Essays of Michael, seigneur de Montaigne in three books : with marginal notes and quotations and an account of the author's life : with a short character of the author and translator, by a person of honour / made English by Charles Cotton ...

CHAP. LVI. (Book 56)

Of Prayers. (Book 56)

I Propose formless and undetermin'd Fancies, like those who publish subtle Questions, to be, after disputed upon in the Schools, not to Establish truth, but to seek it: I submit them to the better Judgments of those, whose Office it is to regulate, not my Writings and Actions only, but moreover my very Thoughts and Opinions. Let what I here set down meet with Correction or Applause, it shall be of equal welcome and utility to me, my self before hand condemning it for Absurd and Impious, if any thing shall be found through Ignorance or Inadvertency, couch'd in this Rhapsody contrary to the Resolutions and Prescriptions of the Roman Cotholick Church, into which I was Born, and in which I will Die. And yet, always submitting to the Authority of their Censure, who have an Absolute Power over me, I thus Temerari∣ously venture at every thing, as upon this pre∣sent Subject.

I know not, if, or no, I am deceiv'd; but since by a particular favour of the Divine Bounty, a certain Form of Prayer has been

prescrib'd and dictated to us, Word by Word, from the Mouth of God himself▪ I have ever been of Opinion, that we ought to have it in more frequent use, than we yet have, and if I were worthy to advise, at the sitting down to, and rising from our Tables, at our rising, and going to Bed, and in every particular Action, wherein Prayer is requir'd, I would that Christians always make use of the Lord's Prayer, if not alone, yet at least always. The Church may lengthen, or alter Prayers, ac∣cording to the necessity of our Instruction, for I know very well, that it is always the same in substance, and the same thing: But yet such a preference ought to be given to that Prayer, that the People should have it con∣tinually in their Mouths; for it is most cer∣tain, that all necessary Petitions are compre∣hended in it, and that it is infinitely p••ope•• for all Occasions. 'Tis the only Prayer I use in all Places and Conditions, and what I still repeat instead of changing; whence it also happens, that I have no other by Heart, but that only. It just now comes into my Mind, from whence we should derive that Errour of having recourse to God in all our Designs and Enterprises, to call him to our Assistance in all sorts of Affairs, and in all Places where our Weakness stands in need of support without considering whether the occasion be just, or otherwise, and to Invoke his Name and Power, in what Estate soever we are, or Action we are engag'd in, how Vicious soever: He is indeed our sole and only Protector, and can

do all things for us: But though he is pleas'd to Honour us with his Paternal Care, he is not withstanding, as Just, as he is Good and Mighty, and does ofter exercise his Justice, than his Power, and favours us according to that, and not according to our Petitions. Plato in his Laws, makes Three sorts of Belief In∣jurious to the Gods; That there is none; That they concern not themselves about Hu∣mane Affairs; and that they never reject or deny any thing to our Vows, Offerings and Sacrifices. The first of these Errours (accord∣ing to his Opinion,) did never continue rooted in any Man, from his Infancy to his Old Age, the other two he confesses, Men might be Obstinate in. God's Justice and his Power are inseparable, and therefore in vain we Invoke his Power in an Unjust Cause: We are to have our Souls pure and clean, at that Moment at least, wherein we Pray to him, and purified from all Vicious Passions, other∣wise we ourselves present him the Rods where∣with to Chastise us. Instead of repairing any thing we have done amiss, we double the Wickedness and the Offence, whilst we offer to him, to whom we are to sue for Pardon, an Affection full of Irreverence and Hatred. Which makes me not very apt to applaud those whom I observe to be so frequent on their Knees, if the Actions nearest of Kin to Prayer, do not give me some Evidence of Reformation.

* 1.1—Si Nocturnus adulter Tempora Sanctonico velas adoperta Cucullo.

With Night-Adulteries, if being foul, Thou shad'st thy guilty Fore-head with a Cowl.

