Impellimur naturâ . 19. Tea, Nature teacheth, that fo great a work should not ut prodeffe velimus be done flightly and occafionally only, as on the by, but that it quamplurimis, im- fhould be a work of stated office, which tried men should be reprimifque docendo, rationibufque pru- gularly called to, for the more fure and universal edification of dentie tradendis. Mankind. invenire, qui quod Itaque non facile cft Nature telleth us, that the greatest works, of greateft confciat, ipfe non tradat fequence, fhould be done with the greatest skill and care; alteri. Ita non folum and that it is likeft to be fo done when it is made a fet Office, ad difcendum pro- intrufted in the hands of tried men: for it is not many that penfi fumus, verum have fuch extraordinary endowments: and if unfit perfons etiam ad docendum. Cic. 2. de fin. manage fo great a work, they will marr it, and mifs the end: and that which a man taketh for his Office, he is liker to Defcriptionem facer- take care of, than that which he thinks belongeth no more dotum nullum jufte to him than others: and how neceffary Order is in all matters Religionis genus prætermittit: Nam of weight, the experience of all Governments, Societies and funt ad placandos Perfons may foon convince us. Dcos alii conftituti, . 20. Nature telleth us also, that it is the duty of fuch Teachqui facris præfine folennibus ad inter- ers to be very diligent, ferious, and plain, and of Learners to pretanda alii præ- be thankful, willing, ftudious, respectful, and rationally-obedient, dida vatum; neque as remembring the great importance of the work multorum ne effet For in vain is the labour of the Teachers, if the Learners infinitum, neque ut will not do their part: the Receiver hath the chief benefit, ca ipfa quae fufcepta publicè effent, quif- and therefore the greatest part of the duty, which muft do quam extra collegi- moft to the fuccefs. Cic. de um noffet. 1.21. Nature telleth men, that they should not live loosely and ungoverned, but in the order of governed Societies, for the better attainment of the ends of their Creation, (as is proved before.) 1. 22. Nature telleth us, that Governours should be the most wife, and pious, and just, and merciful, and diligent, and exemplary, laying out themselves for the publick good, and the pleafing of the universal Sovereign. 0.23. It teacheth us also, that Subjects must be faithful to Autoritate nutuque their Governours, and must honour and obey them, in subordinalegum docemur domitas habere libidi- tion to God. nes, coercere omnes 0.24. Nature telleth us, that it is the Parents duty, with cupiditates, noftra fpecial love and diligence, to educate their children in the knowtueri, ab alienis men- ledge, fear, and obedience of God; providing for their bodies, but abftinere, Cic. 1, de preferring their fouls. tes, oculos, manus 0.25. And that children must love, honour and obey their Parents; Parents; willingly and thankfully receiving their inftructions and commands. vir bonus fceleftum 9.26. Nature also telleth us, that thus the Relations of Nihil intereft cerum Husband and Wife should be fanctified to the highest ends of fpoliaverit, an bolife, and also the Relation of Master and Servant: and that our num improbus: nec callings and labours in the world should be managed in pure obe- utrum bonus an madience to God, and to our ultimate end. lus adulteratus fit: fed lex damni folum 6. 27. Nature teacheth all men to love one another, as fer- fpectat diffimilitudivants of the fame God, and members of the fame univerfal King- nem, utiturque pro dom, and creatures of the fame fpecifick nature. paribus, fi alter vioThere is somewhat amiable in every man, for there is lavit, alter violatus fomething of God in every man, and therefore fomething cft. Ariftot. Ethic. s. that it is our duty to love: And that according to the excellency of man's nature, which fheweth more of God than Temperantia libidinum inimica eft. Cic. other inferiour creatures do; and alfo according to their Vide Plutarchi Readditional virtues. Lovelinefs commandeth love, and love man. quæft. 65. maketh lovely. This, with all the reft afore-mentioned, are fo plain, that to prove them is but to be tedious. 0.28. Nature telleth us, that we should deal justly with all, giving to every one his due, and doing to them as we would be done by. 0.29. Particularly it telleth us, that we must do nothing injuriously against the life, or health, or liberty of our neighbour, but do our best for their prefervation and comfort. when an Adulterer asked Thales whether be should make a vow? be answered him, Adultery is as bad as perjury: inti9. 