The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth, Rules 2
Certaine ſentences or Rules of good life and pertitinent to the Precepts going before.
Seruire Deo regnare eſt.
1 THE ſeruice of God is perfect freedome.
2 Where ignorance finds no mercy, contempt ſhall ſure find miſery.
3 There is no man borne without ſinne, happy is he that increaſeth it leaſt.
4 Till death there is no man happy, then happy is he that dies in the Lord.
5 Make vſe of time for it paſſeth with a ſwift foot, and that which followes moſt commonly is not ſo good as that which goes before.
6 Hee that vngodlily dies rich ſhall hauehave many mourners to his graue, but few comforters at his iudgement.
7 Expect that louelove from thy children that thou thy ſelfe haſt tendered to thy parents.
8 So diſpoſe thy time as if thou ſhouldeſt liue long and yet as if thou ſhouldeſt dye ſuddainly.
9 Doe well to thine enemies that they may become thy friends.
10 It is the part of a wiſeman to preuēt iniuries ere they happen, of a valiant mā to withſtand them ere they come.
11 Out of other mens faults iudge how odious thyne owne are.
12 There is more truſt in vertue then in oathes.
13 Hee that wil ſpeake what he would, ſhall heare that he would not.
14 Delight not to ſpeake ill of the dead.
15 Striue to be rich in that, that when thy ſhippe ſhall periſh ſuffers no ſhipwrack.
16 Learne that being a child that will adorne thee being a man.
17 The waſt of time is a deare expence.
18 It is better to fall amongſt the Rauens of the ayre then the flatterers of the earth, for the one ſtrikes the dead but the other wounds the liuing.
19 He liues in vaine that hath no care to liue well.
20 Greatneſſe is not the cauſe of goodnes, but goodnes is the cauſe of greatneſſe.
21 So louelove that thou maiſt hate, ſo hate that thou maiſt louelove.
22 If by thy labour thou accō pliſh any thing that is good the labour paſſeth but the good remayneth to thy cō fort, if for thy pleaſure thou ſhalt do any thing that is ill, the pleaſure paſſeth, but the euill remayneth to thy ſorrow.
23 The goodman will not …in for the louelove hee beares to God and goodneſſe it ſelfe; But the euill man for feare of puniſhment.
24 Be thou neuer ſo ould thou maiſt eueryevery day learne, therefore neuer be aſhamed to learne that thou knoweſt not.
25 Diſpiſe not ould age but greiue to ſee it miſerable.
26 Sweare not often but performe what thou ſweareſt beeing honeſt though to thy loſſe.
27 Tis tiranny to do what may be done and not regard what ought to be done.
28 Whatſoeuer is deare vntounto thy body forbeare it being any way preiuditiall to thy ſoule.
29 So louelove thy beſt friend that thou be not thine owne worſt enemy.
30 Deſire in any thing rather to be in ſubſtance without ſhew, then in ſhew without ſubſtance.
31 Forbeare to ſpeake much for he that doeth ſhall not often ſpeake well, and it is better to be lame in the way then to runne out of the way.
32 A good life and a bad make death apeare in two ſhapes, happy is he that liues ſo that it appeare in the beſt.
33 He that feares to dye, feares to find that he liues to ſeeke.
34 If death bee not good of it ſelfe, yet it is the end of many euils.
35 Health is aboue wealth, and a competency with content riches enough. And many a one hath the vſe of much money that hath not the vſe of himſelfe.
