L I B. VII. Of the Advancement of Learning. 225 



Chap. IL 



I. TheVoiXtitiono^ particular or private Cooci^ into Good Act ive, 

 andGood Pajjive. II. The Divifion of Good Pajjive, into Con- 

 fervative Good, and rerfe&ive Good. III. The Divifion ^///6e 

 Good of Communion ^into General and RefpcUive Duties. 



^' W THerefore let us now refume and profecutCj firft private or 

 VV particular Good, we will divide it into Good AEtive znd 

 Good Pajjive, for this difference of Good (not unlike furely to thofe 

 Appellations, which, amongft the Romans, were familiar in their 

 Houfhold Terms of Proems and Condus) is found imprels'd in the 

 whole courfe of Nature : but chiefly difcloleth it lelf in the two (e- 

 veral Appetites of Creatures -, the one of conferving and fortifpng 

 themfelves 5 the other of multiplying and dilating themfelves 5 and 

 this latter which is A^ive^ and as it were, the Promus, feems to be the 

 more powerful, and the more worthy; but the former which is Paf- 

 Jive, and, as it were, the Condus, may be taken as inferiour and lefs 

 worthy. For in the univerlal frame of Nature, the Heavenly Nature 

 is chiefly the Agent 5 the Terreftial Nature the Patient : fb in the 

 picalures of living Creatures, the pleafure of Generation is greater 

 than that ofNutritionrand in the divine Oracles it is pronounced,Bc4- ^a . > - 

 tius effe dare quam accipere. Nay farther,in the common courle of life, " ' 

 there is no mans fpiritfb foft and efFeminate,but efteems the effeding, 

 and bringing to fome ifl'ue that which he hath fixt in his defire , more 

 than any fenfuality or pleafure. And certainly this preheminence o^A- 

 Eiive Good^is infinitely exalted from the confideration of our humane 

 condition,that it is mortal,and alfo expofed to the ftroak of Fortune : 

 for if there could be obtained a licenfe of perpetuity and certainty in 

 humane Pleafures, their price would be advanced, for their fecurity 

 and continuance. And in as much as we fee,that the fumm of all comes 

 to this, Jllagni afiinuf/ius mori tardus j Et ne glorieris de craslino, 

 tiefcispartum Diet: it is no wonder, if with all contention of fpirit , 

 we purfue thole things , which are lecur'd arid exempt from the in- 

 juries and affronts of time : and thefe things can be nothing elfe but 

 only our deeds, as it is faid, opera eorumfequuntur ees. Apoc.xiv; 



§ There is likevvife another preheminence of Good A&ive of im- 

 port, implanted in, and fupported by that affeftion, which cleaves 

 dole to man's nature, as an individuate companion ; which is the 

 love of Novelty and Variety. And this Affe&ion in the pleafures of 

 fenfes (which are the very principal part of Pajjive Good,) is exceed- 

 ing narrow, and hath no great latitude ; Do but thinks (faith Seneca) 

 how often you have a&ed over the fame things^ Jlfcat^ Sleep, Alirth^ 7ve g j. ;, 

 run round in this circle, to be xt>iUing to dye , not only a valiant, or a, 

 Toretched, or a wife man may , but even a fasiidinns and nice nature 

 t»ay. But in the Enterprifes, Purpofesand Purfuitsof our life^there 

 is much variety, whereof we are fenfible incur inceptions^ progref- 



F f fions 



