The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
That these worldly things hauehave their goodnesse onelyonly from opinion, and from competition; from difficultie in obtaining, and from their rarenesse in inioying.
SSecondly, the vanitie and worthlesnesse§. Sect. 1. That worldly things hauehave their chiefe excellencie from opinion. of these worldly things appeareth, in that they hauehave in them no sound and substantiall excellencie, but what they hauehave from their opinion who inioy them: being meane to those, who meanely account of them, excellent to those who admire and adore them, & base, and of no worth to those who contemne and despise them; so that their goodnesse is not in truth, but in conceit; and if you would know of what value they are, you must not consider them in themselues, but bring them to be measured by the deceiuable el…e of mans phantasie, and waigh them in the vaine and vnconstant ballance of humane opinion. In which you shall find no certaintie, seeing eueryevery one varieth from another, yea oftentimes from himselfe, now esteeming that which erewhile hee contemned, and despising that, which not long since he loued and admired. One maketh honour his idol, ascribing vntounto it the chiefe excellencie, and in comparison thereof basely esteemeth of riches, and neglecteth pleasures; another adoreth gold as his God, and careth neither for his credit nor delight, so as his idoll be propitious vntounto him; a third chiefly doteth on voluptuous pleasures, hauocking his estate, and setting his good name and reputation to sale for a daies delight, or a nights pleasure; yea wee may often see the same man one while raising the prizes of these earthly coines, and soone after crying them downe againe; in his childhood and youth, hee chiefly esteemeth pleasures, in his riper yeeres and full strength, his honour and reputation; and in his old daies despising both these, he is wholly transported with couetousnes, and biteth at no bait so eagerly, as at that which is couered with gold. Now what worth or excellencie can bee in that, which hath his whole subsistence in so vnstable a ground, altering and changing, rising and falling, according to the vaine conceit, and inconstant opinion of mutable mankind?
But let vsus consider the truth hereof in those speciall instances,§. Sect. 2. Opinion maketh honours so much affected. of honours, riches and pleasures which worldlings dote vponupon with such great louelove and admiration. And first for the honours of the world, who seeth not, that they are in themselues but bare shadowes and titles, consisting in the obseruance of some idle rites and ceremonies, as in higher place, capping, crouching, bowing, kneeling, descents, arms, pictures, words and tearmes, which hauehave in them no substantiall good at all, but onelyonly are esteemed and reputed so, in the conceit and opinion of the giuers and receiuers; the which foundation being altogether vnstable and infirme, that which is built vponupon it, must needs bee vaine and mutable; honours changing and varying, as oft as their opinions who doe conferre them change and alter. And hereof it is, that the selfe same thing which is honourable in one man, is disgracefull in another; that which is now praised and extolled, is at another time discommended and disgraced; and§. Sect. 3. That opinion giueth riches their chiefe excellencie. Aurum et argentum nonne terra est rubra & alba, quam solus hominum error facit (aut magis reputat) pretiosum? Bernard. de aduent. domini. Serm. 4. Aes pau…orum insania pretiosum. Seneca. those obseruances and ceremonies, which in one place doe most magnifie a mans worth and dignitie, doe in another place and countrie vilifie and disgrace him; the opinions of men, changing with the aire, and honours with opinion.
