against him. God protecteth and delivereth the humble man, He
loveth and comforteth the humble man, to the humble man He
inclineth Himself, on the humble He bestoweth great grace, and
when he is cast down He raiseth him to glory: to the humble He
revealeth His secrets, and sweetly draweth and inviteth him to
Himself. The humble man having received reproach, is yet in
sufficient peace, because he resteth on God and not on the world.
Reckon not thyself to have profited in anywise unless thou feel
thyself to be inferior to all.


CHAPTER III

Of the good, peaceable man

First keep thyself in peace, and then shalt thou be able to be a
peacemaker towards others. A peaceable man doth more good than a
well-learned. A passionate man turneth even good into evil and
easily believeth evil; a good, peaceable man converteth all
things into good. He who dwelleth in peace is suspicious of
none, but he who is discontented and restless is tossed with many
suspicions, and is neither quiet himself nor suffereth others to
be quiet. He often saith what he ought not to say, and omitteth
what it were more expedient for him to do. He considereth to
what duties others are bound, and neglecteth those to which he is
bound himself. Therefore be zealous first over thyself, and then
mayest thou righteously be zealous concerning thy neighbour.

2. Thou knowest well how to excuse and to colour thine own deeds,
but thou wilt not accept the excuses of others. It would be more