namely amongst Christians who acknowledge whence they come where they are and whither they tend as knowing their originall their estate and end The whole world is made for man and man for God now though he hath two distinct parts the body and soule two different motions one of reason the other of appetite and consequently two severall estates spirituall and temporall yet so it is that he hath but one onely finall end which is the enjoyment of God He is therefore obliged to cause all to ayme at God body and soule reason and appetite the spirituall and temporall As the Prophet David who sayd unto God Both my soule and my flesh thirst after thee All within mee aspireth to thee O Lord my soule and the powers therof my flesh with its dependencies these two parts composing my all though different in nature unite themselves by affection and having but one end have likewise but one desire causing their divers motions to tend to the same Center See here that not onely the soule but the body likewise ought to ayme at Almighty God who is the finall end and will be the crowne of both when after the resurrection the soule faelicitated by the vision of the God-head shall make the body happy by the redundance of her beatitude so as both of them shall enjoy God the soule by vision the body in its manner by the sensibility of these sweets the soule by union the flesh by participation and society the soule by the intermise of the light of glory the flesh by the communication of the soules glory So as if God be the end the Crowne and the soveraigne good not of the soule onely but likewise of the body And if these two parts composing man ought equally to ayme at God is it not altogether necessarie that Politicke power having charge to direct whatsoever belongeth to the body should propose God both for object and end as well as the spirituall power which governeth these things touching the soule If the flesh cause man to perish can the spirit save him If the temporall make him slip from God the spirituall desiring to conduct him to God shall it not see it selfe frustrated of the desired end To undoe ones selfe on the one side is no lesse than to be lost on both sides since the soule followes the body the one part the other and the whole the parts CHAP. 9. Of the care of a good renowne being the first duty of Politicke Iustice towards our selves AFter we have given to God our sincere Intentions we after owe to our selves the care of a good name which is necessary in a Magistrate for profiting the publike as the communication of the Suns light is for illuminating the world Moses in Deuteronomy required this quality for those he intended to place over the people Cap. 2. and this point dependeth on the other for as a straight body casteth an upright shadow and a counterfeit one a crooked so commonly a good conscience casteth the shadow of a singular reputation a wicked one the shadow of a bad fame And though the intention be a secret of the heart not comming to sight before the eyes of men yet doth shee shout forth as a hidden root the fruits of such actions as discover the treee Yee shall know them by their fruits saith truth it selfe It was no unfitting resemblance when the Ancients compared vertue to the body and a good name to the shadow following the same For as the body perspicuated by the light casts a shadow which may be called the daughter of light and of the body of light causing it by encountring the body and of the body producing it by being reflected upon by the light So vertue lightened by publike acknowledgement produceth reputation which may be termed Ioynt-daughter to vertue and acknowledgement of acknowledgement which seeing vertue takes notice thereof and of vertue which encountred by acknowledgement produceth it So that as the shadow is the production of the body lightened so honour is the childe of vertue acknowledged But it happeneth that in the morning the Sunne reflecting a farre off upon the body the shadow goes before towards noone beating plumme upon it the shadow walkes aside by it towards evening leaving it behind the shadow followes it The like it is in rare and eminent persons the first view of springing vertue beginneth betimes to cast before them the reputation which precedeth them levelling the way for them to great actions In the midst of their course being exposed perpendicularly to the eyes of all men glory marcheth along by them and afterward in the evening of their age the certaine proofes they have shewed of their vertue and goodnesse goe before them as a cleare Sunne to prepare for them a renown which shall follow them eternally in the memory of after-ages Observe all the Ancients who have appeared upon the Theater of the most famous States honour hath gone before them at their entry accompanied them in their course and followed them after their death honour hath beene the Herald which marching before them hath opened the way for them to great designes honour hath beene their inseparable convoy in the execution of their famous exploits honour hath moreover beene their immortall crowne after their decease And it is a touch of Gods divine Providence in the conduct of sublunary States so to governe those whom he pleaseth to make choice of as instruments of his favours and for the safety of Empires as he causeth the glory of their vertue betimes to appeare amidst the darknesse of most corrupted ages putting them into credit in the midst of disorder raysing them in the middle of ingratitude maintaining them in the throng of envies illustrating