retirements as well to reenforce their spirits dissipated by the throng of affaires as the better to discerne what was good and necessary during this solitary tranquility for the further authorisement of their lawes and decrees by the esteeme of Religion If therefore Heathens have attributed so much to meere opinion what ought Christians doe to manifest truth I will now conclude this subject by a notable speech of Saint Bernard to Eugenius then Pope To the end your charity may be full and entire exclude not your selfe from the bosome of that providence of yours which receiveth all others What availeth it thee to procure the good and salvation of all others if this happen by the losse of thy selfe Wilt thou alone be frustrated of thy private felicitie All drinke at thy breast as at a publicke fountaine and thy selfe remainest behinde panting and thirsly amidst thy owne waters Remember I beseech thee I will not say alwayes nor will I say often yet at least sometimes to allow thy selfe to thy selfe Enjoy thy selfe with many or at least after many And in another place Take example saith he of the soveraigne Father of all D. Bern. l. a. Eugenium who sending his WORD into the world did yet retaine him nere his person Your word is your thought and consideration which if it part from you to imploy it selfe for the publike good let it yet be in such sort as it may still remaine within thee That it communicate it selfe without leaving thee void and diffuse it selfe over others without forsaking thy selfe CHAP. 8. Of other Vertues which cause a Politicke sufficiencie and chiefly of Prudence I Have sufficiently spoken of Wisdome the smalnesse of this worke considered I will therefore proceed to speake of other parts instructing the Vnderstanding for the knowledge of such things as are necessary for publike good and which finish the perfection of a publike sufficience The Philosopher in his Ethicks Arist l. 6. Eth. assigneth five kinds of intellectuall vertues the Intellect Science Wisdome Art and Prudence Intellect is no other than the habitude and disposition to know the primary principles which are perceived by themselves and presently apprehended by the intellectuall power without the assistance of ratiocination Science is a demonstrative habitude of necessarie things which cannot otherwise be and this habitude is acquired by the discourse of Reason sounding and searching the causes thereby to know the effects Now this knowledge of effects by the causes is called Science Wisdome is a very perfect and exact Science knowing both the consequences deduced from the principles and the principles themselves with the most universall causes so according to the Philosopher the excellent knowledge of every Science Discipline and Art may be called Wisdome Art is an habitude and just reason of certaine workemanships which are to be made and produced to the shew as building and painting with the like Art reflecteth not upon the interiour residing in the soule but on the action passing and flowing from the interiour understanding to imprint it selfe upon exteriour substances Prudence is a just reason of the actions of human life and of what man ought to doe and practice according to his estate and condition Now of these five habitudes or vertues which instruct and perfectionate the intellective power Art suteth not with our subject The Intellect and Science have bin cursorily touched when I sayd that a good wit and the study of Letters were requisite as necessary parts for the forming of Wisdome There now remaineth onely Prudence which being the right rule of of human actions is as it were the soule and life of the active civill and Politicke life For Intellect Science and Wisdome are onely serviceable for the understanding the universall reasons of things and the true ends whereto they are to be referred Prudence ought after this to applyâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—eral reasons to the occurrencies particularities of affaires presenting themselves and to finde out the convenient meanes to arrive to the proposed end The Intellect seeth the first principles Science is acquainted with the universall causes of particular effects VVisdome is the perfection of the Vnderstanding the flower and Creame of Science Prudence is that which putteth in practise the Intellect Science and Wisdome The Vnderstanding affords the light Science frames the reason Wisedome perfecteth the knowledge Prudence directeth the action briefly Intellect Science and VVisdome do show in grosse what is fitting to be effected why it is to be done and to what end it is to be undertaken Prudence sheweth in each particular action how it is to be effected the former doe onely propose the end This besides the way doth likewise afford the skill and delivers unto us the conduct This is that of which the Philosopher speaketh in his Ethicks that it is the proper office of Prudence to dispose the meanes to arrive to the end The Vnderstanding searcheth it Science findeth it VVisdome sheweth it but Prudence conducteth it CHAP. 9. Of the Necessitie Excellencie and Offices of politicke Prudence PRudence as the Philosopher sayth in his Ethicks regardeth as its object things either good or evill profitable or pernicious honest or reproveable in a man following his calling and charge and it is proper to the prudent to consult and solidly to advise with himselfe in each affaire and particular action what is fitting and convenient to the present subject to his duty ranke and office So as to say truly looke how requisite Art is for the workes of industry so fitting is Prudence for the affaires of vertue An ancient Authour termeth Prudence the Art of living Now to live as a man ought is to live according to reason A man without Prudence is as a workeman without Art who hath tooles in his hand but wanteth act to make right use of them for the impression of convenient formes in the matter whereon he is to worke Man likewise who hath Science and VVisdome without Prudence seeth well the Reasons and the end whereto he is to ayme but is destitute of the right application of reasons whereby to finde out the meanes and attaine to the end And as the unkilfull crafts-man spoyles the matter thinking to polish it So the imprudent man ruines affaires presuming to rectifie them nor is there other difference save onely that the former spoyles Iron stones wood or some other matters of slight consideration the other ruines himselfe his particular fortunes yea whole States and Empires if he have thereof the administration VVherefore Saint Ambrose tearmeth Prudence D. Amb. l. I. Do offic c. 27. Cas Collat I. cap. 27. the sourse and fountaine of vertuous actions and Cassian expoundeth this saying of the Gospell Thine Eye is the Lampe of thy Body understandeth by this eye Prudence being the eye of the soule Or if the understanding be the eye of the soule and wisdome the light of this eye Prudence is the Apple of this Eye and as the lampe of this light
virtutibus alienum bonum videtur spectare qui ad alterum spectat Agit enim qua alteri conducunt aut Principi aut Reip. saith the Philosopher to those who are encharged with the publick good either of the Prince or State It is the essentiall and inseparable quality constituting the nature of their office and without which they leave to be what their titles import and are as men in picture being nothing lesse than men though they retayne the name and forme So the Scripture termeth the Pastor who hath no care save for himselfe only but an Idoll since he is not what men call him he is called Pastor by relation to others and he only feedeth himselfe so as hee is no better than a painted Idoll having in him nothing lesse than what his name imports nor is any thing so little as what he appeares to bee A title likewise belonging to all those who obliged to the publick regard nothing save their particular interest and are to say truly none other than Idols and phantomes whose appearance dazleth our eyes and whose name deludeth our eares And truly since they are not established over the publick but with obligation to have care on them they violating the duty of their dignity disgrace its glory and not performing what they promise they are not really what they stile themselves They are rightly Idols since the figure only remayneth not quick bodies since the soule is vanished One may say of them as David did of the Idols among the Gentiles They have eyes but see not eares but understand not mouthes but speak not feet but walk not for they have eyes but connive eares but counterfeit the deafe dumb mouthes and feet fixed to the center of their proper interest since they walk not toward their obligation They have hands but feele not for they being ordinarily employed in touching and taking they lose both sight hearing speech and motion Wherefore the The bans painted their Iudges and Magistrates without hands Pitrius in hierogly l. 38 since when their hands are over long it is much to bee feared their feet will become gouty their tongues tied their cares deafned and their eyes dimmed And the Scripture saith That those who take bribes do likewise retaine injustice I intend not hereby to prove that injustice destroyes authority being both by divine and humane right inviolable but only that in such persons the honour and merit of possessing places of judicature perisheth the title remayneth the merit is missing Iustice therefore tending to the good of others is as it were an essentiall quality to publick persons obliging them to love and daily to procure the generall good which not only lawes and reason teach us but even nature it selfe dictates unto us For is it not apparant in all sublunary things that whatsoever is destinated for common good operateth not for it selfe but imployeth it selfe for all Do not the heavens send forth their influences the Sun his beames the earth its fecundity the trees their fruits fountaynes their waters Bees their honey Silk wormes their subtile webs for all Doth not the liver distribute blood to all the veynes the head motion to all the nerves the heart vigour to all the members Is there any thing in nature which converteth to its owne use what it hath received for the common good See wee not in reasonable creatures a desire in unreasonable ones a motion in insensible things a kinde of inclination toward the generall good of the Vniverse whereby their particular good subsisteth Is it not true that by naturall instinct the hand casts it selfe before the body to receive upon it selfe the strokes comming upon it and how each part is inclinable to preserve the whole though to its owne ruine Shall not then knowledge reason and justice cause that in man which a mere naturall inclination effecteth in all other things But is there any thing either more glorious or which draweth the creature neerer to the imitation of God than to seeke and procure publick good to go lesse therein is it not a signe of indigence and to enlarge our selves a token of abundance Who is so abundant as God and who diffuseth himselfe like him poverty pincheth and restraineth plenty enlargeth and dilateth Moreover whatsoever is most excellent and principall in all things doth it not communicate most and become most abundant The highest and most elevated among the Angels do they not take greatest care both of the heavens motions of the worlds government and of mankinde in generall those of inferiour orders having the oversight only of some single Kingdome Province or City and the lowest orders those who have the single conduct of each particular person Among the starres the Sunne holding the highest rank doth hee not bestow his lights and influences both upon the celestiall and elementary world The Moone succeeding in the second place to the elementary globe only The starres as least in dignity to a certain species or individuity of sublunary things But I beseech you is there any thing so noble in the world as God in man as the soule in the body as the heart in the tree as the root All the tree is nourished by the root the heart causeth life in the whole body the soule guideth the whole man God governeth the whole world To practise vertue in our owne particular is a great matter but to exercise it toward others is much more glorious to make use of it toward many is excellent but to impart it to all is supereminent And even as saith the Philosopher hee who is malicious toward himselfe and others Arist lib. 5. Polit. cap. 1. is the worst and most wicked of all men So he who practiseth vertue both toward himselfe and others is the best and most just among men It is the highest pitch of vertue the consummation of justice the perfection of man and the degree neerest approaching to the Divinity CHAP. 18. The Epilogue of all this Discourse of Iustice by way of Epiphonema BVT Plato saith that if vertue could be viewed living and animated with her proper attractions she would cause admiration in mindes and amorous motions in all hearts Discourse can only represent her in picture and Eloquence is not stored sufficiently with lively colours to inspire thereinto the soule and beauty of a naturall body So as to behold Iustice which my weak pencill is forced to expresse in her lively and native grace it is necessary to cast our eyes upon some living modell if the world yet affords any such expressing in it selfe the beautifull idaea of this eldest daughter of God which the pen is unable to depaint O more worthy the name of Great than Alexander or Pompey a man given from heaven and more resembling God than man he who mouldeth himselfe upon this image and whose soule is the table his vertue the pencill his actions the colours and whose life is the soule of that living image drawn upon the
