therein have been so ill treated. When Alexander was ready to enter into the Indies, one said unto him, Whi∣ther wilt thou go? Beyond the world? where dying Nature is but a dull lump: where darknesse robs men of heavens light: and the water hath no acquaintance with the earth. What shall you see, but frozen seas; prodigious monsters; maligne stars; and all the powers of life conspiring your death? To what purpose is it to hasten to sail over new and unheard of seas? Inconsi∣derately to interrupt the peacefull seat of the Gods? But (replyed he) Let us courageously go on, let us disco∣ver those forlorn Countreys: Thus did great Hercules deserve to win heaven.
Hope caused Rome to set Armies on foot after the battel of Cannae; and France, to triumph over the English by the hands of a silly shepherdnesse: where∣fore will we despair of our salvation, sith the mercy of God was never extinguished, nor can he cease to be what he is? what a thought of a devil is it, to deliver ones self over to despair in the sight of a Jesus, who beareth our reconciliation on his sacred members, and pleadeth our cause before his eternall Fathet, with as many mouths as our sins in him have opened wounds? Know we not, We have a Bishop, who cannot but com∣passionate our infirmities, seeing he himself hath plea∣sed to passe through all those trials; and to make ex∣perience thereof to his own cost and charges? It is not the despair of our salvation which tempteth us, but that of temporall goods; this suit, and that money, is lost: here is the thing which afflicteth this desolate soul, and makes it hate its proper life. O soul, igno∣rant of the good and evil of thy life! It is thy love and not thy despair alone which tormenteth thee. Thou then hast fixed thy Beatitude on this gold, this silver, on thy profit by this suit; and thou lookest on it, as on a little Divinity. Dost thou forget the words of the Prophet? Silly partridge thou broodest borrowed eggs, thou hast hatched birds which were not thine: let them flie, sith thou canst not hold them.
That which thou esteemest a great losse, shall be the beginning of thy happinesse: thou shalt ever be rich enough, if thou learnest to be satisfied with God. But, this person (whom I more dearly loved then my self) is dead, and all my purposes are ruined by his death: wherefore dost thou resolve with thy self to say now he is dead? Began he not to die from the day of his birth? Must he be looked on as a thing immortall, since both thou and he have already received the Sentence of your deaths from your mothers wombs? If thou onely grievest for his absence, thou wilt quickly be con∣tent; for thou daily goest on towards him, as fast as the Sun which enlightneth us; there is not a day which set thee not forward millions of leagues towards thy Tomb. I am content that they bewail the dead, who can have no hope of Resurrection; they who believe they are dead never to live again. Let them bemoan the losse of their friends as long as they will: as for us, we shall soon see one another, and re-enter into the possession of those, whose absence we a while lament.
It is not absence (say you) which most afflicteth me; but, to see my self destitute of a support which I expected, that is it vexeth me. Enter into thy heart, lay thy hand on thy thoughts, and they will teach thee, that all thy unhappinesse cometh from being still too much tied to honours, ambitions, and worldly com∣modities. I would divert thee as much as I might possibly from despair, but I at this present find that the remedy of thy evils will never be, but in a holy Despair of all the frivolous fair semblances of the world. O how wisely said Vegetius, That Despair is in many a neces∣sity of virtue. But more wisely, S. John Climachus, who defining the life of a perfect Christian, which he calleth the Pilgrimage, did let these words fall, True, and perfect Religion is a generall Despair of all things. O what a happy science is it, to know how to Despair of all, to put all our hope in God alone? Let us take away those deceitfull and treacherous props which be∣siege our credulous minds, and cease not to enter into our heart by heaps: Let us bid adieu to all the charm∣ing promises of a barren and lying world, and turning our eyes towards this celestiall Jerusalem our true countrey; let us sing with the Prophet, All the greatest comfort I have in this miserable life, is, that I often lift up mine eyes to the mountains, and towards heaven, to see if any necessary succour comes to me from any place. From whence can I hope more help or consolation, then from the great God omnipotent, who of nothing created this Ʋniverse and hath (for my sake) made an infinity of so many goodly creatures? Should I see armed squadrons of thunders and lightnings to fall on me, I would have a spirit as confident, as if there were no danger. Were I to passe through the horrours of death being in thy com∣pany, I would fear no danger. Moreover, I hold it for a singular favour, and it shall be no small comfort to me, when thou takest pain lovingly to chastise me for my misdeeds, and to favour me with thy visits. Happy he, who hath raised his gain from his losses, his assu∣rance out of his uncertainties, his strength out of his in∣firmities, his hopes out of his proper Despairs, and who hopes not any thing but what is promised by God, nor is contented but with God who satisfieth all desires and crowneth all felicities.