Common Places, Part 1 · Chapter 14 · Section 4
Of certeine good things attending vponupon Felicitie; namelie, riches, beautie, nobilitie, and ſuch like: and how far men may vſe them vvithout hinderance vntounto Felicitie.
20 In the definition of Felicitie, action of the mind was the generall word vnderunder which it was conteined; A diſtinction of good things.which verie well agréeth with the old writers, who diuided good things into thrée parts, The goods of the mind.and among thoſe things gaue the principall and chéefe place vntounto the goods of the mind. Wherefore, ſéeing felicitie is the chéefeſt good, it is well aſſigned to belong vntounto the actions of the mind. That ſame diſtinction of good things, procéeded from the Academikes, and before them from Socrates, as it may appéere in Platos fift booke De legibus: albeit afterward followed the Stoikes, which onelie made one kind of good things; though Ariſtotle made no mention of them, bicauſe they flouriſhed after his time. The goods of the mind are diſtinguiſhed; A diſtinction of the goods of the mind.for either they are referred to that which is to be vnderſtood, or to that which is to be deſired: vntounto the former part are referred ſharpenes of wit, quicknes of ſpirit, ſpéedineſſe of perceiuing, faſt holding in the memorie, prudence, wiſedome, and alſo knowledges and right opinions: but as for the will and deſire, all the morall vertues doo adorne. The goods of the bodie are diſtinguiſhed; The good things of the bodie diſtinguiſhed.for ſome of them are diſperſed ouer all the bodie, as health, ſtrength, and beautie: for theſe ſettle not in one part of the bodie, but generallie in the whole. But there be other things which are proper vntounto ſome of the members; namelie, ſwift running, vntounto the féete; to the hands, ſtrength in holding faſt, in driuing in, in drawing to, and in caſting from; volubilitie or readines vntounto the toong, and to all the ſenſes. Outward good things are diſtributed into fréends, Outward good things diſtinguiſhed.nobilitie, honours, riches, and ſuch like. But whie the goods of the mind hauehave the firſt place, manie reaſons may be brought; but now it ſhall be ſufficient to ſaie, that in good right thoſe are the better properties, which are of a better matter that is ſubiect. But the argument of Ariſtotle may thus be gathered; Thoſe be the chéefeſt good things, which belong to felicitie; A reſolutionBut the goods of the mind be the chéefeſt; Iuſtlie therefore are they comprehended in the definition of bleſſednes. Wherefore, ſince the actions of the mind obteine the firſt place among the good things thereof, they are rightlie ſet downe to be the generall word, vnderunder which felicitie is conteined.
Manie there were, and thoſe not of the vulgar ſort, Riches are remooued from felicitie.which held riches in eſtimation, as the chéefeſt good; and therefore Ariſtotle for two cauſes remooued thoſe things from felicitie, the firſt is, for that they belong vntounto violence; for that which is violent, hath no reſpect of felicitie. But that the poſſeſſion and obteining of riches is a violent thing, vſe and experience doth teach vsus; for there is none that can get great and abundant riches, or can long kéepe them, vnleſſe there be a violence, and that no ſmall violence vſed. Another reaſon is, bicauſe they tend to profit, and are referred to another thing; wherefore the ſtate of them is ſeruile. For we hauehave them to this end, that they may helpe vsus to other things which we deſire: neither would anie man eſtéeme them the value of an heare, vnleſſe he knew them to be profitable vntounto thoſe things that he would hauehave. And how ſtrange this is from the nature of the chéefe good, all they are not ignorant, which knowe that the ſame ſhould be deſired for it ſelfe ſake. Verie much therefore are they deceiued, which hauehave riches in the greateſt honor, bicauſe they be profitable vntounto all things. This if Midas had ſet before his eies, he would not hauehave ſo adicted himſelfe to the ſtudie of heaping vp riches, that he was iuſtlie called foreign, that is, foreign.euen mad for the deſire of gold. Neither is he alone among princes and kings to be reprooued, ſéeing now the greateſt part of them is infected with this vice, who neuertheles might hauehave bin admoniſhed, not onlie by theſe two reaſons of Ariſtotle, but by manie other reaſons, to ſet downe ſome moderation of their deſire. Reaſons why riches be not the cheefe good.For it is without reaſon, ſo greatlie to eſtéeme that kind of good, which is externall, and in a manner perteineth nothing to the mind; but is onelie reckoned among the inſtruments, whereby men are holpen to doo thoſe things which they hauehave purpoſed. Alſo, this kind of good doth beſot men, if it happen vponupon them that be vnwiſe: they be verie carefull to atteine vntounto riches, but hauehave no care of their children, to whome they ſhall leaue them; nor yet of themſelues, who ſhould vſe them. They are like vntounto him, which would hauehave manie ſhooes, and in the meane time went barefoote. Beſides this, the nature of riches is doubtfull, in ſo much as they ſerue no leſſe to the accompliſhing of lewd deſires and wickednes, than of honeſt and iuſt duties.
