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 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
THE CARDE AND COMPASSE OF LIFE CONTAINING MANY PASSAGES FIT FOR These times And directing all men in a True Christian Godly and Ciuill course to arriue at the blessed and glorious harbour of Heauen 2. TIM 2.7 Consider what I say and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things Cato Quicquid feceris honestum cum labore labor abit honestum manet quicquid feceris turpe cum voluptate voluptas abit turpitudo manet Heraclitus Intrate nam his dij sunt LONDON Printed by W. S. for Walter Burre and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard 1613. To the most Heroicall and worthie Prince CHARLES heire apparant to the Crowne of Great BRITAINE Most Religious Prince THE devout Bernard spake it and it is a profitable precept for al Posterities Si vis securus esse time securitatem intimating that man is neuer lesse safe then when he seemes furthest from danger feare of securitie being the gard of safetie great fortunes and high places the rocks of ruine Pythagoras was wont to say That no horse without a bridle could well bee gouerned nor any felicitie without great wisdome well swayed More difficult it is to beare prosperous then aduerse fortune because it chanceth but to few to bee both happie and wise For as one saith well Fortuna quem nimiùm fouet stultum fecit which the wisest King expresseth thus Prosperitie destroieth fooles Pro. 10.22 herein not much vnlike to Merchants who hauing had good successe at Sea adventure for more and loose all So that it is too true That as much light offends the eyes so much felicitie clouds the vnderstanding and abuseth the iudgement 〈◊〉 1. â—1 â— making the conceit of our safetie to be the cause of our sorrow Hence the golden rule of Salomon Pro. 28.14 Beatus est homo qui semper est pauidus Blessed is the man that feareth euer viz. who euer carefully avoides the deceits of the Deuil the World and the flesh who euer liues in the feare of God least hee attempt any thing against his will whoeuer perseâ—ers in true repentance and takes heed of offending God Now seeing the safetie of your sacred person being the most glorious Starre in our firmament the hope of future times and safetie of our safetie is the thing that most doe wish many labour for and is the dutie of all Subiects to ayme at it must be valued of vs at no lesse rate then our deerest liues and of you at no lesse then your hardest and godliest labours Else should wee bee all ingrate to the Diuine goodnesse whose blessed showers of mercies are well approued to vs in the faire-springing blossomes of your grace-promising and religious Youth Therfore knowing ingratitude to be odious with God and all good men Isay 5 insomuch that God by the Prophet hath sentenced a fearefuâ—l destruction vpon the ingrate Nation and at Athens an Action would lie against the ingrate as in other causes 2. IaÌ„ 18.3 wee must all striue to stop this iust plea of God and men against vs. For which cause my selfe to cast from me the iust aspersion of so foule a vice doe euer pay my vowes vnto our good God for your safetie and at this time to beginue a payment of my neuer-dying dutie haue adventured to present your Highnesse with a few chosen flowers much conducing to your present safetie in this life and eternall saluation in a better And seeing there is no greater pest to a King or Prince then the hatred of his Subiects and that as Seneca saith simul ista mundi Conditor posuit Deus God hath euer placed hatred gouernmeÌ„t in one ranke Odium Regnum this little booke being well obserued shall defraught and vnload the Ship of this Kingdome of Odium which is the pest and danger and shall leaue you Regnum which is the Diamond and Treasure Which diuorce betwixt Hatred and Kingdome if firmely made shall make an happie coniunction of King and people by no violence to be sundered I must coÌ„fesse that in Me there is plus ruboris quà m roboris seeing my presumption oner-ballanceth my performance but in the Work it self is plus roboris quà m ruboris being in part wellicke ouer as the Beare doth her welphs by the industrie of those prudent Counsailors who knew well how to fashion an excellent proportion and the rest by me not misse-shapen for my owne part I may well with Apelles lie hid vnder the couert of my picture to espie and heare the diuers iudgements which to know shall not bee vnsavourie vnto mee Pro. 27. For I account the woundes of a friend more happie to mee then the kisses of an Enemie socrates admonition to Deâ—onicus â—lin Iunior to Traian Emperour Vnto my selfe I am conscious of some paines and diligence in the translation of one peece out of Greeke and another out of Latine together with some meditations and matters of moment the Collections of some Aphorismes and Rules out of my owne various reading and the disposition of the whole Something I haue done if but as Ruth in the field of Booz I haue gathered the scattered eares Ruth 2. and albeit I could not bring great hand fuls from the haruest into the Barne yet some few eares and not to be despised haue