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

CHAP. X. Of Obstinacy.

OBstinacy is a compound of pride and igno∣rance. It is an overthrow of the right polity of the soule, where the will must consult reason; but Obstinacy makes reason to consult the will, so that a man will do or maintaine a thing, not because it is reasonable, but because he did it and maintained it before. Ignorance begins, which hoodwinks the understanding with errour: Then comes Pride, which pins that hood fast about his eyes, pretending that it is a shame for a man to go from his opinion.

By Obstinacy a man comes to that desperate case of the soul, which Philosophy calls feritas, that is, a savage brutishnesse incapable of all ver∣tue and discipline. For he must be either in god or beast that takes his instinct for his perpetual rule and sets before him his present will and doing as an immutable patterne of that he must will and do for ever after.

When Obstinacy hath thus shut the dore

unto discipline and stopt a mans ear against coun∣sell, one of these two evills followeth, Either he is hardned in evill without remedy; Or if by chance he light on the right side, he spoiles it as farre as in him lyes; maintaining truth and equi∣ty, not because it is so, but because he will have it so.

There is no greater enemy to Christian wise∣dome then that stubborne disposition. For there∣by a man stands in direct opposition against God, challenging to himselfe that which belongs to God alone, even to make his will a reason and a law. When the light of reason, or the word of God, or the manifest course of his providence, declares to us what the will of God is, neverthe∣lesse to set our will against it, out of a pretended constancy in our former opinion and inclination, what is it else but to make warre against God?

As Obstinacy is odious to God, so it is odious in society. It makes a man troublesome, ridicu∣lous, and the undoer of himselfe; And of his Country also, if he be assisted with power, and hath many persons and businesses depending up∣on him. Expect neither wisedome nor faire dealing, nor serenity within, nor good actions abroad, where the will takes no counsell of rea∣son. There is no place left for amendment, when one thinkes himselfe obliged never, to alter his minde.

As Obstinacy hardeneth opinions it doth the

like to passions, to those chiefely that have me∣lancholy for their fewell, as sadnesse, hatred, en∣vy, and love also, for of these growne once inve∣terate many times a man can give no reason, but that he will continue as he hath begun.

This vice is a bastard imitation of Constancy, whose name it borrowes, but very injuriously: for constancy consisteth not in stedfastnesse to a mans own will, but in a firme adhering to good∣nesse. That which is good one time, perhaps will not be so another time. Righteousnesse indeed is alwayes one and the same, but variety of inci∣dences and circumstances makes it change faces. As the needle of the compasse that stands so fixt upon the North, not to be mooved from that point by the greatest tempests, yet will in an in∣stant turne to the South when the ship is gone be∣yond the Equinoctiall line, and to that contrary point will keep with the like stedfastnesse so long as it is in that hemisphere: Likewise, a wise and good man will be firme in his resolutions, where his duty calls him; So because his duty lyes not at all times the same way, his resolutions also are not bent at all times the same way, but will turne with his duty. Jeremiah desired sincerely the preservation of the Kingdome of Juda, & the liberty of his Country; But after that Zede∣kiah had taken the Oath of allegiance to the King of Babylon, he adviseth Zedekiah and his people, to yeeld Jerusalem to him.

In vaine Obstinacy aspireth to the praise of a great and brave spirit, it is rather a womanish narrowspirited weakenesse. It was the proper saying of a femall, Mene incoepto desistere victam! Must I be overcome and desist from my purpose! Great houses have some roomes for winter, some for Summer, and severall apartements for seve∣rall Offices; But in small cabines the kitchin and the bedchamber are all one, and the same still in all seasons: Even so great spirits have a space for diversity of counsels, according to the diver∣sity of occurrences, and various constellations of times and businesses which continually alter; but they are narrowbreasted men that have but one resolution and one course to carry them through all things and times. It is for a low and timorous spirit to be afraid to change fashion, and think himselfe lost when he must travell by a way that he never went before, whereas great spirits are complying, facile, universall; and their knowledge of the world, makes them finde nothing new or strange.

Obstinacy should be overcome from the cradle. Even then a child should be used to be contradicted, and as soone as the light of reason beginns to dawne in his young soul, he must be taught to subject his will unto reason. Growne men, hardned in that vice by ill breeding and the flattery of men and fortune, yet may be healed if they will remove the causes of the disease.

Since then Obstinacy is a compound of ignorance and pride, they must strive against both; Good instruction will expell ignorance, and as know∣ledge growes, especially that of God and them∣selves, Pride will decrease, and they will be∣come docile and susceptible of better infor∣mation.

And whereas Obstinacy puts reason out of her seat, subjecting her to passion her naturall subject, they must endeavour to restore reason to her right place and authority, forbidding the will to determine before reason hath given her verdict; or to give a resolution for a reason, for if the resolution bee unreasonable, one must go from it, the sooner the better. It is unworthy of a man to have no reason but his will and cu∣stome, and being asked why he persisteth in this course, not to give his reason for answer but his Passion. Indeed obstinate men will give ma∣ny reasons of their fixednesse in their opinion; but let them examine soberly and impartially, whe∣ther their opinion be grounded upon those rea∣sons, or whether they alledge those reasons, be∣cause they will be of that Opinion.

While wee goe about weaning of our mind from obstinacy, wee must take heed of falling into a contrary evill a thousand times more danger∣ous; which is, to betray truth and righteousnes, to complie with the time. For wee must never bal∣lance whether God or men must be obeyed. We

must not follow the multitude to do evill, though the world should charge us with Obstinacy. If our conscience tell us, that wee deserve not that charge, wee may rest satisfied; for wee are ac∣countable to God of our opinion, not of the opi∣nion that others have of us. It is Constancy not Obstinacy to maintaine truth and good consci∣ence, even to the last breath, despising publique opposition and private danger. I joine truth with good conscience, because if the question be of a truth which may be left undefended without wronging a good conscience, it would be a foolish Obstinacy to swimme against a violent and dan∣gerous streame to defend it. But if it be such a truth as cannot be baulked without breaking faith with God and turning from a good consci∣ence, wee must persist in it, and resist unto blood when wee are put to it. And better it is to be cal∣led opiniatre, then to be perfidious.