The Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 1, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of Men as mutually Related to each other.
Nullum eſt unum uni tam ſimile, tam par, quàm omnes inter noſipſos ſumus. Quod ſi depravatio conſuetudinum, ſi opinionum varietas, non imbecilliratem animorum torqueret, & flecteret. quocunque coepiſſet, ſui nemo ipſe tam ſimilis eſſet, quàm omnes eſſent omnium. Cic. 1. de leg§. 1. I See that there are more men beſides me upon earth.
§. 2. The natural dignity of man, and their likeneſs to each other, maketh them all confeſs that it is their duty to love one another.
He that denyeth this, will not expect to be loved himſelf by others; nor will he pretend to any virtue, nor to merit the benefit of humane converſe.
§. 3. Individual perſons are commonly conſcious of ſelf-inſufficiency, and of their need of others, and inclined to a ſociable life.
If Birds and Beaſts will go together in flights and heards, with thoſe of their own kinde, no wonder if man alſo have a naturall inclination to ſociety, beſides the knowledge of the neceſſity and benefits of it.
Homines hominum cauſâ ſunt generati, ut ipſi inter ſe, alii aliis prodeſſe poſſint. Cic 1. Offic.§. 4. Each Individual in theſe ſocieties muſt contribute his endeavours to the common good.
For this is the end of the Aſſociation: He that will be for none but himſelf, cannot juſtly expect that any ſhould be for him: And he that would have all the ſociety be helpfull to him, muſt to his power be helpfull to all.
Sic nos nati videmur, ut inter omnes eſſet ſocietas quaedam. Cic. de Amicit. Homo naturaliter eſt animal politicum & civile. Ariſtot. 1. Polit.§. 5. The diſtinction of perſons, and their intereſts and actions, foundeth a diſtinction of Propriety and Rights.
For natural Individuation maketh it neceſſary that every man have his own food, and his own cloathing, at leaſt for the time: and therefore it is uſually needfull to the good of the whole and the parts, that each one have alſo their proviſional Proprieties: And the difference of men in wit and folly, induſtry and ſloth, virtue and vice, good or ill deſerts, will alſo cauſe a difference of Propriety and Rights: Though theſe may be in part ſubjected to the common good.
§. 6. Parents alſo may upon the merits of Children (if not arbitrarily) make an inequality in propriety: And ſo may other Donors and Benefactors.
As all Children need not the ſame proportion, ſo all deſerve not the ſame: And thoſe Parents that have great Eſtates, may leave more to their own children than to others: ſo that many wayes both Propriety and diſproportion may certainly come to paſs, and be allowed in the World.Inter nos naturâ ad civilem communitatem conjuncti & conſociati ſumus. Quod ni ita ſe haberet, nec juſtitiae ullus eſſet, nec bonitati locus; & quomodo hominum inter homines juris eſſe vincula putant, ſic homini nihil juris eſſe cum beſtiis: Chryſippus ait caetera nata eſſe hominum cauſâ & Deorum; eos autem ſocietatis ſuae, &c. Cato in Cicer. de finib. l. 3. p. 149.
§. 7. Therefore there is ſuch a thing as Juſtice due from man to man, for the preſervation of theſe Rights and Order: and it's injuſtice to violate them.
This is confeſſed by all the World, that look for Juſtice from others: And if it be not maintained, the world will be as in a continual Warre or Robbery: But better grounds and proofs of it, will be mentioned anon.
§. 8. Therefore there is a difference between good and evil, as reſpecting the benefit or hurt of others, beſide that which reſpecteth men as to themſelves.
Thoſe that think they are bound to avoid hurting no man but themſelves or for themſelves, nor to do good to any but themſelves or for themſelves, have ſo far obliterated the Laws of Humanity, and ſo openly renounce the benefits of Society, and bid defiance to Mankinde, that I ſuppoſe them ſo few that I need not diſpute againſt them: Nor have I ever met with any defender of ſo inhumane a Cauſe, whatever may be in their hearts and practice.
§. 9. Nature teacheth Parents to educate their children in ſobriety, obedience, juſtice and charity; and to reſtrain their contraries.
