honour and virtues, upon men equally. Common benefits are to be communicate with all; but peculiar benefits with choice. And beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern. For divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbours but the portraiture. Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and follow me:[1] but sell not all thou hast, except thou come and follow me; that is, except thou have a vocation wherein thou mayest do as much good with little means as with great; for otherwise in feeding the streams thou driest the fountain. Neither is there only a habit of goodness, directed by right reason; but there is in some men, even in nature, a disposition towards it; as on the other side there is a natural malignity. For there be that in their nature do not affect the good of others. The lighter sort of malignity turneth but to a crossness, or frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or difficilness,[2] or the like; but the deeper sort to envy and mere mischief. Such men in other men's calamities are, as it were, in season, and are ever on the loading[3] part: not so good as the dogs that licked Lazarus' sores;[4] but like flies that are still buzzing upon any thing that is raw; misanthropi,[5] that make it their practice to bring men to the bough, and yet have never a tree
- ↑ "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." Matthew xix. 21.
- ↑ Difficilness. Unreasonableness, stubbornness.
- ↑ Loading. Present participle active, 'that loads'; hence burdening, aggravating, oppressive.
- ↑ Luke xvi. 21.
- ↑ Misanthropi. Misanthropes, that is, from the Greek, haters of mankind.