36 Be ſilent in thy intentions, leaſt by the contrary thou be preuented and laughed to ſcorne.
37 As the Touch-ſton tries ſo gold tries man.
38 It is better to be truly reprehended by a friend then falſly flattered by an enemye.
39 By other mens examples not by thine owne, learne what is worſt to eſchue, what is beſt to follow.
40 As he ſleeps well that feeles not he ſleeps ill, ſo hee ſins much that thinkes not that he ſinnes at all,
41 Seuerall accidents hauehave ſeuerall remedies, but patience is appliable to all.
42 The later day is commonly the ſcholler of the former.
43 To conquer the affections of ones owne heart is more then to conquer a kingdome.
44 The couetuous man is good to non but he is worſt to himſelfe, and wantes aſwell that he hath as that he hath not.
45 So truſt thy friend that he cannot hurt thee being thy enemy.
46 He that doth an iniury to one threatens it to many.
47 It is hard to keepe ſafe that that many men deſire, as a faire wife, ready money.
48 The eye nere offendes if the hart gouerne it well.
49 Nothing is thine own truly that thou canſt diſpoſſeſſe thy ſelfe of.
50 There is no day of a mans life ſo happy that ſomthing doth not happen to grieue him.
51 Hee that giues not willingly will allwayes find ſome reaſon why he ſhould not giuegive.
52 The increaſe of knowledge is the increaſe of ſorrow.
53 There was neuer wiſe man but ſaw more cauſe of ſorrow then ioy.
54 That mans end is eaſy and happy that death finds with a weake body and a ſtrong ſoule.
55 Youth and nature paſſe ouer many infirmities that are owing till our age.
56 Who liues moſt vertuouſoy will dye moſt patiently.
57 Liue to dye once dye once to liue euer.
58 Thinke of God with wonder, ſpeake to God with reuerence, ſerue him in louelove, obay him in feare and do nothing but as in his preſence, and ſight, and thou ſhalt liue the life of the godly & go the way of the bleſſed, liue in his feare and dye in his fauour.
The diriuation of man.
59 Homo ex humo, cadauer ex carodata vermibus.
60 Sapiens miſer plus miſer eſt quam ruſticus miſer ſcit enim exaggerare cauſas dolendi, quas ruſticus miſer neſcit.
Admonition againſt ſinne▪
61 When ſinne allures thee, thinke that thou ſeeſt Chriſt comming towards thee as he lay in the armes of Ioſeph of Arimathea, taken downe from the Croſſe, all wanne and bleeding, wounded, the delicacy, beuty and admiration of all his partes, clouded, ſullied and ſtayned, ſpeaking thus vntounto thee, ô forbeare to commit it, for it fetcht me from the armes of my father, from my royalty and glory in heauen whole and vntoucht, to the armes of this mortal man, all wounded and torne as thou ſeeſt, and with this contemplation forbeare.
Zacheus certaine gaine, the worlds imagined loſſe.
If Zacheus to winne heauen reſtored fore-fould from thoſe he had hut iniured ſingle; how do they labour to winne hell, that do iniury foure-ſould & yet make not reſtitution ſingle.
The fiue thoughts of a Chriſtian.
1 Thinke of pleaſure, to diſpiſe it.
2 Of death to expect it.
3 Of iudgement to eſcape it.
4 Of hell to preuent it.
5 Of heauen to deſire it.
Foure kinde of men, according to Dauid, that are moſt indebted vntounto God for their liues.
1 Thoſe that hauehave eſcaped a dearth.
2 Priſoners there bondes.
3 Thoſe eſcaped in a mortall ſickeneſſe.
4 Seafaring men, that are neyther among the liuing nor the dead.
A Prayer for Conſtancy and grace againſt all worldly vanities and allurements.
