Works of Joseph Hall, Letter 8 – Title page 18
To my Lord, the Earle of Eſſex. EP. VIII. Aduice for his Trauels.
MY Lord, both my dutie and promiſe make my Letters your debt; and, if neither of theſe, my thirſt of your good. You ſhall neuer but need good counſell; moſt in trauell: Then are both our dangers greater, and our hopes.
I need not to tell you the eyes of the world are much vponupon you, for your owne ſake, for your fathers: onelyonly let your eyes be vponupon it againe, to obſerue it, to ſatisfie it, and in ſome caſes to contemn it. As your graces, ſo your weakneſſes, will be the ſooner ſpied, by how much you are more noted. The higher any building is, the more it requires exquiſit proportion: which in ſome low and rude piles, is needleſſe. If your vertues ſhall be eminent like your fathers, you cannot ſo hide your ſelfe, but the world will ſee you, and force vponupon you applauſe & admiration, in ſpight of modeſty: but if you ſhall come ſhort in theſe, your fathers perfection ſhall be your blemiſh. Thinke, now, that more eyes are vponupon you, then at home: of forrainers, of your owne; theirs to obſerue, ours to expect. For, now we account you in the Schoole of wiſedome: whence if you returne not better; you ſhall worſe; with the loſſe of your time, of our hopes. For, I know not how naturall it is to vsus, to looke for alteration in trauell; and, with the change of aire and land, to preſuppoſe a change in the perſon. Now you are (through both your yeeres and trauell) in the forge of your hopes. We all looke (not without deſire and apprecation) in what ſhape you will come forth. Thinke it not enough, that you ſee, or can ſay you hauehave ſeene ſtrange things of nature, or euent: it is a vaine and dead trauell, that reſts in the eye, or the tongue. All is but loſt, vnleſſe your buſie mind ſhall, from the body that it ſees, draw forth ſome quinteſſence of obſeruation, wherewith to informe, & inrich it ſelfe. There is nothing can quite the coſt and labour of trauell, but the gaine of wiſedome. How many hauehave we ſeene and pittied, which hauehave brought nothing from forrain countries, but miſhapen clothes, or exoticall geſtures, or new games, or affected liſpings, or the diſeaſes of the place, or (which is worſt) the vices? Theſe men hauehave at once wandred from their countrie, and from themſelues: and ſome of them (too eaſie to inſtance) hauehave left God behind them; or perhaps, inſtead of him, hauehave after a looſe and filthy life, brought home ſome idle Puppet in a box, whereon to ſpend their deuotion. Let their wracke warne you: and let their follies be entertained by you, with more deteſtation then pittie. I know your Honour too well to feare you: your young yeares hauehave beene ſo graciouſly preuented with ſoueraigne antidotes of truth and holy inſtruction, that this infection deſpaires of preuailing. Your very blood giues you argument of ſafety: yet good counſell is not vnſeaſonable, euen where danger is not ſuſpected. For Gods ſake, my Lord, whatſoeuer you gaine, loſe nothing of the truth; remit nothing of your louelove and pietie to God; of your fauour and zeale to religion. As ſure as there is a God, you were trained vp in the true knowledge of him. If either Angell, or Deuill, or Ieſuit ſhould ſuggeſt the contrary, ſend him away with defiance. There you ſee and heare eueryevery day, the true mother and the fained, ſtriuing and pleading for the liuing child. The true Prince of peace hath paſt ſentence from heauen, on our ſide. Doe not you ſtoope ſo much as to a doubt, or motion of irreſolution. Abandon thoſe from your table and ſalt, whom your owne and others experience ſhall deſcry dangerous: Thoſe Serpents are full of inſinuations: But, of all, thoſe of your owne country; which are ſo much the more pernicious, by how much they hauehave more colour of priuiledge of intireneſſe. Religion is the greateſt care: aduices for cariage, and improuement of trauell, challenge the next place. I need not counſell you to keepe your ſtate with affability; and ſo to menage your ſelfe, as that your courteſie may be more viſible then your greatneſſe. Nature hath taught you this; and hath ſecretly propagated it from your father: who by his ſweetneſſe of diſpoſition, wonne as many hearts, as by his valour and munificence. I rather tell you, that a good nature hath betrayed many; who looking for that in others, which they found in themſelues, hauehave at laſt complained of their owne credulity, and others deceit. Truſt not ſtrangers too much, with your counſell, with your perſon: and in your greateſt familiarities, hauehave an eye to their common diſpoſition, and infirmities. Thoſe natures wherewith you conuerſe, are ſubiect to diſpleaſure, and violent in purſuit of ſmall indignities. Yeſterday heard I named, from no vnfaithfull report, a French Courtier, that in ſingle combat hath ſent 18 ſoules from the field to their place: yet he euer as the patient in the quarrell; and for this mentioned with more than excuſe: I cenſure not how iuſtly. This is others care: OnelyOnly hence I argue the rifeneſſe of vnkindneſſe taken, and purſued. You ſhall ſee, that the ſoyle is not ſo diuers, as the inclination of perſons; who in all Climates, though they differ in particulars, yet ſtill agree too well in common faults. The Italian deepe, cloſe, and crafty; the French raſh; the German dull. One not forward to offer wrongs; but apprehenſiue of a ſmall wrong offered: another, prone eyther to take, or giuegive them; but not vneaſie to remit: another, long in conceiuing, long in retaining. What doe I exemplifie? There are long Catalogues of peculiar vices, that haunt ſpeciall places; which, if they were not notoriouſly infamous, my charity would ſerue me to particularize. It were pity there ſhould be fewer vertues, locall and proper. There are good vſes to be made of others enormities; if no more, by them to correct our owne: who loaths vice in another is in good forwardneſſe to leaue it in himſelfe. The view of the publike calamities, and diſorders of other Churches, ſhall beſt teach you thankfulneſſe for the better ſtate of ours: But better vſe of their vertues; by how much it is more excellent to know what we ſhould doe, than what ſhould not. You muſt now looke vponupon all things, not with the eye of a ſtranger only, but of a Philoſopher, but of a Chriſtian; which accounts all loſſe, that is not reduced to practice. It is a great praiſe, that you are wiſer by the contemplation of forraigne things; but much greater, that you are better.
