of condition: which affection is wrought, either out of impatience of opposition; whence the mind, upon the first difficulty which it meets with, is affrighted and discouraged;or out of a sharpness of apprehension, discovering insufficiency in that wherein it desired content; or out of an error, and too high estimation fore-conceived, which, in the trial, disappointing our hopes, and not answering that opinion, begins to be neglected as weak and deceitful; or, lastly, out of curiosity and search, when we suppose, that those things which cannot, in their nature, may, at least, in their varieties or number, yield some content: and as sands, which are the smallest things asunder, yet being united grow great and heavy ;-so these pleasures, which are alone light and worthless, may, by their multitude, bring weight and satisfaction with them. Although herein the mind is likely most of all to find Solomon's vanity, the union of things subordinate, and which have no cognation to each. other, (which is the property of worldly delights) working rather distraction than tranquillity in the mind. This weariness then which springeth from the unstaidness and impotency of our affections, is not that which I make the effect of a proper hope; as being an opposite rather to true contentment of mind, a virtue established, and not overthrown by hope--the weariness then which is wrought by the forecast and providence of a mind possessed with hope, is that which is grounded upon the knowledge and feeling of our emptiness and wants, which therefore we long to have removed; like that of David d, "Wo is me, that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech." Whereupon followeth

The third effect of hope, which is an earnest contention of the mind, in the pursuit of that good which should perfect our natures, and supply our wants. And this desire St. Paul calleth Gemitus creaturæ,' the groaning of the crea ture; which is set down as a consequence of the earnest expectation of the creature.' And indeed there is not any passion, which doth so much employ, and so little violate reason, as this of hope doth, it being an exciting passion,

eSpes inanes, quæ in medio spatio franguntur, et corruunt, et ante, in ipso cursu, obruuntur, quam portum conspicere possunt. Cic. de Orat. 1. 3. d Psalm cxx. 5. • Ελπὶς παρὰ τὸ ἕλκω, ἡ ἕλκουσα ἡμᾶς. Etymolog. Studium cum spe senescit. Patercul. 1. 1.-Acuit industriam, cum spes injecta est, &c. Cic. ad

which moveth every principle to its proper and speedy operation for gaining that perfection, which the mind so earnestly breathes after, and the want whereof doth work such weakness in it.

The last effect of hope, is a contented repose and patience of the mind, resting itself in a quiet expectation of the things hoped for, and yet not exhibited. And this patience is threefold; a patience under the want, a patience under the distance, and a patience under the difficulties of our desired good; which holds especially in these hopes, (and those are almost all) which depend upon the will and disposition of another, whose pleasure it behoveth us, in matters which are not of debt and necessity, rather to attend, than by murmuring and discontent to provoke him, and disappoint ourselves. Hasty therefore and running hopes are as improper in their nature, as they are commonly vain and empty in their success. He that believes, and must by faith depend upon external help, must not make haste; but be content to have his expectation regulated, not by his own greediness, but by another's will.

CHAP. XXVI.

Of the affection of Boldness, what it is, the causes of it, strong desires, strong hopes, aids, supplies, real, or in opinion. Despair and extremities, experience, ignorance, religion, innocency, impudence, shame, immunity from danger, dexterity of wit, strength of love, pride, or greatness of mind and abilities. The effects of it, execution of things advised, temerity,

&c.

So little in love have I ever been with this affection of boldness, (as I find it managed by many, who make no other use of it, than children do of straw with which they stuff empty clothes, that they may look like men) as that when first I wrote this tractate, I passed it rather over as a vice, than an affection of the soul, and said nothing of it; and being no more friends with it now than I was then, I should

Her. l. 4. — Εἰ δὲ ἀφέλοις τὴν ̓λπίδα τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀγαθοῦ, ἀφαιρήσεις καὶ τὴν aïpeσy Tŵy wapóvτwv kakŵv. Max. Tyr, dissert. 33. p. 342.

have been contented to have left it out still; but that I would not have the treatise defective in such a member, whereof there may be so good and so ill use made, as experience showeth us there is of this. For as Plutarch notes of Egypt, that it bringeth forth multa venena, et multa salubria, many good things, and many bad; like those creatures, some parts whereof are poison, and others restorative ;--so may we say of the men in whom this affection is predominant, that they are usually instruments either of much good, or of much evil to the places that nourish them;' as once Themistocles't tutor said of him. The best mixture that I can call to mind of this passion, was in Hannibal, of whom the historian tells irs, that he was marvellous bold to put upon dangers, and yet marvellous wise in managing of them;' his courage not working temerity, nor precipitating his resolutions; and his counsel not working slowness, nor retarding his courage.