them among calumnies affording them this honour not for a subject of ambition and vanity but for occasion and obligation to imploy the vertue afforded them for publike utility and after they have shewed themselves worthy cooperators with his Providence in so great a worke hee for ever conserveth the memory of theirnames to the end their vertue having beene usefull for the age they lived in their example may serve for future times Good fame therefore is the inseparable shadow of vertue in publike persons and as Mathematicians measure the height of the body by the length of the shadow and as the Ancients have discovered by the extent of the shadow of Mount Athos the sublimity of its eminent top so shall we seldome be deceived in taking the modell of the vertues in eminent persons from the measure of their reputation For it is a maxime verified by experience that most men following the tide of naturall inclination are more subject to scandalise than praise and if they erre in their judgements concerning those who govern them they are sooner transported to rash censures than to waine praises The very shadow of one single vice sufficeth to procure publike blame a thousand vertues being no more than necessary to
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
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
Stars neither as efficient causes nor as singes or tokens of what hapneth Against the errour of Origen who affirmed that though the Starres cannot be the causes of what is done eyther freely by man or casually by hazard yet so it is that one may know what will happen by the inspection of Starres as by the reading of a booke where God hath written and imprinted with his finger in great and legible Characters all the order of future things as in a Table or Patterne of his divine prescience which hee hath exposed to mans sight An errour which the Scripture condemneth as well as the former forbidding us to have recourse to Starres in any sort save only to know times and seasons and what hapneth by a natural and necessary order But first as for what concerneth humane actions they have not any neare and interiour cause but only mans free will resolving eyther upon good or evill And as for more remote and exteriour causes when man operateth rightly and sutably to reason God concurres as the mooving cause eyther by his generall concurrency or particular in an naturall order as some will have it naturall and morall actions or by a particular grace or by a supernaturall order in Christian and supernaturall actions After the law whether divine or humane the just customes of those Countryes where we inhabite and the good example eyther of Ancients or of such with whom wee converse are the exteriour meanes interiourly moving the will to incline it selfe toward good And when man is inclinable to evill his irregular actions cannot be imputed besides his proper inclination being the interiour and principall motive but to the Divels impulsion to the perswasion of wicked persons to pernicious example to the attractions of Creatures or to occasions depending upon and inclining toward vice but to the Starres they can no way be referred but indirectly in that Starres may incite passions in the inferiour appetite and these passions the will As for what concerneth casuall events being the subject of our question they have no other cause save onely the disposition and casuall encounter of certaine circumstances of times places and persons whereon such uncertaine affects depend as upon unsure and irregulated causes But I call this chance casuall as to us but not as to God to whom nothing is accidentall but all fore-seene by his prescience and ordered by his providence For if even a poore Sparrow falls not to ground without Gods Providence as the Gospell speaketh were it not a manifest impietie to suppose that any thing could happen to man which God foreseeth not by his fore-knowledge and if good ordained by his expresse will but if ill permitted by his secret and hidden Will but alwayes holy and just providence So the good fortune whereof we speake causing good designes and sage counsels happily to succeed proceed not but from the casual disposition and encounter of circumstances which are to concurre toward the production of happy successes This being often casuall as concerning our providence but at all times forescene and ordered by that of God who so well disposeth the places times persons and affayres in favour of such as he intendeth to make use of in the execution of eminent actions as all things make way and succeed favourably for them CHAP. 8. That this good Fortune followes some and how it is to be managed THis good Fortune being understood according to my explication is an heavenly guift which God hath in such sort annexed to certain persons as it followeth and accompanieth them in all places as the shadow doth the body To deny this were to be ignorant of what Histories affirme and whatsoever daily hapneth in humane affaires For who can rightly consider the Progresse and pursuit of Augustus his fortunes who among all the Emperours and Monarchs of the earth hath merited the name of Happie but he must observe the disposition and order of Gods Providence causing affaires humors times and other circumstances to meet in the same point and manner as was fitting did raise and leade him as by the hand to the soveraigne authority of the worlds Empire Iulius Caesar had already begun to cast the platforme of Monarkie but because things were as then not absolutely