GIueGive me grace to effect thy will, O Lord, & command me what thou pleaſeſt, giuegive me conſtancie and perſeuerance in my calling and duties of life, according to thy will and direction, and then let my courſe be in what thou wilt appoynt; Be I a huſband, chaſtity and content ſhall adorne my calling, in deſpight of the allurement of all other beauties, all other accidēts. Be I rich, pride nor oppreſſion, nor contempt, the adherent vices of that Mammon ſhall not ceize me with their eaſineſſe in their ſnares: be I whatſoeuer I am, bee thou my guide and rule of my life, and then all my actions ſhall bee ſquared and fitted by the ayme of thy word, to the leuell of thy will, that ſo they may end in thy glory & my comfort: and that they may ſo doe, good Lord ſo guide & temper my diſpoſition with ſuch a regiment of thy goodneſſe, that thou let not ye world with her ſmiles beguile me, nor with her frownes affright me: arme me with ſanctity, ſtrength & wiſedome, that I may vſe it as though I vſed it not, and let not Sathan deceiue me therein: let not my owne cō dition betray me to his malice: let mee eueryevery day increaſe my ſtrength in thee, adding to ye ſpirituall eſtate and welfare of my ſoule, that the longer I liue, I may walke more ſecurely in the midſt of ſo many enemies: giuegive me a true eſtimation of all earthly flatteries, vanities, and pleaſures, & ſuch deep ſight therin, y• through the ſhades & beauties▪ & allurements, I diſcerne ye poyſon y• lyes at their roots, & ſo forbeare ye one that I periſh not by the other: let my delight bee leaſt taken when my body moſt liues, but whilſt ye one walkes dully vponupon earth, let the other ſoare ſprightly to heauen, let me not for y• glimſe and ſhining like a glo-worme in this world, looſe ye ſplendor & beauty more glorious then ye ſtars in ye firmamēt in ye world to come, prepared for me, and all that perſeuer in thy waies vntounto the end, which grant Lord for thy mercies ſake.
Amē.
A ſhort Memoratiue of the mortality of our life, and the folly of our liuing.
Aſhes & earth, ſtād forth, thou art here acus'd,
That thou thy brittle ſubſtāce haſt abus'd,
The potters veſſels being earth and clay
Not ſafely guarded, ſuddenly decay:
And then their vſe, though needfull much before,
Fails in effect, and are obſeru'd no more.
Thou wōdrous workmā of vnboūded skil,
That ſheweſt ſo large, art on a ſtuffe ſo ill.
What are our bodies made of but of mould?
And yet how rich a ſubſtance do they hold?
The which ſo many waies we do deface,
That for the iewel ſhould preſerue the caſe.
Sometime a thouſand vanities our guide,
We daſh this bark vponupon the rocks of pride,
Or on the ſhelues of gluttony or luſt,
We periſh ſuddenly, and not miſtruſt,
Sayling along on this vncertaine ſea,
Where we are toſt & turmoyl'd eueryevery day,
Where we are lifted as the winds do keep,
Vp to the clouds, & downe into the deep.
Where if we paſſe the dāger of the maine,
Within the hauen landing we are ſlaine.
What ſhelues, and ſands, and windes, and waues with-ſtood,
Yeelds by infected ayre, or tainted bloud,
Or vſeleſſe whilſt in readineſſe we ſtand,
And nere aduenture on the ſea from land,
Yet will cōtinuance where the windes not weare vsus,
Diſ-ioynt our ioynts, & all in ſunder teare vsus.
Though ſea & land, & al their dāger ſaues
Yet wil this croked cripple dig our graues,
Where beeing accepted, world nor friend to minde vsus,
Death ſo hauing left vsus, ſo ſhall iudgement find vsus.
For wormes that eate our bodies, pierce our skinne,
Waſte vsus to nothing, do not waſte our ſin,
Which will not leaue vsus where our friends forſake vsus,
But as a witneſſe to that bar will take vsus,
Where we poore trembling wretches ſtanding there,
Quake like the popler with eſpects of feore.
Conſcience there wounding, and will not conceale
That which vndoes vsus if it ſhall reueale,
Where if the righteous ſcarce ſhall fauour finde,
What place for graceleſſe ſinners is aſſignd?
Such as thy precepts hauehave not kept in awe,
But broke each text, & canon of thy law,
Bin drown… in natures pleaſures al my life,
At peace with ſin & ſinners, but in ſtrife
With thee the Lord that art the king of peace,
For which my woes begin, my pleaſures ceaſe,
Now all my glaſſe of vanity is run,
For pleaſures paſt I periſh, am vndone:
For appetites vntaſted, ſcarce enioyd,
Are ſoule and body endleſly deſtroyd,
When to the bleſſed for a little paine,
Which was but pleaſure, comes an endleſſe gaine.
