and if we will spend our thoughts in airy hopes, we make ourselves miserable two ways; we lose the pleasure of what we have, and never enjoy what we look for. And therefore I think he made a good answer, who being asked which man's grief never ceased, said, Cujus cor non acquiescit in præsentibus, whose heart is not contented with what he hath at present.' And he likewise was well employed, who for fifteen years together with great pains endeavoured to get the habit of hoping for nothing'; especially since (as he saith) he did obtain it; for no question he found a great ease to his spirit by it.

XII. THINK THAT THOU ART MOST ANGRY AT THYSELF WHEN THOU DOST AMEND. Many create themselves no small trouble by being troubled at the disorder and disquiet of their spirit in cross accidents. And I give this rule to take off all that trouble which proceeds from displeasure against ourselves for our unquietness under God's hand, or that trouble which we feel for the sins we have admitted, if it hinder our duty. And this indeed is oft-times the greatest inquietude and trouble of all other. Men roll their souls in very vexatious and impatient thoughts, because they were vexed and impatient; and so they commit that again which they should cure, and unless they will cease it the disease will grow more desperate. For they are impatient if their trouble be not cured, and their disease instantly healed: but, alas! this which they take for the medicine is the very disease. Trouble doth but make the sore rankle and fester the more, and inflame the fever to a greater heat therefore coolly and mildly seek to amend thy trouble by some of the former rules that I have proposed. Remember, the more thou vexest thyself, the further thou art from being healed; and, like a bird that is restless in a net, thou art more entangled and perplexed. Go therefore seriously always and considerately about the cure, when thou art troubled at any accident, and think that this is a signification of the greatest displeasure against thyself when thou art amended, and thy mind is again in peace. You may see how calmly David argues himself into a stillness; Why art thou cast down, O my soul",

t.. Habitum nihil sperandi, cui adipiscendo 15 perpetuis annis maximo labore incubui, et obtinui.

Cardan. [de Vita Propria, cap. 13. tom. i. p. 10.]

n Ps. xlii. 11; xliii. 5.

&c. If he had fretted at this disquiet which was in him, and raised storms against himself, the commotion would but have been like a new boisterous wind upon the face of the sea already troubled, which would but make it more rough and restless. Let the sun shine rather than the wind blow: I mean, with a clear understanding labour placidly to compose and appease thy heart, and not by fresh gusts of black passion bluster and rage against thyself.

CHAP. XI.

Humility and self-annihilation, knowledge and judgment, simplicity and purity, constancy and fixedness in one thing, are four excellent means to keep us from trouble.

THERE are three or four rules that are more general and universal, which perhaps may serve instead of all the rest for to heal all troubles from without; which, because they are so large and comprehensive, I will superadd.

6

I. HAVE A LITTLE CARE OF THYSELF. Superbus et avarus nunquam quiescunt, saith a devout author"; a proud man and a covetous never are at rest.' The leaves of the tall trees shake with every breath; and no man can open his mouth to whisper an ill word, but a proud man is disturbed: whereas the observance of this rule will make us say, when we are contemned and despised, that they cannot think so low of us as we of ourselves, and then we shall not be moved. It will help us in poverty, sickness, and all misfortunes, whilst we say, Less than the least of all God's mercies. Our conceit, sure, of ourselves is the cause that we quarrel at every thing that happens; as if we were such considerable creatures, that every thing must be done to please us, and God must rule the whole world according to our humour, yea, and nobody else must be served and gratified but ourselves. Some things there are which fall out that are good for others when they are ill for me; and therefore it is a high piece of pride for me to be troubled, as if I were such a goodly thing that God should mind none but me, and all creatures in heaven and in earth should wait upon me, doing every thing according to my liking.

u Tho. à Kemp. [de Imit. Christi, lib. i. cap. 6. § 1.]

Away with this fond love of ourselves, and ridiculous overweening. I beseech you, let us know ourselves, and all will be well. There is no reason that such poor things as we are should take matters so ill and unkindly at God's hands as we do: we are well used if we were in a worse condition.

II. LABOUR TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE NATURE AND VALUE OF EVERY THING. I will instance in a few things. That which is future is uncertain; that which is born may die; that which once was not may again not be: what hath happened to others may happen to me that which hath its value from fancy is not much worth that which can be bought cannot be great: that which can do us no harm unless we will, need not be feared that which a man can live without he need not covet. Such like rules as these will the consideration of the nature of things teach us; and then, when we have learned what they are, let us remember the usual saying of Epictetus, "If thou lovest a pot, remember it is a pot which thou lovest*;" i. e. a thing of a base nature, and also brittle and soon broken; and it is no great wonder, nor no great matter, if it be. So in all other cases. If thou lovest a flower, or a man, remember it is but a flower, but a man. If thou hopest for any thing, remember thou hast but only hopes. And thus doing, thou wilt find much quiet from many occasions of trouble.