disposed for so great an alteration Love of liberty and the zeale of maintaining the same still boyling in their breasts the successe was not answerable to his couragious resolutions and his designes wanting no valour to under take it fayled only of fortune to bring it to effect But at the same instant when Augustus began to appeare in the lists all things shewed themselves favourable and inclinable to his wishes The people incensed for the death of Caesar against those who defended the Common wealths liberty Affections and humours inclined to alteration Anthony under pretext of revenging this death fighting with generall approbation against publike liberty Cicero deceived under Augustus his apparance as then named Octavius putting him into reputation and opening unawares the first passage to his future greatnesse After this the conspiracie betweene Anthony and Lepidus for the ridding their hands of the principall heads of the Republickes faction and so to share the Empire betweene them three The opposites suppressed resistances removed The Empire divided Lepidus soone giving place to his two Companions Anthony in the end to Augustus all Authority collected and reunited in him alone a triumphant armie on foot to maintaine it The peoples and great persons their affections ready to receive him his enemies eyther dead subdued or won with rewards Conspiracies either repressed by feare or vanquished for want of power Adversaries overcome or dispersed by clemency In a word all things disposed to Crowne and Proclaime him Emperour of the World who seeth not plainly Gods providence disposing all things in his favour in this tissure and linkes of prosperities Now were it that God by meanes of the temporall Monarkie in Rome intended to lay the foundation of the spirituall which IESVS CHRIST who was pleased to appeare in this world came to establish in his Church Or were it that by an universall peace proceeding from the conduct of one only head he intended to dispose men to the reception of the promised Messias who brought peace upon the Earth or were it that by reducing all Nations under the authority of one Emperor he would open by these means as St. Leo observeth the course of the Gospell which was to be announced and published to all Nations Or besides all these reasons were it for some other secret or hidden cause one may clearly know and perceive that this greatnesse of Augustus is not a worke of his vertue but of his good fortune and his good fortune not a worke of hazard Destiny or the Starres but of Gods Providence I alleadge this so vulgar and well knowne an exāple to shew that the good fortune which follows some persons depēdeth only on the concurrence of circumstances rightly disposed and
prastent ea in re hominibus ipsis antecellat than to be excellent above other men in the same thing wherein man is superiour to all Creatures If therefore he who more than ordinarily pursueth vertue doth likewise extraordinarily follow the light of reason To whom can Eloquence be more beseeming than to the vertuous to the end that the same order which the Law of reason haâ—h setled in him the sweetnesse of perswasion may communicate extend and imprint in all others But to what vertue is this ornament more sutable than to the vertue Politicke which being borne for others procuring the good of others appearing for generall profit upon the Theater of honors ought to issue forth well adorned to shew her selfe in her full trim with all things that may contribute to make her recommendable and usefull in the presence of all men I say recommendable for can any thing acquire greater authority to the vertue appearing in publicke than doth Eloquence ravishing men with admiration I say likewise usefull for even as in Nature Vtilitie and Ornament are inseparable and there being nothing more profitable for the world than what doth most adorn it as the Sun light This is also particularly seene in Art as in Architecture wherein Pillars being the beautie of the building are likewise the supports So Eloquence Cic. 3. de Oratore Multum ego in excellente Oratore eodernque vire bono pono esse ornamentâ— in universacivitate which wee terme the ornament of Politicke vertues is no vaine one but wherein benefit accompanieth beauty usefulnesse is annexed to gracefulnesse and the good thence arising to humane society equaliseth the delightfulnesse And as the eye contributeth much ornament to the body and with all great commodity So the I loquence of a vertuous States man highly adometh the whole body of the common-wealth but doth much more profit it For wisedome indeed giveth good Counsels Prudence fitting meanes to bring them to perfection Iustice good intentions courage brave resolutions but what wisedome knoweth what Prudence makes choice of what Iustice procureth what good soever courage resolveth on or attempteth Eloquence perswadeth and makes it well liking to others so as it addeth to all the parts of Politicke vertue not onely gracefulnesse and beauty but vigour and authority I will not here resolve upon what the Orator Cassins and the Lawyer Scavola disputed upon in the Roman Orator to weet whether Prudence Cic. lib. 1. de Oratore or Eloquence laid the first foundations of Republickes and humane societies yet may one safely say Isrash Eloquence were unable to make this master-piece dumb Prudence could not effect it but the one had need of the others assistance Eloquence requiring the reasons of Prudence and Prudence the perswasions of Eloquence But holy Writ and Gods revelations