And the Practice of a Man, that mixes Devo∣tion with an Execrable Life, seems in some sort more to be Condemn'd, than that of a Man conformable to his own Propension, and Dis∣solute throughout: And for that Reason, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is, that our Church denies Admittance to, and Communion with Men. Obstinate and Incor∣rigible in any kind of Impiety. We Pray only by custom, and for fashions sake, or rather, we read and pronounce our Prayers aloud which is no better than an Hypocritical shew of Devotion: And I am scandaliz'd, to see a Man Cross himself Thrice at the Benedi•••••••• and as often, at anothers saying Grace, (and the more, because it is a Sign I have in great Veneration, and constant use upon solemn oc∣casions,) and to Dedicate all the other Hour•• of the Day to Acts of Malice, Avarice and Injustice. One Hour to God, the rest to th•• Devil, as if by Commutation and Consent▪ 'Tis a wonder to me, Actions so various in themselves, succeed one another with such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Uniformity of Method, as not to interfere; no•• suffer any alteration, even upon the very Con∣fines and Passes from the one to the other what a Prodigious Conscience must that be that can be at Quiet within it self, whilst it

harbours under the same Roof, with so agree∣ing and so calm a Society, both the Crime and the Judge? A Man whose whole Me∣ditation is continually working upon nothing but Impurity, which he knows to be so Odi∣ous to Almighty God, what can he say, when he comes to speak to him? He Reforms, but immediately falls into a Relapse. If the Ob∣ject of the Divine Justice, and the Presence of his Maker, did as he pretends, Strike and Chastise his Soul, how short soever the Re∣pentance might be, the very fear of offending that Infinite Majesty, would so often present it self to his imagination, that he would soon see himself Master of those Vices, that are most Natural and Habitual in him. But what shall we say of those, who settle their whole course of Life, upon the Profit and Emolument of Sins, which they know to be Mortal? How many Trades of Vocations have we admit∣ted and countenanc'd amongst us, whose very Essence is Vicious? And he that confessing himself to me, voluntarily told me, that he had all his Life time profess••d and practis'd a Religion, in his Opinion Damnable, and con∣trary to that he had in his Heart, only to pre∣serve his Credit, and the Honour of his Em∣ployments, how could his Courage suffer so Infamous a Confession? What can Men say to the Divine Justice upon this subject? Their Repentance consisting in a visible and manifest Reformation and Restitution, they lose the colour of alledging it both to God and Man. Are they so Impudent, as to sue

for Remission, without Satisfaction, and with∣out Penitency, or Remorse? I look upon these as in the same condition with the first: But the Obstinacy is not there so easie to be overcome. This contrariety and volubility of Opinion, so sudden and violent as they pre∣tend, is a kind of Miracle to me. They pre∣sent us with the state of an indigestible An∣xiety, and doubtfulness of Mind. It seem'd to me a Fantastick and Ridiculous Imagination in those, who these late Years past, were wont to Reproach every Man they knew to be of any extraordinary Parts, and made profession of the Roman Catholick Religion, that it was but outwardly, maintaining moreover, to do him Honour for sooth, that whatever he might pre∣tend to the contrary, he could not but in his Heart, be of their Reform'd Opinion. An untoward Disease, that a Man should be so Rivetted to his own Belief, as to fansie, that others cannot believe otherwise, than as he does: and yet worse in this, that they should entertain so Vicious an Opinion of such parts as to think any Man so Qualified, should preferr any present advantage of Fortune, before the promises of Eternal Life, and the means of Eter∣nal Damnation. They may believe me: Could any thing have tempted my Youth, the Ambiti∣on of the danger and difficulties in the late Com∣motions, had not been the least Motives.

It is not without very good Reason, in my Opinion, that the Church Interdicts the Pro∣miscuous, Indiscreet and Irreverent use of the Holy and Divine Psalms, with which the Holy

Ghost Inspir'd King David. We ought not to mix God in our Actions, but with the highest Reverence and Caution. That Poesie is too Sacred, to be put to no other use, than to exercise the Lungs, and to delight our Ears. It ought to come from the Soul, and not from the Tongue. It is not fit that a Prentice in his Shop, amongst his vain and frivolous Thoughts, should be permitted to pass away his time, and divert himself, with such Sacred things. Neither is it decent to see the Holy Bible, the Rule of our Worship and Belief, tumbled up and down a Hall, or a Kitchin. They were formerly Mysteries, but are now become Sports and Recreations. 'Tis a Book too Serious, and too Venerable, to be cursorily or slightly turn'd over. The Reading of the Scripture ought to be a tempe∣ra••e and premediatt••d Act, and to which Men should always add this Devout Preface, Sursum Corda, preparing even the Body to so humble and compos'd a Gesture and Countenance, as shall evidence their Veneration and Attention. Neither is it a Book for every one to fist, but the Study of Select Men set apart for that purpose, and whom Almighty God has been pleas'd to call to that Office, and Sacred Function: The Wicked and Ignorant, Blemish and Deprave it. 'Tis not a Story to tell, but a History to fear and adore. Are not they then pleasant Men, who think they have render'd this fit for the Peoples handling, by Translating it into the Vulgar Tongue? Does the Understanding of all therein con∣tain'd,