I cast into the Garner knowing that worthie sentence of the wise Oratour and States-man Omnis nostra curain hoc versari debet semper Cicero 2. de Oratore si possumus vt boni aliquid efficiamus sin minus at certe nihil mali The chiefe care of euery good man ought to be euer to doe what good he can but if hee cannot to take heed that he doe no euil Sure I am that as the Noble Historian saith Nusquà m nee opera est sine emolumento Liuie lib. 5. nèc emolumentum fermè sine impensa opera est No labour is without his profitte not almost any profitte to a mans labour without charge and expense Besides if little profitte should hence bee conceiued to arise by some Lamb. Dan to the 17. Prouinceâ— Lael Zaech to Henrie the 4 K. of France Iacob Simancha to Philip King of Spaine more conceitedly iudicious then truly wise yet it doth much protect my designe and adde winges to my drooping hopes in that some thinges of like nature haue beene tendered by diuers very learned to the greatest States and Personages of our Westerne World Wherin the ancient custome of some Nations confirmed mee which was That none might come to the King or Prince without giftes the Law ordayning that none should passe by them either in their progresse or any part of their Kingdome not giuing them something as the example of the great Artaxerxes Mnemâ—n King of Persia sheweth whom Syneed the poore Husbandman meeting in the field presented with an handfull of water out of the next Riuer and was rewarded by the King with a Persian garment Aelianus a
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
this of that great Egyptian Sage Trismegistus Of the same iudgement as concerning religion and diuine things that they are the onely grounds and causes of prosperitie and felicitie were the Assyrians Chaldaeans Babyionians Else why should the King of Niniue that most ancient potent King Ion. 3.7.8.9 so diuinely order his repentance humiliation to God vpon that only short Sermon of Ionas Yet forty dayes and Niniue shal bee destoyed that man and beast were commanded a solemn fast putting on sackcloth crying to the Lord and that euery man should returne from the wickednes that was in his heart for who can tell if God will turne from his fierce wrath that we perish not Had not this beene in vaine but that they iudged that Religion and Pietie was the cause of felicitie In like sort when Samaria was taken by Salmanassar 2. Reg. 17. and the Iewes caried away into Media and Assyria the land being giuen to be inhabited vnto a people ignorant of the true worship of God who were deuoured of Lyons because they feared not the Lord did not they attribute this to the ignorance of seruing the true God by which onely thing they conceiued they might be deliuered from that iudgement But if they had not beleeued that temporall euils befall the wicked from God and temporall good things are giuen to the godly they would neither haue done thus nor would the euent haue answered their actions The same things are recorded of the Chaldaeans and Babylonians concerning their opinion of religion in that kind For thus an anciēt Historian writes The Caldaeans being the most ancient of the Babylonians Diod. Sicul. did obtaine that place in the Commonwealth which the Priests did in Egypt for they were deputed to the worship of their Gods philosophyzed all their life time and were accounted most skilfull in Astrologie Many by a certaine diuination fore-told things to come and as well by auguries and sacred things as by ceraine other signes were wont to interprete both euil auguries diuinations and coniectures to be disturned from men and good ones to befall other men which thing we see more plainly deliuered by the diuine Oracle For when Nabuzaradon the chiefe Steward to Nabuchadnezzar Ier. 40.2 had set the Prophet Ieremie at libertie he spake thus vnto him The Lord thy God hath pronounced this plague vpon this place now the Lord hath brought it and done according as hee hath said because ye haue sinned againse the Lord and haue not obeyed his voyce therfore this thing is come vpon you So we see he iudged that temporall punishments were inflicted vpon men Nations for their sins Besides the Kings of the Assyrians Chaldaeans and Persians were also Priestes nor could they obtaine the Kingdome except they had beene of the companie of their Magi who were Priests and instructed in their learning for Nemo regnare potest nisi inter Magos sit iudicatus Philo. No man could raigne there vnlesse he were iudged to be amongst their Magi or Priest Whereby they gaue to vnderstand that in Religion and Pietie consisted the felicitie of Kings and Kingdomes And Clemens Alexandrinus reports Cl. Alex. l. 7 that it was the custome amongst all the learned Nations that hee who should be King must also be a Priest so much they iudged religion to import the felicitie of Kingdomes Hence it is that Xenophon writes Xenop 8. Paed. that the Persians accounted them most happy that were most godly but the societie of the impious to be most vnhappy If we descend to the Grecians we shall find them all of one iudgement in this point namely that all felicitie