whether Politicke Oeconomicall or particular to be both honest and profitable to all men who have the faculty eyther to argue or discourse though the practicall part of the Politicke appertayneth onely to those who besides knowledge have authority practice and experience Policy affordeth not offices nor offices practice not practice experience but to a few onely But God hath bestowed reason upon all and study acquireth knowledge to divers and what the former put in execution upon casuall occurrents of particular affaires the latter contemplate in immutable principles in primitive causes and universall verities If therefore it be lawfull not onely for Pylots who have stood at the Helme amidst the Winds and tempests to treat of Navigation but for Geographers likewise who never saw Sea but shadowed in Mappes nor Tempests but painted If it be allowed those to speake of Musicke who never have eyther governed nor so much as sung in Quire or Consort And if divers dispute with much approbation both of Phisicke Geometrie Limming and Architecture who never toucht rule to square a stone pensil to suce a colour compasse to trace a line or sicke person to dyer why should any finde it strange for those who live remote from publike affaires in rest and peace to employ their spare time in considering the qualities requisite for the right ordering these severall vocations since of all arts and disciplines liberall and mechanicall though the Action belong but to a few yet may the Contemplation appertaine to all But to enter upon the matter and to use the grave saying of the Angelicall Doctor St. Thomas As man never performed any thing of greater consequence than the erecting of Communalâ—ies Republiques and Empires so could they not execute any thing of more eminency than rightly to governe the same Now if the establishment of Graces be the Master-peece of humane industry doubtlesse the right and just government thereof may well be accounted the most exact proofe of humane wisdome As Gods providence appearing in the perticular conduct even of least matters shineth yet most gloriously in the universall administration of the Vniverse so humane wisdome shewing it selfe in the right ordering of our private actions is yet more perspicuous in the government of a Family but of greatest luster in the exact direction of the generall body of Civill societie For good is alwayes by so much the more eminent by how much it is more capable to extend and diffuse it selfe Corporall things do sufficiently shew us this ground that the sight ablest to extend it selfe to most objects is the sharpest That hand to be the strongest which throweth the farthest That taste to be the best tempered which can distinctly discover the difference of most relishes That fire to be most active that is able not onely to consume wood and stone but water also though its contrary as it is sayd of the fire of Thunder And that light to be most lively and cleare which doth most communicate it selfe Briefly all corporeall things of greatest extent in their action are likewise of most vigour in their nature The like may be observed in spirituall matters since that Vnderstanding which pierceth the pith of most truthes is most solid That Memory strongest which conserveth most species That Iudgement of most capacity which is most universall That Wisedome greatest which apprehendeth most reasons And that Prudence most divine which can dexteriously manage greatest affaires The vertue therefore which employeth it selfe in the conduct of a private life onely is inferiour to that which reflects upon the Government of many but that which undertaketh publique rule ought to exceed all the rest and to have so much the more abilities as it ought the farther to extend it's actions But to handle this subject with more order and perspicuity before I proceed I intend to frame and lay for a Basis and foundation of all this discourse a generall division of Politicall vertue divided into three members or parts which as with three severall stages shall perfect this little fabrick Those three members are three rankes or orders of qualities requisite to perfectionate Politicall vertue The first affordeth sufficiency and capacity the second a good disposition and honesty the third vigour and gracefulnesse Those of the first ranke instruct the Vnderstanding to know what is convenient for the publike good Those of the second dispose the will to desire love and search the knowne good Those of the last adde force and efficacy to be able to execute and produce to the Worlds eye the good we know will and love To know to will and to effect good are the three perfections of God the worlds moover and governour so as among men who so hath the greatest share in these three perfections commeth nearest God and is most worthy as most capable to afford by his counsels motion to the authority which swayeth Empires Wisedome Prudence and the vertues thereon depending making a man sufficient and capable thereby acquireth to him the first of these three perfections Iustice and her assistant vertues making him good and upright affordeth him the second Authoritie successe fortitude courage and eloquence arming and adorning him both for perswading and executing good addeth the last These three sorts of qualities shall make up the three bookes of this Treatise Let us begin with those of the first ranke and first with Wisedome CHAP. 2. Of Politick Wisedome THe Antients have long disputed whether or no a wise man ought to intermeddle in publique affaires But I see not the ground of their doubt for necessarily either wise men must manage the same or fooles must misgovern all either must the eye conduct the body or the feet misguide it The Sunne must lighten the earth or darkenesse over cloud it What the Sunne is to the world and the eye to the body the like is the wise man in Civill Societies having received from God both more wisdome to govern Wisdome and Reason move govern all in this world in man the works of men in assistance and in art It is therefore a great confusion and against nature when ignorance rashnesse rule in Policies and more dexterity to conduct than other men since it appertayneth to knowledge to direct and to ignorance to follow prescripts See we not in Nature how God being the primary reason is likewise the principall Rule Law and Resort of the motions in all things which being in their order so well disposed in their course so regulated in their tranquillity so constant in their relation and connexion so admirable cause even the blindest to see and the most insensible to perceive that a soveraign wisdome guideth them See we not how under this primary increated Vnderstanding namely the First Mover the created Intelligencies move the Heavens and are as Soules not united but assisting directing giving as it were life to these great bodyes who regulate their revolutions who circle their courses and cause the braull of their
distributing and disposing brightnesse to all the rest and as the apple of the eye cleared by the light tiluminuteth the whole body shewes it the way keeps it from stumbling and directeth all its paces towards the end it aymeth at so Prudence enlightned by wi dome illuminateth the whole Soule sheweth her the way to arrive to good hindreth her from tripping directeth her thoughts guideth her motions disposeth her counsels regulateth her affections ordinateth her powers manageth her habitudes arrangeth her vertues and composeth her actions since without Prudence Vnderstanding is vaine Science unprofitable and Wisdome idle plaine dealing faulty zeale indiscreet justice unjust Force full of temerity Temperance distempered all vertues become vices and perfections faults For as wisdome is the eye of speculative life so is Prudence the light of practicall Reason and as without the light of wisdome the understanding erreth in the knowledge of truth so without the light of Prudence it cannot but erre in the conduct of actions It is the first office of Prudence to see what is to be done in the occurrence and circumstance of each particular case then to finde out the meanes of compassing them this being done then to prescribe the measure and limits of the action since as the Philosopher sayth it appertayneth to Prudence to allot a requisite medium to all vertues having waighed what is fitting for time place subject and affaires after to gaine the dexterity of attayning thereto and to prescribe the measure he therein ought to observe his last office is to put commandement in action by prompt and diligent execution by meanes of the soules faculty having the charge of executing the sentence of judgement and the Empire of Reason Now if any one of these foure parts of Prudence eyther counsell meanes measure or prompt commandement bee defective in action how can it merit the title or glory of a vertuous worke If counsell fayle him it is foolish if it want meanes it is vaine if measure it is irregular if prompt and oportune execution it is idle unusefull fruitlesse If foolish how can it beright If vaine how good If irregular how vertuous If idle how laudable VVherefore as Queenes and great rincesses are attended by along traine of Ladyes of Honour so Prudence as Queen of vertues is followed by foure other vertues The first is called Eubulia well to consult of whatsoever is to be effected to examine and ponder what is necessary for the well ordering of actions in all sorts of affayres The second carryes the name of Synesis a vertue requisite to judge aright and to draw solid conclusions our of the principles of the universall Law The third is called Gnomè well to examine in particular what is to be done according to naturall reason when there is in some case no expresse law The last likewise is named Gnomè to resolve and command after due research and judgement There are three acts of Reason which reflect upon humane actions to consult judge and command And to the end this may passe in due place and conformably to reason It is necessary that Prudence be accompanyed with these foure vertues the first whereof serves for consultation the second and third for judgement the last for commandement CHAP. 10. That politicke Prudence is rare and how it is to be acquired IF it be a difficult matter to accompany every particular action with these foure vertues attending Prudence and with those foure perfections thence yssuing how much harder is it to associate them to all the actions of our life and if to the comportments of a private how much more to the actions of a publike life There are three sorts of Prudence as there are three generall conditions of mans life For eyther man hath onely charge of himselfe and hath therefore need onely of an ordinary Prudence or he hath moreover the guidance of a family requiring an oeconomicall Prudence or else the administration of publike assayres which requireth a Civill and Politike Prudence Now if common Prudence necessary onely for particulars be so rare among men the oeconomicall and Politike is farre more extraordinary and if the right and Prudent conduct of our selves requires such parts what shall we say of the conduct of others Of the guidance of Republikes and government of Empires The Scripture sayes That God founded Heaven by Prudence and the Philosopher That this is the proper vertue for him who governes and proceeds not that it is not necessary for private persons but that it is in such sort requisite for him who hath publike charge that as light is to the Sun and heat to the fire so this to him is a proper essence and inseparable quality without which he is no more capable to manage affaires than the Pilot is to guide a Ship without the Helme and Sea-Card God having chosen losyph to govern the State of Egypt under King Pharath endued him with so perfect a prudence as though yong yet was hee able to instruct the Antients And Salomon together with his Diadem received from God the wisedome to discerne judgement as the booke of Kings speaketh to wit the Prudence causing decernment in the occurrences of all affaires presenting themselves And truely since Prudence is the right rule of such things as we ought to execute the whole life of publique persons consisting in execution and practice they cannot escape from falling into manifold errors if they be not adorned with much Prudence And since this vertue as the watching and open eye over the scepter of the Egyptians ought to spreade its circumspection on every side over places times persons humours appurtenances accidents and dependencies over things past present and future over reasons conjectures suspitions briefly over the smallest particularities hapning in this subject the oppositions rancounters and varicties of affaires in a Common-wealth being infinite and the circumstances accompanying these affaires yet more endlesse It is needfull were it possible to have an infinite Prudence perfectly to performe businesse and to be armed against all occurrents in this case Aristotle in his Rherorickes saith That the most excellent among men are the Councellors of State Plato that good consultation is a certaine divine and sacred thing Saint Basil That Councell is a divine thing and God himselfe by the mouth of the wise man in the Proverbs Pro. 3. That the acquisition of Prudence is more precious than the negotiation of gold and silver But as divers things must concurre to forme gold King of Mettals to weet the preparation of the matter the earths disposition the Suns heat and length of them so for the forming this Prudence Queene of Politicke vertues the gold of Kingdomes the treasure of States the pearle of crowns great help and happy advantages are to be required strength of spirit soliditie of judgement sharpenesse of reason and docilitie to learne of Antients are the dispositions Instructions received from eminent persons the studie of Sciences knowledge of history a
