labour is not for base and contemptible things but for true honours the Kingdome of God and the vnspeakable glorie thereof Whence it doth manifestly follow that seeing nothing in this world is more abiect then sinne nor any thing of more excellency and magnanimitie then vertue Princes and great ones are much to bee blamed if they suffer themselues to be ouercome of any sinne or doe depart from the more noble life of vertues and contemplation Yet it is to be obserued that this vertue of Magnanimitie is in this world mightily obscured and troden vnder foote by the blindnesse of men For albeit many are by nature magnanimous yet because they make great account of the prosperities and honours of this world forgetting the more sublime and excellent honour of vertue it selfe and chiefely of Fortitude which consists in this That a man doe vanquish himselfe and also forgetting that most high reward which in heauen is prepared for them that giue themselues to a spirituall life Thus whilest they magnifie the things of this world and are with all their hearts and strength occupied in them they disesteem that in which true Magnanimitie consisteth namely Vertue and the contemplation of heauenly things And they hence take a pretext and colour of this their complacency worldly comportment from the common vse and practise of this kinde of life amongst the most high and noble persons who for the most part ire besotted with these sublunarie and base fooleries nor in the meane time doe they obserue that the truly-wise do laugh them to scorne euen as those most high celestiall Princes and all the Courtiers of his Court the least of whom hath a greater regall pompe then al the Caesars Courts of this brittle world which onely is as it were but a little village and yet doth so delude their vnderstandings From this will manifestly arise thus much That in very deed they are most abiect and vnworthie of honour albeit they are held for great in this world who doe not exercise all their powers in the spirituall life and seruice of the most high King and God from whom onely they may obtaine those so excellent benefits which in heart they so much desire It is also euident that Princes and great ones haue a greater Obligation to this vertue of Magnanimitie and to all that proceeds from the same and therefore it may truly be said that for this Obligation and Magnanimitie all doctrine which concernes a spirituall life doth more appertaine to them then to others whose pusillanimitie and weaknesse of minde doth not lift vp themselues to desire and procure so difficult and great matters Surely if it be a base thing for Princes and Great ones to be exercised in gatheting vp the small crummes of Sugar that fall from the ballance much more abiect and base it is to place the minde in the vaine sweetnesse of delights and prosperities of this world seeing hence doth follow not onely obliuion but also the perdition of the most high honour and glory for the which was giuen them that great and generous minde they haue and that mightie power and great place they hold Of all these things that most glorious King of the vniuersall heauenly and earthly Court our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen a most cleare example who offered his most regall person to innumerable iniuries and afflictions for those wonderfull things of heauen who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame Heb. 12.2 and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God who also with a minde truly great and glorious Mat. 4.10.6 despised the Kingdomes of this world when they were offered him Surely I know not by what title or right he will call himselfe an illustrious Lord in this world who spends his life in acquiring the honours of this world seeing he may behold his King to desire death whereby to set him free from the vaineâ— loue of mundane honours and transferre him to heauenly honours Againe I know not how he dare number himselfe amongst great and excellent men who lets fall his heart vpon things so abiect and base seeing in very truth that abiect things are farre distant and vnfit for sublime great and generous spirits This Magnanimitie ought singularly to induce Noble and Heroicke persons neuer to commit sinne seeing sinne is the most abiect vile thing in this world in respect that it is aduersant to the fidelitie they owe to God and vilifieth them in the sight of God and all good men Surely no tongue nor hand of another man can so affect vs with any iniurie as our owne sinnes doe defile and shame vs which we daily commit before God before whom we are euer present This Magnanimitie also must haue this effect in great ones not to feele any aduersitie from whomsoeuer it come seeing it cannot hurt a wise man any further then he will in his minde estimate it But a true magnanimous esteemer of things doth not reckon any thing for any great euill which doth not concerne the