صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

by wit to deride and traduce much of that which is good in profeffions, than with Judgment to difcover and fever that which is corrupt. For, as Solomon faith, he that cometh to feek after knowledge with a mind to fcorn and cenfure, shall be fure to find matter for his humour, but no matter for his Inftruction: Quærenti derifori Scientiam ipfa fe abfcondit; fed Studiofo fit obviam. But the managing of this argument with integrity and truth, which I note as deficient, seemeth to me to be one of the best fortifications for honesty and virtue that can be planted. For, as the fable goeth of the Bafilifk, that if he see you first, you die for it; but if you see him first, he dieth: so is it with deceits and evil hearts; which, if they be first espied they leese their life; but if they prevent, they endanger. So that we are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do. For it is not poffible to join serpentine wisdom with the Columbine Innocency, except men know exactly all the conditions of the Serpent; his baseness and going upon his belly, his volubility aud lubricity, his envy and fting, and the reft; that is, all forms and Natures of evil : for without this, virtue lieth open and unfenced. Nay, an honest man can do no good upon those that are wicked, to reclaim them, without the help of the knowledge of evil. For men of corrupted minds presuppose that honesty groweth out of Simplicity of manners, and believing of Preachers, schoolmasters, and Men's exterior language:

R

fo as, except you can make them perceive that you know the utmost reaches of their own corrupt opinions, they despise all morality; Non recipit ftultus verba prudentiæ, nifi ea dixeris quæ verfantur in Corde ejus.

Unto this part, touching Refpective duty, doth also appertain the duties between husband and wife, parent and child, Master and Servant: fo likewise the laws of friendship and Gratitude, the civil bond of Companies, Colleges, and Politic Bodies, of neighbourhood, and all other proportionate duties; not as they are parts of Government and Society, but as to the framing of the mind of particular perfons.

The knowledge concerning good respecting Society doth handle it also, not simply alone, but Comparatively; whereunto belongeth the weighing of duties between person and person, Cafe and Case, particular and public: as we see in the proceeding of Lucius Brutus against his own Sons, which was fo much extolled; yet what was said ?

Infelix, utcunque ferent ea fata Minores.

So the cafe was doubtful, and had opinion on both fides. Again, we see when M. Brutus and Caffius invited to a fupper certain whose opinions they meant to feel, whether they were fit to be made their Affociates, and caft forth the question touching the Killing of a Tyrant being a ufurper, they were divided in opinion; some holding that Servitude was the Extreme of Evils, and others that

Tyranny was better than a Civil war: and a number of the like cases there are of comparative duty; amongst which that of all others is the moft frequent, where the question is of a great deal of good to enfue of a small Injustice, which Jason of Theffalia determined against the truth: Aliqua funt injufte facienda, ut multa juste fieri poffint. But the reply is good, Auctorem præfentis Juftitiæ habes, fponforem futuræ non habes. Men must pursue things which are just in present, and leave the future to the divine Providence. So then we pass on from this general part touching the Exemplar and description of Good.

Now therefore that we have spoken of this fruit of life, it remaineth to speak of the Husbandry that belongeth thereunto; without which part the former seemeth to be no better than a fair Image, or ftatua, which is beautiful to contemplate, but is without life and motion; whereunto Aristotle himself subscribeth in these words: Neceffe eft fcilicet de virtute dicere, et quid fit, et ex quibus gignatur. Inutile enim fere fuerit virtutem quidem nosse, acquirendæ autem ejus modos et vias ignorare: non enim de virtute tantum, qua fpecie fit, quærendum eft, fed et quomodo fui copiam faciat: utrumque enim volumus, et rem ipfam noffe, et ejus compotes fieri: hoc autem ex voto non fuccedet, nifi fciamus et ex quibus et quomodo. In fuch full words and with such iteration doth he inculcate this part. So faith Cicero in great Commendation of Cato the fecond, that he had applied himself to Philosophy, Non ita

difputandi Caufa, fed ita vivendi. And although the neglect of our times, wherein few men do hold any Confultations touching the reformation of their life, (as Seneca excellently faith) De partibus vitæ quifque deliberat, de fummâ nemo, may make this part seem fuperfluous; yet I must conclude with that Aphorifm of Hippocrates, Qui gravi morbo correpti dolores non fentiunt, iis mens ægrotat; they need medicine, not only to affuage the disease, but to awake the sense. And if it be said, that the cure of men's Minds belongeth to facred divinity, it is moft true: but yet Moral Philofophy may be preferred unto her as a wife fervant and humble handmaid. For as the Pfalm faith, that the eyes of the handmaid look perpetually towards the Miftrefs, and yet no doubt many things are left to the difcretion of the handmaid, to discern of the mistress's will; fo ought Moral Philosophy to give a conftant attention to the doctrines of Divinity, and yet so as it may yield of herself, within due limits, many found and profitable directions.

This Part therefore, because of the excellency thereof, I cannot but find exceeding strange that it is not reduced to written inquiry; the rather, because it confifteth of much matter, wherein both fpeech and action is often converfant; and such wherein the common talk of men, (which is rare, but yet cometh fometimes to pass,) is wiser than their Books. It is reafonable therefore that we propound it in the more particularity, both for the worthiness, and because we may acquit ourselves

for reporting it deficient; which feemeth almost incredible, and is otherwise conceived and prefupposed by those themselves that have written. We will therefore enumerate fome heads or Points thereof, that it may appear the better what it is, and whether it be extant.

First, therefore, in this, as in all things which are practical, we ought to caft up our account, what is in our power, and what not; for the one may be dealt with by way of alteration, but the other by way of application only. The husbandman cannot command, neither the Nature of the Earth, nor the seasons of the weather; no more can the Phyfician the conftitution of the patient, nor the variety of Accidents: fo in the Culture and Cure of the mind of Man, two things are without our command; Points of Nature, and points of Fortune; for to the Bafis of the one, and the Conditions of the other, our work is limited and tied. In these things therefore, it is left unto us to proceed by application.

Vincenda eft omnis fortuna ferendo:

and fo likewise,

Vincenda eft omnis Natura ferendo.

But when that we speak of fuffering, we do not speak of a dull and neglected suffering, but of a wife and industrious suffering, which draweth and contriveth use and advantage out of that which seemeth adverse and contrary; which is that properly which we call Accommodating or Applying.

« السابقةمتابعة »