for all good States-men it moreover procureth the favour and love of God thereby to cause all their designes gloriously to succeed and happily to surmount all oppositions To this purpose we reade in our Histories that Philip the King of France after so many battels victories and triumphs which crowned him with immortall honour applying himselfe yet daily more and more to piety to the exaltation of Religion to the foundation enrichment and adornement of Churches certaine States-men intimated unto him under colour of publike good that so great liberalities exhausted his treasure and that he might employ this beneficence both to better purpose and with greater glory to himselfe in advancing the poore families of souldiers and gentry then in adding more to the riches of Churches and Altars Yee then wonder answered this wise King at what I doe for the worship of God but if you reflected upon the frequent necessities and perplexities wherein wee have beene formerly plunged in our warres and battels and out of which the mercifull hand of the Almighty hath a thousand times visibly protected and saved us beyond all humane reason and likelihood having wrought so great things both for the safety of our person and the glory of our State yee would finde no excesse but rather a defect in what I doe for his service I alleadge this sage answer as proceeding from a King who understood the truth thereof by experience to shew that if great persons and those who stand at the helme of great States and Empires did feriously consider the occasion they have to invocate the favour and particular assistance of God amidst so many traverses obstacles and difficulties as daily encounter in eminent affaires they would become more pious and religious towards God then divers of them for the most part appeare to be CHAP. 7. Of the duties and particular fruits of Religion and politicke Piety BVt since Religion ought not to be vaine nor without workes nor piety a tree without fruit the fruits therefore of piety fit for a right Politician are zeale towards the worship of God obedience to his ordinances reverence towards his mysteries respect to his ministers and submission to his Church God hath placed in heaven saith an holy Father two great lights the Sunne and Moone and on earth two soveraigne powers the spirituall and temporall but as in the heavens the Moon borrowes her light from the Sunne so on earth the temporall ought to receive from the spirituall the light of true wisedome necessary for its guidance The law of God which the Church proposeth and explicateth ought to regulate the world the light of God which this Sun distributeth ought to illuminate it It goeth astray if it follow not this light and it loseth this light if it turne the backe from this Sunne CHAP. 8. Of the integrity of the Intention which is the other duty of that Politicke Justice which reflecteth on God THe integrity of intention in counsels and actions is the other dutie of Politicke Iustice towards God For it is a quality requisite in every just and honest action as the forme which gives being to morall honesty but the intention cannot bee sincere but by relation of the action to the true end of man which is God So as the action cannot be good and just if it tend not to God either by the hearts intention or at least by the nature of the worke which of it selfe hath relation to God by meanes of the beauty of that object it reflecteth on And in this sense all the excellent actions of Pagans and Infidels performed for the beauty of vertue not for vanity profit vengeance and other vitious and irregular ends and affections had of themselves a kinde of relation to God though man be not aware thereof Nay it is moreover the opinion of the most learned Divines that these actions by their condition appertaine to eternall reward though the hindrance of infidelity causeth them to faile in the attainement For whatsoever is effected purely for a vertuous end is good what is good is gracious in Gods sight that which is agreeable to God is conformable to his will either revealed unto us by his law or ingrafted in us by nature and whatsoever is sutable to his will belongeth to life everlasting since the Scripture saith That life is found in the observation of his will but each thing belonging to life everlasting is not sufficiently availeable for the acquisition thereof if faith charity grace and all other necessary qualities doe not concurre Who knowes not that the faith of a Christian dying out of the state of grace is notwithstanding a thing belonging to eternall life in its owne nature yet by reason of sinne though it appertaine thereto it arriveth not thereto As the childe who is debarred of his paternall inheritance to whom it belongeth when at any time the right acquired by his origine becommeth unprofitable unto him by his offence So all good morall actions have naturally right to the inheritance of celestiall felicity which is mans last end but they faile thereof through their default when either sinne or infidelity maketh their former right unusefull to them Now this is sufficient to shew that all actions purely performed for a vertuous end be they particular acconomicall or Politicall levell and goe directly toward God though man dream not at all of any relation to that end This foundation layd I say that to cause a Politicke action to become just and honest it must be armed with a right intention and which tendeth to God if not by the expresse cogitation and ayme of the soule yet at least by the good and lawfull quality of the object But the object is good when it is conformable either to naturall reason being the unwritten law or to Gods law which is the written reason or to just humane lawes and those not contrary to God and nature which is Reason explicated enlarged unfolded and proposed by those who have authority serving as a rule to all particular actions Every maxime constitution and action being not squared and added to one of these three Rules can reflect upon no other thing than either pleasure profit ambition or some other disordinate passion unlawfull objects not being able to imprint in a morall act other than injustice and dishonesty All this doth punctually shew us that it is an obligation in Politicke justice concerning God to conforme by a right intention our propositions counsels and actions either to naturall reason or to divine law or to just humane lawes and by this meanes to cause the State to tend to God which is the common end both of the Church and State of spirituall and temporall of body and soule And truely since Iustice willeth us to afford to every man his due temporall States being of Gods institution and demaine Iustice commandeth us that an administration conformable to his will should have relation to his glory Thither it is all ought to ayme
good so farre forth as hee who hath not this benefit is deficient in a necessary good and whoso hath this prerogative above others though otherwise all things be equall yet hath he still advantage over him And besides wee do not consider man metaphysically alone abstracted and divided from other men but reflect upon him as in civill community and society where doubtlesse the splendor and nobility of race doth readily confer that estimation and credence upon him which a new commer how wise and vertuous soever he be shall not acquire till hee have given divers good testimonies of his actions Wherefore Salust observeth that the ancient Romans were of opinion that it was a stayn and blemish to the Consulary honour if they should confer it upon a new commer though adorned with vertue and merit yet when all is sayd we must avow that nobility without vertue is but disgracefull as on the other side vertue without nobility remayneth low priced but nobility adorned with vertue and vertue embellished by nobility rayseth a man to the highest rank of honour and hee in whom these two concurre hath the glory a man can astayn unto since he hath the hereditary joyned to the acquired right In a second place riches adde much to authority when they come either by just succession or by lawfull and honest acquisition Now it is the like of riches as of waters which cannot be clear and wholsome if their source be impure for if wee see a family abounding in temporall substance men presently dispute how it was raysed as the Geographers do of the river Nilus Dogs are ordinarily suspected by reason of their dangerous teeth the Wolfe for his wide throat the Lion for his pawes the Eagle for his tallents the Fox for his crafty tricks and all beasts of prey for their fraud and violence And though Cacus forced the stoln cattell hee conveyed to his Cave to be drawn thither back ward yet so it is that the simplest persons could go directly thitherto discover what they supposed to bee there concealed But when riches are lawfully acquired they contribute much credit to vertue besides the service they afford thereto in the execution of her just and generous designes Arist lib. 2. Eth cap 8. Whereupon the Philosopher desired the goods of fortune as necessary parcels toward the intire accomplishment of mans beatitude D. Thomas 12. qu. 4. artic 7. And even Saint Thomas the master of Theology receiveth this proposition as for what concerneth the imperfect beatitude of this life wherein man hath not only a soule contenting it selfe with interiour blessings but a body likewise needing externall benefits but in the life to come wee being then quit of this fraile flesh God alone shall be our absolute good and our perfect felicity though after the resurrection the body being again reunited to the glorious and immortall soule corporall benefits againe concurre though not as essentiall and necessary yet at least as adjuncts and well befitting the perfection of our beatitude So as you see on all sides how externall substance addeth something to humane felicity yet not to cause us to bee of the Peripatetians opinion who in conformity to their Aristotle supposed a man could not be happy in this life without the affluence of externall things since to the contrary Christian discipline preferreth the indigence of things before abundance and the despisement thereof before the possession but wee only say that a well ordered reason making use of temporall blessings to Gods glory they become a great and powerfull instrument in the exercise of vertues in the well using whereof consists our present felicity Riches are of themselves things of indifferency the well bestowing them makes them good and the abuse thereof causeth them to become naught and as they serve for subject of vice in the hands of wicked persons so afford they weapons to good mens vertues and chiefly to the vertue appearing in publick and which rightly to shew it selfe upon this worlds Theater hath use of exteriour assistances Without which vertue becomes weak and languishing and though not without merit in Gods sight yet at least without action fruit and glory before men For as the faults which are only in the will are no way prejudiciall to civill society and consequently deserve no punishment by humane justice according to the Civilians rules save only in case of high treason where all is punishable Voluntatis poenam nenso patitur both the desire the effect the heart the hand So the good which is only in intention brings no commodity to the publick nor doth it from thence merit either glory or recompence But vertue wanting the instrument of riches to bring to light her fayre designes is constrained to smother thousands of good intentions as being unable to disclose them and as much as poverty bereaveth him of divers occasions to appeare and profit in publick so much glory credit and authority doth it cause him to lose So as his generous inclination elevating him on the one side and his disability dejecting him on the other Alciat Vt me pluma levat sic grave mergit onus it hapneth to him as to the party in the Emblem whom the weight clogged as much as the wing elevated Moreover the things of this world are so disposed and the judgements and affections of men have taken such a propension Pecunia obedinut omnia Prov. c. 10. that all yeeld unto and obey riches as the Wiseman in the Scripture affirmeth Gold saith the Philosopher serves as a surety or safe pledge to obtain what we seek for Nummus est quasi fide jussor habendi pro co quodcunque home volucrit Arist lib. 5. Polit. c. 6. whence it hapneth that being able to do all and effecting every thing in humane occurrents it acquireth great credit to the possessors and bereaveth those of as much who enjoy it not CHAP. 4. The sequence of the same Discourse MOreover offices honours and dignities do greatly contribute toward the acqu sition of Authority and chiefly when they are the recompence of merit and not the preys of ambition or hire of vice For when any illegall or dishonest way hath served as a plank or ladder to rise to honours in this case a man cannot exercise his office with requisite resolution and liberty but shall infallibly encounter divers oppositions founded upon taxations tainting publick credit But he whose vertue hath served as a step to rayse him to dignity goes on with a resolute heart bearing his head aloft his constancy rayseth his courage and in whatsoever just or honest thing he undertaketh honour marcheth before him freedome accompanies him and authority attends him Dignities are the theaters of vertue there it is where shee appeareth producing her fayre actions to the view of all men Offices authorize men provided those men honour their places and that one may justly report of them as was sayd of Epaminondas the Thebane That
Souldiers of Cadmus rise up and iussle each other appearing and perishing in a moment And truly J must confesse that this conceit had almost perswaded mee to commit Paricide and as the Lamias to smother mine owne Creature in his Cradle For it being perhaps like those untimely Productions which according to Physicall tenets are not vitall it had beene more advantagious for him to have received death with Patience than to have expected it with Apprehension specially since parents have absolute power of life and death over the babes of their braine and that in this case onely a voluntary death may with honour prevent an ignominious end But fatherly affection taking advice in favour of his children hath suppressed this first motion perswading me it tasted more both of Humanity and conveniencie to abandon it than to kill it Now whether Reason hath rightly advised me or Selfe-love deceived mee I blame not my Friend If any fault bee committed I desire not they should beare the blame I will therefore expose it to thy Iudgement and lay it open to thy mercie It may happen upon the like good Fortune as those forlorne children doe whose hazard often proves more advantagious to them than their Parents providence their Fates relieving the infelicitie of their birth but howsoever it shall please God to dispose thereof I dedicate it to his Honour and thy service and the designe it hath to become usefull to those who please to entertaine it will as I hope cause it to deserve from them if not praise yet at least favour and pardon The subiect is not new as touching the matter but onely in the invention order stile and way of handling the same Now to the end to deliver thee a just account of my designe and that you may know what you are to expect from mee in this worke and how I proceed I am to let you understand that here I speake of the Politicall Art as Cicero did of the Oratorial in his Book De Oratore where he rather treateth of the Eloquent than of Eloquence of the Orator than of this Art so my obiect in this discourse doth not properly touch upon the Art of Policy but on the Politicke person not on the matter but the man not on the Formes Lawes or Maximes of States but on the vertues and qualities proper for him who governes by his Councell or by administring Iustice under the Authority of asoveraigne Now since God is the finall end of man and consequently whatsoever concerneth man the soule and body the spirituall and temporall ought equally to ayme at God and for the taking a true sight to receive