CHAPTER XIX.

_The Testimonies of several great, learned, and virtuous

personages among the_ Gentiles, _urged against the excesses of

the age, in favour of the self-denial, temperance, and piety,

recommended in the first part of this discourse._

I. AMONG THE GREEKS, &c. viz.

1. Cyrus.--2. Artaxerxes.--3. Agathocles.--4. Philip.--5.

Ptolemy.--6. Xenophanes.--7. Antigonus.--8. Themistocles.--9.

Aristides.--10. Pericles.--11. Phocion.--12. Clitomachus.--13.

Epaminondas.--14. Demosthenes.--15. Agasicles.--16.

Agesilaus.--17. Agis.--18. Alcamenes.--19. Alexandrides.--20.

Anaxilas.--21. Ariston.--22. Archidamus.--23. Cleomenes.--24.

Dersyllidas.--25. Hippodamus.--26. Leonidas.--27. Lysander.--28.

Pausanias.--29. Theopompus, &c.--30. The manner of life and

government of the Lacedæmonians in general.--31. Lycurgus their

lawgiver.

I. Cyrus, than whom a greater monarch we hardly find in story,

is more famous for his virtue than his power; God calls him his

shepherd. Now let us see the principles of his conduct and life.

So temperate was he in his youth, that when Astyages, urged him

to drink wine, he answered, "I am afraid lest there should be

poison in it, having seen thee reel and sottish after having drunk

thereof." And so careful was he to keep the Persians from corruption

of manners, that he would not suffer them to leave their rude and

mountainous country, for one more pleasant and fruitful, lest

through plenty and ease, luxury at last might debase their spirits.

And so very chaste was he, that having taken a lady of quality, a

most beautiful woman, his prisoner, he refused to see her, saying,

"I have no mind to be a captive to my captive." It seems, he claimed

no such propriety; but shunned the occasion of evil. The comptroller

of his household asking him one day what he would please to have

for his dinner; "Bread," said he; "for I intend to encamp nigh the

water:" a short and easy bill of fare: but this shows the power he

had over his appetite as well as his soldiers; and that he was fit

to command others, that could command himself: according to another

saying of his, "No man," saith he, "is worthy to command, who is

not better than those who are to obey." And when he came to die,

he gave this reason of his belief of immortality; "I cannot," said

he, "persuade myself to think that the soul of man, after having

sustained itself in a mortal body, should perish when delivered out

of it, for want of it;" a saying of perhaps as great weight, as may

be advanced against Atheism, from more enlightened times.

II. Artaxerxes Mnemon, being upon an extraordinary occasion reduced

to eat barley bread, and dried figs, and drink water, "What

pleasure," saith he, "have I lost till now, through my delicacies

and excess!"

III. Agathocles becoming king of Sicily, from being the son of a

potter, always to humble his mind to his original, would be daily

served in earthen vessels upon his table: an example of humility and

plainness.

IV. Philip, king of Macedon, upon three sorts of good news,

arrived in one day, feared too much success might transport him

immoderately; and therefore prayed for some disappointments to

season his prosperity, and caution his mind under the enjoyment of

it. He refused to oppress the Greeks with his garrisons, saying,

"I had rather retain them by kindness than fear, and to be always

beloved, than for a while terrible." One of his minions persuading

him to decline hearing a cause, wherein a particular friend was

interested, "I had much rather," says he, "thy friend shall lose

his cause, than I my reputation." Seeing his son, Alexander,

endeavouring to gain the hearts of the Macedonians, by gifts and

rewards, "Canst thou believe," says he, "that a man that thou hast

corrupted to thy interests, will ever be true to them?" When his

court would have had him quarrel with and correct the Peloponnenses

for their ingratitude to him, he said, "By no means; for if they

despise and abuse me after being kind to them, what will they do if

I do them harm?"--a great example of patience in a king, and wittily

said. Like to this was his reply to the ambassadors of Athens, whom

asking after audience, if he could do them any service, and one

of them surlily answering, The best thou canst do us is to hang

thyself, he was nothing disturbed, though his court murmured; but

calmly said to the ambassador, "Those who suffer injuries are better

people than those that do them." To conclude with him: being one day

fallen along the ground, and seeing himself in that posture he cried

out, "What a small spot of earth do we take up, and yet the whole

world cannot content us!"

V. Ptolemy, son of Lagus, being reproached for his mean original,

and his friends angry that he did not resent it; "We ought," says

he, "to bear reproaches patiently."

VI. Xenophanes being jeered for refusing to play at a forbidden

game, answered: "I do not fear my money, but my reputation: they

that make laws, must keep them." A commendable saying.

VII. Antigonus being taken sick, he said, it was a warning from

God to instruct him of his mortality. A poet flattered him with

the title of the Son of God, he answered, "My servant knows the

contrary." Another sycophant telling him, that the will of kings

is the rule of justice: "No," saith he, "rather justice is the rule

of the will of kings;" and being pressed by his minions to put a

garrison into Athens, to hold the Greeks in subjection, he answered,

"he had not a stronger garrison than the affections of his people."

VIII. Themistocles, after all the honour of his life, sits down with

this conclusion, "That the way to the grave is more desirable than

the way to worldly honours." His daughter being courted by one of

little wit and great wealth, and another of little wealth and great

goodness; he chose the poor man for his son-in-law: "For," saith he,

"I will rather have a man without money, than money without a man;"

reckoning, that not money, but worth, makes the man. Being told by

Symmachus, that he would teach him the art of memory; he gravely

answered, he had rather learn the art of forgetfulness: adding, he

could remember enough, but many things he could not forget, which

were necessary to be forgotten: as the honours, glories, pleasures,

and conquests he had spent his days in: too apt to transport to vain

glory.

IX. Aristides, a wise and just Greek, of greatest honour and trust

with the Athenians;--he was a great enemy to cabals in government:

the reason he renders is, "Because," saith he, "I would not be

obliged to authorize injustice." He so much hated covetousness,

though he was thrice chosen treasurer of Athens, that he lived

and died poor, and that of choice: for being therefore reproached

by a rich usurer, he answered, "Thy riches hurt thee more than my

poverty hurts me." Being once banished by a contrary faction in

the state, he prayed to God, that the affairs of his country might

go so well, as never to need his return: which however caused him

presently to be recalled: whereupon he told them, that he was not

troubled for his exile with respect to himself, but the honour of

his country. Themistocles, their general, had a project to propose,

to render Athens mistress of Greece, but it required secrecy: the

people obliged him to communicate it to Aristides, whose judgment

they would follow. Aristides having privately heard it from

Themistocles, publicly answered the people, "True there was nothing

more advantageous, nothing more unjust:" which quashed the project.

X. Pericles, as he mounted the tribunal, prayed to God that not a

word might fall from him, that might scandalize the people, wrong

the public affairs, or hurt his own. One of his friends praying

him to speak falsely in his favour; "We are friends," saith he,

"but not beyond the altar;" meaning not against religion and truth.

Sophocles being his companion, upon sight of a beautiful woman, said

to Pericles, "Ah, what a lovely creature is that!" To whom Pericles

replied, "It becometh a magistrate not only to have his hands clean,

but his tongue and eyes also."

XI. Phocion, a famous Athenian, was honest and poor, yea, he

contemned riches: for a certain governor making rich presents, he

returned them; saying, "I refused Alexander's." And when several

persuaded him to accept of such bounty, or else his children would

want, he answered, "If my son be virtuous, I shall leave him enough;

and if he be vicious, more would be too little." He rebuked the

excess of the Athenians, and that openly; saying, "He that eateth

more than he ought, maketh more diseases than he can cure." To

condemn or flatter him, was to him alike. Antipater pressing him to

submit to his sense, he answered, "Thou canst not have me for thy

friend and flatterer too." Seeing a man in office to speak much, and

do little, he asked, "How can that man do business, that is always

drunk with talking?" After all the great services of his life, he

was unjustly condemned to die; and going to the place of execution,

lamented by the people, one of his enemies spit in his face; he

took it without any disorder of mind, only saying, "Take him away."

Before execution, his friends asked him, whether he had nothing to

say to his son? "Yes," said he, "let him not hate my enemies, nor

revenge my death: I see it is better to sleep on the earth with

peace, than with trouble upon the softest bed: that he ought to do

that which is his duty; and what is more is vanity: that he must not

carry two faces: that he promise little, but keep his promises: the

world does the contrary."

XII. Clitomachus had so great a love to virtue, and practised it

with such exactness, that if at any time in company he heard wanton

or obscene discourse, he was wont to quit the place.

XIII. Epaminondas being invited to a sacrificial feast, so soon

as he entered he withdrew, because of the sumptuous furniture and

attire of the place and people; saying, "I was called at Leurtra to

a sacrifice, but I find it is a debauch." The day after the great

battle he obtained upon his enemies, he seemed sad and solitary,

which was not his ordinary temper; and being asked why, answered,

"I would moderate the joy of yesterday's triumphs." A Thessalian

general, and his colleague in a certain enterprise, knowing his

poverty, sent him two thousand crowns to defray his part of the

charges; but he seemed angry, and answered, "This looks like

corrupting me;" contenting himself with less than five pounds,

which he borrowed of one of his friends for that service. The same

moderation made him refuse the presents of the Persian emperor,

saying, "They were needless if he only desired of him what was just;

if more, he was not rich enough to corrupt him." Seeing a rich man

refuse to lend one of his friends money that was in affliction,

he said, "Art not thou ashamed to refuse to help a good man in

necessity?" After he had freed Greece from trouble, and made the

Thebans, his countrymen, triumph over the Lacedæmonians, till then

invincible, that ungrateful people arraigned him and his friends,

under pretence of acting something without authority: he, as

general, took the blame upon himself, justified the action both from

necessity and success, arraigning his judges for ingratitude whilst

himself was at the bar, which caused them to withdraw with fallen

countenances, and hearts smitten with guilt and fear. To conclude,

he was a man of great truth and patience, as well as wisdom and

courage; for he was never observed to lie in earnest or in jest. And

notwithstanding the ill and cross humours of the Thebans, aggravated

by his incomparable hazards and services for their freedom and

renown, it is reported of him that he ever bore them patiently,

often saying that he ought no more to be revenged of his country

than of his father.

XIV. Demosthenes, the great orator of Athens, had these sentences:

"That wise men speak little, and that therefore nature hath given

men two ears and one tongue, to hear more than they speak." To one

that spoke much he said, "How cometh it that he who taught thee

to speak, did not teach thee to hold thy tongue?" He said of a

covetous man, "That he knew not how to live all his lifetime, and

that he left it for another to live after he was dead. That it was

an easy thing to deceive one's self, because it was easy to persuade

one's self to what one desired." He said, "That calumnies were

easily received, but time would always discover them. That there

was nothing more uneasy to good men than not to have the liberty

of speaking freely; and that if any one knew what he had to suffer

from the people, he would never meddle to govern them. In fine, that

man's happiness was to be like God; and to resemble Him, we must

love truth and justice."

XV. Agasicles, king of the Lacedæmonians, or Spartans, which are

one, was of the opinion that it was better to govern without force:

and, says he, the means to do it is to govern the people as a father

governs his children.

XVI. Agesilaus, king of the same people, would say, that he had

rather be master of himself than of the greatest city of his

enemies: and to preserve his own liberty than to usurp the liberty

of another man. "A prince," says he, "ought to distinguish himself

from his subjects by his virtue, and not by his state or delicacy

of life." Wherefore he wore plain, simple clothing; his table was

as moderate and his bed as hard as that of any ordinary subject.