III. HAVE BUT ONE END, AND BRING ALL THINGS TO THAT: which in the great emperor's phrase is thus expressed, "AλWσOV σEAVTòv, reduce thyself to a simplicityy.' The true end, and that which is the greatest, is such an one that all things will promote it; and that end is the glorifying God, and saving our souls. Whatsoever falls out will advance this; and if we secure our end, what need we be troubled? We may always have what we would, if we would not have too many things, but only one. For nothing can hinder our doing God honour, and advancing

* [Εφ ̓ ἑκάστου τῶν ψυχαγωγούντων, ἢ χρείαν παρεχόντων, ἡ στερο γομένων, μέμνησο ἐπιλέγειν, ὁποῖον ἐστιν, ἀπὸ τῶν σμικροτάτων ἀρξάμενος ἂν χύτραν στέργῃς, ὅτι Χύτραν στέργῳ· κατεαγείσης γὰρ αὐτῆς, οὐ ταραχθήσῃ. * Αν παίδιον σαυτοῦ και ταφιλῆς, ἡ γυναίκα, ὅτι ἄνθρωπον και ταφιλεῖς· ἀποθάνοντος γὰρ οὐ ταραxenon. Epict. Enchir. cap. 3. Com

pare Lord Bacon's application of the same maxim, Advancement of Learning, vol. ii. p. 81.]

y M. Anton. 1. iv. [§. 26. p. 64.]

2 Τὶς εἶναι θέλεις σαυτῷ πρῶτον εἶπε, εἰθ' οὕτω ποιεῖ ἃ ποιεῖς. Arrian. 1. iii. c. 23. Tell thyself first what thou wilt be, and then do all things that thou mayest be what thou wouldst.' [p. 323.]

the good of our souls: yea, without those things that we account sad, sometimes we should not attend that end. So David said it, It was good that he was afflicted, else he had gone astray. Howsoever it fares with us, there is some grace or other to be exercised; and the exercise of every one of them is in order to what we design, God's glory and our good. Remember therefore what our Saviour saith, Thou art careful about many things, but one thing is needfula. Mind that, and thou needest not be troubled, because thou mayest alway mind it. The sum of this is, he that hath proposed but one great end at which he levels all his actions, the obtaining of which nothing can hinder, but all things promote, and which he may alway in every condition pursue, need not be troubled. For every thing rests satisfied in its end, and this he may always have, if it be that which it should be.

IV. As we should have but one end, so LET US HAVE BUT ONE RULE OR PRINCIPLE OF OUR LIVES. I know you will be glad to hear what that one rule should be. I cannot tell how to comprehend it in shorter words than these; Let us alway will, and not will the same thing. I told you in the first rule of all, that we must acquaint ourselves with the gospel. Now let us will only those things that Christ hath commanded, and refuse only those that Christ hath forbidden; and that is the principle whereby we may guide our lives, and it will never fail us. The truth is, that must needs be good which a man can always will and it is impossible that any thing but what hath no evil in it should never cease to be chosen by us. Let us resolve therefore what things we will ever choose, and what we will ever refuse; and for the rest, let them be as they will. Now Christ hath said, Be holy, humble, meek, patient; but nowhere hath he said, Be rich, be honoured, or the like. The former therefore, and not these, we must always will. He hath bid us likewise, that we should not speak evil of others, nor hate them, nor return their injuries; but nowhere hath he said, Do not suffer affliction, do not put up those wrongs, &c.; the former then are the things only that we must will not to do. And by this course it is manifest what a great way we shall go to the obtaining peace. For we shall always be certain of something. When a man's estate is gone, and his friends

a Luke x. 41.

deceased, or the like, he may say, But I am here still, and I can do what I always could; choose the good and refuse the evil. I never did will not to be poor, nor to be destitute of relations, nor to suffer reproaches. They are other things that I make the matter of my choice; and I find that I am where I was, because I can do those things which are the only things which I choose to do. This will fortify us against what men say of us. Follow Scripture and reason, and let the world approve of what we do if they please. Nothing more troubles us than an ambitious desire of every one's good word; but Haud parum artis opus est, si quis stulto placere velit, saith the proverb among the Spaniards; he shall have enough to do that would please a fool.' But how much trouble he shall have that would please nobody knows how many of them, is not to be imagined. He must not will one thing, but ten thousand; one thing this moment, and another the next, and innumerable contradictions at the same time to please divers men. Content thyself therefore with this, God is sooner pleased than men: resolve upon his will to let that be thine, and keep to it. Choose that which nobody can hinder, no accident can forbid ; if thou cannot do God's will, thou canst suffer it; why then shouldst thou be troubled when thy own choice remains entire, and thou hast what thou wouldst.

CHAP. XII.

A caution, and the conclusion, showing that these things suppose the practice of more general rules; and that we must not have these truths to get when we have need of them.

To prevent all misunderstanding, I must desire you to consider, that all these rules are such as suppose the use of some other, that have an universal influence upon all Christian practice, and these must be joined with them, not severed from them. As first, prayer. Secondly, giving thanks in everything. Thirdly, meditation of heaven and eternal blessedness. Fourthly, of God's fulness and the glories of his attributes. Fifthly, of Christ's death and intercession, with such like b; to

b See Phil. iv. 6, 7; 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18; Psalm. xxxi. 19, xlii. 11; Heb. ii. 17, 18, iv. 15, 16.