Sayings of Wise and Learned Men, Part 8
Apothegms, Sayings of very Wiſe men.
SIR Francis Walſingham, towards the latter end of his Life, grew very Melancholly, and writing to Lord Chancellor Burleigh, he ſaid thus: We have lived enough to our Country, to our Fortune, and to our Sovereign: It is now high time that we begin to live to our ſelves, and to our God. In the multitude of Affairs which paſſed through our Hands, there muſt be ſome Miſcarriages, for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our Peace. And when ſome Court-Humoriſts were ſent to divert him. Ah (ſaid he) while we Laugh, all things are ſerious round about us. God is ſerious, when he preſerves us, and hath Patience towards us: Chriſt is ſerious when he Dyeth for us: The Holy Ghoſt is ſerious, when he ſtriveth with us: The Holy Scripture is ſerious when it's read before us: Sacraments are ſerious when they are adminiſtred to us: The whole Creation is ſerious, in ſerving God and us: They in Hell and Heaven are ſerious: And ſhall a Man that hath one foot in the Grave, jeſt, and Laugh.
Salmatius, whom the learned of his time never mention, without ſuch Expreſſions as theſe: Vir nunquam ſatis laudandus, nec temerè ſine laude nominandus. Guil. Riv. Totius Reipublicae Literariae decus: When he came to Dye, went out of the World with this Expreſſion: Oh I have loſt a World of time: Time, that moſt precious thing in the World, whereof, had I but one hour longer, it ſhould be ſpent in David's Pſalms, and Paul's Epiſtles. Oh Sirs (ſaid he) Mind the World leſs, and God more: All the learning in the World without Piety, and the true fear of God is nothing Worth. The Fear of the Lord that is Wiſdom, and to depart from Evil that is underſtanding.
Grotius, after an exact ſurvey of all the Hebrew, Greek, and Latine Learning: After ſo many Elaborate diſcourſes in Divinity, and other Parts of Learning, concluded his Life with this Proteſtation. That he would give all his Learning and Honour for the Plain Integrity, and harmleſs Innocence of Jean Urick (a devout poor Man, that ſpent eight hours of the day in Prayer, &c. Eight in Labour; and but eight in Sleep, and other neceſſary occaſions:) He alſo complained to another, that admired his aſtoniſhing Induſtry, ſaying, Ah! Vitam perdidi, opéroſè nihil agendo: I have loſt my Life with buſily doing nothing. And he gave this Direction to a Third, that deſired him in his great Wiſdom and Learning, in brief to teach him what to do? Be ſerious, ſaid he.
Edward Peito, Eſquire, told his Phyſicians, "that when God had ſent him his Summons, all the Sins of his former Life did even kick him in the Face; and that he now ſaw, that the Evil attending Well-doing was ſhort, but the Good eternal: If we do ill, the Pleaſures of ill doing paſs away, but the Pain remaineth:" And his chief charge about his Children was, "that they ſhould be educated Religiouſly, that they might have God for their Portion as well as his Eſtate."
Prince Henry his laſt Words were, O Chriſt! Thou art my Redeemer, and I know that thou haſt Redeemed me. I wholly depend upon thy Providence, and Mercy: From the very bottom of my Heart I commend my Soul into thy Hand.
A Perſon of quality waiting upon him in this his laſt ſickneſs, who had been his conſtant Companion at Tennis, and asking him how he did? He anſwered: "Ah Tom; I in Vain wiſh for that time which I loſt with thee and others in vain Recreations.
"Now my Soul be glad; For at all the Parts of this Priſon the Lord hath ſet his Aid to looſe thee: Head, Feet, Milt, and Liver are failing. Ariſe therefore and ſhake off thy Fetters: Mount from this Body, and go thy way."
This gracious Prince uſed to ſay, that "he knew no ſport worth an Oath: And that he knew not what they called Puritan preaching, but he loved that Preaching beſt, which went neereſt his Heart, and that ſpake as if that Preacher knew the mind of God."
