Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
cause_n body_n natural_a nature_n 2,983 5 5.5283 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A45610 Aphorisms political by James Harrington. Harrington, James, 1611-1677. 1659 (1659) Wing H805; ESTC R335 8,287 21

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

APHORISMS POLITICAL The Second Edition Enlarged BY James Harrington Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit LONDON Printed by J. C. for Henry Fletcher at the Sign of the three Gilt Cups in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. APHORISMS Political I. THe Errours and Sufferings of the People are from their Governours II. When the Foundation of a Government cometh to be changed and the Governours change not the Superstructures accordingly the People become miserable III. The Monarchy of England was not a Government by Arms but a Government by Laws though imperfect or ineffectual Laws IV. The Later Governments in England have been Governments by Arms V. The People cannot see but they can feel VI The People having felt the difference between a Government by Laws and a Government by Arms will always desire the Government by Laws and abhor that of Arms VII Where the spirit of the people is impatient of a Government by Arms and desirous of a Government by Laws there the spirit of the people is not unfit to be trusted with their Liberty VIII The spirit of the people of England not trusted with their Liberty driveth at the Restitution of Monarchy by Blood and Violence IX The spirit of the people of England trusted with their Liberty if the form be sufficient can never set up a King and if the form be insufficient as a Parliament with a Council in the Intervals or two Assemblies co-ordinate will set up a King without Blood or Violence X. To light upon a good man may be in Chance but to be sure of an Assembly of good men is not in Prudence XI Where the Security is no more then Personal there may be a good Monarch but can be no good Commonwealth XII The necessary Action or Use of each thing is from the nature of the Form XIII Where the Security is in the Persons the Government maketh good men evil where the Security is in the Form the Government maketh evil men good XIV Assemblies legitimately elected by the People are that onely Party which can govern without an Army XV Not the Party which cannot govern without an Army but the Party which can govern without an Army is the Refined Party as to this intent and purpose truely Refined that is by Popular Election according to the Precept of Moses and the Rule of Scripture Take ye wise men and understanding and known among your tribes and I will make them rulers over you XVI The People are deceived by Names but not by Things XVII Where there is a well-ordered Commonwealth the people are generally satisfied XVIII Where the people are generally dissatisfied there is no Commonwealth XIX The parties in England declaring for a Commonwealth hold every one of them something that is inconsistent with a Commonwealth XX To hold that the Government may be managed by a few or by a party is inconsistent with a Commonwealth except in a Situation like that of Venice XXI To hold that there can be any National Religion or Ministry without publick Indowment and Inspection of the Magistracy or any Government without a National Religion or Ministry is inconsistent with a Commonwealth XXII To hold that there may be Liberty and not Liberty of Conscience is inconsistent with a Commonwealth that hath the Liberty of her own Conscience or that is not Popish XXIII Where Civil Liberty is entire it includes Liberty of Conscience XXIV Where Liberty of Conscience is entire it includes Civil Liberty XXV Either Liberty of Conscience can have no security at all or under Popular Government must have the greatest security XXVI To hold that a Government may be introduced by a little at once is to wave Prudence commit things unto Chance XXVII To hold that the Wisdom of God in the Formation of an House or of a Government goeth not universally upon natural principles is inconsistent with Scripture XXVIII To hold that the wisdom of man in the Formation of an House or of Government may go upon supernatural principles is inconsistent with a Commonwealth and as if one should say God ordained the Temple therefore it was not built by Masons He ordained the Snuffers therefore they were not made by a Smith XXIX To hold that Hirelings as they are termed by some or an endowed Ministry ought to be removed out of the Church is inconsistent with a Commonwealth XXX Nature is of God XXXI Some part in every Religion is natural XXXII An Universal Effect demonstrateth an universal Cause XXXIII An universal Cause is not so much natural as it is Nature it self XXXIV Every man either unto his Terrour or Consolation hath some sense of Religion XXXV Man may rather be defined a Religious then a Rational Creature in regard that in other creatures there may be something of Reason but is nothing of Religion XXXVI Government is of humane Prudence and humane Prudence is adequate unto Mans Nature XXXVII The Prudence or Government that is regardless of Religion is not adequate nor satisfactory unto Mans Nature XXXVIII Where the Government is not adequate or satisfactory unto Mans Nature it can never be quiet or perfect XXXIX The major part of mankinde giveth it self up in the matter of Religion unto the publick leading XL That there may be a publick leading there must be a National Religion XLI VVhere the minor part taketh away the National Religion there the major part is deprived of the Liberty of Conscience by the minor XLII VVhere the major part