Boldness then, or confidence, is (as the philosopher' describes it) a hope joined with fancy and opinion, that those things which are safe for us, are near at hand; and those which are hurtful, either are not at all, or are afar off, and cannot suddenly reach us. Or it is an affection whereby we neglect danger, for the procuring of some difficult and good thing, which we earnestly desire and hope for, in confidence to overcome and break through that danger. For confidence of victory is that which maketh a man boldly to prosecute the danger, which opposeth him in his hopes of good. So that two things belong unto the formality of this pas sion; 1. Vehemency of hope; whatsoever strengtheneth that, causeth this, as power, experience, friends, nearness of aids, and the like. 2. Exclusion of fear; whatsoever removeth that, encreaseth this; as distance from danger, freeness from enemies, clearness from injuries, &c.

k

The object of this passion is two old. The primary and principal object is some difficult work, under the relation of a needful medium, to the obtaining of a good, vehemently desired and hoped for. The secondary object, is some evil and danger, which, standing between our hope, and the good

# Plat.

f Plut. in Nicia. Πολλὰ μὲν ἐσθλὰ, πολλὰ δὲ λυγρά. Homer. in Themistoc. In Hannibale plurimum audaciæ ad capessenda pericula; plurimum consilit inter ipsa pericula erat. Lin. 1. 21. Vid. Aqu. 1, 2. qu. 45, art. 3.

c. 5.

Rhet. 1. 2.

for which we hope, is, by the vehemency of our hope, as it were, removed and despised in our eyes. Good earnestly desired, and evil confidently despised, are the things about which this affection is conversant.

The causes of this affection are so many the more, because it is apt to be excited by clean contrary reasons.

The fundamental and principal cause of it, is strength or desire, working vehemency of hope, and impatiency of resistance, or restraint from the thing desired. For lust, when it hath once conceived, will at last bring forth and finish, and rush forward to that after which it longeth; which the philosopher calleth @ponéreix, and St. Peter, vázvos, a pouring out of passion; and the prophet, a breaking forth"," and violent eruption, a rash and head-strong precipitancy, which, like a torrent, ventures upon any thing that withstands it. The philosopher P instanceth for this particular in adulterers, οἳ διὰ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τολμηρὰ πολλὰ δρῶσιν, who adventure on many bold attempts, for the satisfaction of their lust.

But because where there are strong desires, there may be weak hopes, and great fears, the one discouraging, the other deterring from the prosecution of them; therefore to the emboldening of those desires, other particular causes do usually concur. Some whereof I shall enquire after.

1. Then, strong hopes, and ready, present aids and supplies proper to the ends we would advance, are excellent means to generate boldness. Great aids, as the Cat's unum magnum,' or many aids, that if one fail, another may hold. As greatness of wealth, friends, power, strength; and these in a readiness, and near at hand, rà Gappaλéa iyyùs, as the philosopher expresseth it: as the Trojans, being besieged, when Eneas with his army drew near, gathered courage above their fears.

r

-"Clamorem ad sidera tollunt

Dardanidæ è muris: spes addita suscitat iras:
Tela manu jaciunt."

James i. 14, 15. fulness of Sin. 1. 3. c. 11.

Eneid. 10.

Arist. Eth. 1. 7. c. 8. See my Treatise on the Sin• Jer. vi. 7, viii. 6.

n Hos. iv. 2.

9 Auxilia, magna, multa, vicina.

P Eth. Rhet. 1. 2. c. 5.

They all climb'd up the walls; then, fill'd with joys,
Shouted as loud as if they meant the noise

Should wake the stars; hopes added, stirr'd
And their darts flew as swift as any fire.

up ire;

And, in Scriptures, we are often quickened unto courage against the difficulties of our Christian warfare, by the greatness and nearness of the aids, and the reward which we hope for. Yea, so strong a power hath hope over the resolutions of men, that even the froth, and dream, and fancy of it in drunken men, maketh them, as the philosopher" noteth, marvellous venturous upon dangers, which reason and sobriety would have taught them to fear. Solomon tells us of a drunkard lying on the top of a mast; and I have myself seen a drunken man climb to the top of a steeple: which boldness proceedeth in such men from weakness and wilfulness of self-conceit and opinion; for commonly that strength which a drunken man loseth in his reason, he gathers in his fancy; and as his judgement weakens, his opinion encreaseth; and we shall never find men more confident in their affirming, than when they know not what they affirm.

Now upon this ground, that hope is the great quickener unto courage, it was, that Alexander used it as an argument to his soldiers against the Persians, when he saw them come into the field clothed so richly, that their arms were much rather a prey to the Greeks, than a defence unto themselves. In which respect, Homer thus desires Amphimachus,

а

Ὃς καὶ χρυσὸν ἔχων πόλεμόνδ ̓ ἴεν, ηὔτε κούρη,
Νήπιος : οὐδέ τι οἱ τόγ' ἐπήρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.

In glist'ring gold, like a fair damsel clad
He came to fight. Vain man! why art so mad,
To think that iron is kept back by gold?

Thou bring'st the price, for which thyself art sold.

And yet, upon a contrary reason, I find one of the greatest and wisest commanders of the world, Julius Cæsar, re

t 1 John iv. 4. Heb. x. 36, 37. James v. 8. Rev. xxii. 12.

οἱ μεθυσκόμενοι· εὐέλπιδες γάρ. Eth. 1. 3. c. 11.

ο Θαρραλέοι Prov. xxiii. 34.

• Prædam Iliad. B. 873.-Plut.

* Ισχυρογνώμονες οἱ ἰδιογνώμονες καὶ ἀμαθεῖς. Eth. 1. 7. c. 10. verius quam hostem incruentus divisit. Liv. 1. 9.

lib. de Homero.-Quam minimum sit in corpore tuo spoliorum. Plures computant, quam oderunt. Sen. ep. 14.8.

b Suet. in Jul. 97.