The Aphorisms of the Second Precepts
After that the mind, which must be appointed unto substantial virtue, shall be rightly instructed by faith, the next thing is, that he deck and furnish himself all wholly within purely. For if with himself all things be in a right order, then shall he very soon give good counsel unto others.
And he can not more lightly set his mind in due order, than if he have in hand, and labour both night and day in the word of God. The which thing he shall do very well, if he understand the Hebrew and Greek tongues rightly, because without the one of them, the Old Testament, and without the other, the New cannot without difficulty purely be known.
And for as much as we have taken upon us to teach those, that have now passed over the travail of their first rudiments. And the Latin tongue being had in use amongst all men, yet do we not think it meet utterly to leave it. For albeit that it do conduce less unto the understanding of holy scriptures, than either the Greek or Hebrew tongue, yet for the rest use of our life it profits very much and sometimes it comes to pass, that we have to do in the business of Christ amongst those that are only Latin men. But to abuse the tongues for gain, that truly ought to be far off from a Christian man. For truly the tongues are the gift of the Spirit of God.
The next unto this, unto whom we shall give our diligence, shall be the Greek tongue, because of the New Testament as it is said (for speaking the thing, that I think offending no man willingly). The doctrine of Christ even from the beginning (not as the thing required) so rightly to have been handled of the Latin men, as of the Greeks. Wherefore this our darling must be sent unto the first fountains.
Albeit this in them both is to be observed, that the same have his heart strongly walled about with faith and innocency. For there are many things that would be learned not without danger, wantonness, the desire of Empire and to live in contention of battle, entertain frowardness, vain Philosophy and such like things. All the which things, a mind being monished of them before, may pass over not touching them, like unto Ulysses. When at the first voice or hearing of them, he hath thus monished himself: These things you hear to beware and not to be entangled with them, or to take them. We give the last place to the Hebrew tongue for this cause specially, because as we have said a little before, the Latin tongue is grown in knowledge amongst all men. And the Greek tongue shall most conveniently follow the same, or else would we of just right have given the first place unto the Hebrew tongue, because without the phrase of that tongue, yea in the Greek tongue he shall sweat whosoever will understand or search out the right sense of the scripture. But to speak of the utility of the tongues to the full, it appertains not to this purpose.
Whosoever comes with an humble and thirsty mind, with these armours, he may break into this heavenly wisdom unto whom no wisdom of man may be compared, nor yet of right matched.
Unto the which, when he hath broken in, he shall find all kinds of forms to live well, that is to wit Christ himself the most absolute example of all virtue, whom, when by word and deed he shall assuredly or plainly know, he shall so embrace, that in every act or counsel, he shall endeavour to express some part of his virtues, as much as by right the tenuity or weakness of man will suffer to be done.
He shall learn of him as the opportunity of time shall require both to speak and to hold his peace. It shall be a shame for him too timely to speak of those things which require none but such as are come to a perfect ripeness, because he may see Christ to have laid up this scantly at the length in the thirtieth year of his age. Albeit that he did give some experiment of himself unto the doctors of the law also when he was twelve years old. By the which example we are not so much taught to come forth in time, as we are to endeavour even from our tender age things that are great, but worthy unto God.
For like as the greatest ornament or commendation unto a woman throughout all her life is silence. So nothing does make a young man more commendable than the study of silence for a certain time, until the mind and the tongue as well apart, as amongst themselves can agree well. And we require not here the Pythagorean silence, but we do only suppress the desire to speak. And except the young man shall speak timely, we do forbid him to speak at all.
Whiles he studies the precepts of eloquence, being under his masters, he shall not deform or bring it out of fashion, because he will follow their example if it have any fault. And let no man think this precept to be of a light force. For it is to be learned by the old ancient histories, that certain Auditors or learners have not only followed by imitations the vices or faults of their teachers' tongue, but also of their bodies.
The faults of the tongue, may be soon known unto every body. For truly the form of an Oration besides the workmanship or handling of it, is corrupted, if the same be spoken too fast or too slowly. If the accent or pronouncing of it, be too base or fair, or too vehement, as if in every cause, and in every kind of thing there be but one form of countenance, and one manner of gesture, or framing as men do call it, that is done with insolence.
It is observed, that Elephants, when they are alone, are careful and studious to call to mind those things, for the which they have been beaten. So a young man shall often study with himself, how to compose his tongue or countenance, how to use his hands, like unto one that may where need shall require, with convenient shamefastness be as a lodesman, showing things unto others, and to proceed and not to row back again. And all these things he shall so moderate, that they may serve the truth, and not to serve in flattery unto others. For the conditions or manners of some that are like unto the conditions of a harlot how can they be endured or suffered of a Christian heart? Wherefore by this exercise that we do here require, we do intend none other thing, than that every man may learn with himself, to rule the exterior vices, the which are the most certain tokens of a corrupt mind. Wherefore it is first necessary that the mind of itself be perfect, the which, if it so be, shall soon moderate the raging tempest of the exterior members, that we do not frown too much, or alter our mouth or countenance, or shake our head, or cast abroad our hands, but that we temper all these things, with a certain modesty, not affected, but plain and full of simplicity. These things are of the Oration or speaking, and of silence.
