ESSAIES.

1. OF RELIGION.

THE quarrels, and diuisions for Religion, were enils vnknowne to the Heathen: and no maruell; for it is the true God that is the iealous God; and the gods of the Heathen were good fellowes. But yet the bonds of religious vnity, are so to be strengthened, as the bonds. of humane society be not dissolued. Lucretius the Poet, when hee beheld the act of Agamemnon, induring and assisting at the sacrifice of his daughter, concludes with this verse;

Tantü relligio potuit suadere malorum.

But what would hee haue done, if he had knowne the massacre of France, or the powder treason of England? Certainly he would haue beene seuen times more Epicure and Atheist then he was. Nay, hee would rather haue chosen to be one of the Madmen of Munster, then to haue beene a partaker of those Counsels. For it is better that Religion should deface mens vnderstanding, then their piety and charitie; retaining reason onely but as an Engine, and Charriot driver of cruelty, and malice. It was a great blasphemie, when the Diuell

said; I will ascend, and be like the highest: but it is a greater blasphemie, if they make God to say; I will descend, and be like the Prince of Darknesse: and it is no better, when they make the cause of Religion descend, to the execrable accions of murthering of Princes, butchery of people, and firing of States. Neither is there such a sinne against the person of the holy Ghost, (if one should take it literally) as in stead of the likenes of a Doue, to bring him downe in the likenesse of a Vulture, or Rauen; nor such a scandall to their Church, as out of the Barke of Saint Peter, to set forth the flagge of a Barke of Pirats and Assassins. Therefore since these things are the common enemies of humane society; Princes by their power; Churches by their Decrees; and all learning, Christian, morall, of what soeuer sect, or opinion, by their Mercurie rod; ought to ioyne in the damning to Hell for euer, these facts, and their supports: and in all Counsels concerning Religion, that Counsell of the Apostle, would be prefixed, Ira hominis non implet iustitiam Dei.

2. OF DEATH.

MEN feare death, as Children feare to goe in the darke and as that naturall feare in Children is encreased with tales; so is the other. Certainely the feare of death in contemplation of the cause of it, and the issue of it, is religious: but the feare of it, for it selfe, is weake. Yet in religious meditations there is mixture of vanitie, and of superstition. You shall reade in some of the Friers Bookes of Mortification, that a man should thinke with himselfe, what the paine

is, if he haue but his fingers end pressed, or tortured; and thereby imagine what the paines of Death are, when the whole body is corrupted and dissolued: when many times, Death passeth with lesse paine, then the torture of a limme. For the most vitall parts are not the quickest of sence. And to speake as a Philosopher or naturall man, it was well said, Pompa mortis magis terret, quàm mors ipsa. Grones, and Conuulsions, and a discoloured face, and friends weeping, and Blackes and obsequies, and the like, shew death terrible. It is worthie the obseruing, that there is no passion in the minde of man so weake, but masters the feare of death; and therefore death is no such enemy, when a man hath so many followers about him, that can winne the combat of him. Revenge triumphes ouer death, Loue esteems it not, Honour aspireth to it, deliuery from Ignominy chuseth it, Griefe flieth to it, Feare preocupateth it: nay we see after Otho had slain himselfe, pitty (which is the tendrest of affections) prouoked many to die. Seneca speaketh of nicenesse: Cogita quam diù eadem feceris; Mori velle non tantùm fortis, aut miser, sed etiam fastidiosus potest. It is no lesse 'worthy to obserue how little alteration in good spirits the approaches of death make: but they are the same till the last. Augustus Cæsar died in a complement, Tiberius in dissimulation, Vespasian in a iest, Galba with a sentence, Septimus Seuerus in dispatch; and the like. Certainely the Stoikes bestowed too much cost vpon death, and by their great preparations made it appeare more fearefull. Better saith he, Qui finem vitæ extremum inter munera ponat naturæ. It is as naturall to die, as to bee borne; and to a little Infant perhaps, the one as painefull, as the other.

1 The last clause is omitted in the MS.

3. OF GOODNESSE, AND GOODNES OF NATURE.

I TAKE goodnesse in this sence, the affecting of the Weale of men, which is, that the Gracians call Philanthropia; for the word humanitie (as it is vsed) it is a little too light, to expresse it. Goodnesse I call the habite; and goodnesse of Nature, the inclination. This of all vertues, is the greatest: being the character of the Deitie; and without it, man is a busie, mischeuous, wretched thing: no better then a kind of vermine. Goodnesse answers to the Theologicall vertue Charity, and admits not excesse, but error. The Italians, haue an vngracious prouerbe, Tanto buon, che val niente; So good, that he is good for nothing. And one of the Doctors of Italie, Nicholas Machiauel had the confidence to put in writing, almost in plaine termes; That the Christian faith had given vp good men in prey, to those that are tyrannicall and vniust; which hee spake, because indeed there was neuer law, or sect, or opinion, did so much magnifie goodnes, as the Christian religion doth. Therefore to auoid the scandall, and the danger both; it is good to take knowledge of the errors of an habite so excellent. Seek the good of other men, but be not in bōdage to their faces or fancies: for that is but facility, and softnesse; which taketh an honest minde prisoner. Neither giue thou Æsops Cocke a gem, who would be better pleased and happier, if he had had a Barly corn. The example of God teacheth the lesso truly. He sendeth his raine, and maketh his sunne to shine vpon the iust, and vniust; but hee doth not raine wealth, nor shine honour1 and vertues vpon men equally. Common benefits are to bee communicate

1 honors in MS.