only stick at Words? Shall I vent••re to say further, that by coming so near to un∣derstand a little, they are much wider of the whole scope than before. A total Ignorance and wholly depending upon the Exposition of other Qualified Persons, was more know∣ing and salutiferous, than this vain and verbal knowledge, which has only prov'd the Nurse of Temerity and Presumption. And I do fur∣ther believe, that the liberty every one has taken, to disperse the Sacred Writ into so many Idioms, carries with it a great deal more of Danger, than Utility. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mahometans, and almost all others, have E∣spous'd and Reverence the Language wherein their Laws and Mysteries were first conceiv'd, and have expresly, and not without colour of reason, forbid the aversion or alteration of them, into any other. Are we assur'd, that in Biscay, and in Brittany, there are enow competent Judges of this affair, to Establish this Transla∣tion into their own Language? Why, the Universal Church has not a more difficult and solemn Judgment to make. One of our Greek Historians does justly accuse the Age he Liv'd in, for that the Secrets of Christian Religion were disperst into the Hands of every Mecha∣nick, to Expound and Argue upon, according to his own Fancy; and that we ought to be much asham'd, we who by God's especial fa∣vour, enjoy the purest Mysteries of Piety, to suffer them to be: Prophan'd by the ignorant Rabble▪ considering, that the Gentiles ex∣pressly forbad Socrates, Pluto, and the other

Sages, to enquire into, or so much as to men∣tion the things committed only to the Priests of Delphos; saying moreover, that the Factions of Princes, upon Theological accounts, are not Arm'd with Zeal, but Fury; that Zeal springs from the Divine Wisdom and Justice, and governs it self with Prudence and Modera∣tion; but degenerates into Hatred and Envy, producing Tares and Nettles, instead of Corn and Wine, when conducted by Humane Passi∣ons. And it was truly said of another, who advising the Emperour Theodosius, and told him, that Disputes did not so much Rock the Schisms of the Church asleep, as it Rous'd and Animated Heresies. That therefore all Contentions, and Logical Disputations, were to be avoided, and Men absolutely to Acquiess in the Prescriptions and Formula's of Faith, Establish'd by the Ancients. And the Empe∣rour Andronicus, having over-heard some great Men at high words in his Palace with Lapodius, about a Point of ours of great Importance, gave them so severe a Check, as to threaten to cause them to be thrown into the River, if they did not desist. The very Women and Children now adays, take upon them to docu∣ment the Oldest and most Experienc'd Men about the Ecclesiastical Laws: Whereas the first of those of Plato, forbids them to enquire so much as into the Civil Laws; which were to stand instead of Divine Ordinances▪ And allowing the Old M••n to conferr amongst them∣selves, or with the Magistrate, about those things, he adds, provided it be not in the pre∣sence

of Young or Profane Persons. A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 has left in Writing, that at the other end 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the World, there is an Isle, by the Anc••en•• call'd Dioscorides, abundantly Fertile in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sorts of Trees and Fruits, and of an exceed∣ing Healthful Air: The Inhabitants of whi•••• are Christians, having Churches and Alta••••▪ only adorn'd with Crucifixes, without any o∣ther Images, great Observers of Fasts and Feasts: Exact payers of their Tythes to the Priests, and so Chast, that none of them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 permitted to have to do with more than 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Woman in his Life. As to the nest, so con∣tent with their condition, that environed wi•••• the Sea, they know nothing of Navigatio•• and so simple, that they understand not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Syllable of the Religion they profess, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wherein they are so Devout. A thing in∣credible to such as do not know, that the ••gans, who are so Zealous Idolaters, know no∣thing more of their Gods, than their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Names and their Statues. The Ancient be∣ginning of Menalippus, a Tragedy of Euriped••▪ ran thus,

Jupiter, for that Name alone, Of what thou art, to me is known.

