And this the rather it standeth you upon to contend and strive unto, considering (as I doubt not but you do) that as it is a double dgrace for a good man to be well descended, while both his parentage is a grace to him, and he likewise a grace to it: So it is ea foul disgrace and a double stain for one so descended to degenerate from the good courses or come short of the good parts of those3 he came of, and so to prove either a blot or a blemish to them that might otherwise have been a grace and an honour to him, but shall now help rather to condemn him then to acquit or excuse him. It was the speech of one for a natural man notably qualified, though but meanly bred, to a dissolute person well borne, upbraiding him with his birth, fI am a grace to my stock, thou a blot to thy linage: as another not unlike him in the like case, *My stock is some stain to me, but thou art a stain to thy stock. And indeed as it were gbetter for a man to come of a Thersites so he prove like Achilles, then to come of an Achilles if he prove like Thersites: So it had been less evil for Manasseh to have descended immediately from an Achaz or an Ahab, then descending (as he did) immediately from an Hezekiah to prove in conditions and course of life a second Achaz or an other Ahab. This consideration may well be a strong engagement to godliness, where but either parent only hath been religious. For if heither party believing, ⟨image 4⟩though the other be an infidel, be of force sufficient to bring the Children bred between them within compass of Gods Covenant: surely the godliness of either, though the other were profane, must needs be no small trial to oblige their issue the more straitly to that course, which they stood bound to have taken, though their parents had been both of them utterly irreligious. But in this kind hath God to you been more abundantly gracious, in blessing and honouring you on both sides with two such worthy Parents, whose memory as it is and will ever be deservedly honoured with all those that here knew them; so it is justly expected that it be revived in you especially, and the residue of their issue, as iin a lively monument, and one better than of marble or brass, not of their earthly and worldly, but of their spiritual and worthiest parts.
And this the rather it standeth you vpon to contend and striue vnto, considering (as I doubt not but you doe) that as it is a double dgrace for a good man to be well descended, while both his parentage is a grace to him, and he likewise a grace to it: So it is ea foule disgrace and a double staine for one so descended to degenerate from the good courses or come short of the good parts of those3 he came of, and so to proue either a blot or a blemish to them that might otherwise haue beene a grace and an honour to him, but shall now helpe rather to condemne him then to acquite or excuse him. It was the speech of one for a naturall man notably qualified, though but meanely bred, to a dissolute person well borne, vpbraiding him with his birth, fI am a grace to my stocke, thou a blot to thy linage: as another not vnlike him in the like case, *My stocke is some staine to me, but thou art a staine to thy stocke. And indeed as it were gbetter for a man to come of a Thersites so he proue like Achilles, then to come of an Achilles if he proue like Thersites: So it had beene lesse euill for Manasses to haue descended immediatly from an Achaz or an Achab, then descending (as he did) immediatly from an Ezechias to proue in conditions and course of life a second Achaz or an other Achab. This consideration may well be a strong engagement to godlinesse, where but either parent onely hath beene religious. For if heither partie beleeuing, ⟨image 4⟩though the other be an infidell, be of force sufficient to bring the Children bred betweene them within compasse of Gods Couenant: surely the godlinesse of either, though the other were prophane, must needs be no small tiall to oblige their issue the more straitly to that course, which they stood bound to haue taken, though their parents had beene both of them vtterly irreligious. But in this kinde hath God to you beene more abundantly gratious, in blessing and honouring you on both sides with two such worthie Parents, whose memorie as it is and will euer be deseruedly honoured with all those that here knew them; so it is iustly expected that it be reviued in you especially, and the residue of their issue, as
- d[Greek or Hebrew]. Eurip. Herad. Et idem Helen. [Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Eurip. Herad. Et idem Helen. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- e[Greek or Hebrew]; &c. Plut. de aud: poet. Ita•e tandem mayors famā tradide•unt tibi tui, ut virtute eorū anteparta per flagitiū perderes? Pla•t. trinum. T•errimis ignaviae aut nequitiae sordibus imbuta, portenta nobilia. Val. Max. lib. 3. c. 5. Qui acceptam à maio•ibus lucem in tenebras conue•tant. Ibid▪ c. 4.〈non-Latin alphabet〉; &c. Plut. de aud: poet. Ita•e tandem maiores famā tradide•unt tibi tui, vt virtute eorū anteparta per flagitiū perderes? Pla•t. trinum. T•errimis ignauiae aut nequitiae sordibus imbuta, portenta nobilia. Val. Max. lib. 3. c. 5. Qui acceptam à maio•ibus lucem in tenebras conue•tant. Ibid▪ c. 4.
- 3Dos est magna parentum virtus. Hor. carm. lib. 3. ode 24. [Greek or Hebrew]. Eurip. Hippoly.Dos est magna parentum virtus. Hor. carm. lib. 3. ode 24. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Eurip. Hippoly.
- fEgo primus illustravi d•mū meam; tu dedecorasti tu•m▪ Cicero post Iphicratem.Ego primus illustraui d•mū meam; tu dedecorasti tum Cicero post Iphicratem.