is deprived of the Liberty of Conscience by the minor there they will deprive the minor of that Liberty of Conscience which they might otherwise enjoy XLIII In Israel there was an endowed Clergie or Priesthood and a National Religion under Inspection of the Magistrate whence the Christians in Apostolick Times defraying their own Ministry could have Liberty of Conscience whereas if the Christians by going about to take away Tythes and abolish the National Religion had endeavoured to violate the Consciences of the unconverted Jews these being far greater in number must needs have taken away the Liberty of Conscience from the Christians XLIV Paul in Athens could freely and undisturbedly convert Dionysius and others therefore in Athens there was Liberty of Conscience but if Paul and his Converts had gone about to drive Hirelings or an endowed Priesthood or Clergie out of that Church who seeth not that the Athenians would have driven Paul and his Converts out of Athens XLV That there may be Liberty of Conscience there must be a National Religion XLVI That there may be a National Religion there must be an endowed Clergy XLVII Commonwealths have had their wayes of Union As the Athenians by bringing their Confederates unto Subjection As the United Provinces by an equal League Or as the Romans by an unequal League The first way is tyrannical In the second one Commonwealth under the League is no more then another and each one as to her self hath a Negative which kinde of Union is not onely obstructive
and the Great Council that is the Senate and the popular Assembly of Venice and from these two arose all those admirable Orders of that Comwealth LXXX That a people of themselves should have such understaning as when they of Venice did institute their Pregati or Senate is rare LXXXI That a Senate or Council of Governours having supreme power should institute a popular Assembly and propose to it though in all reason it be the far more facile and practicable is that which is rarer LXXXII The diffusive body of the People is not in a natural capacity of judging for which cause the whole judgement and power of the diffusive body of the People must be intirely and absolutely in their collective Bodies Assemblies or Representatives or there can be no Commonwealth LXXXIII To declare that the Assemblies or Representatives of the People have power in some things and in others not is to make the diffusive Body which is in a natural incapacity of judging to be in a political capacity of judging LXXXIV To bring a natural incapacity of judging unto a political capacity of judging is to introduce Government To bring a natural incapacity of judging to such a collective or political capacity of judging as yet necessarily must retain the interest of the diffusive Body is to introduce the best kind of Government But to lay any appeal whatsoever from a political capacity of judging to a natural incapacity of judging is to frustrate all Government and to introduce Anarchy Nor is Anarchy whether imposed or obtruded by the Legislator first or by the People or their Demagogues or Incendiaries afterwards of any other kinde whatsoever then of this onely LXXXV To make Principles or Fundamentals belongeth not unto Men unto Nations nor unto humane Laws To build upon such Principles or Fundamentals as are apparently laid by GOD in the inevitable necessity or Law of Nature is that which truly appertaineth unto Men unto Nations and unto humane Laws To make any other Fundamentals and then build upon them is to build Castles in the Air LXXXVI Whatever is violent is not secure nor durable whatever is secure or durable is natural LXXXVII Government in the whole People though the Major part were disaffected must be secure and durable because it waveth Force to found it self upon Nature LXXXVIII Government in a Party though all of these were well-affected must be in-secure and transitory because it waveth Nature to found it self upon Force LXXXIX Commonwealths of all other Governments are more especially for the preservation not for the destruction of Mankinde XC Commonwealths that have been given to cut off their diseased Limbs as Florence have brought themselves unto impotence and ruine Commonwealths that have been given unto healing their diseased Limbs as Venice have been healthful and flourishing XCI Athens under the Oligarchy of four hundred was in finitely more afflicted and torn with Distraction Blood and Animositie of Parties then is England yet by introduction of a Senate of four hundred and a popular Assembly of five thousand did thereupon so suddenly as if it had been a Charm recover Might and Glory See the eighth Book of Thucydides A Story in these Times most necessary to be considered XCII To leave our selves and Posterity to a farther Purchase in Blood or Sweat of that which we may presently possess enjoy and hereafter bequeath unto Posterity in Peace and Glory is inhumane and impious XCIII As certainly and suddenly as a good state of health dispelleth the Peevishness and Peril of Sickness doth a good state of Government the Animosity and Danger of Parties XCIV The Frame of a Commonwealth having first been proposed and considered Expedients in case such should be found necessary for the safe effectual and perfect introduction of the same may with some aim be applied or fitted as to an House when the Model is resolved upon we fit Scaffolds in building But first to resolve upon Expedients and then to fit unto them the Frame of a Commonwealth is as if one should set up Props and then build a House to lean upon them XCV As the chief Expedients in the building of an House are Axes and Hammers so the chief