fire into hi Soul.

4. Long before this (though

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remembred it not till now) viz. bout the year 1160. diverse of he best of the City of Lyons, alking and walking in a certain lace after their old accustomed anner, especially in the summer ••••e, conferred together upon atters; among whom it chanced e (the rest looking on) to fall own by sudden death, Waldus ••••e Father of the Waldenses, a ••••••h man of that City, being one •••• them, and beholding the matter ••••re earnestly than the other, and ••••••••ified with so heavy an exam∣••••e, Gods holy Spirit working ••••••hall, was strucken with a deep ••••d inward repentance, where∣••••on followed a new alteration ••••••h a carefull study to reform his ••••••mer life; he admonished others o to repent, and ministred large ••••es of his goods to such as ••••ded; many people therefore ••••ly resorting to him, and he see∣ing

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them ready and diligent to learn, he began to give out to them certain rudiments of the Scripture, which he translated himself into the French tongue.

5. And fourscore years before this [viz.] about the year 1060. there was at Paris a Funeral of a grave Doctor, at the interring of whom, when the Priest came to the then used form Responde mihi or, answer me, the Corps sate upright in the Beer, and to the amazement of all that were there cry'd out justo dei judicio accusat•••••• sum at the just Tribunal of Go I am accused, lying immediatel down in its first posture; the astonished company deferring the B••••rial to see the issue of this stran•••• accident, till next day, a vast mu••••titude gather together from a parts of the City, to consumma•••• these strangly interrupted obs quie, when at the same words th

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disturbed body riseth again, and with the like hideous noise, cryed out Iusto dei judicio judicatus sum, by the just judgement of God I am judged; whereupon the so∣lemnity was deferred a day longer, when the whole City thronging to the strange Burial, in the presence of them all, at the reciting of the same words, he rose up the third time, and cryed Iusto dei judicio ondemnatus sum, by the just udgement of God I am condem∣ed; whereat, as the whole mul∣itude was sadly affrighted, so runo was seriously affected, inso∣much that being then an eminent octor in the same University, he ••••lled his Schollers together, and ••••ld them that as they had for∣erly heard, so they now saw that he judgements of the Lord are ••••searchable, and his ways past ••••••ding out; for said he, this Person hom we honoured, for the strict∣ness

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of his life, the vertues and discretion of his converse, cryeth now that he is damned by the jus judgement of God.

Just are alwayes the judgements of God though sometime hidden (I a saith the poor man damned b the just judgement of God) dreadful speech, which I woul to God alwayes sounded in o•••• ears, till it get into our heart that since we cannot by an meanes avoid judgement, a•••• the wrath to come, we may wi•••• fear prepare for it, and in t•••• our day seek the things that b••••long to our peace: Let us co••••sider my Brethren (goeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good man on) I beseech you w•••••• profit hath this poor wretch 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hell, of all his Light and kno••••ledge, now he is for ever in da••••••ness? what advantage of all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 estate, when he hath not a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of water to cool his tongue

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What of honours and delights, now he must undergoe as many torments, as formerly he enjoyed pleasures? we have seen his bo∣dy thrown without honour into a dunghill; and we may imagine his Soul to be thrown without mercy into Hell, to suffer with the damned, the gnawing of the worm that shall never dye, and the scorching flame, that shall be extinguished, where there is burning unimaginable, a stink in∣tollerable, and grief interminable, where men may seek death, and shall not find it; death being there immortal, and feeding on the miserable, not that they might have the great mercy of dying, but suffer the extream pu∣nishment of living. What shall we do? Whose advise shall we etake our selves to? For all we ike sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned to his