I have also known in my time some Men's Writings found fault with, for being purely▪ Humane and Philosophical, without any mix∣ture of Divinity; and yet whoever should on the contrary say, that Divine Doctrine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Queen and Regent of the rest, better, an••

with greater Dec••ncy, Keeps her State apart: What, she ought to be Soveraign, throughout, not Subsidiary and Suffragan: And that per∣adventure, Grammatical, Rhetorical and Lo∣gical Examples, may elsewhere be more suita∣bly chosen, as also the Arguments for the Stage, and Publick Entertainments, than from so Sacred a matter: That Divine Reasons, are consider'd with greater Veneration and At∣tention, when by themselves, and in their own proper Stile, than when mixt with, and adapted to Humane Discourses. That it is a fault much more often observ'd, that the Di∣vines Write too H••manely, than that the Humanists Write not Theologically, enough: Philosophy, says St. Chrysostome, has long been Banishn'd the Holy Schools, as an Hand-maid, altogether useless, and thought unworthy to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, so much as in passing by the Door, into the Sacrifice of the Divine Doctrine. And that the Humane way of speaking is of a much lower form, and ought not to serve her self with the Dignity and Majesty of Divine Eloquence. I say, whoever on the contrary should Object all this, would not be without reason on his ••ide. Let who will Verbis Indisciplinatis, talk of Fortune, Destiny, Accident, Good and E∣vil Hap, and other such like Phrases, accord∣ing to his own-Humour; I for my part, pro∣pose Fancies meerly Humane, and meerly my own, and that simply, as Humane Fancies, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consider'd, not as determin'd by any Arrest from Heaven; or incapable of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or Dispute. Matter of Opinion, not

matter of Faith. Things which I discourse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 according to my own Capacity, not what I be∣lieve according to God; which also I do after a Laical, not Clerical, and yet always after a very Religious manner. And it were as Ra∣tional to affirm, that an Edict, enjoining 〈◊〉〈◊〉 People, but such as are Publick Professors of Divinity, to be very reserv'd in Writing of Religion, would carry with it a very good colour of Utility and Justice▪ and me, amongst the rest, to hold my prating. I have been told, that even those who are not of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church, do nevertheless amongst themselv••••, expresly forbid the Name of God to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in common Discourse: Not so much as by way of Interjection, Exclamation▪ Assertion of a Truth, or Comparison, and I think the•• in the right. And upon what occasion soever we call upon God, to accompany and assist us it ought always to be done with the greatest Reverence and Devotion. There is, as I re∣member, a passage in Xenophon, where he tells us, that we ought so much the more seldom to call upon God, by how much it is hard to compose our Souls to such a degree of Calm∣ness, Penitency and Devotion, as it ought to be in at such time, otherwise our Prayers are not only vain and fruitless, but Vicious in themselves, Forgive us (we say) our Trespasses, as we forgive them that Trespass against us. What do we mean by this Petition but th•••• we present him a Soul free from all Rancour and Revenge? And yet we make nothing of Invoking God's Assistance in our Vices, and inviting him into our unjust Designs.

* 1.2 Quae nisi seductis nequeas committere divis.

Which only to the God's apart, Thou hast the Impudence to impart.

The Covetous Man Prays for the conservation of his superfluous, and peradventure, ill got Riches; The Ambitious for Victory, and the Conduct of his Fortune; the Thief calls God to his Assistance, to deliver him from the Dangers and Difficulties that obstruct his Wicked Designs: Or returns him thanks for the Facility he has met with in Robbing a poor Peasant. At the Door of the House they are going to Storm, or break into by force of a Petarre, they fall to Prayers for suc∣cess, having their instruction and Hopes full of Cruelty, Avarice and Lust.

* 1.3Hoc ipsum quo tu Jovis aurem impellere tentas, Dic agedum Staio, proh Jupiter, ô bone, clamet, Jupiter, at sese non clamet Jupiter ipse.

The Prayers with which thou dost assault Jove's Ear, Repeat to Stains, whom thou soon wilt hear. But Jupiter, good Jupiter, Exclaim: But Jupiter Exclaims not.

