divides equally, and so both have right. "Oh, the depth of the
wisdom of God." And yet "by the mouths of babes and sucklings has
He set forth His strength;" that which great philosophers are
disputing upon in vain is brought to light by two harmless girls,
even the whole mystery of a commonwealth, which lies only in
dividing and choosing. Nor has God (if his works in nature be
understood) left so much to mankind to dispute upon as who shall
divide and who choose, but distributed them forever into two
orders, whereof the one has the natural right of dividing, and
the other of choosing.

For example: A commonwealth is but a civil society of men:
let us take any number of men (as twenty) and immediately make a
commonwealth. Twenty men (if they be not all idiots, perhaps if
they be) can never come so together but there will be such a
difference in them that about a third will be wiser, or at least
less foolish than all the rest; these upon acquaintance, though
it be but small, will be discovered, and, as stags that have the
largest heads, lead the herd; for while the six, discoursing and
arguing one with another, show the eminence of their parts, the
fourteen discover things that they never thought on; or are
cleared in divers truths which had formerly perplexed them.
Wherefore, in matter of common concernment, difficulty, or
danger, they hang upon their lips, as children upon their
fathers; and the influence thus acquired by the six, the eminence
of whose parts are found to be a stay and comfort to the
fourteen, is the authority of the fathers. Wherefore this can be
no other than a natural aristocracy diffused by God throughout
the whole body of mankind to this end and purpose; and therefore
such as the people have not only a natural but a positive