from others and sundrie such like by means whereof men are many times misseled and because also I am sure these things may nay will fall out in perusing and reading euen the best things I can not but againe and againe entreat you herein also to haue a good eye to your selues and your own soules Assuredly you shall find specially if you weigh things well as in deed you should that you haue great and good cause so to doe for besides that the points handled therin are not meane neither of any simple subiect and therefore would be regarded and receiued with care and conscience of them the very manner of handling of them according to the vsuall course and practise of the Author is profound and pithie and therefore also will require a diligent and vnderstanding heart The treatie was first written in French by a worthy Nobleman of that country and therfore doth most properly appertain to that state That which peculiarly belongeth therto vnderstand it of and referre it to the same The rest that is common and according to general truth make common but yet good vse withall of it also And this premonition I think very meet to giue as knowing before-hand how ready men are to snatch and catch at that which belongeth not vnto them their times and states a point arguing great curiositie and no small lightnesse of mind and lacke of iudgement as also carelesly to neglect yea securely to contemne that which importeth them much a matter bewraying carelesnes at the least if not sencelesnesse of heart from both which as all other extreames I wish the Christian reader as my selfe in this and in all other things of the like nature to be freed and purged and on the other side to be fulfilled with all sound iudgement and carefulnesse of spirit that so from this and other good things we may alwaies learne to know what that good holy and acceptable will of his is and may be enabled by the blessed spirit stedfastly to beleeue the same and carefully to walk in the obedience therof Now the very God of peace sanctifie you thorowout and I pray also that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom euery where but specially in the church be praise for euer euer Sobeit Yours euer in Christ T. W. Lord Iesus begin and make an end MEn who are desirous to frame their faces and to compound their countenances doe ordinarily go to glasses and indeuour to set them therby but Kings for the direction of their doings and affaires had much more need to looke thereinto as well because their callings are more high and heauie than other mens as also because they haue more lets from themselues and others that be about thē to hinder their sight And therefore they had need to haue if they could tell how more liuely and then you shall indeed surely raigne when you most soundly serue him Wherin if euen the best princes haue at sundry times ben not only admonished but threatened with the wrath and displeasure of God and all to preuent these euils in them that they might not fall away from their dutie or abuse his mercie patience and long suffering you Sir nor others must thinke much to be often called vpon yea prouoked and whetted on to these good things because none runneth so fast but hee had need to be incour aged 1. Cor. 9.24 So to runne that he may attaine neither standeth so sure but he had need to bee admonished and put in mind of the Apostles speech 1. Cor. 10.10 Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least he fall and withall to remember the saying of this very kingly Prophet Psal 30.6 7. I said in my prosperitie I shall neuer be moued but when thou diddest hide thy face I was sore troubled For this is a certaine and an assured point That men are in more danger to be ouerthrowne yea ouerwhelmed when they enioy abundance of graces from God than when they are vnder his chastisements and corrections For as for chastisements euen then when they beat downe men in themselues they lift them vp before God and make them by consequent capable and meet to receiue his mercies and that is it the Apostle meaneth when he saith They doe in the end bring with them the quiet fruit of righteousnes vnto them which are thereby exercised Hebr. 12.11 Whereas graces on the other side in Gods purpose indeed and their owne nature carrying men out of themselues vnto God cause them notwithstāding throgh Sathans malice and the corruption of their own hearts to despise almightie God himselfe and to say Who is the Lord Prou. 30.9 and so make them to become fit matter vpon whome to exercise and execute the seueritie of his rigour and wrath for the contempt or abuse of so singular graces Men much trouble themselues Sir now a daies to defend and maintain your calling and comming to the crowne But iwis it needeth not for your verie birth alone is sufficient to intitle you thereto But to come to it to come thorowly to it yea to