soule for all the rest where that is had must be committed to obliuion and where that hath past away it must no more moue vs then that which for the vilitie of it deserues to be committed to forgetfulnesse Vnto all these things which I haue spoken great men and Rulers ought to inuite and moue their subiects by all possible meanes and that for many reasons First for that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords did so Secondly for that chiefely euen for this cause principalitie and power is giuen vnto them in the earth seeing all good gouernment is to this end disposed of God vnto which good gouernement they stand obliged Thirdly for that vnto great men is due a great and excellent societie which cannot bee vnlesse their people be godly and vertuous Furthermore amongst all men vertue and good life is most glorious which things of a suretie no Preacher can with so great facilitie and such felicitie plant in any Region or Kingdome as those that gouerne it if they would marke and do the things wee houe declared and those that will not so doe but thinke that the studie of vertue religion and contemplation are vnsutable for Princes and great persons I may say as the blessed Apostle saith That they are worse then Infidels For as the soule and spirituall life is by so much more louely by how much the whole world with the riches thereof is to be preferred before a basket of dung as our Lord taught vs who led a life full of calamities and died a death full of sorrowes and ignominies teaching vs to liue a spirituall life and little to esteeme of this corporall so those that are greatest amongst men ought to chuse and bee exercised in the greatest and best things that is in consummating a spirituall and heauenly life contemning the vaine glory of this world as a thing most vnworthie of a generous
of your honour and increase of your future happinesse Wherein I truly put on the person of both these PresideÌ„ts though happily I shal be distinguished from them in the successe as I differ from them in deportment for my tunne and all that is within mee shall neuer leaue tumbling and toyling to tender my seruice in the care of your preseruation therin I am like Diogenes but haue nothing left me by the malice of the time but an handfull of water and therin like Syneta Now seeing one way onely of accommodating my selfe to your seruice is left mee namely to represent to you the things that haue beeue prudently written by others of well gouerning aswel the priuate life as publique affaires I could not be wanting in that duty I tender not therfore long perplexed disputes of well managing the life and Republique but most sweet Meditations briefe Aphorismes and Rules concerning the gouernment of both and discouerie of such rocks and dangers as vsually dash the consciences of men and states of greatest Kingdomes in peeces and those not dubious and naked but cloathed and confirmed with the iudgemeÌ„t of most graue writers whence they were collected and approued by the practise and example of great persons hauing the witnesse of all prudent men and times whereby to adde more power and faith to their excellencies Nor may this slender present happily be intempestiue or vnpleasant for as sudden stormes and vnexpected alterations of weather do often driue the most skilful Pilots to great perturbations in their Art in somuch that they know not into what hauen to flie or what shore to fetch so albeit these HalcioÌ„ and blessed times of peace seeme to promise no stormes yet if the great persons be not soundly instructed with diuine and wise precepts to entertaine a gust when it falles or to decline it that it hurt not when it commeth such stormes may so sodainely arise euen when we say peace peace as will put the wisest Polititians and best Leaders to their wits end Therfore that your Highnesse may bring to a safe hauen aswell this noble baâ—ke of your body and soule as the great ship of this Kingdome and these glorious countries and people whereof as God hath made you the most hopefull heire apparant so the same God make you and yours long and happie gouernours cast I besetch you your gracious eye sometimes on these short parcels of instruction and entertaine them into your Princely heart so shall your gouernment be most happie and peaceable your end glorious and for euer blessed your memorie honourable neuer dying which shall euer be the vote and vowed labour of Your Highnesse most humble obseruer RICH. MIDDLETON The Contents of this Booke 1 A Diuine Meditation vpon the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glory as the strongest motiues to make an impression in the soule of detesting all sin but chiefly intemperance and vncleannes and adding wings to our faint desires of heauens glory 2 Of truewisdome what it is and wherein it consils 3 Of the pleasures of the bodie 4 Of things concerning the endowment of the mind 5 Of Religion 6 Of Charitie 