And when he was told that one time or other he would be obliged to

change his fashion: "No," saith he, "I am not given to change even

in a change: and this I do," saith he, "to remove from young men

any pretence of luxury, that they may see their prince practise

what he counsels them to do." He added, "That the foundation of

the Lacedæmonian laws was to despise luxury, and to reward with

liberty; nor," saith he, "should good men put a value upon that

which mean and base souls make their delight." Being flattered by

some with divine honour, he asked them if they could not make gods

too? If they could why did they not begin with themselves?--The same

austere conduct of life made him refuse to have his statue erected

in the cities of Asia: nor would he suffer his picture to be taken;

and his reason is good: "for," saith he, "the fairest portraiture

of men is their own actions."--Whatsoever was to be suddenly done

in the government, he was sure to set his hand first to the work,

like a common person. He would say, it did not become men to make

provision to be rich but to be good. Being asked the means to true

happiness; he answered, "To do nothing that should make a man fear

to die:" another time, "To speak well, and do well." Being called

home by the ephori, or supreme magistrates, the way of the Spartan

constitution, he returned, saying, "It is not less the duty of a

prince to obey laws than to command men." He conferred places of

trust and honour upon his enemies, that he might constrain their

hatred into love. A lawyer asking him for a letter to make a person

judge that was of his own friends; "My friends," says he, "have

no need of recommendation to do justice."--A comedian of note,

wondering that Agesilaus said nothing to him, asked if he knew him;

"Yes," said he, "art not thou the buffoon Callipedes?" One calling

the king of Persia the Great king, he answered, "He is not greater

than I unless he hath more virtue than I."--One of his friends

catching him playing with his children, he prevented him thus: "Say

nothing till thou art a father too."--He had great care of the

education of youth, often saying, "We must teach children what they

should do when they are men." The Egyptians despising him because he

had but a small train and a mean equipage; "Oh," said he, "I will

have them to know royalty consists not in vain pomp but in virtue."

XVII. Agis, another king of Lacedæmon, imprisoned for endeavouring

to restore their declining discipline, being asked whether he

repented not of his design; answered, "No; for," saith he, "good

actions never need repentance." His father and mother desiring of

him to grant something he thought unjust, he answered, "I obeyed you

when I was young; I must now obey the laws, and do that which is

reasonable."--As he was leading to the place of execution one of his

people wept, to whom he said, "Weep not for me; for the authors of

this unjust death are more in fault than I."

XVIII. Alcamenes, king of the same people, being asked which was

the way to get and preserve honour; answered, "To despise wealth."

Another wondering why he refused the presents of the Messenians, he

answered, "I make conscience to keep the laws that forbid it." To a

miser, accusing him of being so reserved in his discourse, he said,

"I had rather conform to reason than thy covetousness; or, I had

rather be covetous of my words than money."

XIX. Alexandrides hearing an exile complain of his banishment, saith

he, "Complain of the cause of it, to wit, his deserts, for there

is nothing hurtful but vice." Being asked why they were so long in

making the process of criminals in Lacedæmon, "Because," saith he,

"when they are once dead they are past repentance." This shows their

belief of immortality and eternal blessedness; and that even poor

criminals, through repentance, may obtain it.

XX. Anaxilas would say that the greatest advantage kings had upon

other men was their power of excelling them in good deeds.

XXI. Ariston hearing one admire this expression, "We ought to do

good to our friends and evil to our enemies;" answered, "By no

means; we ought to do good to all; to keep our friends and to gain

our enemies." A doctrine the most difficult to flesh and blood in

all the precepts of Christ's sermon upon the mount: nay, not allowed

to be his doctrine, but both an eye for an eye, defended against

his express command, and oftentimes an eye put out, an estate

sequestered, and life taken away under a specious zeal for religion

too; as if sin could be christened, and impiety entitled to the

doctrine of Christ: O, will not such heathens rise up in judgment

against our worldly Christians in the great day of God!

XXII. Archidamus also, king of Sparta, being asked who was

master of Lacedæmonia; "The laws," saith he, "and after them the

magistrates." One praising a musician in his presence, "Ah!" saith

he, "but when wilt thou praise a good man?"--Another saying, that

man is an excellent musician: "That is all one," saith he, "as if

thou wouldst say, there is a good cook:" counting both trades of

voluptuousness.--Another promising him some excellent wine; "I care

not," saith he, "for it will only put my mouth out of taste to my

ordinary liquor;" which it seems was water.--Two men chose him an

arbitrator; to accept it, he made them promise to do what he would

have them: "Then," said he, "stir not from this place till you have

agreed the matter between yourselves," which was done.--Dionysius,

king of Sicily, sending his daughters rich apparel, he forbad them

to wear it, saying, "You will seem to me but the more homely." This

great man certainly was not of the mind to breed up his children at

the exchanges, dancing-schools, and play-houses.

XXIII. Cleomenes, king of the same people, would say, "That kings

ought to be pleasant; but not to cheapness and contempt." He was so

just a man in power, that he drove away Demaratus his fellow-king,

(for they always had two,) for offering to corrupt him in a cause

before them, "Lest," saith he, "he should attempt others less able

to resist him, and so ruin the state."

XXIV. Dersyllidas perceiving that Pyrrhus would force a prince

upon his countrymen, the Lacedæmonians, whom they lately rejected,

stoutly opposed him, saying, "If thou art God, we fear thee not,

because we have done no evil; and if thou art but a man we are men

too."

XXV. Hippodamus seeing a young man ashamed, that was caught in bad

company, he reproved him sharply, saying, "For time to come, keep

such company as thou needest not blush at."

XXVI. Leonidas, brother to Cleomenes, being offered by Xerxes to

be made an emperor of Greece, answered, "I had rather die for my

own country, than have an unjust command over other men's;" adding,

"Xerxes deceived himself, to think it a virtue to invade the right

of other men."

XXVII. Lysander being asked by a person, what was the best frame of

government; "That," says he, "where every man hath according to his

deserts." Though one of the greatest captains that Sparta bred, he

had learned by his wisdom to bear personal affronts: "Say what thou

wilt," says he to one that spoke abusively to him, "empty thyself,

I shall bear it." His daughters were contracted in marriage to some

persons of quality, but he dying poor, they refused to marry them;

upon which the ephori condemned each of them in a great sum of

money, because they preferred money before faith and engagement.

XXVIII. Pausanias, son of Cleombrotus, and colleague of Lysander,

beholding, among the Persian spoils they took, the costliness of

their furniture, said, "It had been much better if they had been

worth less, and their masters more." And after the victory of

Platæa, having a dinner dressed according to the Persian manner, and

beholding the magnificence and furniture of the treat; "What," saith

he, "do these people mean, that live in such wealth and luxury, to

attack our meanness and poverty?"

XXIX. Theopompus saith, "The way to preserve a kingdom, is to

embrace the counsel of one's friends, and not to suffer the meaner

sort to be oppressed." One making the glory of Sparta to consist

in commanding well, he answered, "No, it is in knowing how to obey

well." He was of opinion, that great honours hurt a state; adding,

that time would abolish great, and augment moderate honours among

men; meaning, that men should have the reputation they deserve,

without flattery and excess.

A rhetorician, bragging himself of his art, was reproved by a

Lacedæmonian; "Dost thou call that an art," saith he, "which hath

not truth for its object?" Also a Lacedæmonian being presented with

a harp after dinner, by a musical person, "I do not," saith he,

"know how to play the fool." Another being asked, what he thought

of a poet of the times, answered, "Good for nothing but to corrupt

youth." Nor was this only the wisdom and virtue of some particular

persons, which may be thought to have given light to the dark body

of their courts; but their government was wise and just, and the

people generally obeyed it; making virtue to be true honour, and

that honour dearer to them than life.

XXX. Lacedæmonian customs, according to Plutarch, were these:

they were very temperate in their eating and drinking, their

most delicate dish being a pottage made for the nourishment of

ancient people. They taught their children to write and read, to

obey the magistrates, to endure labour, and to be bold in danger:

the teachers of other sciences were not so much as admitted in

Lacedæmonia.--They had but one garment, and that new once a year.

They rarely used baths or oil, the custom of those parts of the

world.--They accustomed their youth to travel by night without

light, to use them not to be afraid.--The old governed the young;

and those of them who obeyed not the aged, were punished.--It was

a shame not to bear reproof among the youth; and among the aged,

matter of punishment not to give it. They made ordinary cheer, on

purpose to keep out luxury; holding, that mean fare kept the spirit

free, and the body fit for action. They permitted not their youth

to travel, lest they should corrupt their manners; and for the same

reason they permitted not strangers to dwell amongst them, that

conformed not to their way of living. In this they were so strict,

that such of their youth that were not educated in their customs,

enjoyed not the privileges of natives. They would suffer neither

comedies nor tragedies to be acted in their country. They condemned

a soldier but for painting his buckler of several colours: and

publicly punished a young man for having learned but the way to a

town given to luxury. They also banished an orator for bragging,

that he could speak a whole day upon any subject: for they did not

like much speaking, much less for a bad cause.--They buried their

dead without any ceremony or superstition; for they only used a red

cloth upon the body, broidered with olive leaves; this burial had

all degrees. Mourning they forbad, and epitaphs too.--When they

prayed to God, they stretched forth their arms, which with them was

a sign that they must do good works, as well as make good prayers.

They asked of God but two things, patience in labour, and happiness

in well-doing.

This account is mostly the same with Xenophon's: adding, that they

ate moderately, and in common: the aged mixed with the youth, to

awe them, and give them good example.--When they were fifteen

years of age, instead of leaving them to their own conduct, as

in other places, they had most care of their conversation, that

they might preserve them from the mischiefs _that_ age is incident

to. And those that would not comply with these rules, were not

counted always honest people.--And in this, their government was

excellent; that they thought there was no greater punishment for a

bad man, than to be known and used as such, at all times, and in all

places; for they were not to come into the company of persons of

reputation.--They were to give place to all others; to stand when

they sat; to be accountable to every honest man that met them of

their conversation.--That they must keep their poor kindred.--That

they used not the same freedoms that honest people might use: by

which means they kept virtue in credit, and vice in contempt.--They

used all things necessary for life, without superfluity or want;

despising riches, and sumptuous apparel, and living: judging, that

the best ornament of the body is health, and of the mind, virtue.

"And since," saith Xenophon, "it is virtue and temperance that

render us commendable, and that it is only the Lacedæmonians that

reverence them publicly, and have made it the foundation of their

state; their government, of right, merits preference to any other

in the world. But that," saith he, "which is strange, is, that all

admire it, but none imitate it." Nor is this account and judgment

fantastical.

XXXI. Lycurgus, their famous founder and lawgiver, instilled these

principles, and by his power with them, made them laws to rule

them. Let us hear what he did: Lycurgus, willing to retire his

citizens from a luxurious to a virtuous life, and show them how

much good conduct and honest industry might meliorate the state of

mankind, applied himself to introduce a new model of government,

persuading them to believe, that though they were descended of noble

and virtuous ancestors, if they were not exercised in a course of

virtue, they would, like the dog in the kitchen, rather leap at

the meat than run at the game. In fine, they agreed to obey him.

The first thing then that he did to try his power with them, was,

to divide the land into equal portions, so that the whole Laconic

country seemed but the lots of brethren: this grieved the rich;

but the poor, which were the most, rejoiced.--He rendered wealth

useless by community; and forbad the use of gold and silver: he made

money of iron, too base and heavy to make a thief. He retrenched

their laws of building, suffering no more ornament than could be

made with a hatchet and a saw: and their furniture was like their

houses. This course disbanded many trades: no merchant, no cook, no

lawyer, no flatterer, no divine, no astrologer, was to be found in

Lacedæmonia. Injustice was banished, their society having cut up

the root of it, which is avarice, by introducing a community, and

making gold and silver useless. To prevent the luxury of tables, as

well as of apparel, he ordained public places of eating, where all

should publicly be served; those that refused to come thither, were

reputed voluptuous and reproved, if not corrected. He forbad costly

offerings in the temple, that they might offer often; for that God

regardeth the heart, not the offering.--These and some more, were

the laws he instituted; and whilst the Spartans kept them, it is

certain they were the first state of Greece; which lasted about five

hundred years. It is remarkable, that he would never suffer the

laws to be written, to avoid barratry; and that the judges might

not be tied religiously to the letter of the law; but left to the

circumstances of fact; in which no inconvenience was observed to

follow.

II. _The_ ROMANS _also yielded us instances to our point in hand_,

viz.

1. Cato.--2. Scipio Africanus.--3. Augustus.--4. Vespasian.--5.

Trajan.--6. Adrian.--7. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.--8.

Pertinax.--9. Pescennius.--10. Alexander Severus.--11.

Dioclesian.--12. Theodosius.

