Of peace and contentment of minde. By Peter Du Moulin the sonne. D.D.

CHAP. X. Of low Condition.

IT is, in the Judgement of many, worse yet then poverty; and it is for its sake that they feare poverty. It is of several degrees and is more or lesse grievous according to the diversity of persons and designes. To them that aspire to honours, but are kept back, and think they lose all they cannot get, it is unsufferable; and more yet to them that had honours and were justled out of them; for men will get up to honour with a good will, but none descends from it unlesse he be hurled downe; which hath given occasion to the institution of yearely Magistrates. Others are bred in a low condition and aspire not much higher, yet they groane under the yoake which their condition ingageth them unto. Thus all are discontented, and none are so high but think themselves too low.

The low condition indeed is slavish, especially in France and Poland; and he that can handsomely

get out of the bottom where the land-flood of the publique stormes stayeth, and take himselfe out of the number of the beasts of carriage, shall do prudently to seek his liberty. St. Pauls advice is judicious Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it ra∣ther. 1 Cor. 7.21. If it be impossible for a wise∣man to get that liberty, let him consider that as the low condition is more onerous, so it is lesse dangerous; In France especially, where although the armies consist of high and low, yet the maine shock of battles falles upon the Gentry, and the best of the Nobility. The hazardous attempts fall to their share. All may follow warre, but the Gentry hold it their proper trade. The French Gentleman is borne in a manner with his sword by his side. Who so will observe how in noble houses two thirds of their branches are lopt off by warre, shall finde that the Nobility and Gen∣trie pay deare for their immunities.

To beare with the low condition, one should observe well the inconveniences of the high. The higher a man stands, the fairer mark doth he give to envy, secret undermining, and open hostili∣ty. Great places are like stilts upon which a man hath but a tottering standing, especially in a croud, where all justle against him to make him fall. A Crowne loads a Kings head and covers it not, but lets in on all sides the arrowes that are shot against it. There is no need of deep Phi∣losophy

to be free from the desire of it, and of all places of great respect and great busines. One needs but know them, and love himselfe. All great dignities are great miseries. It must needs be that there is some fatality for the subsistence of the general, that sets-on men to thrust blindly forward for high dignities; Otherwise men be∣ing all voluptuous & lovers of themselvs, would not take so much labour as to climb up with hands and feet unto their misfortune. A wise man will love his own rest better then to crowd for dignities; choosing rather to sit upon lower steps, and to owe his tranquillity to his obscuri∣ty. He will esteeme no honour or great imploy∣ment worth losing the liberty of meditation, and the holy and heavenly conversation with God: for who would come from heaven to be toyling in the earth? As valleys have lesse wind and more heat of the Sunne then mountaines, so the low condition hath lesse agitation then the high, and the rayes of the Snune of righteous∣nesse will commonly shine upon it more graci∣ously and powerfully,

Nobility of extraction being nothing in na∣ture, the same is true also of meane blood; both consist in Opinion, and yet not in opini∣on of the persons concerned, but of others, which to any wiseman must be of very smal con∣sideration. In any condition one may have na∣tural nobility, consisting in a meeke and mag∣nanimous

disposition, apt to the knowledge of great things, and so well seasoned with vertue. By that description how many ignoble persons will be found among the Noble by extraction, and how many noble among persons of meane descent? God deliver us from Gentlemen of the savage kinde that make nobility to consist in barbarousnesse, idlenesse, and contempt of di∣vine and humane lawes; and from ignobleup∣starts, who to approve themselves Gentlemen strive to outdoe them that are so, in pride and licentiousnesse.

But there is a nobility infinitely above the best natural nobility. (I bring not the Cvil within this comparison, it is nothing but fortune and Opinion) That high transcendent nobility is but to be the child of God by Jesus Christ, and heire of his Kingdome. The titles of that nobility are from all eternity, and will be to all eternity; and by it a man riseth so high as to become parta∣ker of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. saith St. Peter. Who so hath the patents of that nobility, and makes himselfe sure of them by a lively faith working by love, is neither puft up nor beaten downe with his temporal condition. He will look with contempt upon the vulgar contentions about the first place, much like the emulation of horses striving who should go the formest of a company. And truly it is a quality of good hor∣ses not of good men. A man honoured with

spiritual nobility if he have temporal nobility be∣sides, must keep his degree, but esteeme it too low to glory in it. And if he have not that worldly advantage, he will be content with the heavenly, knowing that being one of Gods children he cannot be further ennobled.

As we that live upon Earth find it very great, and see the Sunne very little although it be a hundred and threescore times greater then the Earth; Likewise to men altogether earthy, the honours of the earth seeme very great, and the heavenly nobility but a small thing: But if from the Orbe of the Sun the Earth may be seene (as it is very likely) no doubt but it appeares a very small thing, as lesser then most of the visi∣ble Starres. Worldly honours appeare lesser yet, to him that hath the true sence of his heavenly nobility, and lookes upon Earth as it were from Heaven. The time draweth nigh that will make Kings and Beggers alike in the dust.