summon me to soare yet higher and to referre the Source of States and Common-wealths not to men but God not to humane Prudence or Eloquence which had never knowne neither that by its counsels nor this by its allurements how to curbe men naturally borne to liberty under the yoke of obed once but rather to the naturall inclination ingrafred by God in the soule of man to live in society and for living in this societie to establish order and to submit themselves unto some one Now it is very probable that those to whom men have subjected themselves in execution of Gods oâ—dinance ingraâ—ed and imprinted in them have beene the most excellent of all other not onely to invent by Prudence just and profitable decrees but moreover to make Iustâ—ce appeare and to perswade profit by word of mouth And though the Law having higher authority useth no preface nor perswasion but only a full and absolute commandement Yet surely those who first proposed Lawes to men were obliged to make it appeare unto them by discourse that their commandements were just not tyrannicall their authority reasonable and not violent Whereupon the Roman Orator sayth That the ancient Law-makers Cic. lib. 3. de Orat. Lycurgus Solon Pittacus and others were endued with wisedome to invent good Lawes and with Eloquence also to perswade the admittance thereof Yea the Scripture it selfe noteth how when God established Moses at a Law-maker and conducter of his people Moses alleadging for his excuse the defect of Eloquence hoping thereby to have discharged himselfe of this Commission God was pleased not onely to give him power and wisdome but moreover unlosed his naturall stammering and stuttering in speech to the end he might propose and establish his Lawes not onely wisely and with authoritie but gracefully likewise and with perswasion And the Sonne of God being come into the World to settle the State of his holy Church and to give men the law of perfection was pleased to accompany his infinite wisedome in ordayning and his soveraigne authoritie in commanding with his divine Eloquence in perswading so as the Gospell sayth That the sweetnesse of those gracious words flowing from his mouth Mâ—rahane ur oâ—â—â—nâ—t in verbis gratia qua procedebat de â—re cjus NuÌ„quam sic loquâ—â—us est homo wrapt all men in admiration causing them to protest that never any man spoke with so much truth sweetnesse and force So indeed the Eternall increated and subsistent word framed his speech and his sacred mouth was the Organ his word the conceipt and his voyce the sound of the divine word And when afterward he sent his Apostles to erect the Spirituall estate over the whole world the Foundations whereof he had formerly layd in Iudaa tongues were the last peece wherewith hee armed them after he had stored them with wisdome counsell and authority But heavenly tongues to the end that as their power and wisdome was spirituall so should their Eloquence be also and that from whence the Law and Commandements which they intimated to men did proceed even from thence and not from humane Art should their perswasion be derived But since God the soveraigne and absolute Lord of man hath found it fitting and convenient to use towards us as being desirous to draw us unto him not onely commandements but exhortations as the Apostle speaketh would he not hereby instruct us Tanquam deâ— exhortantâ— per noâ— hee I say who seeth apparantly the most secret and most hidden passages of mans heart that nothing doth more excite or hath greater power and Empire over man than speech and plausible perswasion and that discourse sooner gayneth hearts by the sweetnesse of reason and pleasing force of truth than rough Authoritie by the terrour of her power CHAP. 15. Of the Efficacy of Eloquence IT is therefore a happy advantage when Eloquence and the faculty of discourse concurre joyntly with their wisdome and Authority who rule or governe men nor can one desire eyther a fairer ornament to their dignity or stronger armes for their vertue For we have not to deale with brute Beasts which absolute force may captivate nor with Angels
peace peace without union union without order order without distinction distinction without dependencie or dependencie without authoritie the same nature therefore which made men equall hath immediately commanded them to bee subject to one head and to wave their naturall equalitie for the avoyding of confusion Now it is a certaine and a generally receiued maxime among the wise that all the uniueriall and generall propensions in Nature came from God It is an uniuersall inclination in humane Nature to be subject to some one for maintenance of order and societie Conduct presupposeth the authority giuen to that man who is constituted for the gouernment of others so as by necessarie consequence temporall power is derived from God since it proceedeth by the law of Nations from the law of Nature This naturall demonstration is confirmed by divine authoritie There is no power which proceedeth not from God sayth the Apostle to the Romans God himselfe in the Creation framed not many men at once who might the sooner haee stored the earth he made but one man onely yea so as that he made not man and woman together of earth but first drew man from the earth and extracted woman from man to shew as St. Chrysostome divinely noteth how his intention was to establish Domination Principalitie and Monarchy among men and to reduce them all under one superiour causing them all to proceed from one onely to the end all might depend upon him He then