And as there is an error in the •rust and affiance, so there may be in the use of those means: For though divine Hope hath but one Anchor to rest upon, and therefore hath but one manner of being produced; yet these lower Hopes, of which I speak, do always depend upon the concurrence of divers means, and those likewise have their reference unto divers circumstances. And therefore those which have not the wisdom of combining their Ayd•s, and of fitting them unto casual occurrences, may to no end nourish in themselves imaginary and empty presumptions. And this is that which maketh all worldly hopes so full of ⟨p. 250⟩lightness and uncertainties, Leves spes & cer•aminas, 1as the Poet calleth them; because it may fall out, that the neglect of but some one circumstance; the not timing or placing our actions right; the not accommodating our means to the variety of of occasions; the miscarrying in some one complement or ceremony; the having of our minds, either too light and voluble; or too fixed and constant▪ or too spread and wandering; or too narrow and contracted; or too credulous and facile; or too diffident and suspicious; or too peremptory, resolute, or hasty; or too slow, anxious, and discursive; or too witty and facetious▪ or too serious and morose, with infinite other the like weaknesses (some whereof there is not any man quite freed from) may often notwithstanding the good store of other aids, endanger and shipwreck the success of our endeavours: so that in the prosecution of a hope, there is something alike industry, to be used as in the trial of Mathematical conclusions, the Mediums whereunto are so touched and dependant upon one another, that not diligently to observe every one of them, is to labour in vain, and have all to do again.
And as there is an errour in the •rust and affiance, so there may be in the use of those means: For though divine Hope hath but one Anchor to rest upon, and therefore hath but one manner of being produced; yet these lower Hopes, of which I speake, doe alwaies depend upon the concurrence of divers means, and those likewise have their reference unto divers circumstances. And therefore those which have not the wisdome of combining their Ayd•s, and of fitting them unto casuall occurrences, may to no end nourish in themselves imaginary and empty presumptions. And this is that which maketh all worldly hopes so full of ⟨p. 250⟩lightnesse and uncertainties, Leves spes & cer•aminas, 1as the Poet calleth them; because it may fall out, that the neglect of but some one circumstance; the not timeing or placing our actions right; the not accommodating our means to the variety of of occasions; the miscarrying in some one complement or ceremony; the having of our minds, either too light and voluble; or too fixed and constant▪ or too spread and wandring; or too narrow and contracted; or too credulous and facile; or too diffident and suspitious; or too peremptory, resolute, or hasty; or too slow, anxious, and discursive; or too witty and facetious▪ or too serious and morose, with infinite other the like weaknesses (some whereof there is not any man quite freed from) may often notwithstanding the good store of other ayds, endanger and shipwrack the successe of our endeavours: so that in the prosecution of a hope, there is something alike industry, to be used as in the tryall of Mathematicall conclusions, the Mediums whereunto are so touched and dependant upon one another, that not diligently to observe every one of them, is to labour in vaine, and have all to doe againe.
- 1Hora•.