the rule and conduct thereof from his divine Law I therefore consider Politicke Vertues with the Order habitude and reference they ought to have to this finall end Since humane Society whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill ought onely to tend to the happy societie of Saints and that in vaine the Ecclesiasticall part endeavoreth to draw them thereto if the Civile divere them The Name Arist Non est amicitia inter Deum homines The same Subiect giveth it the Name of Christian Politicks for the Pagan Philosophers who have treated upon this Subiect having not acknowledged God as the finall End of man but holding there could not be any amity or correspondency betweene two so infinitely distand they have therefore not referred either civill society or the direction thereof to this end So that Christians who knowing and adoring the true God and apprehending by Revelation his great love towards us and how he being our Center and Beatitude we ought to referre all to him cannot in this case finde in the Books of the ancient Sages any exact or perfect rule herein but are to deduce their principles from a higher spring and to levell their marke at the true obiect if they desire to draw a true and direct line Besides as the Apostle saith IESVS CHRIST is the onely Corner stone that ought to be placed which is to be understood not onely of what concerneth Faith but of whatsoever belongeth to manners life administration of Offices and conduct of affaires The order and division of this Discourse followeth the nature and quality of the subiect and as the Politicke life consisteth not but in Action and since in euery Action three things are necessarie that is to say What we are to do our Will and Power to effect the same so doe I divide all my Worke into three parts The first whereof treateth of the qualities causing the abilitie to know what is requisite or profitable for publicke good The second speaketh of such parts as are fitting for the perfectionating the honestie and integritie to will and desire the good hee knoweth The last discourse to of such sufficiencies as adde vigor towards the production thereof The Wisdome Love and Power of God go verneth all things on Earth The light heat and force of the Sunne inspire soule and life into all this Elementary World Wisdom Goodnesse and Power are the three motions in Policy These are the three darts of Iupiters Thunder the three tines of Neptunes Trident the three Lillies adorning the Armes of our King Funiculus triplex diffâ—â—◠〈◊〉 puâ—â— The Style It is the triple cord whereof the wiseman speaketh very hardly to be broken As for my stile or way of writing I have desired to follow the iudgement of that Romane who sayes The most efficacious way of speaking or writing is to ioyne Eloquence to VVisedome perswasive words to firm and solyde reasons And in this sort have all the Antients proceeded not Ethnicks onely but the first Fathers likewise of the Greeke and Latine Church The meerely Scholasticall straine is good and profitable in other subiects but in this it would appeare over punctuall and smallie civill and the Orator onely adorned with a pomp of ill placed words tends rather to ostentation than instruction But when both these the one having quitted her strictnesse and roughnesse the other her colours and curiositie doe unitedly ioyne in the same Oration the one by contributing sinewes the other ornaments the one force the other lively Graces the one what profiteth the other what pleaseth they iointly yeeld what severally they are unable to affoord Flowers and Fruit Pleasure and Profit But though I be farre from attayning this point yet have I at least endeavoured to approch It being sufficient glory for me to have known and followed the better forme Those who onely affect rhapsodies of resemblances adaptations similitudes and heaped Authorities who frame not a body but a monster of discourse shall not perad venture finde here wherewith to satisfie their conceptions For I will at first confesse I have not imployed my time in searching common places nor in turning over the tables of Bookes to swell my volumes with the spoyles of others The precise and necessary authorities for the proofe of what I speake see me to me sufficient leaving superfluities to those who
is not any thing so prejudiciall to action as to be continually bent upon action without intermission For as the corporall eye seeth not the objects touching it but those onely more remote so the understanding continually plunged in affayres is not so quicke-sighted in occurrents as his who sometimes retireth himselfe from publike action beholding it aloofe off by consideration As it is reported how the noyse which the waters of Nile make do cause all those who liveneere the fals or Cataracts to become deafe Or as the Roman Oratour in his booke of the dreames of Scipio was of opinion that the harmonious and musicall sound resulting from the divers motions of the celestiall Spheres is not by us understood by reason the sound is so strong so quicke and violent that our eares are thereby deafned Or as they who nourish silk-wormes hinder those little creatures from hearing the thunder by the sound of brazen or iron vessels when at any time it is excessive So those who are continually amidst the tumults and tempests of affaires become insensibly besotted and deafe to the voice of Reason and Gods law which ought to give the conduct and motion to active life Besides experience teacheth us that the eye having lost its quicknes with too much looking upon the light recovers it againe in the darke The spirit in like manner dazled weakened and distracted among the multitude and variety of affaires ought to recollect and recover its force in the privacie of some small retreit Moreover see you not how the vapours rising from the earth darken the Sun-light and would utterly over-cloud it did not the Sun recollecting its vigour at length dissipat them by the point of his beames In like manner worldly affaires send forth certain mists invironing the interiour eye where the light of wisedome resideth and by litle and litle coveting the soule with darkenesse transports it to inconsideration and from thence to a thousand stumbling blocks forcing it to retire with shame if the soule preventing this danger did not now and then recollect it selfe and by the attentive consideration of its estate duty and end cause it to disperse those clouds which darken reason This hath caused me to admire that excellent sentence of Ezekiel the Prophet That the earth is desolate for that no man vseth consideration and reflection in his heart and he seemeth to say that it is the onely sourle of all human errours not onely in what concerneth eternall salvation but even in what toucheth the conduct of temporall affaires whether domesticall or publike For whence arise so many mischiefes ruines and desolations be it is in families Cities or Estates but only out of the want of wisdome among men and whence this but from the defect of consideration It is a thing naturall that as a stone cast into a calme and setled water causeth there a circle this circle a second the second a third this third maketh a fourth Circle after circle till the water from one side to the other be all troubled so worldly objects beat upō the senses the senses touch the appetite the appetite exciteth motions in the will the will stirred and tickled by delectation darkeneth the Vnderstanding disordered motions engender desires desires adors ardors breed passions passions temeritie temerities hatch follies and from thence issue all the troubles calamities and disorders falling out in the life of man and all this happens by reason that men being incessantly busied out of themselves eyther with pleasures vanities or affaires never take time to recollect themselves and as the Lamiae in faigned Stories keepe the eye of their Reason fastened to the Gates of their Senses and wittingly either scorne or neglect to weare it within the interiour part of their house thereby to consider know and regulate themselves I say not this as seeking thereby to send the Civill or Politicall Person into a Desart or Cloyster but onely to give him the counsell which Plato gave to Dionysius King of Sicil Plato Epist ad Dionys to take some houre in the day at leysure to contemplate not upon the subjects of vaine Philosophy but upon the eternall verities of divine Wisdome But the advice of Gods Spirit ought to be more efficacious than the precepts of Philosophers Consider and see that I am God saith he by his Prophet Vacate videte quoniam ego sum Deus speaking in generall to all men Give saith God some ease to your occupations to consider who J am and how in comparison of me all therest is nothing at all and shall be soone even as that which never was That I am permanent and how all other things are sliding and transitorie That I am the first law whereby all should be directed the eternall veritie whereto all should conforme themselves the soveraigne power under which all ought to tremble the Wisdome all ought to acknowledge the Iustice none can escape the finall end whereto all things should tend This consideration is a light dissipating the Clouds of ignorance a bridle restraining the rage of passions a rod correcting excesses and discipline composing our manners an Oracle inspiring good counsels a rule directing actions a booke wherein a man doth insensibly with delight learne the science of human and divine things In this sort doth the Scripture propose the Patriark Isaac unto us retiring and recollecting himselfe towards Sun-set walking pensive and solitary in his Garden Moses the Law-maker divided betweene contemplation and action one while comming downe toward the people and otherwhiles re-ascending toward God The Iudge Samuel sometimes giving sentence then contemplating after disposing of the affayres of Israel and opening the eye of his Soule towards Heavenly illuminations King David sometime giving lawes to his people then meditating divine lawes The wise Salomon now deciding the sutes and controversies of his Subjects and presently applying himselfe to the study of divine wisdome Briefly whosoever have at any time managed state or temporall matters according to Gods rule have at all times shared time betweene affaires and recollection betweene God and the world betweene Earth and Heaven as those Creatures called Amphibions who are not alwayes in the water nor continually on shore but doe now and then converse with Beasts on land and presently take water joyfully and naturally to divide the Waves among other aquaticall Creatures Now that which herein is to be observed is that even Pagan Politicians have acknowledged the necessity of these small intermissions in active life to the end to take some time for contemplation For not againe to repeat what I have formerly spoken conserning the counsell given by Plato to Dionysius King of Sicily who knowes not what the Roman Orator writ concerning the great Scipio whom he represents unto us often solitary and being never better accompanied than when he was alone by himselfe beside who hath not read how those ancient Law makers Numa Zaleuxis Lycurgus Solon and others made use of frequent
happy memory in things past in all Ages and States are the beginnings The practice of important affaires long experience and the gray maturitie of yeares are the consummation For this word of the Ancients never deceived any Councell of old men Armes of yong men sound consultation circumspection of circumstances foresight of consequences precaution against impediments prompt expedition are the beautifull actions of States-men and in fine the peoples repose the safety of States the common good of men are the divine fruits of this perfect prndence Who so possesseth this treasure enjoyeth a Diadem and if his origin hath not conferred Crownes upon him Crownes will seeke after him and if his condition have not made him a King his sufficiencie will make him the Oracle of Kings VVhat he pronounceth are decrees what he sayes are lawes his bare words ought to passe for reasons and as the Philosopher saith His naked propositions have the authority of demonstrations since the practise he hath acquired by experience enableth him in whatsoever he proposeth to consider the causes and principles But what is said of the Phoenix which being so frequent in Bookes was happily never framed in nature or what is related of that Orator among the Antients so highly extolled but never heard or of the Philosophers Republique the so well depainted Idaea whereof could never really appeare the same may be said of this perfect Prudence whom the contemplation of Sages hath so excellently expressed and which the imbecilitie of humane Nature could never yet perfectly produce So many rare endowments required in one man are more easily imagined then met with sooner desired than acquired To abuse our selves with Ideas is to feede upon fancies Wishes rule not the world and since things cannot be sutable to our votes wee must proportion ovr votes to things We are to acknowledge our owne ignorance in the truth of this passage of Scripture How irresolute are the thoughts of men and how uncertaine their foresights and to confesse the truth in al things but chiefly in Politicke Prudence which governeth the incertitude of worldly affairs that he who hath the fewest defects hath a great share of perfection One single circumstance susficeth to alter all in this case and very often the effect of greatest and most important actions as the cure of desperate diseases in States depends upon a very instant which Prudence either seeth not or fortune ravisheth away and after all we are to avow that in such cases wherein ordinarily waies are hidden the causes obscured the councell incertaine and the events independant of us he who seldomest stumbles hath no small sufficiencie and who so oftnest doth happen rightly to hit hath a great deale of good fortune CHAP. 11. That true Politicke Prudence ought to be derived from the Law of God against Machiavilians BVtas true wisedome ought to be deduced from the law of God so doth true Prudence flow from this divine fountaine For God hath spoken by the mouth of the Wise man Councell is to me Equitie is mine Prudence is mine and David said to God Lord thou hast made me wise by thy word VVisedome without God is meere folly and Prudence no better than malice the one followeth salle principles the other useth the meanes opposite to the true end of man the one depraveth the understanding the other deregulates life the one deceiveth us