come to the top of it and to carrie your selfe therein as is most meet there is indeed and there must bee indeed required a farre other thing and that is a great ascendent as men vse to say and a gracious aspect and direction thereof fauouring this birth of yours and being able to correct all contrarie cōstellations yea euerie thing that either directly or indirectly might annoy you with his influence That which I meane is not any starre or planet or anie whole zodiake as they vse to say no not heauen it selfe or the heauen of heauens but indeed the soueraigne God the only Lord maker and creatour of all things Iob. 38.31.32.33 who loseth as Iob saith the power of the starres and ordereth the gouernment of the heauens aboue the earth by whome as also saith Salomon Kings raigne Pr. 8.15.16 and Gouernors keepe their estate and by whom you Sir may say as this our King Dauid doth The Lord is with me I shal raign and rule against him there is neither counselnor strength wherefore nothing in the world can shake me or make me to be moued Wee that liue in the cleare light of Gods word wonder at the conceits that in the times of blindnesse and superstition men haue thrust one another into Astrologians made Princes in former time beleeue that such or such a planet bare rule ouer their birth They persuaded othersome that a certain spirit assisted them for the guidance line or leading of their life And it is as strange to consider what dotages these deceiued persons fell into and that not only the basest of the people but the best amongst men for euen the very Princes themselues honored these conceits and they did exactly obserue whatsoeuer they thought would please their instructers planets spirits and such
euen into the thickest of my close and hidden places yea euen into the bottome of the vices of their prince And in respect of men I wil walke in this course the rather to remoue surmises out of their minds and obloquie and ill speech out of their mouths nothing being more ordinarie with them than not onely with a cause but without a cause to detract And as in regard of God I will the rather obserue it and doe it in deed because hee being the Lord of all euen he whome I call vpon and vpon whom I wait will come and cal me to an account and say Well good seruant Luke 19.17 thou hast ben faithfull in small matters take thou authority notwithstanding ouer tenne Cities Thou hast had skill and ben able to gouerne thine own house now take charge of mine In this little authoritie and small power in comparison that I committed into thy hand thou hast carried thy selfe as thou oughtest I will therefore establish thy throne for euer I will put thine enemies vnder thy feet This vow I confesse is a very hard point for a Prince Why and so are all excellent things And shall hee therefore neglect them And they will bee so much the more hard if his will be tempted with power and his power be prouoked by libertie and his libertie lash out into licentiousnesse or if sinne and euill come and present it self euen to confront him and that after diuerse manners and vnder sundrie maskes as no doubt but it will sometimes amiable to allure sometimes ougly to terrirfie But Dauid knew well how to discomfite and ouerthrow these crafts and deceits And therefore he saith as for the discharge of his owne conscience so for the instruction of all other whom it may concerne Verse 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the workes of them that fall away nothing thereof shall cleaue vnto me DAuid heretofore as wee haue heard made a solemne vow to keepe his heart sound and sure vnto God And good reason it should bee so for if such as haue a place to keepe or a fort to looke vnto to the end they may alwaies keepe the enemie far off doe as well watch against afterclaps as for feare of present perill Shall not wee thinke that wee haue as great need to looke to or watch ouer our heart Yes verily And therefore the Lord commandeth vs in his word aboue all watchings to obserue the heart Which that wee may the better keepe and settle our hearts vnto God we must know that it becommeth vs to keepe our eies and indeed to stop our eares also For vice hath great power and force against men yea it easily ensnareth them by the eare thorow dissolute words and leaud and euill speeches which corrupt good manners 1. Co. 15.33 And a great entrance hath vice also into our hearts by occasion of the windowes For euen as when the enemie hath gained our centinels and watchtoures our ouerthrow in all likely hood is not farre off so is it when pleasure hath bewitched our eies and sinne thrust it selfe by the strength and sting of it into our soules Which wee may see to bee true euen in our first parents who were taken yea ouertaken by the eare by the onely whisteling of that wicked and wilie serpent who impoysoned by his sweet and