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own way; There is none that doth good, no not one; we have all sinned, and done amiss, we are all the children of wrath, and de∣serving the same condemnation unless the mercy of Christ deli∣ver us. What shall we do, shal we not all likewise perish? I God spared not this man, nor th Angels that sinned, nor the natural branches that were cut off how shall he spare us? and ye do we think that his hand 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shortned, that it cannot save?
〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he will shut up his lovin kindness in displeasure? Wh•••• shall we do?
Oh my brethren 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so intangled, so difficult, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wighty a matter, Let us not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in our own strength, let us 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Counsel, not of the Iews, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 trust to be justified in the La•••• nor of the Phylosophers, who ••••••ly o thir own vertues, no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wiemen of this world, i 〈◊〉〈◊〉

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savour not the things of God, but of those that fear the Lord, and walk in his wayes: Let us ear the great propitiation for ••••ur sins, the Lord Jesus, who saith (as the forerunner Iohn Baptist, than whom there was not greater born of a woman, did before him (repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand:) bring forth fruit worthy of re∣entance: if ye repent not, ye hall all likewise Perish. Let us ear Saint Peter peaching ear∣estly that men should repent, hat there sins may be blotted ut; and when his hearers were ricked at the heart, and asked hat they should do to be saved, e repeats that exhortation, re∣ent. Repentance brethren (so runo goeth on) is the only lank left us, after shipwrack; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 us turn to ••••e Lord, and he will have mercy upon us; for he

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desreth not the death of a sine but that he may return from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sin and live; neither le ••••s de•••••••••• for he that proieth pa•••••••••• upon repentance, promieth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so much time as we promise o•••• selves to repent; there are tho••••sands whose cae is like theirs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the proverbs, to whom God speak•••••••• I have called, and ye would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 answer, I have stretched o•••• my hands, and ye have refuse•••• Ye have despised all my co•••• ses, and set a naugh•••• all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reproofes. I will also laugh 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yo•••• Calamity, and moc ••••ll your fear cometh, when your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as desolation, and you des•••••• on cometh a a while wil•••• when distress and anguish ••••••meth upon you, then shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 call, but I will not answer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall seek me early, and shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 find me. The Lod now call•••• us, for this voyce is not for 〈◊〉〈◊〉

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••••ke that is dead, and past repen∣••••••nce, but ours who live, and hom the patience and long-••••ffering of God leads to repen∣••••••nce] Let us not delay from ay to day to answer him, for we now not at what hour the Lord ay come.

At these words one of the cholars Landvinus by Name, a ••••scan of Luca, in the Name of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rest, declared they were all ••••••vinced of the truth of what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said, but added with∣••••, that the whole world eth in wickedness, and it was al∣ost impossible to be seriously Re∣••••gious amidst so many strifes and ••••tentions, so many tumults and mmotions, so much malice and ••••vy, so much fraud and in∣••••stice, so much lying, blasphe∣••••••g and swearing, so much ••••••ptation and vanity, so much emperance and debaucheries.

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A good man must separate him∣self to intermedle with tru wisdom, take the wings of a Dov and fly and be at rest, and with ••••noch and Noah walk with God and therefore said he, Brethren Let us pray to God to direct us •••• a retired place, where we may li•••• with him; upon this two othe advised that they should goe, an consult with the holy and Re••••••••end Bishop of Gratianople, Sa•••••• Hugh about withdrawing th••••••selves into a desert, & settle the••••selves there a peculiar peopl zealous of good works Sa•••••• Hugh, adviseth them to goe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 live in the cold and dreadful ••••••sert of Carthusell in Daulph•••• where they went and settled sev•••••• in number, Anno 1080. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strictest way of Religion in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 world, eating no flesh living 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouples, labouring with the hands, watching, praying, and ••••••••er

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meeting together but on Sun¦days, the Original of ninety three arthusian Monasteries (where of he Charter-house was one) since in he world.

