SECT. 3. MEMB. 1. SUBSECT. 1. A Consolatory Digression containing the Remedies of all manner of discontents.

Because in the precedent Section, I have made mention of good counsel, comfortable speeches, perswasion, how necessarily they are required to the cure of a discontented or troubled mind, how present a remedy they yield, and many times a sole sufficient cure of themselves; I have thought fit in this following Section, a little to digress, (if at least it be to digress in this subject) to collect and glean a few remedies, and comfortable speeches out of our best Orators, Philosophers, Divines, and fathers of the Church, tending to this purpose.

I confess, many have copiously written of this subject, Plato, Seneca, Plutarch, Xenophon, Epictetus, Theophrastus, Xenecrates, Crantor, Lucian, Boethius: and some of late, Sadoletus, Cardan, Budæus, Stella, Petrarch, Erasmus, besides Austin, Cyprian, Bernard, &c. And they so well, that as Hierome in like case said si nostrum areret ingenium, de illorum posset fontibus irrigari, if our barren wits were dryed up, they might be copiously irrigated from those well-springs:

And I shall but actum agere; yet because these tracts are not so obvious and common, I will Epitomize, and briefly insert some of their divine precepts, reducing their voluminous and vast Treatises to my small scale; for it were otherwise impossible to bring so great vessels into so little a creek.

And although (as Cardan said of his book de consol.) I know before hand, this tract of mine many will contemn and reject; they that are fortunate, happy, and in flourishing estate, have no need of such consolatory speeches; they that are miserable and unhappy, think them unsufficient to ease their grieved minds, and comfort their misery: Yet I will go on;

for this must needs do some good to such as are happy, to bring them to a moderation, and make them reflect and know themselves, by seeing the inconstancy of humane felicity, others misery: and to such as are distressed, if they will but attend and consider of this, it cannot choose but give some content and comfort.

’Tis true, no medicine can cure all diseases; some affections of the mind are altogether incurable; yet these helps of Art, Physick and Philosophy must not be contemned. Arrianus and Plotinus are stiffe in the contrary opinion, that such precepts can do little good. Boethius himself cannot comfort in some cases: they will reject such speeches like bread of stones, Insana stultæ mentis hæc solatia.

Words adde no courage, (which Catiline once said to his souldiers) a Captains oration doth not make a coward a valiant man: And as Job feelingly said to his friends, you are but miserable comforters all. ’Tis to no purpose in that vulgar phrase to use a company of obsolete sentences, and familiar sayings:

As Plinius Secundus being now sorrowful and heavy for the departure of his dear friend Cornelius Rufus a Roman Senator, wrote to his fellow Tiro in like case, adhibe solatia, sed nova aliqua, sed fortia, quæ audierim nunquam, legerim nunquam: nam quæ audivi, quæ legi omnia, tanto dolore superantur, either say something that I never read nor heard of before, or else hold thy peace.

Most men will here except, trivial consolations, ordinary speeches, and known perswasions in this behalf will be of small force; what can any man say that hath not been said? To what end are such parænetical discourses? you may as soon remove mount Caucasus, as alter some mens affections. Yet sure I think they cannot choose but do some good, comfort and ease a little, though it be the same again, I will say it, and upon that hope I will adventure.

Non meus hic sermo, ’tis not my speech this, but of Seneca, Plutarch, Epictetus, Austin, Bernard, Christ and his Apostles. If I make nothing, as Mountaigne said in like case, I will mar nothing; ’tis not my doctrine but by study, I hope I shall do nobody wrong to speak what I think, and deserve not blame in imparting my mind. If it be not for thy ease, it may for mine own; so Tully, Cardan, and Boethius wrote de consol. as well to help themselves, as others; be it as it may, I will essay.

Discontents and grievances are either generall or particular; generall are wars, plagues, dearths, famine, fires, inundations, unseasonable weather, Epidemical diseases which afflict whole Kingdoms, Territories, Cities: or peculiar to private men, as cares, crosses, losses, death of friends, poverty, want, sickness, orbities, injuries, abuses, &c. Generally all discontent, homines quatimur fortunæ salo. No condition free, quisque suos patimur manes.

Even in the midst of our mirth and jollity, there is some grudging, some complaint; as he saith, our whole life is a Glucupicron, a bitter sweet passion, hony and gall mixt together, we are all miserable and discontent, who can deny it? If all, and that it be a common calamity, an inevitable necessity, all distressed, then as Cardan infers, who art thou that hopest to go free? Why dost thou not grieve, thou art a mortall man, and not governor of the world?

Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes, Nemo recuset, If it be common to all, why should one man be more disquieted then another? If thou alone wert distressed, it were indeed more irksome, and less to be indured; but when the calamity is common, comfort thy self with this, thou hast more fellows, Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris, ’tis not thy sole case, and why shouldst thou be so impatient?

I, but alas we are more miserable then others, what shall we do? Besides private miseries, we live in perpetuall fear, and danger of common enemies; we have Bellona’s whips, and pittifull out-cryes, for Epithalamiums; for pleasant musick, that fearfull noise of Ordnance, Drums, and warlike Trumpets still sounding in our eares; instead of nuptiall Torches, we have firing of Towns, and Cities, for triumphs, lamentations; for joy, teares.