coloured speeches their hearts and their spirits they being then notwithstanding vpright and vndefiled through creation and as yet not subiect to appetites nor worldly discourses as we are since sinne entred into the world Oh then what may Sathan do now by our eares against a spirit that is sensuall against a heart that is fleshlie against reason vanquished by sence and against a will that sauoureth of nothing â—ut carnal appetites So we see how Dauid was caught and yet a man according to Gods own hart He had no sooner set open the window but the theefe entered in thereat vice I meane that assaieth nothing else but by offering a tast craftily to surprise vs indeed And marke I pray you how sinne proceedeth in him by the eies it surprised the heart yea it spoiled and robbed him of his soule Of a gracious king and godlie Prophet hee made him in a moment a wicked adulterer and most cruel murtherer But withall consider the equitie of Gods iudgement By the same window the Lord causeth him to see his fearefull wrath entring vpon him and to behold the falling away of his sonne the reuolting of his people and sundrie such like which are indeed the ordinarie companions of our disorderous enormities So mightie to euill is our infirmitie and our might and power to resist it so weake Doth not our owne obseruation of others and experience in our selues teach vs that if the eye be once gained our fort yeeldeth vp it selfe it can no longer bee kept Which the Prophet being well acquainted with doth in one place pray Turne away mine eies from regarding vanitie Psa 119.37 as here also hee telleth vs I will shut mine eare And our Lord and Sauiour sayth Math. 5.29 Pull out the eie if cause thee to hazard or destroy thy soule In steed whereof the Princes of our age that they may the better giue themselues ouer to euill and sinne and so not bee seized with the mischeefes that follow thereupon most commonlie set open all their fiue wits and sences as wee say to pleasures but against paines punishments and miseries they shut their eies Whereas indeed it were more fit for them to behold these because thereby they might preuent euil be humbled in themselues and shew compassion to others and to shut their sight against the other because the more they looke vpon them the more they draw iniquitie with the cords of vanitie Isaiah 5.18 But wee are to see what it is not to set our eies to behold euill Surely it is to flie euill it is to flie and auoid the occasions of euill it is to arrest sinne at the very barre and to keepe it as farre as may be from the gate that so hauing no entrance it may haue no preuailing But hath it sometimes gained and preuailed euen vpon the eye Let vs not despaire for all that God hath prouided for vs good meanes to cut it off and to pull it out Let vs looke to our weapons and labour to vse them sith God hath beene pleased to minister diuers vnto vs against the fraud and the force of our eies As for example let vs stay our selues vpon and defend our selues by our reason against the assault of our appetites Let vs oppose our selues against our will being fortified by Gods word Rom. 7.23 Against this law of our members let vs set the law of God the force of the spirit and the power of the soule And then let vs not doubt but that God will assist vs that he will come and heale vs yea that hee will helpe vs and claime vs for
glorious was the king of Israel this day But hee telleth her plainely That that hee did was before the Lord â— Sa. 6.20.21 who chose him rather than her father all his house And if that were to bee vile hee would bee yet more vile than so Salomon his sonne likewise when he saw the temple furnished and beheld the seruice of God setled and placed therein for which great fauour also hee did so solemnly thanke God as is recorded who I say is able to conceiue in his heart the great ioy that hee receiued thereby Or who would set in a ballance against it those worldly vanities that men commonly call pleasures And such were the pleasures of Constantine Theodosius and of Charles the great Such were the pleasures of these great kings and Emperours that conquered the Pagans were protectors of the church Yea in our age that great king Frauncis so much renoumed in all his pleasures as no man more yet gained little or nothing thereby but the spoiling and wasting of himself his wealth and strength he as it were rotting in them And yet euen for that little labor and loue which he gaue vnto vertue and imploied about learning hee liueth and is worthily remembred euen to this day and shall liue for many ages hereafter The least and last houre of his life almost being well imploied was of more worth than all his yeares before and that was it that got him the name of Great made his verie famous But behold Christendome since that time hitherto for many years together tossed wich differences