follyes of his infancy to undergoe again all the fears of his child-hood all the dangers of his youth all the cares of his man-hood all the labours of his old age No man hath lived soe happily as to wish to be born again Consider therefore whither thou art going and whence thou art parting But perhaps thou wouldest not be afraid to dye if thou didst certainly hope to goe to Heaven This is the cause of thy fear because thou are void of all vertue and good workes and only now beginnest to be good when thou art forced to leave the world Were it not for this thou wouldest not be afraid to dye considering that it is the Gate to eternall felicity It would be a torment to a just man to be born unles death were to follow 5. No man dyeth with joy unles he hath long prepared for it before hand Render it familiar to thy thoughts by a continuall meditation of it that soe thou maist receive it when it comes with a joyfull hart A man is not said to have lived enough for having lived many dayes or many years but for having a mind that desires to leave the world to fly to its Origine He hath lived long enough who dyes well and he dyes well who hath lived well Dost thou desire to procure thyself a quiet death Accustome thyself first to contemn all temporall things He cannot fear death who hath already deprived himself of more then death can take away from him Dost thou desire to lead a pleasant life Clear thy mind of all un-necessary care concerning it be ready for all sort of death and doe not concern thyself whither thou art to dye by the sword or by the violence of a feavor Live foe that thou maist dayly say I have lived He liveth in security and dyes with joy who dayly fancies himself carried to his grave and who is permitted to live after he was content to dye It is impossible thou shouldest live well unles thou dyest every day CHAP. XXIX Of Magnanimity The Character of a magnanimous man 1. THe very name of magnanimity denotates some great matter it is a high vertue of great force and alwaies tending to great things Without this all other vertues would droop and languish For whereas there occur many difficulties in the practice of vertue magnanimity resists all and ouercomes all and never shrinketh untill having past all difficulties it hath generously arrived unto what it had proposed to bring to effect This is the property of magnanimity to wit to incline us at all times to great and heroicall actions and with the help of Gods grace to make us undertake the most difficile labours with a secure and ready mind Thou must resolve to be bold and couragious if thou intendest to come to any thing We cannot expect to perform great matters without great pains Man is able to doe much when he resolves to doe like a man 2. A man of a great spirit alwaies aspires to great things and contemneth all those things as little which the vulgar esteemeth great He does things which are worthy of much honour but is not sorry when this honour is not paid and contemneth it when offered unles Obedience or Gods honour requires the contrary He does nothing for ostentation but all for conscience sake and seeketh a reward for doing well not in the mouth of the world but from the work itself He stands alwaies firm is invincible above all bad fortune and still equall to himself upon all occasions and doth not strive to ascend to higher dignities but is content with his own greatnes He is above all things and therefore is a Slave to no body begs and entreats nothing of others because he wanteth nothing of all that is without him Nothing can frighten or make him yield Sometimes he makes shew of his generous nature but then t is not out of any vain glory for he still considers the degree he is in the gifts which God hath given him But he alwaies joyns unto this a firm and profound humility in the sight of God because he refers all his glory and all the gifts of nature and fortune which he possesseth unto him alone holding for certain that of himself he hath nothing can doe nothing and is really nothing This is to know the true limits of vertue alwaies to have an humble opinion of our selves and all our actions and yet not to refuse those honours which are due unto such actions when we may accept them without breaking the rules of modesty We must not pursue honours but permit them to follow us 3. He that hath this vertue of magnanimity receaveth all the blows of adverse fortune with an undaunted hart that he may attain to the height of perfection When he meets with inferiour persons he can still carry himself towards them with a certain moderation and when he meets with Princes or some other powerfull and wealthy persons he doth not cast himself at their feet in a flattering manner nor will he permit his liberty to be oppressed with their tyrannous power Those things which are worthy of hatred he hateth openly and those things which are worthy of Love he loveth them after the same manner And those things which ought to be done and spoken openly he does and speaks them openly because he fears nothing and hopes for nothing He does the same things which other men doe but not after the same manner and therefore he hides his actions from the eyes of the common people and does not willingly make himself familiar with them He soon forgetteth injuries and is not subject to complain when forced to suffer any thing He praiseth few nor does he desire the praise of others but still labours to doe things worthy of praise He cares not for pleasing any but his friends and superiours nor does he easily admire any thing because nothing ever seems great or new unto him He fears no disastrous event being ever secure in his own Vertue He hath a slow gate a grave voice a moderate staid speech for he that is not sollicitous about many things hath no need to make great hast amd he that is content within himself needs not any great wrangling CHAP. XXX Of Patience The occasions and effects of it Marks of true Patience An exhortation to Patience in all manner of sufferances The necessity of Perseverance 1. PAtience is a Vertue which makes us suffer all the miseries of this life with a willing mind But because these miseries are manifold this vertue hath severall names according to the diversity of Evils which we are wont to suffer It is properly called Patience when it beareth injuries with an equal mind it is called Equanimity when we suffer patiently the losse of outward goods It is called Longanimity when it fortifies the hart in the long expectation of some good It is called Constancy when it strengthens the will to bear all other sort of publick and
