Ingeniumque malum, numeroso stigmate, fassus Pellitur ad pectus, Morbique Suburbia, Morbus.
The Sicknes declares the infection and malignity thereof by spots.
WEE say, that
the world is made of sea, and land, as though they were equal; but we know that ther is more sea in the
Western, than in the
Eastern Hemisphere: We say that the
Firmament is full of starres, as though it were equally full; but we know, that there are more stars under of the
Northerne, than under the
Southern Pole. We say, the
Elements of man are man are
misery, and happinesse, as though he had an
equal proportion of both, and the dayes of man
vicissitudinary, as though he had as many good daies, as ill, and that he liv'd under a perpetuall
Equinoctial night, and day equall, good and ill fortune in the same measure. But it is far from that; hee drinkes misery, and he
tastes happinesse; he mowes misery, and he gleanes happinesse; he journies in misery, he does but walke in happinesse; and which is worst his misery is positive, and dogmaticall, his happinesse is but disputable and problematicall; All men call Misery, Misery, but Happinesse changes the name, by the taste of man. In this
accident that befalls mee now, that this sicknesse declares itself by
Spots, to be a
malignant, and
pestilentiall disease, if there be a comfort in the declaration, that therby the Phisicians see more cleerely what to doe, there may bee as much discomfort in this, That the malignitie may bee so great, as that all that they can doe, shall doe nothing; That an enemy declares himselfe : then, when he is able to subsist, and to pursue, and to atchive his ends, is no great comfort. In
intestine Conspiracies, voluntary
Confessions doe more good, than
Confessions upon the Rack; in these Infections, when Nature her selfe confesses, and cries out by these outward declarations, which she is able to put forth of her selfe, they minister comfort; but when all is by strength of Cordials, it is but a Confession upon the Racke, by which though wee come to knowe the
malice of that man, yet wee doe not knowe whether there bee not as much malice in his heart then, as before his
confession; we are sure of his
Treason, but not of his
Repentance; sure of him, but not of his
Complices. It is a faint comfort to know the worst, when the worst is
remedilesse; and a weaker than that, to know much ill, and not to know, that that is the worst. A
woman is comforted with
the birth of her
Son, her body is eased of a burthen; but if shee could
prophetically read his
History, how ill a man, perchance how ill a sonne, he would prove, shee should receive a greater burthen into her Mind. Scarce any purchase that is not clogged with
secret encumbrances; scarce any happines that hath not in it so much of the nature of false and base
money, as that the Allay is more than the Metall. Nay, is it not so, (at least much towards it) even in the exercise of Vertues? I must bee poore, and want, before I can exercise the vertue of Gratitude; miserable, and in torment, before I can exercise the vertue of patience; How deepe do we dig, and for how coarse gold? And what other
Touchstone have we of our gold, but comparison? Whether we be as happy, as others, or as ourselves at other times; O poore stepp toward being well, when these spots do only tell us, that we are worse, than we were sure of before.
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Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions