Converse that we have with good People, cfpe- And truly it is a great Satisfaction, which the Company of those we love is wont to yield us. The very Remembrance of them is fo delightful, that Gregory Nazianzen doubts not to fay, that this is * ρος τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ουδαιμονίας, Aysu mchapμitutos, the very utmost Bound and Term of Human Felicity; or, if you will call it fo, of the Blessedness of this Life. Nature it felf most strongly inclines all Creatures to it, as Ariftotle obferves; there being no Beafts of the Earth, or Fowls of the Air, or Fishes of the Sca, no living Creatures, whether Wild or Tame, but take a kind of Contentment to be with others of the like Kind with themselves. And *Epift. 71. ad Pofthum. D 2 there therefore Mankind must be much more inclin'd to Society, because, if it be fuch as it fhou'd, its Pleasure is not without great Profit; and all the Pleasure of other Things wou'd lose much of its Sweetness, if it was without this. For no Man would chufe to abound in all Kind of Wealth and Delight that is in the World, and be tied withal to love no body, nor be loved of any. If we had therefore nothing elfe but this, in which we are fo much pleased, it might ferve to ease us in many Cafes, and rid us of the Trouble of many Thoughts which elfe wou'd moleft us, and fupply the Abfence of divers Things, the Want of which is apt to difcompofé us. The very Sight of the Countenance of our Friends, is fometimes able alone to scatter a Cloud that was upon our Spirit; their Words are healing Medicines; their Kindness and hearty Love is a reviving Cordial; their zealous Concernment for our Good, puts Life and Vigor into us; and their fervent Defires for our Happinefs, adds Strength to our Hopes, and is able to recover them out of a Swooning Fit. Now if this have fo much Power naturally and alone, then added to all the reft that I have already mentioned, and as it is refined by Chrift Jefus, it cannot fail to compleat our Contentment as much as this World will allow. For that Wisdom, that Love, that Piety, that Holy Hope and Joy in our Lord, which tempers and fweetens all the Paffions of the Soul, render thofe in whom they are, the most. Excellent, the most most Useful, and the most Unchangeable Friends. And if Friendship be the very Salt of Life (as Wife Men have faid) without which it wou'd be nauseous and unfavoury; then nothing could defign us a greater Benefit, and project to give a greater Relish to all the Enjoyments (and Miferies too) of Life, than Chriftian Religion: Which intended to make all that believe on Christ our Friends, and incline them to embrace us with the Love of Brethren and Sifters, or as the Members of the fame Body do one another. And though Chriftianity hath not obtained this happy End, yet look how many good and truly virtuous Souls there are, fo many Well-willers you have to pray for you, to pity you, to relieve you, to affift you with their Counfel, and all other ways that are in their Power. For * φίλοι πάντες ἀλλήλων και συγγενεῖς δι κατὰ θεὸν ζῶντες καὶ τῷ αὐτῷ ἐυαγγελίῳ τοι χοντες, (as the fame Greg. Naz. fpeaks) they are all Friends and Kindred to each other, who live according to God, and walk after the Rule of the fame Gospel. And the nearer and stricter Friendship we contract with any of these, still the more happy we are; because they will be the more concerned for us, and have the dearer and tenderer Affection to us in all our Needs. And what is there that hinders us from fo doing? It being no Injustice to the reft, to have a more than ordinary Kindness for fome. Te nov, as the aforefaid Great Man fpeaks in another Place; Epift. 43. ad Greg. Nyff. + Epift. 47. D 3 What What is there more juft and righteous than God? And yet, though he be the Maker and Lord of all alike, he was pleased to chufe unto himself a peculiar People out of the reft of Mankind, and named them Ifrael; and was not afraid that he fhould be therefore accounted unjuft or unequal Abraham had the Title of the Friend of God, without any Injury to any body else. And he that had Abraham for his Friend, was not with out a choice and peculiar Good, that would add much to his Contentment and Satisfaction, and make him a better Neighbour alfo to the reft of the World. It is impoffible he fhou'd be poor, who hath any Store of thefe Riches. Ob hoc ipfum vivo tranquillius, &c. faith Erafmus*: For the Sake of this very Thing, I live in the greater Tranquillity; because I take that to be among my Goods, which my fincere Friends poffefs. I can never imagine my felf deftitute, as long as I have any of these remaining. There is no Poffeffion more precious than this; in which, above all other Things in the World, I acquiefce'; and comfort my felf against all the Croakings of the Frogs. Nay, fometimes in one Perfon Chriftians find a great Treafure; who will help to illuminate their Mind with his Knowledge, and warm their Spirit by the Ardency of his Love to God, and comfort them (as St. Paul fpeaks, 2 Cor. i. 4.), when they are in Trouble, by the Comforts wherewith be himself was comforted of God, * Lib. 27. Ep. 7. 1 and 1 and quicken them by his pious Example, and holy Converfation; and be a Helper forward of their Joy in the Lord, by the Tafte he hath that the Lord is gracious. So that all the forehamed Benefits may receive an Augmentation and great Increafe from this. For we never receive any thing more readily, than from the Mouth of thofe whom we love; we are apt to fuck in their Opinions, to imitate their Actions, to follow their Inclinations, to elpoufe their Interests, to be concerned in all their Designs; and, in fhort, to become like them. The Unity therefore of Chriftian Minds (as one of the Ancients fpeaks) makes a greater and more than Man himfelf; & γ' ες πολλέςος δειν ἔτως : For by this means one is multiplied into many. If Two or Ten be dulu, of one Soul, and one Mind, as it is faid of the firft Chriftians, Acts iv. 32. One of thefe is no longer One, but every One of them becomes Ten. In thefe Ten, you will find One; and in every One, Ten. If there be any Enemy that fpites One of them, he hath Ten to affault, and not One fingle Perfon. If he be in any Need, he is not oppreffed thereby, as long as the Fulnefs of the greater Part remains; which will remove it, and take it away. Every one of thefe (as he proceeds) hath Twenty Hands, and Twenty Eyes, and as many Feet, and Half as many Souls: For he doth not ufe his own Soul only, but theirs alfo. Their Wisdom, their Prudence and Forefight, their Strength, their Diligence, their Zeal, are all his. That which Nature cannot do, Charity effects T |