Where this worlds w…, the ſorrow & anoy
They hauehave ſuſtaind, is eaten vp in ioy,
Where as the light of Gods moſt glorious face,
Angels & Miniſters of louelove and grace,
Prophets & Patriarkes there in rayment bright,
Which ſpent their oyles to lend the world their light.
Whoſe bleſt examples as the liues they lead
Brought them to heauen, brings others be-in dead,
Where their deceaſed parents, and their friends
And they imbrace in ioy that neuer ends,
Where they their ſonnes & daughters did deplore,
That wēt before thē, meet & part no more
Ad what I may, the halfe no tongue cā tell,
But this am ſure of, their eſtate goes wel,
And mine lamented, what they gaine I loſe
Depriu'd of theſe true ſubſtāces for ſhows,
Sooth'd by exemplary & head-long times,
Reckning the venom'ſt vices venial crimes
As theſe our dayes fraught with all kinde of ſinne,
Of ages paſt, & crimes that nere hauehave bin,
New bred in vsus, that prey vponupon our blood,
Our health, our wealth, whats dere, whats neere, whats good,
New ſins with their new plagues to ſtoppe their tide
Which more lift, the more they are deni'd,
For which the land ſhould mourn & weep in woe
But it runs forward, & it nere thinkes ſo,
Surfets & pride, with other ſuch exceſſe,
Eat vp our health, which we might elſe poſſeſſe,
And our vntēperance doth dig our graue,
By which abuſe that kils vsus that ſhold ſaue
By courſe of nature ſet theſe cauſes by,
Our ſiſe decreaſeth, and our old men dye
Full in account of years, if that they gaine
The childhood that their parēts did attaine
And yet they dy'd, tho many years god lend
A day ſtil came, that al thoſe years did end.
By which we learne the frailty of our kind,
The truth of Gods decree on ſin aſſign'd,
That takes poſſeſſion on the long-liu'd man,
VponUpon the child that yeſterday began,
VponUpon the rich in palaces of gould,
VponUpon the poore in cot…ages of mould,
Spares no degree frō ſcepter to the ſwaine,
From the firſt childhood to the laſt againe.
Spares no condition, neither Prince nor King,
Titles are vaine, as any other thing,
As we experience with more truth & w…,
Thē land ere mourn'd for, to co…irme it ſo,
Layes all their pompe & glory in the duſt,
That former times ere had, or latter muſt,
Puls downe the plumes, of vanity, and pride,
Vnpaints our painted fleſh, & doth deride
Our childiſh follies that we ſomuch cheriſh
That at a moment ſhall ſo quickly periſh,
The face, the hand, the body ſo innured,
From lights of heauen and earth ſo much obſcured,
That ſun, nor aire, nor wind, ſhall touch the skin
They ſo regarded, take ſo much pleaſure in:
Thoſe thou wilt ſtrip, their trifles caſt away
Into a winding ſheet, and bed of clay;
Wheras the worms & vermin ſhal deſtroy
What was their own delight, & others ioy,
Shal pul the fleſh & ſinows frō the bone,
And what they leaue, corruptiō ceize vpō.
Where that proud earth, that ſo in height did ſtand
Reſolues to a heap of duſt, a graine of ſand.
When thus it is, let all mankind appeare,
And take a true view what we muſt bee here:
Within the earth we there muſt make our bed
Vpō our fleſh being worms & verm…n fed.
Since youth, and ſtrength, and health, and all decay,
And eueryevery one but haſtens on the day,
Since former ages, could not one man ſaue
To ſhew a monument againſt the graue:
But eueryevery child & parent that they ow'd,
And ſaw brought forth, they ſaw againe beſtowd.
Thither our carkaſſes ſinke downe & rot,
Our ill remembred, and our good forgot.
From out this tranſitory world of woe,
From which we part, to God that mindes not foe,
Let vsus ſo liue, that wee forget not why
We liue within this world, which is to dy,
And both ſo liue & dy, that when we end,
Though world become our foe, Chriſt bee our friend,
And then howeuer, whatſoere befall,
In looſing little wee hauehave gained all.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Crashaw, The Ambassador Between Heaven and Earth (1613)