A care-cloth

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

The relics of good nature remaining in man since the fall, (by the work of a common Grace preserving them) have taught Heathen men to know, and enabled them to practise many worthy duties. Among the rest, some of them have abounded in a most affectionate love to their Country, the welfare of which, they have preferred before their own lives; and the ruin whereof, they have been careful to prevent, even with their own ruin. Many worthy sayings have they writ to this purpose, but scarce any more divine, and more deserving admiration have I met withal, then that one of Tully, in his book of Scipios Dream, where he brings in a dead father (now in Heaven, as he supposed) encouraging his son to do service to his Country, (wherein himself had given him a most noble and notable example) with this most worthy sentence: There is a most sure and certain place in Heaven for every man, that shall procure the weal of his Country, either by freeing it from peril, or increasing the happiness of it any way. To hear a Gentile tell of Heaven, as of a thing certain; to hear him tell of certain places provided there for those, that should do ⟨image 106⟩virtuously; to have the service of ones Country pressed on his soul with so celestial an argument; sure it proveth, that sometimes the light of Nature doth reach further, then many which live in the bosom of the Church, do attain. But the purpose for which I thought of this sentence, is, to let it appear, how great a reckoning reason doth tell every man, that he ought to make of his Countries welfare, how careful he should be to preserve it from dangers, to adorn it with all benefits, and to continue, and augment the flourishing estate thereof. It must needs be an happy pains, from which a multitude do reap commodity; and that one man deserveth very well of all men, for whose cares or labours, all do fare the better. Now if Nature and Philosophy can give so good instructions to those that will attend them, how much more perfectly should we be able both to learn, and follow the same lessons? It is a great reproach to him that goes by day-light, if another travelling alone with a candle, or a torch, shall see the way better then himself: and without doubt, that eye is very dim, which discerneth less by the help of the Sun-beams, then another may do by the help of a Lamp or Taper.