The twelfe Chapter. Of Fortitude, of mortification, of enduring the crosse and afflictions; wherein is also treated of flieng awaie, and of banishment.
SEing that in the holie scriptures there is oftentimes mention made of fortitude, 1 it shall not be amisse to speake somewhat of the nature thereof. 2 Fortitude therefore is an habit of our mind, whereby (according to right reason for iustice and honestie sake) we hold a meane betwéene feare and boldnes. 3 They which excéed in not fearing, are shewed to be they, which haue vtterlie put off all feare, and are so stout, as they are not mooued, no not with those things, which doo altogither excéed nature: as thunders from heauen, lightenings, earthquakes, and such like. Yet for all that doo not these excéed in hardines: for they therefore will not put foorth themselues of their owne accord to perils, or attempt anie difficult thing for an honest cause. And they which be of this sort, are thought to be in a certeine madnes and furie: they are without name, bicause there be few such found. Thus the matter appéereth with some: whosoeuer is bold, feareth nothing; but not so on the contrarie part: for manie may be without feare, which are not bold, nor will mooue or attempt anie thing. Howbeit, the case dooth not so stand: for he that is bold, is not altogither vnfearefull, in such wise as he hath put awaie all feare. No doubt he is somwhat mooued therewith, but he easilie and manie times hath the ouer hand; yea, and he is bold more often than he should. Wherefore, he rather departeth from right, and from the nature of man, which excéedeth in vnfearefulnes, than he which ouercommeth with boldnesse. Now then we must thus order the matter, that a valiant man is bold, but yet with reason; namelie, when it behooueth him, and when reason beareth rule ouer the feare that is in him. But he is a rash fellowe, which is bold to doo anie thing rashlie: for he putteth forward himselfe to perils, but without reason: in déed he hath not set aside all feare, but the greatest part he hath.
But euen as in excesse are placed diuers affects of vnfearefulnesse (as I may saie) and of boldnes; why likewise in the defect are there not assigned two, but one; whereby we are said to be cowardlie or fearefull? We answer, that euen there also are appointed two maner of defects; seeing some are said to faint either by too much fearing, or by not daring. But the fearefull and cowardlie séeme to be ioined togither both in one name, since they be not separated one from an other: for he that is too fearefull, dare doo nothing: and againe, he that dare doo nothing is ouer fearefull. But the matter goeth not thus: for it may be, that some man feareth nothing, and therewithall dare doo nothing. Rather are those two sorts ioined togither by Aristotle, bicause the cowards or the fearefull, are comprehended both vnder one name. But he which so excéedeth in not fearing, why is he not called vnfearefull? And why is not this affect called vnfearefulnes? Bicause these names are also agréeable to him that is valiant, and in like maner to him that is bold; and therefore they cannot be proper to him, whom we haue called vnfearefull.
But albeit (as I haue said) that fortitude holdeth a meane betwéene feare and boldnesse, yet it is most of all considered in the ouercomming of feare. For séeing that vertue is placed in hard and difficult things, it is a great deale more difficult in great terrors to represse feare, than to restraine boldnesse. For boldnesse is oftentimes repressed, euen by the obiect it selfe: but feare is rather increased and kindled by dangers. The end is honestie and goodnes: 4 for otherwise, if a man for his owne commoditie sake should be led to doo valiantlie; that is not fortitude, but rather crueltie and fiercenes. But honestie and goodnes is, to take in hand labours and perils, either for religion, or for righteousnesse, or for our countrie, or else for our parents. But aboue all other things must feare be subdued and ouercome: for it hath alwaies respect to some great euill. 5 For they define feare to be the eschewing of an euill, likelie in short space to happen. Howbeit, we doo not respect fortitude in euerie feare: for there be certeine euils, which of their owne nature, and of the duetie of a good man ought to be feared; of which sort be all kind of sinnes. Against these we are armed, not with fortitude, but with duetie: for in the repressing of those euils, which are purchased by our owne fault; we are not called valiant men, vnlesse a man will speake vnproperlie. For so saith Paule; 6 Doo we prouoke God? Are we stronger than he? Wherefore fortitude is considered in those things which are not receiued through our owne fault, 7 but are brought vnto vs outwardlie. Albeit that neither those in verie déed doo belong all vnto fortitude: for the same we defined to be a taking in hand of dangers for honestie and goodnesse sake. For sicknesse & shipwracke, and such other kind of misfortunes, we suffer patientlie, if we be of a good courage; and yet for all that, fortitude is not considered properlie in them: for these things are not taken vpon vs by choise.