The like also may be said of riches, which although they be more reall and substantiall then the other; yet their chiefe goodnesse and excellencie consisteth in the opinion of those who desire and possesse them; for what true worth and excellencie are in pearles and pretious stones which are valued at such high rates; if at least we measure worth by fruition and vse, but that which they hauehave from the vngrounded phantasie, and vaine conceit of those who desire them? what great excellencie is there in gold and siluer, aboue copper, iron and steele, but that as one saith, by the madnesse of some men, they are become pretious; Neither hath nature (as saith another) made them of more value, but the will and opinion of Aurum & argentu… non preciosum natura instituit, sed hominum voluntas effeci…. Ambros. serm. 39. tom. 3. Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. Homil. 21. Auarus longe iucundius aspicit aurum quam solem. Basil de aua…it. orat. 15.men. For if we measure things by their vse and profit, iron and steele are much necessarie to the well being of man; seeing they doe not onelyonly serue better for his defence, but also are the necessarie instruments of husbandrie, arts and occupartions. And yet so strongly this ill grounded opinion preuaileth with worldly and couetous men, that they take much more delight in beholding their siluer in their darke chests and closets, then the comfortable beames of the Sunne in a winters day, though it be the chiefe instrument of their life and being; yea are readie vponupon all offers to sell the fauour of God, that they may obtaine gold; and the ioyes of heauen together with their owne soules, that they may inrich themselues with this shining earth and base mettall. The like also may be said of chaines, bracelets, rings, and such other massie ornaments; which were they not made precious and esteemable by the opinion of those that weare them, would otherwise bee thought combersome burthens, and troublesome clogs, which they would not be intreated, and scarcely hired to weare about them; yea were they imposed vponupon them as a punishment, and not willingly put on as ornaments, they would be borne with some impatiencie. But now so much are they extolled by the vaine opinion and conceit of men, that these things are not onelyonly esteemed good, but in a high degree of excellencie, of which they become proud, as though they were parts of their owne bodie; insomuch as they carrie their deare prized fetters, and golden giues, not only with ease, but also with pleasure and delight; and weare these burthens not onelyonly vponupon them, but pearce their eares and make holes and wounds in their owne flesh, that so they may hang these clogs about, yea fix them fast vntounto thē. So as it is to be feared lest together with their opinion, their fondnes & dotage increasing, they wil in time with ye barbarous Indians weare thē also in their lips & noses. To this purpose one saith, that the wife imposeth vponupon her rich Ambros. lib. de Nabuth. cap. 5. tom. 4.husband, a necessitie of cost and charge, that she may drinke out of rich plate, sleepe in sumptuous furniture, lie in a siluer bed, load her hands with golden bracelets, and her necke with chaines and iewels. For women are delighted euen with fetters, so they bee of gold, neither doe they esteeme them burthens, so they bee pretious; nor thinke them bonds, so that their treasure shine in them. Yea, they are delighted with their wounds, that they may thrust gold through their eares, and hang pearles and iewels at them: and yet these iewels hauehave their waight, and such clothing their cold; they sweat with the burthen of their iewels, and are chill with cold in their thin silkes; and yet the opinion of their price helpeth all; and that which nature abhorreth, couetousnesse commendeth and extolleth.
Lastly, what worth and excellencie is in worldly pleasures,§. Sect. 4. That there is no excellencie in worldly pleasures, but what opinion imparts vntounto them. more then opinion imparts vntounto them? For doe wee not see, that that which to one is magnified as his chiefe delight, is vntounto another loathsome and tedious? and contrariwise, that which is accounted this mans hell, is esteemed anothers paradise? one thinketh hunting and hawking his worldly happinesse, another accounteth it a tedious toyle; one swalloweth drinke as pleasing nectar, and the more hee drinketh, the more hee desireth; another when his thirst is quenched, receiueth it as a medicine, or loathsome potion; one pampereth his bodie, another abhorreth gluttonie, as a combersome vice; one taketh his chiefe felicitie in masking and reuelling, in carding, dicing, and dancing; another▪ hateth them as idle and effeminate sports, and placeth his happinesse in martiall exercises, which th… other fleeth as painfull and dangerous. In a word, eueryevery man hath his seuerall delight wherein he taketh his chiefe contentment; and this contentment he hath not from any worth or excellencie in the thing it selfe, for then it would giuegive vntounto all others the same delight, but from his owne opinion and conceit. And hence it is that his opinion changing, his pleasures also change, insomuch as wee may often obserue that those delights which hauehave been heretofore his chiefe felicitie, vponupon the alteration of his conceit, become loathsome and vnpleasant. And as a man distempered with a burning ague, thinketh wholesome drinkes bitter and loathsome; and those which are tart and sowre, pleasant and well rellished; which againe being restored to his health, hee much distasteth duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page and disliketh: so voluptuous men being distempered with the raging heate of their burning passions, doe oftentimes affect and desire, such carnall pleasures, and odious delights, as