in what we ought to understand the other in what we ought to doe the one adoreth lyes insteed of truth the other embraceth iniquity for vertue in briefe the one diverts us from the true way the other leadeth us to a precipice The Prudence of the flesh produceth nothing but death saith the Apostle So as if it be pernicious to particulars what profit can it afford to Republiques if it ruine men how can it relieve Empires Is not God the finall end of States in generall as well of men in particular if he be their end ought he not to be their ayme if their ayme ought they not to levell thereat by meanes conduceable to their end What other meanes are proper to cause all States to tend toward God than those which the Prudence derived from God dictates unto us If therfore fleshly vain prudence supposing to maintaine it selfe maketh use of unjust meanes and those contrary to God is it not apparent it diverteth them from their mark their end and happinesse ruining insteed of establishing them Wherefore Moses called the people of Jsrael who would not guide themselves according to Gods law but by their private spirit a Nation without Councell and Prudence And the spirit of God gives us two advertisements as two generall rules of our life the one by the Wise man Relye not on thine owne Prudence the other by the Apostle Derive not your prudence from your selues Plato reporteth of Hyparchus in a Dialogue intituled by his name how this man desirous of the publique good placed great Pillars in all the crosse-waies of Athens whereon were engraven grave and wholesome inscriptions advertising men of their duties If this custome were still in use among us it were fitting these two sentences as two Oracles from heaven were engraven in Marble and brasse in the most eminent and chiefly frequented places of all Cities to admonish men not to guide the course of their lives affaires and offices by the foolish Prudence of the flesh but by that Prudence derived from God being the infallible rule as it is the finall and firme conclusion of all humane actions CHAP. 12. How the Law of God is usefull for the acquisition of true Politicke Prudence THe Law of God doth in two sorts serve toward the acquisition of true Prudence not onely of that which is ordinary and oeconomical but of the civill and Politicke likewise First in proposing to every particular action its due end direct meanes and just measure secondly in appeasing and calming the passions of the soule which as the Philosopher saith cause a certaine thicke fogge to arise in the superiour part thereof darkening the eye of reason and hindering the wholesome counsell and right judgement of things which Prudence ought to afford For passions imprint in the soule a kinde of malignant disposition causing counsell to ere in the election of the true end judgement in the choice of the meanes and the commandement of reason in the definition of times we ought to take of the place whereof we are to make choice and of the measure we are to observe in making an Act truely Prudent The covetous and ambitious person who propoundeth to himselfe no other end than his particular profit and honour will not make use of other meanes but such onely as may conduce to the raising of his revenues and dignities yea and often carried away by the floud of this unbrideled desire as by the force of an impetuous torrent he is not able to observe either time place or measure VVhat counsels can be expected from a spirit so indisposed
toward the safety of Common-wealths Choller likewise with Envie Feare Voluptuousnesse and other passions drawing the soule to their side cause it to become evill affected toward the true end tempting it to undertake wicked waies transporting it to foolish and rash inconsiderations Whereupon Iulius Caesar in Salust setteth downe this maxim of State Sal. de Coniur Catil Those saith he who consult ought to be void of all affections and passions which obfuscate the spirit and hinder it from discerning the truth And the Philosopher hath this excellent sentence or rather Oracle worthy to be written in letters of gold That it is a most apparent truth that none can be truely Prudent if he be not good and iust Wherein even by this naturall reason hee condemneth of imprudencie and timerity what commonly is called worldly Prudence And the spirit of God telleth us in holy VVrit Ezod 23. That covetousnesse and bribery blindeth the hearts of the Prudent and concupiscence perverteth their spirits with the like words of holy Scripture shewing vs that the smoake of vitious passions dim the light of Prudence in the eye of understanding Dan. 13. But what either more solid or safe instruction is there for the right learning to rule our passions than Gods word VVhat more harmonious musicke for the stilling these furious divels than the sound of this divine Booke what more direct rule to moderate these naturall motions than the Law of the Author of Nature what more powerfull armes to overcome them than his precepts what stronger restraint to containe them than his feare They transport Nature they surmount reason they slip from morall vertue Humane Philosophy cannot master them there is nothing save onely the law of God which can rightly regulate them it belonging solely to God to subdue mans spirit The Law of God is without imperfection saith the Prophet and doth perfectly convert soules For there it is where we learn the true force to vanquish the passions of the â—rascible and the true temperance to rectifie the motions of the concupiscible part It is there where we are instructed by Gods owne mouth who hath not onely truth it selfe to instruct us but supreame authority to command us mildnesse against choller love to our enemies against hatred pardon against vengeance resolution against feare patience against persecutions whereon is formed in the soule a divine forme to overcome whatsoever might terrifie us it is therin where we are taught the feare of God against the baits of the flesh the vanity of the world against the desire of Riches the obligation and danger of great Offices against the ambition of honours whence the soule draweth a blessed temperance to slight all whatsoever allureth to the contrary Being thus armed with sorce against the feare of apparent mischiefes and with temperance against the love of all perishable substance it can no way feare any thing but evill it selfe which is iniquity nor love but the true good to wit vertue No assaults can cause us to waver from our dutie nor baits draw us to injustice And herein consisteth the true Prudence of the Serpent according to holy Writ who exposeth his whole body to preserve his head It teacheth us that this Prudence knoweth how to forsake upon just occasion both goods honours and life it selfe to conserve justice a right necessarie qualitie for publique persons who in the execution of their offices if therein they seeke publique good finde not their particular advantage but divers baits to slight and many assaults to overcome Here you see how the Law of God is the sacred Schoole of true Politick Prudence Jnstruct your selves saith God O you that iudge the earth serve God in feare It is from thence the Magistrate ought as Samuel did to take his light and conduct to administer affaires by true Prudence It is thence the noble acts of fortitude are seene to spring in the resistance of all assaults when at any time vertue is engaged in difficult times From thence it is we see occasions of heroick acts of temperance in scorne of dignities and honours to proceede Acts which crowne their Author with immortall honour and fill these with confusion whom they cannot draw to imitation Briefly it is from thence a magnanimious heart deriveth this generous Prudence and this resolute spirit the testimony whereof he produceth in his life the fruit in his offices and the glory in his good name The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOK Of those vertues which doe forme honesty and integrity for the well imploying of sufficiencie CHAP. 1. Of Politicke Iustice in generall NAture hath not contented her selfe in having bestowed on all things necessarie faculties whereby to operate but shee hath further added to those faculties certaine inclinations and dispositions which cause them to tend to their objects for the production of their actions For the eye besides the facultie of seeing hath an inclination to visible objects the care to harmonies the taste to savours the smell to sweet scents Now this inclination is added to serve as a provocation to the powers lest they should remaine idle So God framing and adorning the soule doth not onely bestow thereon those vertues requisite to understand how to operate rightly but doth besides adde others which incline dispose and give it a propension towards the objects convenient for the production of vertuous acts VVisedome and Prudence are the two general vertues which acquire to a Politician the sufficiencie worthily to governe Common-wealths â—ustice and honesty with the vertues thereon depending follow after to infuse into the soul the disposition inclination motion and propension to employ to good purpose both Wisedome and Prudence which without justice and honesty would in truth not remaine idle but become pernicious These being not vertues but dangerous vices Wisedome in a perverse soule becomming deceitfull and Prudence in a dissembling one malitious It is as the Peach-tree which receiving the qualitie of the soyle where it is planted in Persia is poysonous elsewhere nutrimentall It is the Camelion which taking its tincture from the objects nearest unto it being neare clay appeareth of a muddy colour neare gold of a glorious hew neare filth of a foule colour neare a Diamond it casteth the lustre of a pretious stone So the will imprinteth the qualitie the die and colour in the action either good if it be sincere or evill if it be pernicious For there is this difference betweene the workes of injustice and the actions of vertue that in the former there is no regard but onely to the dexterity in the latter the workmans honesty is considered there the hand and art performe all here the heart and intention have the greater share So as if the heart be not good the intention upright and the end lawfull the worke cannot be exemplarie though it appeare excellent If the Architect build a faire house for a foule end his irregular intention disgraceth not his skill but if
he who produceth an act of vertue propose to himself an unjust end his intention depraveth his action and the wicked quality of his heart deriveth it selfe into his worke A fault as S. Augustine saith which hath blemished the most beautifull actions of morall vertues appearing among the antient Ethnickes who have proposed to themselves for the end of their actions not purely justice but some of them profit others revenge some delight and the most vertuous among them ambition and vanity The heart being the beginning of naturall life is likewise the principle of goodnesse in morall life nor is there any other difference save onely that in the body it dyeth last and in matter of vertue the first For in the body all other parts dye before the heart wholly decay but in the matter of vertue so long as the heart remaineth alive whilest the intention continues sound and the will sincere all the actions are vigorous good and laudable yea and those which in regard they were vitious in their subjects could not merit glory being vertuous in their conclusion are yet worthy of excuse But the heart of vertue once dead the intention perverted and the will corrupted all is rotten and the most faire vertues become infamous vices and the most glorious acts punishable crimes This is the secret of this sacred word in the Gospell From the heart issueth all evill Lib. 6. Eth. cap. 12. Wherefore the Philospher saith that every laudable action is composed of two peeces of Prudence which chooseth a good subject and of morall vertue which maketh an election of an upright end and as gold borroweth of the earth its matter of the Sunne its forme lustre and value so vertuous actions ought to take from Prudence both Counsell meanes and measure as their matter from justice and honesty the right end and sound intention as her forme soule and esteeme Here you see that no action be it private or publike can either be good or honest if it be not just CHAP. 2. That an uniust action cannot be profitable to States against Machiavill I Further affirme that it cannot bee profitable to the publike For divers level not their actions and counsels to goodnesse and honesty but onely to utility and following that pernicious maxime of the Pyrrhonians that there is nothing just of it selfe and by it its owne nature but onely out of the opinion and custome of men and as that Barbarian in Tacitus saith In a great fortune that which is most profitable is fullest of equitie or as Eudemus blasphemed That whatsoever was profitable for Republiques was iust Perverse Axiomes which nature condemneth reason reproveth God hath in abhomination and people detest and which under colour of profit raise the cabane of ruine Since to banish Iustice from humane society is as much as to teare the soule from the body and to take the Sunne from the world It is as much as to change as S. Augustine saith Kingdomes into Colonies of theeves it is to arme man against man to introduce licence with licence disorder with disorder desolation Now those who measure the justice and honesty of things by utility of what kinde of utility intend they to speake of particular or publike If of particular they discover themselves if of publike they deceive themselves If they call that just whatsoeuer they finde profitable to themselves they shew themselves traitors to publike good or if they imagine that what is unjust may be advantagious to States they erre in the principles For if a State be no other than a generall society of men in Cities or Provinces united together under the authority either of the whole multitude as in a Democracie of principall persons as in an Aristocracie or of a Prince as in a Monarchie whereon is this society founded but upon Vnion whereon this union but upon obedience upon what is obedience founded but upon lawes and whereon lawes but upon equity To take equity from lawes is of lawes to make them violencies to violate obedience is to destroy it to destroy obedience is to dissolve union to dissolve union is to dissipate society and to part society is to subvert the State what followes then save onely that what is just is the conservation of States and what unjust