The Worthy Churchman, Section 8
SECTION VIII. The Achate.
SO called,aLib. 37. c. 10. saith Pliny, because it is found in Sicilia, by a river of the same name, and is thought to be the same with the Chrysoprase, which is the tenth in the Revelation.
The Vertue.
IT doth admirably delight the beholders with the varietie of formes, and diversity of things, which is obvious to each eye that gazeth on it. It sheweth you living creatures, fields, medowes, rivers, groves, trees, rockes, Natura ludente, (saith Cardan) nature even sporting and as it were wantoning with change. That famous one in the ring of King Pyrrhus, wherein were the nine Muses, and Apollo playing in the midst, is acknowne to every one either by reading or relation. So that of this gemme may be fitly applied what thebOvid. 1. metamorph. Poet said of Chaos, that it containes—discordia semina rerum. VnderUnder which may well be veiled that diversity of gifts wherewith it is requisite a Minister of the Gospell should be endowed; one while weaving the warpe of faith, another while the woofe of good workes; now laying the foundation, anon building thereon: first imitating the Bee, the Muses bird, gathering thecProv. 25. 27. hony of knowledge from the flowers of others; then the Spider, spinning a threed of truth out of his owne braine or experience. Alexander Hales is called the irrefragable Doctor, Scotus the subtle, Bradwardine the profound, Occam the invincible, Burley the perspicuous, Baconthorpe the resolute. Aquinas the angelicall, Bonaventure the seraphicall. These are swelling titles conferred upon them, according to the Planet which was predominant in each of their braines. Indeed S. Paul rightly censures them to bed1 Cor. 12. 4. diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. So when one and the same man undergoes the office both of a Doctor to teach, a Pastor to perswade, and a Deacon to governe; beginning with chatechisticall Divinity to his A. b. c. darians; proceeding to positive with grounded Christians; holding on to polemicall with curious and exquisitive heads, and ending a casuist with perplexed consciences; discreetly applying each point for and according to the auditoryeMethod… applicandi Scripturas, quâ utitur D. Amandus P… lan… & alii &c: first to fforeignteach truth by way of doctrine, then togforeign. improve errour by way of elench, nextly tohforeign. correct vice by way of reproofe, besides toiforeign. discipline in godlinesse by way of instruction, lastly tokforeign. comfort and strengthen the heart in distresse by way of consolation, (which seemes to be the most Scripture-like method of all others, 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Rom. 15. 4.) this I say, isl1 Cor. 12. 5. differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And further, this variousnes of the Achate appeares in us, while we doe not rest and subside upon one object, but are strengthning this mans faith, anchoring anothers hope, kindling anothers charity, blowing the coales of his zeale, urging his repentance, directing his obedience, visiting his sicke couch: thus when alma mater Academia hath once delivered us over to Sancta Mater Ecclesia, Dura Mater to Pia Mater, wee should make the Church the center, and the Parish the circumference of our circular motion, every where espying where a great and effectuall doore is open unto us; that so Bradfords speech be not true foreign, that the Devill is onelyonly diligent Bishop in his Diocesse.
The Colour.
THe colour also is so various, as one would think their sight erred about the proper object, which is colour. It is white, red, yellow, blacke, greene, blew, what not? in so muchmVt unum lapidem esse nom creda…. Cardan. as it seemes scarce to be one and the same stone. So must we garment our faces with any colour, and put on any passion, if by an holy temporizing we see we are likely to prevaile. We must be Proteo mutabiliores as well in our affections and conversing with men, as in our doctrine. If with Amos wee bee called to preach to Shepheards, we mustnHumi repentia verba, polit. creepe on the ground in vulgar termes; if with Isay to the Court, we must be glad to speake sterling, and embellish our sentences with words as well as things, if wee will be heard; if we have to doe with merry greeks, we must come to them as Christ, eating and drinking; if with severe Catoes, we must approach them as Iohn, neither eating nor drinking; to sanguinists we must pipe; to melancholists mourne; to Caligula wee must thunder; to sucho2 Tim. 4. 17. Ad cantum Galli pavet Leo. Lyons as Nero (we must as Peter was roused) crow them to repentance. Heare S. Paul; p1 Cor. 9. 20, 21, 22.To the Iewes I became as a Iew that I might winne the Iewes: to them that were under the Law, that I might winne them under the Law: to them that are without the Law, &c. Briefly then thus much: Virgil throughout all the travels and troubles of Aeneas, brings in still his faithfull friend Achates accompanying him: wherin qScaliger. Poet. lib. 3.is to be observed the prudence of the Poet, not to suppose a man to wade through such miseries as Aeneas did, without an alter idem, a bosome friend to be foreign, to be sory for his harmes, and so making his woes sit the lighter: Even so a Churchman in all his ministeriall paines & travels should be fido comitavus Achate, in thus ringing of changes, and r1 Cor. 9. …2.being made all things to all men, that he may by all meanes save some.