afterwards they loathe and abhorre, when as the hot fit of their raging passions being ouerpast, they are somewhat recouered to their health, and hauehave a freer vse of their iudgement and reason. And therefore seeing all these things which the world esteemeth chiefely good, hauehave their worth and excellencie not from themselues, but from our opinion and conceit; let vsus no longer adore these idols which are of our owne making, nor still suffering our selues to bee bewitched with our owne phantasies; let vsus any more serue and reuerence these things which are but of an indifferent nature, and meane qualitie; because we hauehave magnified them in our conceits, and seated them in the highest place of our hearts, which in respect of their small worth, scarce deserue any roome at all, or to stand (so much as) behind the doore, vnlesse it were to be at vertues call, to performe such offices and good duties as shee appointeth. But let vsus learne at last to set our hearts and affections vponupon spirituall and heauenly things, which are in their owne nature truely and substantially good, and not like the other; therefore excellent, because we affect and thinke them so; but therefore to bee esteemed and much affected, because in truth they are of great worth and excellenci…
Thirdly, the vanitie of these worldly things heereby appeareth,§. Sect. 5. That vvordly things are more commended vntounto vsus by eager competition thē by any selfe-excellencie. in that they are not commended vntounto vsus so much by their owne worth and excellencie, as by the competition of others who affect and seeke them as well as wee: for had we no corriuals in our louelove to whet our affection, and sharpen our appetite, it would soone faint and languish towards these earthly things, there being in themselues no substantiall good which might serue as fuell to nourish and preserue it. But when as we see others admire and louelove them, we begin to imagine that there is somewhat in them worth out liking and desiring, grounding this conceit not vponupon our owne knowledge and exeperience, but vponupon the iudgement and practise of those who hauehave gone before vsus, or that liue with vsus; who likewise hauehave beene after the same maner deceiued and seduced, hauing had some such presidents which they also imitate. And when this conceit hath once possessed vsus, then selfeloue blowing the cole which phantasie hath kindled, our hearts are presently inflamed with a desire of obtaining that which so many seeke; partly to shew that our owne wisedome, policie and power, if we list to imploy them, can goe as fast a pace as other mens, and can with greater dexteritie and agilitie catch that game after which so many hunt; and partly because wee imagine, that there may be some worth and excellency in these things although we be ignorant of it, which if happily it should so fall out in the proofe and experience, we would rather at all aduentures enioy it then another, lest afterwards the worth appearing, we should hauehave cause to repent of our sloth and negligence, in that wee hauehave suffered others to outstrip and go… before vsus. And thus we affect these vanities not for any good or excellencie we see in them, but rather in selfeloue, pride, enuie▪ and emulation, because wee would preuent others, and obtaine that which they so much desire. Like vntounto boyes, who with all eagernes runne after a ball, not for the louelove of it self, but that they may catch it before another, whereas they would scarce looke after it, if they had no competitour to contend with them. And as the vulgar people running in flocks to see some vaine sight, do moue others which scarcely know wherefore they make such haste, to goe with them for companie, and euen to outstrip their fellows with nimble speed; so doe they runne with headlong haste in the pursuite of these worldly vanities; not because themselues know any worth or excellencie in them, but because they see that many hauehave gone before them, and that many are still going speedily in this course, they also goe for companie, labouring to preuent them with their haste, and to obtain that first, which being obtained they do not know as yet whether it be worth their hauing and enioying; yea and that which is worst of all, after that they see their errour, and hauing had triall of these things in their owne experience, doe plainly perceiue, that they deserue not their labour, nor are worthie of their louelove; yet they will seeme highly to value and affect them still, lest the weakenes of their iudgements, which so much valued them before they had them, might bee discouered, and make account of them, now they hauehave them in their possession, lest they might seeme to hauehave spent all their labour and strength in vaine, which they hauehave taken and imployed in the procuring of them. Like vntounto a Merchant, who hauing trauelled farre and made an hard aduenture to fetch some stones, which report made him beleeue were precious and of great esteeme, after he hath brought them home doth highly value them still, although the cunning Lapidarie hauehave told him that they are but counterfeit, either that hee may put them off to others at his owne prizes, or at least may not impaire his credit, when as it should be knowne that hee hath lost all his charges, and receiued no fruite by all his labours: or like vntounto those who hauing vainely spent much paines in the pursuite of some trifle, doe afterwards when they hauehave found their errour still magnifie and extoll it, not because they thinke it of any worth, but fearing lest they should be laughed to scorne for their follie and lost labour, they would by their praises incourage others to follow their example, that so they may be excused by the common error, and not be ridiculous seeing they hauehave so many fellowes.
