And as the beams and the sun, as the root and the branches are all of one nature, so the grounds of comfortable truths and reasons taken from those grounds, are both of the same divinity and authority, though in time of temptation discourse is oft so troubled, that it cannot see how one truth riseth from another. This is one privilege of heaven, that our knowledge there shall not be so much discoursive, proving one thing by another, as definitive, seeing things on their grounds with a more present view. The reasons here brought by David are not so much arguments to convince his judgment, as motives and inducements to incline his will to trust in God: for trusting being a holy relying upon God, carrieth especially the will to him. Now the will is led with the goodness of things, as the understanding is led with truth. The heart must be sweetened with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust, as well as convinced of his ability to do us good,—and therefore the most prevailing reasons that carry the whole heart, are such as are drawn from the sweetness of God, whereby the heart is enlarged to expect all good-and nothing but good-from his hands. The Soul's Conflict, chap. xxvi. One of the books that Izaak Walton left with special commendation to his children. 79. Robert Burton, 1576-1640. (Handbook, par. 327.) Author of the Anatomie of Melancholy,-a prime favourite of Johnson's, and in Byron's opinion the most amusing and instructive medley' ever penned. Cure of Discontent. Discontents and grievances are either generall or particular; generall are wars, plagues, dearthes, famine, fires, inundations, unseasonable weather, epidemical diseases which afflict whole kingdomes, territories, cities: or peculiar to private men, as cares, crosses, losses, death of friends, poverty, want, sicknesse, orbities, injuries, abuses, etc. Generally all discontent, homines quatimur fortunæ salo. No condition free, quisque suos patímur manes. Even in the midst of our mirth and jollity, there is some grudging, some complaint; as he saith, our whole life is a glucupicron, a bitter sweet passion, hony and gall mixt together; we are all miserable and discontent, who can deny it? If all, and that it be a common calamity, an inevitable necessity, all distressed, then, as Carden inferres, Who art thou that hopest to go free? Why dost thou not grieve thou art a mortall man, and not governour of the world? Ferre, quam sortem patiuntur omnes, Nemo recuset. If it be common to all, why should one man be more disquieted than another? It is inevitable, it may not bee avoided, and why then shouldst thou be so much troubled? ... Grave nihil est homini quod fert necessitas, as Tully deemes out of an old poet, that which is necessarie cannot be grievous. If it be so, then comfort thy selfe in this, that whether thou wilt or no, it must be indured;- make a vertue of necessity, and conforme thy selfe to undergoe it. Si longa est, levis est; si gravis est, brevis est. If it be long, 'tis light; if grievous, it cannot last. It will away, dies dolorem minuit, and if nought else, yet time will weare it out: custome will ease it; oblivion is a common medicine for all losses, injuries, griefes, and detriments whatsoever, and, when they are once past, this commodity comes of infelicity, it makes the rest of our life sweeter unto us. Atque hæc dim meminisse juvabit, the privation and want of a thing many times makes it more pleasant and delightsome than before it was. We must not think, the happiest of us all, to escape here without some misfortunes Usque adeò nulla est sincera voluptas, Heaven and earth are much unlike; those heavenly bodies, indeed, are freely carried in their orbes without any impediment or interruption, to continue their course for innumerable ages, and make their conversions: but men are urged with many difficulties, and have divers hindrances, oppositions, still crossing, interrupting their endeavours and desires, and no mortal man is free from this law of NATURE. Wee must not, therefore, hope to have all things answer our own expectation, to have a continuance of good successe and fortunes, Fortuna nunquam perpetuò est bona. And as Minutius Felix, the Roman Consull, told that insulting Coriclanus, drunke with his good fortunes, looke not for that successe thou hast hitherto had. It never yet happened to any man since the beginning of the world, nor ever will, to have all things according to his desire, or to whom fortune was never opposite and adverse. Even so it fell out to him as he foretold. And so to others, even to that happinesse of Augustus; though he were Jupiters almoner, Pluto's treasurer, Neptunes admirall, it could not secure him. Such was Alcibiades' fortune, Narsetes', that great Gonsalva's, and most famous men's, that, as Jovius concludes, it is almost fatall to great princes, through their own default or otherwise circumvented with envy and malice, to lose their honours, and die contumeliously. 