depends vpon pietie Plato whom they call the God of Philosophers in many places shewes That by Prudence Goodnesse men are brought to beatitude and happinesse without which prudence and piety no good thing can befall men but all good blessings are turned vnto euill And therefore in the end of that most sweete and ingenuous Dialogue which he frameth betwixt Socrates and Alcibiades he concludeth Nemo foelixesse potest nisi sapiens bonusque sit No man can be happie that is not wise and good Plato in Gorg. To which purpose in another place he saith That no man who is vicious can be happie and that the world was contained and preserued of God for good men and therefore of the Grecians was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faire because it abhorres all sinne committed by any nor could it admit of any sinne within it seeing it is faire and beautifull but sinne is a thing incomposed deformed and brings ruine and reproach with it And the wise saith he do deliuer that Heauen and Earth the Gods and Men are knit together in a certaine societie and friendship and with a modest or nature temperance and iustice To spend no more time amongst the Grecians whose sayings are to this end infinite let vs conclude with the Romans the wisest happiest most flourishing Empire of all others Cicero the Prince of Orators determineth it thus Cic. Orat. de Arusp How desirous are we to be in a nored of our selues Fathers conscript yet neyther haue we ouercome the Spaniards with numbers nor the french with strength nor the Carthaginians with craft nor the Greeks with Arts nor to conclude with the domestique or nariue sense of this ayre and earth the Italians and Latines but with piety and religion and by this onely wisedome that wee haue acknowledged that all things are ruled and gouerned by the power of the immortall Gods by this onely haue we vanquished all Nations and Countries So then I will close this discourse with the authoritie of a graue writer Dion Halicar l. 2. de Rom. concerning Romulus his institution of the Romane Re-publique When Romulus saith he had obserued that there were certaine causes of the felicity of Weale-publiques vpon which it was vulgarly agreed but yet granted but to a few to attaine vnto them First the fauour of the diuine powers which being present all things doe prosperously succeed Secondly temperance hand in hand with iustice by which two it commeth to passe that men hurt themselues lesse mutually consent together the better and doe not measure felicitie by their filthy pleasure but by honestly and goodnesse and lastly military valour by whose helpe other vertues subsist he did not suppose that any of these good things came of their owne accord but vnderstood that a Citie was made godly temperate iust and strong in battell by right lawes and emulation of honest studies Therfore he gaue great diligence chiefely to these things enterprising and commencing all his actions before all things from the worship of the Gods not suffering his Citizens to thinke or speake any thing but well and excellently of that diuine and blessed nature The same Author saith that all men to whom the pietie of the Romans was vnknown may cease to admire of their happy successe in watres
Last times and by how much as any Kingdome or people doe depart from true and sincere pietie and fal into these deuouring gulfes of iniquitie and impietie by so much are they in danger to be swallowed vp and loose the fruition of Heauens and Earths felicitie For if the root of the principall good thing be shaken or suffer any detriment ruine or hurt much more must all those things that depend thereon Hence is it that the Philosopher concludes That chiefly Kingdomes and Gouernments are dissolued and changed Arist Pol. 5.7 for that there is not due care of iustice had as becommeth Concluding his Ethickes and Morall learning his Oeconomickes and Houshould-gouernment and his Politickes and State-gouernment after one and the same sort namely that the Man the Family and the Kingdome is most happie which depends vpon Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance and that so much felicitie chanceth to euerie man how much as he hath of Vertue and Prudence and how much hee liueth according thereunto seeing God himselfe is not blessed and happie by any external thing but of himselfe because he is such by nature By which he concludes That onely that Kingdome is happie whose end is Vertue and the contemplation of God For God is happie by contemplation of himselfe and that according to nature of himselfe not by any externall accessorie And seeing God contemplating himselfe worketh all thinges in the World therefore hee ordaines that by this contemplation all thinges should be ruled in that Kingdome that would haue future felicitie Therefore herein must all men people Nations and Kingdomes propose God to be imitated if they will haue durable and permanent happinesse For when they faile in this imitation they fal into the burning feuers of all impieties to their vtter consumption and ruine Which thing the most potent opulent and flourishing States that euer were haue