3. Look we then, beloved, what hardships in labors and sorrows men endure, for things which they viciously love, and by how much they think to be made by them more happy, by so much more unhappily covet. How much for false riches, how much for vain honors, how much for affections of games and shows, is of exceeding peril and trouble most patiently borne! We see men hankering after money, glory, lasciviousness, how, that they may arrive at their desires, and having gotten not lose them, they endure sun, rain, icy cold, waves, and most stormy tempests, the roughnesses and uncertainties of wars, the strokes of huge blows, and dreadful wounds, not of inevitable necessity but of culpable will. But these madnesses are thought, in a manner, permitted. Thus avarice, ambition, luxury, and the delights of all sorts of games and shows, unless for them some wicked deed be committed or outrage which is prohibited by human laws, are accounted to pertain to innocence: nay moreover, the man who without wrong to any shall, whether for getting or increasing of money, whether for obtaining or keeping of honors, whether in contending in the match, or in hunting, or in exhibiting with applause some theatrical spectacle, have borne great labors and pains, it is not enough that through popular vanity he is checked by no reproofs, but he is moreover extolled with praises: “Because,” as it is written, “the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul.”6    Ps. x. 3 For the force of desires makes endurance of labors and pains: and no man save for that which he enjoyeth, freely takes on him to bear that which annoyeth. But these lusts, as I said, for the fulfilling of which they which are on fire with them most patiently endure much hardship and bitterness, are accounted to be permitted, and allowed by laws.

CAPUT III.

3. Patientia iniquorum quanta. Intueamur ergo, charissimi, quanta in laboribus et doloribus homines dura sustineant, pro rebus quas vitiose diligunt, et quanto se his feliciores fieri putant, tanto infelicius concupiscunt. Quanta pro falsis divitiis, quanta pro vanis honoribus, quanta pro ludicris affectionibus periculosissima et molestissima patientissime tolerantur! Pecuniae, gloriae, lasciviae cupidos videmus, ut ad desiderata perveniant, adeptisque non careant, soles, imbres, glacies, fluctus, et procellosissimas tempestates, aspera et incerta bellorum, immanium plagarum ictus, et vulnera horrenda, non inevitabili necessitate, sed culpabili voluntate perferre. Verum hae licitae quodam modo videntur insaniae.

CAPUT IV.

Haec a vanis laudatur. Namque avaritia, ambitio, luxuria, et variorum oblectamenta ludorum, nisi propter illa facinus aliquod admittatur, sive flagitium quod legibus prohibetur humanis, putantur ad innocentiam pertinere: imo etiam qui sine fraude cujusquam, aut pro habenda vel augenda pecunia, aut pro adipiscendis vel retinendis honoribus, aut in agone certando seu venando, seu theatricum aliquid plausibiliter exhibendo magnos labores doloresque pertulerit, parum est quod populari vanitate nullis reprehensionibus cohibetur, sed insuper extollitur 0613 laudibus: Quoniam laudatur, sicut scriptum est, peccator in desideriis animae suae (Psal. IX, 3). Vis enim desideriorum facit tolerantiam laborum et dolorum: et nemo nisi pro eo quod delectat, sponte suscipit ferre quod cruciat. Sed istae, ut dixi, cupiditates, propter quas explendas qui eis flagrant, multa dura et acerba patientissime sustinent, licitae existimantur legibusque concessae.