him to doe all thy actions in his presence and to order all thy whole life his sight Make thyself worthy of his sight that he may alwaies behold thee with a favorable eye Thou wilt find thyself necessitated in a manner to live well if thou considerest that thou dost all thy actions before him who seeth all things Live soe as if there were none in the world but God and thyself Whatsoever his divine providence hath ordained for thee embrace it with a willing mind whither it be prosperous or adverse fortune Thou seekest God what matter which way thou comest to him whither it be through prosperity or adversity God send thou maist find him at last any way CHAP. XX. The profit of Solitude How to fly evill company What are the common vices of the world A proficient must still labour for vertue Marks of advancing in it 1. IT is a great sign of a setled mind and well purged from evill affections to be able to live solitary As God dwelleth in himself and is happy in himself so thou wilt imitate Gods happines if thou canst learn to dwell within thyself And indeed if thou wilt thyself thou wilt never be alone that is if thou wilt never separate thyself from Christ But if thou wilt needs be talking speak with thyself but take heed thou dost not speak with a bad man Wilt thou know what thou art to talk of to thyself that which men commonly speak of others that is speak ill of thy self to thyself Mark and speak of thy own faults and reprehend all thou findest amisse in thyself Thou wilt never want faults to correct Retire thyself from the world and yet hide thy solitude as much as thou canst T is a poor ambition to boast of thy solitude But remember to joyn inward solitude to thy outward retreat thereby to make profit of it and render it sweet and easy Withdraw thyself from all vain occupations and fly not only men but also busines which doth not concern thee Keep thyself free from all creatures and blot out of thy hart all images of them Cast away all care of transitory things all idle thoughts and attend only to God and thyself within the secret retreat of thy own hart In this silence of the mind in this oblivion and privation of all things is found true quiet of hart and tranquillity of mind Let this therefore be thy refuge hide thyself in it employ all thy thoughts in it For the way to find God is to forsake all creatures 2. If thou desirest to be good fly evill company Nothing corrupteth good manners so much as to be familiar with many If thou hauntest much company thou wilt not alwaies bring back all the vertues thou hadst when thou wentest amongst them A weak mind that is not well grounded in vertue is not so well able to resist the power of so many vices when it sees they have so many patrons We are subject still to follow the greater number If we live and converse with such as are delicate we are apt to follow their steps and grow effeminate too with them if we have rich neighbors this commonly makes us also covet to be rich One bad example of Luxury and avarice is enough to undoe thee Our own parents sometimes our own servants our own companions draw us to evill All is full of dangers all is full of snares We are no sooner born but we are taught to be wicked We shall scarce find any man who doth not teach us some vice either by commending it or by infecting us insensibly with it Thou wilt doe well to keep thyself sometimes at home in thy own private chamber free from all the tumult and conversation of men Oh how sweet is such retirement when thou art alone all is quiet peacefull and secure Thou art called to walk abroad and thou followest Thou meetest with more company and then many being gathered together many sins are committed in discourse so that although thou wentest out with a good conscience thou comest home guilty of sin And yet thou dost not perceive the wounds which thy soul hath received untill thou returnest to thy solitude Retire therefore into thyself as much as thou canst and permit not thy mind to be infected with the sins of the multitude which is commonly too prone to all manner of vice He hath most content and joy of mind who is least distracted with worldly discourse 3. Suppose thyself on the top of some high mountain and that from thence thou couldest behold all the miseries of the world and by this thou wilt easily learn to hate the world and to fly from it into solitude Thou wilt see the high wayes beset with Theeves the seas infested with Pirats war resounding on all sides fields stained with human blood in a word all sort of vice reigning every where Thou wilt see voluptuous persons commit such sins as they themselves cannot approve of Thou wilt see so many abominable and unworthly crimes that thou wouldest think they were all mad that commit such things if the number of sinners were not so great and t is this that makes them think they are not much to blame because they see the whole world commit the same faults There is no security in the Laws and even those who should protect innocency oppresse it The innocent are condemned whilst the guilty are absolved the Judge becomes more criminall in favouring and absolving sin then he was who committed it The laws are not feared for he who thinks he can buy of his sins with bribing fears nothing The Tongues of Detractors are full of bitternes and there is nothing but deceit in the words of flatterers Those are full of hatred these full of lying Some are given to drunkenes others to spend their time idlely Some are insatiable in their Avarice others still ambitious of praise and esteem Consider look upon the publike market-place of some great Town when full of people and thou wilt find there are as many sins as men They are all guilty of injustice towards their neighbors contemning their Maker and abusing his creatures which consequently will appear as so many judges and witnesses against them in the last day And how is it possible thou canst stand firm or be retired within thyself in the midst of so many Vices which encompasse thee on all sides and which still keep thy thoughts fixed on earthly things whilst thou strivest to raise up thy mind to heavenly contemplation is a hard thing for a man to keep himself innocent in the midst of innumerous sinners For if they cannot change thee they will at least hinder thee very much The only way to be secure is to withdraw thyself from so many evills and to put thyself in such a quiet condition as to be able to look upon all the disorders of the world without fear of being infected thyself with them He hath an invincible spirit who hath