7 Of Conuersation 8 How to vse all sorts of men 9 How to carry a mans self towards himself 10 Of a Prince and his whole deportment in fiftie seuen Aphorismes 11 Of the things that preserue Kingdomes 12 Of the things that ruine Kingdomes 13 Prognosticks of the anger and scourge of God to be at hand or of the finall periods of Kingdomes and States 14 That the conuersions euersions and ruines of Kingdomes and States may be foreknowne aswell as the death and dissolution of a dying man may be foreknowne by a skilfull Physition 15 Why men are so blinde that they cannot see their owne ruine and Gods anger hanging ouer them 16 Eight Aphorismes or Rules containing the summe of a happy life blessed death 17 How to obtaine eternall life and auoid eternall death 18 Two Rules neuer to be forgotten restraining man from the pursuite of his carnall and bestiall desires 19 The twelue weapons for the spirituall battell euer to be had in memorie when the desire of sinning tempts vs. 20 The twelue conditions of a louer wherby to know in what degree of the loue of God we stand 21 The twelue abuses of the world 22 The true Anatomie of Contemplation shewing what it is wherein it consists and how worthy a worke it is for a Prince and also for euery good Christian 23 The fruitfull admonition of Isocrates to Demonicus containing eightie fiue most excellent morall precepts neuer before translated out of the Greeke 24 The institution and description of a good Prince by C. Plinius directed to the Emperour Traian neuer before turned out of Latine THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE MEDITATION I. A Meditation on the foure last things Death Iudgement Hell and Glorie To restraine sinne and increase pietie WE must not make this Meditation a naked discourse or bare reading onely but a vehement application of the minde to the things themselues with an inward sense of heart all the distractions of our thoughts being abandoned First then that thou maiest meditate profitably of Death put thy selfe humbly in the sight of God who beholdes thee in all thy actions and begge of him thus present that al thy thoughts words workes and all thy strength may wholly be directed to his glorie and thy saluation And here first conceiue thy selfe to be lying vpon thy bed neere vnto death the Physicions despairing of thy health and thy friends sorrowing for thy departure the soule being now readie to giue the last gaspe Secondly entreate God with hartie affections to giue thee grace that thou maist take profit by the consideration of death The first point here to be meditated is that death is ineuitable and certaine the houre of death most vncertain the place and manner of death vnknowne and that this is the common lot and portion of all men of what degree or condition soeuer Therefore it is extreme madnesse for men knowing these things to liue so securely as they do building vnto themselues I know not what Imaginarie Worlds and Castles in the Aire as if all were but fables that are written of death when in the meane time death suddenly seiseth vpon them vnthought on and vnprepared for his stroke which vnto many is the cause of eternall damnation The second to bee considered is that in death by little and little the speech and all the powers of the senses are lost Nor when thou commest to this straight shalt thou vnderstand or know any man any more not canst thou remooue thy selfe from this bedde of death in which thou liest left of all seeing Friends nor Physitions nor any other can helpe thee nor gold and siluer or nobilitie or that great expectation and estimation that all men had of tâ—ee shall profit thee Thy vnderstanding by the strength of griefe and sicknesse shal be obscured
occasions of most admirable atchieuements which if they had taken shaking off Lust the baine of Men and Kingdomes they had giuen place to no Emperour that euer was for vertue and glorie For this cause it is written That Castra Castles and Fortresses were so called in the Latine because there Libido castraretur Lust should there be gelded For in times past if any in them abused the floure of his youth he was branded with ignominie and dismissed of the Romans Polyb. lib. 6. so much did they conceiue that Puritie imported to victorie and glorie I may conclude with our owne Nation touching whome if wee will beleeue our owne Stories it is written That it neuer receiued any great change and mortall wound but when the manners and customes thereof were so dissolute and vicious that the Land seemed to stagger vnder the burden of them So that I may take vpon me without presumption to prophecie thus farre That the greatest Kingdome that Europe hath the most mightie people that euer was and the most famous Common-wealth that euer flourished shall all of them by contemning Religion and Pietie and wallowing in the puddle of sinne and sensualitie become desolate What religious Prince confidently in a