And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city— It is far beyond comparison easier to conquer enemies, to take citadels, to subject people, than to conquer passions, to moderate desires, to subdue evil habits, and repress the sallies of wrath and resentment. We read of but few celebrated conquerors who have not been subdued by some passion or other. Horace has finely expressed this sentiment, lib. 2: Obadiah 1:2.
By virtue's precepts to controul The thirsty cravings of the soul, Is over wider realms to reign Unenvy'd monarch, than if Spain Thou could'st to distant Lybia join, And both the Carthages were thine. FRANCIS.
And Ovid says,
Fortior est qui se, quam qui fortissima vincit Moenia, nec virtus altius ire potest.
One translation renders, the verse, Qui dominatur animo suo, expugnator est urbium; "He that can suppress his passions is even master of all cities; no strength can resist him." So that if we intend nothing but our own ease and advantage, we have reason to apply ourselves to and study this temper; in which the precepts of the philosophers give us ample instructions, and the practices of mere heathen men have left us notable examples; but the obligations of Christianity carry us much farther; we must add to this temperance, patience, which is a Christian virtue of the highest qualification.