Common Places, Part 1 · Chapter 14 · Section 5
Of contemplation, and what Felicitie is therein.
23 Euſtratius in expounding of Ariſtotle, (who in the tenth booke of his Ethiks affirmeth contemplation to be the chéefeſt perfection of our felicitie) ſaith, that There be ſome which are not men exerciſed in ciuill and politike adminiſtration, but altogether giuen to contemplation, and theſe ſeparate themſelues from domeſticall and ciuill cares, and do flie from companie and ſocietie; yea, and they ſtudie all that they can, to be ſeuered euen from their owne fleſh, whereof it coms to paſſe, that to the obteining of felicitie, there néedeth not (as Ariſtotle would) the goods of the mind, for the teaching, counſelling, and ruling of others; nor the goods of the bodie, for defending of their countrie; nor yet the goods of fortune, for reléeuing, ſuccouring, and helping of the poore: and that onlie it is inough to applie the mind to vnderſtanding and contemplation. And he ſaith, that theſe men hauehave a hard felicitie, bicauſe they be as it were at war with nature, not ſéeking in déed to deſtroie the bodie or fleſh; but prouide this, that thoſe things may be no impediment to their contemplation. And therefore, ſince this is a more priuate life, it néedeth not manie things. But he ſaith, that Ariſtotle ſpake not of theſe men, which he teſtified when he ſaith, that By nature a man is ciuill: and they which are of this ſort, vnleſſe they miniſter to their elders and parents thoſe things which be neceſſarie, and alſo vntounto their poſteritie, wife, frends, and citizens, they hauehave a maimed and vnperfect felicitie, although they be furniſhed with manie good things. And the diminiſhing of their felicitie is either more or leſſe, according as they ſhall more or leſſe want thoſe good things which we hauehave recited. It belongeth therefore vntounto a happie man, to hauehave a care of all thoſe things, which I hauehave recited; which if he may commodiouſlie doo, he hath inough, and may be content; otherwiſe he ſhall not be counted happie.
Theſe things I thought good to rehearſe out of the doctrine of Euſtratius; to whoſe opinion I ſubſcribe not. For in that he will hauehave anie man ſo to liue alone, that he ſhould giuegive himſelfe onlie to contemplation, and be hidden from the companie of other men, forſaking the duties of charitie, and other vertues toward them, is both againſt philoſophie and diuinitie. For the philoſophers crie out generallie, that men are not borne to themſelues; and declare that it is mans nature to helpe others, and in like manner to be holpen of others. Moreouer, there wants no teſtimonies of the holie ſcriptures, whereby ſuch a kind of life is condemned. 1. Cor. 10, verſe 24.Paule ſaid; that None ought to ſeeke their owne, but that all ſhould be doone to the edification of our neighbours. And God commanded in the lawe, that the parents ſhould be honored; which precept in verie déed commandeth the maintenance of them. And the parents are commanded, Exo. 20, 12.that they ſhould diligentlie and earneſtlie inſtruct their children. Neither are there lawes wanting of wedlocke, o… defending and preſeruing of fréends, and of the poore. Yea and Paule vntounto Timothie ſaid; He that hath caſt awaie the care of his owne, 1. Tim. 5, 8.and eſpeciallie of his owne houſhold, hath denied his faith, & is woorſe than an infidel. Wherfore it is not lawfull for anie man to chooſe to himſelfe ſo ſolitarie a life, as he will ſet apart the care of other men. True indéed it is, that Ariſtotle treateth ſeuerallie of ciuill life and function, & alſo of life contemplatiue; but yet not for this purpoſe, that any man ſhould wholie addict himſelfe to one of theſe liues: but to the intent, that whoſoeuer aſpireth to felicitie, may knowe, that he is not able to obteine the ſame, except in an excellent ſort he be partaker of both theſe eſtates of life.
Two properties of our nature.Two properties doubtleſſe there be of our nature; for nature it ſelfe hath made vsus both men of vnderſtanding and ciuill. Wherefore in our actions we muſt anſwere to both conditions; namelie, that when they happen vntounto vsus in our actions, we may execute them as we ought, and according to vertue. Againe, that when anie leiſure ſerueth vsus, or that by anie chance we are let from dooing of things, then we to be occupied with great pleaſure in the contemplation of diuine and humane things; that ſo theſe actions, which in kind ſéeme to be diuers, may helpe one another. For if a man be exerciſed in morall and ciuill vertues, in gouerning of a familie & common-weale, to the intent he may hauehave the more readie and quiet mind in the helping and ſuccoring of his fréends, it ſo coms to paſſe, that he returneth the more apt to contemplation. And on the other ſide, when anie man, by reaſon of his leiſure, ſhall be in earneſt contemplation of diuine and humane things, he is afterward thought to be much the readier to doo other affairs. This we knowe did Tullie, Cato, Pompeius, Lucullus, and ſuch like ſingular men among the Ethniks. And we read in the holie ſcriptures, that Chriſt our ſauiour did ſomtimes withdrawe himſelfe vntounto the mountaines, and woods, that he might praie and meditate of diuine things; but within awhile he returned to the people, and was all manner of waies a helpe vntounto mankind. The verie ſame thing did Iohn Baptiſt, Elias, and other the prophets. Yea, and the ſame Ieſus our Lord firſt taught his apoſtles in the wildernes; afterward he ſent them out into Iudaea, to preach & to heale them that were ſicke. So then let there be two kinds of life, but yet not in ſuch ſort, that anie man ſhould perpetuallie be addicted to anie one of them.