you have in respect of them that you even desire to give up Liberty Fortune and Life it self for their sakes Now if you feel within you a Resolution of this Force you may then conclude you are come to the perfection of Patience But for poor wretched Creatures as we are should we on the other hand prefer and esteem of our selves above God and Virtue It were so lewd and so abhorrent a Crime that this thought alone if we could but think it were enough to constrain us to be Sincere V. NOR is the Argument for Patience of less weight Since the Just who die for the Cause of God and of Virtue are not onely Crown'd with Immortality but their Soulâ— adorn'd with Glory which is a double Reward And it will contribute not a little to this Virtue if here we take in what before was advis'd for augmenting the power of Free Will namely That we set our selves vigoâ— rously to abstain from all those things which to the Corporeal and to the Animal Life anâ— most grateful Also that as far as Health anâ— good Manners will permit we enure oâ—… selves resolutely to harsh and unpleasing thing For if we but firmly maintain these Charâ—cters we shall soon find enlargement in oâ— Inward Faculties We shall excite within 〈◊〉 not only joy but a new greatness of Souâ— and feel our selves in a state to enterprise 〈◊〉 very thing that is Honourable We shall not account we have lost but only chang'd our Delights seeing the Soul by a sense of Adhering unto and Reverencing the Precepts of Virtue shall attain a Joy not Corporeal but distinct and peculiar to it self and be even ravish'd with the Fruition thereof CHAP. V. How the Three Principal Derivative Virtues may be acquir'd I. AS for Justice Fortitude and Temperance We say first that the principal part of Justice which is true Piety will in the Minds of Candid Men soon take root if they but take the Image of Impiety and see how Rude how Barbarous and how void of all good Nurture it is For does any Man among us neglect a Benefactor to his Face Do we not rather load him with Honours and make our Acknowledgments as profound and as answerable to his Bounties as we can How then shall we put that upon God which even among Men is not permitted without Shame This alone unto a generous Mind is motive enough and a sufficient Spur unto Piety But for others let them take warning lest by Ingratitude they forfeit all Title to Favour Let them in time consider that Divine Vengeance will be as diligent to find them out as they are now drouzy and regardless towards their Creator Yet as to the manner of Worship let this be a Rule to all that we so adhere to God's outward and publick Service as not to omit our inward and private Devotions which are certainly the dearest Part. We have already observ'd L. 2. c. 2. 5. That the internal Worship is a true Imitation of God And this Opinion is not a little inforc'd by what the Pythagorean in Hierocles says That we then worship God in the best manner when we bring our Minds to a Resemblance of him Since what a Man loves he endeavors to Imitate And a little after That costly Oblations bring no Honour to God if they are not offer'd with a Godly Mind That the Sacrifices of the Wicked are but as Stubble to the Fire and their Holy Donatives serve onely but for Booty to the sacrilegious And as for a Temple he adds this short Description thereof That there is not on Earth a fitter place for God than is a purifi'd Soul And to this Sense he brings Apollo himself pronouncing the Similitude between Heaven and a Holy Mind Aequè Animis sanctis atque ipso Ego laetor Olympo I do not greater pleasure find In Heaven than in a holy Mind III. BUT having quoted thus much let us not omit what the same Author more elegantly and at large sets forth to wit That the wise Man is the onely Priest He onely is acceptable to God and He onely knows how to pray unto him For he onely knows how to Worship God aright who is arrived to Divine Knowledge He I say that offers himself for a Sacrifice that converts his Soul into a Divine Monument and whose Mind is prepar'd as a Temple for the reception of Heavenly Light Here 't is to be observ'd that the Man whom Hierocles calls Wise Aristotle calls Prudent But both are in reality the same as being endow'd with Virtue For Virtue which is true and rais'd up to Perfection and which becomes thereby the Image of God is certainly God's best Worship Yet this Inward Gift never contends against those Rites and Forms in Religion that are decent and establisht by Law IV. As to the other Branch of Justice which is Probity and commonly call'd by the Name of Justice in a stricter Sense This ought to be much in the care of all pious Men as 't is