left witnessed to vs by their wofull ruines through excesse and impietie So that if wee take a suruey of the manners of Nations when they gained to themselues most high Empires and Commands and of their Conditions afterwardes when they were changed ruined and ouerthrowne we shall finde that in the beginning they were frugall continent shamefast vertuous and glorious for morall excellencies and on the other side towardes their declining and end intemperate with all manner of excesse and destroyed through lust and pleasure And therefore no maruaile if the King of Niniue enioyned a fast to man and beast Jon. 3. at Ionas his Sermon and prediction of their ensuing calamitie as if too much ingurgitation excesse pride and lust had beene the cause of Niniuehs euersion and the Assyrian Empires ruine And that it was so Writers of good credit doe report Iustin l. 2. Diod. Sicul. The same also is recorded of the Babylonian Empire which was then taken of the Persians Herodot when the Citizens together with their King Labynitus indulged and gaue themselues to dancing banquets wine and pleasures Sembable herevnto is that wee reade in Daniel Dan. 5. how the Kingdome was taken from Bel-shazzar King of Babylon when hee and his thousand Princes his wiues and Concubines were carowsing What frugalitie Diod. lib. 1.3 l. 3.1 how great continencie and temperance the Egyptians and Ethiopians vsed wee may know from the Historians who report that from the beginning they were subiect to the gouernment of Priestes and were frugall continent and temperate but afterwards they so changed their manners and grew to such extreme lust and excesse Herod l. 2. that they counted it verie religious and godly to haue familiaritie with beasts The Persians also before they came to the height of Honour vsed to eate nothing but bread and water Herod l. 1. with salt and the hearbe Cresses Xenoph in Paed. or nose-smart wearing most rought garments namely of Hides and had nothing that was daintie spruse or quaint but afterwardes it is wonder to see Herod l. 1. into what excesse the whol◠Empire fell insomuch that Persicus apparatus the Persian attirements and costly dressings were the most famous in the World for excesse All the learned know what instruments of excesse and lust Alexander found Iustin Curt. Plutarch when he rifled the Tents of Darius All writers record them And who knoweth not the drunkennesse of Alexander corrupted with the Persian customes and so casting himselfe into extreme hatred euen of his owne friendes With these things were also all the Greeks infected from whence it was that all their Kingdomes were ruined For the thinges that are written of Cleopatra and her excesse are so vulgar as they need no relation The Romans remaine of whom Plinie doth much complaine in that they were fallen from their Ancient parsimonie modestie grauitie and chastitie Horat. And what saith the Poet of the corruptions of his time Foecunda culpae secula nuptias Primùm inquinauere genus domos Hoc fonte deriuata clades In Patriam Populumque fluxit c. Ages fruitfull of sinne first defiled marriages and stockes and houses from this fountaine was the slaughter and miserie deriued into Countrie and People His conclusion is this Aetas Parentum peior auis tulit Nos nequiores mox datura Progeniem vitiosiorem Our Fathers worser age hath brought forth vs more wicked then our Ancestors which shortly will produce a Progenie and issue more vicious then the worst And surely Rome after the sacking of Carthage did contend in nothing more then in alluring and effeminating the people in thinges pertayning to pleasure and delight The Histories shew Pub. Victor that in the Citie were twelue most ample and goodlie bathes besides innumerable private bathes in which all did accustomably wash before they eate and were also daily annointed with vnguents and oyles Besides there were fortie fiue publique Stewes so that nothing could be found comparable to the Romans in lust and delicacies Therefore no wonder if the Empire after Neros death was taken from the Romans and translated to the Italians and from those after Neruas death to the Spanyardes and thence from one Nation to another and consequently to the good Emperour Constantine and so by little and little swallowed vp by the power of the incroching Bishops of Rome till at last nothing was left but the bare and naked name of an Empire And what doth so much promise and threaten the ruine of that barbarous hellish Ottomanicall Turkish Empire as that we finde by Historians they are effeminated drunke with pleasures idlenes and excesse and haue lost their Ancient seueritie of discipline and manners It is wittily fabled by the Auncients That Mars was then taken by Vulcans intrapping nets when he gaue himselfe to pleasures with Venus So was Hannibal intangled with the beautie of women and he and his Souldiers enfeobled with the pleasures of Capua So was M. Antonius with Cleopatra both most valiant Captaines but by reason of their lust they iost the best
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