good cause relying vpoÌ„ Gods assistaÌ„ce hath not notably triumphed ouer all his enemies Looke into the bookes of Genesis Exodus Ioshua Iudges Kings Machabees what shal you find but that Abraham Moses Ioshua Gedeon Samuel Dauid Ezechias Iosias and the Machabees euer triumphed victoriously ouer multitudes of enemies because Religion and Pietie were the Generals of their Armies How did Constantine discomfite the bloudie Maxentius Aug. l. 5. de Ciu. Dei cap. 25. Theod. l. 5. hist c. 24. euen as Moses did Pharaoh How did The idosius the elder for his pietie obtained many noble priuiledges In like sort Theodosius the yonger when the Sarazens came to the aid of the Persians O nimium delecte Deo cui militat aether coniurati veniunt ad classica venti Claudian Socrat. l. 7. c. 18. against whom he fought the Angels from heauen like the starres against Sisera so troubled the Saracens that in the riuer Euphrates were drowned an hundred thousand And did not Iulian whilest he was religious make Italy and Africke stoupe to the Romane Empire when suddenly after his reuolt he perished An heritique holding that there was but one will in Christ Thus did Heraclius conquer the Persians till he became a Monothelite So that we see contempt of religion to be the pest and ruine of States and Kingdomes and the zeale of religion to be the firmament prop and buttresse to perpetuate and preserue Kingdomes and Cities Tot mala quid Mundo congerit Impietas Anne salutâ—s adhuc spes vlla est vnica quisnam Porriget banc Pietas Haec vbi Nullus habet Quid sias Munde rue vt pietas est nulla ruentem Sic video auxilium Numina laesa negant 13. Prognostiques of the anger and scourge of God or of the finall Periods of Kingdomes and States to be at hand 1 THe first is the magnitude and horrour of sinnes raigning in the Kingdome Such nefandious and grieuous sinnes are Symonie prophanation of the holy Sabbath and holy places Irreuerence of the diuine worship Sacriledges Adulteries Incests Sodomitries Blasphemies Periuries Cruelties VioleÌ„ces Rapines Discords Vsuries Enuies Frauds Eph. 5.6 Deceits Trecheries For these and such like comes the wrath of God vpon Kingdomes and Countries 2 The second is the multitude of sinnes Grieuous sinnes if but committed of some few may happily escape the reuenging hand of God to light vpon the whole Nation but if grieuous sinnes be the sinnes of the multitude these heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and God will shortly visite their sinnes vpon them Rom. 2. Of this multiplicitie of sinnes Dauid complaines They are all gone out of the way Psal 14. they are altogether become abhominable there is none that doth good no not one Of this Hierom aduersus Vigil Rara virtus est nec â pluribus appetitur Of this Ouid. Nec facile inuenies inmultis millibê° vuum Virtutem pretii qui putet esse sui 3 The third is the vnshamefastnes or shamelesnes of sinning Sins may be horrible in nature many in nuÌ„ber God may winke at them a long time but when men sin with a whorish forehead blush-lesse cheeke God cannot haue longer patience Sine vere cundia nihil rectum esse potest Cic. l. 1. offic nihil honestum and Valerius l. 14. That shamefastnesse is the parent of euery honest counsaile and the guardian of solemne offices the Mistresse of innocency beloued of her neighbours accepted of strangers in euery place and time carrying a fauourable countenance and Bernard That spirituall shamfastnes is the glory of the conscience the keeper of fame the ornament of life the seat of vertues the ensigne of nature and all goodnesse Now cast backe your eye vpon those grieuous sinnes and behold if all of them of all men be not as familiarly and boldly committed as men vse to eate and drinke without blushing or shame 4 The fourth is the impunitie of sinnes Many manifest and shamelesse sinnes might receiue fauourable indulgence from God if they were duly punished but the sufferance of these grosse sinnes and in the greatest persons vntaxed vnpunished drawes on Gods heauie iudgements For if wee deferre the punishing of those sinnes that offend God we prouoke his indignation God being much delighted in the punishment of wickednesse which being vnpunished doth so much deface and obscure his glory How seldome great sinnes and in great persons are punished I need not light you a candle to see Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas and what shall we see if animaduersion be vsed against some offenders but a most vniust course transgressors of humane Lawes to be grieuously punished but violators of the diuine to be greatly honoured Crimen laesae Maiestatis humanae viz. traytors against the Kings Maiestie to be punished with the sword but Crimen laesae Maiestatis diuinae viz. Treason against God to be vncensured so much as with a word 5 The fift is the affection studie and promptnesse of sinning when all diligence and care is taken to commit horrible sinnes as if it much imported our good Sinnes committed without shame and punishment God passeth by often but if with all our hearts and affections our labour and diligence we striue to commit them if we set vp our rest to auoid no sinne that is for our profit or pleasure that increaseth the sharpnesse and hastens the shortnesse of our punishment What paines and diligence is generally vsed of al to become more proud more wanton more rich to be more the seruants of the flesh and the diuell then of God the Theater of our world will spare me paines to speake But I will say it and from the heart weepe it too as that godly man
