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.

To describe the Nature of this Artificiall man, I will consider

First the Matter thereof, and the Artificer; both which is 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.

Thirdly, what is a Christian Common-Wealth.

Lastly, what is the Kingdome 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,