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Of a fourth End; which pertains either to the Conservation and defence of the Vniverse, or its Ornament. The Explication of each.
THese are the three certain evi∣dent Ends, vvhich I have pass'd vvith a sure and steady Foot: the fourth remains vvhich I must adven∣ture upon with a doubtful one. For it is more remov'd and obscure, than that our humane capacities should
perfectly reach it. I discover it only through a Cloud, and I may guess and offer at it, but never certainly know and attain to it. The End vvhich I mean hath a double respect and regards either the conservation or the beauty of the Universe. I therefore suppose it is for its conser∣vation; because that God who made and disposed all things by an excel∣lent wisdom; did so make them, that he bounded every of them within a certain number, measure, and weight: Nor can any particular Creature trans∣gress these limits, vvithout the weak∣ning or ruine of the vvhole. Thus those great bodies the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea have their bounds; thus every Age hath its appointed num∣ber, and thus both Men, Cities, and Kingdomes have their stated accounts. Will they exceed these? It is neces∣sary that some storme and tempest of Calamities do check and retard them: For otherwise they vvould endanger
and bring damage to, this beautiful frame of the World. But those things especially vvould exceed these bounds very often, that are under the com∣mand of Encrease and Multiply. Look upon Men, who can deny that by na∣ture vve are born faster, than we na∣turally dye? So that in a few years from two persons a family of a hundred may be propagated; of vvhich in that space not above ten or twenty may dye. Look upon a flock of Sheep; how numerous would the encrease be, if the Shepheard should not year∣ly choose out and set apart some to the Slaughter? The Birds and Fishes vvould in a short time fill the Air and Waters, if there vvere not certain dissentions; and (as it vvere) vvarrs amongst themselves, and the endea∣vours of Men to diminish them. E∣very age is building of Cities and Towns; and if fire or other wayes of destruction should not interpose; nei∣ther this vvorld of ours, nor the o∣ther
vvorld vvould be able to contain them. The same may vve imagine of the vvhole Creation. What won∣der therefore is it if our Saturn doth sometimes thrust his Sickle into this over-grown Field; and reap thence some superfluous thousands, either by the pestilence or vvarr? Which if he should not do, vvhat Country vvould be able to hold us, or vvhat Land could afford us sustenance? It is there∣fore requisite that something should perish from the parts; that so the vvhole may be eternal. For as to Rulers in States the safety of the People is the supream Law: So is it to God in respect of the World. For the beauty or Ornament of the World I conceive calamities make two vvayes. First, because I apprehend no beauty any where in this great frame without variety, and a distinct succession and change of things. I acknowledge the Sun is exceedingly beautiful, but he becomes more ac∣ceptable
to us at his return; through the interposition of the dew-engen∣dring Night; and those black Cur∣tains vvhich she shuts him out vvith. The Summer is a most pleasant sea∣son, but yet the vvinter sets it off, vvith it's icy marbles, and hoary Frosts: Which if you take away, you really destroy the true rellish, and that particular gust of Joy, which it's light and Warmth afford us. In this Country of ours, one and the same face of things delights me not; but I am pleasingly affected to behold the Valleys and Hills, and Rocks, fruitful and vvast places, Mea∣dows and Woods, for satiety and loathing are alwayes the Companions of Equality. And vvhy then in this Scene of life (as I may so call it) should the same dress and countenance of things delight us? In my Mind it should not: Let there be sometimes some smooth and Halcyon Calmes; and let those after a while be discom∣pos'd
and ruffled vvith the vvhirle∣vvinds of Warr, and the boysterous stormes of succeeding Tyrannies. For who would wish that this Universe should be like the dead Sea; without Wind or Motion? But there is also another Ornament vvhich I guess at vvhich is more serious and inwardly fruitful. Histories informe me, that better and smoother times, do still succeed storms. Do Warrs molest any people? Yet for the most part they refine and sharpen them; by in∣troducing the Arts, and a various cul∣ture of ingenuity. The Romans of old impos'd a heavy yoke upon the world; but vvithall it prov'd a happy one in the event; for as the Sun chases away darkness from our Eyes: So did that ignorance and barbarisme from their Minds. What had the Gaules or we Germans now been, if the light of that great Empire had not risen to us? A sort of wild and inhumane savages, glutting our selves with our own and
others blood; and despisers both of God and Man. And if I rightly di∣vine, the same will befal this new World; vvhich the Spaniards with an advantageous kind of cruelty have ex∣hausted; but vvill again restore, and otherwise replenish. And as those vvho have great plantations; remove some trees elsewhere, and cut down others: Skilfully disposing all things, to make them more fruitful and to prosper the better: So doth God in this vast Field of the World. For he is the most excellent improver, in some places he prunes and cuts off the luxuriant branches of some Families, and in others (as I may so say) he plucks off some leaves of persons. This helps the stock, though the branches fall, and the leaves that drop off, become the mockery of the vvinds. He sees this Nation scorched and vvithered away; as having out-liv'd their Vertues, and he casts them out. That other he observes to be vvild
and unfruitful; he therefore transfers them; and others he mingles toge∣ther, and engrafts them (as it vvere) into one another. You Italians in the declining of the Empire, being now decayed and enfeebled: Why cumber you any longer that choice part of Earth? Depart and let those hardy and unbroken Lombards more happily improve that soil. You vici∣ous and effeminate Graecians perish and let the harsh and sowre Scythians be mellowed there. So also by a kind of confusion of Nations, you French possess Gaul, you Saxons Brittain, you Normans Belgia and the places ad∣joyning. All which and more Lipsius will readily occurre to him that is ver∣sed in Histories and the Events of things. Let us take courage then and know, that whatever private Ca∣lamity comes upon us; is some way or other advantageous to some part of the Universe. The setting of this Nation or Kingdom shall be the rise
of another. The ruines of this City, the foundation of a new one, nor can any thing here be properly said to dye, but to change only. Shall we Belgians think to be the only choice ones with God; that shall be perpe∣tually wedded to felicity; and the only white boyes of Fortune. Fooles that we are. That great Father hath many more Children whom (because he will not all at once) permit to cherish, and receive by turnes into his bosome. We have already had our Sun-shines; let the Night succeed awhile, and let those beauteous rayes withdraw to the Western Nations. Seneca (as he uses) speaks aptly and wisely to this pur∣pose. Let a wise Man repine at nothing that befalls him; but let him know that those very things under which he seems to suf∣fer; do make to the conservation of the Visiverse, and are of that number which fullfil that Law and Order which the World is confin'd to.