Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 2 · Chapter 10
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 rather. 1 Cor. 7.21. If it be impoſſible for a wiſeman 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 Gentrie 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 hoſtility. 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 Philoſophy 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 being 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 obſcurity. He will eſteeme no honour or great imployment 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 righteouſneſſe will commonly ſhine upon it more graciouſly and powerfully,
Nobility of extraction being nothing in nature, the ſame is true alſo of meane blood; both conſiſt in Opinion, and yet not in opinion of the perſons concerned, but of others, which to any wiſeman muſt be of very ſmal conſideration. In any condition one may have natural nobility, conſiſting in a meeke and magnanimous 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 divine and humane lawes; and from ignobleupſtarts, 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 partaker 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 horſes not of good men. A man honoured with ſpiritual nobility if he have temporal nobility beſides, 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 viſible 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.