a Branch of that Piety which is a principal part of Virtue and which had been demonstrated in our Second Book to be the best way of God's Worship Lib. 2. Cap. 5. For Probity is the Bond of Society and of all Human Concerns and the whole World is in a manner so ty'd together and supported by it that if this Pillar were shaken the ruin of all must follow Wherefore all Men are bound to defend it and to regard it even as an hallowed Thing V. BUT if any Man who for barely containing himself within the bounds of Human Law shall thereupon pretend unto the Character of Just we shall venture to call this rather Dexterity or Artifice than true Justice For such an one feels no Concern as to the Publick Good his thoughts are all about himself and Justice which consults the good of others has no part in his Meditations since they are bounded and limited by Self-love So that if a Man of this frame should but live to see the Laws laid by he would start immediately into another shape He who but yesterday was according to the letter of the Law a very precise Elder turns either Libertine or as ravenous as an Evening Wolf Wherefore let him who desires to be truly Just not believe that he is already so unless he finds that if there were no Laws he could contain himself and still be Master of the same Desires VI. As to Fortitude and Temperance we may here repeat what before we offer'd concerning Patience Hierocles calls them all The Adamantine keepers of the Soul In Aurea Pythagorae Carmina If you discharge them she presently is betray'd to all Temptations and Calamity But how necessary Fortitude is will appear by that Excellent saying of Andronicus Lib. 3. Cap. 1. Namely That some things are so Dishonest as not to afford the Ill-doer the least shadow or pretence of Excuse And therefore that a Man must vigorously withstand these things
it fairly comes in your way Whereas if Patience do but fortifie and corroborate your Mind it will embolden you to stand in defiance against those mighty Bugbears You may in scorn of them declare that the Soul of Man is not to be scorch'd by Fire nor choak'd by Water nor can the Butchers chop it into parcels That Virtue cannot even by Violence be torn from it or God himself be separated from Virtue and the Soul XV. BESIDES this also may be reflected on that our Life is but as a Thing deposited with us by God Now if God shall call for his own Pledge How can we with Sense or Honesty refuse so just and potent a Benefactor or be unwilling to restore back what he lent But this Pledge is always called for as often as any Conditions for Life are made us which cannot consist with that Observance which we owe to God and to Virtue XVI LASTLY Let us take Comfort in this That God is not usually wanting to his Children in their Extremities that if the Mind shall retain its Integrity and persevere to the last 't is scarce in the power of Torment to interrupt our Happiness L. 2. c. 10. §. 18. L. 3. c. 10. §. 8. L. 2. c. 10 §. 19. L. 3. c. 3. §. 10. For the Soul is then as it were absorp'd with God and in full prospect of a blessed Immortality She knows the Flames and Scourges of this World cannot disfigure her For when their worst is done 't is She finally shall Conquer That she as a long Exile is now solemnly recall'd to her Native Country that She is remounting to the Region of blessed Souls and even sees them as gazing upon her with joy and as shouting with Acclamations at her approach XVII O the Joys O the Triumphs O what Embraces from that Illustrious Assembly What Words and Welcome and Elogies will they bestow for what she so direfully suffer'd and so bravely overcame in the defence of Virtue and of Truth How will the Mansions above Eccho and Rebound with Hallelujah's of that Heavenly Quire Or how rather will this victorious Soul enter with Triumph into those Mansions where Felicity is never to end 'T is in this Happy Station where Love and Friendship are always Young still Unblemish'd and evermore Sincere Here Holy Angels and all those Resplendent Beings which are above do not onely behold the Beauties of each other but Communicate and even Discourse by some unspeakable Way But this is sure that Truth shines out in its utmost Purity and Virtue is bright and manifest in all they say Besides here are no Vicissitudes all is Peace all Security and all things are Stationary and fix'd In short here is a Consummation of the Soul 's bless'd Estate And it were impossible to find it elsewhere XVIII AND how could this otherwise be since the Mind of Man is as the Image of God drawn and descending from him And being drawn from God it covets Heaven as desirous to return from whence it came