1. Cato, that sage Roman, seeing a luxurious man loaded with flesh,

"Of what service," saith he, "can that man be, either to himself,

or the commonwealth?" One day beholding the statues of several

persons erecting, that he thought little worthy of remembrance, that

he might despise the pride of it, "I had rather," said he, "they

should ask, why they set not up a statue to Cato, than why they

do."--He was a man of severity of life, both example and judge.--His

competitors in the government, hoping to be preferred, took the

contrary humour, and mightily flattered the people: this good man

despised their arts, and with an unusual fervency cried out, "That

the distempers of the commonwealth did not require flatterers to

deceive them, but physicians to cure them;" which struck so great

an awe upon the people, that he was first chosen of them all.--The

fine dames of Rome became governors to their husbands; he lamented

the change, saying, "It is strange that those who command the world

should yet be subject to women."--He thought those judges, that

would not impartially punish malefactors, greater criminals than

the malefactors themselves: a good lesson for judges of the world.

He would say, That it was better to lose a gift than a correction;

"for," says he, "the one corrupts us, but the other instructs

us.--That we ought not to separate honour from virtue; for then

there would be few any more virtuous." He would say, "No man is fit

to command another, that cannot command himself. Great men should

be temperate in their power, that they may keep it. For men to be

too long in offices in a government, is to have too little regard

to others, or the dignity of the state. They that do nothing, will

learn to do evil. That those who have raised themselves by their

vices, should gain to themselves credit by virtue." He repented him,

that ever he passed away one day without doing good. And that there

is no witness any man ought to fear, but that of his own conscience.

Nor did his practice fall much short of his principles.

II. Scipio Africanus, though a great general, loaded with honours

and triumphs, preferred retirement to them all; being used to say,

That he was never less alone, than when he was alone: implying,

that the most busy men in the world, are the most destitute of

themselves; and, that external solitariness gives the best company

within. After he had taken Carthage, his soldiers brought him a most

beautiful prisoner; he answered, "I am your general;" refusing to

debase himself, or dishonour her.

III. Augustus eating at the table of one of his friends, where a

poor slave breaking a crystal vessel, fell upon his knees, begging

him that his master might not fling him to the lampreys; as he had

use to do for food, with such of them that offended him: Augustus

hating his friend's cruelty, broke all his friend's crystal vessels,

both reproving his luxury and his severity. He never recommended any

of his own children, but he always added, If they deserve it. He

reproved his daughter for her excess in apparel, and both rebuked

and imprisoned her for her immodest latitudes. The people of Rome

complaining that wine was dear, he sent them to the fountains,

telling them they were cheap.

IV. Vespasian was a great and an extraordinary man, who maintained

something of the Roman virtue in his time. One day seeing a young

man finely dressed, and richly perfumed, he was displeased with

him, saying, "I had rather smell the poor man's garlic, than thy

perfume:" and took his place and government from him. A certain

person being brought before him, that had conspired against him,

he reproved him, and said, "That it was God who gave and took away

empires." Another time conferring favour upon his enemy, and being

asked why he did so, he answered, that he should remember the right

way.

V. Trajan would say, "That it became an emperor to act towards his

people, as he would have his people act towards him." The governor

of Rome having delivered the sword into his hand, and created him

emperor; "Here," saith he, "take it again: if I reign well, use it

for me: if ill, use it against me." An expression which shows great

humility and goodness, making power subservient to virtue.

VI. Adrian, also emperor, had several sayings worthy of notice: one

was, "That a good prince did not think the estates of his subjects

belonging to him." He would say, "That kings should not act the

king:" that is, should be just, and mix sweetness with greatness,

and be conversible with good men. "That the treasures of princes

are like the spleen, that never swells, but it makes other parts

shrink:" teaching princes thereby to spare their subjects.--Meeting

one that was his enemy before he was emperor, he cried out to him,

"Now thou hast no more to fear:" intimating, that, having power to

revenge himself, he would rather use it to do him good.

VII. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a good man, (the Christians of

his time felt it,) commended his son for weeping at his tutor's

death, answering those that would have rendered it unsuitable to

his condition, "Let him alone," says he, "it is fit he should

show himself a man, before he be a prince." He did nothing in the

government without consulting his friends, and would say, "It is

more just that one should follow the advice of many, than many

the mind of one." He was more philosopher than emperor: for his

dominions were greater within than without. And having commanded his

own passions by a circumspect conformity to virtuous principles,

he was fit to rule those of other men. Take some of his excellent

sayings, as followeth: "Of my grandfather Verus I have learned to be

gentle and meek, and to refrain from all anger and passion. From the

fame and memory of him that begot me, shamefacedness, and manlike

behaviour. I observed his meekness, his constancy without wavering,

in those things, which, after a due examination and deliberation,

he had determined. How free from all vanity he carried himself in

matters of honour and dignity! His laboriousness and assiduity: his

readiness to hear any man that had ought to say, tending to any

common good. His moderate condescending to other men's occasions

as an ordinary man.--Of my mother, to be religious and bountiful,

and to forbear not only to do, but to intend any evil. To content

myself with a spare diet, and to fly all such excess as is incident

to great wealth.--Of my grandfather, both to frequent public schools

and auditories, and to get me good and able teachers at home; and

that I ought not to think much, if upon such occasions I were at

excessive charge. I gave over the study of rhetoric and poetry, and

of elegant, neat language. I did not use to walk about the house in

my senator's robe, nor to do any such things. I learned to write

letters without any affectation and curiosity; and to be easy, and

ready to be reconciled, and well pleased again with them that had

offended me, as soon as any of them would be content to seek unto me

again. To observe carefully the several dispositions of my friends,

and not to be offended with idiots, nor unreasonably to set upon

those, that are carried away with the vulgar opinions, with the

theorems and tenets of philosophers. To love truth and justice,

and to be kind and loving to all them of my house and family, I

learned from my brother Severus: and it was he that put me in the

first conceit and desire of an equal commonwealth, administered by

justice and equality; and of a kingdom, wherein should be regarded

nothing more than the good and welfare, or liberty of the subjects.

As for God, and such suggestions, helps, and inspirations, as might

be expected, nothing did hinder, but that I might have begun long

before to live according to nature: or that even now, that I was

not yet partaker, and in present possession of that life, I myself

(in that I did not observe those inward motions and suggestions;

yea, and almost plain and apparent instructions and admonitions of

God) was the only cause of it.--I that understand the nature of

that which is good, that it is to be desired; and of that which is

bad, that it is odious and shameful: who know moreover, that this

transgressor, whoever he be, is my kinsman, not by the same blood

and seed, but by participation of the same reason, and of the same

divine participle, or principle: how can I either be hurt by any

of these, since it is not in their power to make me incur anything

that is reproachful, or be angry or ill affected towards him, who by

nature is so near unto me? For we are all born to be fellow-workers,

as the feet, the hands, and the eyelids; as the rows of upper and

under teeth: for such therefore to be in opposition, is against

nature."--He saith, "It is high time for thee to understand true

nature, both of the world, whereof thou art a part, and of that Lord

and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the spring,

thou thyself didst flow. And that there is but a certain limit of

time appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make use of, to

calm and allay the many distempers of thy soul, it will pass away,

and thou with it, and never after return.--Do, soul, do abuse and

contemn thyself yet awhile, and the time for thee to repent thyself

will be at an end. Every man's happiness depends upon himself;

but, behold! thy life is almost at an end, whilst not regarding

thyself as thou oughtest, thou dost make thy happiness to consist

in the souls and conceits of other men. Thou must also take heed of

another kind of wandering; for they are idle in their actions who

toil and labour in their life, and have no certain scope to which

to direct all their motions and desires. As for life and death,

honour and dishonour, labour and pleasure, riches and poverty, all

these things happen unto men indeed, both good and bad equally; but

as things, which of themselves are neither good nor bad, because of

themselves neither shameful nor praiseworthy. Consider the nature

of all worldly visible things; of those especially, which either

ensnare by pleasure, or for their irksomeness are dreadful; or for

their outward lustre and show, are in great esteem and request; how

vile and contemptible, how base and corruptible, how destitute of

all true life and being they are. There is nothing more wretched

than that soul, which in a kind of circuit compasseth all things;

searching even the very depths of all the earth, and, by all signs

and conjectures, prying into the very thoughts of other men's

souls; and yet of this is not sensible, that it is sufficient for

a man to apply himself wholly, and confine all his thoughts and

cares to the guidance of that Spirit which is within him, and truly

and really serve him. For even the least things ought not to be

done without relation unto the end; and the end of the reasonable

creature is, to follow and obey him who is the reason, as it were,

and the law of this great city, and most ancient commonwealth.

Philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to preserve that spirit

which is within him, from all manner of contumelies and injuries,

and above all pains and pleasures, never to do anything either

rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: he that is such is surely

indeed a very priest and minister of God, well acquainted, and in

good correspondence with him especially, that is seated and placed

within himself; to whom also he keeps and preserveth himself;

neither spotted by pleasure, nor daunted by pain; free from any

manner of wrong or contumely. Let thy God that is in thee, to rule

over thee, find by thee, that he hath to do with a man, an aged

man, a sociable man, a Roman, a prince, and that hath ordered his

life, as one that expecteth, as it were, nothing but the sound of

the trumpet, sounding a retreat to depart out of this life with all

readiness. Never esteem anything as profitable, which shall ever

constrain thee, either to break thy faith, or to lose thy modesty:

to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to dissemble, to lust after

anything that requireth the secret of walls or veils. But he that

preferreth, before all things, his rational part and spirit, and

the sacred mysteries of virtue which issue from it, he shall never

want either solitude or company; and, which is chiefest of all, he

shall live without either desire or fear. If thou shalt intend that

which is present, following the rule of right and reason carefully,

solidly, meekly; and shalt not intermix any other business, but

shalt study this, to preserve thy spirit unpolluted and pure: and

as one that were even now ready to give up the ghost; shalt cleave

unto him, without either hope or fear of anything, in all things

that thou shalt either do or speak, contenting thyself with heroical

truth, thou shalt live happily: and from this there is no man that

can hinder thee. Without relation to God, thou shalt never perform

aright anything human; nor on the other side anything divine. At

what time soever thou wilt, it is in thy power to retire into

thyself, and to be at rest: for a man cannot retire any whither to

be more at rest, and freer from all business, than into his own

soul. Afford then thyself this retiring continually, and thereby

refresh and renew thyself. Death hangeth over thee, whilst yet

thou livest, and whilst thou mayest be good. How much time and

leisure doth he gain, who is not curious to know what his neighbour

hath said, or hath done, or hath attempted, but only what he doth

himself, that it may be just and holy. Neither must he use himself

to cut off actions only, but thoughts and imaginations also that

are not necessary; for so will unnecessary consequent actions the

better be prevented and cut off. He is poor that stands in need of

another, and hath not in himself all things needful for his life.

Consider well, whether magnanimity rather, and true liberty, and

true simplicity, and equanimity, and holiness, whether these be not

most reasonable and natural. Honour that which is chiefest and most

powerful in the world, and that is it which makes use of all things,

and governs all things: so also in thyself, honour that which is

chiefest and most powerful, and is of one kind and nature with that;

for it is the very same, which being in thee, turneth all other

things to its own use, and by whom also thy life is governed. What

is it that thou dost stay for? An extinction or a translation; for

either of them, with a propitious and contented mind. But till that

time come, what will content thee? What else, but to worship and

praise God, and do good unto men?" As he lay dying, and his friends

about him, he spake thus: "Think more of death, than of me, and that

you and all men must die as well as I." Adding, "I recommend my son

to you, and to God, if he be worthy."

VIII. Pertinax, also emperor, being advised to save himself from the

fury of the mutineers, answered "No: what have I done that I should

do so?" Showing that innocence is bold, and should never give ground

where it can show itself, be heard, and have fair play.

IX. Pescennius seeing the corruption that reigned among officers of

justice, advised, "That judges should have first salaries, that they

might do their duty without any other bribes or perquisites." He

said, "He would not offend the living that he might be praised when

he was dead."

X. Alexander Severus having tasted both of a private life, and the

state of an emperor, had this censure; "Emperors," says he, "are ill

managers of the public revenue to feed so many unuseful mouths;"

wherefore he retrenched his family from pompous to serviceable.

He would not employ persons of quality in his domestic service,

thinking it too mean for them and too costly for him: adding, "That

personal service was the work of the lowest order of the people."

