Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Title page – Preface
OF PEACE AND CONTENTMENT OF MINDE.
By PETER DV MOVLIN THE SONNE. D. D.
LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Moſeley, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Prince's Armes in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1657.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE RICHARD EARLE OF CORKE, Vicount of Kinalmeaky and Dungarvan, Baron of Yoghall and Bandon, Peere of Ireland.
My Lord,
THeſe Contemplations belong to your Lordſhip by double right, as fruits growne and ripened at the rayes of your favour, and as characters of thoſe vertues whereby you have wreſtled out the difficulties of an age of Iron and Fire; The roughneſſe of thoſe ſtormes makes your preſent tranquillity look ſmoother, & your Lordſhip takes the right courſe to have tranquillity at home in any weather, conſecrating your heart to be a Sanctuary of the God of peace, where you entertaine him by faith, love, and good works; not ſerving the world, but making the world to ſerve you; keeping a conſtant march through the various occurrences of both fortunes, with a meeke & reſolute equanimity, and a prudent ſincerity. To keep your minde in that golden frame, if theſe endeavours of mine may be inſtrumental, they ſhall but refund what they have received, for to that tranquillity which I enjoy under your noble ſhelter, I owe theſe meditations of tranquillity. May they prove of the nature of thoſe ſeeds which improve the ſoyle where they grow. And may your good ſoul reape ſome fruit of theſe productions of your favour and my thankfulneſſe. I reſt
At your Mannour of Liſmore July 30. 1655. MY LORD Your Honours moſt humble and dutifull ſervant, PETER Du MOULIN.
PREFACE.
BEing caſt by the publique ſtorme upon a remote ſhore, whence I behold the agitations of the world with a calmer judgement, becauſe former troubles have left me little occaſion to be much concerned in the latter; I find my ſelfe invited by this uncertaine interval of unexpected reſt to meditate how I may find the reſt of the ſoule and contentment of mind in all conditions. And ſeeking it for my ſelfe, I may be ſo happy as to procure it to others.
For that contemplation I made uſe of foure bookes, this halfe-wilde countrey affording but few more, The chiefe is the holy Scripture, the meditation whereof brings that peace which paſſeth all underſtanding. The next is the booke of Nature; Then the booke of Gods providence in the conduct of the world, both teaching me to ſay with David, Pſalm. 92.5.Thou Lord haſt made me glad through thy workes. The fourth book is that which every one carrieth along with himſelfe, the ſpirit of man. A booke where there is much to be put out, and much put out which muſt be renewed, before wee can reade in it any ſubject of peace and content, for without the corrections of grace this natural booke is, like that of Ezekiel, Ezeck. 2.10.written within and without with lamentations and mourning and woe.
It is the worke of wiſedome and my endeavour in this treatiſe, ſo to correct this fourth booke upon the three others, that wee may ſtudy it with delight, and find peace and contentment within us, which may ſpare us the labour to ſeeke it abroad. That wiſedome which muſt worke in us that excellent effect, is divine wiſedome; She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her, Prov. 3.18.& happy is every one that retaines her. And humane wiſedome inſtructed by the divine ſeconds her, and does her good ſervice in that greate worke.
This philoſophie ſwims againſt the ſtreame of a great torrent. So I call the numerous abettours of that eminent moral Philoſopher, Doctor Charron my countreyman, who with great care ſeparates divine wiſedome from the humane, and attributes to the humane alone that which onelyonly belongs to the divine, Preface to the three bookes of wiſedome.to make a man walke alwayes upright, ſtedfaſt, and content in himſelfe.
I have more ſerene intentions in this booke, which beares on the front the Peace and contentment of mind then to carpe at the learned and the dead. And it grieveth me much to diſſent from that brave man whom I truly admire, acknowledging his booke of Wiſedome to be of rare excellency, and of ſingular uſe to ſuch as know how to uſe it aright. But it grieves me more that he hath perſvaded ſo many ſeeming wiſemen, pretenders to the magiſtracy of wit, Ibid.that integrity is not a dependance of Religion, and that the vertue and integrity of Divines is altogether frowning, chagreene, auſtere, ſervile, ſad, timorous, and vulgar. One would think that he is drawing the picture of ſome old barefooted ſhee votary. But Philoſophical wiſedome, that is (as he expounds it) the human and civil, he makes it free, cheerefull, lofty, noble, generous, and rare.
