\i6 Of the AA'Mcement of Leammg, L i b, VII. 



fions, reftSj recoils, to redintegrate our forces, approaches, attainings, 

 Sen.inEi). and the like 5 ib as it was very well faid, vitujine Propofcto LngHida. 

 & vas^a eji : which indifferently befals both to the wife and unwife, 

 Prov. as faith Soloffton^ A Ught-hrain'd manfeekj tofatiific bis fancy ^ and in- 



ter mixetb himfelf in all things. Nay, we fee lik.ewife,that many great 

 Princes , who miy have at command whatfoever can delight the 

 Senfes, notwithftanding many times, have procured to thcm'felves 

 poor delires, and fet their hearts upon toys 5 (as Nero, in playing up- 

 on the Harp j Commodus in playing at Fence-) Antoainus z« driving 

 chariots, and others taken up with other delights) which to them 

 were more acceptable than all the affluence of fenfual pleafures : Jo 

 much greater refrejinng and contentment it is^ to go forward in A£fioft, 

 than tpjiand at ajiay in fruition. This, in the mean time, is to be 

 foraewhat more diligently noted , that this A&ive individual Good, 

 altogether differs from thegotfc/cf 5'(?fie/y, though oftentimes they 

 are coincident 5 (or il&ioughthitparticular adive Good doth many- 

 times breed, and bring forth A^s of Beneficence, which is a Vertueof 

 Communion -^ yet here's the difference, that thofe Adts are by moft 

 men performed, not with intention to benefit and make happy o- 

 thers, but merely in a private refpeft to themlelves, and their own 

 power and amplification. This beft appears when Good A&ive lites 

 upon a fubjeft which is contrary to the Good of Communion : for 

 that Gigantive State of mind which pofl'effeth the troublers of the 

 world (fuch as was L. Sylla , and infinite others, though in a far 

 fraaller Model) who feem to endeavour this, to have all men happy 

 or unhappy, as they were their Friends or Enemies , and that the 

 world might bear their ftamp,and be formed to their humoursf which 

 is the true Theomachic') this, I fay, afpires to aSive particular Good at 

 leaft in appearancCjalthough it doth moft of all recede from the Coed 

 of Society. 



II. But we will divide Vajjive Good into Good Confervative and 

 Good rcrfe£five : For there is implanted in every thing a triple Ap- 

 petite '\nvefpe^o£ private or particular Good j the firji of prefer ving 

 or continuing it felf'-, thefecond of advancing and perfe&ing itfelfj the 

 third of multiplying and extending itfelf: but this laft Appetite is re- 

 ferr'd to AClive Good,whereof we fpeak even now. There remain 

 therefore the two other kinds of Good, of which the Ferfe&ive ex- 

 cels j for it is left to conferve a thing in its natural ftate, but greater 

 to advance the fame thing to a higher nature j for there are found 

 through all EfTences fome nobler natures to the dignity and excel- 

 lency v/hereof inferiour natures do afpire, as to their Origi- 

 nals and Springs. So concerning Men, the Poet doth not iraperti* 

 nently defcribe, • 



Virg.^n.^. ^g"^f^ ^fi 0^^^' '"^S>0'^ ^ Ctelejiis Origo 5 



Man's affumption or approach to a Divine or Angelical Nature is 

 theperfeftionofhisFormi a depraved and prepofterous imitation 

 of which PcrfcCfive Good is the deftruftion of humane life, and 2 

 violent tcmpefl: which bears down and ruines^all, that is, while men 



inftead 



M 



