ly fancy that that Day muft needs be unfortunate to them, that they have not begun with the Mafs ; and prefently after divine Service is over, they go either to Trading, Gaming, or the Court, where whatfoever fucceeds, though done justly or unjustly, they attribute to the Mafs. Er. Are there any Perfons that are fo abfurd? Ga. The greatest Part of Mankind. Er. But return to divine Service. Ga. If I can I get to ftand fo close by the holy Altar, that I can hear what the Prieft reads, especially the Epiftle and the Gofpel: From these I endeavour to pick fomething, which I fix in my Mind, and this I ruminate upon for fome Time. Er. Don't you pray at all in the mean Time. Ga. I do pray, but rather mentally than vocally. From the Things the Prieft reads, I take Occafion of Prayer. Er. Explain that a little more, I don't well take in what you mean. Ga. I'll tell you, suppose this Epiftle was read, Purge out the old Leaven, that ye may be a new Lump, as ye are unleavened; on Occafion of these Words, I thus addrefs my self to Chrift, "I wish I were the "unleavened Bread, pure from all Leaven of Malice: But do "thou O Lord Jefus, who alone art pure and free from all "Malice, grant that I may every Day more and more purge out the old Leaven." Again if the Gofpel chance to be read concerning the Sower fowing his Seed, I thus pray with my felf, "Happy is he that deferves to be that good Ground, "and I pray that of barren Ground, he of his great Goodness "would make me good Ground, without whofe Bleffing no"thing at all is good." These for Example fake, for it would be tedious to mention every Thing: But if I happen to meet with a dumb Prieft, (fuch as there are many in Germany) or that I can't get near the Altar, I commonly get a little Book that has the Gofpel of that Day and Epiftle; and this I either fay out aloud, or run it over with my Eye. Er. I underftand; but with what Contemplations chiefly doft thou pafs away the Time? Ga. I give thanks to Jesus Christ for his unfpeakable Love, in condescending to redeem Mankind by his Death; I pray that he would not fuffer his most holy Blood to be shed in vain for me; but that with his Body, he would always feed my Soul, and that with his Blood he would quicken my Spirit; that growing by little and little in the increase of Graces, I may be made a fit Member of his myftical Body, which is the Church; nor may ever fall from that holy Covenant that he made with his elect Disciples, at the laft Supper, when he diftributed the Bread, and gave the Cup; and through thefe, with all who are engrafted into his Society by Baptifm. And if I find my Thoughts to wander, I read fome Pfalms, or fome pious Matter, that keep my Mind from wandring. Er. Have you any particu Jar Pfalms for this purpofe. Ga. I have; but I have not fo tyed my felf up to them, but that I can omit them, if any Meditation comes into my Mind that is more refreshing, than the Recitation of thofe Pfalms. Er. What do you do as to Fasting? Ga. I have nothing to do with fasting, for fo Jerome has taught me; that Health is not to be impair'd by falting, until the Body is arrived at its full Strength. I am not yet quite 17 Years old; but yet if I find Occasion, I dine and fup fparingly, that I may be more lively for fpiritual Exercises on holy Days. Er. Since I have begun, I will go through with my Enquiries. How do you find your felf affected towards Sermons? Ga. Very well. I go to them as devoutly, as if I was going to a holy Affembly; and yet I pick and chufe whom to hear, for there are fome, one had better not hear than hear; and if fuch an one happens to preach, or if it happen that no Body preaches, I pafs this Time in reading the Scriptures, I read the Gofpel or Epiftle with Chryfoftom's or Jerome's Interpretation, or any other learned Interpreter that I meet with. Er. But Word of Mouth is more affecting. Ga. I confefs it is, and I had rather hear if I can but meet with a tolerable Preacher; but I don't seem to be wholly deftitute of a Sermon if I hear Chryfoftom or Jerome fpeaking by their Writings. Er. I am of your Mind; but how do you ftand affected as to Confeffion? Ga. Very well; for I confefs