It is likely that Charron deſcribing Theological wiſedome weeping, auſtere, baſe, and poore ſpirited, had before his eyes thoſe rules of monaſtical diſcipline which he made once a ſhew to affect, though very ill agreeing with his free maſculine, and lofty ſpirit, as ſetting forth piety and wiſedone in a ſervile and melancholy dreſſe. Had he lived till now, his ſolid rational wit had liked no better of the delicate and poetical piety that came ſince upon the ſtage of France, ſome of it publiſht in Engliſh to little purpoſe. Where in ſtead of reaſon and authority to ſatiſfie the judgement and comfort the conſcience, you ſhall find poſies of light courtly conceits, as if they preſented the devotion of the people with beades of roſebuds, ſhedding in their hands that turne them. Theſe two different wayes of piety are unſavoury to philoſophical minds that would be payed with reaſon and good ſenſe, which if they find not in religion, they will forſake it, and ſeeke for wiſedome in Philoſophy.
I owe that duty to Theological wiſedome to make it appeare, to my power, that ſhe is the true Philoſophy, and that to her that magnificent character is proper and ſpecial, Ibid.to make a mans ſpirit firme, upright, free, cheerefull, univerſal, content every where, which priviledges Charron reſerveth to civil wiſedome. It is a high injury offered to piety to take vertve and moral Philoſophy from her juriſdiction, and transport to humane wiſedome that which is proper to the divine, Ibid.even the skill of living and dying well, which is all. Let us endeavour to ſhew by our example that Divinity doth not handle wiſedome auſterely and drily as he doth reprove her, but ſweetly and pleaſantly, Ibid.which hee ſaith to be proper to humane wiſedome. And that wee may reſtore that to Religion which Charron takes from her, let us thinke it no ſhame to take place among thoſe whom hee condemneth. They take (ſaith he) Religion to bee a generality of all good, Lib. 2. cap. 5.that all vertues are comprehended in it, and are ſubordinate to it. Wherefore they acknowledge no vertue or righteouſneſſe, but ſuch as moveth by motives of Religion.
I profeſſe my ſelfe one of them that thinke ſo, preferring to Charrons authority, that of Saint Paul, who makes Religion a generality of all good, in this pregnant text. Phil. 4.8.Finally, brethren, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, vvhatſoever things are juſt, vvhatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report; if there be any vertue, and if there be any praiſe, think on theſe things. I hope with Gods helpe to juſtifie that unto true piety it properly belongs, to ſet a man at peace with God, with himſelfe, and with his neighbours; to ſet a right order in his ſoul by rectifying his opinions, and governing his paſſions; to make him moderate in proſperity, and patient in adverſity, wiſe, tranquill, generous and cheerefull as long as he liveth, and glorious after his death. In theſe few words I have ſet downe the argument and order of this Booke. If all theſe are within the precincts of piety, very little will remaine for humane wiſedome ſeparate from religious to make a man vertuous and happy.
Charron very wittily alledgeth that many Philoſophers have been good and vertuous, and yet irreligious: To which the anſwer is, that it is an indulgence when they are called good and vertuous without the knowledge and love of the divine and ſaving truth: and that ſuch of them as have been neereſt to that title, had reverend opinions of the God-head, and deſpiſed the ſilly ſuperſtitions of that age. Alſo that their want of religion hath made their pretended vertue maimed and monſtrous, as in the caſe of killing ones ſelfe, which Charron (after Montagne) eſteeme two much, and dares not condemne it without a preface of reverence and admiration. This he hath got by ſeparating Vertue from Religion; proving by his example, that Nature without grace cannot but ſtumble in the darke, and that to guide ones ſelfe it is not enough to have good eyes, but there is neede of the light from above.
Whereas we ſhould make a faithfull reſtitution to Religion of all that is vertuous in Pagan Phyloſophy, as deſcended from the Father of lights, and belonging to the patrimony of the Church; this man does the clean contrary, robbing Religion of thoſe things which are moſt eſſentiall to her, to beſtow them upon humane wiſedome; ſolliciting vertue to ſhake off her ſubjection to Religion her mother and Soveraine, and to make her ſelfe abſolute and independent. Himſelfe forgets to whom he oweth that wiſedome of which he writes; In the Schoole of Religion he had got his beſt learning; to Religion, alſo hee ſhould have done his homage for it.
Can all the Bookes of humane wiſedome afford ſuch a ſublime Philoſophy a… that of the Lord Jeſus, when hee teacheth us to be prudent as ſerpents, and harmeleſſe as doves. Not to feare them that kill the body, and cannot kill the Soul. Not to care for the morrow, becauſe God cares for it, and becauſe to every day is ſufficient the affliction thereof. Not to lay up treaſures in earth where the moth and the ruſt ſpoyle all, but in Heaven where they ſpoyle nothing. And when he brings us to the ſchoole of Nature, ſometimes to weane us from covetous cares by the examples of Lillies of the field which God cloatheth; and of the birds of the aire which he feedeth; ſometimes to perſwade us to doe good to our enemies, becauſe God makes his Sun to riſe upon good and evill, and his raine to fall upon the juſt and unjuſt.
