Of Goodness and GOODNESS OF NATURE

I TAKE goodness in this sense, the affecting of

the weal of men, which is that the Grecians

call philanthropia; and the word humanity (as

it is used) is a little too light to express it.  Good-

ness I call the habit, and goodness of nature, the

inclination.  This of all virtues, and dignities of the

mind, is the greatest; being the character of the

Deity: and without it, man is a busy, mischievous,

wretched thing; no better than a kind of vermin.

Goodness answers to the theological virtue, char-

ity, and admits no excess, but error.  The desire of

power in excess, caused the angels to fall; the desire

of knowledge in excess, caused man to fall: but in

charity there is no excess; neither can angel, nor

man, come in dan ger by it.  The inclination to good-

ness, is imprinted deeply in the nature of man; in-

somuch, that if it issue not towards men, it will

take unto other living creatures; as it is seen in the

Turks, a cruel people, who nevertheless are kind

to beasts, and give alms, to dogs and birds; inso-

much, as Busbechius reporteth, a Christian boy, in

Constantinople, had like to have been stoned, for

gagging in a waggishness a long-billed fowl.

Errors indeed in this virtue of goodness, or charity,

may be committed.  The Italians have an ungra-

cious proverb, Tanto buon che val niente: so

good, that he is good for nothing.  And one of

the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Machiavel, had

the confidence to put in writing, almost in plain

terms, That the Christian faith, had given up good

men, in prey to those that are tyrannical and un-

just.  Which he spake, because indeed there was

never law, or sect, or opinion, did so much mag-

nify goodness, as the Christian religion doth.

Therefore, to avoid the scandal and the danger

both, it is good, to take knowledge of the errors of

an habit so excellent.  Seek the good of other men,

but be not in bondage to their faces or fancies; for

that is but facility, or softness; which taketh an

honest mind prisoner.  Neither give thou AEsop's

cock a gem, who would be better pleased, and hap-

pier, if he had had a barley-corn.  The example of

God, teacheth the lesson truly: He sendeth his rain,

and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and

unjust; but he doth not rain wealth, nor shine

honor and virtues, upon men equally.  Common

benefits, are to be communicate with all; but pe-

culiar benefits, with choice.  And beware how in

making the portraiture, thou breakest the pattern.

For divinity, maketh the love of ourselves the pat-

tern; the love of our neighbors, but the portraiture.

Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and fol-

low me: but, sell not all thou hast, except thou

come and follow me; that is, except thou have a

vocation, wherein thou mayest do as much good,

with little means as with great; for otherwise, in

feeding the streams, thou driest the fountain.

Neither is there only a habit of goodness, directed

by right reason; but there is in some men, even in

nature, a disposition towards it; as on the other

side, there is a natural malignity.  For there be,

that in their nature do not affect the good of others.

The lighter sort of malignity, turneth but to a

crassness, or frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or

difficulties, or the like; but the deeper sort, to envy

and mere mischief.  Such men, in other men's ca-

lamities, are, as it were, in season, and are ever on

the loading part: not so good as the dogs, that licked

Lazarus' sores; but like flies, that are still buzzing

upon any thing that is raw; misanthropi, that

make it their practice, to bring men to the bough,

and yet never a tree for the purpose in their gar-

dens, as Timon had.  Such dispositions, are the very

errors of human nature; and yet they are the fittest

timber, to make great politics of; like to knee tim-

ber, that is good for ships, that are ordained to be

tossed; but not for building houses, that shall stand

firm.  The parts and signs of goodness, are many.  If

a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it

shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart

is no island, cut off from other lands, but a conti-

nent, that joins to them.  If he be compassionate

towards the afflictions of others, it shows that his

heart is like the noble tree, that is wounded itself,

when it gives the balm.  If he easily pardons, and

remits offences, it shows that his mind is planted

above injuries; so that he cannot be shot.  If he be

thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs

men's minds, and not their trash.  But above all, if

he have St. Paul's perfection, that he would wish

to be anathema from Christ, for the salvation of

his brethren, it shows much of a divine nature, and

a kind of conformity with Christ himself.