bid adieu to all wordly things and can live within himself as in a strong castle well guarded against all enemies To such a man the world seems a prison and solitude a paradise 4. T is no great matter to have quitted the company of men unles thou art attentive to thyself and to the practise of vertue There can be no good where vertue is wanting no quiet no happines unles it proceed from vertue There are three things which correspond with one another in the whole universe Amongst all things above all things God amongst sensible things light and amongst the affections of the mind Vertue God is the light and vertue of all things light is the Vertue of the world and the image of God Vertue is the light of the mind through which we are named become the children of God Thou must approach it with a clean hart and purifyed mind if thou desirest to arrive to the height of perfection For vertue is the perfection of man restoreth innocency is full of all spirituall sweetnes It supplyeth the defect of nature which of itself is not capable of supernaturall felicity It consisteth in a facility to doe good by means of which we live as we ought are enlightned in our understanding resist sin and merit eternall life In pursuance of this thou must first learn the nature and acts of those vertues thou pretendest unto because no man loves what he doth not understand Then when thou hast once begun endeavor not to intermit or cease from the practise of it although occasion should be wanting we must imitate souldiers who in the midst of Peace are still exercising themselves and by fighting with one another only in jest prepare themselves for reall combats Imagine thou were accused of the greatest crimes fancy thyself calumniated or that all thy riches were suddenly taken away from thee and by this mean thou maist exercise thy patience as much as if such things were really soe Thou wilt not be dismayed when the thing happens if thou canst thus exercise thyself before it comes He that hath bine often wounded in the war fights with a good courage when the battle comes 5. The habits of Vertue are not got but by long exercise To know if thou hast learnt any vertue take these marks To wit if thou findest that the vices which are opposite to the vertue thou desirest to practise are quite extinguished in thee or at least very much suppressed If thou hast overcome the motions of evill affections and brought them to obey reason If thou findest not only facility but also an inward delight in the practise of vertue If thou canst contemn the murmurs reproaches of tepid spirits and use a full liberty of will in the exercise of those vertues which displease such imperfect Christians If thou beginnest to detest and abhor those evill practises unto which formerly thou hadst a strong inclination If thou art afraid even in sleep to consent to or take delight in any dishonest action or to approve any unjust proceeding If thou striuest to imitate what thou praisest and admirest in others and abstainest from those things which thou reprehendest in them If thou esteemest no fault little but art carefull to avoid all sort of imperfections however soe little If when thou seest hearest that those who are no better than thyself abound in riches and are raised to great honours thou canst look upon them without envy or emulation If thou hast no difficulty to acknowledge thy faults desiring that all men would reprehend correct thee If content with the testimony of thy own conscience thou hidest and concealest thy good works For vertue is a reward to itself and desires no other recompense for doing well but the satisfaction of having done it Finally if thou applyest thyself without cease to the practise of vertue for true vertue never droopâ— but is alwaies in action CHAP. XXI Of the three Theologicall Vertues Faith is to be shewn by the exercise of good works Our hope must be in God alone Motives of divine Love The love of our neighbors is shewed by helping them and doing them good An Exhortation to Almsgiving 1. FAith is the ground of all other vertues and foundation of the life of a Christian without which it is impossible to please God This was the wisâ—dome by which the whole world was subdued we must stick close to it laying aside all curiosity or searching into the misteries of it Beleeue then and doe good works withall because Faith without good works is but a dead faith In thy speech profession thou endeavorest to passe for a faithfull Believer take heed thy life and manners doe not speak thee an Infidell Thou beleevest the Gospell why then dost thou not obey it Thou beleevest there is a life everlasting why then dost thou prefer a short time in this world before Eternity which shall have no end What doth it avail thee to beleeve Truth and goodnes if thou art false thyself and workest iniquity It is impossible that he who beleeveth well can live ill for no man can be said to beleeve well but he that practiseth what he beleeves 2. Since it is certain that all things are disposed and governed by the providence of God so as not so much as a bird falls out of the ayr nor a leaf from any Tree without his will and knowledge thou oughtest to commit thyself wholly to his protection and to have a strong confidence in his help not doubting but that he will alwaies be ready to help thee in all occasion Know that all human Counsells are deceitfull and uncertain therefore thou oughtest to permit thyself to be wholly guided and governed by God without the least trouble or anxiety And though some unexpected misfortune should happen which may seem to confound spoyl all thy actions and designs whither it be sicknes calumnies false accusations or some other greater afflictions doe not loose courage for all this but confiding in his divine assistance commit thyself wholly to his will for God hath decreed perhaps from all Eternity to make these chances afflictions a means for working thy Salvation He that hath a strong hope of the future joyes and riches of paradise doth not feel the present miseries of this life As much as thou hopest believest so much thou maist be said to possesse 3. Charity which is the Queen and soul of all other Vertues regardeth God and our neighbour As for God we are bound to love him above things with all our hart with all our Soul and with all our strength we must love him purely for himself and for the love of his goodnes That thou art that thou livest that thou hast motion and sense that thou understandest all this is the grace and gift of God It is he that hath redeemed thee from the slavery of the Devill it is he that hath endowed thy Soul with innumerable prerogatives it