Sr. Thomas Coventry hearing ſome Gallants jeſting with Religion, ſaid to them: "That there was no greater Argument of a Fooliſh and inconſiderate Perſon, than profanely to droll at Religion. For (ſaid he) it's a ſign that he hath no regard of himſelf, and that he is not touched with a Senſe of his own intereſt who Plays with Life, and Death, and makes nothing of his Soul." To examine ſeverely, and debate ſeriouſly the Principles of Religion is a thing worthy of a Wiſe man. For whoſoever turns Religion into Railery, and abuſeth it with two or three bold Jeſts, renders not Religion but himſelf Ridiculous, in the Opinions of all Wiſe, and conſiderate Men, and that becauſe he ſports with his own Life. For it was the ſaying of a Wiſe man: "That if the Principles of Religion were doubtful, yet they concern us ſo neerly, that we ought to be ſerious in the Examination of them."
Charles le Main, at the Coronation of his Son, uſed theſe ſerious Words: "My dear Son, it is to day that I Die to the Empires, of the World, and that Heaven makes me born again in your Perſon. If you will Reign happily, fear God who is the ſtrength of Empires, and the Soveraign Father of all Dominions: Keep his Commandments, and cauſe them to be obſerved with inviolable fidelity. Serve you firſt of all for an Example to all the World, and lead before God and Man a Life unreprovable."
Theſe latter were collected out of the Warning to a careleſs World.
Magnates ſunt Magnetes: Great ones, like Load-ſtones, draw many by their Examples, and Inferiours look upon them as their Looking-Glaſſes by which they uſually dreſs themſelves.
Godlineſs is the High way to Happineſs, the good old way that hath ever been beaten by all thoſe Saints that now find reſt to their Souls.
What Aeneas Silvius ſaid of Learning, may be much more truly ſaid of Religion, and Righteouſneſs: The Vulgar ſhould eſteem it as Silver; Noble men as Gold; and Princes ſhould prize it above their chiefeſt Pearls.
Semen Sanctum Statumen Terrae: The holy Seed is the ſubſtance of the Earth. The Saints are the People of God's purchaſe, that comprehend all his gettings, and are much more dear to him, than Naboth's Vineyard was to him. He ſets them before his Face for ever [Pſal. 41. 12.] as Loving to look upon them; Yea, upon the very Walls of their Houſes where they dwell [Iſa. 49. 16. They are his Portion, Deut. 32 9.] His Inheritance, [Iſa. 49. 16.] The dearly Beloved of his Soul: [Jer. 12. 7.] and his Glory. [Iſa. 46. 13.]
And thus they are, tho accompanied with many Weakneſſes: For as David ſaw nothing in lame Mephiboſheth, but what was lovely, becauſe he ſaw in him the Features of his Friend Jonathan: So God beholding his offending Saints in the Face of his Son, takes no notice of any thing that is amiſs in them.
The Saints are lowly in their Speeches, but lofty in their Actions, but eſpecially in their Affections, which are carried above all earthly Objects, and are not content till they are got to Heaven. Theſe Stars, tho they are ſeen ſometimes in a Puddle, tho they reflect there, yet they have their ſituation in Heaven. Theſe Birds of Paradiſe, tho they may haply touch ſometimes upon the Earth; yet they are moſtly upon the Wing, and theſe outward Comforts and Creatures are to them but Scalae, and Alae, Wings, and Wind in their Wings to carry them upwards.
Reſolute ſinners would have diſſolute Teachers: They would have the Law according to their Lives, not their Lives according to the Law. That pleaſeth beſt which is ſweet to their Senſe, not that which is wholſome to their Conſcience. Foul Faces would have falſe Glaſſes. Diomedes muſt have a crooked Shooe for his wry Foot.
Caligula would be adored for a God tho he lived like a Devil.
They which will not tell thee of thy Faults, will be very ready to tell others of them; whereas he that Loves thee, and reſpects the profit of thy Soul, more than the pleaſing of thy Senſes, will ſpeak of thy Faults to thy Face, and of thy Virtues behind thy back, which is the greateſt Evidence of Love and true faithfulneſs.
The moſt lew'd are moſt Loud.
When God ſaith I will Laugh, as Prov. 1. 26. Pſal. 2. 4. Then Man hath moſt cauſe to weep.
Schola Crucis, Schola Lucis. Adverſity is the beſt Univerſity.
Prov. 4. 6. Forſake her not. Falling Stars were never but Meteors.