and diuersities in religion states troubled vnder that pretext and the people beaten downe yea vtterly ruinated All sigh and grone vnder the burthen of their calamine all breath after and desire some reformation and some better estate and condition if it might bee Thinke with your selues what great loue should that king purchase at the hands of his age and what glorie should he procure in posteritie to come what peace and ioy in his owne soule that should build againe the Lords temple that should reare vp his alters that should purge his seruice froÌ„ corruption and should by these good meanes and such like compound schismes diuisions partialities in the church in the State and euery where breaking forth And should take from robbers and Tyrants all the matter and occasion of their conspiracies and of their monopolies and priuate profites and should giue a breathing space to so many millions of peoples and to such â—n infinite number of persons assurance â—or their goods freedom to their bodies â—est to their soules And should draw or â—ull from vnder so confused a Chaos and heape of all excesse and outrage a good gouernement a certaine and setled order and a cheerefull light Certainely I persuade my selfe that the people euen of a certaine earnest desire and vnfained good will to such would kisse their apparrell and reuerence euerie thing that did belong to them yea they would reioice exceedingly And good reason because they were restored as it were from death to life and from all miserie to all mercie both outward and inward And I thinke verily that such a prince with so many clappings of hands and blessings as he should receiue wold goe out of his bodie and bee void of his sences and become altogether spirit and altogether soule so farre off would he bee to thinke vpon or make account of these poor pleasures that men esteem to bee such These are the pleasures of a king yea these are the pleasures that I wish with al my heart might be heaped with measure pressed downe and running ouer vpon my king pleasures pure and free from all displeasures and greeffe which to thinke vpon or remember is full of honour of profit of ioy whereof the pleasure and sweetnesse also doth not wither or decay pleasures by which hee approcheth to God and is exalt ed aboue honour it selfe and not those victous and sinful pleasures which creep vpon the earth and cause a Prince to bee a priuate person and a man a beast as it were as wee see particularly in Nabuchadnetzar meÌ„tioned in Daniels prophecie Dani. 4.30 and as Hoshea sheweth it in plaine speeches Hoscâ— 4.11 saying Whoredome and Wine and new wine take away the hart But touching such plesaures the king I speake of will say as Dauid doth I will flie from both the persons that fall away and the fallings away themselues nothing that belongeth to them shall approch vnto mee But Dauid made a vow concerning two points First that hee would be vpright in all his judgements And this respecteth other men with whom hee should haue to deale and is as I may say publike or common The second that he would be pure and cleane in his conuersation But this concerneth himselfe and may bee tearmed priuat Howbeit good also whilest other men seeing his holy conuersation coupled with feare 1. Pet. 3.1 might learne to glorifie God in the day of their visitation And both these are according to the double person that he sustained as he was a priuat man holy life for good example was fit and as hee was a king or Magistrat execution of iustice was more than necessarie Otherwise if hee had failed in both hee had destroied both waies and if hee had failed in the one and performed in the other hee had as fast pulled downe as set vp And theresore that he might be the better holpen and furthered to them both hee saith of the one That hee will flie both the occasion and the contagion thereof and contains his eies and vtterly abstaine from the wicked And for the other the better to preserue the integrity of his reason and of his iudgement yea his vprightnesse as well towards his neighbours as to his subiects hee sayth and promiseth to practise himselfe that which hee had deliuered and therefore he addeth Verse 4. A froward heart shall depart from mee I will not know or allow of euill or of an euill person BY these words froward heart Dauid meaneth such a one as hateth the vpright way that he proposed vnto himselfe and propounded to others to follow and walke in And the reason thereof is expressed in Salomons saying Hee that walketh in vprightnessee saith he feareth the Lord but he that goeth by odde courses in his way despiseth him And why should not wee take it to be such a sinne indeed euen contempt of God when dispightfylly we will refuse the way of good workes which hee hath prepared for vs to walke in and will follow by-paths of our own and of other mens deuise But if a man would take it more largely specially since the corruption of our first Parents hath entred into the world wee shall see that our vprightnesse yea the vprightnesse of all and euerie one of vs is so vitiate and corrupted that none can bee counted better than peruerse and froward be he what hee may bee in his owne or
