Christendom But God who derides at the ambition of Princes which do not tend to the execution of his secret will brought all his ambitious designs to nothing for his invincible Navie was beaten and scattered by the English valour and the greatest part of it swallowed up by the roaring Seas And the Catholike League in France was utterly subdued by the activity wisdom and valour of Henry the Fourth their lawfull king See the Netherland History Yet notwithstanding that the Hollanders have deprived him of seven of the Netherland Provinces and the Portuguies from his usurped kingdom of Portugal he hoped still ambitiously to make himself the absolute Monarch of Christendom by the divisions he hath lately fomented in Holland England France Scotland and Ireland by the means of the Machiavellian Principles spread abroad by the Jesuitical Locusts that he hath scattered among these Nations like so many swarms of Bees But I hope God will turn his Counsels into foolishness 2 Sam. 17.14 as he did that of Achitophel and make his unlimited Ambition the cause of his utter annihilation The Second Propriety of Ambition is That it hateth Parity and all Competitors and Equals Numerous Instances might be produced for proof of it but half a dozen shall serve 1. Romulus and Remus brethren having been chosen kings or Governors of the Fugitives that were the first Erectors of the Roman Commonwealth did not raign two years together Livie in his first Decade Lib. 1. but Romulus out of ambition to raign alone slew his brother Remus under colour that he had in derision leaped over the mud wals of the City of Rome 2. Lucius Tarquinius impatient of the long life raign of Servius Tullius his Father-in-Law possessed with an ambitious desire to raign in his stead by the wicked instigations of his wife Tullia Lib. 1. p. 76. threw him down the Senate-Chamber stairs and caused him to be murthered in the streets of Rome and this accursed and abhorred Tullia coming from the Senate in a Chariot with four horses where she had caused her Husband to be proclaimed King caused her Coachman to drive the Chariot over her Fathers body as he lay a dying and goared in his blood in the street And no marvel it was that she who to prosecute her ambitious design had already caused her Husband to murther her own sister and his own brother that was her first Husband would omit to act this unparalleld cruelty towards her Father-in-Law by whose untimely and violent death she came to have the fruition of her accursed ambition See Plutarch in their lives 3. Crassus Pompeius and Caesar having divided the power of the Roman Common-wealth between them Crassus being gone with a great Army into Asia to subdue the Parthians and Caesar with another Army into France and Pompeius with another Army left at Rome to preserve Italy all three of them being excessively ambitious and specially the two last could not be contented with their condition but under-hand aspired to be absolute Monarchs which Caesar after the death of Crassus easily obtained 4. After the death of Caesar Lepidus Marcus Antonius and Augustus Caesar did divide the power of the Roman Empire between them but before seven years came about Augustus Caesar the most ambitious of them became the absolute Monarch of the World by these means first Antonius and Augustus joyned together to deprive Lepidus of his part then Antonius and Augustus came to a second division but ambition being more predominant in Augustus then in Antonius who was addicted to volupty he soon deprived him of his part and became the only Monarch upon earth 5. See Herodian in his Life The Emperour Severus at his death left his two sons Bassianus and Geta equal Heirs of the Roman Empire but Bassianus transported with an unnatural ambition slew his brother Geta before a year came about in his Mothers arms to raign alone 6. Lewis the Twelfth King of France and Ferdinando King of Arragon by a mutual consent did divide the Kingom of Naples between them See the French History in the Life of Lewis the Twelfth But the Spaniard being more ambitious then the French under colour of a Toll paid for Cattel which did really appertain to the French but fained to be the Spaniards Ferdinando's pride and ambition disdaining to have a Competitor or Equal in that Kingdom deprived the French of all he held in the same The third Propriety of ambition is That it is never free from jealousie I mean that which is called the jealousie of State And for proof of it these following instances shall suffice 1. The Emperour Tiberius out of an ill-grounded jealousie that Germanicus his own Nephew who was extreamly beloved of the Senators Souldiers and common People for his vertue valour and noble parts should aspire to the Empire before his death See Tacitus in his Life caused Lucius Piso Governour of Syria to poyson him at a Banquet and then forsook the said Piso being accused and convinced of the Fact and suffered him to be sentenced and executed although he had a warrant