That you hauehave ſeene Cities, and Courts, and Alpes, and Riuers, can neuer yeeld you ſo ſound comfort, as that you hauehave lookt ſeriouſly into your ſelfe. In vaine doe we affect all forraign knowledge, if we be not throughly acquainted at home. Thinke much, and ſay little, eſpecially in occaſions of diſpraiſe: wherein, both a little is enough, and oft times any thing is too much. You cannot inquire too much: that which in vsus inferiors would be cenſured for dangerous curioſity, in your Greatnes ſhall be conſtrued as a commendable deſire of knowledge. Aske ſtill after men of greateſt parts and reputation: and where you finde Fame no lyer, note and reſpect them. Make choyce of thoſe for conuerſation, which either in preſent, or in hope are eminent: and when you meet with excellencies in any faculty, leaue not without ſome gaine of knowledge. What are others graces to you, if you onelyonly admire them; not imitate, not appropriate them? Lo, your equals in time grow vp happily in the Colledge (ſo I may terme it) of our yong and hopefull Court, which you hauehave left; and aboue all, that gratious Preſident of worthineſſe and perfection: whom while in all other things you ſerue, you may without reproofe emulate for learning, vertue, piety. My ſelfe am witneſſe of their progreſſe; which I doe ioyfully gratulate to the ſucceeding age. Beware, leſt their diligence ſhall out-ſtrip you, and vpbraid you with that ancient check of going far and faring worſe. I am bold and buſie in counſelling: you abound with better monitors; and the beſt you cary about, I hope, in your owne boſome. Though theſe ſhould be needleſſe, yet they argue my humble affection, and diſcharge my duty. My prayers are better than my counſels; both of them hearty and vnfained for your good, God guide and returne you ſafe, from a iourney not more happy and proſperous than I wiſh it.
To Sir ROBERT DRVRY, and his LADY. EPIST. IX. Concerning my Remoue all from them.
WIth how vnwilling a heart I leaue you, hee knowes that ſearches the heart: Neyther durſt I goe, but that I ſenſibly ſee his hand pulling mee from you. Indeed, deſire of competency betrayed me, at firſt; and drew mine eyes to look aſide: but, when I bent them vponupon the place, and ſaw the number and the need of the people, together with their hunger and applauſe, meeting with the circumſtances of Gods ſtrange conueyance of this offer to me; I ſaw, that was but as the Fowlers feather, to make me ſtoope: and, contemning that reſpect of my ſelfe, I ſincerely acknowledged higher motiues of my yeelding; and reſolued I might not reſiſt. You are deare to me, as a charge to a Paſtor; If my paines to you hauehave not proued it, ſuſpect mee: Yet I leaue you. God calls me to a greater worke: I muſt follow him. It were more eaſe to me, to liue ſecretly hidden in that quiet obſcurity, as Saul amongſt the ſtuffe, then to be drawne out to the eye of the world, to act ſo high a part before a thouſand witneſſes. In this point, if I ſeeme to neglect you, blame me not; I muſt neglect and forget my ſelfe. I can but labour, whereſoeuer I am. God knowes how willingly I doe that, whether there or here. I ſhall digge, and delue, and plant, in what ground ſoeuer my Maſter ſets me. If hee take me to a larger field, complaine you not of loſſe, while the Church may gaine. But, you are mine owne Charge; No wiſe father neglects his owne, in compaſſion of the greater need of others: yet conſider, that euen carefull Parents, when the Prince commands, leaue their families, and goe to warfare. What if God hath called me to heauen; would you hauehave grudged my departure? Imagine I am there, where I ſhall bee; although the caſe be not to you altogether ſo hopeleſſe: for, now I may heare of you, viſit you, renue my holy counſels, and be mutually comforted from you; there, none of theſe. He, that will once tranſpoſe me from earth to heauen, hath now choſen to tranſpoſe me from one peece of earth to another: what is here worthy of your ſorrow, worthy of complaint? That ſhould be for my own good: this ſhall be for the good of many. If your experience hauehave taught you, that my labors doe promiſe profit; obtaine of your ſelfe to deny your ſelfe ſo much, as to reioyce that the loſſe of a few ſhould be the aduantage of many ſoules. Tho, why doe I ſpeake of loſſe? I ſpeake that as your feare, not my owne: and your affection cauſeth that feare, rather then the occaſion.