lyes or deceives useth double terms to cover his designs He that speaks ill hateth light as well as he that does ill Take heed therefore thou dost not observe the same rule in thy words as thou dost in thy cloaths that is to have one to wear when thou goest abroad another to use at home least one thing appear in thy looks whilst thou concealest the contrary in thy hart Nature itself abhorreth this vice Doe but take notice of yong children not yet come to the use of reason They object lying to one another as the greatest reproach and although out of a childish lightnes they often fall into it yet by a naturall inbred judgment they alwaies condemn it in others In which we ought to admire the providence of God which hath planted in our minds a naturall inclination to those vertues which are necessary to maintain human society And lying is the most prejudiciall to this For if thou detestest all falsity of speech as unworthy of a generous mind why dost thou permit thyself and thy whole life to be nothing else but a continuall cheat It it is a great matter to deal plainly and not to have a double hart 2. Simplicity though a vertue little known amongst men is notwithstanding of so great dignity that God is wonderfully delighted with it for as the Scripture sayes his discourse is with the simple For whereas he is simple and sincere in himself he also requireth the vertue of simplicity in all souls that come unto him and this consisteth in speaking our mind plainly without all equivocation or hypocrisy so that our exteriour be still conformable to our interiour It consisteth in acknowledging plainly and sincerely our own faults when occasion requires it consisteth in shunning all malice and detesting all cunning and politick way of dealing it consisteth in giving credit to all mens words unles prudence requires the contrary and thinking well of all men it consisteth in not refusing to be esteemed fools by the world that soe we may be found wise in the sight of God In a word he that is free from all duplicity of hart does all things with a pure and simple intention to please God alone Unhappy craft why dost thou seek so many wayes of deceiving There is but one thing necessary that thou maist find him whose nature is Vnity and simplicity Thou wilt never arrive to the place thou aymest at if thou walkest in two different wayes 3. Fidelity is the greatest and cheifest good which can be wished for amongst men for take away this and all commerce and communication will cease all freindship will be broken all Leagues will be dissolved all things will be out of order And yet this is a vertue which is very rare and little known in thâ— world T is a sign that perfidiousnes is very common amongst men since we see so many witnesses so many cautions and so many sureties are required in every contract yet all too little many times to render the compact sure The greater part of men is grown so base and treacherous that they make more account of temporall gain then of keeping their word Oh! what a shame it is for human kind thus to confesse themselves guilty of publick fraud and common malice We trust no man now a dayes without a witnes to answer for him and we are forced to put more trust in the Notaryes book then in the minds and meaning of those we deal with But a true honest man faithfully performeth all that he hath promised he never revealeth any mans secret he keepeth his word and promise even to his enemies and will rather dye then break it T is true he is somewhat slow in promising because he knows that he who is too hasty in promising is often forced to repent very soon but if he hath once promised he will not deceive he will not break his word unles perhaps the matter should soe change as it cannot be performed without sin No man is obliged to keep a promise which cannot be fulfilled without offending God CHAP. XXVI Of Friendship How it is to be entertained Certain rules of mutuall Conversation 1. NOthing is more necessary in human society then Friendship nothing is more commodious nothing more sweet It consisteth in a mutuall benevolence grounded upon vertue betwixt two persons and in a mutuall communication of each others felicity How happy wilt thou be if thou canst find a friend to whose brest thou maist safely commit thy most secret thoughts whose conscience thou maist trust as much as thy own whose speech may comfort thee in thy afflictions whose advice may help thee in thy affairs whose merry disposition may dispell thy sorrows whose only sight may recreate thee what is more sweet then to have a man unto whom thou hast no difficulty to confesse any fault thou hast committed As we doe not perceive that we are bit by certain little beasts untill we see the swelling so in conversing with a good friend thou wilt not perhaps perceive when and how he does thee good yet thou wilt find at last that thou hast profited by his conversation If there is not a mutuall love there can be no true friendship but t is more noble to love then to be loved and therefore benevolence is the main ground of friendship and reciprocall love is but an addition to it Besides that is to be counted true Christian friendship which is begun not for any temporall interest but for the interest of God which is entertained not by a corporall presence vain services or deceitfull flattery but by a mutuall assistance in the study of holy things There can be no solid friendship if grounded on evill 2. Great caution is to be used in choosing a friend according to the common saying That we must eat many bushells of salt together before we make a perfect friendship with any man Four things are to be tryed in one whom thou desirest to choose for thy friend First his Fidelity a thing which is very rare in this world that thou maist safely trust him with thy person and most secret affairs Secondly his Intention that friendship may have a lawfull end least that a holy thing be changed into some shamefull commerce Thirdly his discretion that thou maist know what to ask of him and what services thou art to render him Fourthly his Patience that thou maist know whither or no he will be willing to undergoe any hazard or adversity for his friend When thou hast tryed all these things in him inform thyself also how he hath behaved himself formerly towards other friends for thou maist expect he will prove the same to thee as he was to others A true friend is a living Treasure and therefore to be kept with great care and to be lamented if lost with great sorrow Thou art happy if thou hast a friend who loveth thee and not thy riches table or wit who will correct thee committing any