under his own hand commanding him to rid him out of the way the which Warrant he durst not produce out of fear the Tyrant would deprive his children of his incredible Riches and yearly Revenews 2. Nero out of the same ambitious jealousie caused young Germanicus the true Heir of the Empire to be poysoned as he sate at his own Table 3. Domitianus out of the like jealousie See Tacitus and Dion in these Empeiors lives caused divers Roman Senators to be slain and was resolved to do the like to the Captain of his Guard and to the best beloved of his Concubines if they had not prevented him by taking away his life to preserve their own 4. Lewis the Eleventh King of France out of an ill-grounded but violent ambitious jealousie that his Brother Charls Duke of Normandy did aspire to the Crown See the History of France and of England caused him to be poysoned secretly by one of his own servants 5. Edward the Fourth King of England by the false impressions that his younger Brother Richard Duke of York had malitiously infused in his heart of this ambitious jealousie caused the Duke of Clarence his brother to be arraigned and drowned in a Butt of Malmsey 6. Richard the Third out of this State jealousie caused the Duke of Buckingham to be beheaded because he conceived him to be as willing then to disthrone him and to set his Crown upon the Earl of Richmonds Head as he had been ready in former times to make him that was an Usurper King of England 7. This ambitious jealousie is so cruel that it makes men trangress the Law of Nature and to put their own sons to death as Herod did Antipater his son See Josephus whereupon Augustus Caesar said ingeniously that it was better to be Herods Swine then his Son See the
two sorts viz. Evil and Good The first evil effect of it is The evil effects of Fear That it dants the courage of men and makes valiant Souldiers become cowards and this is called a Panick Fear The Greek and Roman Histories are full of instances to prove it which I will pass over for brevity sake and will onely relate this ensuing See Philip de Commines in the War of the Publike good for so it was called or the battel de Monlebery recorded by Philip de Commines In the beginning of the reign of Lewis the eleventh King of France the Duke Charls of Burgundy and the discontented Officers of the Crown of France joyned with him raised a great Army and came neer to Paris against the said King who hearing of their approach came against them with another great Army and having both pitched their Camp within a mile one of another with a resalution to give battel the next day it fell out to be a misty morning and certain Troops of Horse being on both sides sent out to discover the intentions of both Armies they saw as they imagined a great range of Lanciers standing on a high ground the Bourgonians conceiving they came towards them and the French imagining they came towards their Camp and so transported both with a Panick fear they fled as hard as they could drive towards their Camp and raised a fearful alarm saying The enemies were at hand and so put both Armies into a strange confusion but when the Sun had dispersed the mist it was apparently seen that these imaginary Lanciers were but Tysels growing upon a long high bank And the two Armies being mixt the French having the better another Panick fear came amongst the French Horse Fear begets cruelty in effeminate Princes by a false rumor that the King was slain that made them flee as if all had been lost and had not the King suddenly shewed himself the French Army had utterly been routed Secondly Fear begets cruelty in the hearts of effeminate Princes for it hath been observed that Pusillanimity is ever accompanied with Fear The effeminate Emperors of Rome have all been addicted to this passion of Fear See Tacitus Dion Herodian and Suetonius Caligula did usually hide himself under a bed out of fear when it Thundred and Lightned and Nero Domitianus Commodus and Heliogabalus were afraid if men did but whisper together and they were all more cruel then Tygers or Cannibals Thirdly Fear hath no regard to consanguinity Tiberius Nero out of fear destroyed by one means or other all his nearest kinsmen See Tacitus in the Life of Nero. and caused the valorous and noble Germanicus his Nephew to be poysoned by Piso And Lewis the Eleventh King of France caused his own Brother Charls Duke of Normandy to be poysoned out of Fear See the History of France and of England and so did Richard the Third his two hopeful Nephews And out of reason of State or more properly out of Fear The elder sons of the Ottoman Family have for these many years caused their younger Brothers to be strangled Fourthly Fear doth in admirable Effects go beyond Nature for a Secretary of the State of Florence being over night condemned to die was so transported with the Fear of death that out of the violent apprehension of it the hair of his head and beard See the Florentine History which was as black as a Crow became