The Heart is the chief Monarch in the Iſle of Man.
By Hand-maids [the Affections] Satan Wooes the Miſtreſs.
A whore is Helen without, but Hecuba within.
Abraham might ſee Sodom burning, but Lot might not look that way.
That little Man in the Eye cannot be touched, but it will be diſtempered.
Toilſom Toyes are but laborious loſs of time.
Morſels of Sin are murthering Morſels, not nouriſhings.
We ſhould labour for Wealth without Woe; Store without ſore; Gold without guilt of Sin, or a guilty Conſcience.
Where Pride is in the Saddle, Shame is in the Crooper.
Riches were never true to any that truſted in them. Exoriuntur ut Exurantur.
The Godly's Afflictions are not Penal but Medicinal, or Probational.
The Venom of a Wicked man's Heart bliſters his Tongue, that it breaks out at his Lips to his own ruin.
He that makes a match with Miſchief, ſhall have his Belly full of it. Prov. 1. 31. and 14. 14.
The Godly paſs from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven.
Affections without Endeavours, are like Rachel, Beautiful but barren. We muſt Work as well as Will and Wiſh, and do as well as Deſire, Perform as well as Promiſe. 2. Chor. 8.
Many lye long Languiſhing at Hopes Hoſpital, as he at the Pool of Betheſda before cured.
Sin and Puniſhment are linked together with Chains of Adamant.
Goodneſs is it's own reward, both in Hand and in Hope.
Anger may ruſh into a wiſe Man's Boſom, but reſts not there, Eccl. 7. 9. Jam. 1. 19. 20.
A Covetous man Fires his own Neſt when he thinks to Feather it, and troubles all his Houſe with haſte and hurry, to get gain. Prov. 15. 27.
Before Honour is Humility. Prov. 15. 33. The lower the Ebb the higher is the Tide. The lower the Foundation of Humility is laid, the higher ſhall the Roof of Honour be over-laid; Honour follows him that flyes from it, as the ſhadow doth the Body.
God can crack the ſtrongeſt Sinew that is in all the Arm of Fleſh, Iſa. 22. 11.
Ingratitude is a Monſter in Nature. To render good for Evil is Divine. Good for Good is Humane. Evil for Evil is ſinful and Brutiſh: But evil for Good is Devilliſh, Jer. 15. 20. 21. Prov. 17. 13. Prov. 17. 17. and 18. 24. and 27. 17.
Scilicet ut fulvum ſpectatur in ignibus Aurum,
Tempore ſic duro eſt experienda Fides.
We muſt ask God to give what he commands us to have.
A King that ſitteth, &c. Prov. 20. 8. The Sword of Juſtice is to be furbiſhed with the Oyl of Mercy, yet there are Caſes wherein ſeverity ſhould caſt the Scale.
Prov. 21. 16. Wandreth, &c. Yet can he not wander ſo wide as to miſs of Hell, Prov. 2. 8. Iſa. 50. 11. in that Congregation Houſe of Gehenna-Gyants, where is Puniſhment without Pitty, Miſery without Mercy, Sorrow without Succour, Crying without Comfort, and Miſchief without Meaſure.
Prudence is better than Puiſſance, Eccle. 7. 19. and 9. 15. 16. Prov. 21, 22. and 24. 5. 2 Sam. 20. 21, 22.
Omnia ſi perdas Famam ſervare memento
Prov. 22. 3. A Prudent man foreſeeth &c. He looks before he Leaps. Sees a Tempeſt in the Clouds and ſeeks ſeaſonable ſhelter under the Hollow of God's Hand, Eccleſ. 11. 14. and 10. 2.
Buy the Truth, &c. Prov. 23. 23. Either live with it, or Dye for it, Tit. 1. 9. Phil. 1. 27, Jude 3. Man hath no Tryal of his ſtrength till he be in Trouble, Prov. 24. 10.
A Bee can ſuck Honey out of a Flower which a Fly cannot do. A ſpiritual Man can extract good out of other mens Faults and Follies: Can gather Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thiſtles.
Prov. 24. 33. 34. Yet a little Sleep. A little, and yet Sleeps, in the Plural. A little he ask, but a little will not ſerve hi… turn, the Beggar ſhall catch him by Back ſwiftly, and irreſiſtably.