thou wilt be forced to follow it yet by this resistance thou makest thyself guilty of Impiety Soe true it is that God sweetly leads those who are willing but draws them by force who resist CHAP. XIX Of the State of Proficients Severall helps for advancing in Perfection How to esteem and make good use of Time Gods presence is necessary 1. IF thou desirest to be good first esteem thyself bad Thou wilt never grow better if thou dost not desire to be soe To be unwilling to goe forward is to goe backward Persever then as thou hast begun and make as much hast as thou canst that thou maist enjoy so much the sooner a better mind and a more quiet conscience It is a sign thou art mended if thou beginnest to see thy own faults which before thou couldest not see Soe wee are wont to congratulate sick persons when they acknowledge and are sensible of their infirmities Be not too facile in giving credit to thyself but examine thyself well and guesse of thy amendment by the firmnes of thy mind and by the lessening of thy passions Esteem thyself a proficient when thou hast a full power over thyself It is a great happines to possesse ones self and not to be divided A good man is alwaies the same but the wicked man changeth every hour 2. Thou maist if thou wilt in one day arrive to the height of perfection that is if forsaking the creatures thou convertest thyself wholly unto God To know if thy interiour be conformable unto him mark these signs If thou canst contemn transitory things if thou louest solitude if thou embracest perfection if thou little heedest the Opinions and judgments of the world And remember that for obtaining all vertues there is no better help then constantly to meditate on the life and passion of our Saviour J. Christ This is the book of life in which alone as in a rich and copious Library thou wilt find all that belongs to Saluation although all other books in the world were lost But t is not enough to know Christ and to meditate on his life unles thou dost also imitate him and live according to the rule which he hath taught us both by his words and examples Thou wilt never be able to correct that which is amisse but by some rule 3 It was an excellent saying of him who said that those who desire to profit in vertue must live soe as to be alwaies mending For there are many things which may give hindrance to a Soul that is labouring for vertue For example when thou bearest an inordinate affection to thyself or to any other creature when thou art so tyed to thy riches that if it should happen they should be taken from thee thou wouldest murmur very much at it when thou seekest too much thy convenience in meat drink company and divertisements when thou art too much entangled in wordly affairs and followest with much obstinacy thy own will and judgment in all things when thou dost not heed nor give ear to Gods inspirations when he speaketh inwardly to thy hart These are the cheif impediments which hinder thee in the way of vertue which thou must endeavor with all care to remove Whatsoever thou dost let vertue accompany thy action whatsoever thou dost doe it with promptitude and alacrity direct it to a perfect end and still remember to have a good intention in all things and lastly doe it with such a serious application that the work itself may have proportion with the knowledge thou hast of the end unto which it is directed Perfection doth not consist in the multitude of exercises but in doing our dayly actions with a perfect intention For the praise is not due to the work but to the manner of doing it 4. The dayes fly time runs away and no man is able to restore what is past of it Thou dost not live but art about to live for still thy life regards to morrow Soe thy life escapes from thee whilst thou art busy in seeking how to live in the mean time old age comes upon thee death follows and seazes upon thee yet unprovided As Trauellers who entertain one another with mutuall discourse on the way find themselves at their journeyes end before they think they are nigh it soe thou who art continually marching to thy grave sleeping or waking with an equall pace wilt not perceive it untill thou comest to it because thy mind is filled distracted with worldly things Why therefore dost thou delay Learn how pretious Time is and how to make use of it with all speed this day this hour is pretious and if thou loosest it the losse is irrecoverble Thou art carefull enough nor to let thy lands be invaded by others and if the least dispute happens concerning their limits thou presently flyest to arms or law-suits to defend thy Right but as for thy Time thou permittest any man to rob thee of it being lavish and prodigall of that which of all things thou shouldest endeavor to conserve with most avarice Reckon thy age summ up thy past years though thou hadst lived above a hundred yet thou wilt find thou hast not so many years as thou imaginest For how much of this Time hast thou spent in sleeping feasting wrangling and in conversing with thy friends Adde all those hours spent in doing nothing which passe away unawares to thee by considering this thou wilt understand how little Time in thy whole life is properly thine and thou wilt confesse thou dyest very soon Thou often complainest of having lost many dayes why then dost thou not endeavor to make such use of present Time that when it is gone thou maist say I doe not see how I could have employed it better Our dayes are only present one by one and we possesse them only by moments Why dost thou loose to day which is in thy power and disposest of the future which is not thine The greatest impediment to a good life is delay Live to day for to morrow is too late 5. Consider God as present in all thy thoughts words and deeds regard no other end but him and still follow his will He never strayeth out of the right way who taketh God for his Guide The busines of thy Salvation will goe well if thou directest all thy actions to the honour and glory of God and livest soe as if he beheld thee who sees all things sustains all things and disposes all things Thou canst never be out of his sight for he is present not only to thy words and actions but also to thy most secret thoughts when the doors are shut upon thee and thou in the dark doe not think thou art alone God is still with thee nothing is shut to his sight and consequently the consideration of this his presence ought to sanctify all thy secrets In him it is we live move and have our being Remember therefore to eat and drink in his sight to walk with