before the morning as white as snow Lastly Fear is the cousen german of dispair for it makes men to eschew the shame of a publike death to lay violent hands on themselves For Hannibal rather then he would suffer to be made a publike spectacle of shame to the Romans poysoned himself And Cardinal Wolsey rather then he would lose his head upon Tower-Hill did the like and died in Leicester Abbey The good Effects of Fear may be these First Six good Effects of the Passion of Fear If it were not for the Fear of the punishments appointed by the Laws of the Land to chastise the misdemeanors of men the Rodes and High-ways would be so full of Thieves and Murtherers that honest men should not be able to go from one Town to another Secondly If it were not for Fear Laws and Magistrates would be trampled under feet and all manner of Obedience Reverence and respect would be banished Joane would be as good as my Lady and Jack-Straw would be as good as my Lord Mayor the Foot-man as good as his Lord and the Servant as good as his Master but Fear of correction makes every one to give honor to whom honor is due and to know his Rank and Degree Thirdly If it were not for Fear rash and timerary men would fix their hopes beyond the Stars and would think nothing impossible unto them but fear clips their wings and makes them to be more considerate Fourthly Fear is the only Antidote against the venome of presumption and were it not for Fear this world could not subsist for there never was an Age so full of Phaetons and Icarus's as this that would with their waxed wings flee to Heaven or burn the Earth by the guiding of Phoebus Chariot if Fear did not restrain them Fifthly Fear is the faithful Counsellor of great Politicians and States-men who would otherwise vaunt themselves as the great Mathematician Archimedes did to remove the World or turn it up-side down if he could finde out a solide Foundation to plant his Mathematical Instruments to set all the World together by the ears to make their Prince the only Monarch of the Earth by the means of their deep Machiavilian Policies but Fear whispers them in the ear that Policy hath ever been and ever shall be subordinate to Destiny and that the secret Decrees of God shall come to pass in despite of them and will turn their Wisdom and Policy into foolishness Sixthly As fear of temporal punishment is a Curbe to restrain open and gross Sinners from criminal offences so the Fear of eternal punishment is a strong motive to withdraw civil men from their secret sins for let civil men be as private in their sins as they can yet the All-seeing Eye of God and their own Conscience are witnesses of their sin so that their Conscience which is their Accuser doth infuse into their minde this Fear of eternal punishment whereby they are as much restrained from their secret sins as the gross Sinners are by the Fear of temporal punishment And as the hope of the recompence of reward doth draw many into the way of righteousness so the Fear of eternal punishment doth enforce many to forsake sin and to turn unfainedly unto God for Sinners must be first humbled and brought low by the terror of the Law before they can unfainedly embrace the gracious Promises of the Gospel I do therefore conclude that spiritual Fear joyned with spiritual hope are effectual means to beget in Christians a hunger
Spanish History 8. Philip the Second King of Spain caused Prince Charls his eldest Son to be put to death by the Inquisition of Spain out of an ambitious jealousie that he did aspire to bereave him of his Crown Seventhly The Effects of Ambition are worse then the Proprieties of it for Paracidies Murthers Rebellions Mutations of States Annihilations of Laws intestine and forraign Wars with all the desolations and mischiefs that follow them at the heels are the fruits of mens ambition and of these I will speak in order and by instances confirm the same For the first Andronicus the younger See the History of the Emperor of Constantinople See the Turkish History out of ambition to raign did most cruelly put out the eyes of his Grandfather and famished him to death in Prison 2. Sylimus out of ambition to raign did most unnaturally poyson his Father Bajazeth and flew all his brethren 3. 2 Chron. 