To shut up this Collection, Master eorg Herbert, and Master Nicholas ••••rrar, as dear each to other as oth were to God, and good men, entlemen well known to most ersons of quality in the Nation. he latter of them a Gentleman f a good Estate, extraordinary ••••res, excellent Education, and of happy Temper; after many ••••ars travels, experience, and read∣••••g being Master of most ancient nd modern Histories, and of •••• moderne Languages, when ••••pable of most employments that ••••come an accomplished Gentle∣an in Court and Countrey, re∣••••red to his house at little Gidding Huntingtonshire, where with a umerous family of his Relations,

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he dedicated himself to his dyin day to a very strict way of servin God in holy and excellent co••••ferences, managed by the me••••bers, by turns in devout pray•••• publickly at the set hours in t•••• Chappel, and privately in the ••••••nonical hours day and night in t•••• House, in an orderly and profitab•••• course of reading the Scriptu•••• with useful Comments and ••••••courses upon them: in receiv•••••• the pious visits of most good m•••• and women in that and other par of the Nation, in relieving t•••• aged poor, relieving and instru••••••ing the young, in pious Need•••••• works by his Faeminine Relation and choice Pen-works by hims•••••• of whom a Reverend Person •••• hoped is likely to give a good a••••count shortly as of a great pattern of Self-denying; yet having a discreet zeal and Piety to a backsliding world.

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The first n younger Brother o an ancien Family, [his elder Brother was the learned Lord Her∣ert of herbury.] And the Earls of Pemboke and Montgomery, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord High-seward, the other ord Chamberlaine of the Kings his near Relations] Fellow of Tri∣ity Colledge in Cambridge, Ora∣or of that University, a great ••••holar, and a high Wit, known in the University by his rich Fancy pon Prince Henries funeral, and at Court by his gallant Oration upon Prince Charles his return, yet quitting both his deerts and opportunities that he had for worldly preferments, he betook himself to the Temple, and San∣tuary of God, choosing rather to serve at Gods Altar, than to seek the honour of State employments: to testifie his independency upon all others, and to quicken his dili∣gence in Christs service, he used

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in his ordinary speech, when he made mention of the blessed Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to adde my Master: next God he loved that which God hath magnified above all things, his word, so as he hath been heard to make solemn Protestation (as Luther used to do) that he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole world, if it were of∣fered him in exchange; but hear the good man in his own good wods.

The Pearl, Math. 13.
I Know the ways of learning, both the head And Pipes that feed the press, and make it run, What Reason hath from Nature borrowed, Or of it's self like a good hous∣wife spun.

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In Laws and Policy, what the Stars Conspire, What willing Nature speaks, what forced by fire, Both the old discoveries, and the new found Seas, The Stock and Surplus, Cause, and History; All these stand open, or I have the Keyes. Yet I love thee.
I know the wayes of Honour, what Maintains The quick returns of Courtesie, and Wit, Invies of favours, whether party gains, When glory swells the heart, and woundeth it. To all expressions, both of Hand and Eye, Which on the World a true Loves knot may tye;

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And bear the bundle, whereso'ere it goes, How many drams of Spirit there must be To sell my Life unto my friends, and foes. Yet I love thee.
I know the wayes of pleasure, the sweet streams, The Lullings, and the Rellishes of it, The propositions of hot blood and brain, What mirth, and musick means, what love and wit. Have done these twenty hundred years and more, I know the projects of unbridled store. My stuff is flesh, not brass, my senses live, And grumble oft, that they have more in me,

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Than he that curbes them, being but one to free. Yet I love thee.
I know all these, and have them in my hand, Therefore not sealed, but with open Eyes, I lie to thee, and fully under∣stand, Both the main sale, and the commodities, And at what rate and price I have thy love, With all the Circumstances that may move. Yet through the Labirinth, not my grovling wit, But thy silk twist, let down from heaven to me, Did both conduct, and teach me, how by it To Climbe to thee.

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We will conclude with Master Herberts Motto, with which he used to conclude all things that might seem to make any thing for his own honour.

Less than the least of Gods mercies. And his saying was, when he heard any of his own good works mentioned; Ah it is a good work if it be washed in the bloud of Christ.

Notes

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