for ever to the ship and sea and ever after blesse the providence of God as often as they think on the danger they escaped I could wish thou wouldest make the like resolution that is never again to expose thyself to that which thou hast once feared Thou hast escaped a great danger doe not expose thyself again to the same God hath still pardoned thee as often as thou hast sinned take heed thou dost not make this a pretense to wickednes by growing worse because God is good Thou advisest sometimes what thou art to doe why dost thou not rather call to mind what thou hast done For advice for future proceeds from experience of what is past Many would become wiser then they are did they not think themselves wise enough already Unles thou mendest dayly thou wilt grow worse and worse every day CHAP. XXIV Of Piety and observance Obedience and gratitude are commended How to receive and return good deeds 1. NO tongue is able to expresse and sufficiently to extoll the praises of a man who can truly say I have alwaies obeyed my parents I have alwaies submitted to their will in all things without the least murmuring I have alwaies observed the laws of my countrey I have alwaies done good to my kindred and relations I have alwaies endeavored to oblige every one by good turns These are the duties of Piety which we owe and ought to pay to our countrey friends and relations But as we are to pay these offices of Piety to our friends so likewise we are to pay due respect to all our Superiors Princes masters and others who are any way above us in dignity wisedome age religion and piety For it is the custome to rise and stand in their presence bare-headed to give them way to light from horse-back or to come out of the Coach when we meet them to kneel at their feet to kisse their hands or garments to shew them other signs of our respect according to the fashions of the countrey we are in And thou wilt find no difficulty to give them their due in this point if first thou hast conceived a high esteem of their dignity For by this means there will arise in thy will a certain care and fear which will make thee avoid all familiarity with them and by considering their greatnes acknowledge thy own littlenes All power is from God and consequently all the honour and respect thou givest to thy betters is still lesse then what thou owest them that is if thou considerest God in them 2. As all misery had its beginning from the disobedience of our firsts parents so we haue bine put again in a capacity of being happy by the obedience of the son of God provided we also keep our obedience to God and our Superiors Obedience is the perfection of all things and strongest connexion which they have with their first beginning For it deriveth all things from God and referreth all to him Christ recommended this vertue in particular and chose rather to loose his life then to loose his obedience Obedience is better then sacrifice because thereby a man sacrifyes his own will We must receive the command of superiors as a voice coming from heaven without examining the cause and motive of such commands He that hath learned perfect obedience will not stand to give his own judgment of the thing commanded When my superiour admonisheth me when the law commands me and tells me what I am to doe I must not dispute or excuse the busines but obey with promptitude simplicity shewing myself equally ready to perform all things great or small easy or hard There is only one case wherein thou maist be obstinate and refuse to obey that is if any one goes about to draw thee from vertue or force thee to doe any thing against Gods law As for any thing else which is commanded thee thou art to obey readily and without all murmuring 3. Gratitude consisteth in acknowledging ourselves oblig'd for some curtesy received Our cheif care must be to have a true esteem of the benefit which is done us in which we should not so much regard the greatnes of the gift itself as the greatnes of his good will who giveth it And we ought to have such continuall memory of good deeds which are done us as never to forget them He cannot be thankfull for a curtesy who soon forgets it and he that still remembers it may be esteemed to have already requited it There needs no great riches nor labour nor prosperity to shew ourselves gratefull T is alwaies in our power If thou wantest means and strength thou canst not want a will in which thou art able to repay Kings When thou receivest a curtesy from any one receive it cheerfully and in such a manner that he who obliges thee may see his curtesy is well bestowed He hath good reason to rejoyce that sees his friend merry and light-hearted but his joy encreases when he considers that he is the cause of his friends joy He that receives a benefit with gratitude with a kind acceptance may be said to repay the first pension of it He hath no intention to be gratefull who throws as we may say all curtesies so far out of his memory that they seem quite out of sight He that extolleth the good which is done him and confesseth his own incapacity to requite it hath already requited it He that receives a curtesy with a proud or negligent carriage seems to make no account of the gift He that is cold in returning thanks and scarce moves his lips to acknowledge the obligation is more ungratefull then if he said nothing An honest man at the very time he receiveth a curtesy is thinking how to requite it For what is more contrary to civility then not to return what thou hast received and when we return a curtesy we should endeavor to doe rather more then lesse as good ground is wont to yeild a double encrease of the seed it hath received Notwistanding take heed thou dost not make too much hast in returning thanks Some are of that nature that when any little present is sent them they presently send another to the same person as if they would restify they owe him nothing This is a kind of refusing to accept a curtesy when thou blottest out one gift with another with so much hast CHAP. XXV Of Truth and the use of it Simplicity is commended Acts of fidelity 1. IN all thy words gestures writings and other outward signs still observe Truth It doth not become a Christian to have a lying Tongue T is a weak vulgar and womanish imperfection to speak one thing and think another An honest generous spirit speaks things as they are doth not exaggerate or amplify them doth not deceive doth not dissemble doth not use ambiguous words Truth which is simple in itself loveth simple expressions It hates all disguise because it is innocent But he that