He would never suffer offices of justice to be sold; "For," saith

he, "it is not strange that men should sell what they buy;" meaning

justice. He was impartial in correction: "My friends," says he, "are

dear to me; but the commonwealth is dearer." Yet he would say, "That

sweetening power to the people made it lasting. That we ought to

gain our enemies as we keep our friends:" that is, by kindness. He

said, "That we ought to desire happiness and to bear afflictions;

that those which are desirable may be pleasant; but the troubles

we avoid may have most profit in the end." He did not like pomp in

religion: for it is not gold that recommends the sacrifice, but the

piety of him that offers it. A house being in contest betwixt some

Christians and keepers of taverns, the one to perform religion, the

other to sell drink therein, he decided the matter thus: "That it

were much better that it were any way employed to worship God than

to make a tavern of it." Behold! by this we may see the wisdom and

virtue that shined among the heathens.

XI. Dioclesian would say, that there was nothing more difficult than

to reign well: and the reason he gave was, that those who had the

ears of princes do so continually lay ambushes to surprise them to

their interests, that they can hardly make one right step.

XII. Theodosius the younger was so merciful in his nature, that

instead of putting people to death, he wished it were in his power

to call the dead to life again.

These were the sentiments of the ancient grandees of the world, to

wit, emperors, kings, princes, captains, statesmen, &c. not unworthy

of the thoughts of persons of the same figure and quality now in

being: and for that end they are here collected, that such may with

more ease and brevity behold the true statutes of the ancients, not

lost or lessened by the decays of time.

III. _I will now proceed to report the virtuous doctrines and

sayings of men of more retirement; such as philosophers and writers,

both Greeks and Romans, who in their respective times were masters

in the civility, knowledge, and virtue that were among the Gentiles,

being most of them many ages before the coming of Christ_, _viz._

1. Thales.--2. Pythagoras.--3. Solon.--4. Chilon.--5.

Periander.--6. Bias.--7. Cleobulus.--8. Pittacus.--9.

Hippias.--10. The Bambycatii.--11. The Gynæcosmi.--12.

Anacharsis.--13. Anaxagoras.--14. Heraclitus.--15.

Democritus.--16. Socrates.--17. Plato.--18. Antisthenes.--19.

Xenocrates.--20. Bion.--21. Demonax.--22. Diogenes.--23.

Crates.--24. Aristotle.--25. Mandanis.--26. Zeno.--27.

Seneca.--28. Epictetus.

I. Thales, an ancient Greek philosopher, being asked by a person

that had committed adultery if he might swear, answered, "By no

means; for perjury is no less sinful than adultery; and so thou

wouldst commit two sins to cover one." Being asked what was the best

condition of a government, answered, "That the people be neither

rich nor poor:" for he placed external happiness in moderation.

He would say, "That the hardest thing in the world was to know a

man's self; but the best to avoid those things which we reprove in

others;" an excellent and close saying, "That we ought to choose

well and then to hold fast. That the felicity of the body consists

in health, and that in temperance; and the felicity of the soul in

wisdom." He thought "That God was without beginning or end; that

he was the searcher of hearts; that he saw the thoughts as well as

actions: for being asked of one if he could sin and hide it from

God, he answered, 'No: how can I when he who thinks evil cannot?'"

II. Pythagoras, a famous and virtuous philosopher of Italy, being

asked when men might take the pleasure of their passions, answered,

"When they have a mind to be worse." He said the world was like a

comedy, and the true philosophers the spectators. He would say,

"That luxury led to debauchery, and debauchery to violence, and

that to bitter repentance: that he who taketh too much care of

his body makes the prison of his soul more insufferable: that

those who do reprove us are our best friends; that men ought to

preserve their bodies from diseases by temperance, their souls from

ignorance by meditation, their will from vice by self-denial, and

their country from civil war by justice: that it is better to be

loved than feared; that virtue makes bold: but," saith he, "there

is nothing so fearful as an evil conscience." He said, "That men

should believe in a Divinity, that he _is_, and that he overlooks

them, and neglecteth them not; there is no being nor place without

God." He told the senators of Croton, being two thousand, praying

his advice, "That they received their country as a depositum, or

trust from the people; wherefore they should manage it accordingly,

since they were to resign their account, with their trust to their

children; that the way to do it was to be equal to all citizens, and

to excel them in nothing more than justice; that every one of them

should so govern his family that he might refer himself to his own

house as to a court of judicature, taking great care to preserve

natural affection; that they be examples of temperance in their

own families, and to the city; that in courts of judicature none

attest God by an oath, but use themselves so to speak as they may

be believed without an oath: that the discourse of that philosopher

is vain, by which no passion of a man is healed; for as there is

no benefit of medicine if it expel not diseases out of bodies, so

neither of philosophy if it expel not evil out of the soul."

III. Solon, esteemed as Thales, one of the seven sages of Greece, a

noble philosopher, and a lawgiver to the Athenians, was so humble

that he refused to be prince of that people, and voluntarily

banished himself when Pisastratus usurped the government there;[5]

resolving never to outlive the laws and freedom of his country.

He would say, that to make a government last the magistrates must

obey the laws, and the people the magistrates. It was his judgment,

that riches brought luxury, and luxury brought tyranny. Being

asked by Croesus, king of Lydia, when seated on his throne richly

clothed and magnificently attended, if he had ever seen anything

more glorious; he answered, cocks, peacocks, and pheasants; by how

much their beauty is natural. These undervaluing expressions of

wise Solon, meeting so pat upon the pride and luxury of Croesus,

they parted; the one desirous of toys and vanities, the other an

example and instructor of true nobility and virtue, that contemned

the king's effeminacy. Another time Croesus asked him who was

the happiest man in the world; expecting he would have said

Croesus,[6] because the most famous for wealth in those parts: he

answered, "Tellus, who, though poor, yet was an honest and good

man, and contented with what he had: who, after he had served the

commonwealth faithfully, and seen his children and grandchildren

virtuously educated, died for his country in a good old age, and was

carried by his children to his grave." This much displeased Croesus,

but he dissembled it. Whilst Solon recommended the happiness of

Tellus, Croesus, moved, demanded to whom he assigned the next place;

making no question but himself should be named, "Cleobis," saith

he, "and Bito, brethren that loved well, had a competency, were of

great health and strength; most tender and obedient to their mother,

religious of life, who after sacrificing in the temple fell asleep

and waked no more." Hereat Croesus growing angry, "Strange!" saith

he, "doth our happiness seem so despicable that thou wilt not rank

us equal with private persons?" Solon answered, "Dost thou inquire

of us about human affairs? Knowest thou not that Divine Providence

is severe, and often full of alteration? Do not we in process of

time see many things we would not? Aye, and suffer many things

we would not? Count man's life at seventy years, which makes[7]

twenty-six thousand two hundred and fifty and odd days, there is

scarcely one day like another: so that every one, O Croesus! is

attended with crosses. Thou appearest to me very rich, and king over

many people; but the question thou askest I cannot resolve till I

hear thou hast ended thy days happily: for he that hath much wealth

is not happier than he that gets his bread from day to day, unless

Providence continue those good things, and that he dieth well.

Solon, after his discourse, not flattering Croesus, was dismissed,

and accounted unwise that he neglected the present good out of

regard to the future. Æsop, that wrote the fables, being then at

Sardis, sent for thither by Croesus, and much in favour with him,

was grieved to see Solon so unthankfully dismissed, and said to

him, "Solon, we must either tell kings nothing at all or what may

please them:" "No," saith Solon, "either nothing at all, or what is

best for them." However it was not long ere Croesus was of another

mind; for being taken prisoner by Cyrus, the founder of the Persian

monarchy, and by his command fettered and put on a pile of wood to

be burned, Croesus sighed deeply,[8] and cried, "O Solon! Solon!"

Cyrus bid the interpreter ask on whom he called. He was silent;

at last pressing him, answered, "Upon him who I desire above all

wealth, would have spoken with all tyrants." This not understood,

upon further importunity he told them, "Solon, an Athenian, who

long since," says he, "came to me, and seeing my wealth, despised

it; besides, what he told me is come to pass; nor did his counsel

belong to me alone, but to all mankind, especially those that think

themselves happy." Whilst Croesus said thus, the fire began to

kindle and the outparts to be seized by the flame: Cyrus, informed

of the interpreters what Croesus said, began to be troubled; and

knowing himself to be a man, and that to use another, not inferior

to himself in wealth, so severely, might one day be retaliated,

instantly commanded the fire to be quenched, and Croesus and his

friends to be brought off: whom ever after, as long as he lived,

Cyrus had in great esteem. Thus Solon gained due praise, that of

two kings his advice saved one and instructed the other. And as it

was in Solon's time that tragical plays were first invented, so

he was most severe against them; foreseeing the inconveniencies

that followed upon the people's being affected with the novelty of

pleasure. It is reported of him that he went himself to the play,

and after it was ended he went to Thespis, the great actor, and

asked him if he were not ashamed to tell so many lies in the face of

so great an auditory. Thespis answered, as it is now usual, "There

is no harm nor shame to act such things in jest." Solon, striking

his staff hard upon the ground, replied, "But in a short time we who

approve of this kind of jest shall use it in earnest in our common

affairs and contracts." In fine, he absolutely forbade him to teach

or act plays, conceiving them deceitful and unprofitable; diverting

youth and tradesmen from more necessary and virtuous employments. He

defined them happy who are competently furnished with their outward

callings,[9] that live temperately and honestly: he would say that

cities are the common sewer of wickedness. He affirmed that to be

the best family which got not unjustly, kept not unfaithfully,

spent not with repentance. "Observe," saith he, "honesty in thy

conversation more strictly than an oath. Seal words with silence;

silence with opportunity. Never lie, but speak the truth. Fly

pleasure, for it brings sorrow. Advise not the people what is most

pleasant, but what is best. Make not friends in haste, nor hastily

part with them. Learn to obey, and thou wilt know how to command.

Be arrogant to none; be mild to those about thee. Converse not with

wicked persons. Meditate on serious things. Reverence thy parents.

Cherish thy friend. Conform to reason, and in all things take

counsel of God." In fine, his two short sentences were these:[10]

"Of nothing too much;" and "Know thyself."

[5] Plut. Herod.

[6] Plut. Laert.

[7] According to the Athenian account.

[8] Herod. Halic.

[9] Stob. Sent. 3.

[10] Clem. Alex. Strom.

IV. Chilon, another of the wise men of Greece, would say, that it

was the perfection of a man, to foresee and prevent mischiefs; that

herein good people differ from bad ones, their hopes were firm and

assured; that God was the great touchstone, or rule of mankind; that

men's tongues ought not to outrun their judgment: that we ought

not to flatter great men, lest we exalt them above their merit

and station; nor to speak hardly of the helpless. They that would

govern a state well, must govern their families well. He would say,

that a man ought so to behave himself, that he fall neither into

hatred nor disgrace. That that commonwealth is happiest where the

people mind the law more than the lawyers. Men should not forget the

favours they receive, nor remember those they do. Three things, he

said, were difficult, yet necessary to be observed: to keep secrets,

forgive injuries, and use time well. "Speak not ill," says he, "of

thy neighbour. Go slowly to the feast of thy friends, but swiftly

to their troubles. Speak well of the dead. Shun busybodies. Prefer

loss before covetous gain. Despise not the miserable. If powerful,

behave thyself mildly, that thou mayst be loved rather than feared.

Order thy house well: bridle thy anger: grasp not at much: make not

haste, neither dote upon anything below. A prince," saith he, "must

not take up his time about transitory and mortal things; eternal and

immortal are fittest for him." To conclude: he was so just in all

his actions, that Laertius tells us, he professed in his old age,

that he had never done anything contrary to the conscience of an

upright man; only, that of one thing he was doubtful, having given

sentence against his friend, according to law, he advised his friend

to appeal from him his judge, so to preserve both his friend and the

law. Thus true and tender was conscience in heathen Chilon.

V. Periander, prince and philosopher too, would say, that pleasures

are mortal, but virtues immortal.[11] "In success be moderate, in

disappointments, patient and prudent. Be alike to thy friends, in

prosperity, and in adversity. Peace is good; rashness dangerous;

gain sordid. Betray not secrets: punish the guilty: restrain men

from sin. They that would rule safely, must be guarded by love, not

arms. To conclude," saith he, "live worthy of praise, so wilt thou

die blessed."