right ends And besides the wise man telleth vs A faithfulfriend is the medicine of life it purgeth the affections and correcteth the actions And the same wise man addeth saying Hee that seareth the Lord shall find such a one And â—f we should profit by that which is spoken vntruly and with an vnsound and â—atefull heart that so we may bring out of mens darkenesse the sound light of faithful obedience as wee see Dauid did at the railing of Shimei Should we not much more make vse of that which is deliuered truly as in regard of matter dutifully as in respect of manner and soundry as in regard of affection This is a doctrine and lesson most necessarie for Princes to learne who in steed of opening such mens mouths must stop and shut their owne eares against them and in steed of laying open their hearts vnto them must pull out their â—ies and their tongues hold this for a certaine and sure saying that they haue receiued a great mercie from God and man when they haue escaped or are deliuered from such Wee haue seene and heard of some Princes that hauing been hurt and wounded haue desired the Chirurgians to thinke them and to take them for priuate souldiours and neuer to cocker them or to respect them Why did they so They knew full well that to heale them and to flatter them were things that could not well stand together And this they could doe for bodily health and strength How much more should they make themselues as if it were priuate persons to good and vertuous people that so they might helpe and heale the maladies of their mind or their vices Wee will willingly reach out and suffer the Physician to feele our pulses and wee will lay open or discouer our plague sore to the Barber or Chirurgian And why do we not the like for our spirituall sicknesses Nay rather wee are sicke of a contrarie humour for wee will not discouer our vices or our imperfections to any but such as shall foster and cherish them in vs. If any man speake plaine wee are of Achabs mind 1. Kin. 22.8 there is one man Michaiah the sonne of Imlah but I hate him for hee doth not prophecie good vnto me but euill Wee cannot indure that one should so much as touch them vnlesse it be to tickle them and as it were with a certaine pleasant delight in them to lull vs asleep therein And yet for all this I am not of those mens minds that would haue great persons at all times without any discretion or difference to be reproued Some thinke the hatred of euill in others and the dutie that is laid vpon them to admonish or reproue doth make theÌ„ lawlesse as in regard of the manner But they are fouly deceiued for euery good thing must be done well and wee are tied not onely to matter but to maner of doing yea to such a forme as God hath sanctified vnto vs in his word Princes persons are great I confesse and their places high I acknowledge that also but they doe not either priuiledge the Princes themselues from instruction admonition or rebuke or intitle priuate and particular persons to doe it when where and as they will Nathan Gods owne Prophet proceedeth not therein after such a sort He made his entrance into the king by windings about and fetches c. Samu. 21.12 c. euen by parables and darke speeches at the first then he defended softely and gently to charge him with the sin at the last to threaten him for his transgression I will say no more but this vse what reuerence you will or what art you can only let them thinke you see their finnes and doe you your best endeauour to cause them to feele sorrow for it yea a godlie sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation 2. Cor. 7.10 neuer to he repented of and to comprehend the danger of it that so you may preuent the accidents and the occasions of a canker So Nathan ceased not to purge Dauid from his sinne he squised and crushed out the matter and filth of it he pressed vpon him confession of it contrition for it and sound conuersion vnto God and all bathed in the bitter teares of a faithfull soule And what doth this great king for that Doth hee command him silence No for that had ben impious Doth he forbid him comming into his presence No neither for that had been inhumane as in regard of the Prophet and hurtfull to Dauid himselfe Or doth hee disgrace him in the sight of his subiects nobilitie or such like No such matter for that had been the debasing of Gods owne ordinance What then He imbraceth him as his faithfull friend and loueth him so much the more heartilie for that he had delt so plainely and soundly with him in a cause concerning his soule And good reason for open rebuke is better than secret loue Pro. 27.5.6 the words of a louer are faithfully and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant Besides he was a worthie instrument to beget him againe to God and to bring him againe into the Lords fauour from which he was separated by meanes of his sinnes Isaiah 59.2 and therefore in these respects also to bee beloued But what would a flatterer haue done here He would haue left him in his sinne and haue let him alone defiled in his own blood Ezech. 