The God of the Harueſt ſhall ſend you a Labourer, more able, as carefull: That is my prayer, and hope, and ſhall be my ioy. I dare not leaue but in this expectation, this aſſurance. What-euer become of me, it ſhall be my greateſt comfort to heare you commend your change; and to ſee your happy progreſſe in thoſe waies I hauehave both ſhewed you, and beaten. So ſhall we meet in the end, and neuer part.
Written to Mr. J. B. and Dedicated to my Father, Mr. J. Hall. EP. X. Againſt the feare of Death.
YOu complaine, that you feare death: He is no man that doth not. Beſides the paine, Nature ſhrinks at the thought of parting. If you would learn the remedy, know the cauſe; for that ſhe is ignorant and faithleſſe. Shee would not be cowardly, if ſhe were not fooliſh. Our feare is from doubt, and our doubt is from vnbeleefe; and whence is our vnbeleefe, but chiefly frō ignorance? She knowes not what good is elſewhere: ſhe beleeues not her part in it. Get once true knowledge & true faith, your feare ſhal vaniſh alone. Aſſurance of heauenly things, makes vsus willing to part with earthly. He cannot contemn this life, that knowes not the other. If you would deſpiſe earth therfore, think of heauen. If you would hauehave death eaſie, thinke of that glorious life that followes it. Certainly, if we can endure paine, for health; much more ſhould we abide a few pangs for glory. Thinke how fondly we feare a vanquiſht enemy. Loe, Chriſt hath triumpht ouer Death: he bleedeth and gaſpeth vnderunder vsus: and yet we tremble. It is enough to vsus, that Chriſt dyed: neyther would he hauehave dyed, but that we might dye with ſafety and pleaſure.
Thinke that death is neceſſarily annexed to nature: We are for a time, on condition that we ſhall not be; wee receiue life, but vponupon the termes of re-deliuery. Neceſſity makes ſome things eaſie; as it vſually makes eaſie things difficult. It is a fond iniuſtice to imbrace the couenant, and ſhrinke at the condition.
Thinke, there is but one common rode to all fleſh: There are no by-paths of any fairer or nearer way; no, not for Princes. Euen company abateth miſeries: and the commonneſſe of an euill makes it leſſe fearefull. What worlds of men are gone before vsus; yea, how many thouſands out of one field? How many Crownes and Scepters lye piled vp at the gates of Death, which their owners hauehave left there, as ſpoiles to the conqueror? HaueHave we been at ſo many graues, & ſo oft ſeene our ſelues dye in our friends; and doe we ſhrinke when our courſe commeth? Imagine you alone were exempted from the common law of mankind, or were condemned to Methuſalahs age; aſſure your ſelfe, death is not now ſo fearefull, as your life would then be weariſome.
Thinke not ſo much what Death is, as from whom he comes, and for what. We receiue euen homely meſſengers from great perſons; not without reſpect to their maſters: And what matters it who he be, ſo he bring vsus good newes? What newes can be better than this, That God ſends for you, to take poſſeſſion of a Kingdome? Let them feare Death, which know him but as a purſuiuant ſent from hell; whom their conſcience accuſeth of a life wilfully filthy; and bindes-ouer ſecretly to condemnation: We know whither we are going, and whom we hauehave beleeued: Let vsus paſſe on cheerfully, through theſe blacke gates vntounto our glory.
Laſtly, know that our improuidence onelyonly addes terror vntounto death. Thinke of death, and you ſhall not feare it. Doe you not ſee, that euen Beares and Tygres ſeem not terrible to thoſe that liue with them? How hauehave we ſeene their keepers ſport with them, when the beholders durſt ſcarce truſt their chaine? Be acquainted with Death: though he looke grimme vponupon you at firſt, you ſhall finde him (yea, you ſhall make him) a good companion. Familiarity cannot ſtand with feare. Theſe are receits enow. Too much ſtore doth rather ouer-whelme than ſatisfie. Take but theſe, and I dare promiſe you ſecurity.
EPISTLES.
THE SECOND DECAD.
BY IOS. HALL.
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.