Politick Observation.
THere is no one sign more certain of a decaying State, then to see a Minister take no other care, then to make it subsist in a lazy Peace; for as States ruine themselves by Wars rashly undertaken, so they weaken themselves by idleness. The greatest Monarchs which are governed, without some high designs of inlarging themselves, have never continued any long time without mis-fortune, and that fair weather in which one strives to keep them, is a Presage of a dangerous turn. They who think on nothing but Peace, do by little and little unawares weaken them, and reduce them to impotencie, then soften and alter the temper of the couragious youth, by idlenesse and want of Imployment, and by this means leave them for a Prey to Forrainers, who make themselves strong in Arms. Have not heretofore the Romans entertained Wars with their Enemies, knowing it to be needfull, to keep their Souldiers in breath, and to prevent growing sloth which commonly breeds greater inconveniences with it, as also to vent the violent heats of the youth, who wanting imployments fly out into Rebellions and Civil Wars? It is said to bee for this reason, that Edward the third, concluding the Treaty at Bresigni, would by no means comprehend the Treaty of Britain: And that Philip the Fair, made his Son John passe the Sea, that he might exercise his Arms. And who knoweth not, that if Henry the 2d. after the Peace Anno 1509. had imployed the French Arms abroad with strangers, and opposed the Ambition of the House of Austria, by car∣rying his Armies out of France, the State had not been so afflicted with Civil Wars, which were upon the point of destroying it. It is not the Property of humane Af∣fairs to subsist long in the same degree, and who attempts so to conserve it, designs an impossibility. States like those who float upon the Waters, are in continual motion, and that Minister who hath not courage enough to raise a State to a higher Pitch of Glory, shall soon see it unravelled to nothing, when he would stop there, he will find it sliding back. How can a Kingdom be kept in the same Condition, when all its neighbours have their Arms in their hands to go still onwards; and seeing who∣ever is content to see Forrainers increase their Power, shal soon see himself exposed as a Prey to their Ambition. That Minister commits a great fault, who doth not con∣sider what is within the compasse of a State, seeing the Grandure of a Soveraign doth not onely consist in his own Forces, but in the ruine of his enemies, and that his greatest Power is in their greatest weaknesse. He ought not to be lesse circum∣spect in opposing any Forraign Usurpation, then in eying his Masters own subjects, and to keep them in obedience; who neglects one or t'other, shall soon see his ma∣ster exposed to dangerous storms, his authority despised, his power weakned by the strength of strangers, and his Kingdom assaulted by his enemies.