[11] Baart. Suid. Protag. Stob. xxviii.

VI. Bias, one of the seven wise men, being in a storm with wicked

men, who cried mightily to God; "Hold your tongues,"[12] saith he,

"it were better He knew not you were here:" a saying that hath great

doctrine in it; the devotion of the wicked doth them no good: it

answers to that passage in Scripture, "The prayers of the wicked are

an abomination to the Lord." (Prov. xv. 8.) An ungodly man asking

him what godliness was, he was silent: but the other murmuring,

saith he, "What is that to thee, that is not thy concern?" He was

so tender in his nature, that he seldom judged a criminal to death,

but he wept; adding, "One part goeth to God, and the other part I

must give the law." "That man is unhappy," saith he, "that cannot

bear affliction. It is a disease of the mind, to desire that which

cannot, or is not fit to be had. It is an ill thing, not to be

mindful of other men's miseries." To one that asked what is hard,

he answered, "To bear cheerfully a change for the worse." "Those,"

says he, "who busy themselves in vain knowledge, resemble owls that

see by night, and are blind by day; for they are sharp-sighted

in vanity, but dark at the approach of true light and knowledge."

He adds, "Undertake deliberately; but then go through. Speak not

hastily, lest thou sin. Be neither silly nor subtle. Hear much;

speak little and seasonably. Make profession of God everywhere;

and impute the good thou dost, not to thyself, but to the power of

God." His country being invaded, and the people flying with the best

of their goods, asked, why he carried none of his; "I," saith he,

"carry my goods within me."--Valerius Maximus adds, "in his breast;"

not to be seen by the eye, but to be prized by the soul; not to be

demolished by mortal hands; present with them that stay, and not

forsaking those that fly.

[12] Laert. Stob.

VII. Cleobulus, prince and philosopher of Lyndus:[13] he would

say, "That it was man's duty to be always employed upon something

that was good." Again, "Be never vain nor ungrateful. Bestow your

daughters, virgins in years, but matrons in discretion. Do good to

thy friend, to keep him; to thy enemy, to gain him. When any man

goeth forth, let him consider what he hath to do; when he returneth,

examine what he hath done. Know, that to reverence thy father is thy

duty. Hear willingly, but trust not hastily. Obtain by persuasion,

not by violence. Being rich, be not exalted: poor, be not dejected.

Forego enmity. Instruct thy children. Pray to God, and persevere in

godliness."

[13] Laert. Plut. Sympos. Sap. Sep. Stob. Ser.

VIII. Pittacus being asked what was best, he answered, "to do the

present thing well."[14] He would say, what thou dost take ill

in thy neighbour, do not thyself. Reproach not the unhappy; for

the hand of God is upon them. Be true to thy trust. Bear with thy

neighbour: love thy neighbour. Reproach not thy friend, though he

recede from thee a little. He would say that commonwealth is best

ordered where the wicked have no command, and that family, which

hath neither ornament nor necessity. To conclude: he advised to

acquire honesty; love discipline; observe temperance; gain prudence;

mind diligence; and keep truth, faith, and piety. He had a brother,

who, dying without issue, left him his estate; so that when Croesus

offered him wealth he answered, "I have more by half than I desire."

He also affirmed that family the best who got not unjustly, kept not

unfaithfully, spent not with repentance; and that happiness consists

in a virtuous and honest life: in being content with a competency

of outward things, and in using them temperately. And to conclude,

he earnestly enjoined all to flee corporeal pleasure; "for," says

he, "it certainly brings sorrow: but observe an honest life more

strictly than an oath: meditate on serious things."

[14] Plutarch. Stob. xxviii.

IX. Hippias, a philosopher: it is recorded of him[15] that he would

have every one provide his own necessaries; and, that he might do

what he taught, he was his own tradesman. He was singular in all

such arts and employments, insomuch as he made the very buskins he

wore. A better life than Alexander's.

[15] Cic. lib. de Orat.

X. The Bambycatii[16] were a certain great people that inhabited

about the river Tigris, in Asia, who, observing the great influence

gold, silver, and precious jewels had upon their minds, agreed

to bury all in the earth to prevent the corruption of their

manners.--They used inferior metals, and lived with very ordinary

accommodation; wearing mostly but one very grave and plain robe to

cover nakedness. It were well if Christians would mortify their

insatiable appetites after wealth and vanity any way, for heathens

judge their excess.

[16] Plin.

XI. The Athenians had two distinct numbers of men, called the

Gynæcosmi and Gynæconomi.[17] These were appointed by the

magistrates to overlook the actions of the people: the first

were to see that they apparelled and behaved themselves gravely;

especially that women were of modest behaviour; and the other were

to be present at their treats and festivals, to see that there was

no excess, nor disorderly carriage; and in case any were found

criminal, they had full power to punish them. When, alas! when shall

this care and wisdom be seen amongst the Christians of these times,

that so intemperance might be prevented? But it is too evident

they love the power and the profits, but despise the virtue of

government, making it an end instead of a means to that happy end,

viz. the well ordering the manners and conversation of the people,

and equally distributing rewards and punishments.

[17] Vid. Suid.

XII. Anacharsis, a Scythian, was a great philosopher;[18] Croesus

offered him large sums of money, but he refused them. Hanno did the

like, to whom he answered, "My apparel is a Scythian rug; my shoes,

the hardness of my feet; my bed, the earth; my sauce, hunger: you

may come to me as one that is contented; but those gifts which you

so much esteem, bestow on your citizens."

[18] Cic. Tusc. Quest. 5; Clem. Alex. Strom.

XIII. Anaxagoras, a nobleman, but true philosopher,[19] left his

great patrimony to seek out wisdom; and being reproved by his

friends for the little care he had of his estate, answered, "It is

enough that you care for it." One asked him why he had no more love

for his country than to leave it; "Wrong me not," saith he, "my

greatest care is my country," pointing his finger towards heaven.

Returning home, and taking a view of his great possessions, "If

I had not disregarded them," saith he, "I had perished." He was

a great clearer and improver of the doctrine of One Eternal God,

denying divinity to sun, moon, and stars, saying, "God was infinite,

not confined to place; the eternal wisdom and efficient cause of

all things; the divine mind and understanding; who, when matter was

confused, came and reduced it to order, which is the world we see."

He suffered much from some magistrates for his opinion; yet dying,

was admired by them.

[19] Plut. contra Usur. Lysand. Cic. Tusc. Quest. 5.

XIV. Heraclitus was invited by king Darius, for his great virtue

and learning, to this effect: "Come as soon as thou canst to my

presence and royal palace; for the Greeks, for the most part, are

not obsequious to wise men, but despise the good things which

they deliver. With me thou shalt have the first place, and daily

honour and titles: thy way of living shall be as noble as thy

instructions." But Heraclitus, refusing his offer, returned this

answer: "Heraclitus to Darius the king, health. Most men refrain

from justice and truth to pursue insatiableness and vain glory,

by reason of their folly: but I, having forgotten all evil, and

shunning the society of inbred envy and pride, will never come to

the kingdom of Persia, being contented with a little according to

my own mind." He also slighted the Athenians. He had great and

clear apprehensions of the nature and power of God, maintaining his

divinity against the idolatry in fashion. This definition he gives

of God: "He is not made with hands. The whole world, adorned with

his creatures, is his mansion. Where is God? Shut up in temples?

Impious men! who place their God in the dark. It is a reproach to

a man to tell him he is a stone, yet the god you profess is born

of a rock: you ignorant people! you know not God: his works bear

witness of him." Of himself he saith, "O ye men, will ye not learn

why I never laugh? It is not that I hate men, but their wickedness.

If you would not have me weep, live in peace: you carry swords in

your tongues; you plunder wealth, poison friends, betray the trust

the people repose in you: shall I laugh when I see men do these

things? Their garments, beards, and heads adorned with unnecessary

care; a mother deserted by a wicked son; or young men consuming

their patrimony; others filling their bellies at feasts more with

poison than with dainties. Virtue would strike me blind if I should

laugh at your wars. By music, pipes, and stripes you are excited

to things contrary to all harmony. Iron, a metal more proper for

ploughs and tillage, is fitted for slaughter and death; men raising

armies of men, covet to kill one another, and punish them that quit

the field for not staying to murder men. They honour as valiants

such as are drunk with blood; but lions, horses, eagles, and other

creatures, use not swords, bucklers, and instruments of war: their

limbs are their weapons,--some their horns, some their bills, some

their wings; to one is given swiftness, to another bigness, to a

third swimming. No irrational creature useth a sword, but keeps

itself within the laws of its creation, except man, that doth not

so, which brings the heavier blame, because he hath the greatest

understanding.--You must leave your wars, and your wickedness, which

you ratify by a law, if you would have me leave my severity. I have

overcome pleasure, I have overcome riches, I have overcome ambition,

I have mastered flattery: fear hath nothing to object against me,

drunkenness hath nothing to charge upon me, anger is afraid of me:

I have won the garland in fighting against these enemies."--This,

and much more, did he write in his epistles to Hermodorus, of his

complaints against the great degeneracy of the Ephesians. And in an

epistle to Aphidamus he writes, "I am fallen sick, Aphidamus, of a

dropsy; whatsoever is of us, if it get the dominion, it becomes a

disease. Excess of heat is a fever; excess of cold, a palsy; excess

of wind a cholic: my disease cometh from excess of moisture. The

soul is something divine, which keeps all these in a due proportion.

I know the nature of the world; I know that of man; I know diseases;

I know health: but if my body be overpressed, it must descend to

the place ordained; however, my soul shall not descend; but being

a thing immortal, I shall ascend on high, where a heavenly mansion

shall receive me."

A most weighty and pathetical discourse: they that know anything

of God may savour something divine in it. O that the degenerate

Christians of these times would but take a view of the virtue,

temperance, zeal, piety, and faith of this heathen, who

notwithstanding that he lived five hundred years before the coming

of Christ in the flesh, had these excellent sentences! Yet again,

he taught that God punisheth not by taking away riches; he rather

alloweth them to the wicked to discover them; for poverty may be a

veil. Speaking of God, "How can that light which never sets be ever

hidden or obscured?" "Justice," saith he, "shall seize one day upon

defrauders and witnesses of false things." Unless a man hope to the

end for that which is to be hoped for, he shall not find that which

is unsearchable; which Clemens, an ancient father, applied to Isaiah

vi. "Unless you believe, you shall not understand." Heraclitus lived

solitarily in the mountains; had a sight of his end; and as he was

prepared for it, so he rejoiced in it. These certainly were the men

who, having not a law, without them, became a law unto themselves,

showing forth the work of the law written in their hearts; (Rom.

ii. 14;) and who for that reason shall judge the circumcision, and

receive the reward of "Well done," by him who is Judge of quick and

dead.

XV. Democritus would say, that he had lived to an extraordinary age

by keeping himself from luxury and excess. That a little estate went

a great way with men that were neither covetous nor prodigal. That

luxury furnished great tables with variety: and temperance furnished

little ones. That riches do not consist in the possession, but right

use of wealth. He was a man of great retirement, avoiding public

honours and employments; bewailed by the people of Abdera as mad,

whilst indeed he only smiled at the madness of the world.

XVI. Socrates, the most religious and learned philosopher of his

time, and of whom it is reported Apollo gave this character, that

he was the wisest man on earth,[20] was a man of a severe life,

and instructed people gratis in just, grave, and virtuous manners;

for which, being envied by Aristophanes, the vain, comical wit of

that age, as one spoiling the trade of plays, and exercising the

generality of the people with more noble and virtuous things,[21]

was represented by him in a play, in which he rendered Socrates

so ridiculous, that the vulgar would rather part with Socrates in

earnest than Socrates in jest; which made way for their impeaching

him as an enemy to their gods; for which they put him to death. But

in a short space his eighty judges and the whole people so deeply

resented the loss, that they slew many of his accusers: some hanged

themselves; none would trade with them nor answer them a question.