'Tis so, still hath been, and ever will be, Nihil est ab omni parte beatum, There's no protection is so absolute, That some impurity doth not pollute. Whatsoever is under the moone is subject to corruption, alterations; and so long as thou livest upon earth looke not for other. Thou shalt not here find peaceable and cheerfull dayes, quiet times, but rather cloudcs, stormes, calumnies, such is our fate... Yea, but thou thinkest thou art more miserable than the rest, other men are happy in respect of thee, their miseries are but flea-bitings to thine, thou alone art unhappy, none so bad as thyself. Yet, if as Socrates said: All the men in the world should come and bring their grievances together, of body, mind, fortune, sores, ulcers, madness, epilepsies, agues, and all those common calamities of beggary, want, servitude, imprisonment, and lay them on a heap to be equally divided, wouldst thou share alike, and take thy portion, or be as thou art? Without question thou wouldst be as thou art. If some Jupiter should say, to give us all content Jam faciam quod vultis; eris tu, qui modò miles, Quid statis? nolint. Well, be't so then: you, master souldier, Shall be a merchant; you, sir lawyer, A country gentleman; go you to this, That side you; why stand yee? It's well as 'tis. Every man knows his own but not others' defects and miseries. Be silent then, rest satisfied, desine, intuensque in aliorum infortunia, solare mentem; comfort thyself with other men's misfortunes, and as the moldiwarpe in Æsop told the fox complaining for want of a tail, and the rest of his companions, tacete, quando me oculis captum videtis; you complain of toies, but I am blinde, be quiet. I say to thee be thou satisfied. It is recorded of the hares that with a generall consent they went to drown themselves, out of a feeling of their misery; but when they saw a company of frogs more fearful than they were, they began to take courage and comfort again. Confer thine estate with others. Similes aliorum respice casus, mitius ista feres. Be content, and rest satisfied; for thou art well in respect of others; be thankful for that thou hast, that God hath done for thee, he hath not made thee a monster, a beast, a base creature, as he might, but a man, a Christian, such a man; consider aright of it, thou art full well as thou art. Quicquid vult, habere nemo potest, no man can have what he will: Illud potest nolle, quod non habet, he may choose whether he will desire that which he hath not: Thy lot is falne, make the best of it. If we should all sleep at all times (as Endymion is said to have done), who then were happier than his fellow? Our life is but short, a very dream, and while we look about, immortalitas adest, eternity is at hand. Our life is a pilgrimage on earth, which wise men pass with great alacrity. If thou be in woe, sorrow, want, distresse, in paine, or sicknesse, think of that of our apostle, God chastiseth them whom he loveth: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy, Psal. cxxvi. 6. As the fornace proveth the potter's vessel, so doth temptation try men's thoughts, Eccl. xxv. 5. "Tis for thy good: Periisses, nisi periisses: Hadst thou not been so visited thou hadst been utterly undone; as gold in the fire, so men are tried in adversity. Tribulatio ditat: and, which Camerarius hath well shadowed in an embleme of a thresher and corn: Si tritura absit, paleis sunt abdita grana, A threshing separates from straw the corn, Tis the very same which Chrysostome comments, Hom. 2, in 3 Mat. Corn is not separated but by threshing, nor men from worldly impediments but by tribulation. "Tis that which Cyprian ingeminates, Serm. 4, de Immort. "Tis that which Hieron, which all the Fathers inculcate, so we are catechised for eternity. "Tis that which the proverb insinuates, Nocumentum, documentum. 'Tis that which all the world rings into our ears. Deus unicum habet filium sine peccato, nullum sine flagello: God, saith Austin, hath one son without sin, none without correction. An expert seaman is tried in a tempest, a runner in a race, a captain in a battle, a valiant man in adversity, a Christian in temptation and misery. Basil, Hom. 8. We are sent as so many souldiers into this world, to strive with it, the flesh, the devil; our life is a warfare, and who knows it not? Non est ad astra mollis è terris via: and therefore peradventure this world here is made troublesome unto us, that, as Gregory notes, we should not be delighted by the way, and forget whither we are going. Go on then merrily to heaven. Anatomie of Melancholy, part 2, sec. 3, p. 308. Lond. 1638. 80. George Sandys, 1577-1643. (Handbook, pars. 161, 350.) The best versifier,' in Dryden's judgment, of his age. Montgomery speaks also of his Psalms as incomparably the most poetical in the language.' Perhaps this praise is excessive; but there is great smoothness and beauty in all he has written. The Dirge of King David for Saul and Jonathan. Thy beauty, Israel, is fled, Sunk to the dead. How are the valiant fall'n! the slain O let it not in Gath be known, Nor in the streets of Ascalon! . How lovely! O how pleasant when Than eagles swifter; stronger far Whom love in life so strongly tied The stroke of death could not divide. Out of eight stanzas. Psalm lxviii. Let God, the God of battles rise, O let them flee before his face, Like smoke which driving tempests chase; As wax dissolves with scorching fire, So perish in his burning ire. |