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[Those Writers place them in the mediocrity of passions, as if not the Cause, but the Degrees of daring, made For∣titude;* 1.1 or not the Cause, but quantity of a gift, made liberality; He is mistaken, almost in every word he writ. First that morall vertue, called Iustice, is not in the passions, nor in any thing th••t hath not reason; So
I may say by prudence, nor doe Philosophers say it is; nor are many of the lawes of nature (as he calle's them) written in these inferiour faculties, but in the superiour; nor doe these men, who write of these things, so foolish∣ly discourse of those vertues, whose nature is busied about the moderating of passions, as if there were no more to doe but to bridle a mans passions; but then finding it necessary for the attayning man's happinesse in this World, that men's passions must be curbed, without which, like an unruly horse, these passions will transport a man to a thousand inconveniencies, and not be governed by Reason, but runne away with it; these vertuous habits subdue those passions, that they act so far, and no farther, then prudence, and right Reason shall direct them; so that mens passions facilitated by Custome, to the yoke, are made to stop, turne or move, according to time, place, per∣sons, manner of working, quantity of working, all Circumstances, as Prudence and right Reason shall prescribe: And this Philosophy St. Paul taught, Gal. 5.24. and tearme's it crucifying the flesh and the passions of it, 1 Cor 9. ult. I keep under,* 1.2 or beate down my body (that is) keep it in subjection, lest▪ while I preach to others, I my selfe should be a cast away: he that keepe's not under his body, his flesh, and the passions of it, can ne∣ver regulate them according to Reason; and therefore this Philosophy of theirs was most excellent, according to true grounds of Reason; but his Censure is much mistaken, where he seeme's to make those Philosophers onely terminate the moderation of these passions in themselves, and not reflect them upon that is most de∣sireable, the subjecting them to Reason, which all I meet with doe. And the mistake runne's in the instance given.
Mr Hobbes m••stake's the Philosophers discou••se of moderating assions.
St. Pauls Phi∣losophy.