There is a ſinful and fooliſh Pitty, when men would not have Juſtice executed upon notorious Offenders, and ſuch Pitt… to the wicked is truly called, Cruelty to the Good. For he that is Pittiful to the Wolf is Cruel to the ſheep.
Man's Tongue is a Sword, Thin▪ Broad, and Long, and of a fiery Colour, [See Pſal. 42. 10. and 64. 3… Prov. 12. 18.] David cries out of th… murthering Weapon in his Bones, whereby they killed him alive, as with a Rapier, and Buried him in their Throats, thoſe gaping Graves, and open Sepulchres, Pſal. 5. 9.
God and Nature hath taught us, By the ſight of the Tongue in the Mouth, to take heed to it, and when all is done, to Pray, with David, to God to keep it, Pſal. 141. 3. The Tongue is ever in Ʋdo, in a moiſture, but yet tyed by the Root, and may not ſtir out of it's place. And it's guarded with a Portcullis of Teeth, and with a two-leaved Gate of Lips, which muſt be carefully kept by us; ſpecially having Enemies ſo neer us.
Cave ne Lingua tua feriat Collum tuum, ſaith the Arabian Proverb. Take heed that thy Tongue do not cut thy Throat. And Solomon ſaith: He that keeps his Tongue keeps his Life, Prov. 13. 3. and …1. 23.
Fruitful Chriſtians perfume the very Air they breath in, by their Gracious, and ſavory Communication: Ephe. 4. …9. Yea, the very Company they come …nto; As a man cannot come where ſweet …pices, and Odours are beaten, but he …hall carry away the ſcent of it in his Cloths.
Evil Speech defiles the Conſcience▪ wounds the Heart, and diſpoſes it to farther Evils. It leaves both a Sting, and a ſtain in our Souls, and doth much miſchief to the Spirits, and manners of others that are corrupted by it. Prov. 15. 4. A wholſome Tongue is a Tree of Life; but Perverſneſs therein is a breach in the Spirit.
Some have reckoned as many Sins in the Tongue, as there are Letters in the Alphabet.
A righteous Man carries as it were, a pair of Ballances between his Lips, and weighs his. Words, before he utters them, Prov. 10. 32. Et prodeſſe Volens & delectare; willing to ſpeak things, both acceptable and profitable.
A Pope once began to queſtion how the State of Venice came to challenge the Dominion of the Adriatick Gulph; and asked her Ambaſſador, what Warrant ſhe had for it? The Ambaſſador anſwered, If your Holineſs pleaſe to produce the Inſtrument, whereby the Emperor Conſtantine paſſed over the City of Rome to your Predeceſſors, upon the back of that Grant your Holineſs will find the Venetian Charter to the Dominion of that Gulph.
Pope Gregory the 13th, threatning to Excommunicate the Duke and State of Venice about a Controverſie concerning the bounds of their Territories, Nick▪ Pontanus anſwered, That the Pontifical Cenſure of Excommunication, is like a Sword ſheathed up in a Scabbard, which ought not to be raſhly drawn out, leſt men might learn to ſlight that kind of Weapon.
It is not in Venice as in other Places, where young men make Laws for Old men to obſerve (they abhor that inverſion of Nature) But gray Headse ſway, and Green Headse obey.
A grave Hiſtorian ſpeaking of Sparta, ſaid, Sparta diu ſtetit, non quod Rex bene imperabat, ſed quia Populus bene parebat: Sparta ſtood and Flouriſhed ſo long, not ſo much becauſe the Prince did Command well, as that the People did obey well.
Pacheco, the Spaniſh Embaſſador, out of Curioſity coming to ſee the Treaſury of St. Mark in Venice, fell a groping whether it had any Bottom: And being asked why he did it? Anſwered; In this among other things my great Maſter's Treaſures differ from yours, that his hath no Bottom, as I find yours to have; Alluding thereby to the Mines of Mexico, and Potoſy.
It's an old Rule, that Eodem modo Res conſervatur, quo acquiritur: By the ſame means things are Conſerved whereby they are got. Inſomuch that if Holland follow the Humours of her firſt Founders, ſhe will love War better than Peace, and happly be incited thereunto by this old Prophecy that runs of her,
Marte triumphabis, Batavia, pace peribis.
