and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and
unjust; but he doth not rain wealth, nor shine
honor and virtues, upon men equally. Common
benefits, are to be communicate with all; but pe-
culiar benefits, with choice. And beware how in
making the portraiture, thou breakest the pattern.
For divinity, maketh the love of ourselves the pat-
tern; the love of our neighbors, but the portraiture.
Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and fol-
low me: 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
crassness, or frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or
difficulties, or the like; but the deeper sort, to envy
and mere mischief. Such men, in other men's ca-
lamities, are, as it were, in season, and are ever on
the loading part: not so good as the dogs, that licked
Lazarus' sores; but like flies, that are still buzzing
upon any thing that is raw; misanthropi, that
make it their practice, to bring men to the bough,
and yet never a tree for the purpose in their gar-
dens, as Timon had. Such dispositions, are the very