all false and diuellish diuinations which the Scripture forbids ought to be farre from all good Christians namely 1. That of the obseruation of the flying of foules Deut. 18.10 2. That of dreames 3. That of forceceries or lots 4. That of Pythonists Leâ—it 19. and diabolicall inspiration 5. That of illusions 1. Sam. 21. and fained apparitions of the diuell Thus if we will wisely consider of the precedent discourse wee shall find many arguments rules and obseruations touching most probable coniectures of Kingdomes ruines and changes and such as the wisest Antiquaries and Sages of all times haue not lightly weighed and cast of the euents of such things in many pregnant and notable particulars answering the ground of the same rules obseruations which are as lights to guide our iudgements the better to conceiue what shall fall out in the changes of Kingdomes and ruines of States though not to diuine of things to come against Gods power and authoritie and also spurres to incite vs to abandon such things as haue euer brought with them the Countries ruines where they were committed that we seeing a fâ—rre off the rod of Gods anger shaken at vs and his sword readie to bee drawne â—ay meete him by a repentance neuer to be repented of And tâ—at we of this Nation for whose good this taske slender as it is was vndertaken may take the profit that was intended by it let vs apply it to our present times and deare countries wherein we liue and take such measure of our selues and times thereby as becommeth honest and vnpartiall Iudges and if we be such as we should be then must wee be such as I wish with all my soule we might bee and that is that we may be but such as may iustly contend with Pagans and Heathens for sinceritie integritie and pietie such as the seuen Ambassadours commended in their seuerall Commonwealthes vnto King Ptolomie Plutar. lib. de Exiliâ— euery one vanting of the vertue of their State by the comparison of three excellent things 1 The Ambassadour of Romes commendations were That their Temples were honoured their Gouernours obeyed their wicked punished What honour is now done to Temples with vs or to the soules of the Temples God and his Ministers is so little that if that little were not in some sinceritie it were nothing the obedience to the spirituall Gouernours so little that none but the little ones and crawling contemptible wormes doe them any albeit the holy Ghost hath giuen a charge to obey them that haue the ouersight of vs Heb. 13.17 and submit to them for they watch for our soules The punishment of little ones and little sinnes is not omitted but great men and grosse offenders who dare touch 2 The Ambassadors of Carthage vanted that their Nobilitie was valiant to fight their Commonaltie to take pains their Philosophers to teach I will leaue the application 3 The Sicilian Ambassador his praises were that their countrie executed Iustice loued Truth and commended Simplicitie 4 The Rhodian Ambassador said that their old men were honest their young men shamefast and their women peaceable 5 The Ambassador of Athens That they consented not that their rich should be partiall their people should be idle their gouernours should be ignorant 6 The Lacedaemonian Ambassador That with them there was no enuie for all were equall no couetousnesse for all was in common no idlenesse for all did labour 7 The Ambassador of Sicyonia iustly gloried in these That they admitted no Strangers inuenters of new toyes that they wanted Phisitions to kill the sicke and Aduocates to make their pleas immortall I will not aduenture to make the comparison nor to lay my square to this building but will leaue the particular application to each religious and iudicious conceit concluding it with the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 10.15 I speake as to them that haue vnderstanding Iudge you what I say Neverthelesse my hearts desire is and my prayer euermore shall be that England might be such as may truly glorie if not in these morall respects yet in that which is farre better euen that as it hath receiued from God infinite and vnspeakable benefits and deliuerances benefit vpon benefit and deliuerance vpon deliuerance God hauing watched ouer it to doe it good Isa 5. not hauing more blessings to do for his Vine but that he hath done sauing the continuance of the same mercies so it might not onely neuer forget such admirable fauours but also in the sincere profession of the Gospell of eternall peace and holy conuersation such as becomes the glorious Gospel of peace it may out-strippe not onely all Nations of the world 1. Pet. 2.9 but all times future present and past as a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called it out of darknesse into this maruellous light That Conuersions and Ruines of Kingdome may be knowne before hand not by Apodicticall and demostratiue necessitie but by Topicall probability WHereof let this be the foundation That there is euer a reall relation of the cause and the effect insomuch that euermore sufficient causes being put there must follow the effect of necessitie Physitions deliuer precepts of Art by which diseases against nature may be cured or eased Why should not