16.6 polluted with his ordure beaten downe with the curse of God against him and humbled with the hatred of his subiects and all for his sinnes sake and the iust punishment of his transgression But what man of pitie in himself of pietie to God or of charitie towards men could leaue a man in such a miserable taking And yet wee see flatterers doe it daily They wound men closely and they destroy both the persons and the dignities of kings whilest they make them beleeue that they alter and change the nature of their vices Luke 10.37 Christ in the gospell commendeth the Samaritan for kindnesse shewed to the wounded man and vpon it inferreth this doctrine that wee must goe and doe likewise But surely hee will condemne these not onelie for want of doing the good they ought to haue done bur for doing the euill they should not haue done And princes are not in danger this way alone by flattery I meane but euen by silence also For it may yea it dooth many times so fall out that euen kings fauorits and familiers doe no lesse hurt or euill by holding their peace than the other do by speaking Silence is another abuse of the tongue because God and nature hath made this proper and peculiar vnto it to speake good things and in due time But herein is our corruption manifested and Sathans malice also against vs that when wee may not speake the euill thinges we should not wee will not speake the good things we ought A Sentinell or watchman that is silent or holdeth his peace
doth no lesse betray a town or citie than a spie or a traitor that speaketh And that also is the reason why the law sayth that he is as culpable before the prince that speaketh not of the euill hee knoweth or heareth as he that worketh the euill himselfe Thou fearest belike to offend the eare And yet thou fearest not to offend or hurt the soule But whether is the greatest if both were offended Or which shouldest thou in holy wisdome and good nature most respect reason without religion I thinke will easily teach thee And then no small transgression surely doest thou commit that in laying thy hand vpon thy mouth blottest out religion and reason with the light therof in thy selfe neglectest a more than necessarie dutie to Prince people kingdome and all Know this of a suretie that so oft as thou concealest any thing and canst conueniently or possibly reueale it thou woundest the kingly Maiestie and his estate also If an ambush were laid against his person or power thou wouldest carefully tell him thereof yea thou wouldest though it were rudely and roughly pull him from any place where hee might be too much seene and so by consequent in danger and thou wouldest hale him so thou mightest saue him thou didddst not care whither This is well done but it reacheth onely to his bodie And what Wilt thou feare to set before him and to free him if thou canst from a horrible headlong downefall of his soule No no here thou must tell him Gods eie seeth thee in these disorders of thine God will raine downe vpon thee for thy sinnes the fire and the flambe of his indignations thunders and the lightenings of his displeasure euen all manner of miseries and curses whatsoeuer he is in his furie readie to fall vpon thee and thy people yea prest to poure out such punishments as thou canst neither take away or remoue and from which no cloke or colour no castle or defence shall be able to shelter and defend thee If thou deale not thus soundly with thy king as in regard of his soule what art thou Humane lawes say that if thou neglect it as in respect of his body thou art a Traitor Gods law that layeth this dutie vpon thee will much more condemne thee for this crime and that not onely against the Prince but against the Lord himselfe And these iudgements of God wrath of his are such points indeed as would bee well and seriously thought of and the rather because hee holdeth the principalities and gouernements of the world in his owne hand and setteth vp in them for as long time as seemeth good to his owne wisdome such as he seeth to bee profitable and fit therefore And yet on the other side for the iniquities for the dissolutions and for the outrages that men doe commit therein translateth them from me people to another nation and from a stocke to another familie and kindred And indeed he that in this behalfe vseth not libertie and