They erected several statues to his praise; they forbad his name to

be mentioned, that they might forget their injustice: they called

home his banished friends and scholars; and by the most wise and

learned men of that age it is observed, that famous city Athens was

punished with the most dreadful plagues that ever raged amongst

them, and all Greece with it never prospered in any considerable

undertaking, but from that time always decayed. Amongst many of his

sober and religious maxims upon which he was accustomed to discourse

with his disciples, these are some:

He taught everywhere that an upright man and a happy man are all

one. They that do good are employed; they that spend their time in

recreations are idle.[22] To do good is the best course of life; he

only is idle who might be better employed. A horse is not known by

his furniture, but qualities; so men are to be esteemed for virtue,

not wealth. Being asked who lived without trouble, he answered,

"Those who are conscious to themselves of no evil thing."[23] To

one who demanded what was nobility, he answered, "A good temper and

disposition of soul and body. They who know what they ought to do,

and do it not, are not wise and temperate, but fools and stupid." To

one that complained he had not been benefited by his travels, "Not

without reason," says Socrates, "thou didst travel with thyself:"

intimating, he knew not the eternal mind of God to direct and inform

him. Being demanded what wisdom was, said, "A virtuous composure of

the soul." And being asked who were wise, answered, "Those that sin

not." Seeing a young man rich, but ignorant of heavenly things, and

pursuing earthly pleasures; "Behold," says he, "a golden slave.[24]

Soft ways of living beget neither a good constitution of body nor

mind. Fine and rich clothes are only for comedians." Being demanded

from what things men and women ought to refrain, he answered,

"Pleasure." Being asked what continence and temperance were, said,

"Government of corporeal desires and pleasures. The wicked live to

eat, &c. but the good eat to live. Temperate persons become the

most excellent: eat that which neither hurts the body nor mind, and

which is easy to be gotten." One saying it was a great matter to

abstain from what one desires; "But," says he, "it is better not to

desire at all." This is deep religion, even very hard to professed

Christians. "It is the property of God to need nothing;[25] and

they that need and are contented with least come nearest to God.

The only and best way to worship God is to mind and obey whatsoever

he commands. That the souls of men and women partake of the divine

nature: that God is seen of the virtuous mind: that by waiting upon

him they are united unto him in an accessible place of purity and

happiness; which God he asserted always to be near him."

[20] Plat. Apolog. Diog. Laert. Helvic.; Cic. Tusc. Quest. 1;

Xenoph. Brut. Cic. Orat. Liban.

[21] Apol. Varro. Hist. Schol. Artist.

[22] Clem. Alex. Strom. ii. 417; Xen. Mem. iii. pp. 720, 778, 779,

780. Stob. Ech. Strom. i. 11.

[23] Stob. iv. 6; Ibid. ii. 18; Xenoph. Mem. 3; Seneca Epist. i.

104; Stob. 28; Ibid. 32; Xen. Mem. 1; Ælian. 9; Stob. 37.

[24] Stob. 37; Ibid. 87; Xen. Mem. 34; Ælian. Ver. Hist. 9.

[25] Stob. 37; Xen. Mem. iv. 802.; Plat. Phæd.

Many more are the excellent sayings of this great man, who was not

less famous for his sayings than his example, with the greatest

nations; yet died he a sacrifice to the sottish fury of the vain

world. The history of his life reports that his father was told[26]

he should have the guide of his life within him, which should

be more to him than five hundred masters; which proved true.

Instructing his scholars herein, charging them not to neglect

these divine affairs which chiefly concern man, to mind or inquire

after such things as are without in the visible world. He taught

the use of outward things[27] only as they were necessary to life

and commerce; forbidding superfluities and curiosities. He was

martyred for his doctrine, after having lived seventy years, the

most admired, followed, and visited of all men in his time by kings

and commonwealths; and than whom antiquity mentions none with

more reverence and honour. Well were it for poor England if her

conceited Christians were true Socrateses; whose strict, just, and

self-denying life doth not bespeak him more famous than it will

Christians infamous at the revelation of the righteous judgment,

where heathens' virtue shall aggravate Christians' intemperance; and

their humility, the others' excessive pride: and justly too, since

a greater than Socrates is come, whose name they profess, but they

will not obey his law.

[26] Xen. Mem. i. p. 710.

[27] Xen. Mem. 4.; Plat. de Legib.

XVII. Plato, that famous philosopher and scholar to Socrates,[28]

was so grave and devoted to divine things, nay, so discreetly

politic, that in his commonwealth he would not so much as harbour

poetical fancies, much less upon stages, as being too effeminate,

and apt to withdraw the minds of youth from more noble, more manly,

as well as more heavenly exercises. Plato seeing a young man play at

dice, reproved him sharply; the other answered, "What, for so small

a matter?" "Custom," saith Plato, "is no small thing:[29] let idle

hours be spent more usefully. Let youth," said he, "take delight

in good things; for pleasures are the baits of evil. Observe, the

momentary sweetness of a delicious life is followed with eternal

sorrow; the short pain of the contrary, with eternal pleasure."

Being commanded to put on a purple garment by the king of Sicily,

he refused, saying he was a man, and scorned such effeminacies.

Inviting Timothy, the Athenian general to supper, he treated him

with herbs, water, and such spare diet as he was accustomed to eat.

Timothy's friends next day, laughing, asked how he was entertained,

he answered,[30] "Never better in life; for he slept all night after

his supper:" thereby commending his temperance. He addicted himself

to religious contemplations: and is said to have lived a virtuous

and single life, always eyeing and obeying the mind, which he

sometimes called, "God, the Father of all things;" affirming, "Who

lived so should become like him, and so be related to, and joined

with the Divinity itself." This same Plato, upon his dying bed,

sent for his friends about him, and told them the whole world was

out of the way, in that they understood not, nor regarded the mind,

assuring them, those men died most comfortably that lived most

conformably to right reason, and sought and adored the First Cause,

meaning God.

[28] Plato de Rep.

[29] Diog. Laert. in vit.

[30] Xen. Crat. Stob. Ælian.

XVIII. Antisthenes, an Athenian philosopher,[31] had taught in the

study of eloquence several years; but upon his hearing Socrates

treat of the seriousness of religion, of the divine life, eternal

rewards, &c. bid all his scholars seek them a new master, for he had

found one for himself: wherefore selling his estate, he distributed

it to the poor, and betook himself wholly to the consideration

of heavenly things; going cheerfully six miles every day to hear

Socrates.--But where are the like preachers and converts amongst

the people called Christians? Observe the daily pains of Socrates;

surely he did not study a week to read a written sermon; we are

assured of the contrary; for it was frequent with him to preach

to the people at any time of the day, in the very streets, as

occasion served, and his good genius moved him. Neither was he a

hireling, or covetous, for he did it gratis: surely then he had

not fat benefices, tithes, glebes, &c. And let the self-denial

and diligence of Antisthenes be considered, who of a philosopher

and master became a scholar, and that a daily one; surely, it was

then matter of reproach, as it is now; showing thereby both want

of knowledge, though called a philosopher, and his great desire to

obtain it of one that could teach him. None of these used to go to

plays, balls, treats, &c. They found more serious employments for

their minds, and were examples of temperance to the world.--I will

repeat some of his grave sentences, as reported by Laertius, and

others; namely, "That those are only noble, who are virtuous.[32]

That virtue was self-sufficient to happiness: that it consisteth

in actions, not requiring many words, nor much learning, and is

self-sufficient to wisdom: for that all other things have reference

thereunto. That men should not govern by force, nor by laws, unless

good, but by justice."[33] To a friend, complaining he had lost his

notes, "Thou shouldst have written them upon thy mind," saith he,

"and not in a book. Those who would never die, must live justly and

piously."--Being asked what learning was best, "That," saith he,

"which unlearneth evil."[34] To one that praised a life full of

pleasures and delicacies:[35] "Let the sons of my enemies," saith

he, "live delicately:" counting it the greatest misery. "We ought,"

saith he, "to aim at such pleasures as follow honest labour; and

not those which go before it."[36] When at any time he saw a woman

richly dressed, he would, in a way of reproach, bid her husband

bring out his horse and arms: meaning, if he were prepared to

justify the injuries such wantonness used to produce, he might the

better allow those dangerous freedoms: "Otherwise," saith he, "pluck

off her rich and gaudy attire." He is said to exclaim bitterly

against pleasures; often saying, "I had rather be mad than addicted

to pleasure, and spend my days in decking and feeding my carcase.

Those," says he, "who have once learned the way to temperance

and virtue, let them not offer to entangle themselves again with

fruitless stories and vain learning, nor be addicted to corporeal

delicacies, which dull the mind, and will divert and hinder them

from the pursuit of those more noble and heavenly virtues." Upon

the death of his beloved master, Socrates,[37] he instituted a sect

called Cynics, out of whom came the great sect of Stoics; both

which had these common principles, which they daily, with great

and unwearied diligence, did maintain and instruct people in the

knowledge of, viz., "No man is wise and happy but the good and

virtuous man.[38] That not much learning nor study of many things

was necessary. That a wise man is never drunk nor mad: that he never

sinneth; that a wise man is void of passion: that he is sincere,

religious, grave: that he only is divine. That such only are priests

and prophets that have God in themselves. And that his law is

imprinted in their minds, and the minds of all men:[39] that such

an one only can pray who is innocent, meek, temperate, ingenuous,

noble, a good magistrate, father, son, master, servant, and worthy

of praise." On the contrary, "that wicked men can be none of these:

that the same belongs to men and women."

[31] Laert. vit. Socr. Ælian.

[32] Laert.

[33] Stob.

[34] Stob. 177.

[35] Diog. Laert.

[36] Agel. lib. c. 5.

[37] Laert. vit. Mem.

[38] Laert. Plut. de Rep. Stoi. Cic. de aut. Deo, lib. ii.

[39] Lactant. de Ira Dei, cap. 10.

Their diet was slender, their food only what would satisfy

nature.[40] Their garments exceeding mean. Their habitations

solitary and homely. They affirmed, those who lived with fewest

things and were contented, most nearly approached God, who wants

nothing. They voluntarily despised riches, glory, and nobility, as

foolish shows and vain fictions, that had no true and solid worth

or happiness in them. They made all things to be good and evil, and

flatly denied the idle stories of fortune and chance.

[40] Plat. Pl. Ph. 16. Cic. Tul. Quest. 4. Diog. Laert. vit. Mem.

Stob.

Certainly these were they who, having no external law, became a

law unto themselves, and did not abuse the knowledge they had of

the invisible God, but to their capacities instructed men in the

knowledge of that righteous, serious, solid, and heavenly principle

which leads to true and everlasting happiness all those that embrace

it.

XIX. Xenocrates refused Alexander's present,[41] yet treated his

ambassadors after his temperate and spare manner, saying, "You see I

have no need of your master's bounty, that am so well pleased with

this." He would say, "that one ought not to carry one's eyes or

one's hands into another man's house:" that is, to be a busy-body.

That one ought to be most circumspect of one's actions before

children, lest by example one's faults should outlive one's self.

He said pride was the greatest obstruction to true knowledge. His

chastity and integrity were remarkable and reverenced in Athens:

Phryne, the famous Athenian courtezan, could not place a temptation

upon him, nor Philip, king of Macedon, a bribe, though the rest sent

in the embassy were corrupted. And being once brought for a witness,

the judges rose up, and cried out, "Tender no oath to Xenocrates,

for he will speak the truth." A respect they did not allow to one

another. Holding his peace at some detracting discourse, they

asked him why he spoke not: "Because," saith he, "I have sometimes

repented of speaking, but never of holding my peace."

[41] Laert. Val. Max. 4, 3, 2, 16. Cic. Pro. Fal. Val. Max. 7, 2.

XX. Bion would say, that great men walk in slippery places: that

it is a great mischief not to bear affliction; that ungodliness is

an enemy to assurance. He said to a covetous man, that he did not

possess his wealth, but his wealth possessed him; abstaining from

using it, as if it were another man's. In fine, that men ought to

pursue a course of virtue, without regard to the praise or reproach

of men.

XXI. Demonax seeing the great care that men had of their bodies,

more than of their minds; "They deck the house," saith he, "but

slight the master." He would say, that many are inquisitive after

the make of the world, but are little concerned about their own,

which were a science much more worthy of their pains. To a city that

would establish the gladiators, or prize-fighters, he said, that

they ought first to overthrow the altar of mercy; intimating the

cruelty of such practices. One asking him why he turned philosopher;

"Because," saith he, "I am a man." He would say of the priests of

Greece, if they could better instruct the people, they could not

give them too much; but if not, the people could not give them too

little. He lamented the unprofitableness of good laws, by being in

bad men's hands.