How many leſſons and examples doe wee finde in Scripture of heroicall magnanimity? Such is the Philoſophy of St. Paul, who profeſſed that when hee was weake, then he was ſtrong, and that he fainted not, becauſe that while the outward man decayed, the inward was renewed day by day. Such is the Philoſophy of the Hebrewes, who bore with joy the ſpoyling of their goods, knowing in themſelves that they had a better and an induring ſubſtance. Such alſo is the Phyloſophy of David, who was confident never to be removed, becauſe God was at his right hand; and taking him for the portion of his inheritance, he looked through death and the grave to the glorious preſence of Gods face, and the pleaſures as his right hand for evermore.
This is Theologicall wiſedome. Is it all frowning chagreene, auſtere, ſervile, ſad, timorous, and vulgar? Is it not all free, chearefull, lofty, noble, generous, and rare? Let us acknowledge that it is the onelyonly wiſedome that makes man free and content. If the Sonne of God ſet us free, we ſhall be free indeed: Out of him there is nothing but ſlavery and anguiſh.
Satan the great enemy of God and men could not have deviſed a more effectuall courſe to diſgrace godlineſſe, and caſt men headlong into perdition, then to ſeparate wiſedome from religion, and portray religious wiſedome weeping, trembling, with a frighted looke, and hooded with ſuperflition. They that take ſo much paines to prove, that religion and wiſedome are things altogether different, have a great mind to ſay, if they durſt, that they are altogether contrary. And if any be perſwaded by Charron, that to be wiſe and vertuous duplicate page duplicate page one needs not be religious, he will come of himſelfe to beleeve that he that would be religious cannot bee wiſe and vertuous. Certainely who ſo conceiveth once religious wiſedome in that ſad, ſervile, and timorous Idea, which Charron aſſignes to her, muſt needs think that wiſedome and vertue loſe their name, and goe from their nature when they will be religious.
There is then nothing more neceſſary in this age, in which Atheiſme is dogmatizing and ſpeaking bigge, then to demonſtrate that the beginning and accompliſhment of wiſedome is the feare of God. And in ſtead of that prodigious method, to withdraw men from religion (that is from God) to make them wiſe and content; that truth muſt be preſt unto the heart, that a man cannot be wiſe and content but by joyning himſelfe with God by a religious beliefe, love, and obedience.
That we fall not into a contrary extreme, wee muſt take heede of robbing humane wiſedome of her office and praiſe. And we muſt acknowledge that ſhe needs to be imployed about many things in which piety is not an actour, but an overſeer: But piety muſt never bee ſevered from her, for where ſhee gives no rules, yet ſhee ſets limits. Piety muſt bee miſtreſſe every where, humane wiſedome the ſervant. Now it is the ſervants duty to do many things which the miſtreſſe wil not put her hand to, ſtanding more upon her dignity then to deſcend to inferiour offices. In which although piety hath no hand, yet ſhe hath an eye to them, and lets nothing ſcape her knowledge.
On the other ſide, humane wiſedome confines not herſelfe to inferiour offices, but aſſiſteth Piety in the higheſt. She doth her good ſervice when ſhe keepes in her owne ranck. But ſhe goeth out of it when ſhe preſumes to governe her Miſtreſſe, ſubjecting faith to reaſon, and conſcience to worldly intereſſes.
In this Treatiſe, I conſider piety and wiſedome as the meanes to obtaine the peace of the ſoule and contentment of minde. Not to vote for the Epicureans againſt the Stoicians by ſubordinating vertue to content; for I am of opinion that theſe two things muſt be ſubordinated the one to the other by turnes, as the uſe requireth. Now my preſent uſe is to employ vertue for contentment of mind. Wherein I hope not to be cenſured as ſubjecting vertue to contentment, in ſtead of ſubjecting contentment to vertue, theſe two being all one if they be well conſidered; for the onelyonly way to content our mind is to be vertuous, and to be vertuous we muſt get a tranquill and contented ſpirit. It is well done to prefer vertue before contentment; but it is well done alſo to invite men to vertue by the contentment that vertue yieldeth. Since all men are great lovers of themſelves, and much led by their pleaſure, let us huſband that voluptuous humour, and the love that every one beares to himſelfe, to make them inducements to render unto God his due, making ingenuous mindes ſenſible that the onelyonly way for them to be pleaſed, & upon good ground, with all that is within and about them, is to ſtudy to pleaſe God; and that duty and content conſiſt in one and the ſame thing.
For theſe Meditations, the want of bookes, even of my private collections, which at the firſt was to mee ſome diſcouragement, in the progreſſe of the work proved rather a helpe. The leſſe opportunity I had to read, the more liberty had I to contemplate. Truly, if after ſo many writers, the publique ſtock of holy Philoſophy is yet capeable of new improvement, it muſt be expected from thoſe who being but little aſſiſted with the conceptions of others, are put to make more uſe of their owne ſenſe and experience. Many times God ſends more grace where there is leſſe helps otherwayes.