commanded to forgive our Enemies; But you never read that wee are commanded to forgive our Friends. But yet the Spirit of Iob was in a better tune; Shall wee (saith he) take good at God's Hands, and not be content to take evill also? And so of Friends in a proportion[1]. This is certaine, That a Man that studieth Revenge keepes his owne Wounds greene[2], which otherwise would heale and doe well. Publique Revenges[3] are, for the most part, Fortunate[4]; As that for the Death of Caesar; For the Death of Pertinax; for the Death of Henry the Third of France; And many more. But in private Revenges it is not so. Nay rather, Vindicative Persons live the Life of Witches, who, as they are Mischievous, So end they Infortunate.
V
OF ADVERSITIE
It was an high speech[5] of Seneca, (after the manner of the Stoickes,) That the good things, which belong to Prosperity, are to be wished; but the good things, that belong to Adversity, are to be admired. Bona Rerum Secundarum, Optabilia; Adversarum, Mirabilia. Certainly, if Miracles be the Command over Nature, they appeare most in Adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his then the other, (much too high for a Heathen,) It is true greatnesse, to have in one[6] the Frailty of a Man and the Security[7] of a God. Verè magnum habere Fragilitatem Hominis, Securitatem Dei. This would have done better in Poesy, where Transcendences[8] are more allowed. And the Poets indeed have beene busy with it; For it is, in effect[9], the thing which is figured in that Strange Fiction of the Ancient Poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery[10]; Nay, and to have some approach to a proportionate extent