But let vsus consider this in the generall instances of honours,§. Sect. 6. Honours hauehave a great part of their esteeme from competition, and so also riches, and pleasures. riches, and pleasures. And first if we examine honours, we shall finde that they hauehave a great part of their worth and esteeme from competition, and the contending heate, and emulating desires, of those who affect and seeke after them. For what excellencie is in a long fetcht pedegree, sauing that men contend one with another who shall more enoble themselues by fetching it furthest, or in fame and vaineglorie, sauing that they striue who shall be most famous and best esteemed of? or what priuiledge doth the vpper place bring with it, more then the lower, the right hand then the left, or the wall then the channell side, sauing that men emulating one another, doe striue and contend about them who shall hauehave preheminence? Finally, what worth and excellencie hath high preferment, which commonly is accompanied with most trouble and danger, sauing that men striue who shall ascend higher on this ladder, and in the heate of their contention tread their fellowes vnderunder feete, that they may rise before them? wherein what doe they else but behaue themselues like children, who goe together by the eares, whilest they contend one with another, who shall be king in their play? whereas within an houre after the play being done, they are all againe equall; or imagining a little hillock to be a strong fort, doe assault and defend it with as great skill and furie, as though the holding of it were a matter of great importance; whereas after the contention is ceased, it remaineth emptie, and is passed by with neglect and contempt. And so these ambitious men hauing propounded these trifles as the cause of their emulation and contention, and being by reason of their pride and selfeloue, impatient of any foile, do with all earnestnes and eagernes striue about them, not because they thinke the things themselues for which they contend are worth their paines and labour, but because if they doe not obtaine the victorie, they thinke themselues much disgraced, in that they are not able to hauehave their will. The like also may be said of riches, the competition and earnest pursuite whereof by so many, addeth no small matter to the common opinion of their worth and estimation: for otherwise wherefore doe men so greedily scrape much more then is sufficient for themselues, their charge, or any other good vse wherein they hauehave any purpose of imploying them, if they did not (measuring their goodnesse by their goods) desire to bee better then other men, and therefore couet to excell them in that which they thinke doth make them commendable, and more respected? Why doe they hoord them vp in great abundance, and like the dogge in the maunger neither vse them themselues, nor communicate them vntounto any other for their vse and benefit; but that in a kinde of enuie and emulation they would exceed all other in wealth, and bee accounted great by the large portion which they hauehave of these small vanities? In a word, why doe they so highly value that which they intend neuer to vse; if it were not that they hauehave got them with great labour and difficultie; and by their wit and industrie hauehave outstripped many who were competitours with them in this golden suite? Whereas contrariwise if their appetite were not sharpened by this corriualship, if in their eagernesse and emulation they did not thinke that they had lost all that, which they see others gaine; they would not so much esteeme and seeke after needlesse abundance and superfluitie, but would rest contented with that which they did know how to vse. And thus also pleasures are made truly pleasant and delightfull, and are then chiefly esteemed to be of some value, and worth the hauing, when as many contending for them, some one among the rest, hath the inioying them; which if they did lie out in common, and might easily be inioyed without any emulation or competition, no man almost would looke after them, or thinke their fruition worth their cost and labour.