then a wise Gouernour of the Re-publique foresee the Sun-setting of a Kingdome why should he not procure the good of it Or if the furie of iniquitie be so great and the streame of impietie so strong that by no wisedome it can be withstood yet why should hee not obtaine so much as a skilful Physition doth who by the decretorie daies and from the cause of the disease doth fore-iudge of the death of a sicke patient in what sort it shall be And albeit that as touching the secrets of the diuine prouidence for the most part they are insearchable for who knowes the minde of the Lord which thing also Reason teacheth vs yet in the meane time by obscure tokens it sometimes sheweth his effects sometimes by prophetical answeres foreshewing the translations of Empires and sometimes by miraculous ostents So saith Iun. quast pol. 5. Before the destruction of Domitian a Crow cried in the Capitoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are well Suetonius So Vultures renting in peeces the young vnfeathered Eagles portended death to Tarquinius Superbus Alex. ab Alexandro 5.12 So Snakes shewed the captiuitie of Croesus Here. dot 1. So in the Citie of Aurenge when the foundations of certaine edifices were laid a propheticall stone was found wherein was written in foure French verses all the calamitie which arose after the destinie of Henrie King of France Tar. Bizarr de Bello Pann So a brasse â—â—ble was found in the riuer by a boy playing in which the miserie and calamitie of the Citie of Swetssons before it came to passe was described Maieri in Annal. fol. 275. But in these things
great care is to be vsed that we pronounce not rashly of their interpretation Naturall and humane causes shew themselues by more manifest arguments yet not demonstrable nor of necessitie but presumptiue Liuie that noble Historian doth premonish vs that no great Citie can long be in peace if it want an enemie abroad and will finde one at home As strong bodies are safe from forren and externall causes yet are loaden and ouercharged with their own strength as Hippocrates 1. aphor 3. saith And Seneca Epi 114. That the luxurie of banquets and garments are the tokens of a sicke Citie Where it is lawfull to doe iniurie and do what men list we may iudge that Citie readie to fall into a bottomlesse pit Sophocles in Aiace So in euery Kingdom there are certain pulses from whose faint and languishing motions wee may diuine fearefull fates to hang ouer them Hence Polybius As wormes consume woods cankers Iron and Mothes clothes so a natural malice adhers to euery State And as when we see a house whose wals are falling asunder and principall timber rotten the roofe being open and rafters decayed we iudge aptly that the same house will shortly ruine fall on heaps so when we behold a Kingdome and State wherein Religion and Pietie the walles of Kingdomes begin to start aside out of their proper Regions and Stations King and Prelate fayling in their duties the zeale of Gods glorie the principall timber that sustaines states turned to rottennes either of superstition or of dissimulation hypocrisie the roofe of the Kingdome which is the practise of religious holy works decaying lying open to the tempest of Epicurisme Atheisme and all-consuming Sensualitie and irreligion the State of the kingdome paralleling the corrupt state of a corrupt Court where Omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium where all things are lawfull but the true practise of pietie we may well determine that this Kingdome in such a waining and declining Hectique and consumption cannot fland many stormes Besides the wise haue obserued that there are certaine periodicall numbers appointed of the ruines of Kingdomes And of these the chiefe place hath the number of 500. yeares and 700. of which God himself hath established the former as an vniuersall period vnder the seuentie weekes in Daniel and the same hath he kept both with his owne people and also out of his Church albeit in this period as yet some yeares doe want This number I say hee kept with his owne people as from the going out of Aegypt to the building of the Temple 500. years the gouernment of the Dukes 500. yeares after them from Saul to the captiuity of Babylon 500. yeares from the Captiuitie till the pollicy of the Iewish Nation was restored 500. yeares The same order God kept without his Church 500. yeares Kings raigned at Athem 500. yeares the Commonwealth of Lacedaemon lasted from the Kings exacted and abolished for the offence of Tarquinius Superbus the Consuls gouerned 500. yeares The second place hath the number of 700 yeares Carthage stood 700 yeares till ruined by Scipio Aemilius Ciuill wars betwixt Caesar Pompey fell in the yeare from the building of the Citie of Rome 705. But somtimes the period doth not attaine the 500 or 700 yeares by reason of our sins which draw on the calamities sooner and sometimes prolongs it when we run to the hauen of Repentance and reforme our liues in the feare of God the only soul and lifebloud of Kingdoms perpetuities Besides experience telleth vs that the greater the Mathematicall instrument is the more