The divine life in three treatises

8. Flying from the observation and judgement of others, is a kind of self-accusation; as if we confessed our selves so bad as that we cannot stand the trial of the Light. [Bona conscientia turbam advocate: Mala in solitudine anxia est & sollicita: si honesta sunt quae facis, omnes sciant: si turpia, quid refert neminem scire: cum tu scias! O te miserum si contemnis hunc testem: inquit Seneca.] That is [A good conscience will call in the crowd (or witnesses, not caring who seeth:) A bad conscience is anxious and solicitous even in solitude: If they be things honest which thou dost, let all men know: If they be dishonest, what good doth it thee that no man else knoweth it, when thou knowest it thy self! O miserable man if thou despise this witness! Something is suspected to be amiss with those that are always in their Chambers, and are never seen. Tell not men that you cannot bear the light: It is he that doth evil that hateth the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

8. Flying from the observation and judgement of others, is a kind of self-accusation; as if we confest our selves so bad as that we cannot stand the tryal of the Light. [Bona conscientia turbam advocat: Mala in solitudine anxia est & sollicita: si honesta sunt quae facis, omnes sciant: si turpia, quid refert neminem scire: cum tu scias! O te miserum si contemnis hunc testem: inquit Seneca.] That is [A good conscience will call in the croud (or witnesses, not caring who seeth:) A bad conscience is anxious and sollicitous even in solitude: If they be things honest which thou dost, let all men know: If they be dishonest, what good doth it thee that no man else knoweth it, when thou knowest it thy self! O miserable man if thou despise this witness! Something is suspected to be amiss with those that are alwaies in their Chambers, and are never seen. Tell not men that you cannot bear the light: It is he that doth evil that hateth the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

9. Solitude is too like to Death, to be desirable: He liveth that doth good; and he is dead that is useless. [Vivit is qui multis usui est: Vivit is qui sentitur: qui vero latitant & torpent, mortem suam antecesserint, inquit Sen.] [He liveth that is profitable to many: He liveth that is observed or perceived: but they that lye hid and drowsy do anticipate their death.] And it is the most culpable death, and therefore the worst, to have Life, and not to use it.