4. They arrogated to themselves the sole praise of their Virtues and Happiness.1 This impiety is most visible in the writings of the Stoics, the Pharisees in Philosophy. They were so far from depending on God for Light and Grace in the conduct of their Lives, & from praying to him to make them virtuous, that they opposed nothing with more pride and contempt.2 They thought that Wisdom would loose its value and lustre, that nothing were in it worthy of admiration, if it came from above, and depended upon the Grace of another. They acknowledged that the natural Life, that Riches, Honours, and other inferior things, common to the worst, were the gifts of God; but asserted that Wisdom and Virtue, the special perfection of the Humane Nature, were the effects of their own industry. Impious folly! to believe that we owe the greatest benefits to our selves, and the lesser only to God. Thus they robbed him of the Honour of his most precious Gifts. So strongly did the poison of the old Serpent, breathed forth in those words, Ye shall be as God, that infected the first Man, still work in his Posterity. Were they Angels ⟨p. 346⟩in perfection, yet the proud reflecting on their excellencies would instantly turn them into Devils. And as they boasted of virtue, so of happiness as entirely depending upon themselves. They ascribe to their Wise-man an absolute Empire over all things, they raise him above the Clouds; what ever may disquiet, or disorder, they exempt him from all Passions, and make him ever equal to himself, that he is never surprised with accidents, that 'tis not in the power of pains or troubles to draw a sigh or tear from him, that he despises all that the World can give or take, and is contented with pure and naked Virtue; in short they put the Crown upon his Head, by attributing all to the power of his own Spirit. Thus they contradicted the Rites of Heaven. Their impiety was so bold that they put no difference between God and their wise person,3 but this, that God was an immortal Wise-Person, and a wise Man was a mortal God. Nay, that he had this advantage, (since 'tis great art to comprise many things in a little space,) to enjoy as much happiness in an age, as Jupiter in his eternity.
4. They arrogated to themselves the sole praise of their Virtues and Happiness.1 This impiety is most visible in the writings of the Stoicks, the Pharises in Philosophy. They were so far from depending on God for Light and Grace in the conduct of their Lives, & from praying to him to make them vertuous, that they opposed nothing with more pride and contempt.2 They thought that Wisdom would loose its value and lustre, that nothing were in it worthy of admiration, if it came from above, and depended upon the Grace of another. They acknowledged that the natural Life, that Riches, Honours, and other inferiour things, common to the worst, were the gifts of God; but asserted that Wisdom and Vertue, the special perfection of the Humane Nature, were the effects of their own industry. Impious folly! to believe that we owe the greatest benefits to our selves, and the lesser only to God. Thus they robb'd him of the Honour of his most precious Gifts. So strongly did the poison of the old Serpent, breathed forth in those words, Ye shall be as God, that infected the first Man, still work in his Posterity. Were they Angels ⟨p. 346⟩in perfection, yet the proud reflecting on their excellencies would instantly turn them into Devils. And as they boasted of vertue, so of happiness as intirely depending upon themselves. They ascribe to their Wise-man an absolute Empire over all things, they raise him above the Clouds; what ever may disquiet, or disorder, they exempt him from all Passions, and make him ever equal to himself, that he is never surprised with accidents, that 'tis not in the power of pains or troubles to draw a sigh or tear from him, that he despises all that the World can give or take, and is contented with pure and naked Vertue; in short they put the Crown upon his Head, by attributing all to the power of his own Spirit. Thus they contradicted the Rites of Heaven. Their impiety was so bold that they put no difference between God and their wise person,3 but this, that God was an immortal Wise-Person, and a wise Man was a mortal God. Nay, that he had this advantage, (since 'tis great art to comprize many things in a little space,) to enjoy as much happiness in an age, as Jupiter in his eternity.
- 1Judicium hoc omnium mortalium, fortunam a Deo petendam, a s• ipso sumendam sapientiam. Cicero.
- 2Hoc in sapientia pretiosum atque magnificū est, quod •on obvenit quod illam quisque sibi debet, quod non ab alio petitur: quid haberes in philosophia, quod suspiceres, si beneficiaria, res esset? Senec▪ Epist. 9. Quis quod vir bonus esset gratias Diis egit unquam? at quod dives, quod honoratus, quod in columis. Cic. l. 3. de nat. Deor. Virtutem nemo unquam acceptam Deo retulit: nimirum recte. Propter virtutem enim jure laudamur, & in virtute recte gloriamur, quod non contingeret si id donum a Deo, non a nobis haberemus.Hoc in sapientia pretiosum atque magnificū est, quod •on obvenit quod illam quisque sibi debet, quod non ab alio petitur: quid haberes in philosophia, quod suspiceres, si beneficiaria, res esset? Senec▪ Epist. 9. Quis quod vir bonus esset gratias Diis egit unquam? at quod dives, quod honoratus, quod in columis. Cic. l. 3. de nat. Deor. Virtutem nemo unquam acceptam Deo retulit: nimirum recte. Propter virtutem enim jure laudamur, & in virtute recte gloriamur, quod non contingeret si id donum a Deo, non a nobis haberemus.
- 3Deus non vincit sapientem faelicitate, etiamsi vincit aetate. Senec.