Moreouer, if vertue be therefore not the chéefeſt good, bicauſe it may be with them which be aſléepe, and which be in miſerie, whom no man iudging prudentlie would call happie; how ſhall felicitie be attributed vntounto riches, ſéeing they be oftentimes poſſeſſed of moſt miſerable men; yea rather, of them which be monſters and woonderments of the world, who hate all honeſt arts and all vertues? VntoUnto honour it is denied, and that iuſtlie, that it ſhould not be accounted bleſſednes; bicauſe it is not in their power which be had in honour. Which if we ſhall affirme, no doubt but we may iudge the ſame of riches; ſéeing the poſſeſſion of them is ſubiect to infinit perils: they are gotten and loſt well-néere in an houre. One man boaſted of excéeding great riches, which his ſhips had brought vntounto him: another hearing him, anſwered, that he made no account of goods which hoong on gables and winds. And that they be not the chéefe good indéed, it ſéems they verie well knew, which termed riches a gilted felicitie. Indéed I denie not, but that riches be good; The ſcriptures teſtifie that riches be violent. Luke. 16, 9. 1. Tim. 6, 20.but that they be the chéefeſt good, that we denie. That they be violent, & are referred to another thing, the holie ſcriptures in one word teſtifie; Make ye freends of vnrighteous Mammon. That they doo hurt the vnwiſe, it is ſaid; The root of all euils is couetouſnes; They which will become rich fall into ſnares & tentation, &c. And as for the inconſtancie of them, [Paule ſaith to Timothie;] Command that they truſt not in the vncerteintie of riches; 1. Tim. 6, 9. Luk. 12, 20.[and Chriſt ſaid] This night will they fetch awaie thy ſoule from thee. Finallie, they are a hinderance vntounto men, as in the goſpell; And the yoong man being rich, Matt. 19, 21.went his waies: ſo as they be good things, but yet in their owne degrée.
Certeinlie this word foreign, that is, That outward goods belong not to the nature of felicitie.doo comprehend, muſt be diligentlie conſidered of; for we eaſilie vnderſtand thereby, that the elder fathers thought not that the abundance of outward goods belonged to the nature of felicitie: but onlie called the ſame a thing added for a helpe. Riches make not the nature of felicitie, they are not placed in the definition therof, they are not counted among the goods of the mind; wherein it is ſaid, that felicitie chéefelie ſtandeth. To what end are they then? Firſt they are therfore added, to the intent they may further manie actions of an happie man; for neither a liberall man, nor a man of valiant courage, nor he that is honourable can doo anie thing of their owne vertue; if they want monie, if they lacke ſtore of things, and finallie if they be néedie and poore. And moreouer, without riches, a happie man not onlie cannot helpe another man, but can be at no leiſure to giuegive himſelfe to contemplation; bicauſe with his trauell he muſt prouide for his dailie ſuſtenance.