vpon Kingdomes comes from the celestiall influence but the translation of Empires is not indeed principally and immediately to bee referred to the starres nor yet to the will of God but as remote causes For the Sacred Scriptures make these three the nearest causes of all mutations and alterations in Kingdomes First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impietie Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniustice Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luxurie Impietie troubles the Church Iniustice the common societie of men and Luxurie the family yet so as the hurt and malice of euery one of these redounds vpon all Therefore if these three or but one raigne amongst vs no Armie can resist our ruine but the holy troupes of our teares much lesse if all be rife amongst vs. But Aristotle will haue the nearest cause of all ruines to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inequalitie As the bodie is in good health whilest no humour doth predominate so that Common wealth wher equalitie of rewardes and punishments is vsed and none grow in riches and power so potent to oppresse another is strong durable and vndiseased Antiquitie if we will looke into it soberly and beleeue it likewise giues vs plaine euidences that the most part of the greatest Kingdomes haue not endured fiue hundred yeares Some haue fallen short and few or none haue gone beyond but haue either then come to a period or not long before or after The Kingdome of Iudah from Saul to the captiuitie dured but fiue hundred yeares So after the Captiuitie from Esdras to the Emperour Vespasian who ruinated Ierusalem whereby the Iewes were scattered ouer the face of the Earth their Politie being neuer perfectly restored the like space is obserued Adde to these the Gouernment of the Athenians which beginning with Cecrops was in the space of foure hundred and ninety yeares changed into a Democraty About which time also changed the state of the Lacedaemonians vnder the Kings Heraclides till Alexanders time And who knowes not that the Roman Consuls gouerned fiue hundred yeares from the time of Tarquinius Superbus till Augustus And likewise since that time the like is obserued since Augustus till the fall of Valentinian the last Emperour of the West the Empire then as it were dying and the Sauage Vandals Alaricus and others sacking the Countries of Spaine Italie and Rome it selfe And from the time that Constantine translated the Italian and Westerne Empire vnto Constantinople till Charlemans time who reuiued the Empire of the West chasing the Lombards out of Italie is obserued fiue hundred and tenne yeares Nor are stories barren of obseruations touching the periods of Kingdomes by other numbers as well as that of fiue hundred yeares For wee finde that diuers Common-wealths haue not exceeded the halfe of this number The Kingdome of Persia from Cyrus to Darius flourished but in the end of Darius his Raigne which was two hundred fiftie and eight yeares from Cyrus Alexander gaue it a fatall stroke Yea the same Kingdome of the Greekes commencing with Alexander continued but two hundred and fiftie yeares and after was broken in peeces by the Roman power Likewise the Antiquities of France doe tell vs that after Syagre the last Roman Pro-consull was deposed till Pepiâ— father to Charlemaine and so after till Hugh Capet were reckoned two hundred and thirtie seuen yeares which want not much of the said number of two hundred and fiftie Yet doe not Histories here staie their obseruations in respect of these fatall numbers but doe discouer vnto vs that the number of seuen hundred yeares haue brought no lesse famous mutations to States and Kingdomes then the former The Carthaginian Commonwealth hauing when Scipio wholly subuerted it continued seuen hundred yeares The bloudie warre betwixt Caesar and Pompey which was the consumption of the Roman Empire happening seuen hundred yeares after Romes foundation At which time it is conceiued that two fatall periods met in one as well that of fiue hundred yeares from the first Consuls as that of seuen hundred after Romes foundation So may wee say of Rome it selfe which seuen hundred yeares after the destruction of Carthage was by Totâ—â—â— King of Goths spoiled and the principall Lords carried captiue which