30. Man being fo noble a creature, and his education fo made no confcience of mating, that he that necessary to his welfare, and promiscuous unregulated generation adultery, would make tending fo manifestly to confufion, ill education, divifions and none of perjury. Laert. corruption of mankind, and unbridled exercise of luft tending to Cyrus is praised by the abafement of reason, and corruption of body and mind, Na- Plutarch, de curiofit. that would not fee ture telleth us, that carnal copulation should be very strictly. re- Panthea and they gulated, and kept within the bounds of lawful marriage; and are by him reproved that the contract of marriage must be faithfully kept, and no one that caft a wanton cyc defile his neighbours bed, nor wrong another's chastity, or their at women in coaches own, in thought, word, or deed. as they pafs by, and look out at windows This propofition, though Boars understand it not, is to have a full view of proved in the annexed reafons: Nothing would tend more them, and yet think to houfhold divifions and ill education, and the utter dege- that they commit no nerating and undoing of mankind than ungoverned copu- rious eye and a wanfault: fuffering a culation. No one would know his own children, if luft were dering mind to flide not bounded by strict and certain Laws; and then none and run every way. L 3 would Ariftotle, Ethic. 4. Jaith, Every lie is evil, and to be avoided. The Roman Laws against perjury and would love them, nor provide for them; nor would they have any certain ingentious education. Women would become molt contemptible and miferable, as foon as beauty faded, and luft was fatisfied; and fo one halfe of mankind made calamitous, and unfitted to educate their own children and ruine and depravation of nature could not be avoided. They that think their choiceft Plants and Flowers fit for the inclofure of a Garden, and carefulleft culture, weeding and defence, fhould not think their children should be educated or planted in the Wilderness. It is not unobfervable, that all flying Fowls do know their Mates, and live by couples, and ufe copulation with no other: and that the Beafts and more terreftrial Fowl do copulate but only fo oft as is neceffary to generation. And fhall Man be worse than Beafts? 9.31. Nature bindeth us, not to violate the propriety of our neighbour, in any thing that is his, by fraud, theft, or robbery, or any other means, but to preferve and promote his just commodity as our own. . 32. Government and Justice being fo necessary to the order and welfare of the world, Nature teacheth us that bribery, fraud, falfe-witneß, and all means that pervert Justice must be avoided, and equity promoted among all. .33. The Tongue of Man being made to be the Index of his false witness and bri- mind, and humane converfe being maintained by humane credibery, tell us what na- bility and confidence; Nature telleth us, that Lying is a crime, ture faith thereabout. which is contrary to the nature and focieties of Mankind. Read in Lamprid. hom §. 34. And Ñature telleth us, that it is unjust and criminal to flander or injuriously defame our neighbour, by railing, reviling, or malicious reports; and that we ought to be regardful Fundamentum jufti- of bis honour as of our own. vehement Alexander Severus was against bribery. tix eft fides, id eft, .35. Nature telleth us, that, both in obedience to God, the dictorum conventoconvento- just difpofer of all, and for our own quietness and our neighbours peace, we should all be contented with our proper place ani due condition and estate, and not to envy the profperity of our neighbour, nor covetously draw from him to enrich our felves. rumque conftantia & veritas, Cicer Because God's will and intereft is above our own, and the publick welfare to be preferred before any private perfons; and therefore all are to live quietly and contentedly in their proper places, contributing to the common good. Ø. 36. Nature of GOD's particular Laws as known in Nature. 79 6.36. Nature teacbeth us, that it is our duty to love humane De altero temere afeft, propter occultas Nature in our enemies, and pity others in their infirmities and firmare periculofum miferies, and to forgive all pardonable failings, and not to feek hominum voluntatos revenge and right our felves by our brothers ruine: but to be multiplicefque natucharitable to the poor and miferable, and do our best to fuccour ras. Cic. them, and help them out of their distreß. All these are our undeniable duties to GOD and our Neighbours. 0.37. Nature alfo telleth us, that every man, as a rational A man that loved his lover of himself, should have a special care of his own felicity, belly,defiring to be adand know wherein it doth confift, and use all prudent diligence to mitted into Cato's family, Cato anfwer. attain it, and make it fure. ed, Non poffum cum . 