Proof.—A free man is one who lives under the guidance of reason, who is not led by fear (IV. lxiii.), but who directly desires that which is good (IV. lxiii. Coroll.), in other words (IV. xxiv.), who strives to act, to live, and to preserve his being on the basis of seeking his own true advantage; wherefore such an one thinks of nothing less than of death, but his wisdom is a meditation of life. Q.E.D.
"Sleeps the wise son of Atreus? It is wrong For him to sleep a whole night out, to whom The care of such a people doth belong, And has to do so many things to come. Now listen to me, I from Jove am sent, Who though he be far off, yet cares for you; He bids you arm the Greeks, and out of hand Bring down your forces to the Trojan field."
"And Argos, which lay there, pricked up his ear, And wagged his tail, but could not rise, for he Was very old, and knew his master near, Who, unseen, wiped a tear from his own eye." (Book 17, lines 282–285)
However, we have shown already (Chapter XVII) that no man's mind can possibly lie wholly at the disposition of another, for no one can willingly transfer his natural right of free reason and judgment, or be compelled so to do. For this reason government which attempts to control minds is accounted tyrannical, and it is considered as abuse of sovereignty and a usurpation of the rights of subjects, to seek to prescribe what shall be accepted as true, or rejected as false, or what opinions should actuate men in their worship of God. All these questions fall within a man's natural right, which he cannot abdicate even with his own consent.
Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss [21] And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support; That to the highth of this great Argument I may assert Eternal Providence, [25] And justifie the wayes of God to men. [26]
Nature (the Art whereby God hath made and governes the World) is by the Art of man, as in many other things, so in this also imitated, that it can make an Artificial Animal. For seeing life is but a motion of Limbs, the beginning whereof is in some principall part within, why may we not say, that all Automata (Engines that move themselves by springs and wheeles as doth a watch) have an artificiall life? For what is the Heart, but a Spring; and the Nerves, but so many Strings; and the Joynts, but so many Wheeles, giving motion to the whole Body, such as was intended by the Artificer? Art goes yet further, imitating that Rationall and most excellent worke of Nature, Man. For by Art is created that great Leviathan called a Common-wealth, or State, (in latine Civitas) which is but an Artificiall Man; though of greater stature and strength than the Naturall, for whose protection and defence it was intended; and in which, the Soveraignty is an Artificiall Soul, as giving life and motion to the whole body.... p.9
I. The faculties of Humane nature may be reduc'd unto four kinds; Bodily strength, Experience, Reason, Passion. Taking the beginning of this following Doctrine from these, we will declare in the first place what manner of inclinations men who are endued with these faculties bare towards each other, and whether, and by what faculty, they are born apt for Society, and so preserve themselves against mutuall violence; then proceeding, we will shew what advice was necessary to be taken for this businesse, and what are the conditions of Society, or of Humane Peace; that is to say, (changing the words onely) what are the fundamentall Lawes of Nature.
Moreover, the penning up of the inhabitants of the country into the city was a great grievance to them; and especially to the new comers. For having no houses, but dwelling at that time of the year in stifling booths, the mortality was now without all form, and dead bodies lay inside one upon another, both in the streets and about every conduit, desiring water. > The temples also where they tented, were full of the dead bodies of them that died within them. For as the disaster passed all bounds, men, not knowing what was to become of them, became utterly careless of everything, whether sacred or profane. And all the laws which they had before used touching funerals were now broken, every one burying where he could find room. And many for want of things necessary, after so many deaths before, used shameless manner of burials. For when one had made a pile, another would come, and throwing down him that he had brought, set fire to it for himself; and some would fling the body they brought upon another that was already burning, and so go their way. > And the great licentiousness, which also in other kinds was used in the city, began at first from this disease. For that which before any man would dissemble, and not acknowledge to be done for voluptuousness, he durst now do freely, seeing the sudden change of the rich dying, and men worth nothing inheriting their estates. So they resolved to take their present profit and pleasure, holding their lives and their wealth to be alike but for a day. > And no man was eager to take any pains for that which was accounted honest, as being uncertain whether he should live to attain it or no. But whatsoever was delectable for the present, and whatsoever stood with their profit or pleasure, that was approved both for honesty and profit. Neither the fear of the gods nor the laws of men awed any man. Not the former, because they concluded that it was alike to worship or not worship, seeing all perished alike; nor the latter, because no man expected his life would last till he received punishment of his crimes by judgment. But they thought there was now over their heads some far greater judgment decreed against them, before which fell, it was reason they should enjoy some little part of their lives."
LXXXV. Nor is it only the admiration of antiquity, authority, and unanimity, that has forced man’s industry to rest satisfied with present discoveries, but, also, the admiration of the effects already placed within his power. For[63] whoever passes in review the variety of subjects, and the beautiful apparatus collected and introduced by the mechanical arts for the service of mankind, will certainly be rather inclined to admire our wealth than to perceive our poverty: not considering that the observations of man and operations of nature (which are the souls and first movers of that variety) are few, and not of deep research; the rest must be attributed merely to man’s patience, and the delicate and well-regulated motion of the hand or of instruments. To take an instance, the manufacture of clocks is delicate and accurate, and appears to imitate the heavenly bodies in its wheels, and the pulse of animals in its regular oscillation, yet it only depends upon one or two axioms of nature.