thing Scipio did with teares prognosticate seuen hundred yeares before when Carthage was destroyed And did not the Moores so with Spaine seuen hundred yeares after Christ after they had beene driuen out by Ferdâ—â—â—â—dâ— of Aragon Grand-father by the mother to Charles the fift And what doe later times affoord vs in this respect VVee may see that it is about seuen hundred yeares since Charles the great founded the Westerne Empire and that period if wee looke into the present mutations and weakenesse of the Empire seemeth not a little to foretell some ruine albeit what is of such absolute necessitie but that our mightie God can dispose of it otherwise then seemeth to vs euen as best pleaseth him and all for the best I know the Learned doe in some sort quarrel the necessitie of these periods of times for the fatal ruines of Empires seeing some doe fall short of these prefixed times and some exceed them But to cleare this doubt I am of opinion that the ground of this obseruation hath no feebler warrant then the infallible Word of God seeing we find there in Daniels seuentie weekes an vniuersall Mappe of the declining of Empires which seuentie weeks doe containe near-neere-hand fiue hundred yeares from the restitution of the Temple after the returne from the Babylonish captiuitie vntil the comming of Christ in the flesh And albeit the said period bee not vniuersall and perpetuall seeing many Kingdomes reach not to halfe that point yet we shall finde by historicall discourse that this Period hath not failed most Empires as if by Gods appointment their beginnings and endings had beene written in the foreheads of these times Which thing not onely the fore-alleaged examples but many others which learned Antiquaries haue obserued doe clearely iustifie Nor is there want of good groundes from the same sacred Word to warrant the diuersenesse of changes in respect that some Kingdomes in their ruines fal short and some out-strippe these limited and appointed pointes of times seeing God swayeth all scepters as pleaseth him setting vp one and pulling downe another Psal 75. Eccl. 4.14 One commeth out of Prison to Reigne when he that is borne a King is made poore Besides the change of States happens not by chance but is guided by the al-seeing prouidence of God who knowing the preceding causes of Kingdomes ruines so ordereth of Realmes and States as his wisedome seeth fit giuing to such as hee investeth with Kingly Gouerment not onely protection and authoritie as a notable fauour of God but also all graces and necessaries requisite to accompanie the same Whereby that Kingdome as by so many sure pillars is sustained and guarded in an happie Estate for a long time and often beyond the boundes of those fore-named periods of times For Mercy and
Truth preserue the King Pro. 20.28 and by Clemencie is his Throne established But if a vicious and wicked King who hath not that care of iustice and pietie which becommeth him doe Raigne drawing his subiects by his wicked example to exorbitances and sensualitie of life to carelessenesse of Religion and contempt of pietie casting themselues by the imitation of him into the infectious gulphe of Impietie and Impuritie of life what then can be expected but that Quicquid delirant Regès plectentur Achiui King and Subiects shall both smart for it What other thing can bee hoped for authoritie fayling vertues dying raigning and raging but the hastening of Gods seuere iudgements who vsually plagueth King and people for their sinnes with no lesse censures then extermination and ruine of the whole Weale-publique For we must not think that God is so bound to any limitations of time as that he cannot cancell change and order the times as best serueth for the setting forth of his glorie But such and so insearchable are the riches of his wisdome that he seeth cause sufficient of subuersion of Kingdomes and States where we blind beetles conceiue a perpetuitie And contrarily where wee deeme by certaine coniectures that Kingdomes are not long lasting there he determineth a longer continuation of them for reasons best knowne to his heauenly wisedome And this is it which the wise King witnesseth Pro. 28.2 That for the transgression of the Land there are many Princes thereof but by a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a Realme also endureth long But what transgressions these are and at what time it pleaseth him by ruinating of Kingdomes to take vengeance of these sinnes wee must not precisely and rashly determine because the Cup of indignation is in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord and hee powreth is out at his appointed tiâ—e Nor it is for vs to knowe the times and seasons Act. 1.7 which the Father hath put in his owne power But forasmuch as all the Learned hâ—â—e obserâ—ed that there are three special sinnes in holy Scripture noted causing the ruines of Kingdomes one is Impietie subuerting the