Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/410

406 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. of a life innocently passed, and the hope of a better to come. These are the two crutches upon which old age is borne up ; therefore if you take these away, and in the stead of them put a double burden upon their shoulders, the remembrance of a life ill spent and despair of happiness to come, pray what living creature can be imagined more afflicted and more miserable 1 Sp. Indeed, I cannot see what, unless it be the old age of a horse. He. Then, indeed, is the stable-door shut when the steed is stolen ; and the old saying is a true one, " The end of mirth is heaviness," and " there is no delight equal to a glad heart." And again, " A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones." And again, " All the days of the afflicted are evil," i.e., afflicted and wretched. " A contented mind is a continual feast." Sp. Then they act wisely that get wealth betimes, and provide a viaticum for old age against it comes.

He. The holy scripture has not so low a sense as to measure man's happiness by outward enjoyments. He is poor, indeed, that is divested of all virtue, and owes both soul and body to the devil. Sp. And he, indeed, is a very severe creditor. He. He is truly rich who has God for his friend ; for what should he fear that has such a protector ? Should he be afraid of men ? The united power of all the men in the world is less to God than that of a gnat against an Indian elephant. Should he fear death 1 To godly men that is the way to eternal hap- piness. Should he fear hell ? A godly man says with confidence to God, " Though I walk in the region of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." Why should he be afraid of devils that carries Him in his breast at whom the devils tremble ? The scripture, which cannot be contradicted, in many places says, that the breast of a godly man is the temple wherein God dwells. /Sp. Indeed, I do not see how these things can be refuted, though they seem contrary to common sense. He. How so ? Sp. For, according to your way of reasoning, any Franciscan lives a life more pleasant than he that abounds with honours and, in a word, all kinds of delight. He. Nay, you may add the sceptre of a king, and the pope's triple crown too, and of a threefold crown make a hundredfold one, and except only a good conscience, and I will be bold to say that this bare- footed Franciscan, girt about with a rope full of knots, in a mean and ragged coat, worn to a skeleton with fasting, watching, and labours, and that is not worth a penny in the world, if he has but a good con- science, lives more deliciously a thousand times than Sardanapalus him- self? Sp. What is the reason, then, that we commonly see poor men look more melancholy than rich men? He. Because a great many are doubly poor. Indeed, diseases, want, watching, labour, and naked- ness do weaken the habit of the body. But the alacrity of the mind does not exert itself in these cases alone, but also in death itself. For the mind, although it is tied to a mortal body, yet it being of a more powerful nature, does after a sort transform the body into itself, espe- cially if the efficacy of the Spirit be added to the power of its nature. Hence it comes to pass that we frequently see men that are truly pious die with greater cheerfulness than others live. Sp. I have often wondered at that myself.

He. It is not at all to be wondered at that there should be an invincible joy where God the fountain of all joy is. What new thing