All Inclinations towards the Earth savour of the Body But as to the Soul her Habitation is above and her true Country is Heaven For as Cicero Discourses wisely of this Matter There can no Origination of the Soul be found upon Earth De Consolatione XIX WHEREFORE let us admire that Quickning Life which when freed from our Earthly Tabernable will touch and penetrate our Souls with Joy O that happy State of victorious Virtue attended and surrounded with Triumphs and Content And ever Happy be that Death and Torment which shall conduct the firm and unshaken Soul to Pleasures that are Ineffable XX. HERE we confess are great things spoken and so perhaps through this whole Work Yet we suppose they are not greater than what belongs to the true and genuine Description of Moral Philosophy They are not beyond the Compass and Meaning of Right Reason nor exceed the Professions and Memorials of the most Excellent of the Heathens XXI HOWEVER That Religion may not be defrauded of her due Honour I do here also profess testifie and declare that I think nothing is found in the Writings of the Philosophers or commemorated as the Deeds and Sayings of Renowned Heathens But all their Flights and Raptures whether about God or the Soul or Virtue are owing either to the very Doctrine or to the Ancient Cabala or Tradition of the most Primitive Church of God Or else to the Eternal Son that Logos or WORD of God Who has in all Ages past endow'd every Man with some Sense of Honesty Tho some Men have always been more Burning and more Shining Lights than the rest For this WORD is that True Light which Enlightneth all Men that come into this World even as the Scripture has it Now that Pythagoras drew his Knowledg from the Hebrew Fountains is what all Writers Sacred and Prophane do testifie and aver That Plato took from him the principal part of that Knowledg touching God the Soul's Immortality and the Conduct of Life and Good Manners has been doubted by no Man And that it went from him into the Schools of Aristotle and so deriv'd and diffus'd almost into the whole World is in like manner attested by all XXII WHEREFORE as the Virtue and Wisdom and Excellency of so many of the Old Heathens does not a little Illustrate the Power and Benignity of the Divine Providence and the extent of its Gifts So can these Men in no degree either obscure or derogate from the Glory of the Church For they as we said did but borrow their precious Things either from the Church of God or from the Divine Logos or WORD That Word which the old Church I mean that of the Jews did worship when it shined from the Tabernacle and which the New Church I mean that of the Christians still adores in the Human Nature of the Messias as in the glorious Temple of its Residence And may it be Worshipped and Adored for ever and ever Amen FINIS
Foe to Friendship and as producing rather Hatred and Ill-will But to me it has ever been a sort of Riddle in Human Affairs and deserving laughter to see how the generality of Men hate the voice of that very Judge unto whom however they perpetually seem willing to appeal Certainly no firm and durable Friendship can subsist any more without Truth than without Faith and Simplicity which are the Pillars of all true Friendship Cicero says Neither the Double-minded nor the Changeable Intriguer must be rely'd on for Fidelity And let us add to these the Men of Darkness and great Reserve He that does even molest his Friend with Truth has less to answer for than a flattering Parasite who is obsequious to every Vice and can indulge or abet his Friend to his utter destruction To Men of sincere Virtue this Truth never comes amiss for every prudent Admonition that is not attended with Scoffs or Contumely is a Sermon they hearken to with Wonder and Delight For as they grow better by it so they have testimony of what is very Rare namely perfect Virtue and perfect Friendship together XXIV IT were easie for me I confess to be more copious and dwell longer upon such Particulars But these Hints will be enough to inculcate How much Virtue imports to the Acquisition of all External Goods And that against the Changes and Chances of this Human Life there is no other true Sanctuary but Virtue CHAP. X. Of that Good which is External Supreme and Eternal according to the Mind of the Philosophers I. THERE now only remains one External Good which also is Eternal To Heaven it is that we all Aspire and to the Society of Blessed Spirits And there is no other Path or Stratagem can lead hereto but Virtue This is set forth in that of the Oracle touching the Ghost of Plotinus and its passing to the Happy State Ad Coetum jam venis almum Heroum blandis spirantem