Fourthly, the worthlesse vanitie of these worldly things§. Sect. 7. Worldly things are commended vntounto vsus by the difficulties we find in obtaining them. hereby appeareth; in that they hauehave not so much estimation from any excellencie that we find in them, when we hauehave them, as from the great difficultie, which we hauehave found in obtaining and comming by them, our labouring, suffering▪ hazards and dangers, endearing our affection, and increasing our louelove; and making vsus apt to proportion our estimation, not according to the worth of these vaine wares, but to our own venture and paines which we hauehave taken in compassing of them; because we would not be subiect to the censure of follie, for not making of a good bargaine. And hereof it is, that these things, though they be but of small worth, yet are they greatly esteemed, because they are purchased and procured with no small labour; for as nothing is more easilie contemned, then that which is easilie gotten, according to the common prouerbe: Lightly come, and lightly gone; so nothing maketh a thing more deare and pretious, how worthlesse soeuer it be in it selfe, then when it is bought at these deare rates, and compassed with much paines and great difficultie; It being the nature of man to hauehave delight of comming to his ends by the way of opposition, and to think it more glorious to inioy his desires by a doubtfull victorie, then by a readie yeelding. And much … doth▪ desire toNon tam portas intrare patentes quam fregisse in…at. Lucanus. breake open a passage for his hopes by violence, … to find a free entrance: yea, and when outward oppositio… ceaseth, the inward opposition which he findeth at home in his own conscience in compassing of these earthly things, doth much raise their price and estimation. For when the conscience agreethMinus placet magis qu…d suadetur, quod dissuadetur placet. Plautus in Trium. Illicita amantur, excidit quicquid licet. Senec. in Herc. Oe…. Rom. 7. 8. Cui peccare licet peccat minus: ips… potestas-Semina nequitiae languidiora facit. Ouid. Eleg. lib. 3. §. Sect. 8. Difficultie in obtaining them, maketh honours and riches so much to be esteemed. with the desire, and approuing of it, giueth free libertie of seeking and inioying, then the thing desired is commonly but lightly set by, and meanely esteemed: but when it is vnlawfull either in it selfe, or in respect of the meanes of comming by it; then …he Law of God forbidding it, and the conscience condemning it, doe set a wonderfull edge vponupon the appetite, making it the more to affect it, by how much the more difficultie and hazard there is in attaining vntounto it; faring herein like the riuer, which when it hath a free current, runneth quietly in his owne chanell; but finding stop and opposition …t rageth and swelleth, and breaking downe his banks, ouerfloweth the whole Countrie.
And thus honours are highly valued and esteemed, because they are not obtained without great labour and danger, as abroad by lying in the open fields, by watching in the night, and toiling in the day, by innumerable perils in open fight, and secret ambushments, wounds, skarres, effusion of blood, and continuall hazard of life; or else at home by the painefull and carefull seruice of the state, which is often ioyned with as much hazard as labour. By which difficult meanes when they are compassed, they are answerably esteemed and valued, not according to their owne worth, but according to these deare prizes, at which they were purchased. Or if the estimation of these honours bee not aduanced by these outward difficulties, (as in truth this dangerous way of comming vntounto honour, was neuer in any age lesse trauelled)Audax omnia perpeti, gens humana ruit per vetitum nesas. Horat. Oda 3. lib. 1. yet at least they are valued the more, in regard of the inward opposition which men find in their consciences, by vsing vnlawfull meanes to attaine vntounto them; as namely counterfeiting hypocrisie, machiauellian policies, treacherous falsehood, whereby they raise themselues by supplanting others, not caring by how wicked steps they clime, so they may rise, and place themselues in the feare of honour. The which is the more vsuall path which is tracted in these daies, men being now become so politike, that they will not take substantiall paines, to bee rewarded with a shadow, but fitting their worke according to their wages, they compasse vaine honours with semblances of good and vaine shewes. But yet in the meane time by vsing these wicked and vnlawfull meanes to attaine vntounto their desires, they hazard their saluation, and for the purchasing of honours by vnlawfull means, they set their soules to sale; and therefore it is no maruell if hauing obtained them, they doe highly value them, seeing they hauehave bought them at such deere rates. And thus riches are most highly esteemed, when as they are most hardlie