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Abstain wholly, or wed. Thy bounteous Lord Allows thee choice of paths: take no by-wayes; But gladly welcome what he doth afford; Not grudging, that thy lust hath bounds and stayes. Continence hath his joy: weigh both; and so If rottennesse have more, let Heaven go.
Drink not the third glasse, which thou canst not tame, When once it is within thee; but before Mayst rule it, as thou list; and poure the shame, Which it would poure on thee, upon the floore. It is most just to throw that on the ground, Which would throw me there, if I keep the round.
Yet, if thou sinne in wine or wantonnesse, Boast not thereof; nor make thy shame thy glorie. Frailtie gets pardon by submissivenesse; But he that boasts, shuts that out of his storie. He makes flat warre with God, and doth defie With his poore clod of earth the spacious skie.
When thou dost tell anothers jest, therein Omit the oathes, which true wit cannot need: Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sinne.
Dare to be true. Nothing can need a ly: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby.
God gave thy soul brave wings; put not those feathers Into a bed, to sleep out all ill weathers.
O England full of sinne, but most of sloth! Spit out thy flegme, and fill thy breast with glorie:
By all means use sometimes to be alone. Salute thy self: see what thy soul doth wear. Dare to look in thy chest; for ’tis thine own: And tumble up and down what thou find’st there.
Gold thou mayst safely touch, but if it stick Unto thy hands, it woundeth to the quick.
In conversation boldnesse now bears sway. But know that nothing can so foolish be, As empty boldnesse: therefore first assay To stuffe thy minde with solid braverie; Then march on gallant: get substantiall worth. Boldnesse gilds finely, and will set it forth.
Pick out of mirth, like stones out of thy ground, Profanenesse, filthinesse, abusivenesse. These are the scum, with which course wits abound: The fine may spare these well, yet not go lesse. All things are bigge with jest: nothing that’s plain, But may be wittie, if thou hast the vein.
Feed no man in his sinnes: for adulation Doth make thee parcel-devil in damnation.
Envie not greatnesse: for thou mak’st thereby Thy self the worse, and so the distance greater.
In thy discourse, if thou desire to please: All such is courteous, usefull, new, or wittie. Usefulnesse comes by labour, wit by ease; Courtesie grows in court; news in the citie. Get a good stock of these, then draw the card; That suites him best, of whom thy speech is heard.
A civil guest Will no more talk all, then eat all the feast.
Be calm in arguing: for fiercenesse makes Errour a fault, and truth discourtesie.
Scorn no mans love, though of a mean degree; (Love is a present for a mightie king) Much lesse make any one thine enemie. As gunnes destroy, so may a little sling. The cunning workman never doth refuse The meanest tool, that he may chance to use.
All forrain wisdome doth amount to this, To take all that is given; whether wealth, Or love, or language; nothing comes amisse: A good digestion turneth all to health:
Affect in things about thee cleanlinesse, That all may gladly board thee, as a flowre. Slovens take up their stock of noisomnesse Beforehand, and anticipate their last houre. Let thy mindes sweetnesse have his operation Upon thy body, clothes, and habitation.
In Almes regard thy means, and others merit. Think heav’n a better bargain, then to give Onely thy single market-money for it: Joyn hands with God to make a man to live. Give to all something; to a good poore man, Till thou change names, and be where he began.
Man is Gods image; but a poore man is Christs stamp to boot: both images regard. God reckons for him, counts the favour his: Write, So much giv’n to God; thou shalt be heard. Let thy almes go before, and keep heav’ns gate Open for thee; or both may come too late.
We all are but cold suitours; let us move Where it is warmest. Leave thy six and seven; Pray with the most: for where most pray, is heaven.
When once thy foot enters the church, be bare. God is more there then thou: for thou art there Onely by his permission. Then beware, And make thy self all reverence and fear. Kneeling ne’re spoil’d silk stocking: quit thy state. All equall are within the churches gate.
Betwixt two theeves I spend my utmost breath, As he that for some robberie suffereth. Alas! what have I stollen from you? death.
If blisse had lien in art or strength, None but the wise or strong had gained it: Where now by Faith all arms are of a length; One size doth all conditions fit.
How should I praise thee, Lord! how should my rymes Gladly engrave thy love in steel, If what my soul doth feel sometimes, My soul might ever feel!
All things are busie; onely I Neither bring hony with the bees, Nor flowers to make that, nor the husbandrie To water these. I am no link of thy great chain, But all my companie is a weed. Lord place me in thy consort; give one strain To my poore reed.
My heart did heave, and there came forth, O God! By that I knew that thou wast in the grief, To guide and govern it to my relief, Making a scepter of the rod: Hadst thou not had thy part, Sure the unruly sigh had broke my heart.
Thou art a day of mirth: And where the week-dayes trail on ground, Thy flight is higher, as thy birth. O let me take thee at the bound, Leaping with thee from sev’n to seven, Till that we both, being toss’d from earth, Flie hand in hand to heaven!