leniter auris Heîc ubi amicitia est ubi molli fronte cupido Laetitiâ replens liquidâ pariterque repletus Semper ab Ambrosiis foecundo è numine rivis Unde serena quies castorum dulcis amorum Illecebra ac placidi suavissima flamina venti Which may be Englished thus And now you 're come to th' Happy Quire Of Heroes where their blessed Souls retire Where softest Winds do as soft Joys inspire Here dwells chast Friendship with so pure a flame That Love knows no satiety or shame But gives and takes new Joys and yet is still the same Th' Ambrosian Fountains with fresh Pleasures spring And gentle Zephyrus does new Odours bring These gifts for Inoffensive Ease are lent And both conspire to make Love Innocent II. THAT holy Vow and Profession which was made by Cato in Tully's Book de Senectute has resemblance with this very Description Cicero de Senectute For he says I repent me not of having Liv'd because I have lived so as never to have thought I was born in vain and I depart this Life not as from my House but as from an Inn. For Nature has not here afforded us an Habitation but barely a resting Place O glorious Day when I shall hasten to the great Assembly of blessed Souls and be delivered from this Croud and from that Dungeon wherein I live III. De Consolatione THIS Opinion Cicero in his Treatise de Consolatione repeats as his own saying I am none of those who believe the Soul can die with the Body and that so great a Light kindled by Divine Nature in the Mind can be extinguish'd but rather that after some certain space of time it will return to Immortality Now this by him is so express'd as if our present life were a sort of a death to the Soul And the same in his Somnio Scipionis is elegantly affirm'd by Africanus De somnio Scipionis when Cornelius ask'd him If his dead Friends should live Yes says he they truly live who are extricated from the Chains of the Body as from a Prison For your Life as you so call it is Death Many are the passages of this Force up and down in Cicero Not to speak of what might be found in Plotinus and Plato IV. NOW inasmuch as the hope of Immortality was so plain and conspicuous of old even to mere Pagans How could we possibly exclude it from Moral Philosophy For by this it appears that whatever external vexations innocent Virtue shall in this Life suffer whether by hidden Fate or by the Violence Envy or Improbity of wicked Men there will be a just and most infallible compensation for it Wherefore the Good and the Magnanimous being exalted by this Hope look on the World with contempt They trample upon inferiour things and cannot regard any human Accidents as culpable since nothing has regard to them but what is of Virtue and Immortality 'T is to this very Sense that Cicero does elsewhere magnifie the power of Virtue V. SOCRATES is memorable for this same Confidence and Hope since in the strength thereof he was enabled to undervalue both his Enemies and his Death He whom the Oracle of Apollo pronounced the wisest Man would memorably in this deserve that Character For while he doubted of all other things as to the Soul's Immortality he was ever fix'd So Laelius testifies of him in Tully That he was now of one Sentiment and then of another in most other things Yet as to the Point of Immortality he always affirm'd That the Minds of Men were Divine and that as soon as they departed the Body there was a most expeditious return of every just and vertuous Soul into Heaven VI. ON this Contemplation let every Man therefore resolve that altho Virtue may in some Cases appear to be against our Interest in reference to worldly things yet are we to stand by it with an unshaken Mind especially since after this span of Life is past there will redound a vast reward and gratification to the Just Nay let us rather count that what we suffer in Externals as suppose in Fortune or in Health is rather to our Advantage Since if we make a wise use of our misfortunes and understand them for kind Admonitions as indeed they are by how much we are disappointed or despoil'd in outward Things by so much and more also will the Mind be sanctifi'd and enrich'd 'T is worth observing that all Good which is External must fade and corrupt even as the Body it self while yet the Internal Things are as lasting as the Soul So that to think what we suffer in Body or Goods to be a detriment or Curse when we are likely to gain by it a more ample and perpetual Recompence is a strange Error in Accounts VII NAY farther yet If a Man had bought a thing at ten times less than the Value Would it not sound odd to hear him complain that the bargain had undone him Even so is it with the loss of outward Things Men