Church another is Iniustice subuerting the Politie and State and the third Lecherie subuerting the Family and the house The infection of euerie of which teacheth to another euen as the Pest which infecting one he infected doth also infect another the poyson dispersing it selfe whilest there is any subiect to worke vpon Wee may hence conclude That where these sinnes which by the Diuine Oracle are fore-runners of Kingdomes changes and desolations are most regnant predominant and rise there will the ruine and destruction not slowly follow This I haue noted before as also that Aristotle ascribing the falls and ruines of Kingdomes to the sinnes of Kingdomes collects them all summarily into this one of Inequalitie as if the vnproportioned distinction and difference 〈◊〉 degrees of honour and dignities and the adâ—â—â—cing of vnworthie persons to titles and places of Honour others much more deseruing neglected and cast off were a sinne of all others most dangerous for the rooting out of people and râ—â—â—â—ting of Kingdomes But how true 〈◊〉 vâ—rtue this is I will not dispute This is it that I dare constantly â—vow that the causes and occâ—rences going before any notable change or ruine of a Kingdome are chiefly and alone confined and contained in the exorbitant manners vngodly corruptions and sinfull liues of Kings and people Therefore that I may free my Conceit from this imputation of placing a fatall necessitie of Kingdomes ruines in any fabulous or vngrounded far-fetcht Almanacke of the Philosophers dreames or coniectures of some latter Writers I will plainely shew That I doe not First found any opinion herein vpon the diuination Responses and Oracles of Deuils wherewith many Wise men haue beene deluded Secondly nor doe I binde them to any celestiall influences as many Philosophers haue done nor Thirdly to Harmonie as was Plato's opinion nor Fourthly to Augures Southsayers Astrologers Witches Chaldaeans nor that foolish and deuilish conceit of Iamblieus who calculating to know the name of the Emperour that should succeed Valens caused the Greeke Alphabet to be written in the ground putting vpon euerie one of the letters a barley-corne and in the middest a Cocke so that the letters where the Cocke scraped the barley should signifie his name hee desired Fiftly nor to dreames either naturall deuilish or diuinatorie by the vertue and influence of starres who moued with vnderstanding of thinges to come affect the Braine with impressions and representations of future euents Sixtly nor to the curious obseruation of yeares and moneths as Boain doth who affirmes that if wee obserue wee shall finde the most notable changes of States and deathes of great Princes for the most part to haue fallen in the moneth of September Seuenthly nor yet absolutely and infallibly to the numbers of fiue hundred seuen hundred and two hundred and fiftie of which I haue spoken Eightly nor yet to Comets and blazing starres albeit strange and vn-accustomed euents doe often follow them In none of these I place any absolute necessitie of deuining of Kingdomes changes yet doe I not denie but these and such like predictions haue their vses oftentimes and particular applications to the alterations of Kingdomes adding this That not one of those predictions and rules by which Antiquitie hath presumed to iudge of the fals of Kingdomes is so necessarie as exactly to conclude the point of ruine howbeit God many times suffers Nature to haue her due course and many strange euents to succeed according to such predictions rules and obseruations as are declared From whence wee must learne to take heed of presumption vpon such vncertaine grounds to iudge of certaine ruines of States but rather with patience to expect such end as God in his most wise counsell hath resolued auoyding all such curious searchings as our dull apprehensions cannot reach Yet is not our infirmitie so farre to dispriuiledge vs as that because we cannot diue into the secrets of such hidden predictions and causes we should vtterly abandon all care of Gods terrible comminations holy fore-warnings wherby he seekes to acquaint vs with future euents and calamities to the end to disturne vs from sinne that we may auoide the direfull vengeance of his wrath and thinke them to be of that vn-resistable necessitie that God cannot out of the greatest will worke the greatest good but rather to cast our eyes vpon his soueraignâ— bountie which is infinite and vnâ—â—luable in price to all such as in due time seeke vnto him by true repentance From whence alone is the most true leuell and avâ—â—e of Kingdomes preseruations and felicities as from the contrarie their ruines and infelicities to be setled iudged and determined knowing as a learned Diuine hath concluded that no future euents can of themselues be knowne of any vnderstanding Zâ—â—â—h â—e opâ—r 6.2 saving the Diuine to whom all things are present and therefore I conclude that