XXII. Diogenes was angry with critics that were nice of words

and not of their own actions; with musicians, that tune their

instruments but could not govern their passions; with astrologers,

that have their eyes in the sky, and look not at their own goings;

with orators, that study to speak well but not to do well; with

covetous men, that take care to get but never use their estates;

with those philosophers that despise greatness, and yet court great

men; and with those that sacrifice for health, and yet surfeit

themselves with eating their sacrifices. One time, discoursing of

the nature, pleasure, and reward of virtue, and the people not

regarding what he said, he fell a singing, at which every one

pressed to hear; whereupon he cried out, in abhorrence of their

stupidity, "O God, how much more is the world in love with folly

than with wisdom!" Seeing a man sprinkling himself with water

after having done some ill thing, "Unhappy man," saith he, "dost

thou not know that the errors of life are not to be washed away

with water?" To one who said, "Life is an ill thing;" he answered,

"Life is not an ill thing, but an ill life is an ill thing." He was

very temperate, for his bed and his table he found everywhere. One

seeing him wash herbs, said, "If thou hadst followed Dionysius,

king of Sicily, thou wouldst not have needed to have washed herbs;"

he answered, "If thou hadst washed herbs, thou needest not to have

followed Dionysius." He lighted a candle at noon, saying, "I look

for a man;" implying that the world was darkened by vice, and men

effeminated. To a luxurious person, that had wasted his means,

supping upon olives; "If," saith he, "thou hadst used to dine so,

thou wouldst not have needed to sup so." To a young man, dressing

himself neatly; "If this," saith he, "be for the sake of men, thou

art unhappy; if for women, thou art unjust." Another time, seeing

an effeminate young man; "Art thou not ashamed," saith he, "to use

thyself worse than nature hath made thee? She hath made thee a man,

but thou wilt force thyself to be a woman." To one that courted a

bad woman; "O wretch!" said he, "what meanest thou to ask for that

which is better lost than found?" To one that smelled of sweet

unguents, "Have a care," saith he, "that this perfume make not thy

life stink." He compared covetous men to such as have the dropsy;

those are full of money, yet desire more; these of water, yet thirst

for more. Being asked what beasts were the worst; "In the field,"

saith he, "bears and lions; in the city, usurers and flatterers."

At a feast, one giving him a great cup of wine, he threw it away:

for which being blamed, "If I had drunk it," saith he, "not only the

wine would have been lost, but I also." One asking him how he might

order himself best, he said, "By reproving those things in thyself

which thou blamest in others." Another demanding what was the

hardest, he answered, "To know ourselves; to whom we are partial."

An astrologer discoursing to the people of the wandering stars;

"No," saith he, "it is not the stars, but these," pointing to the

people that heard him. Being asked what men are most noble; "They,"

saith he, "who contemn wealth, honour, and pleasure, and endure the

contraries, to wit, poverty, scorn, pain, and death." To a wicked

man, reproaching him for his poverty; "I never knew," saith he, "a

man punished for his poverty, but many for their wickedness." To one

bewailing himself that he should not die in his own country; "Be of

comfort," saith he, "for the way to heaven is alike in every place."

One day he went backwards; whereat the people laughing, "Are you

not ashamed," saith he, "to do that all your lifetime, which you

deride in me?"

XXIII. Crates, a Theban, famous for his self-denial and virtue,

descended from the house of Alexander, of great estate, at least two

hundred talents, which having mostly distributed amongst the poor

citizens, he became a constant professor of the Cynic philosophy.

He exceedingly inveighed against common women. Seeing at Delphos

a golden image, that Phryne, the courtezan, had set up by the

gains of her trade, he cried out, "This is a trophy of the Greeks'

intemperance." Seeing a young man highly fed and fat: "Unhappy

youth," said he, "do not fortify thy prison." To another, followed

by a great many parasites; "Young man," saith he, "I am sorry to

see thee so much alone." Walking one day upon the Exchange, where

he beheld people mighty busy after their divers callings; "These

people," saith he, "think themselves happy; but I am happy that have

nothing to do with them; for I place my happiness in poverty, not in

riches. Oh! men do not know how much a wallet, a measure of lupins,

with security, is worth." Of his wife, Hipparchia, a woman of wealth

and extraction, but nobler for her love to true philosophy, and how

they came together, there will be occasion to make mention in its

place.

XXIV. Aristotle, a scholar to Plato,[42] and the oracle of

philosophy to these very times, though not so divinely contemplative

as his master, nevertheless follows him in this, "That luxury should

by good discipline be exiled human societies."[43] Aristotle seeing

a youth finely dressed, said, "Art thou not ashamed, when nature

hath made thee a man, to make thyself a woman?"[44] And to another,

gazing on his fine cloak; "Why dost thou boast thyself of a sheep's

fleece?" He said it was the duty of a good man to live so under laws

as he should do if there were none.

[42] Stob. Strom. 45.

[43] Stob. 161.

[44] Ibid. 46.

XXV. Mandanis, a great and famous philosopher of the Gymnosophists,

whom Alexander the Great required to come to the feast of Jupiter's

son, (meaning himself,) declaring, that if he came he should be

rewarded, if not, he should be put to death; the philosopher

contemned his message as vain and sordid: he first told them, that

he denied him to be Jupiter's son; a mere fiction. Next, that as for

his gifts, he esteemed them nothing worth; his own country could

furnish him with necessaries; beyond which he coveted nothing. And

lastly, as for the death he threatened, he did not fear it; but of

the two, he wished it rather, "In that," saith he, "I am sure it is

a change to a more blessed and happy state."

XXVI. Zeno, the great Stoic,[45] and author of that philosophy, had

many things admirable in him; who not only said, but practised.

He was a man of that integrity, and so reverenced for it by the

Athenians, that they deposited the keys of the city in his hands,

as the only person fit to be entrusted with their liberties; yet

by birth a stranger, being of Citium in Cyprus. Antigonus, king of

Macedonia, had a great respect for him, and desired his company, as

the following letter expresseth:

"King Antigonus to Zeno the philosopher, health: I think that I

exceed thee in fortune and glory; but in learning and discipline,

and that perfect felicity which thou hast attained, I am exceeded

by thee; wherefore I thought it expedient to write to thee, that

thou wilt come to me, assuring myself thou wilt not deny it. Use all

means therefore to come to us, and know, thou art not to instruct

me only, but all the Macedonians; for he who teacheth the king

of Macedonia, and guideth him to virtue, it is evident that he

doth likewise instruct all his subjects in virtue; for such as is

the prince, such for the most part are those who live under his

government."

[45] Stob. Laert.

Zeno answered thus: "To king Antigonus, Zeno wisheth health: I

much esteem thy earnest desire of learning, in that thou aimest

at philosophy; not popular, which perverteth manners, but that

true discipline which conferreth profit; avoiding that generally

commended pleasure, which effeminates the souls of men. It is

manifest that thou art inclined to generous things, not only by

nature but by choice; with indifferent exercise and assistance, thou

mayest easily attain to virtue. But I am very infirm of body, being

fourscore years of age, and so not well able to come; yet I will

send thee some of my chief disciples, who in those things concerning

the soul, are nothing inferior to me; and whose instructions, if

thou wilt follow them, will conduct thee to perfect blessedness."

Thus Zeno refused Antigonus, but sent Persæus, his countryman, and

Philonides, a Theban. He would say, that nothing was more unseemly

than pride, especially in youth, which was a time of learning. He

therefore recommended to young men modesty in three things; in their

walking, in their behaviour, and in their apparel: often repeating

those verses of Euripides, in honour of Capaneus:

"He was not puff'd up with his store,

Nor thought himself above the poor."

Seeing a man very finely dressed, stepping lightly over a kennel:

"That man," saith he, "doth not care for the dirt, because he

could not see his face in it." He also taught, that people should

not affect delicacy of diet, no, not in their sickness. To one

that smelt with unguents; "Who is it," saith he, "that smells so

effeminately?" Seeing a friend of his taken too much up with the

business of his land; "Unless thou lose thy land," saith he, "thy

land will lose thee." Being demanded, whether a man that doth wrong

may conceal it from God: "No," saith he, "nor yet he who thinks it;"

which testifies to the omnipresence of God. Being asked, who was his

best friend, he answered: "My other self;" intimating the divine

part that was in him. He would say, the end of man was not to live,

eat, and drink; but to use his life so as to obtain a happy life

hereafter. He was so humble that he conversed with mean and ragged

persons: whence Timon thus:

"And for companions, gets of servants store,

Of all men the most empty and most poor."

He was patient, and frugal in his household expenses; Laertius

saith, he had but one servant; Seneca avers he had none. He was mean

in his clothes: in his diet, by Philemon thus described:

"He water drinks, then broth and herbs doth eat;

Teaching his scholars, almost without meat."

His chastity was so eminent, that it became a proverb; "As chaste as

Zeno." When the news of his death came to Antigonus, he broke forth

into these words, "What an object have I lost!" And being asked, why

he admired him so much? "Because," saith he, "though I bestowed many

great things upon him, he was never therewith exalted nor dejected."

The Athenians, after his death, by a public decree, erected a statue

to his memorial; it runs thus: "Whereas Zeno, the son of Mnaseas,

a Cittian, has professed philosophy about fifty-eight years in

this city, and in all things performed the office of a good man,

encouraging those young men who applied themselves to him, to the

love of virtue and temperance, leading himself a life suitable to

the doctrine which he professed; a pattern to the best to imitate:

the people have thought fit to do honour to Zeno, and to crown him

with a crown of gold, according to law, in regard of his virtue and

temperance, and to build a tomb for him, publicly, in the Ceramick,

&c." These two were his epitaphs, one by Antipater:

"Here Zeno lies, who tall Olympus scal'd;

Not heaping Pelion on Ossa's head;

Nor by Herculean labours so prevailed;

But found out virtue's paths, which thither led."

The other by Xenodotus, the Stoic, thus:

"Zeno, thy years to hoary age were spent,

Not with vain riches, but with self-content."

XXVII. Seneca, a great and excellent philosopher, who with Epictetus

shall conclude the testimonies of the men of their character, hath

so much to our purpose that his works are but a kind of continued

evidence for us: he saith, "Nature was not so much an enemy, as

to give an easy passage of life to all other creatures, and that

man alone should not live without so many arts; she hath commanded

us none of these things. We have made all things difficult to us,

by disdaining things that are easy: houses, clothes, meats, and

nourishment of bodies, and those things which are now the care of

life, were easy to come by, freely gotten, and prepared with a

light labour: for the measure of these things was necessity, not

voluptuousness: but we have made them pernicious and admirable: they

must be sought with art and skill. Nature sufficeth to that which

she requireth.

"Appetite hath revolted from nature, which continually inciteth

itself, and increaseth with the ages, helping vice by wit. First

it began to desire superfluous, then contrary things: last of all,

it sold the mind to the body, and commanded it to serve the lusts

thereof. All these arts, wherewith the city is continually set at

work, and maketh such a stir, do center in the affairs of the body,

to which all things were once performed as to a servant, but now are

provided as for a lord: hence the shops of engravers, perfumers, &c.

Hence, of those that teach effeminate motions of the body, and vain

and wanton songs: for natural behaviour is despised, which completed

desires with necessary help; now it is clownishness and ill-breeding

to be contented with as much as is requisite. What shall I speak

of rich marbles curiously wrought, wherewith temples and houses do

shine? What of stately galleries and rich furniture? these are but

the devices of most vile slaves; the inventions of men, not of wise

men: for wisdom sits deeper; it is the mistress of the mind. Wilt

thou know what things she hath found out, what she hath made? Not

unseemly motions of the body, nor variable singing by trumpet or

flute; nor yet weapons of wars, or fortifications: she endeavoureth

profitable things; she favours peace, and calls all mankind to

agreement: she leadeth to a blessed estate; she openeth the way to

it, and shows what is evil from what is good, and chaseth vanity out

of the mind. She giveth solid greatness, but debaseth that which is

puffed up, and would be seen of men: she bringeth forth the image

of God to be seen in the souls of men: and so from corporeal, she

translateth into incorporeal things." Thus in the 90th epistle to

Luculius. To Gallio, he writeth thus: "All men, brother Gallio, are

desirous to live happy, yet blind to the means of that blessedness.