compassed; that onelyonly being thought worth the hauing, which cannot be had without much paines and perill; and all other things being esteemed worthlesse and light▪ which hauehave not difficultie and danger put into the skole with them, to make them downe waight. This maketh pearles trulie precious, because they are farre fetched from the Easterne parts of the world, and not onelyonly bought at deare rates, but also brought home with great danger. This maketh gold and siluer esteemable, because they are digged out of the Westerne mines with much sweate, and not procured but by great labour and trauell, hazard and danger, both by sea and land. This improueth riches farre aboue their worth, because they are obtained with much labour, care, and watching, by pinching and afflicting the body whilest they let it goe often emptie, that they may more speedily fill their chests; and that which is worst of all, by hazarding the eternall saluation of their soules, in vsing wicked meanes, as lying, deceiuing, swearing, forswearing, oppression and all manner of crueltie, for the increasing of their wealth. All which difficulties in getting riches, make men the more to louelove and esteeme them when they hauehave them: whereof it is, that hee who hath thus dearely purchased his wealth, doth alwaies much more affect and value it, then his heire who commeth lightly by it▪ euen as the mother doth much more account of a childe for which her selfe hath laboured, then of another which should bee bestowed on her of free gift; yea and among her owne children, commonly most affecteth that, in the birth whereof she hath had sorest trauell, and greatest danger.
The like also may be said of pleasures, which receiue their§. Sect. 9. Pleasures are valued according to the pain… which is taken in compassing them. value and esteeme not from any selfe excellencie, but from the difficultie and paines which is taken in comming by them▪ neither are the sweetest delights …auour…e and welrellishing, vnlesse first they be sauced with the sharpe sauce of trouble and labour. And therefore as men hauing otherwise no great appetite, vsually eate bitter Oliues before they goe to meate to sharpen it, and get them stomacks: so they would be soone gl…tted with delights, if an edge were not set on their appetite, by those difficulties and labours which they vndergoe in attaining vntounto them. And thus meates and drinkes are much commended when as they are far fetched and deare bought, and (like the water of the well of Bethelem) procured with the hazard of mens liues. Thus such louelove is sweetest in inioying, which hath had most difficultie in obtaining: thus triumphs and shewes are the more valuedNitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata. Sic interdict…s immine… aeger aquis. Ouid. lib. 3. Eleg. Prou. 9. 17. Prou. 20. 17. and affected, because of the great preparations that goe before them. Yea and thus also our delights are made much more delightfull by those spirituall difficulties, the word of God forbidding, and the conscience condemning them: for as the Wise man saith, stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant; or as he saith in another place, the bread which is gotten by deceit is sweete to a man. Neither is there any thing which more commendeth pleasure to a naturall and carnallQuod licet ingratum est, quod non licet acrius vret. Ouid. lib. 2. Eleg. appetite, then when it thus commeth against the haire, by force or stealth, and is condemned before it is inioyed. Now what can more shew the worthlesnes of these worldly vanities, then that they hauehave their chiefe estimation from those things which are shunned and abhorred, and hauehave almost all their sweetnes and delight, from other things bitter and loathsome? and as well-waters hauing no heate in themselues, are said to receiue some little warmth by antiperisthesis and the inclosure of some greater cold; so these vanities hauing little goodnesse, are made to seeme good, when as they are compassed and inclosed with loathed euils, euen as this miserable world it selfe would seeme a paradise to one that should newly come out of hell, not in regard of the happinesse inioyed in the present estate, but of the vnhappinesse and miserie of his former condition out of which he is escaped. And therefore seeing these things hauehave in them no selfe excellencie, but are onelyonly commended vntounto vsus by troubles, difficulties, and dangers, let vsus no… in our iudgements esteem them, nor set our hearts and affections vponupon them; but most highly value and chiefly affect Gods spirituall and heauenly ioyes; which need no such miserable orators to commend them, they being in their owne nature of greatest worth and excellencie; and most esteemable and delightfull, when as being freed from all paines and difficulties, wee shall peaceably and continually inioy them, without trouble or molestation.
