A Sum of Moral Philosophy, Title page – Summary
A SVMME OF MORALL PHILOSOPHY SVCCINCTLY GATHERED, ELEgantly Composed, and Methodically handled, BY THAT LEARNED SCHOLLER AND WORTHY DIVINE WILLIAM PEMBLE Mr of Arts and late Commoner of Mag. Hall.
Mores honesta verbis, verba Moribus.
foreign
AT OXFORD. Printed by Iohn Lichfield Printer to the Famous Vniversity, for Edward Forrest. An. Dom. 1632.
To the Reader.
BEhold (vnpartiall and courteous) reader, I present vntounto thee one whom I need not name the whole booke so fully speakes him, it being the character of him, whose name the Frontispice beares: here he yet liues although dead, for the booke breathes that which he once was & when he was, he liued that which the book teacheth, for such was his admirable composure, that his very actions were a morall Lecture, hauing exacty learned that of Minutius, non loqui Magna sed viuere. I will not make any elogy of the Author, nor encomium on the booke, when as the one deserues rather the regestring in annales, then the light torch of a rūning pen; for the other vnlesse my guesse fayle me to a Iudicious braine, and a well seasoned heart, it will commend it selfe, it having a mixture of learning & delight, whereby it will both instruct and please the reader, and to say truth such was his dexterity, that by rhetoricke he could insinuate to a perswasiō, & by solidity of argumēt evince thee to assent. But if perhaps the booke in all points answere not the worth of the Man, or thy expectation, let it not detract from his deserts, or beget a preiudice in thy conceipt, since the worke is Posthumus, and (I am perswaded) neuer by the author intended for the publique censure; neyther is the Printer much to be blamed, since he is so carefull to preserue any of thy blest reliques (Pemble) yet vnslaine, from the vnhappy fate of the vrne. Lastly since to offend is humanae sortis, whatsoever errors thou mayst find either in Author or Printer, the one thou mayest in thy Iudgement correct; the other in humanity condone. So mayest thou in some sort vindicate the Author, and gratifie the Printer. Farewell.
All discplines are
1 Theoricall
1 Reall
1 Metaphysicall
1 Inspired as Divinity contained in the Bible.
2 Acquired of which write
Aristotle
Avicenna
2 Mathematicall
1 Arithmeticke.
2 Geometry.
3 Musicke.
4 Astronomy.
3 Physicall concerning
Principles
Generation
Of Naturall things
2 Rationall
1 Grammer.
2 Rhetoricke.
3 Logicke.
2 Practicall
1 Actiue
1 Oeconomickes.
2 Ethickes.
3 Politickes.
2 Factiue as skill in
1 Nauigation.
2 Hunting.
3 Husbandry.
A SVMME OF Morall Phylosophy.
1. Ethickes.
MOrality is the Art of behauiour, prescribing directions for manners arising out of vse and customary conversation.
Manners are either
1 Reall, making a good man foreign.
2 Complementall, making a faire conditioned man foreign.
The Vertues arising out of both foreign Goodnesse is Positiue. Complement varies according to
1 Time.
2 Place.
3 Person.
The one necessary, the other indifferent, if vsed there is a grace and ornament, if not the impeach is not great.
Goodnesse is wrought by actions of Vertue.
Naturall for men to worke: or life tearmed by the Pythagoreans foreign, a fardle of Actions: Beasts are dull and at command, aguntur non agunt: men only are Actiue, as hauing
Wit for Iudging.
Will for prosecuting.
Actions are to be perfected by
Vertue for directions.
Fortune for successe.
Vertue is lame without Fortune, and Fortune blindeheady and headlesse without vertue Our working is either
1 In a state Politicke.
2 In a family Oeconomicke.
3 In private touching our selues only Ethicke.
In Ethicks are foure causes of Actions.
1 The Finall, the vtmost is felicity, the speciall and immediate end, any particular good being in shew or substance good.
2 The Formall as
Vertues
Vices
making our
Bonum
Ʋerum.
Apparens.
Actions
Good
Bad,
3 Materiall, as Passions, whereon our vertues must worke.
4 Efficient as
Wit that makes prudence.
Will that makes prae election.
This is your Subiect of all Ethicks.