_Of the several sorts of Publick Charges._
The Publick Charges of a State, are, _That of its Defence_ by Land
and Sea, of its Peace at home and abroad, as also of its honourable
vindication from the injuries of other States; all which we may
call the Charge of the Militia, which commonly is in ordinary as
great as any other Branch of the whole; but extraordinary, (that
is, in time of War, or fear of War) is much the greatest.
2. Another branch of the Publick Charge is, the Maintenance of
the Governours, Chief and Subordinate; I mean, such not onely
as spend their whole time in the Execution of their respective
Offices, but also who have spent much in fitting themselves as well
with abilities to that end, as in begetting an opinion in their
Superiours of such their ability and trustworthiness.
3. Which Maintenance of the Governours is to be in such a degree
of plenty and splendour, as private Endeavours and Callings seldom
reach unto: To the end, that such Governours may have the natural
as well as the artificial Causes of Power to act with.
4. For if a great multitude of men should call one of their number
King, unless this instituted Prince, appear in greater visible
splendour then others, can reward those that obey and please
him, and do the contrary to others; his Institution signifies
little, even although he chance to have greater corporal or mental
faculties, then any other of the number.
5. There be Offices which are but πἀρεργα, as Sheriffs, Justices
of the Peace, Constables, Churchwardens, &c. which men may attend
without much prejudice to their ordinary wayes of livelihood, and
for which the honour of being trusted, and the pleasure of being
feared, hath been thought a competent Reward.
6. Unto this head, the Charge of the administring Justice may
be referred, as well between man and man, as between the whole
State or Commonalty and particular members of it; as well that of
righting and punishing past injuries and crimes, as of preventing
the same in time to come.
7. A third branch of the Publick Charge is, that of the _Pastorage
of mens Souls_, and the guidance of their Consciences; which,
one would think (because it respects another world, and but the
particular interest of each man there) should not be a publick
Charge in this: Nevertheless if we consider how easie it is to
elude the Laws of man, to commit unprovable crimes, to corrupt and
divert Testimonies, to wrest the sense and meaning of the Laws,
&c. there follows a necessity of contributing towards a publick
Charge, wherewith to have men instructed in the Laws of God, that
take notice of evil thoughts and designs, and much more of secret
deeds, and that punisheth eternally in another world, what man can
but slightly chastise in this.
8. Now those who labour in this publick Service, must also be
maintained in a proportionable splendour; and must withall have the
means to allure men with some kinde of reward, even in this life;
forasmuch, as many heretofore followed even Christ himself but for
the Loaves he gave them.
9. Another Branch is, the Charge of Schools and Universities,
especially for so much as they teach above _Reading, Writing,
and Arithmetick_; these being of particular use to every man, as
being helps and substitutes of Memory and Reason, Reckoning being
of the latter, as Writing and Reading are of the former, for
whether Divinity, &c. ought to be made a private Trade, is to me
a question.
10. ’Tis true, that Schools and Colledges are now for the most part
but the Donations of particular men, or places where particular
men spend their money and time upon their own private accounts;
but no doubt it were not amiss, if the end of them were to furnish
all imaginable helps unto the highest and fined Natural Wits,
towards the discovery of Nature in all its operations; in which
sense they ought to be a publick Charge: The which Wits should not
be selected for that work, according to the fond conceits of their
own Parents and Friends, (Crows that think their own Birds ever
fairest) but rather by the approbation of others more impartial;
such as they are, who pick from out of the Christians Children the
ablest Instruments and Support of the Turkish Government. Of which
Selections more hereafter.
11. Another Branch is, that of the _Maintenance of Orphans, found
and exposed Children_, which also are Orphans; as also of Impotents
of all sorts, and moreover such as want employment.
12. For the permitting of any to beg is a more chargeable way of
maintaining them whom the law of Nature will not suffer to starve,
where food may possibly be had: Besides, it is unjust to let any
starve, when we think it just to limit the wages of the poor, so
as they can lay up nothing against the time of their impotency and
want of work.
13. A last Branch may be, the Charge of High-wayes, Navigable
Rivers, Aquæducts, Bridges, Havens, and other things of universal
good and concernment.
14. Other Branches may be thought on, which let other men either
refer unto these, or adde over and above. For it suffices for my
purpose to have for the present set down these the chief and most
obvious of all the rest.