Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1, Title page – Dedication
CONTEMPLATIVE PICTVRES: With WHOLESOME PRECEPTS. The firſt part:
Of God. Of the Diuell.
Of Goodneſſe. Of Badneſſe.
Of Heauen: and Of Hell.
By RICHARD BERNARD.
LONDON, Printed by William Hall for William Welbie, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Swan. 1610.
TO THE RIGHT Honourable EDMVND Lord SHEFFEILD, Knight of the moſt Noble Order of the Garter. Lord PRESIDENT of his Maieſties Honourable Counſell in the NORTH, and his Highneſſe Lieutenant there. And to the right Honourable that his louingly obedient Lady VRSVLA the Lady SHEFFEILD.
To the Right Worſhipfull Ladies, their Honourable iſſue, the Lady SVVIFT, and the Lady FAIRFAXE: Heauenly ioies in Spirituall Meditations, good conſcience in obedience and endleſſe glorie by faith in Chriſt: that grace and peace euermore.
RIGHT HONOVRABLE, RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL:
SIx diuided equallie to two, is three, or three to either. Three is all, ſo many to euerie one, no leſſe to any. A man is either of God by regeneration, liuing in goodneſſe, going to heauen; or of the diuell by corruption, practiſing wickedneſſe, and running headlong to hell. Two generations, the heauenlie race or the Serpents ſeed: two Regiments, ſome ſlaues by ſin to Satans controulement; ſome in voluntarie ſubiection by grace to Gods gouernemēt: two places to goe vntounto, the infernall bottomleſſe pit, or the celeſtiall endleſſe paradiſe. There is but one Conductour, God in the ſpirituall brightneſſe; but one ſeducer principall, the diuell in ſpirituall darkeneſſe. One onelie true Religion, the reſt Idolatrie and Superſtition. There are no men Miſcellane, one betweene two of either, and yet neither. There is no meane or third place betwixt Hell below and Heauen one high. The Pope with his Prieſts may teach a Purgatorie, to picke the purſes of fooliſh Papiſts: but beleeue them thoſe that liſt, the word yeelds no ſuch warrant, to cauſe a iudicious and ſound Proteſtant to feare or force of it. Yet is there one, an ill meane among men, that loathed creature, that Lukewarme Goſpeller: a time ſeruer profeſſing after his pleaſure, as may ſtand with his profit: this is the Miſcellane man. But is hee good? then of God; then goe ſuch to heauen: but God ſaith hee will ſpue them (a tearme of loathing) out of his mouth: if bad, then of the Diuell, and ſo belong to Hell. Three and three then, God, Goodneſſe, Heauen: the Diuell, Badneſſe, Hell; my ſubiect matter empinfolds all: none not within the compaſſe of theſe. God either guides men by his holie ſpirit, ſettles them in grace, and rewards them in heauen with infinite glorie: or the diuell beareth ſwaie in their hearts and holds them in wickedneſſe, for which in hell they receiue wages due, euen vnſpeakable miſerie.
Heere therefore (RIGHT HONOVRABLE, RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL,) of all theſe are certaine pictures, not Popiſh and ſenſible for ſuperſtition; but mentall for Diuine contemplation; whereto are added wholeſome Precepts for direction after godlie meditation. Gods Picture, to behold him, that is ſo good; to admire his excellencie, to feare his Maieſtie, to praiſe his bountie. The Diuels portraiture, that he may be ſeene, that is ſo euill, to wonder at his wickedneſſe, to loath his vileneſſe, to deteſt his wretchedneſſe, and to beware of his deceitfulneſſe. Good is ſet forth, to behold the comelie beautie of celeſtiall grace, to embrace it with louelove. Badneſſe is diſcouered, that the vglie morphew of ſinne may be ſeene, to abhorre it. Heauen is deſcribed to worke ioy in wel-doing by conſidering ſo great a reward of happineſſe and that eternally. Hell is deciphered to reſtraine from ſinne, by fearing the recompence of vengeance in internall torments euerlaſtingly. He that doth good, may turne and read of God, his bleſſed guide; and of heauen, how in the end he ſhall bee in felicitie. He that doth euill, may read of the diuell, his accurſed leader; and of hell, and behold his future and dreadfull miſerie. This is the practicall vſe of theſe pictures.
Right Noble Lord; Still let the honouring of the goſpell, and hatred of Poperie praiſe your zeale: this is of God. Let ſtill your ſpeedie execution of iuſtice make renowned your ſeat of equitie: this is goodneſſe. Your Honours louelove to the truth and regard of the miniſtrie is not vnknowne: your godly hate of Antichriſtianiſme is no leſſe manifeſt; and is not a care in iuſt proceeding betweene theſe two words, mine and thine, commended? Theſe giuegive ſure hope by Chriſt of heauen. My praier is for your Honours conſtant footing in this happie path. Indeede the way of weldoing is ſtrait, and as narrow as ſtrait: hard to enter, and as difficult to endure therein: whereunto is required the wiſdome of a Serpent, and a Doues innocency. Godlie ſinceritie now adaies with Achitophels is held an affection from follie: iuſt and reſolute dealing, but a deſperate attempt. The diſlike of Lukewarmeneſſe, and hate of a falſe religion with Machiauellian Time-ſeruers is iudged but a paſſionate raſhneſſe, the heat of a ſpirit apt to Sedition.