Holland, by War thou ſhalt encreaſe,
Thou wilt deſtroy thy ſelf by Peace.
This we have ſeen fulfilled in theſe late Years.
How good ſoever a Prince is, we may eaſily diſcern fewer ſighs and groans at his Funeral, than Cries, or Acclamations of joy at the Coronation of his Succeſſor: which proceeds from the Humours of men, never ſatisfied with the preſent Condition of affairs, but fancy new Felicities in their Imaginations of things to come. Men are like to ſick People, who think they ſhall receive refreſhment by change of their Place.
An old Soldier told his General, that the Enemies were twenty times more than they: But he replyed gallantly; And for how many doſt thou reckon me? Another told his General, that the Enemies ſhot Arrows like Showers of Hail: He inſtantly replyed, 'Tis ſo much the better for us: For we ſhall then fight but againſt empty Quivers and Shadows of men.
When one Perſon offends he is to be puniſhed without Diſpute, to terrifie others from being Malefactors: But when multitudes become criminous, it's Wiſdom to draw advantage from their ſtrength, rather than to exterminate their Perſons.
Soldiers that are generous ought to fear nothing more than Diſhonour, and to hope for no other thing than Victory.
Policy is a moſt neceſſary Guide to Government, and it's then beſt, when Regulated by the Maxims of Religion, whoſe ſacred direction permits not Power to tranſgreſs beyond the Bounds of Reaſon, Truth, and Equity: Otherwiſe Policy is but like a keen Sword in the hand of a Mad-man.
Innocency and true Nobleneſs are things of a moſt precious Quality, and more full of Majeſty than Robes of Purple and Crowns of Gold.
The quiet and tranquillity which ſprings from a good Conſcience, gives a ſweet reliſh and ſatisfaction to the Soul, which no Throne, by it's own Vertue can afford.
Publick Faith, the Laws of Nations, and natural Equity ought to be ſacred and inviolable Bonds, which in all Ages and in all Nations ought moſt Religiouſly to be obſerved.
Princes are ordinarily the Rules of their Subjects actions; And are as the Primum Mobile to all their Motions. Their great Examples are imitated, and followed by the People: Each one ſees, obſerves, and ſtrives to follow their Prince as their Guide. If the Prince be virtuous the People are of that Inclination: If wicked and Vicious, the Subject are apt Schollars to ſuch a bad Leſſon.
The Lives of glorious Princes ought to be as unſpotted as the pureſt Chriſtal. For certain it is, if a Prince loſe his Honour, that loſs is irreparable for ever. The Crimes of private Perſons may be concealed in the obſcurity of their quality, and buried in Oblivion as well as their Memory; But the Actions of Princes, whether good or bad ſurvive to Poſterity.
The Sun ſhines as well on the wicked as the good. God pardoneth more often than he puniſheth. His Clemency ſpreadeth more Univerſally than his Juſtice.
A ſeaſonable act of Juſtice (and thereby an Effuſion of a little Blood) ſometimes prevents an inundation of Miſery, and takes away the cauſe of ample Pardons and unlimited Clemency.
The King of the Bees hath (they ſay) no Sting, which teacheth Princes not to be tranſported with the Violence of their Paſſions, and to meditate rather on Clemency, as more Natural, than on Rigours, which Nature declines.
Of all Wars the Defenſive is moſt juſt and Glorious. That right which permits of a repulſion of force by force is as ancient as the Foundation of the World: Nature it ſelf inſpires it, the Laws permit it, the Caſuiſts diſpute it, but in Concluſion, the beſt Divines Authorize it.
Great wounds in the more Noble parts endanger the Body, and Diſſenſions in the Royal Family, are commonly Deſtructive and fatal to the whole Line.
Youth is an Age wherein the acquiſition of ill Habits are more facile than the infuſions of good and Vertuous diſpoſitions.
The Founders of Rome were Brethren and Twins: Yet thoſe that had lain together in one Womb, could not ſit quietly together in one Throne, and nothing would ſerve until the Blood of the one was mingled in the Morter, and laid in the Foundation of the Walls of that glorious City.
Silla and Marius never were in Peace, nor could they reſt while their Power was equal.