As long as we wander hither and thither, and follow not our guide,

but the dissonant clamour of those that call on us to undertake

different ways, our short life is wearied and worn away amongst

errors, although we labour to get us a good mind: there is nothing

therefore to be more avoided, than following the multitude without

examination, and believing anything without judging. Let us inquire,

what is best done, not what is more usually done; and what planted

us in the possession of eternal felicity; not what is ordinarily

allowed of by the multitude, which is the worst interpreter of

truth. I call the multitude, as well those that are clothed in

white, as those in other colours: for I examine not the colours

of the garments, wherewith their bodies are clothed: I trust not

mine eyes to inform me what a man is; I have a better and truer

light, whereby I can distinguish truth from falsehood. Let the

soul find out the good of the soul; if once she may have leisure

to withdraw into herself, Oh! how will she confess, I wish all I

have done were undone; and all I have said, when I recollect it, I

am ashamed of it, when I now hear the like in others. These things

below, whereat we gaze, and whereat we stay, and which one man with

admiration shows unto another, do outwardly shine, but are inwardly

empty. Let us seek out somewhat that is good, not in appearance,

but solid, united, and best, in that which least appears: let us

discover this. Neither is it far from us: we shall find it if we

seek it. For it is wisdom not to wander from that immortal nature,

but to form ourselves according to his law and example. Blessed is

the man who judgeth rightly: blessed is he who is contented with

his present condition: and blessed is he who giveth ear to that

immortal principle, in the government of his life." A whole volume

of these excellent things hath he written. No wonder a man of his

doctrine and life escaped not the cruelty of brutish Nero, under

whom he suffered death; as also did the apostle Paul, with whom,

it is said Seneca had conversed. When Nero's messenger brought

him the news, that he was to die; with a composed and undaunted

countenance he received the errand, and presently called for pen,

ink, and paper, to write his last will and testament; which the

captain refusing, he turned towards his friends, and took his leave

thus: "Since, my loving friends, I cannot bequeath you any other

thing in acknowledgment of what I owe you, I leave you at least the

richest and best portion I have, that is the image of my manners

and life, which doing, you will obtain true happiness." His friends

showing great trouble for the loss of him; "Where," saith he, "are

those memorable precepts of philosophy? And what is become of those

provisions, which for so many years together we have laid up against

the brunts and afflictions of Providence? Was Nero's cruelty unknown

to us? What could we expect better at his hands, that killed his

brother and murdered his mother, but that he would put also his

tutor and governor to death?" Then turning to his wife Pompeia

Paulina, a Roman lady, young and noble, besought her for the love

she bore him and his philosophy, to suffer patiently his affliction:

"For," saith he, "my hour is come wherein I must show, not only by

discourse but by death, the fruit I have reaped by my meditations;

I embrace it without grief, wherefore do not dishonour it with thy

tears. Assuage thy sorrow, and comfort thyself in the knowledge thou

hast had of me, and of my actions; and lead the rest of thy life

with that honest industry thou hast addicted thyself unto." And

dedicating his life to God, he expired.

XXVIII. Epictetus, contemporary with Seneca, and an excellent man,

thought no man worthy of the profession of philosophy, that was

not purified from the errors of his nature. His morals were very

excellent, which he comprised under these two words, _sustaining_,

and _abstaining_; or _bearing_, and _forbearing_; to avoid evil,

and patiently to suffer afflictions, which do certainly comprise

the christian doctrine and life, and is the perfection of the

best philosophy that was at any time taught by Egyptians, Greeks,

or Romans, when it signified virtue, self-denial, and a life of

religious solitude and contemplation.

How little the Christians of the times are true philosophers, and

how much more these philosophers were Christians, than they, let

the righteous principle in every conscience judge. But is it not

then intolerable, that they should be esteemed Christians, who are

yet to learn to be good Heathens? That prate of grace and nature,

and know neither? Who will presume to determine what is become of

Heathens, and know not where they are themselves, nor mind what may

become of them? That can run readily over a tedious list of famous

personages, and calumniate such as will not, with them, celebrate

their memories with extravagant and superfluous praises, whilst

they make it laudable to act the contrary: and none so ready a

way to become vile, as not to be vicious? A strange paradox, but

too true; so blind, so stupified, so besotted, are the foolish

sensualists of the world, under their great pretences to religion,

faith, and worship. Ah! did they but know the peace, the joy,

the unspeakable ravishments of soul, that inseparably attend the

innocent, harmless, still, and retired life of Jesus? Did they but

weigh within themselves, the authors of their vain delights and

pastimes, the nature and disposition they are so grateful to, the

dangerous consequence of exercising the mind and its affections

below, and arresting and taking them up from their due attendance

and obedience to the most holy voice crying in their consciences,

"Repent, return, all is vanity, and vexation of spirit:" were but

these things reflected upon; were the incessant wooings of Jesus,

and his importunate knocks and entreaties, by his light and grace,

at the door of their hearts, but kindly answered, and He admitted

to take up his abode there: and lastly, were such resolved to give

up to the instructions and holy guidance of his eternal Spirit, in

all the humble, heavenly, and righteous conversation it requires,

and of which He is become our Captain and example; then, O then,

both root and branch of vanity, the nature that invented, and that

which delights herself therein, with all the follies themselves,

would be consumed and vanish. But they, alas! cheat themselves by

misconstrued Scriptures, and daub with the untempered mortar of

misapplied promises. They will be saints whilst they are sinners;

and in Christ, whilst in the spirit of the world, walking after

the flesh, and not after the Spirit, by which the true children of

God are led. My friends, mind the just witness and holy principle

in yourselves, that you may experimentally know more of the Divine

life, in which, and not in a multitude of vain repetitions, true and

solid felicity eternally consists.

IV. _Nor is this reputation, wisdom, and virtue, only to be

attributed to men: there were women also in the Greek and Roman

ages, that honoured their sex, by great examples of meekness,

prudence, and chastity; and which I do the rather mention, that

the honour, story yields to their virtuous conduct, may raise an

allowable emulation in those of their own sex, at least, to equal

the noble character given them by antiquity, viz._

1. Penelope.--2. Hipparchia.--3. Cornelia.--4. Pompeia

Plautina.--5. Plotina.--6. A reproof to voluptuous women of the

times.

I. Penelope, wife to Ulysses, a woman eminent for her beauty and

quality, but more for her singular chastity. Her husband was absent

from her twenty years, partly in the service of his country, and

partly in exile; and being believed to be dead, she was earnestly

sought by divers lovers, and pressed by her parents to change her

condition; but all the importunities of the one, or persuasions

of the other, not prevailing, her lovers seemed to use a kind of

violence, that where they could not entice, they would compel: to

which she yielded, upon this condition, that they would not press

her to marry, till she had ended the work she had in hand: which

they granting, "she undid by night what she wrought by day;" and

with that honest device she delayed their desire, till her husband

returned, whom she received, though in beggar's clothes, with a

heart full of love and truth. A constancy that reproaches too

many of the women of the times. Her work shows the industry and

employment, even of the women of great quality in those times;

whilst those of the present age despise such honest labour as mean

and mechanical.

II. Hipparchia, a fair Macedonian virgin, noble of blood, as they

term it, but more truly noble of mind, I cannot omit to mention:

who entertained so earnest an affection for Crates, the Cynical

philosopher, as well for his severe life as excellent discourse,

that by no means could her relations, nor suitors, by all their

wealth, nobility, and beauty, dissuade her from being his companion.

Upon which strange resolution, they all betook themselves to Crates,

beseeching him to show himself a true philosopher, in persuading

her to desist: which he strongly endeavoured by many arguments; but

not prevailing, went his way, and brought all the little furniture

of his house, and showed her: "This," saith he, "is thy husband;

that, the furniture of thy house: consider on it, for thou canst not

be mine, unless thou followest the same course of life:" for being

rich above twenty talents, which is more than £50,000, he neglected

all to follow a retired life: all which had so contrary an effect,

that she immediately went to him, before them all, and said, "I

seek not the pomp and effeminacy of this world, but knowledge and

virtue, Crates; and choose a life of temperance, before a life of

delicacies; for true satisfaction, thou knowest, is in the mind;

and that pleasure is only worth seeking, that lasts for ever."

Thus was it she became the constant companion both of his love and

life, his friendship and his virtues; travelling with him from

place to place, and performing the public exercises of instruction

with Crates, wherever they came. She was a most violent enemy to

all impiety, but especially to wanton men and women, and those

whose garb and conversation showed them devoted to vain pleasures

and pastimes; effeminacy rendering the like persons not only

unprofitable, but pernicious to the whole world. Which she as well

made good by the example of her exceeding industry, temperance, and

severity, as those are wont to do by their intemperance and folly:

for ruin of health, estates, virtue, and loss of eternal happiness,

have ever attended, and ever will attend, such earthly minds.

III. Cornelia, also a noble Roman matron, and sister to Scipio, was

esteemed the most famous and honourable personage of her time, not

more for the greatness of her birth, than her exceeding temperance.

And history particularly mentions this, as one great instance of her

virtue, for which she was so much admired, to wit, that she never

was accustomed to wear rich apparel, but such apparel as was very

plain and grave; rather making her children, whom her instructions

and example had made virtuous, her greatest ornament: a good pattern

for the vain and wanton dames of the age.

IV. Pompeia Plautina, wife to Julianus the emperor, commended for

her compassion to the poor, used the power her virtue had given her

with her husband, to put him upon all the just and tender things

that became his charge, and to dissuade him from whatsoever seemed

harsh to the people: particularly she diverted him from a great tax

his flatterers advised him to lay upon the people.

V. Plotina, the wife of Trajan, "a woman," saith a certain author,

"adorned with piety, chastity, and all the virtues that a woman is

capable of." There are two instances; one of her piety, the other

of her chastity; the first is this: when her husband was proclaimed

emperor, she mounted the capitol after the choice, where, in a

religious manner, she said, "Oh, that I may live under all this

honour, with the same virtue and content, that I enjoyed before I

had it." The second is this: her husband being once exiled, she

caused her hair to be cut short, as the men wore it, that with less

notice and danger she might be the companion of his banishment.

VI. Thus may the voluptuous women of the times read their reproof in

the character of a brave Heathen, and learn, that solid happiness

consists in a neglect of wealth and greatness, and a contempt of all

corporeal pleasures, as more befitting beasts than immortal spirits:

and which are loved by none but such, as not knowing the excellency

of heavenly things, are both inventing and delighting, like brutes,

in that which perisheth: giving the preference to poor mortality,

and spending their lives to gratify the lusts of a little dirty

flesh and blood, that shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven;

by all which their minds become darkened, and so insensible of more

celestial glories, that they do not only refuse to inquire after

them, but infamously scoff and despise those that do, as a foolish

and mad people: to that strange degree of darkness and impudence

this age has got. But if the exceeding temperance, chastity, virtue,

industry, and contentedness of very Heathens, with the plain and

necessary enjoyments God has been pleased to vouchsafe to the sons

and daughters of men, as sufficient to their wants and conveniency,

that they may be the more at leisure to answer the great end of

their being born, will not suffice, but that they will exceed the

bounds, precepts, and examples, both of Heathens and Christians;

anguish and tribulation will overtake them, when they shall have an

eternity to think upon, with gnashing teeth, what to all eternity

they can never remedy; these dismal wages are decreed for them, who

so far affront God, heaven, and eternal felicity, as to neglect

their salvation from sin here and wrath to come, for the enjoyment

of a few fading pleasures. For such to think, notwithstanding their

lives of sense and pleasure, wherein their minds become slaves to

their bodies, that they shall be everlastingly happy, is an addition

to their evils: since it is a great abuse to the holy God, that men

and women should believe Him an eternal companion for their carnal

and sensual minds: for "As the tree falls, so it lies; and as death

leaves men, judgment finds them;" and there is no repentance in the

grave. Therefore, I beseech you, to whom this comes, to retire:

withdraw a while: let not the body see all, taste all, enjoy all;

but let the soul see too, taste and enjoy those heavenly comforts

and refreshments proper to that eternal world, of which she is an

inhabitant, and where she must ever abide in a state of peace or

plagues, when this visible one shall be dissolved.