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 begining 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; The Magistrates, and other Officers of Judicature and Execution, artificiall Joynts; Reward and Punishment (by which fastned to the seat of the Soveraignty, every joynt and member is moved to performe his duty) are the Nerves, that do the same in the Body Naturall; The Wealth and Riches of all the particular members, are the Strength; Salus Populi (the Peoples Safety) its Businesse; Counsellors, by whom all things needfull for it to know, are suggested unto it, are the Memory; Equity and Lawes, an artificiall Reason and Will; Concord, Health; Sedition, Sicknesse; and Civill War, Death. Lastly, the Pacts and Covenants, by which the parts of this Body Politique were at first made, set together, and united, resemble that Fiat, or the Let Us Make Man, pronounced by God in the Creation.
Nature is the art by which God made and governs the world. Human art imitates nature in many ways, including the ability to make an artificial animal. For life is simply the movement of limbs, beginning in some central part within the body. So why may we not say that all automata have an artificial life? Automata are machines that move themselves through springs and wheels, as a watch does. For what is the heart but a spring, and the nerves but so many strings? And what are the joints but so many wheels, moving the whole body as its maker intended? Human art goes further still, imitating that rational and most excellent work of nature, the human being. For human art creates that great LEVIATHAN called a COMMONWEALTH, or STATE (CIVITAS in Latin). The state is simply an artificial human being, though larger and stronger than the natural human being. The state was intended to protect and defend the natural human being. In the state, sovereignty is an artificial soul, giving life and movement to the whole body. Magistrates and other officials who administer justice and enforce decisions are artificial joints. Reward and punishment are the nerves, serving the same purpose as nerves in the natural body. Through reward and punishment, every joint and member is bound to the sovereign power and moved to perform its duty. The wealth and riches of all the individual members are the state's strength. Salus Populi (the people's safety) is its business. Counsellors, who present everything the state needs to know, are its memory. Fairness and laws are its artificial reason and will. Harmony is its health, rebellion its sickness, and civil war its death. Finally, agreements and covenants first formed, assembled, and united the parts of this body politic. These agreements resemble the Fiat, or Let Us Make Man, spoken by God at the Creation.
To describe the Nature of this Artificiall man, I will consider
To describe the nature of this artificial man, I will consider
First the Matter thereof, and the Artificer; both which is Man.
First, the matter of it and its maker, both of which are man.
Secondly, How, and by what Covenants it is made; what are the Rights and just Power or Authority of a Soveraigne; and what it is that Preserveth and Dissolveth it.
Second, how and by what covenants it is made. What the rights and rightful power or authority of a sovereign are. And what preserves it, and what dissolves it.
Thirdly, what is a Christian Common-Wealth.
Third, what is a Christian commonwealth.
Lastly, what is the Kingdome of Darkness.
Last, what is the Kingdom of Darkness.
Concerning the first, there is a saying much usurped of late, That Wisedome is acquired, not by reading of Books, but of Men. Consequently whereunto, those persons, that for the most part can give no other proof of being wise, take great delight to shew what they think they have read in men, by uncharitable censures of one another behind their backs. But there is another saying not of late understood, by which they might learn truly to read one another, if they would take the pains; and that is, Nosce Teipsum, Read Thy Self: which was not meant, as it is now used, to countenance, either the barbarous state of men in power, towards their inferiors; or to encourage men of low degree, to a sawcie behaviour towards their betters; But to teach us, that for the similitude of the thoughts, and Passions of one man, to the thoughts, and Passions of another, whosoever looketh into himselfe, and considereth what he doth, when he does Think, Opine, Reason, Hope, Feare, and upon what grounds; he shall thereby read and know, what are the thoughts, and Passions of all other men, upon the like occasions. I say the similitude of Passions, which are the same in all men, Desire, Feare, Hope; not the similitude or The Objects of the Passions, which are the things Desired, Feared, Hoped: for these the constitution individuall, and particular education do so vary, and they are so easie to be kept from our knowledge, that the characters of mans heart, blotted and confounded as they are, with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible onely to him that searcheth hearts. And though by mens actions wee do discover their designee sometimes; yet to do it without comparing them with our own, and distinguishing all circumstances, by which the case may come to be altered, is to decypher without a key, and be for the most part deceived, by too much trust, or by too much diffidence; as he that reads, is himselfe a good or evill man.
Concerning the first point, a saying has been much misused lately: wisdom comes from reading people, not books. As a result, people who can usually offer no other proof of wisdom delight in displaying their supposed insight. They do so by judging one another harshly behind each other’s backs. But another saying, little understood lately, could teach them to read one another truly, if they would make the effort. It is Nosce Teipsum, Read Yourself. This saying was not meant to justify the brutal treatment of inferiors by people in power, as it now does. Nor was it meant to encourage people of low rank to behave insolently toward their superiors. Instead, it teaches us that one person’s thoughts and emotions resemble another’s. Anyone who looks inward can consider what happens when they think, form opinions, reason, hope, or fear, and why. By doing so, they will understand the thoughts and emotions of all other people in similar circumstances. I mean the resemblance between emotions, such as desire, fear, and hope, which are the same in everyone. I do not mean a resemblance between their objects: the things people desire, fear, or hope for. Individual temperament and upbringing make these objects vary greatly, and they are easily hidden from us. So the writing of the human heart is readable only by him who searches hearts. That writing is blurred and confused by concealment, lying, pretense, and false doctrines. And although people’s actions sometimes reveal their intentions, we must compare their actions with our own to understand them. We must also distinguish every circumstance that might change the case. Otherwise, we are decoding a message without a key. We will usually be deceived by trusting too much or suspecting too much, according to our own goodness or wickedness.
But let one man read another by his actions never so perfectly, it serves him onely with his acquaintance, which are but few. He that is to govern a whole Nation, must read in himselfe, not this, or that particular man; but Man-kind; which though it be hard to do, harder than to learn any Language, or Science; yet, when I shall have set down my own reading orderly, and perspicuously, the pains left another, will be onely to consider, if he also find not the same in himselfe. For this kind of Doctrine, admitteth no other Demonstration.
But however perfectly one man reads another by his actions, this helps him only with his own acquaintances, and they are few. He who is to govern a whole nation must read within himself, not this or that particular man, but mankind. This is hard to do, harder than learning any language or science. Yet I will set down my own reading in an orderly and clear way. After that, the only work left for another will be to consider whether he too finds the same in himself. For this kind of doctrine admits no other demonstration.