truly we iudge of the greatnesse of the Sunne and Starres of their distance and height from vs of the combustions retrogradations eclypses and ill affects of the Planets and Celestiall bodies So the greater that the iudgements of God are which he sendeth vpon our kingdom or any other the more truly may we disterne the greatnesse of his anger against vs the distance of his mercy from vs the combustions and retrogradations that our sinnes make amongst vs and the Eclipses of the graces which haue shined when the Sunne of righteousnesse ranne his course in our firmamēt From whence it stands concluded That the measure of Gods anger and fierce iudgements for sinnes vpon any people is an infallible token of the change and period of that Kingdom if a serious change of life with great and small doe not oppose it selfe against Gods vengeance The ship at Sea meeting with another ship which either hath giuen her cause of offence or passeth by her without vailing to her vseth to send out a warning-peece to make her vaile but if she budge not at that she dischargeth two or three great Ordnance against her and happily killes the Captaine or Master or some of the Commaunders of the ship or wounds and hurts with a murthering peece diuers of the companie if for all this she will not stoupe and come vnder her Lee she turnes a broad side vnto her one after another and sinkes her and all that is in her so may we perceiue that God will deale with that Nation which he by many benefits hailes to vaile to his obedience He sends out a warning peece of plague famine c. but if they vaile not he seconds out a murthering peece killing their Kings and Princes and taking away the hopes of all their happinesse if that worke not he leaues not till hee sinke and wracke the ship of that Commmonwealth and all that is in it Who knowes not that old out-worne rithme of our English Merlin When Faith failes in Priests Sawes And Lords Hests are holden for Lawes When Robbery is holden purchase And Lecherie for solace Then shall the Land of Albion Be brought to great confusion I wish this Prophecie may not be fulfilled in our daies nor that our sinnes may not iumpe with this Prophecie but that God would open our eyes to see the day-breake before the Sun-shine and darke night before it be cocke-crow Why men are so blinde and senselesse that hauing such grieuous regnant sinnes amongst them for which all Ages were scourged yet they do not foresee their owne ruine and Gods wrath THere are many causes of Mans excecation and blindnesse as also of his procrastination and putting off his amendement to an after-deale But we will range them all within the circuit of fiue 1 Where first we must obserue That as all sinne hath his rise supernaturally from blindnesse so all our blindnesse and insensibilitie sensibilitie of sinne and the danger therof ariseth from our sin◠For it is true of all our sins Greg. 11. Moral which Gregorie writes of Luxurie Coecitas Mentis est filia luxuriae The blindnesse of the mind is the daughter of Luxurie So that our sinnes are the first cause why we see not our d̄ager Gods wrath Secondly besides those seauen deadly sinnes as they call them and others arising from them there is another cause of our blindnesse and that is
any good 10 The abuse of the inward senses of all other is the most for that when wee conceit most variable imaginations of the excellencies of Gods creatures in the beautie goodnesse greatnesse of them we neuer reflect vpon God the Creator and giuer of them all and contemplate how much more excellent is God himselfe then all these how much better to be one day in his Courts then 1000. yeares elsewhere Thus should we do when we heare sweet Musicke eat daintie meate smell perfumes or enioy any of Gods blessings else we abuse the inward senses 11 Our abuse of indifferent things is great and dangerous and that is committed two waies first when we rashly make or stifly maintaine a schisme for outward things in the Church to the scandall of the weake and disturbance of peace the soule of the Church Secondly when the delinquents in this kind are more seuerely iusticed then those who sinne openly and impudently against the commandements of God Deut. 28.2 for promensisra peccati erit plagarum modus According to the trespasse Lect. 12. so let the stripes bee Fides doceri cogi non vult Faith will be taught but not compelled much lesse the vse of indifferent things 12 The last abuse is of our power and authoritie which is infinitely committed but chiefely in oppression briberie and iniustice For the true vse of all power is to reward and defend the good and to punish and cut off the wicked And all the true vse of the spirituall power Rom. 13.3.4 2. Cor. 15.10 is to edification and not destruction Therefore they who alter this course do greatly abuse their power God in mercie grant that when he shall come to search our Kingdome with a candle these abuses may not bee found amongst vs. Once I remember Religion and Vertue in this Kingdome were so eclipsed Alani de insulis Prophetia Anglicana Romana that the corrupt times and dissolute raigne of William Rufus thus by