Marguarette Queen of Navarre, tells of a Young Prince, (whom though she does not name, is easily enough by his great Quality to be known,) who going upon an Amorous Assignation to Lie with an Advocates Wife of Paris, his way thither being through a Church, he never pass'd that Holy place, going to or re∣turning

from, this Godly Exercise, but he al∣ways Kneel'd down to Pray; wherein he would emplore the Divine Favour, his Soul be∣ing full of such Vertuous Mediations. I leave others to judge, which nevertheless she instan∣ces, for a Testimony of singular Devotion. But it is by this proof only, that a Man may conclude, no Man not very fit to treat of Theological Affairs. A true Prayer, and Re∣ligious reconciling of our selves to Almighty God, cannot enter into an impure Soul, and at the very instant subjected to the very Do∣minion of Satan. He who calls God to his Assistance, whilst in a Habit of Vice, does, as if a Cut-purse should call a Magistrate to help him, or like those who introduce the Name of God to the Attestation of a Lye.

* 1.4—Tacito mala vota susurro Concipimus.

In Whispers we do guilty Prayers make. There are few Men who durst Publish to the World the Prayers they make to Almighty God.

* 1.5Haud cuivis promptum est, murmurque humi∣lesque susurro•• Tollere de Templis, & aperto vivere voto.

'Tis not convenient for every one To bring the Prayer he mutters over there, Out of the Temple to the publick Ear.

And this is the reason why the Pythagor••••••s would have them always Publick, to be heard

by every one, to the end they might not pre∣fer indecent or unjust Petitions, as he did, who having

* 1.6—Clare cum dixit, Apollo, Labra movet metuens audiri: pulebra Laverna, Da mihi fallere, da justum, sanctiumque videri. Noctem peccatis & fraudibus objice nubem.

Apollo's Name pronounc'd aloud: for fear Any his Oraisons should over-hear, Mutter'd betwixt his Teeth, Laverna great, Grant me the Talent to Deceive and Cheat All I shall have to do with ev'ry where, Yet all the while, Holy and Just appear, And from the sight of Men be pleas'd to Shroud, My Sins with Night, Frauds with a Sable Cloud.

The God did severely punish the Wicked Prayers of Oedipus, in granting them: He had Pray'd, that his Children might amongst themselves Determine the Succession to his Throne by Arms; and was so miserable, as to see himself taken at his word. We are not to Pray, that all things may go as we would have them, but as most conducing to the good of the World; and we are not in our Prayers to Obey our Wills, but Prudence. We seem, in truth, to make use of our Prayers, as of a kind of Gibberish, and as those do who employ Holy Words about Sorceries and Ma∣gical Operations: And as if we made account, the benefit we are to reap from them, depend∣ed upon the contexture, sound and gingle of Words, or upon the composing of the Coun∣tenance.

For having the Soul contaminated with Concupiscence, not touch'd with Repen∣tance, or comforted by any late Reconciliation with Almighty God, we go to present him such Words as the Memory suggests to the Tongue, and hope from thence to obtain the Remission of our Sins. There is nothing so easie, so sweet, and so favourable, as the Di∣vine Law: She calls and invites us to her, Guilty and Abominable as we are: Extends her Arms, and receives us into her Bosom▪ as foul and polluted as we at present are, and are for the future to be. But then in re∣turn, we are to look upon her with a re∣spective, and a graceful Eye, we are to re∣ceive this Pardon with all imaginable gratitude and submission, and, for that instant at least, wherein we address our selves to her, to have the Soul sensible of the ills we have com∣mitted, and at defiance with those Passions that seduc'd her to offend, for neither the Gods, nor Good Men (says Plato) will ac∣cept the present of a Wicked Man.

* 1.7Immunis aram si tetigit manus, Non sumptuos•• blandior hostia Mollivit aversos Penates, Farre pio, & saliente mica

The pious Off ring of a piece of Bread, If by a pure Hand on the Altar laid, Than Costly Hecatombs, will better please Th' offended Gods, and their just Wrath ap∣pease.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Juven. Sat. 8.
• * 1.2

  Pers. Sat. 2.
• * 1.3

  Id. Ibid.
• * 1.4

  Lucan. l. 5.
• * 1.5

  Persius, Sat. 2.
• * 1.6

  Hor. l. 1. Epist. 10.
• * 1.7

  Hor. l. 3. Ode 23.