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I Take Goodnesse in this
Sense, the affecting of
the Weale of Men,
which is that the Grecians call Philanthropia; And the word Humanitie ( as it is vsed ) is a little too light,
to expresse it. Goodnesse I call the Habit,
and Goodnesse of Nature the Inclination.
This of all Vertues, and Dignities of the
Minde, is the greatest; being the Character of the Deitie: And without it, Man
is a Busie, Mischieuous, Wretched Thing;
No better then a Kinde of Vermine.
Goodnesse answers to the Theologicall Vertue Charitie, and admits no Excesse, but
Errour. The desire of Power in Excesse,
caused the Angels to fall; The desire of
Knowledge in Excesse, caused Man to
fall; But in Charity, there is no Excesse;
Neither can Angell, or Man, come in
danger by it. The Inclination to Goodnesse, is imprinted deepely in the Nature
of Man: In so much, that if it issue not
towards Men, it will take vnto Other Liuing Creatures: As it is seen in the Turks,
a Cruell People, who neuerthelesse, are
kinde to Beasts, and giue Almes to Dogs,
and Birds: In so much, as Busbechius reporteth; A Christian Boy in Constantinople, had like to haue been stoned, for gagging, in a waggishnesse, a long Billed
Fowle. Errours, indeed, in this vertue of
Goodnesse, or Charity, may be committed.
The Italians haue an vngracious Prouerb;
Tanto buon che val niente: So good, that he
is good for nothing. And one of the Doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciauel, had
the confidence to put in writing, almost
in plaine Termes: That the Christian Faith,
had giuen vp Good Men, in prey, to those,
that are Tyrannicall, and vniust. Which
he spake, because indeed there was neuer
Law, or Sect, or Opinion, did so much
magnifie Goodnesse, as the Christian Religion doth. Therfore to auoid the Scandall, and the Danger both; it is good to
take knowledge, of the Errours, of an
Habit, so excellent. Seeke the Good of
other Men, but be not in bondage, to
their Faces, or Fancies; For that is but
Facilitie, or Softnesse; which taketh an
honest Minde Prisoner. Neither giue
thou AEsops Cocke a Gemme, who would
be better pleased, and happier, if he had
had a Barly Corne. The Example of God
teacheth the Lesson truly: He sendeth his
Raine, and maketh his Sunne to shine, vpon the
Iust, and Vniust; But hee doth not
raine Wealth, nor shine Honour, and
Vertues, vpon Men equally. Common
Benefits, are to be communicate with
all; But peculiar Benefits, with choice.
And beware, how in making the Portraiture, thou breakest the Patterne: For
Diuinitie maketh the Loue of our Selues
the Patterne; The Loue of our Neighbours but the Portraiture. Sell all thou
hast, and giue it to the poore, and follow
mee:But sell not all thou hast, except
thou come, and follow mee; That is,
except thou haue a Vocation, wherin
thou maist doe as much good, with little
meanes, as with great: For otherwise, in
feeding the Streames, thou driest the
Fountaine. Neither is there only a Habit
of Goodnesse, directed by right Reason;
but there is, in some Men, euen in Nature, a Disposition towards it: As on the
other side, there is a Naturall Malignitie.
For there be, that in their Nature, doe not
affect the Good of Others. The lighter
Sort of Malignitie, turneth but to a Crosnesse, or Frowardnesse, or Aptnesse to oppose, or Difficilnesse, or the like; but the
deeper Sort, to Enuy, and meere Mischiefe. Such Men, in other mens Calamities, are, as it were, in season, and are
euer on the loading Part; Not so good
as the Dogs, that licked Lazarus Sores;
but like Flies, that are still buzzing, vpon
any Thing that is raw; Misanthropi, that
make it their Practise, to bring Men, to
the Bough; And yet haue neuer a Tree,
for the purpose, in their Gardens, as Timon had. Such Dispositions, are the very
Errours of Humane Nature: And yet
they are the fittest Timber, to make
great Politiques of: Like to knee Timber,
that is good for Ships, that are ordained,
to be tossed; But not for Building houses,
that shall stand firme. The Parts and
Signes of Goodnesse are many. If a Man
be Gracious, and Curteous to Strangers,
it shewes, he is a Citizen of the World;
And that his Heart, is no Island, cut off
from other Lands; but a Continent, that
ioynes to them. If he be Compassionate,
towards the Afflictions of others, it
shewes that his Heart is like the noble
Tree, that is wounded it selfe, when it
giues the Balme. If he easily Pardons and
Remits Offences, it shews, that his Minde
is planted aboue Iniuries; So that he cannot be shot. If he be Thankfull for small
Benefits, it shewes, that he weighes Mens
Mindes, and not their Trash. But aboue
all, if he haue S+t+. Pauls Perfection, that
he would wish to be an Anathema from
Christ, for the Saluation of his Brethren,
it shewes much of a Diuine Nature, and
a kinde of Conformity with Christ himselfe.
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