The Triumvirat (a Compoſition of three of the choiceſt men) could not continue long. Anthony and Lepidus were forced to ſurrender to the Fortune of Auguſtus.
Marcus Aurelius (with all his Philoſophy and Wiſdom) found it an unſupportable burthen to bear Sail with the Factions of Lucius Verus, his Colleague in the Empire.
Baſſianus Caracalla was Voluntarily a Fratricide in his Brother Geta, that he night raign alone.
Gallienus creating Odenate his Colleague, haſtened his own Death, with the ruin of the Empire. And in brief, all Examples in this kind eaſily demonſtrate, that the admiſſion of a Companion in the Throne, is neither facile nor tollerable.
Humble Virtues are as commendable as aſpiring and Tumultuous Honour, and to raign in Peace with Juſtice, is as Glorious as to Conquer triumphantly in War. It is fit for a Prince to have the Theory of ſeverity, but not to Practiſe it if poſſibly he can avoid it.
The Oblivion of injuries is an Act every way more noble than Revenge.
A Prince who raigns without Honour, cannot Live a moment without Danger.
He that ſcorns his own Life may eaſily become Maſter of another's.
He who maketh Friendſhip his Treaſure may be liberal when he pleaſeth without Danger of Profuſion.
He hath true repoſe of Spirit who preſerveth his Reaſon entire, and neither lyeth down, nor riſeth up in fear.
It's the uſual fate of Great men ſeldom to be content with their preſent State. They think that either their own merits. are not rewarded enough, or their Inferiors too much, and ſo through diſcontent, ſtriving to be higher, they fall lower.
It's an excellent Point of skill in a Commander to know when his ſtrength hath attained it's juſt bounds of Conqueſt, and there ſtopping his Deſires of gaining more, to fix upon the good Government of what he hath already gotten.
It was Auguſtus his Lot, after a long and honourable Raign, to dye, and yet Tum quidem Pauci luxêrunt, poſtea Omnes: Few mourned at his Death, afterwards All. For Tiberius ſucceeded him, who was as wicked as Auguſtus was good.
We muſt not live to eat, but eat to live. We ſhould eat leſs than Nature deſires, and yet ſo much as to refreſh nature, and to make us fit for the ſervice of God and Man: Luk. 21. 34. Nature is content with a little; Grace with leſs.
Ariſtotle ſaith, that the Aſs-Fiſh of all other Creatures hath his Heart in his Belly. And Solinus obſerves, that the Dolphin hath his Mouth almoſt in his Belly. Such are our greedy Cormorants, who, as it were, wear their Guts in their Heads, and their Brains in their Bellies.
If you will be careful to pleaſe Dionyſius you need not feed upon green Herbs, ſaid the Paraſite to the Philoſopher. And if you can be content to feed upon green Herbs (ſaid the Philoſopher to the Paraſite) you need not care to pleaſe Dionyſius.
Spend-thrifts entomb their Anceſtors in their Bowels. They turn their Rents into Ruffs, their Lands into Laces: Hang their Patrimonies in their Ears (as ſaith Seneca) wear a pretty Grove; Hang a handſome Farm on their Backs. And thus they waſte their ſubſtance with Riotous living, as did that Prodigal, Luke 16. 13.
Tenuis menſa ſanitatis Mater, ſaith St. Chryſoſtom: A ſlender Diet is the Mother of Health. Auguſtus the Emperor never drank but thirce at one meal, and lived till he was almoſt four-ſcore years old.
Queen Elizabeth (of bleſſed Memory) did ſeldom Eat but of one ſort of Meat at one Meal, and roſe ever with an Appetite, and lived till ſhe was about ſeventy years old. King Edward, her Brother called her by no other name, than His ſweet Siſter Temperance. They knew full well, that much Meat much Malady.
Of the Lord of Worceſter (in Queen Elizabeths days) it is recorded, that his Father, by his Temperance reached to the ninety ſeventh year of his Age, becauſe he did never Eat but one Meal a day; and his Son's ſparingneſs attained to eighty four, becauſe he never Eat but of one Diſh at one Meal.