38. Nature telleth us, that it is the duty of all men to keep tali vivere, cujus pa. Reafon clear, and their Wills conformable to its right appre- latum plus fapit, benfions, and to keep up a constant Government over their quam cerebrum, E. Thoughts, Affections, Pafions, Senfes, Appetite, Words and Actions, conforming them to our Makers Laws. that all our Time should be spent to 1.39. Nature telleth the Ends of our Creation, and all our Mercies improved to thofe Ends, and all things in the world be estimated by them, and ufed as Means conducing to them. D. us, rafm oti Nullus mihi per What mean you to 6. 40. Nature commandeth us to keep our Bodies in fobriety, ftrong, faid Plato to temperance and chastity, and not be inordinate or irregular in one that pampered his eating, drinking, luft, fleep, idleness, apparel, recreation, or any body. Ficin. in vit. lower things. 0.41. It commandeth us also watchfully and refolutely avoid or refift all temptations which would draw us to any these fins. Plat. to Vires corporis funt of Petrarch. l. 1. dial. 5. . 42. And it teacheth us patiently to bear our croffes, and improve our trials to our benefit, and fee that they breed not any finful distempers in our Minds or Lives. vires carceris, inquit Cato homo vircuci fimillimus-qui nunquam re&te fecit ut facere videretur, fed quia aliter facere nоm. poterat: cuique id folum vifum eft rationem habere; quod haberet juftitiam. Velleius Pater. 1. 2. Magna pars libertatis eft, bene moratus venter. Senec. Plato faith, God is the temperate man's Law, and Pleasure the intemperate man's. Temperantia voluptatibus imperat: alias odit atque abigit: alias difpenfat & ad fanum modum dirigit: nec unquam ad illas propter ipfas venit. Sen. Scit optimum effe modum cupidorum, non quantum velis, fed quantum debeas fumere, Senec. Animis tenduntur infidiæ ab ea quæ penitus in omni fenfu implicata infidit imitatrix boni, voluptas, malorum autem mater omnium: cujus blanditiis corrupti, quæ naturâ bona funt, quia dulcedine hac & scabia carent, non cernimus satis, Cic. de leg. 1. p. 226. 9.43. And Ampliat ætatis fpa- 9. 43. And Nature telleth us, that this obedient pleafing of tium fibi vir bonus; our Maker, and holy, righteous, charitable and fober living, should hoc eft, vivere bis, be our greatest pleasure and delight: and that we should thus vitâ poffe priore frui. Spend our lives even to the last; waiting patiently in peaceful joyful hopes for the bleffed end, which our righteous Governour bath allotted for our reward. Martial. As a fummary of what All this is evidently legible in nature, to any man that hath the light of Nature not loft his reafon, or refufeth not confiderately to use it. may teach man, see And he that will read but Antonine, Epictetus and Plutarch, the Stoicks Ethicks collected by Barlaam; (who are full of fuch precepts, that I refer you to the whole (much of which may Books instead of particular citations) may fee, that he who be found in Seneca, will deny a life of Piety, Juftice and Temperance, to be the and is confeffed and duty and rectitude of Man, muft renounce his reafon and praifed by Cicero, though he chide them natural light, as well as fupernatural revelation. you for their new words 1. 44. Reafon also teacheth us, that when the corruptions, and fchifm) where fluggishneß, or appetite of the flesh, refifteth or draweth back will fee, that the Stoicks were wifer from any of this duty, or tempteth us to any fin, Reason must reand better men, than buke it, and bold the reins, and keep its government, and not suffer the Epicureans would the flesh to bear it down, and to prevail. have men believe. Oculos vigiliâ fatigatos cadentefque in opere detineo Malè mihi effe malo, quam molliter: mollis es, paulatim effeminatur animus, atque in fimilitudinem otii fui & pigritiz, in quâ jacet,folvitur. Dormio minimum,& breviffimo fomno utor: fatis eft mihi vigilare defiffe, Aliquando dormiffe fcio, aliquando fufpicor. Senec. CHAP. XI. III. of GOD's Relation to Man as his BENEF ACTOR and his END. Or as his CHIEF GOOD. THE Three Essential Principles in God, do eminently give out themselves to Man in his Three Divine Relations to us. His Power, Intelle&i and Will; His Omnipotency, Omniscience and Goodness; in his being our Owner, our Ruler, and our Chief Good. The two firft I have confidered already; our Omnipotent Lord or Owner, and our moft wife Governour, and our Counter-relations with the duties thereof. I now come to the third. For the right understanding whereof, let us a little con |