He shall fly the saturity or fullness of wine, as much as he would hemlock. For like as it does drive this tender body or young carcass (the which of his own nature is prone unto vehemency) unto madness, even so does it (without doubt) corrupt our old age, that as yet tarries for us, even in the first springing of us. Whereby it comes to pass, that when by chance we come unto it, we find infirmity and sickness, and no rest. For it can no otherwise be, but those that have too busily used to wash themselves with wine, but that they must fall into some grievous and dangerous sickness, as the falling sickness, a palsy, a dropsy, the leprosy, and such other. Wherefore covet not too soon to be an old man, if you will be an old man long.
Let the rest of his diet be such things as may be soon gotten. For what does it conduce to a young man (whose stomach by nature is prompt and ready to perfect digestion) to desire to feed upon partridges, thrushes, dainty birds, Capons, or Roebucks and such other dainty dishes? Let him lay up those in store, till age come upon him, when his teeth shall be dull or blunt, and the palate of his mouth tender or worn, and his throat, with long continuance of time, grown to a certain hardness, and his Stomach not being quick or able to digest, and his body half dead. For what hope shall be to nourish the old age if the wanton youth, by intemperate diet, hath made such things loathsome, which the old age should most desire?
Hunger in the mean time, is only to be convinced or overcome, and not to be put away. For men say that Galen lived a hundred and twenty years, because he never departed full from the table. And I do not here require, that you should punish yourself with famine, but that you should not serve the insatiable voracity or ravening, more than the use of the life does require. For I am not so ignorant but that I know, that a man may offend in both parts. If that in ravening we make ourselves like unto wolves, or by famine, make ourselves unprofitable or not able to do any good.
I suppose nothing to be more foolish, than to covet to be taken as a gentleman, because of rich and gay apparel. For by that means, the Bishops' Mules may challenge nobility, and be much bruited. For they, for as much as they be strong, are able to carry more gold and silver, and more precious stones, than ever any Milo could. And who can not be ashamed of his proud apparel, that hears the Son of God, born of a virgin, to lie crying in an ox stall, being wrapped about only with so many bands, as the virgin, not being prepared to her delivery, bare with her?
Those that daily do find out strange and new shapes of garments, do declare, a most certain token of an inconstant (or if that be too much) of an effeminate or tender mind. Those are not of Christ, for they suffer the poor in the mean while to perish with cold and hunger. Wherefore a man must as much abstain from the superfluity of garments or apparel, as of any other kind of evil.
While the young man begins to be in love, he must exhibit some beginning of exercise of his mind. And while others do try their arms, where a tumult is, with strength and armours, this our darling shall convert all his strength to this purpose, that he may defend himself from the madness of love. And when he shall perceive utterly that he must love in deed, to beware that he dote not, and to choose such a one to his love, whose conditions he trusts to be able to endure in perpetual matrimony, and so undefiledly or chastely to keep their congress or meeting together, until the time of Marriage, that besides her, amongst all the number or multitude of women and virgins he know none.
For what purpose or need doth it serve in this case to forbid the desire of money and glory, when even amongst the Gentiles, this kind of mischief is evil spoken of? And this our darling ought not to be taken hereafter as a Christian, if he shall become servant unto that which hath trodden under foot, not one or two, but hath subverted the most flourishing kingdoms, hath destroyed the mighty strong Cities, and whatsoever public weal it hath invaded, it hath utterly undone the same. This when it hath in possession the principal tower of man's mind or soul, it permitteth nothing to be well done, and is the most hurtful plague of all the world; but, alas, it is of a great power, which we shall kill or destroy by Christ alone, if we shall be the diligent or busy followers of him. For what other thing did he here else, than to remedy this evil?
We think the Mathematical disciplines, unto the which also men do number Music, not lightly to be touched, albeit not dwelling long in them. For like as they being known are very much fruitful or necessary, and being not regarded, are no small impediment, even so if a man shall spend all his time in them, even to his old age, he shall have none other fruit by it, than those have, which, because they will not be idle, walking up and down, change now and then their place.
The exercise of contention or of armors, we do not so much condemn, as willing notwithstanding to pronounce otherwise in this matter, if we did not see certain great rich men constantly to abhor from that labor, which doth help the common life. Yet shall it be the part of a Christian man utterly to abstain from weapons as much as may be lawful by the state and tranquility of the public weal. For God, who brought home David as a conqueror, being rude in the handling of weapons, going forthwith his sling against Goliath, and preserved the Israelites, being unarmed from their present enemy, will preserve us also undoubtedly. And if it shall otherwise please him, He shall harness and make strong our hands; He truly doth teach our hands unto the conflict or fight. But if it be utterly determined to put in experience this exercise of weapons, let this only be the chief intent of it, that we will defend our native country and those whom God commandeth to be defended.
I would therefore every man (and chiefly, notwithstanding those that are to be appointed unto the office of the word of God) to think no otherwise than that how they may attain unto the only City, and in that alone, of the old Massilians, the which did account none to be in the number of their citizens, that knew no craft how to get his living. For by that means, it should come to pass that idleness (the cause or maintainer of all dissolute behavior) or wantonness, should be banished, and our bodies should much longer be preserved in health, should live longer, and be of greater strength.