2.10 Athaliah out of Ambition to raign slew and destroyed all the Seed-Royal of the House of Judah 4. Richard the Third King of England out of Ambition to raign See the English History caused his two Nephews to be murthered in the Tower and in hope to settle the Crown upon himself and his Posterity he put his Wife to death to marry the Lady Elizabeth his own Niece Incests being accounted no sin by ambitious men So they may as the House of Austria do daily uphold and advance by it their ambitious designs For the Second 2 Sam. 3.27 Joab out of ambition to remain still the Commander in Chief of the men of War murthered perfidiously under colour of friendship Abner and Amasa by stabbing of them under the fifth rib 2. Baasha out of ambition to raign murthered Nadab his Lord and King 1 King 15.27 3. Zimri out of ambition to raign murthered Ela his Lord the Son of Baasha 1 King 16.10 1 King 16.18 4. Omri out of ambition to raign rose up against Zimri and enforced him to burn himself in the Kings Palace For the Third Absolom out of Ambition to raign rebelled against his Father King David 2 Sam 26.21 and did endeavour to deprive him of life from whom he had his being 2. Zedechiah out of ambition to raign as an absolute King rebelled against his benefactor King Nebuchadnezzar 2 King 24.20 which was the cause of his miserable end 3. Otho out of ambition to raign rebelled against Galba who had made him his second favourite See Tacitus 4. Pippin the short out of ambition to raign rebelled against his Lord King Childerick and by force and violence caused him to be shaven as a Monk See the French History and to be shut up into a Monastery For the Fourth The ambition of Nebuchadnezzar was the secondary cause of the destruction of the Assyrian Monarchy And the ambition of Cyrus was the cause of the overthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy And the ambition of Alexander was the cause of the annihilation of the Persian Monarchy And the ambition of the Roman Commanders was the cause of the utter subversion of the Greek Monarchy See Sir Walter Rawleighs History of the World And the ambition of Caesar was the cause of the mutation of the Democratical Government of Rome into a Monarchical And the ambition of the Rulers of the Gauls Goths Visgots Vandals and Lombards of the utter ruine of the Roman Monarchy for they rent the same in pieces as a Kite rends a young chiken I say the secondary Cause for the secret will and Decree of God is the first and efficient cause of all the mutations of States or Monarchies And that is the reason why Saint Paul giveth this charge Rom. 13 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God For the Fifth From the mutations of one kinde of Government to another Government See Plutarch in Caesars Life and Caesar in his Commentaries proceeds annihilation of the antient Laws of either of them It hapned so at Rome upon the change that Caesars ambition brought in that Commonwealth for the ancient Laws were annihilated and new Laws were established and likewise after the coming of William the Conquerour into England the antient Brittain Laws were annulled See Speed in his Historie of England and the Norman Laws confirmed This proverb being not more common then true viz. From new Lords new Laws and this might be proved by divers instances out of the antient and modern Histories but these two alledged will serve for brevity sake For the Sixth Ambition breeds divisions and divisions beget intestine and forraign Wars and from these Wars proceed the mutations of States and Monarchies and from these mutations the Annihilation of antient Laws Now the inseparable companions of forraign and intestine Wars are Atheism Schisms in the Church and a Laodicean luke-warmness in Religion and great effusions of blood injustices oppressions and desolations And all these mischiefs proceed from the exorbitant and irregular ambition of men and therefore I conclude that the passion of ambition is nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit and more destructive to mankinde then any other passion But before I speak of the means which are to be used to restrain the fury of this violent passion give me leave to examine the justice or injustice of the Wars which have been meerly undertaken out of an ambitious desire of vain-glory It is certain that if the actions of the most ambitious Princes and Common-wealths that have from the creation to this day bin upon the Earth were examined without prejudice or partiality that they would be found more injurious then just If men set aside the secret will Decree of God who had ordained from the beginning that these four great Monarchies here spoken of should be so successful in their encrease they would wonder how injustice and oppressions could have such prosperous events I will only speak of the Actions of the Romans and Greeks 1. Because they have been more clearly demonstrated to us by their Authors then the actions of the other two 2. Because the Actions of the Assyrians and Babylonians were guided by a special providence of God for the punishment of the sins of his own People the Jews As for the Actions of the Romans men may clearly see that from their very beginning until the days of Caesar they have for the greater part been unjust oppressive and injurious although they with much cunning and art did palliate them under the cloak of Justice and the right of the Laws of Nations And as for the Civil War undertaken by Caesar against his native Countrey it was voyd of all humanity and Justice and Ambition only gave him the audacity to resolve to enslave under his yoak those to whom he had been a servant for seven years together Nay with that very Army that they had given him and