What if this be the wicked mans cenſure? What if the world, the Schoole of Satans policie, do thus condemne true Chriſtianitie? Muſt noble ſpirits ſet vp to aduance pietie, yeeld to ſuch helliſh Hags, and become ſlauiſh to the froth of vanitie? A true childe of the Church inſtructed in the Schoole of Chriſt, can not endure it: his high ſpirit, eleuated beyond the low pitch of corrupt reaſon in confederacie with fleſh and blood, poſſiblie cannot ſo debaſe it ſelfe. This were to ſeparate wiſdome and innocencie: to leaue religious ſinceritie, and to take vp other godleſſe mens impietie. Hee that can put in practiſe our Sauiours leſſon, to be as wiſe as a Serpent, and as harmleſſe as a Doue, he may doe well. Together are they good; it is not ſeaſonable to be in act, while they bee aſunder. The firſt alone is but diuelliſh deceitfulneſſe: the latter, by it ſelfe, is but a good meaning ſillineſſe: Hee that conioines them rightlie, ſeekes his owne ſafetie. Conſcience will plead for innocencie, God will defend it: and prudent practiſe keeps an eſtate good, maugre the enemies malice. Where theſe two like to lodge and harbour in one heart, that, as rare, as excellent a perſon, may liue within himſelfe comfortably, among men peaceably, and in the end die ioyfully: my vnfeined wiſh to your Honour and to all that walke with God vprightlie.
Right honourable Lady, Right Worſhipful and Honourable ofspring: My attempt may ſeeme a wonder; but the conceit of the wonderment ceaſeth where iudgement ſearcheth out the cauſe, & prudēce doth guid wiſdom to weigh the circumſtance. A Lady is Honored in her Lord, children are dignified in the due fame, and high promotiō of their parents. The firſt are vnited by Gods ordināce, the latter by natures influence. Whom God then and nature hath cemented, I, in my due honoring of al, preſume to conioine. Right Honourable Madame, and to you Ladies, I wiſh all welfare vnderunder God, on earth true goodnes, in heauen enduring gladnes; a time to read good things, but all times to practiſe, commending to your heartie aſſent this memorandum: Women are but weake, their ſtrength is to bee vnderunder gouernment, excellent praiſe is gotten by their wiſe ſilence, but their principall glory ſtands in their awe, and cheerefull obedience. This perhaps may not ſeeme a plauſible ſentence to your Sexe; but (good Ladies) he cannot flatter, that indeede doth giuegive you true Honour.
I preſent your Honours, your Worſhips, with theſe ſpeciall meditations, the firſt part of my Pictures and Precepts. Tho I bee troubled with controuerſies and called into ſuch matters of contention; yet intermix I my ſtudie ſometime with theſe better motions. I finde that Queſtions curiouſly contriued doe more exerciſe wit, to informe iudgement, then to make the heart deuout in our pilgrimage and this earthly exilement. By troubleſome diſputations men get knowledge to approue of good, but by quiet meditations men grow to more conſcience in their waies, and do increaſe in grace. Hence is my interchange, and a cauſe of ſome ſtay of my anſwer both to Maſter Ainſworth the Separatiſt, and to Maſter Smith that Anabaptiſticall Se-Baptiſt: but now the time wil not be long, ere I publiſh my replie. This preſent labour, in the view of words, may ſeeme but litle, but the weight of the matter rightly valued makes it more. The heads here hādled are but few, yet comprehend much: the words not many; I hauehave ſtudied breuity: It is irkeſome to be tedious, it is delightſom to be ſhort and perſpicuous.
It is (Right Honourable, Right VVorſhipfull) what it is, euen my good meaning, my firſt and beſt endeauour in this kind; whatſoeuer it bee, be it not, as it ſhould be, my will yet wiſheth it to bee well, and my thankfull heart offers it vp with all due reſpect vntounto …ou, and craues your honourable and worſhipful acceptances …f the ſame. If I hauehave offended by tendering ſo ſmall a worke, …o ſo great and worthy Perſonages, I begge pardon for my …oldneſſe: and ſo praying for …our euer-proſperous eſtate and true happineſſe, I humbly take my leaue.
From Worſop in Notinghamſ. Nouem. 6. Your Honours, and Worſhips to be commanded in the Lord, RICHARD BERNARD