The Belly was the firſt Sword that the Devil drew againſt us; and doth it ſtill, ſo that if we let out our Appetites it may cut our Throats. For many more periſh by intemperance than by Violence; By ſurfeiting than by ſuffering. Meat kills as many as the Musket. Multitudes dig their own Graves with their Teeth. The Board kills more than the Sword.
The Cardinal of Burbon would not part with his Part in Paris for his Part in Paridiſe.
Cardinal Wolſey rode through London with twenty Sumpter Mules: Cauſed his Cardinals Hat (when it was firſt ſent him from Rome) to be ſet upon a Cupboard in Weſtminſter-Abbey, with Tapers round about it, ſo that the greateſt Duke in the Land muſt make curteſie unto it, yea, to his empty Seat when he was away. He had as great yearly Revenues as all the Biſhops and Deans in this Kingdom put together. And for his Houſhold Attendants he had one Earl, nine Barons, a great number of Knights and Eſquires; and of others of an inferior Rank, four Hundred at the leaſt. He uſed to wear Shooes of Silver and guilt, beſet with Pearls and precious Stones.
When none other would lift up Hildebrand into 'St. Peter's Chair, he got up himſelf: For who (ſaid he) can judg better of my fitneſs than my ſelf.
Harden thy Forehead (ſaid Calvus to Vatinius) and ſay boldly, that thou deſerveſt the Praetorſhip better than Cato.
Cyprian and St. Auſtin ſay, That Pride in Apparel is worſe than Whoredom: For that Whoredom only corrupts Chaſtity, but this corrupts Nature.
Humility is the Ornament of Angels, and Pride the deformity of Devils. If Heaven will not keep in a Proud Angel, it will keep out a Proud Soul. In all Conditions of highneſs we ſhould take heed of High-mindedneſs. It's ſaid of Nazianzen that he was high in his Works, but lowly in his Thoughts.
Anger is a Leproſie breaking out of a burning, as Levit. 13. 5. It renders a man unfit for all Civil Society. A man's unruly Paſſions make him like unto the torrid Zone, too hot for any to live neer him. The Dog-days continue with him all the year long, and he is fit only to live alone, as Dragons and wild Beaſts do.
Weakneſs diſpoſes a man to Anger, becauſe ſuch men are moſt tender to feel an injury, moſt ſuſpitious to fear it, and moſt interpreting to over-judg it: All which being Circumſtances of aggravation to encreaſe a wrong, are likewiſe means to add degrees and heat unto our Paſſions.
Anger begins in Raſhneſs; abounds in Tranſgreſſion, and ends in Repentance.
Anger (ſaith Seneca) is the fouleſt, fierceſt, and maddeſt affection of all others. The angry Perſon diſcovers it by his Words, by his Looks, by his Actions. His Words are wild, and many times thruſt forward, ſo many at once and in ſuch haſte as puts the man to ſilence, as we ſee in a Crowd, haſtning to get out of an Houſe at once, ſtops up the Paſſage, ſo that they ſtick in the Door. The looks of an angry man are ſometimes furiouſly red, and ſometimes gaſtly Pale. His Lips tremble; His Teeth grin; His Hair ſtare; He ſwells like a Toad; He glows like a Devil, &c. So that for the time that it Continues, it is the fouleſt, and maddeſt of the Affections; As we ſee in Achitophel, who being enraged that his Counſel was rejected, went home and hanged himſelf.
The Heathens in their Sacrifices to Apollo, offered Ivy to him, to ſhew that Learning could not Proſper and grow unleſs it were ſupported by the Civil Magiſtrate.
Sure none will follow Vertuous ſtudies when
Equal rewards ſhall ceaſe from Vertuous men.
Great is the ſweetneſs even of Humane Learning to thoſe who have gotten but a taſte of it, as it was to Pythagoras and Plato, who travelled far for it. To Julian the Apoſtate, who preferred the ſtudy of it before all Paſtimes whatſoever. To Marcus Aurelius the Emperor, who ſaid, he would not leave the Knowledge he might learn in one hour for all the Gold that he Poſſeſſed. To Alphonſus King of Arragon, who preferred his ſtudy in the Mathematicks before the Empire of Germany when it was offered to him. He profeſſed that he would rather part with all his Jewels than his Books; yea, all his Kingdoms rather than that little Learning he had attained unto.