is the destruction thereof Iustice conserves maintaines a domes all in nature and art much more in policy and humane society which onely are capable of Iustice as we prove at large Nature her selfe teacheth us this For it is the union of the foure qualities which conserveth our bodies an union fastened by the knot of their mutuall concord as their peace is established upon that temperature which upholdeth and representeth in their commerce a kinde of naturall justice But if one of these usurping over another the temperature be thereby disturbed justice being thereby violated peace is broken peace once broken union is dissolved and the structure is destroyed That which conserveth this inferiour world is the marriage of the foure elements a marriage knit by their accord as their accord is founded upon the justice of the proportion and equality conjoyning them in one So as if one offering injury to the other this equality happen to be disturbed justice being thereby wounded their accord would be dissolved their concord destroyed their conjunction soone be unloosed Art herein confirmeth what nature commendeth to us See wee not in Musicke how every voyce keeping his tone without troubling the tone of others this iustice they observe frameth their accord whence proceedeth the harmony the sweetnesse and grace of Musicke Now if one voyce usurpe upon another violating hereby this justice it troubleth the accord and of this pleasing sound formerly composed of so many well ordered voyces sufficient to ravish the spirits of all hearers there remaineth nothing save a tumult of confused jarres enough to dull the eares of all auditors Doe not measures in Poetry clauses in Rhetoricke reasons in Philosophy numbers in Arithmeticke the compasse in Geometry the rule in Architecture the disposition of colours in limming briefly the so well observed proportions in all the workes of art and industry doe they not represent in some sort a kinde of shadow of justice If therefore Iustice adorn and conserve whatsoever is in nature and what art produceth if all beautifull things borrow from thence their gracefulnesse solid matters their force things living their subsistence inanimate things their ornament and since even those things which seeme uncapable can notwithstanding not subsist without some shew thereof How can it be that humane society which alone is capable of right and reason should any way maintaine it selfe amidst injustice injury and violence Would not a State without justice resemble a body without the temperature of humours a world without the equality of elements a Musicke without the harmony of voices a worke without the proportion of those parts which composeth it what would such a worke be but a meere deformity such
the gates of honour to merit which could not there enter had it not in its hand either the title of succession or as Aeneas the golden branch to give it passage See you not how vertue which lay neglected begins to looke up and gloriously to triumph Rejoyce O ye seates of justice beset with Lillies wee hope againe to see that no Hornet shall henceforth corrupt your flowers but that onely swarms of Bees daughters of heaven shall there compose the hony of justice And if this age had as great a disposition to receive the ancient order as our Prince hath a desire to renew it should we not already see the iron of our ancient Mannors quit the rust to resume as he doth the shine and lustre of the golden age But who can sufficiently celebrate all those other benefits which his justice hath produced for France in the first Aprill of his age and raigne renewing this ancient miracle of the I le of Naxis where the Vines put forth their fruits together with their flowers That brutall rage of Duels sacrificing the fairest flowers of the French Nobility by a bloudy death to an immortall damnation the course whereof could not either by so many edicts or prohibitions be any waies stopped hath it not in conclusion layd down its armes in the hands of his invincible justice This Monster was conceived by a foolish passion of an imaginarie valour as the Centaures by the embracement of a cloud vanity produced it folly bred it up bloud nourished it yea the best bloud in the whole body of the State as the monster whereof the Prophet Abacuc speaketh Abacuc 1. Esca eiâ—â— electa which gapeth onely after choice morsels Great ones Nobles Hectors were his prey and the obstinate errour of spirits passing into point of honour did yet further inflame by the sting of glory this fury and slaughter What pitty was it to see the ancient but chery of the sacrifice of mens bodies renewed before the Idoll not any longer of a Moloch or of Saturne but of a glory as false as it was cruell yea and the bloud of reasonable creatures which the Pagans immolated to vaine deities Christians so profusely to poure forth the like before the Idoll of the vaine phantome of honour Whither goest thou O blinde Fury and to what excesse of folly and mischiefe doth thy transportation cast thee causing thee so sinisterly to interpret a word as that for a meâ— Puntillio for a Chimaera of vanity conceived in thy phancie to expose thy bloud in a meadow to iron thy body to death thy soule to perdition and thy honour it selfe for which thou undergoest all this to publike infamy of divine and humane lawes understandest thou not reason condemning thee Edicts threatning thee God pursuing thee the heavens thundring and hell opening under thee Thy life which thou owest to God to his Church to thy King and Country goest thou basely to prodigalize in a quarrell where the combat is unworthy the conquest wicked and the defeat fatall where the combatants keepe close the vanquished loseth his soule together with his body the vanquisher takes his heeles his flight is his triumph the feare of lawes his crowne the gallowes his gaine briefly where a slight matter is the subject a foolish perswasion the motive a false honour the object an assured opprobrie the end an immortall sorrow the issue and an eternall misery the fruit and recompence O how deafe blinde and obstinate is a soule once seized upon with passion deafe not being able to heare the truth blinde not knowing how to confesse its errour obstinate that will not retire out of the abysse of his assured ruine All these charges menaces and chastisements of heaven and earth instead of repressing this giddy rage did but further provoke it yea Henry the Great whose invincible arme suppressed the Hydra of our civill warres with more than an hundred heads could not yet subdue this furious monster of Duels either by his Edicts or authority he had dissipated the stormes of our seditions lockt up warre with iron chaines placed peace upon pillars of brasse yet amongst all these sweets of peace this unchained fury of Duels robbing France of her most valiant children still afflicted her with more fatall effects of so bloudy a warre She lamented her daily losses and so many remedies uneffectually employed caused her to feare lest this mischiefe were incurable When behold her Lewis stanching as a Iasper sent from heaven by his sagenesse and prudence the bloud this fury drew from the veines of his most noble subjects hath suddenly stopped her teares and griefes And as Fortune heretofore stayed the Conquests of Philip to the end his sonne Alexander might finde subject to shew his valour so seemeth it that heaven limiting the good fortunes of Henry the Great by the defeat of the Hydras of our seditions hath purposely refused him the victory over this monster of Duels to reserve it for our Alexander and thereby to share betweene the Fathers valour and the Sonnes Iustice the glory of the entire quiet and safety of France Thou owest O France the beginning of thy good fortune to the Fathers armes the perfection to the Sonnes lawes The one Great hath raised thee the other Iust hath confirmed thee the one by battailes hath layd the plat-forme of thy re-establishment the other by his ordinances doth daily build and perfect thee The one by his victories hath cured the wounds of warre the other by his prudence that of Duels which still continued bleeding in thy body Thou now seest that accomplished which wanting to thy wishes seemed to be deficient to thy good fortune this rage is layd asleepe not without astonishment this fury extinguished not without admiration the bloud distilling from thy veines by this channell is now happily stayed This generous bloud formerly shed to thy losse is now happily reserved for thy defence Nor hast thou small occasion of doubt to whom thou art more obliged whether to the Fathers valour which hath purged thee of the bad bloud of Rebels or to the Sonnes justice which hath reserved for thee the best bloud of thy children It is reported how neither prohibitions nor menaces of lawes could at all stay the fury of the Milesian Virgins immolating themselves by a bloudy death till the infamie of being exposed naked after their death cured their spirits of this frenzie shame gaining that of them which feare could not effect So since Duels have not at Court found this vaine applause serving as a spurre and object to their savage ambition and that our King is not satisfied in the onely prosecution of them by his Edicts but hath farther pursued them even to his Louure by hissings and dishonours his Royall discretion hath thereby found the true remedy against this blinde passion which obstinating it selfe against the terrour of all torments could be onely overcome by the apprehension of this disgrace A false honour nourished it a true
thereby convert their exaltation into occasion of ruine So the great ones of this world who hold their dignities not of nature making all men equall but of the will providence and ordinance of God which hath distinguished them into divers rankes as they are more obliged to God than all other men so ought they be more humble gratefull and religious toward God than others and by how much the more his favour exalteth them by so much the more should the consideration of their originall meanesse humiliate them See we not that the farther a tree shooteth up his branches toward heaven the lower it sinkes its root into the earth the higher a house is the deeper is the foundation and the wonder herein is that its profundity supports it sublimity and the sublimity would become its ruine were not the depth of the foundation its firmest solidity Is not this an instruction to the great men of this world that they should abase themselves by homage Religion and piety towards God in proportion as God raiseth them in authority over men and if the humility of this acknowledgement be not the foundation and support of their greatnesse their owne pride will be their destruction God will debase thee said Daniel to King Nabuchadnezzer who would not acknowledge God but rather seeke to make himselfe God God will debase thee even so farre as thou shalt learne that the most high hath dominion over the raigne of men The Angels of the highest order are most obedient to God most prompt to execute his will and who more then all others acknowledging their owne impotency and his omnipotency and he who in his creation was the principall of all other Angels was not cast downe from his ranke but for having falne from this humble acknowledgement God putteth downe the proud and exalteth the humble saith the Scripture And in truth if wee observe in Histories all those proud and impious persons who as Nemrod strive to scale heaven and lay the foundation of their greatnesse in Atheisme and irreligion wee shall finde that they have all of them builded Towers of Babel that God hath coÌ„founded them all and left the markes of their follies in their confusions and of his wrath in his revenge wee shall in conclusion see this truth of the wiâ—ked Antiochus his confession which Gods chastisements as a racke wrested from his sinfull lips Truely saith hee it is a iust thing to subiect our selves to God and that a mortall man should not dare to march equall with God We shall on the contrary side observe that the piety of Princes hath caused their estates to flourish and their religion hath at all times maintained their crownes Who hath raigned either longer more happily or more gloriously in Iudaea than David Salomon before his prevarication Ezechias Iosias At Rome than Constantine the great In Greece than Theodosius the yonger in France than Charlemaine and Saint Lewis is not this to prove that religion and piety propose temporall prosperity for recompence Time is her course eternity is her ayme Yet would God shew by these examples that in consequence of his promise when we first seeke his Kingdome his justice and the observation of his lawes temporall blessings are further added as by accessary and dependant rights But that which should further incite those who have the government of States to a higher straine of Religion and piety towards God than ordinary persons is the greatest need they have more than all others of his illumination in their counsels of his conduct in their enterprises of his force in their executions and of his provident care in their various occurrents dangers and difficulties How often finde they themselves entangled in Labyrinths whence neither humane reason nor morall vertue can any way dis-engage them And then it is when they stand in need of a more sublime instinct a more eminent light and more heroicall vertue which Aristotle himselfe though a Pagan acknowledged in his Ethicks where he termeth this vertue Divine and supernaturall and those who are therewith adorned divine persons And in another place he saith that those who finde themselves toucht by this divine instinct ought not as then to take advise of humane reason but onely to follow the interiour inspiration by reason they are inspired by a better and more sublime principle than is the knowledge of reason or the motion of nature But who seeth not that they who administer the weighty affaires of Kingdomes and Common-wealths where reason and humane Prudence often comes short have more need than all others of these instincts and these divine motions which God doubtlesse doth more easily communicate to those whom a true devotion draweth nearer unto him D. Tho. 12. Quest 68. Theologie informeth us upon this subject that for the inducement of soules to these sublime motions poducing the generous acts of heroicall vertues God imprinteth in them certaine divine habitudes and supernaturall inclinations which are called infused gifts of the holy Ghost Gifts which being distributed by God not so much for the particular good of the receiver as for the generall good of others seeme to be more particularly reserved for them who have the charge and conduct of States whether spirituall or temporall But is it not apparant that those who become the most pious and religious towards God are the best disposed subjects to receive these spirituall endowments necessary for the high attempts of generous actions Vpon whom shall my spirit descend saith God by the Prophet but upon him who humbleth himselfe before my face and who feareth my words The feare of God daughter of true piety is one of those gifts of the holy Ghost reduced to the number of seaven by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 11. A feare which dejecteth not the spirits as Libertines will have it but doth rather rayse them and by submitting them to God elevateth them over the whole world Examine History and ye shall finde that they who have had piety and the feare of God engrafted in their soules are the men who have produced the bravest acts both of Magnanimity Constancy Wisedome Prudence Valour and Counsell as well in warre as peace nor have they been weake in any thing save onely in iniquity a thing wherein the world so much sheweth its strength But iniquity is not strength it is no better than weakenesse either of the understanding which errour blindeth or of the Will which passion transporteth or of the Appetite which pleasure captivateth or of the Sense which the world deceiveth wheras piety and the feare of God arming the understanding against falsity the will against concupiscence the appetite against voluptuousnesse and the senses against all snares it causeth the soule to become valiant invincible and inexpugnable against all manner of attempts and proper for the production of generous actions and heroicall atchievements Now besides that piety towards God disposeth the soule to great and glorious actions a requisite disposition
