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THE STATES—MAN.
The first SECTION. The excellencie of Politick Virtue.
I Have ever made account of the di∣vision of virtues which the Platonists use, when they call the one Purga∣tive, the other Illuminative, the third Civil, and the last Exemplar.
Purgative virtues are those, which give to our souls the first tincture of sanctity. For they take our heart, wholly possessed as it is yet with earthly passions, and discharge it from so many imperfections which ordinarily corrupt na∣ture, to give it a tast of heavenly things. Illuminative afford us day-light, when we have vanquished the agitations of sense, & establish us in the sweetness of some repose, where we begin to behold the entrances, progresses, and issues of the world wherein we are placed, and the course of this great Comedy, called life. The Civil draw us out of our selves, to apply us to our neighbour, and to render every one his due according to his degree, in the good conversion be∣twixt man and man. Exemplar proceed much further in perfection; for they expose themselves in publick, to serve as models for others, and appear in charges and dignities, in the government of Kingdoms, Provinces, Cities, and Communalties. This is it which I call here the virtue of a States-man, taking the word generally, not only for those who are engaged in the manage of Monarchies, Sovereignties, and Re-publicks; but also for such as exercise justice, and other principal charges of civil life. We must affirm this politick virtue which maketh true States-men, is a rare piece; and as it were the cream and most purified part of wisdom, seeing that not con∣tenting it self with a lazy knowledge of virtue, it laboureth to build, adorn, and establish the civil world by the maintenance of justice, without which in the amplest Kingdoms are the greatest thefts.
If the world be a harp, as saith the eloquent Sine∣sius, justice windeth up the strings, stirreth the fin∣gers, toucheth the instrument, giveth life to the airs, and maketh all the excellent harmonies. If the world be a Musick-book, framed of days and nights, as of white and black notes, justice directeth, and composeth. If it be a ring, justice is the diamond. If it be an eye, justice is the soul. If it be a Temple, justice is the Altar. All yieldeth to this virtue, and as it is enchaced in all laudable actions, so all lauda∣ble actions are incorporated in justice. It is an engine much more powerful in effect than was that of Ar∣chimedes in idaea; for it doth that in Kingdoms, which this man could never so much as imagine in his mind, though ambitious enough in inventions. It maketh, I say, Heaven to descend on earth, and earth to mount up to Heaven: Heaven to descend, in introducing a life wholly celestial in the uncivil conversation of men; earth to mount up, in drawing it from dreggs and corruption of a covetous and bloudy life, to en∣lighten it with rays of a prudent knowledge, to em∣belish it with virtues, diversifie it with beauties, and settle it in the center of repose.
God maketh so much account of an honest man, recommended to the government of others, that having chosen Noah to command over onely seaven souls, shut up in the Ark as in a moving prison, he calleth him his Heart: for to say truly, we must have the heart of God, to bring forth counsels suffi∣ciently able to save men, and to be in the same instant the mouth of God, to pronounce the Oracles of truth. God asketh Job, who is the man on earth that shall make the musick of Heaven? To which I would willingly answer: It is a good Justicier. For in what consisteth this harmony of Heaven? We are not in my opinion to imagine it according to the dotages of some Philosophers, who of it have made unto themselves a celestial musick composed of voyces and sounds formed by the mutual encoun∣ter of those admirable Globes. The harmony of Heaven is nought else, but the good order of the sun, the moon, stars, day, and night, and seasons, which daily progress along with a regular pace, and mea∣sured motion, not erring in the least point.
This order, which is so excellent and divine in Heaven, is introduced upon earth by the means of justice, which guideth and governeth all the actions of men within the circuits and limits of duty, so sagely and divinely, that he who would observe so many singular laws which books recommend unto us, should quickly make earth become a little Heaven. For the same reason Origen interpreting this passage of Isay, where God saith, Heaven is his Throne, sheweth, that the Paradise and Heaven of God upon earth is justice; from whence it com∣eth to pass, that such as use it, as they ought, are wholly celestial in science, life, and conversation. Was it not this consideration which drew the Babylonians to build the Palace, where judgements were given, in the forme of Heaven; for the very stone-work was of Saphirs, which are of celestial colour, and in the feelings, clouds were counterfeit∣ed, and in those clouds certain birds, reputed as messengers of justice, as if they had been delegated to see the deportments of men in discharge of their offices, and to advise them, that giving judgement on earth, they must ever have an eie and an ear in Heaven.
I also discover this by another observation of Scripture; for it teacheth me, that the brave Prin∣cess Debora surnamed the Bee, judged the people, and held her Assizes under a Palm: or as it is probable, after the reason both of the one and other were heard, she took a leaf of this tree, and gave it to him who had the right. And from this practise is derived the custom to plant Palms at the gates of great Advocates and Justiciers, which was like∣wise observed in ancient Rome.
Now why think you would God have the first ses∣sions