speak any injurious or undecent words Some men are too severe in their conversation and as if they hated all society are too much addicted to their solitude and can never be brought to speak a merry word Others are alwaies in a jesting humour and can never apply themselves seriously to any thing never use any retreat But these things are to be taken alternatively for solitude will make thee desire the conversation of others and too much company will make thee desire solitude thus the one will still be a remedy to the other Besides a little Remission sometimes will take away the unwillingnes of taking pains and a little labour will take away the tediousnes of Remission There are some again who not understanding how to dispense their own forces have no moderation in their actions but weary themselves with too much labour They neither know how to leave of their studies when once begun nor how to settle themselves again to them when once intermitted When they have once begun to doe a thing they follow it day and night and never leave of untill they find their strength fayl with too much application And on the other side when they begin to take their recreation they are soe addicted unto it that they cannot be easily brought again to apply themselves to any serious busines Wherefore we must endeavor only to recreate and divert our mind for a while not to distract it too much with unprofitable dissolutions To perform this we have need of that vertue which is called Eutrapelia which turns all things to the best and prescribeth certain bounds unto all things which we must never passe The best things become bad when a man observeth no measure or rule in them CHAP. XXXIV Of Humility In what it consisteth Of the Knowledge of ourselves The character of a true nature humble man 1. ALL Humility cometh from our Saviour Jesus Christ T is he who hath preached it in words and taught it by his own Example Next unto the Theologicall and Intellectuall Vertues Humility holdeth the first place because it is directly opposite to Pride which is the source of all evill This is the vertue which makes us agreeable unto God because he converseth interiourly with those who are humble of hart Without this which is the Ground and foundation of all other vertues all our spirituall building will be but weak and unstable And although in its name it seems to carry something of low and inconsiderable yet it is the vertue of great persons because it is the vertue of the perfect and elevates the mind to higher things It undertaketh great things without all danger of pride or vain glory without fear of the difficulty and still beareth up with the same tenour constancy and tranquillity against all hazards Humility doth not consist as the common sort of people falsly thinks in having an abject and contemptible opinion of ourselves but in a certain moderate desire of honour and glory which hath neither any excesse nor defect The humble man desireth glory as the reward of vertue regarding the action itself not for any vain glory but vertue alone All honour is illegitimate which it not got by vertue But whereas he that is humble understands himself well and judgeth aright of himself he therefore justly refuseth as much as he can all honour as well because he knows he contributes very little to his own vertues as also because he fears least that by consenting to the honours which are due unto him he should by degrees be tempted to desire those which are not due It is more safe still to contemn all honours for he who refuses them augmenteth them and he who contemns them encreases his own glory 2. The reason why thou art not humble is because thou dost not know thyself There is no countrey soe remote of which thou wilt not sooner believe a hundred false stories then of thyself What is man A frayl body without all defence of its own nature needing the help of others and exposed to all the rigours and injuries of Time a heap of clay an unclean animal inclined to all evill and of so perverse depraved a nature that he preferreth earth to heaven and transitory vain things to Eternity Every living man is nothing but vanity There is no creature of so frail a life so fierce a nature so subject to many fears and so addicted to Lust Why then art thou proud oh miserable man unhappiest of creatures Look upon thy own misery consider thy own shame and disordered inclinations if thou hast but the least spark of reason Thou wilt then be truly humble when thou hast learnt to know thyself 3. He that is truly humble hath a perfect contempt of himself and doth not desire to be esteemed humble but abject he refers all the honour that is given him unto God and is diffident of himself in all things he rejoyceth in being contemned and all his pride consisteth in contemning all praise He measureth himself according to those things only which he hath from himself and he esteemeth others according to the gifts which they have from God and so in comparing himself unto others he still esteems himself lesse and worse then all men For this is the propriety of humility to compare its own imperfections to the vertues of others by which rule the perfectest man in the world may without any lye esteem himself more imperfect then the greatest sinner Moreover he that is truly humble submitteth himself with all obedience unto those who are above him doth not seek to satisfy his own desires willingly discovers his own defects patiently endureth all injury embraceth with joy the most servile offices flyeth all singularity abstaineth from too much talking desires to live in private and unknown he contemneth all things esteemeth himself lower then all things and shuts himself as it were within nothing He is modest and circumspect doth not speak but when necessity requires then very modestly and without laughing desiring rather to weep then laugh He discovereth the humility of his hart in his outward carriage having his eyes fixed on the ground using a grave and moderate gate with dejected looks like a Criminall that expects every moment to be presented before the dreadfull judgment-seat of God His conscience accusing him of the sins he hath comitted and having no assurance of Gods grace and doubtfull of his salvation he dares not lift up his eyes to heaven but standing afarr of with the Publican beggeth with earnest prayer forgivenes of his sins In a word he is afraid of all his actions comtemneth all earthly things treads as it were under his feet all the pompe of the world for he esteemeth all the world as nothing who believes himself to be nothing CHAP. XXXV Of those who are arrived to the state of Perfection The Character of a perfect man The end of christian is an union with God 1. HE is called perfect who