Lastly, the vanitie of worldly things hereby appeareth, in§. Sect. 10. Worldly things are esteemed more for their rarenesse then for their goodnesse. Nulli gratum quod omnibus datum. that they are not so much esteemed and affected for their goodnesse, as for their rarenes; there being nothing in the world so excellent that is much respected if it grow common; nothing almost so meane and triuiall, which proprietie and raritie will not make excellent▪ For as a tall man is not regarded when the countrie inhabitants are almost all of an high stature; nor those flowers respected, though otherwise beautifull, which grow wilde in eueryevery field; so neither are any worldly things held in price, when as they are embased by vulgar communitie. And this is the cause why Diamonds are esteemed and admired, and the Sunne neglected and little obserued; because this is subiect to the common view, and free to all mens vse, that peculiar to some few only, and that of the richer sort: this maketh health to be but slightly regarded, sauing of those who want it, and wealth to bee magnified and extolled: this maketh countrie commodities to be basely valued at home, and to be much esteemed abroad; and whereas the things themselues are of equal worth and vse, yet the raritie or commonnesse wonderfullieDignitas in plures diffusa vilescit. altereth the price and estimation. Thus honors and glorious titles if they should be made common vntounto all, they would of all be lightly esteemed; whereas now being rarely and respectiuely conferred, they are magnified as the chiefest excellencies. Thus riches hauehave their worth improued to that high account, because few can attaine vntounto them; whereas if eueryevery man abounded in wealth, then, as in the time of Salomon, siluer would bee no more esteemed then stones, nor gold then siluer. So who would esteeme of costly attire, if all went in royall apparell? who would highly value precious stones, if eueryevery one had them in possession? In a word, no riches would bee accounted treasures, if they were no more commended by their rarenesse, then by their worth. And the like also may be said of pleasures, in which none would ioy, if all did inioy them; nor take any delight in them, if they were communicated to all, or to themselues continually and at all times; but being made daintie in respect of seldome vse, and conferred but to some as choice priuiledges, this makes those who hauehave them to esteeme them, as much for pride because they are preferred before others, as for any delight they hauehave in their vse; and those who want them, to long after them, because they also would bee aduanced to these no common priuiledges. This were easie to shew in particulars. For who would take pleasure in great cheare, if all men had full tables, or themselues at all times? Who would delight in beautie or brauerie, if herein all did match them? or in sweete musicke, if they had no other sound in their eares but this melodious harmonie? In a word, there would no worldly thing be esteemed of any worth, if it were not for raritie and proprietie. To this purpose one of the Ancients saith, that all these earthly things, hauehave all their grace Haec omnia de raritate & peregrinitate sola gratiam possident, &c. Tertull. de habit. mulier. lib.and excellencie, from their rarenesse and strangenes, neither is there any thing almost much esteemed in it owne countrie, and all abundance in it selfe is neglected and despised. And hence it is that because among certaine barbarians, gold is homebred and abundant, their prisoners are fettered and inchained with gold; and loading malefactors with riches, they make them so much the more wealthie, by how much they are more guiltie and faultie. Whereby it appeareth that these things are not truly and absolutely good vntounto vsus; for that which is good in this degree, would not be impaired, but multiplied and increased by communitie, euen as the ioyes of heauen are infinitely redoubled, in regard that there being innumerable Saints and Angels, which mutually communicate in one anothers ioyes, according to their number their ioyes also are redoubled and multiplied. And therefore let vsus esteeme and set our hearts and affections vponupon this heauenly happinesse, which the more common it is, the better it is, according to the nature of true goodnesse; and not vponupon these earthly vanities, which because they doe not satisfie those that hauehave them, therefore they seeke contentment by multiplying and ingrossing them, thinking to finde that in all, which they cannot finde in any part, and affect proprietie in them, because they seeme vntounto themselues to want, that which they see others enioy, and to be robbed of that, which their greedie eye beholdeth in anothers possession.