St. Hierom got his skill in the Hebrew with the peril of his Life, and that in his old Age and yet accounted it a good Bargain. He went by ſtealth in the Night to the Jew that taught him. For if it had been known, the other Jews would have been the Death of them both.
Pythagoras lived in a Cave for a whole year together, that, being ſequeſtred from the Society of men, he might the better meditate upon the abſtruſer parts of Philoſophy. He uſed alſo with a Thread to tye the hair of his Head to a Beam over him, that ſo, when he did but nod by reaſon of Sleep, he might be awaked thereby.
Alphonſus King of Sicity, called his Books his beſt Counſellors; for that they would tell him the Truth, when none elſe durſt.
Julius Caeſar wrote his own Acts, and modeſtly called them, not Hiſtories but Commentaries. He would be carved ſtanding upon a Globe of the World, having in one Hand a Book, and in the other a Sword, with this Motto, Ex utroque Caeſar.
Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt gave Anſwers her ſelf to the Ambaſſadors of the Aethiopians, Arabians, Hebrews, Syrians, Medes, Parthians in their own Languages. And could tune her Tongue (like an Inſtrument of many ſtrings, ſaith Plutarch) to whatſoever Dialect ſhe liſted.
The Emperor Trajan highly eſteemed Learning in Pliny and others, whom he Prized and preferred; no leſs than did Antoninus the Philoſopher, who was not aſhamed, even after he was made Emperor, to reſort daily to his Doctor. And when he came to Athens and was admitted into that Univerſity, he granted to it large Priviledges, did the Students great Honours, and founded many Lectures with a liberal Allowance of maintenance to them.
Aeneas Silvius (afterwards Pope) was wont to ſay of Learning, that Popular men ſhould eſteem it as Silver, Noble-men as Gold, and Princes as Pearls.
How much Plato preferred Books before Money well appeared when he gave for three Books thirty Thouſand Florens.
Of Ruchline it is ſtoried, that he gave the Jew a Crown an hour that read Hebrew to him at Rome.
Cleanthus parted with all he had for Learning.
Sigiſmond the Emperor, in his old Age applied himſelf to learn Latine, and he much bewailed the matter at the Council of Conſtance, that neither he, nor any of his great Courtiers, or Counſellors, were able to anſwer a forraign Ambaſſador in the Latine Tongue.
Julian the Lawyer uſed to ſay, that when he had one foot in the Grave, he would have the other in the Schools.
Queen Elizabeth was wont to qualifie the tediouſneſs of her affairs, with the ſweet Recreation of Letters. She either read or wrote ſomething every Day: She tranſlated Boetius his Books De Conſolatione into handſome Engliſh. She anſwered ſeveral Ambaſſadors in their ſeveral Languages. The Lady Jane Grey, for her Age, was learned to a Miracle.
The famous Olympia Fulva Morata of Ferrara in Italy, publickly, and with great Commendation Profeſſed the Greek, and Latine Tongues, at Heidleberg in the Palatinate, Anno Chriſti, 1554.
Such as write any tender matter to their Friends ſhould remember the Motto of a very Wiſe man, who wrote upon the Mantle of his Chimney, where he uſed to keep a good Fire, Optimus Secretariorum: This is the beſt keeper of Secrets.
I will conclude all with an Hymn, Compoſed by Sr. Henry Wotton after his recovery from a fit of Sickneſs.
Oh Thou great Power, in whom I move,
For whom I Live, to whom I Dye,
Behold me through thy Beams of Love
Whilſt on this Couch of Tears I lye;
And cleanſe my ſordid Soul within,
By thy Chriſt's Blood, the Bath of Sin.
No hallowed Oyls, no Grains I need,
No Rags of Saints, no purging Fire,
One Roſie drop from David's ſeed
Was worlds of Seas to quench thine Ire.
Oh precious Ranſom! which once Paid,
That Conſummatum eſt was ſaid.
And ſaid by him, that ſaid no more,
But ſeal'd it by his ſacred Breath.
Thou then that haſt diſpung'd my ſcore,
And dying waſt the Death of Death;
Be to me now, on thee I call,
My Life, my Strength, my Joy, my All.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Clarke, Sayings of Wise and Learned Men (1682)