Antiquaries storied That in his Kingdome and Court were found Calamistratorum ille criâ—ium fluxus vanissimus ille vestium luxus illa laterum denudatio meretricia illa laciniarum astrictio illa capillorum intricatio illa vestimentorum incisio panni pliciti calcei aculeis arcuati mollitie corporis certare cum foeminis gressum frangeregestu soluto latere nudo incedere adolescentium specimeÌ„ erat Comatuli inuenes imberbes emolliti mermes quod nati fueraÌ„t inuiti manebant prius corrupti ab alijs post alios corrumpentes alienae pudicitiae proditores prodigisuae Sequebantur Curiam Regis exoletorum greges prostibula gane aruÌ„ In English thus Euery where in his Kingdume and Court were found that loose wide long vnconstant deliciousnesse and lust of crisped frizzeled curled locks and haire that most vaine riotous ranke and sumptuous excesse of apparrell that laying naked and open of the breast that whorish lacing iagging trimming folding pleating fringing of the armes bodies head feet that twisting wrapping infolding of the haire that cutting pincking printing of garments that embroidering of suits and that pleasant oyled painted complexionating rag that aculeated sharpe-nosed arcuated vaulted Rainbow-colored and strange-fashioned shoe and boot There men do striue with women in tendernes nicenâ—s womaÌ„lines wantonnes break their gate with a dissolute gesture and to go with open breasts was the shew example triall glory of yong men or lustie youths boyes with faire-bushed haire vnbearded soft delicate vnarmed effeminate which are vnwilling to remain as they were borne first being corrupted by others afterwards corrupting others betrayers of others chastity shamefastnes and prodigall of their owne There followed the Court a flocke of super-anuated ouergrowne stale beastially-abused creatures against and harlots Now let me enquire of those that are either trauelled in the stories of times past or countries kingdoms farre distant in what circle of the world they find this dissolute godlesse behauiour here described most paralleld Where do they see and finde that loose and dissolute deliciousnesse of frizzeled crisped bodkind haire where that most vaine ranke and vngodly excesse of apparrell where that nakednesse of the breasts that whorish lacing iagging fringing of the whole body from top to toe that cutting printing pouncing of garments that aculeated sharppointed arched Polonianized ouer-turned Rainbow coloured strange-fashioned boot and shoe where that twisting and infolding of the lockes that imbroidering damasking of suits that powdring of haire and complexioning of faces where those neat combed bushed vnbearded youthes those soft delicate effeminated fellows which are vnwilling to be as they were borne but being first corrupted by others do afterwards play the Proselytes and corrupt others betrayers of others chastity and prodigall of their owne where do men striue with women for softnesse of cloathing and neatnesse of person in womanish face open breasts dissolute gesture I know the godly traueller whose heart is touched with a feeling of these enormities wil answere my enquiry with Cyprians teares who complaines of his time thus Do not all men studie to increase their patrimonie and being forgetfull what the faithful did either in the Apostles times before them or what themselues as Christians ought to doe laie themselues downe in an vnsatiable heat of inlarging their substances There is no mercie in workes no Discipline in manners In Men the heart is corrupted in Women the forme is counterfeited craftie fraudes to deceiue the heartes of the simple cunning wiles to circumvent their brethren They knit the bonde of Matrimonie with Infidels and prostitute the meÌ„bers of Christ vnto Gentiles they not onely sweare rashly but ouer and besides they forswear themselues willingly with proud swellings they contemn their Gouernours with venomous tongues speake ill of them with pertinacious and rebellious hatreds disagree amongst theÌ„selues If good Cyprian 〈◊〉 plained of these thinges who will blame vs to complaine of the like and much greater and to feare the calamity which we do not labor to auoid Esay 14. Let vs take heede of Babylons wofull downefall for as Basil saith All those thinges shal shortly come vpon the soule confounded with the darkenesse of sinnes and not one onely prorogation of dayes shall goe betwixt But this is our hope in these dangerous declining times that as then Henrie the first whose Embleme was Rex illiteratus Asinus coronatus An vnlearned King is a crowned Asse reformed those dangerous abuses and customes so your Highnesse Charles the first the suruiuing hope of our good the glorie of all the foregoing Henries of our Nation you noble brother being vntimely benighted will in the present in your owne particular vtterly distaste them and in the future for euer abandon them both Court and Countrie This shall make you more famous in the World then Hannibals incursions through the Alpes into Italie then Scipio's great conquests Caesars miraculous Victories and Alexanders sole Monarchie Besides as it shall magnifie you on Earthâ—