Whether felicitie hauehave need of the inferiour good things.21 But ſome doo not allow of it, that ſo excellent a thing as felicitie is, ſhould hauehave néed of goods far inferiour vntounto it: howbeit this knot is vndoone by our diſtinction. In it ſelfe and of his owne nature it hath no néed of them: for if in it ſelfe it ſhould hauehave néed of theſe things, nothing might be happie, vnleſſe it abounded with theſe things: which muſt not be granted, ſéeing God and the angels are bleſſed without the ſmall helpe of theſe goods. This poore lacke, which is of a corruptible and mortall man, is ioined to this felicitie. Euen as our power of vnderſtanding is not able, by conſideration, to doo anie thing at all, without the ſenſes and ſimilitudes which we contemplate: which in verie déed happeneth vntounto it, not in reſpect it is a mind or vnderſtanding: for if it were on this wiſe, neither God nor angels ſhould vnderſtand anie thing without ſenſes and imagination. So then, the mind and vnderſtanding require thoſe things, not by themſelues, or their owne nature; but in reſpect they belong vntounto men. It is to be noted moreouer, that the matter which is ſubiect, may be vnderſtood two waies: for either it repreſenteth that matter, about which our actions are occupied; or elſe it is the matter wherein our mind is, namelie the bodie, to the nouriſhing, ſuſtaining and féeding whereof theſe outward goods are in anie wiſe required; wherefore in theſe two reſpects felicitie hath néed of the outward good things.
Beſides, we ſée in arts, that manie things are doone, not onlie by the art, which is placed in the mind of the artificers, and in the members of their bodie; but by the helpe alſo of outward inſtruments. The ſmith vſeth fire, tongs, a hammer, and an anuile: the carpenter a rule, a ſawe, an axe, and ſuch other things, and that bicauſe of the matter which is ſubiect: and ſo oftentimes it ſufficeth not artificers to hauehave art, and the members of the bodie. In like maner dooth it come to paſſe touching felicitie; although the mind be indued with excellent vertues, and that it will and can ſhew foorth excellent actions, and is not deſtitute of bodilie power, yet hath it néed of fréends, riches, and ciuill power. By ciuill power I vnderſtand honours, good will, fauours, protection, and ſuch like. As for riches, they are diuided ſome into naturall, Riches naturall and artificiall.and ſome into artificiall: naturall are counted whatſoeuer things doo growe out of the earth, and which the bréed of cattell produceth: but artificiall conſiſteth on monie, which in verie déed was inuented, that it ſhould be indifferent to both parties in the exchange of things. And both theſe kinds béeing called faculties, Of riches Looke more part. 3. chap 11. Art. 15.we gather by the etymologie of the word, that they are a great furtherance vntounto dooing.
Ariſtotle, to the furtherance of a mans felicitie, required a beautifulnes of the bodie, nobilitie, ſtore of children, and of true fréends. Beautie required to felicitie.Neither (as I ſuppoſe) dooth he here meane a pleaſant phyſnomie, but that a man be not altogither deformed: and this is the meaning of foreign, foreign.as it is in Gréeke. The reaſon of this ſaieng (as Euſtratius thinketh) may be, bicauſe mens minds are prone to louelove & eſtéeme them, whom they perceiue to excel other mortall men in ſom goodlie fourme: of which inclination moreouer ariſeth, that they willinglie obeie and followe them, which are thus beautifull. And a man, hauing the minds of the people thus affected towards him, dooth vndoubtedlie helpe very much forward to the execution of excellent things: for the people bring manie things to paſſe, when they be mooued of their owne accord, and when they fulfill the mind of one man with an earneſt louelove and voluntarie good will. And therefore that king, whom God firſt ſet ouer the Iſraelites; 1. Sam. 10, verſe. 23.namelie, Saule, was of ſo tall a ſtature, as he was higher than other of the Hebrues by the ſhoulder vpward. And of Dauid, whom he alſo commanded to be annointed king, it is written; that He was ruddie, and of an excellent beautie. Another thing moreouer there is, whereby men are mooued to louelove them that be beautifull; bicauſe the beautie of the bodie is a certeine image of the mind: which mind, ſince aboue all things we muſt ſéeke to hauehave it honeſt and good, and that it cannot be diſcerned by the eie, it remaineth that the common ſort followe the forme of the bodie: after which maner if they were led, which are the louers of our bodies, they ſhould not be blamed. But at this daie there is in a maner nothing doone with moderation, but all things are wrought with vncleannes and luſt.