private miseryes There is no vertue which we can have a more frequent occasion to practise For we are encompassed on all sides with so many enemies and so many miseries that Job had good reason to say that the life of man is a warfare upon earth There is â—…rdly any moment of our life wherein we have not occasion to fight And althô we had no outward enemies yet every man is a sufficient enemy to himself The source and cause of all that troubles and torments us is in ourselves and from ourselves We begin our life with Tears and we are fit for nothing else in our infancy This is the first thing we learn and we practise it ever after untill death We read of many that never laughed but we have not one example of any man that never wept Patience therefore is necessary to fortify our harts to strengthen our spirit to compleat our vertues No man knows his own strength and vertue unles he hath suffered some crosse or adversity And he that wanteth patience cannot be esteemed a wise man 2. He cannot be happy who hath never suffered some adversity Phisitians tell us that too much health is a bad sign and consequently to be feared and Mariners are ever afraid of the sea in too great a calm If thou art in some calamity or sufferance doe not think it intolerable but remember it is a combat which God hath sent thee Unles thou fightest thou canst not overcome and unles thou overcomest thou wilt never be crowned And since it was necessary that Christ should suffer and soe to enter into his glory darest thou presume or hope to be partaker of his glory felicity without having suffered any thing Thou art much mistaken if thou thinkest to find any other way to heaven The two main principles of vertue are to doe good and suffer evill It is a mark of true patience when thou canst quietly bear an injury from another when thou canst suffer misery without murmuring against God when thou canst endure the company of those who have done thee wrong when thou canst hear thyself calumniated without hating the person who does it when thou submittest thyself to the will of God in all thy sufferances when thou dost not complain unto others of thy crosses when thou louest those who hate thee when thou makest thy complaints only unto God and art ready to endure much more with joy and thanks-giving Lastly he is truly patient who doth not fall into impatience against the imperfections of others 3. When we suffer any losse in our temporall affairs we may soon comfort ourselves if we consider the inconstancy of all wordly things Whatsoever thou possessest whatsover thou louest naturally flyes away from thee it is in thy custody for a while but is not properly thine Doe not permit thyself to be deluded with the hopes of an imaginary stability in such things Being thyself infirm thou art not to expect any thing firm in this world and of all things thou possessest nothing will remain with thee to the end but vertue This is the only immortall thing which mortall man can challenged all things else are subject to death Therefore whatsoever thou possessest esteem it soe as still to leave a great distance betwixt it and thyself A vertuous man can loose nothing because he possesseth nothing as his own Why dost thou grieve for the losse of thy mony for the death of thy Children and the burning of thy house and yet art not sorry for the losse of thy modesty constancy and other vertues whereas these latter are in thy power and those first are neither thine nor in thy power If thou art sorry for the losse of them thou shewest thyself worthy to loose them Thou wouldst esteem thyself to have lost nothing if thou didst love nothing with a disordinate affection A wise man is never troubled for these exteriour things because they doe not touch nor concern him 4. Before thou goest about to doe any thing consider all the circumstances that belong unto it and thou wilt find many things which may give thee trouble unles thou preventest them Hast thou occasion to call a Servant it may happen that he is not present or does not doe what thou wouldst have him doe Art thou going to visit any body it may happen that the party is at home but neglects thee and will not answer Foresee all these things and all will be well Such a one would not accept of my company to day having admitted others He would not hearken to my discourse he placed me in the last place These are the ordinary complaints of difficile spirits into which delicate effeminate and indiscreet persons are wont to fall A wise man never takes notice of these things because he knows the life of man is subject to them The best remedy is to suffer what thou canst not mend If thou art offended with the malice or impudence of any one consider that t is in a manner impossible the world should be without some wicked or impudent people And if this seems impossible what wonder is it to see evill men doe evill Take heed thou art not more to blame thyself who didst not foresee that such a person would offend thee in that kind The world is still like itself and will never be without sin as long as men are in it 5. When thou suffereth any pain or greif consider not soe much what thou endurest as what thou hast done to deserve it And if thou wilt acknowledge the Truth thou wilt confesse thou hast deserved far greater sufferings God is the author of all things The end of his chastising thee is that he may cure thee that he may exercise thy vertue that he may harden thee to afflictions prepare thee for himself And those Whom he seems to spare he reserves for future punishment How shall I know what vertue thou art armed with to suffer Poverty if thou aboundest in Riches how shall I know thy constancy against the calumnies and hatred of thy enemies if thou growest old without over having had any I have often heared thee comfort others in affliction but I should be more willing to hear thee comfort thyself and see thee moderate thy greif when any Crosse doth befall thee If thou art wont to thank and reward the Phisitian that burns and cuts thy flesh why dost thou not also yeild to that medicine which is sent thee from heaven It is a folly to esteem that a losse which is rather a remedy If poverty sicknes and all those other things which thou callest evils could speak they would insult over thee and tell thee why oh man dost thou think us thy enemies Art thou deprived of any happines through our fault What vertue have we taken away from thee have we made thee loose thy Prudence Justice or Fortitude what hinders on our part but that thou maist still be merry That which thou esteemest bad will turn