the dignity of high charges the most assured meanes is that which King Agesilaus sheweth us To say that which is good and to do what is honest which in a word is to shew our selues irreprehensible in our counsels and actions If you will have good renowne learne to speake well and to do better saith Epictete in Strabo Whereupon Socrates giveth this briefe instruction to Magistrates for the acquiring a good name to wit to endevour to be the same they would appeare For both mines of gold and springs of water though hidden do notwithstanding continually send forth certaine marks upon the surface of the earth which discover them the former small graines of gold the latter coolenesse and humidity So likewise true vertue engraven in the soule daily sendeth forth certaine and evident signes of her presence as flashes of her light Dissimulation may counterfeit truth but never imitate her and lesse perfectly represent her The Ape beareth certain touches of mans face but every man still knowes it for an Ape The painted grapes of that ancient Limmer had the forme and colour of true ones but they deceived onely birds The counterfeit Cow of Myron deluded onely other cattell The apples of Sodome deceive the eye beholding them but not the hand touching them Counterfeit gold may impose true apparances upon the eye but it cannot cosen the test Apparances and pretexts may well disguise vice but facts will manifest it and if Midas have Asses cares hee is much the nearer to hide them or to stoppe mens mouthes when Reedes and Canes having neither eyes to see nor cares to heare will finde a tongue to discover and divulge it There is nothing so bidden but comes to light saith the Scripture A good name and chiefly in men elevated to honour is a tender businesse and of the nature of flowers which lose their smell and grace if they be but onely touched It is therefore not onely necessary to preserve it from blame by avoyding ill but even from suspition in eschewing whatsoever carryeth the shadow thereof blame foyleth honour suspition blasteth it and though after difference vertue rest entire yet doth the authority thereof remain wounded and as the Sunne eclipsed by the opposition of the gloomy body of the Moon remaineth still cleare in it selfe but darkesome to us So vertue eclipsed by the mischievous encounter of suspition and publicke distrust though she be at all times cleare and shining in her selfe yet so it is that she becommeth obscure and uselesse for others 2 In producing the workes of vertue To leave one terme is not to touch the other To avoyd evill is as much as not to be ill but it is not presently to be good Vertue faith the Phâ—losopher tendeth to operation to avoyd blame is not to be reproachable but it is not instantly to be commendable Praise is due onely to vertuous actions but to flye vice and practise vertue to avoyd reproach and merit glory is the perfection It is from thence the splendor of a faire and solid renowne resulteth Men cannot praise but what they prize nor prize but what they know nor know but what they discover Vertue appeareth not it is hidden in the soule but the reputation her workes produce in the opinion of men is a light causing her to be both admired and reverenced To this purpose the Astrologers say that we see not the Sunne but the light thereof onely and the Philosophers that we discover not the presence of spirituall substances but by their actions The good odour discovers the Muske good workes vertue Wee see not God the Angels the soule nor the winde but we perceive Gods presence in the world the Angels in their place the soule in the body the winde in the ayre by their effects of God by his Providence of the Angels by his wonders of the soule by its discourse of the winde by its blast Wouldst thou have thy vertue commended let us see it Desirest thou we should see it cause it to operate shew her workes and we shall perceive her presence afford us her fruits and we will returne her due commendations How wilt thou have us know that thou art in possession thereof if thou producest it not or that it is living in thee if it have no operation It cannot be without living nor live without working Habitude saith the Philosopher is in the power vertue in the action vertue cannot be idle if shee be so she dyes if she dyes she is no more Fire leaves to be when it gives over burning the spring dryeth up when it leaveth running the tree dyeth when it putteth forth no more leaves The Crocodile as they say leaves to live when he makes an end of growing the heart loseth life as sâ—one as motion The life of all things ends with theâ—r operation So vertue ceasing to operate is eyther not any longer any thing or will speedily be reduced to nothing She is either dead or drawing on towards her end her vigour is extinguished with her action and her idle languishing and dying habitude onely remaineth CHAP. 12. Of the ordering of life and manners which is the other head of Politicke Iustice towards himselfe VErtuous actions then are necessary both for the conservation of vertue and for the production of honour and praise which is her light lustre Here may enter nay here ought all vertues to meet not onely Politicke but even those vertues proper to a private man as temperance chastity sobriety humility modesty benignity and others which regulate their lives and manners who are therewith adorned these being not precisely necessary in a Magistrate as a Magistrate but very fitting as he is a man and more as he is a Christian Nay I say as a Magistrate he ought to possesse them in a higher degree than the vulgar since in a selected person nothing ought to be ordinary but all choice all high and all proportionable to the place he holdeth For as man as touching the body participateth of the elements with beasts and plants but yet in a more excellent manner proportionable to the dignity of his reasonable nature raysing him above the rest of corporall things so those vertues practised in a slacke manner among the people ought in Princes and Magistrates to be farre more eminently exercised For they being instituted not onely for the maintenance of peace but of good manners likewise among the people they owe for the one vigilancy and conduct for the other example and good life and if peace requisite in society be not ordained and appointed but to cause them to live vertuously and according to the lawes of just reason it seemeth that those who governe them are not so much redevable for their good guidance in causing them to live in peace as for their good example in procuring them to live well The one is but the meane the other the end Wherefore it is that not onely Politicke vertues but all the rest
of Politicke Iustice towards the Publicke HEreon depends the last office of Iustice concerning those things the Magistrate oweth to the Publicke being no other than good example vigilancy solicitude fidelity and love to publicke good Hee oweth to himselfe the study of vertue for ordering his life and the honour of his dignity he oweth it to the publicke for a patterne and subject of imitation The Philosopher sayes Arist Bonus omnium mensâ—ra That the iust man is the rule and measure to all others Since being what all men ought to be he sheweth to all what each man ought to doe And truely since the rule of mans life is no other than the law of just reason hee who liveth accordingly is he not the living law and he animated rule of all other mens lives No v who better deserveth to be a director and moderator of men then he who may be the rule of their lives and who can better regulate their lives than hee who rightly directeth them To whom can it better belong to govern them than to him who is able to rule them or to rule them than to him who rightly governs them To whom better suiteth eyther power seconded by vertue capable to conduct men to their true end or vertue armed with power to draw them thereto The States and Policies regulating humane society ayme as I have lately toached not onely to cause men to live peaceably but vertuously likewise and sutable to the lawes of reason being the true good of man This was the Maxime and ayme of Plato Aristotle Xenophon Licurgus Solon and of the Roman Civilians of whom Tertullian in his Apologeticke gives this testimony that their lawes were neare approaching to innocency And all those who have at any time eyther described erected or polished Republickes and Empires but chiefly Christian States which take their rule and levell from Gods law ayme at this one end For as an ancient Bishop of France said very gravely Moses gave the forme of living to the Hebrewes Numa to the Romans Steph. Tornacensis Epist 166. Phoroneus to the Grecians Trâ—smegistus to the Egyptians and the Sonne of God to Christians Nay they raise themselves higher and aspire even to conduct men to God concurring with spirituall power and lending thereto forces and succours towards so pious an enterprise Whereupon Constantine the Great was not in the wrong when hee tearmed himselfe a Bishop out of the Church since the same care and vigilancy which Bishops have within the Church to traine up soules to God either by perswasion example commandement or by the threats of the spirituall sword the like had this religious Prince abroad in Policy concerning his State by his perswasions by his exemplary life by his lawes and by the power of the temporall sword Not putting by usurpation the sickle of his authority into the Churches harvest but zealously affording the charitable hand of publicke force to the reapers therein Now Princes and those who have the administration of States under them have double meanes to arrive to this end whereto they ought to tend justnesse of lawes and exemplarity of their lives The law commands forbids permits punisheth recompenceth commands good forbids evill permits what is indifferent punisheth transgressions rewardeth obedience When example comes from whence law proceeds without commanding it commands the good in doing it without forbidding it forbids evill in flying it without speaking it permits what is lawfull in practising it besides it makes all men clearely see the equity of punishment in avoyding what the law accounteth criminall and the justice of recompence in performing those things shee rewardeth The law for its enforcements hath Iudges Sergeants Executioners Tribunals Gallowes Whips the Sword and constraint Example hath onely mildenesse attractions sweetnesse love reason yet doth it sooner reduce men under the yoake of its Empire thus naked and disarmed then the law as well armed as it is For the arms of law can onely strike the body but the shafts of example slide even into the heart and soule Gayning the heart the whole man is caught the Will is enchained the affections captivated and are sooner drawn to their duty by the mildnesse of reason than by the rigour of commandment Men saith Seneca trust more to their eye than their eares to what they see than to what they heare Besides as the Philosopher sayes in his Ethickes Good presented in particular Arist lib. 10 Eth. ca. â— and single doth more move by example than in generall and in grosse as the law propounds it Example hath more efficacy than Philosophy to teach more perswasion than eloquence to incite more authority than the law to command and is of greater force than armes to compell Without arguments it convinceth without discourse it perswadeth without menaces it commandeth without Serjeants it constraineth and forceth men yea even those who will neither credit reason nor consent to perswasion nor obey authority nor feare any force cannot refuse imitation to good example And though the law and force have often more power to deter men from vice yet at least it cannot be denyed but example hath greater power to incline them to vertue which is the end of the law and the ayme of its menaces and chastisements Example proposeth vertue not as dead in writing but lively in action it sheweth reason not imperious in its precepts but attractive in its operations it intimateth the law not by the commandment of the superiour but by his life which doth more powerfully command And truely since civill Lawyers say that the Magistrate himselfe is the living law ough he not likewise to affirme that his good example is a lively and perpetuall promulgation of the law Hence ariseth the obligation tying those who command to joyne good example to just commandements to establish the one by the other and not to destroy obedience in inferiours by neglect or authority in themselves by vice and in all men good manners by licentiousnesse But besides the power we are to observe the credit Example hath over hearts Is there any thing more just than from whence the law proceedeth thence should the modell for the observation thereof issue and that the same power intimating it as needfull to reason should make it gratefull to the will Men whom nature hath made free would not be ruled Despotically and servilely as the Philosopher saith but Royally and Politickly They are rather to be induced by reason than hated by constraint and by shewing them by example the Iustice of commandements to cause the necessity of obedience to become voluntary by the desire of imitation But if the superiour doe that himselfe which he forbiddeth or doth not the same he commandeth hee either condemneth his law by his life or his life by his law shewing how eyther his law is unjust or his life irregular or both the one or other ridiculous To which purpose Seneca writing to Lucilius spake a word to be
