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THE UNIVERSAL REFORMATION. 51
mind of it, that the reformation of the world depends
wholly upon rewarding such as are good and punishing the
wicked. But give me leave to ask you, who are those that
in this our age are perfectly good, and who exactly ill ? I
would also know whether your eye can discern that which
could never yet be found out by any man living, how to know
true goodness from that which is counterfeit. Do not you
know that modern hypocrites are arrived at that height of
cunning that, in this our unhappy age, those are accounted
to be cunningest in their wickedness who seem most exactly
good, and that really perfect men, who live in sincerity and
singleness of soul, with an undisguised and unartificial
goodness, are thought to be scandalous and silly ? Every
one by natural instinct loves those that are good and hates
those that are wicked, but princes do it both out of instinct
and interest, and when hypocrites or other cunning cheaters
are listened unto by great men, while good men are
suppressed and undervalued, it is not by the princes' own
election but through the abuse of others. True vertue is
known onely and rewarded by God, by whom also vices are
discovered and punished. He onely penetrates into the
depths of men's hearts, and we, by means of the window I
proposed, might
enemy
also have looked therein had not the
of mankind sown tares in the field where I sowed
the grain of good advice. But new laws, how good and
wholesome soever, have alwaies been and ever will be with-
stood by those vitious people who are thereby punished."
The reasoning of Thales gave mighty satisfaction to the
Assembly, and all of them turned their eyes upon Perian-
der, who, thinking himself thereby desired to speak his
opinion, began thus
"
: The variety of opinions which I
have heard confirms me in my former tenet, that four parts