daily. Er. Every Day Ga. Yes. Er. Then you ought to keep a Prieft to your felf. Ga. But I confefs to him who only truly remits Sins, to whom all the Power is given. Er. To whom? Ga. To Chrift. Er. And do you think that's fufficient? Ga. It would be enough for me, if it were enough for the Rulers of the Church, and receiv'd Cuftom. Er. Who do you call the Rulers of the Church? Ga. The Popes, Bishops and Apoftles. Er. and do you put Chrift into this Number? Ga. He is without Controverfy the chief Head of 'em all. Er. And was he the Author of this Confeffion in ufe? Ga. He is indeed the Author of all good; but whether he appointed Confeffion as it is now us'd in the Church, I leave to be difputed by Divines. The Authority of my Betters is enough for me that am but a Lad and a private Perfon. This is certainly the principal Confeffion; it an eafy Matter to confefs to Chrift, no Body confeffes to him, but he that is angry with his Sin. If I have committed any great Offence, I lay it open, and bewail it to him, and implore his Mercy; I cry out, weep and lament, nor do I give over before I feel the Love of Sin thoroughly purged from E the the bottom of my Heart, and fome Tranquillity and Chearfulnefs of Mind follow upon it, which is an Argument of the Sin being pardoned. And when the Time requires to go to the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift; then I make Confeffion to a Priest too, but in few Words, and nothing but what I am well fatisfy'd are Faults, or fuch that carry in them a very great Sufpicion that they are fuch; neither do I always take it to be a capital or enormous Crime; every thing that is done contrary to human Conftitutions, unless a wicked Contemptuoufnefs fhall go along with it Nay I fcarce believe any Crime to be Capital, that has not Malice join'd with it, that is, a perverse Will. Er. I commend you, that you are fo religious, and yet not fuperftitious: Here I think the old Proverb takes Place: Nec omnia, nec paffim, nec quibuflibet, That a Perfon should neither speak all, nor every where, nor to all Perfons. Ga. I chufe me a Prieft, that I can truft with the Secrets of my Heart. Er. That's wifely done: For there are a great many, as is found by Experience, do blab out what in Confeffions is discovered to them. And there are fome vile impudent Fellows that enquire of the Perfon confeffing those things, that it were better if they were conceal'd, and there are fome unlearned and foolish Fellows, who for the fake of filthy Gain, lend their Ear, but apply not their Mind, who can't diftinguish between a Fault and a good Deed, nor can neither teach, comfort nor advise. These Things I have heard from many, and in part have experienced my felf. Ga. And I too much; therefore I chufe me one that is learn'd, grave, of approv'd Integrity, and one that keeps his Tongue within his Teeth. Er. Truly you are happy that can make a Judgment of things fo early. Ga. But above all, I take care of doing any Thing that I can't fafely truft a Prieft with. Er. That's the beft Thing in the World, if you can but do fo. Ga. Indeed it is hard to us of our felves, but by the Help of Chrift it is eafy; the greatest Matter is, that there be a Will to it. I often renew my Refolution, especially upon Sundays: And befides that, I endeavour as much as I can to keep out of evil Company, and affociate my self with good Company, by whofe Converfation I may be better'd. Er. Indeed you manage your felf rightly: For evil Converfations corrupt good Manners. Ga. I fhun Idlenefs as the Plague. Er. You are very right, for Idleness is the Root of all Evil; but as the World goes now, he must live by himself that would keep out of bad Company. Ga. What you fay is very true, for as the Greek Wife-men faid, the bad are the greatest Number. But I chuse the best out out of a few, and sometimes a good Companion, makes his Companion better. I avoid thofe Diverfions that incite to Naughtiness, and ufe thofe that are innocent. I behave my felf courteous to all; but familiarly with none but thofe that are good. If I happen at any Time to fall into bad Company, I either correct them by a foft Admonition, or