_love_ to thee, in taking this paines to ſeeme _lovely_ to thee. [Decoration] 3. _That by Diſcord things increaſe._ _Nullos eſſe Deos, inane Cœlum Affirmat Cœlius, probatq; quod ſe Factum vidit, dum negat hæc, beatum._ So I aſſevere this the more boldly, becauſe while I maintaine it, and feele the _Contrary repugnancies_ and _adverſe fightings_ of the _Elements_ in my Body, my Body increaſeth; and whilſt I differ from common opinions by this _Diſcord_, the number of my _Paradoxes_ increaſeth. All the rich benefits we can frame to our ſelves in _Concord_, is but an _Even_ conſervation of things; in which _Evenneſſe_ wee can expect no _change_, no _motion_; therefore no _increaſe_ or _augmentation_, which is a _member of motion_. And if this _unity_ and _peace_ can give _increaſe_ to things, how mightily is _diſcord_ and _war_ to that purpoſe, which are indeed the onely ordinary _Parents_ of _peace_. _Diſcord_ is never ſo barren that it affords no fruit; for the _fall_ of one _eſtate_ is at the worſt the _increaſer_ of another, becauſe it is as impoſſible to finde a _diſcommodity_ without _advantage_, as to finde _Corruption_ without _Generation_: But it is the _Nature_ and _Office_ of _Concord_ to _preſerve_ onely, which property when it leaves, it differs from it ſelfe, which is the greateſt _diſcord_ of all. All _Victories_ and _Emperies_ gained by _warre_, and all _Iudiciall_ decidings of doubts in _peace_, I doe claime children of _Diſcord_. And who can deny but _Controverſies_ in _Religion_ are growne greater by _diſcord_, and not the _Controverſie_, but _Religion_ it ſelfe: For in a _troubled miſery_ Men are alwaies more _Religious_ then in a _ſecure peace_. The number of _good_ men, the onely charitable nouriſhers of _Concord_, wee ſee is thinne, and daily melts and waines; but of _bad diſcording_ it is infinite, and growes hourely. Wee are aſcertained of all _Diſputable_ doubts, onely by _arguing_ and differing in _Opinion_, and if formall _diſputation_ (which is but a painted, counterfeit, and diſſembled _diſcord_) can worke us this benefit, what ſhall not a full and maine _diſcord_ accompliſh? Truely me thinkes I owe a _devotion_, yea a _ſacrifice_ to _diſcord_, for caſting that _Ball_ upon _Ida_, and for all that buſineſſe of _Troy_, whom ruin’d I admire more then _Babylon_, _Rome_, or _Quinzay_, removed _Corners_, not onely fulfilled with her _fame_, but with _Cities_ and _Thrones_ planted by her _Fugitives_. Laſtly, between _Cowardice_ and _deſpaire_, _Valour_ is gendred; and ſo the _Diſcord_ of _Extreames_ begets all vertues, but of the _like things_ there is no iſſue without a miracle: _Vxor peſſima, peſſimus maritus Miror tam malè convenire._ Hee wonders that betweene two ſo _like_, there could be any _diſcord_, yet perchance for all this _diſcord_ there was nere the leſſe _increaſe_. [Decoration] 4. _That good is more common then evill._