Expedient in the building of a Government is a standing Army XCVI As the House which being built will not stand without the perpetual noise or use of Axes Hammers is imperfect so the Government which being formed cannot support it self without the perpetual use of a standing Army XCVII While the Civil and Religious Parts of a Commonwealth are in forming there is a necessity that she should be supported by an Army but when the Military and Provincial Parts are rightly formed she can have no farther use of any other Army Wherefore at this point and not till then her Armies are by the practise of Commonwealths upon slighter occasions to have half pay for life and to be disbanded XCVIII Where there is a standing Army and not a formed Government there the Army of necessity will have Dictatorian power XCIX Where an Army subsisteth upon the Pay or Riches of a Single Person or of a Nobility that Army is alwayes Monarchical Where an Army subsisteth not by the Riches of a Single Person nor of a Nobility that Army is alwayes Popular C. The English Armies are popular Armies CI. Where Armies are popular and exercise Dictatorian power in deposing Single Persons and Monarchical Assemblies there can be no greater nor needs any other Expedient for the introduction of a Commonwealth Nevertheless unto this may be added some such moderate Qualifications as may prune the Commonwealth not lop off her Branches Whom these will not satisfie it is not a Commonwealth but a Party that can CII If the late King had freely permitted unto the People the exercise of the power inevitably devolved upon them by the change of the Balance he had not been destroyed If either of the late Single Persons had brought the People into an orderly exercise of the power devolved upon them he had been great VVhat Party soever shall hinder the People from the exercise of the power devolved upon them shall be certainly ruined who or what party soever shall introduce the People into the due and orderly exercise of the power devolved upon them shall be forthwith secure and famous for ever CIII A man useth nourisheth and cherisheth his Body without understanding it But he that made the Body understood it CIV. The reason why the Nations that have Commonwealths use them so well and cherish them so much and yet that so few Nations have Commonwealths is That in using a Commonwealth it is not necessary it should be understood but in making a Commonwealth that it be understood is of of absolute necessity Caput Reipublicae est nosse Rempub. Cicero CV As the natural Body of a Christian or Saint can be no other for the frame then such as hath been the natural Body of an Israelite or of an Heathen so the political Bodies or civil Governments of Christians or Saints can be no other for the frame then such as have been the political Bodies or civil Governments of the Israelites or of the Heathens CVI. It shall be as foon found when and where the soul of a Man was in the Body of a Beast as when or where the Soul or Freedom natural unto Democracie was in any other Form then that onely of a Senate and an Assembly of the People CVII In those things wherein and so far as Art is directed or limitted by the nature of her Materials it is in Art as in Nature CVIII That Democracie or equal Government by the People consist of an Assembly of the People and a Senate is that whereby Art is altogether directed limited and necessitated by the nature of her Materials CIX As the Soul of Man can never be in the Body of a Beast unless GOD make a new Creation so neither the Soul or Freedom natural unto Democracie in any other Form whatsoever then that onely of a Senate and a popular Assembly CX The right Constitution coherence and proper Symmetry of a Form of Government goeth for the greater part upon Invention CXI Reason is of two Parts Invention and Judgement CXII Judgement is most perfect in an Assembly CXIII Invention is most perfect in one Man CXIV In one Man Judgement wanteth the strength which is in a multitude of Counsellours CXV In a multitude of Counsellours Invention is none at all XCVI Through the defect of Invention the wisest Assemblies in the Formation or Reformation of Government have pitched upon a sole Legislator XCVII It is not below the Dignity of the greatest Assembly but according unto the practice of the best Commonwealths to admit of any man that is able to propose to them for the good of his Country CXVIII Unto the making of a well-ordered Commonwealth there goeth little more of pains or charge or work without doors then the Establishment of an equal or apt Division of the Territory and the proposing of such Election unto the Divisions so made as from an equal Foundation may raise equal Superstructures the rest being but paper-work is as soon done as said or voted CXIX VVhere such Elections are proposed as being mad by the People must needs produce a well-ordered Senate and Popular Assembly and the People who as we have already found by experience stick not at like work elect accordingly there not the Proposers of any power in themselves but the whole People by their peculiar and natural Right and power do institute and ordain their whole Commonwealth CXX The highest earthly Felicity that a People can ask or GOD can give is an equal and well-ordered Common-wealth Such an one among the Israelites was the Reign of GOD and such an one for the same Reason may be among Christians the Reign of CHRIST though not every one in the Christian Commonwealth should be any more a Christian indeed then every one in the Israelitish Common-wealth was an Israelite indeed Septem. 12. 1659. FINIS ERRATA Aphor. 47. line 1. for their wayes read three wayes