1 For the first of these, we have a rule in Solomon, concerning Riches, which will hold in all other Objects of an immoderate desire: He that 1maketh haste to be rich, shall not be without sin; I may add, Not without cares neither: for we know the nature of all Earthly things, they have something of the Serpent in them, to Deceive. The way of riches and profit, is a thorny way; the ⟨p. 191⟩way of Honour and Ambition, a slippery and giddy way; the way of carnal Pleasures, a deep and a foul way, the way of learning it self (the noblest of all sublunary things) an involved and intricate way. And certainly he had need have better eyes then a blind Passion, who in so ill ground will make good haste and good speed together. In 2labyrintho properantes ipsa velocitas implicat. He is the likeliest man to get first out of a Maze, who runs fastest. An over nimble Desire is like the stomach of a sick man newly recovered, more greedy, then strong, and fuller of Appetit• then Digestion. Whence arise immature and unconcocted counsels, blind and ungoverned Resolutions: like those monstrous people, which Pliny speaks of, whose feet go backward, and behind their eyes. For when the mind of man is once possessed with conceit of Contentment to be found in worldly glories, when the insinuations and sweet enchantments of Honour, Profit, Pleasure, Power, and Satans Hac omnia, hath once crept upon the affection, and lulled reason asleep; it is then sufficient that we know the end, which we desire; we have not the patience to inquire after the right way unto it: because it is the suspicion of our greedy Desires, that the true means are commonly the most tedious, and that honesty for the most part goes the fa•thest way about. And hence withal it usually cometh to pass that these hasty and preproperous Appetitions do hinder ends, and intercept Advantages which slowness with maturity might have made use of. ⟨p. 192⟩As the Roman Soldiers by their greediness3 on their prey, missed of taking Mithridates, who otherwise could not have escaped them. And therefore it was wise counsel of Nestor in the Poet.
1 For the first of these, we have a rule in Solomon, concerning Riches, which will hold in all other Objects of an immoderate desire: He that 1maketh haste to be rich, shall not be without sinne; I may add, Not without cares neither: for we know the nature of all Earthly things, they have something of the Serpent in them, to Deceive. The way of riches and profit, is a thorny way; the ⟨p. 191⟩way of Honour and Ambition, a slippery and giddy way; the way of carnall Pleasures, a deep and a fowle way, the way of learning it selfe (the noblest of all sublunary things) an involved and intricate way. And certainely he had need have better eyes then a blinde Passion, who in so ill ground will make good haste and good speed together. In 2labyrintho properantes ipsa velocitas implicat. He is the likeliest man to get first out of a Maze, who runnes fastest. An over nimble Desire is like the stomacke of a sicke man newly recovered, more greedy, then strong, and fuller of Appetit• then Digestion. Whence arise immature and unconcocted counsels, blinde and ungoverned Resolutions: like those monstrous people, which Plinie speakes of, whose feet goe backeward, and behinde their eyes. For when the minde of man is once possessed with conceit of Contentment to be found in worldly glories, when the insinuations and sweet inchantments of Honour, Profit, Pleasure, Power, and Satans Hac omnia, hath once crept upon the affection, and lulled reason asleep; it is then sufficient that we know the end, which we desire; we have not the patience to inquire after the right way unto it: because it is the suspition of our greedy Desires, that the true means are commonly the most tedious, and that honesty for the most part goes the fa•thest way about. And hence withall it usually commeth to passe that these hasty and preproperous Appetitions do hinder ends, and intercept Advantages which slownesse with maturity might have made use of. ⟨p. 192⟩As the Romane Souldiers by their greedinesse3 on their prey, missed of taking Mithridates, who otherwise could not have escaped them. And therefore it was wise counsell of Nest•r in the Poet.
- 1Prov. 28. 20. 20. 21.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew]. C•ilo spud […]. lib. 1.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. C•ilo •pud 〈…〉. lib. 1.
- 3Plutarch. in Lacull•.
