18 Cato, ho- movirtuti Yvltlernus, qttinunqud reaèfiat, ut facr-re videretur, f dquia a- literfasere non poteiat cuiqueid (slam vifiim eft rationem habert,quód habrretju- ftitiam,om- nibus huma- nis vitiis im- munis,fem.- perfertunam infuapote- ;ate habuit. Paterculus lib.z. b Splendila recata. * Cwra yielianum, Telag.G.4. c3 ° Cap.tt.6. e,ís Difourfeoftrue happineffe. fareofmorali perfe&ion. This Elogie the A Hiflorian gives ofthe RomanCato. Cato was a man which did animate the faire fjieculative image ofvertue with lively executions and prat-lice. Goodneife wu fo habitually incorporated into his hovel mind,that beedidgood, not for refpet7sand refervedly, but becaufe bee couldpoffibly doe no otherwife. Impartial!indieren- cie was theruleofhis actions; andbeingfree from the corrupti- ons ofthe time , bee was thefame man, andhada free com- mandover hispafons, both in time ofacceptation and difgrace. It is furtherreportedofFabricius , that a man might fooner turne the Sun from his courfe,then to fway Fabricius( by re fpe&s) from honefl and ingenuous dealing.Andyet all thefe excellencies ofmoralitie are juflly and trulycenfured by Di vinity,to be but bgloriotuftns,6eautifssllabominations. Auflin, * that great difputer, and worthyFather, confirmes it unan- fwerably; efpecially from that ground in the Epif}le to the Hebrewes : Without faith it is impojlile to pleafe God. Let a mans works in {hew beenever fo good, fo magnificent, fo charitable; except the heart bee ptirged from dead workes by a lively faith, and pure from an evill confcience,hee is but apainted fepulchre,or whitedwall. But yet take this by the way; ifthefe Heathens (in the twilight ofreafon) became fuch admirable lights of uprightneffe and honefly s and yet Chriflians in thefe dayes (when all thebeames of Chrifls bleflèd Gofpel arefhiningand flied round about them)con- tinueHill indarkeneflè,cold and frozen in prophanenefleand fecurity ; certainely, as it fhallbee eafier for Tyrus and Sidon at thedayofjudgement,then for Corazin andBethfaida: fo it }hall be eafierfor many Heathens (though to them impofll- ble) then for thofe Chriflians, that paffenot them in vertue and integritie. Cato and Fabricius at that day flail rife a- gainfl many luke-warme Profeffors of our times, to their e- ternall fhame,confufion,and condemnation. The fecond reafon is grounded upon the words of Saint Paul, I Corinth. 2. 14. The natured man perceiveth not the thingsof the Spirit ofGod; for they are foolifhneffe unto him : neithercan bee know them, becaufe theyare #iritully difeerned. In,l
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