wink at and bear with them, if I can do 'em no good; but I be fure to get out of their Company as soon as I can. Er. Had you never an itching Mind to become a Monk. Ga. Never; but I have been often follicited to it by fome, that call you into a Monaftry, as into a Port from a Shipwreck. Er. Say you fo? Were they in Hopes of a Prey? Ga. They fet upon both me and my Parents with a great many crafty Perfuafions, but I have taken a Refolution not to give my Mind either to Matrimony or Priesthood, nor to be a Monk, nor to any kind of Life out of which I can't extricate my felf, before I know my felf very well. Er. When will that be; Ga. Perhaps ncver. But before the 28th Year of ones Age, nothing should be refolved on. Er. Why fo? Ga. Because I hear every where, fo many Priests, Monks and married Men lamenting, that they hurried themselves rafhly into Servitude. Er. You are very cautious not to be catch'd. Ga. In the mean Time I take a fpecial Care of three Things. Er. What are they? Ga. First of all to make a good Progrefs in Morality, and if I can't do that, I am refolv'd to maintain an unfpotted Innocence and good Name; and laft of all I furnifh my felf with Languages and Sciences that will be of Ufe in any Kind of Life. Er. But do you neglect the Poets? Ga. Not wholly, but I read generally the chafteft of them, and if I meet with any Thing that is not modeft, I pafs that by, as Ulyffes paffed by the Syrens ftopping his Ears. Er. To what Kind of Study do you chiefly addict your felf? To Phyfick, the Common or Civil Law, or to Divinity? For Languages, the Sciences and Philofophy are all conducive to any Profeffion whatsoever. Ga. I have not yet thoroughly betaken my felf to any one particularly, but I take a Tafle of all, that I be not wholly ignorant of any; and the rather, that having tafted of all I may the better chufe that I am fitteft for. Medicine, is a certain Portion in whatfoever Land a Man is, the Law is the Way to Preferment: But I like Divinity the beft, faving that the Minners of fome of the Profeffors of it, and the bitter Contentions that are among them, difpleafe me. Er. He won't be very apt to fall that goes fo warlly along. Many in thefe Days are frighted from Divinity, because they are afraid they should not be E 2 found * found in the Catholick Faith, because they fee no Principle of Religion, but what is called in Question. Ga. I believe firmly what I read in the holy Scriptures, and the Creed, called the Apoftles, and I don't trouble my Head any farther: I leave the reft to be difputed and defined by the Clergy, if they please; and if any thing is in common Ufe with Chriftians that is not repugnant to the holy Scriptures, I obferve it, for this Reafon, that I may not offend other People. Er. What Thales taught you that Philofophy? Ga. When I was a Boy and very young, I happen'd to live in the House with that honefteft of Men John Colet, do you know him? Er. Know him, ay, as well as I do you. Ga. He inftructed me when I was young in thefe Precepts. Er. You won't envy me, I hope, if I endeavour to imitate you? Ga. Nay, by that Means you will be much dearer to me. For you know, Familiarity and good Will, are closer ty'd by Similitude of Manners. Er. True, but not among Candidates for the fame Office, when they are both fick of the fame Disease. Ga. No, nor between two Sweet-hearts of the fame Miftrefs, when they are both fick of the fame Love. But without jefting, I'll try to imitate that Course of Life. Ga. I wish you as good Succefs as may be. Er. It may be I fhall overtake thee. Ga. I wish you might get before me; but in the mean Time I won't stay for you; but I will every Day endeavour to out-go my self, and do you endeavour to out-go me, if you can. 48 The ARGUMENT. This Colloquy prefents you with the Art of Hunting, Fisk- PAUL, THOMAS, VINCENT, LAWRENCE, PA Every one to his Mind. I love Hunting. Th. And fo do I too, but where are the Dogs? The hunting Poles? And the hunting Nets? Pa. Farewel Boars, Bears, [1] John Colet was an Englishman of good Repuration and Learning; a familiar Acquaintance of Erafmus, to whom there are many Letters of Erasmus now extant. Bucks, |