Nobilitie required to felicitie.Alſo vntounto bleſſednes, he requireth nobilitie; bicauſe the people obeie and reuerence noble perſonages: for nobilitie is in that kind, out of which hauehave procéeded manie famous and excellent men: and vertues, which ſhined in the anceſtors, are woont to be looked for in their poſteritie. I knowe indéed, that ſome doo thinke, that nobilitie is but riches preſerued of long time in ſome familie: but the former opinion liketh me much better. Euſtratius moreouer addeth, that the noblenes of a ſtocke is therefore auailable vntounto ciuill felicitie: for the people are woont to eſtéeme of new men, when they ſtart vp, not onelie according to their preſent vertues or excellent acts; but according to that which they were a little before. Wherefore the former baſenes, while it is conſidered of, dooth ſomewhat obſcure the preſent glorie; which commeth ſo much the more to paſſe, as men be excéedinglie giuen vntounto backbiting. foreign.foreign is a doubtfull word, bicauſe it ſignifieth not ſo much a ſtore of children, as it dooth their goodnes. And indéed as touching ſtore of children, Store of good children required to felicitie.they which abound in them, are both gratefull vntounto the citie, and are feared of others: gratefull trulie they be, bicauſe they increaſe the Common-weale. Wherefore among the Romans there was a priuilege for thoſe that had fiue or ſeuen children. And a yoong man of the Lacedaemonians would not riſe vp vntounto an ancient, who otherwiſe had deſerued well of the Common-weale; Bicauſe (ſaith he) he leaueth not behind him, one that may riſe and vncouer his head vntounto me, when I ſhall be old. But then onlie children doo further vntounto felicitie, if they ſhall be well inſtructed: for otherwiſe they ſhall be rotten impoſtoms and cankers; as Octauius Auguſtus ſpake of his daughter and néece, when they were vnchaſte. Alſo Tyberius ſorrowed, that he did nouriſh in his houſe for the people of Rome Caligula, a moſt cruell ſnake.
22 Furthermore, What helpe true friends bring to felicitie.how fréendſhip dooth fortifie men with excellent helps, to the leading of a good life, may be gathered ſufficientlie by good writers, and by humane cuſtome. But he is far more to be reprooued, which hath ill fréends, than he which hath corrupt children. For ſometimes it may ſo happen, that through an ill nature, what diligence ſo euer be vſed in education, we cannot hauehave ſuch children as we would: but there is no excuſe, if we hauehave ill fréends; bicauſe we make a choiſe of them, and they may be forſaken. Moreouer, the loſſe of theſe (I meane of honeſt children and fréends) Ariſtotle teſtifieth, may be a great hinderance vntounto bleſſednes; bicauſe their death cannot be without great ſorrowe and mourning. And although we ſuffer thoſe calamities with an indifferent mind, if we be indued with the vertue of fortitude; yet are we ſubiect therevnto not without detriment, which detriment no doubt dooth not a little blemiſh our felicitie.
Neither dooth the holie ſcripture diſagrée touching the commendation of outward good things: for as concerning children, What the holie ſcriptures teach touching outward good things Pſal. 127, 4.they be promiſed of GOD; Thy children ſhall be like the oliue branches. And among other bleſſings, this is reckoned vp, that there ſhould not be vntimelie births in Iſrael. Geneſis. 22, verſ. 17, &c. & 2. Kin. 2, 4And in manie places there is promiſed abundance of children to them that feare him. Which ſelfe-ſame thing we may eaſilie knowe as touching riches. God inriched Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, and the reſt of their fréends. He granted of his owne accord riches vntounto Salomon, 1. Kin. 3, 13.which deſired wiſedome. And he would that his people, if they behaued themſelues well, ſhould ſo abound in riches, that they might lend vntounto other nations; but not borrowe of them. Nobilitie was in ſuch eſtimation with the people of God, as euerie familie would hauehave his owne genealogies, wherin they reckoned vp their anceſtors among the heads of the tribes of the children of Iſrael. And the préeſts, which in the time of Eſdras could not doo this, were remooued from their place and office. Yea, and the Euangeliſts Luke and Matthew rehearſed the genealogie of Chriſt, Matth. 1. Luke. 3.leaſt he ſhould ſéeme to be of an vnknowne ſtocke according to the fleſh. Againe, the apoſtle in the ninth chapter to the Romans deſcribed what nobilitie the Iſraelites were of; Rom. 9, 4.To whom perteineth the adoption, and the glorie, and the lawe that was giuen, and the couenant, and the ſeruice of God; of whom are the fathers, of whom as concerning the fleſh Chriſt came, which is aboue all things, &c.
