XIII
OF GOODNESSE AND GOODNESSE OF NATURE
I Take Goodnesse in this Sense, the affecting of[1] the Weale of Men, which is that the Grecians call Philanthropia; And the word Humanitie[2] (as it is used) 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[3] of the Deitie: And without it Man is a Busie[4], Mischievous, Wretched Thing, No better then a Kinde of Vermine. Goodnesse answers[5] to the Theologicall Vertue Charitie[6], 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 unto Other Living Creatures; As it is seen in the Turks, a Cruell People who, neverthelesse, are kinde to Beasts and give Almes to Dogs and Birds; In so much as[7] Busbechius reporteth, A Christian Boy in Constantinople had like to have been stoned, for gagging, in a waggishnesse[8], a long Billed Fowle. Errours, indeed, in this vertue of Goodnesse or Charity, may be committed. The Italians have an ungracious Proverb; Tanto buon che val niente: So good that he is good for nothing. And one of the Doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciavel, had the confidence to put in writing, almost in plaine Termes, That the Christian Faith had given up Good Men in prey to those that are Tyrannicall and uniust. Which he spake, because indeed there was never Law, or Sect, or Opinion, did so much magnifie Goodnesse as the Christian Religion doth.