hath at all times instituted temporall Princes over his chosen people first Patriarches then Dukes after this Iudges and in conclusion Kings his providence concluding in Monarchie as the most perfect forme of government As Nature which proceedeth by degrees in her works first maketh Mercury out of the vapours of the earth after out of Mercury Silver and out of silver Gold the Crowne and perfection of all Mettals so IEVS CHRIST comming after into the world hath by his word confirmed temporall authoritie commanding to give unto Caesar what is due to Caesar and the Apostle enjoyneth us under paine of eternall damnation to yeeld to our temporall Soveraignes obedience tribute respect honour and our prayers tribute because he defends our lives and goods from violence Obedience since he deriveth his power from God Respect in that he is his Minister Honour by reason hee beareth his Image Prayers in reflection upon the great need he hath of Gods assistance in defending us Divine and Evangelicall law obligeth us to yeeld him all these duties Obedience in regard of his authority tribute to defray his great charges respect in regard of his Ministery Honour for his dignity Prayers for his necessities If then both Nature Reason and the Evanglicall law shew us so apparantly how God hath established all States doth both defend maintaine and hath so particular care over them Is it not reason all States should range themselves to the rule of his law to the end that as his providence hath erected them his truth may conserve them his discipline raise them and his justice cause them to flourish Is it not requisit that from whence they derive their originall from thence likewise they should expect their continuance and that these heavenly plants whose rootes are extracted from Heaven should thence draw their influence to the end to receive life Since the power of those who governe States is derived from God it is necessary that the wisdome which directeth this power should be deduced from the Law of God Whence their authority proceedeth thence should their Counsell come to the end their beginning and stablitie may proceed from the same spring and that as well in Policie as Nature production and preservation may flow from the same Fountaine Ex cisdem nutrimur ex quibus sumuâ— It is a Philosophicall Maxime in the Metaphysickes that each thing drawes nutriment from whence it extracteth essence Living creatures who have taken their essence from the Elements from thence receive their aliment The tree taking birth from the earth doth from thence likewise receive life The fruit owing his extraction to the tree dependeth thereon for its maturity The mother suckleth the child she produceth the Sunne affords perfection to the gold it hath formed So as all States holding their being from God ought from him to expect their growth And since his providence hath given the inspiration to those who have established them his truth must necessarily afford the illumination his illumination the law and his law the rules to such as governe them O God saith David give thy judgement to the King and thy justice to the Kings Sonne Thou hast imparted unto him part of thy power bestow likewise upon him some parcell of thy wisdome his authority proceedeth froÌ„ thy establishment let his conduct come from thine illumination Thy justifications are my counsels saith the same King I have taken my directions from whence I had my power to the end I may draw my conservation froÌ„ whence I had my being So he acknowledged afterward that the counsels he received froÌ„ Gods law were the foundation of his greatnes and the â—â—â—sis of the obedience which his people yeeld to his lawes confessing that it is not his industry not his prudence not his forces not his armes not his treasures not the lustre of his magnificence nor all the pompous vassals of his Royall Majestie but it is God himselfe whose providence conserveth in the hearts of his Subjects the respect they owe to his authority Qui subdit populum meum sub me It is God who subjecteth my people under me And truly who cannot but cleerely perceive that it is not a work of humane wisdome but a master-peece of the Divine providence that so infinite a multitude of men so different in humors opinions affections and interests should unite and assemble themselves to become subject to one man to obey his lawes follow his motions depend on his pleasure commit to his justice their meanes their honours and lives That so great a submission could be maintained amidst the naturall pride of men such respect among so many froward and refractory humours so excellent order in the throng of so many contrary passions so firme an unity in so manifest an Antipathy If the order we observe in the words contexture hath taught Philosophers as the Apostle sayth to the Romans the guidance of a Soveraigne wisedome I suppose the so admirable order discovered in States and Common-wealthes doth no lesse declare the same And if the harmony resulting in Nature out of the contrariety of Sphericall motions from the quality of the Elements and Elementarie bodyes cannot otherwise proceed but from the direction of a supream wisdome the peace and concord arising in the regulating of so great a diversity of humours affections oppositions rancounters events and changes can no way proceed from any meaner conduct All whatsoever greatnesse power lawes menaces feare recompences penalties and what else the inventions of humane wisdome out of God are
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