A beautie of the bodie I ſhewed before, was graunted vntounto thoſe two kings Saule and Dauid. I ſhewed alſo that the ſame was ſo requiſit in the préeſts, as none that was lame, blind, crooke-backed, Leui. 21, 18, 19, &c.or blemiſhed with anie notable deformitie, might execute the roome of high préeſt. Moreouer, that frendſhip might increaſe among the Hebrues, God prouided ſpeciallie by his lawes: all which, if they be narrowlie conſidered, doo ſerue verie much for the ioining of men together. Wherefore theſe things, which Ariſtotle hath rehearſed, muſt not be reiected; yet as touching felicitie, there muſt be no more aſcribed to them than is méet. It is ſaid indéed in the booke of Eccleſiaſtes, the tenth chapter, that VntoUnto monie all things are obedient. Eccl. 10, 18.But that ſentence is rehearſed as a common ſaieng of the people, not as a true ſaieng, but that thereby mans error might be reprooued. Naie rather, the ſcriptures elſe-where doo teach, namelie, in the 17. chapter of the Prouerbs; What doo riches profit a foole, Prou. 17, 16.ſeeing he cannot buie wiſedome for himſelfe? Theſe things then being ſome-what narrowlie and diligentlie conſidered, we ſaie that theſe gifts of God are not to be contemned, ſéeing they further verie much to the good and right execution of manie ciuill duties belonging to bleſſednes; but wée muſt not relie altogither vponupon them: yea rather, if at anie time we want theſe good things, the true and perfect felicitie, which we ſéeke for, is not for this cauſe taken awaie. And if we, for the name of Chriſt, and confeſſion of his faith, be depriued of theſe things; ſo far is it off, that true bleſſednes is blemiſhed, as it is rather made a great deale the more excellent.
Firſt that pouertie is no let vntounto vsus, it appeareth, ſéeing not the leaſt part of the ſaincts was collected of poore men. And Chriſt commanded the yoong man, Matt. 19, 21.that he ſhould ſell that which he had, and giuegive it to the poore; whome neuertheleſſe he would without all doubt hauehave made happie, which in verie déed could not hauehave bin done [if pouertie had bin a hinderance vntounto felicitie.] Yea, and Antiſthenes and Crates the Theban, that they might in their philoſophie be made the more happie, caſt from them their monie and treaſure. And the Lord promiſed a hundreth fold, Matt. 19, 29.and eternall life to them, which for his ſake ſhould loſe all things which are of this kind. What ſhall we ſaie as touching nobilitie? 1. Cor. 1, 26.Looke to your calling (ſaith Paule) not manie wiſe, not manie mightie, not manie noble are called, &c. Alſo, the lacke of children is no let, for in the 56. chapter of Eſaie, the Eunuches are ſaid to hauehave the better place in the houſe of God, not in reſpect they be Eunuches, or leade a ſingle life; Eſaie. 56, 4.but in as much as they ſhall more diligentlie kéepe the commandements of God than other men. In like maner, if frendſhips faile, they exclude not men from true felicitie; ſéeing it commeth to paſſe ſometime, that for the name of Chriſt, the godlie are become hated of all men, which neuertheleſſe is not againſt Ariſtotle, ſéeing he writeth but of a politike or ciuill bleſſednes.