Part VL

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jkisYo tle.
261
a Species placed between divine Eilences and ir- xational Creatures, hath feme affinity to both j in what is rational, and agrees with the Soul, he is ally’d to the Divinity ; in what is irrational, proper to the Body, he agrees with the irra¬ tional. Both thefe defirc Perfeftion by Reafon ^ andfirft he defireth to be, for this is naturally infite in him. Hence he affecleth things that are according to Nature, and is averfe from things contrary to his Nature.He endeavourcth to pre- fefve healthy 'Sleajure^ Life^ thefe being accord¬ ing to Nature,expetible in themfelves,and good. On the contrary, he fhunneth SickneJs^ain^^xA Deaths as being repugnant to Nature, and there¬ fore ill, and to be avoided. We love our own Bo¬ dies, we love our own Souls, their parts, their fa¬ culties, their a£ls : The principle of Appetite, Of fice,and Vettue is a providential care of thefe. If Error did not happen concerning thins expetible and avoidable, but that we lived continually participant of good, and void of ill, we fhould not enquire in thefe foratrueEleftion. But be¬ ing things expetible and avoidable , through Ignorance often deceived, fometimes rejedling the good, fometimes admitting the ill for good, we neceflarily have recourle to conflancy ojjudg. ment^ which having obtained convenient to Na¬ ture, we call it, from the excellency of its Funfli- on, F/W/zd”, admiring and honouring it above all things. For Actions, and thofe which are call’d Offices, proceed from eleflion of things accor¬ ding to Nature, and re]e£lion of things repug¬ nant to. Nature. Herein conlift right diions and Sins ^ even on thefe dependeth almoft the whole reafon of EleSion^ as we (hall briefly de- monflrate.
That Children ate expetible to Parents, not only for ufe or benefit, but alfo in themfelves^ is moft evident. There is no Man fo cruel and lavage, who doth not rather defire his Children after his Death fhould live happily and well, than otherwife .* By this .affeftion dying perfons make Wills, providing even for the unborn, choofing Tutors and Guardians to affift them. And as Children are loved for themfelves,fo like- wife we love Varents^ Brethren^ ^Yife^ Kindred^ Acquaintance^ Countrymen^ for themfelves, as having feme intereft in thembyNature.For,Man is a lociable communicative Creature-, and tho’ of Friendfhips fome are more remote than o- thers,it is nothing to the purpofe, for all friend- fhip is for its own fake,and not for ufe only. And if Friendfhip with. Country-men be expetible in it felf, it will likewife be expetible in it felf with all Men ^fbr all thofe who benefit others, afe fo affe£led towards them, that they do moft aflioas for the Office lake. Who will not free any Man from a wild Beaft, if he be in his Power ? Who will not direfl: a Man that is out of his way ? Who will not relieve a Man that is ready to ftarve , or direO: a Man in a Delart to a Spring f* Who defires not to be well fpoken of after Death ? Who abhors not thele Speeches as un¬ natural ?
When lam dead^ let Earth be mix'd vsith Fire,
1 care not,fo 1 novo have my dejire.
It is manifeft therefore, that we have a natu¬ ral good-will and friendfhip towards all Man¬ kind, as a thing being expetible in it felf, and con- fonant toKealbn,
The Race of Gods and Men is one.
From Feature both alike begun.
Love of all Mankind being thus common to us, much mbre evidently it is expetible in it felf towards thofe whom Converfation hath made our Friends. A Friend, Friendfhip, and Good-will, are expetible in themfelves.
In like manner is expetible in it felfy for we contrad: Society with thofe who praife us : And if Praife, Glory likewife, which ig nothing but the praife of many Perfons.
Now feeing that external Good,s are expeti* ble in themfelves, much more are the goods of Soul and Body expetible in themfelves. For,if Man be expetible in himfelf^ the parts of Man muft likewife be expetible in themfelves. Tho parts of Man in general are Soul Body * the Body therefore is expetible in it felf Why fhould the body of another Perfonbedear to us,and not our own?Or why fhould our Body be dear to us, and not the parts and funQions thereof? Health i\\QXQFoxQ,Strength,Beauty,Swiftnefs,foundSenfe^ and the reft are expetible in themfelvesjfor none of ordinary capacity would choofe XohQ deform'd or maim’d, tho’ no Inconvenience would happen thereupon ^ fo that deformity, even without a- ny Inconvenience, feemeth juftly avoidable. And it defomity be avoidable in it felf. Beauty is ex¬ petible, not for only, but in it felf. For^ that Beauty pleafeth is manifeft, in as much as all have a natural Inclination (befides that of con¬ verfation) to fuch as are Beautiful, and endea¬ vour to confer benefits On them, fb as it feemeth to procure Benevolence. In this refpe£l; therefore Beauty is judged expetible in it felf, deformity avoidable in it felf It is the fame in Health and Sicknefs, Strength and Weaknefs, Ailivity and Hedvinefs, Senfe and privation of Senfe.
And if Corporeal Goods are expetible in them¬ felves, and their contrary evils avoidable, the Parts and Vertues of the Soul muft neceilarily be expetible alfo. For, Vertue beginning, as we faid, from the Body, and external Goods , and reftefling upon it felf,and confidering how much more near relation it hath to the Soul,contra£l:- eth a nearer affinity with it. So that the Vertues of the Soul are much to be preferred before thofe of the Bqdy,which is eafily collefted from what hath been laid. For, if Corporeal Health be expetible in il felf, much more is Temperance, which freeth us from the fury of tbe Paffions. And if Corporeal Strength ou^ht to be number’d amongft Goods, much more ought Magnanimi¬ ty, by which the Soul is ftrengthened. And if Corporeal Beauty be expetible in it felf, much more is that of the Soul, fuftice.
In like manner is it with the Vertues. For, there are three kinds of Goods^ which though different, have feme kind of Analogy. That which in the Body is called Healthfm the Soul- \sci\\.Q^Temperance.^2.n&in Externals, Riches. What in the Body is Strength, in the Soul is Magnanimity fn. Externals, Fewer. What in the Body is vigour oFSenJefa. the Soul is Prudence,m externals. Felicity. What in the Body is 'Beauty, in the Soul is fujtice, in Externals, Friendfhip.
There are three kinds of Goods expetible in tbepifelves, thofe concerning the 5^^/,thofe con¬ cerning the Body, and the Estternali but eipeci-
ally