Did Parents make no difference between their Childrens temperance and gluttony, drunkenneſs and unchaſtity, between their obedience and diſobedience, and contempt of their own authority; between actions of Juſtice and Charity, and actions of falſhood, robbery, cruelty, and inhumanity, what a degenerate thing would Mankinde prove? even Cannibals exerciſe ſome government over their Children.
§. 10. The means which Nature teacheth all the World, to ſuppreſs iniquity, and promote well-doing, is by Puniſhments and Benefits, that it may turn to the hurt of the evil-doer himſelf, and to the benefit of the Well-doer.
Thus Parents do by Children, yea Men by Beaſts, on the account of Prudence, though not of Juſtice. Without Puniſhments and Rewards or Benefits, Laws are ridiculous or deceits, and Government is nothing.
§. 11. For the juſt and effectual performance of this, Salus Civitatis in legibus eſt. Ariſt. 1. Rhet. c. 4.nature teacheth the World to ſet up Governments, that by ſetled Laws and righteous Judgement, it may be rightly done.
Quoniam ea natura eſſet hominis, ut ei cum genere humano quaſi civile jus intercederet, qui id conſervaret, cum juſtum, qui migraret injuſtum fore. Chryſip. in Cato. in Cicer. ubi ſupra.Though better principles ſhould acquaint men with the nature and neceſſity of Government, yet theſe are ſo obvious to all the world, that for their own preſervation, together with ſome natural ſenſe of juſtice, the moſt barbarous Nations, that are neareſt unto bruits, are for ſome Civil Government, (beſides Oeconomical Government, which none but mad-men ever queſtion'd).
§. 12. By this Government, the Liberty, Eſtates and Lives of offenders are deſtroyed, for the ends of the Government, viz. for Juſtice and the common good.
That this is ſo, de facto, is ſo undeniable, that even thoſe Heathens (the ſuppoſed relicts of the Pythagoreans) who will not kill a harmleſs beaſt, will yet kill thoſe men who deſerve to die. And if Government had not the power over the Liberties, Eſtates and Lives of offenders, it could not preſerve the Liberties, Eſtates and Lives of the innocent.
Eſt unum jus quo devincta eſt hominum ſocietas, & quod lex conſtituit una: Quae lex recta ratio eſt imperandi atque prohibendi. Cicer. de leg. 1. p. 225.§. 13. The combination of the Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs of the Individuals, and the Eminency of theſe in the Governours, is the cauſe of the order, ſtrength and ſafety of theſe humane ſocieties.
All the parts are in the combination to contribute to the good of the whole, and that according to the nature of the parts: it is not a heap of ſtones, nor a foreſt of trees, nor a heard of cattle, which we are ſpeaking of, but an aſſociation of men; which muſt be promoted and bleſſed by the worth and duty of the individuals: and this conſiſteth in the perfections and right exerciſe of their Power, Intellects and Wills. But as the place of the Governour requireth more of the exerciſe of theſe, than is requiſite in any individual elſe, ſo doth it therefore require, that theſe be in him in greater eminency and excellency than in others; viz. that in himſelf he excel in wiſdom and goodneſs; and by his intereſt in the people that he excel in power or ſtrength. Take away power, and Societies are indefenſible, expoſed to the will of enemies, and unable to execute their Laws upon their own offenders, and ſo to attain the ends of their aſſociation and government. Take away wiſdom, and they are a rout of Ideots or mad-men, and government can be none at all. Take away goodneſs, and they are as a company of Devils, or confederacy of Robbers or pernicious enemies, who can neither truſt one another, nor promote the common good, but are fit to deſtroy and be deſtroyed.
§. 14. By all this it is manifeſt, Si veritatem de anima cognoverimus, valde magnum nobis erit introductorium ad omnem veritatem, & ad omnes partes Philoſophiae inſignes dat occaſiones. Themiſt. ſup. 1. de Anim.that MAN is not only a living Wight, having Power, Intellect, and Will, and Dominion over inferiour things, as their Owner, Ruler and End, but alſo is a ſociable Wight, or fitted for ſociety where Government is exerciſed, by Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs, which are his perfections.
I have looked thus long at the things that are ſeen, as neareſt me, and moſt diſcernable, before I proceed to the Cauſe, which is unſeen.