prototype of this divine pattern God in this mans heart hath engraven a lively knowledge of this truth that those whose dignities cause them neerest to resemble him ought most neerely to approach unto him by duty and love and that the degree of piety should equalize that of preferment that the greatnesse of the benefit received should bee the modell of acknowledgement To consider likewise that the highest Angels are most ardent in his love the promptest to know and accomplish his commandements And from this Principle as from a celestiall seed we see spring the blessed maximes conformable to eternall verities Iust counsels sage advices the administration of earthly things according to celestiall lawes briefly all the fruits worthy of this Christian and divine Philosophy Hee then seeth how Iustice being obliged to allow to each man what is his right that after the service due to Almighty God the regulating of our manners being a right due to our selves holdeth the first rank in obligation and ought likewise to have the first place in discharge hee knoweth how the rule which ought to bee as the modell to all the world ought chiefly to be very direct in it selfe That the words of Iustice are found to be of very flat taste if the soule savour not the fruits That to govern well and live wickedly if it bee not incompatible is at least dishonest That sage counsels do only profit others but a lewd life endammageth its authour That there is nothing so foolish as to follow the Silk-worm who spins silk for us and ends her dayes in the action industrious for others to himselfe pernicious hee in conclusion sees how after he hath set himselfe in good order the last duty of Politick Iustice is to be carefull of the publick good and to despise his proper interest That it is as much as to make himselfe pretious not to be bought or allured by any reward That there is nothing so glorious as to shew himselfe incorrnptible in an age wherein the glittering of gold tempteth the fidelity of all and overcometh the constancy of many That Integrity then is most laudable when by reason of corrupted times covetousnesse seemes to bee excusable That it is an unworthy thing to make the earths excrements mens Idols and that those base metals Nature buries in her lowest bottoms should usurp the principall place in the affections of a reasonable soule That it is a shame and reproach to Christians to see very Pagans shew greater integrity and more incorruption and affection to the publick good in the administration of Offices than we do That the ancient Romans as Valerius the great witnesseth namely those of the Aelian family rather chose to bee poore in a plentifull Republick then rich in a poore one And that now even those who professe the knowledge of the true God blush not at all when they impoverish whole Cities and Kingdomes to enrich their private families with publick spoyles Out of these considerations ariseth and springeth this excellent resolution of despising our particular out of zeale to the publick and to shew our selves liberall of riches covetous of vertue and surmounting gold the conquerour of all things to make it appeare we are invincible From thence arise all those wholsome counsels which the generous liberty of a soule free from covetousnesse produce together with all those famous acts of loyalty toward our Prince of moderation in power in support of innocency of resistance against injury of incorruption against all sorts of tentations of the peace of Cities the repose of Provinces augmentation of Empires wholsome lawes just governments and all those faire designes which Princes conceive in the inclinations and motions of those generous persons which after God and themselves are the principall motions of their soules and our safety For even as those starrs meeting in conjunction with the Sunne do much availe toward the causing his influences to become good and favourable unto us as the Pleiades which cause the light to appeare pleasing and gratious unto us at the Springs return whereas the Canicular starres make it scorching in Summer So those who by their just and good counsels move the will and authority of good and just Princes concurre with them and are the organs and instruments of a fortunate age Symm Bonis iustis Princiâ—ibâ—â—s bonâ— decora suadentes instrumenta sunt boni saeculi O happy ages who enjoy such miracles and alike treasures miracles in truth for the rarity treasures for their necessity O fortunate France who amid all thy miseries hast never wanted those brave Catoes and Phocions who have a thousand times saved thee from ship wrack at what time danger causing the ambitious to â—â—â—nk and feare the timorous to retire zeale hath bestowed on thee the good courage the valiant and God the necessary O great soules who conceive these generous designes not to breath but for the publick and to banish their particular you quit a slight profit and carry away the Laurell of an incomparable honour what you trample upon is but a little earth and in exchange the approbation of Kings the suffrages of Provinces the acclamation of people the culogies of History the benediction of men the glory of God here on earth commendations and on high immortall Crownes are your rewards The end of the second Book THE THIRD BOOK Of Vertues and Qualities which give vigour and grace to execute CHAP. 1. The proposition and divisiâ—â—â— of matters discused in this last Book TO know good and to will it to know it and to seek it to see it and tend toward it all this is not the attaynment thereof Power is necessary for the compassing what we aspire unto For what benefit were it for brute beasts to have sense to apprehend and an appetite to incline towards things fitting for them if notwithstanding they wanted both feet and wings to convey them whither their appetite inclineth them for the obtayning what their sense apprehendeth The Art and will of sayling plowing painting building what use would they afford to the Pilot Plowman Painter or Architect if the last wanted his trowell to set hands to work the next his pencill for the expression of his idaeas the third his plough to stirre the earth the fourth his rudder and sayles to part the waves Knowledge is unprofitable where power fayleth and vaine the desire which cannot arrive to its ayme The wisdome of God knoweth all things and his bounty is boundlesse but had he not equall power to bring to light both what he knoweth and willeth his bounty would remayn fruitlesse and his wisdome worklesse the one could not appeare the other not communicate it selfe nor should wee know either how much the one knoweth or how greatly the other loveth us It is therefore not enough to have treated of and handled in the two former Bookes the vertues instructing the understanding in the knowledge of good and those in particular disposing the will to
love and search the known good if wee do not farther adde those qualities requisite to enable us for the production and putting them in practise to the end to arm politick vertue with all her necessary peeces First then wisdome and prudence afford capacity and sufficiency Iustice honesty and their associats inspire a good affection and right intention It remaineth that I shew those parts adding thereto force and efficacy But even those vertues serving for knowing and willing good do also concurre to the enablement and action For every vertue is a habitude and perfection added to the powers of the reasonable soule to afford it the dexterity the vigour the ease and facility to operate and act agreeably to the rules of reason Whereupon the Philosophers generally call Vertue an operative habitude since every vertue tends to action and as Aristotle saith Vertue is no other than a quality making him good who possesseth it Arist lib. 2. Eth. cap. 6. Virtus est qua honum facit habentem opus ejus reddit bonum and his operation laudable So as Saint Augustine was in the right when in generall hee names Vertue A quality for the well ordering the actions of this life and more briefly The good Virtus est qualitas qua rectè vivitur Aug. l. 2. de lib. arb c. 18. 19. Virtus est honus usus liberi arbitrii ibid. and right use of freewill So in that every vertue reflecteth upon the action as its aym and fruit those vertues shewing light whereby to know good and inclining us to love it do likewise afford us the ability to produce it The same vigour of the root of which the tree makes use towards the conception and form of the fruit is likewise serviceable thereto for the production and perfection thereof And the same wind causing a ship to lanch forth and sayle doth likewise drive it into the haven The like agility animating the runner of the Olympick games to appeare in the lists doth also cause him to perform his race to touch the goal and gain the prize and that which begins to give him motion to his course doth consequently afford him both progresse and victory Wisdome and Prudence are not only even before the action usefull for the understanding of what is fit to bee done and of the meanes we are therein to use but they further guide the course of the action and the one serving as a fane the other conducting and prescribing the measure accompany and carry it to the desired end In like manner justice honesty and all vertues thereon depending besides that they dispose and inc ine the soule to honest and laudable actions they are likewise very usefull in the exercise of the very actions themselves not only causing man to be willing but to be able also to do good yet do I find notwithstanding certaine qualities and vertues properly destinated for the disclosing and producing of what prudence hath conceived and justice designed as honest and profitable Vertues and qualities without which justice hath often only good wishes without fruit and prudence sage counsels without successe Now these qualities are chiefly required in publick persons encountring in their most pious enterprizes a thousand obstacles through which they are to break lets which they are to rebate difficulties which they are to overcome and this not being feaseable for them without necessary armes their honesty remayneth uselesse and their wisdome fruitlesse if they be thereof unprovided I reduce these qualities to foure heads Authority Good Fortune Courage and Eloquence Authority causeth sage and just counsels to bee received Good Fortune makes them succesfull Courage addes credit therto and Eloquence perswades the performance and in truth without Eloquence they often appeare bitter without Courage weak without Good Fortune fruitlesse and nullified without Authority So as Authority causeth them to overcome all obstacles Good Fortune all difficulties Courage all resistances and Eloquence all humane aversions and passions Yet will I not say either that Eloquence is a vertue or that Authority or Good Fortune are inherent qualities and fastned to man as habitudes Courage arising out of Fortitude and Magnanimity justly holdeth one of the first ranks among politick vertues as I will shew in the sequell of this Discourse But Authority and Good fortune are but exteriour guifts of God being not in us but by his onely favour when at any time he authorizeth us among men causing our good counsels happily to succeed both for his glory and the generall good And as for Eloquence it is no vertue but an Instrument causing vertues to be of validitie and an ornament decking and beautifying them Now to place these foure qualities in their proper rankes and offices know that authority conferreth credit Good fortune successefulnesse Fortitude resolution and constancie Eloquence perswasion gracefulnesse and as it were Beautie And all these foure united give perfection to Politicke Vertue and a Period to my intended Worke. CHAP. II. Of Authoritie THe Authoritie whereof I speake in this place is not the dignity nor power which the charge conferreth but a reputation or if you please a wright and price which generall opinion and esteeme with a joynt consent affords to the vertuâ— counsell deeds and words of certaine persons clevated to high offices which all looke upon as Gods on earth or as men sent by God for the publike benefie and safety of all For there are diveâ—â— advanced to dignities who though adâ—â—â—ed with vertue and endued with judgment and science yet being unfurnished of this Authoritie which opinion affordeth to some particulars they misse the principall instrument setting a value upon men among men though their counsels be never so good and well grounded yea even where sufficiencie equally shineth with integritie yet so it is they are not so much as listned unto What in some other mans mouth would carry weight with it looseth its estimate in theirs and their Prudence is like the Gold and Pearles in some Countryes where the Inhabitants eyther regard them not or slight them as not knowing their worth Who knowes not that Cockles marked with the publicke stampe are the currant coyne in certaine newly discovered Countries namely in Congo For it is not the scarcitie of gold and silver which reduceth them to this extremitie but either the ignorance contempt or a contrary custome Gold and silver abound there but these people yeeld the precedence to base Cockle-shels if not in price at least in imployment The former loosing in these mens opinions the ranke and dignity Nature allowes them Gold was not in use in the Citie of Sparta by Lycurgus his Lawes but Iron onely which bearing the publike stamp was able and did all things in matter of commerce whilest gold though more rich and precious lay unprofitably moulding in some obscure retreat The like estimate the publick stamp gives to coynes generall opinion but chiefly that of the Prince whence authority hath its