freedome doth secretly and priuily wound which yet is the more foule in him because hee doth it hot so much with this respect not to offend or hurt his Maister as for his owne sake and hauing a regard to his owne particular profit that so hee may not offer iniurie to his fauour and his fortune as men vse prophanely to say yea so much the more mischeefe doth hee because hee would seeme to be and bee taken to bee a right honest man who if he were that that he would seeme to bee could not bee silent against that which is euill nor but speak for that which is good And this euill is not as in regard of himselfe onely for then it were the lesse to be regarded because it were priuate and particular but as in respect of his Prince Soueraign who being a publike person and hauing this euill commitred against him hath with him the publike state endamaged Who also because such a one holdeth his peace as he taketh to bee a right honest or holie man doth so much the more flatter himselfe in his sinne supposing that because hee that is so good speaketh nothing of it or against it that therefore it is no great or weightie matter and that that which such good peoples eies can indure to see is nothing at all so dangerous as men would make them beleeue it to be In the mean while the suburbes as I may say yea the whole citie is let on fire Gods wrath waxeth hote and breaketh forth against mens sinnes and all by reason of the want of an incision as the Chirurgians vse to say I meane a free a liuely and a piercing speech Yea behold further mischeefes and inconueniences that follow vpon this cursed silence as for example reuolting of the people dispossessing of kings throwing downe of crownes and scepters and the vtter ruine and subuersion of States Where are then these good counsellours that will say that if men would haue beleeued them all should haue beene much better than it is Neither had things come to such greeuous disorder and confusion wheras they haue ben for feare of others for fauour towards themselues for ignorance of the causes and other worldly respects as mute as fishes But surely say what they will or can they themselues and the poore Princes that they haue deceiued are worthie as in this behalfe and in these stormes and tempests to meet that ruinated king of whome Plutarch speaketh flying from the force of his enemies and auoiding what hee could the murmurings of his subiects to whom if one of those silent yea dum courtiers or counsellours should say I foresaw all this euill the Prince might iustly call him traitour and stab him to and tell him If thou diddest foresee this it had ben thy dutie then to haue told it me and not to haue waited a time to haue spoken to me of it out of time and when it is past remedie for what good gettest thou by that Thou doest but bewray faintheartednesse in thy selfe a fault no way fitting a coūfellor of estate little or no loue towards me whom thou shouldest haue accounted more deere and precious than thine owne life and that not only for thine owne priuat profit but the common good of the whole kingdome and least care towards thy Country or Commonweale which being thy common parent and giuing thee all good things thou shouldest haue againe at the least requited with premonition of euil But what shall say Certainely I know not one and I would wish that it might bee obserued euery where that is not culpable of this crime And I beseech God of his infinit goodnesse and mercie to pardon all of vs and euerie one of vs. Those that offend by speaking too much to the pleasure and delight of Princes doe it doubtlesse for some particular and priuate good to themselues which they looke to receiue thereby and many times obtaine it indeed On the other side those that through silence
dissemble the euil which they foresee sinne certainely much more greeuously and that not onely as in regard of the soure fruits before rehersed but also because they doe themselues no good yea they greeuously hurt themselues and others also themselues whilest through silence and winking at transgression they become partakers of other mens sinnes and others whilest they doe not by premonition prouoke preuention and turning away of euill By speech some at the least reape some good though happily it be but outward and rather seeming so to bee than such indeed But those that are silent haue nothing nor do nothing but that which is euill yea euill indeed Wherefore Dauid vpon very good reason sayth both of the one and the other I will cut them off And great cause surely for they are vnprofitable people and not onely so but hurtfull also euen to theirkings and to their country and to their owne selues Plants they are that haue no fruit nor any good thing else in them but a shaddow and yet that shaddow to is dangerous and if it bee not deadly it is well And therefore they worthy as vnprofitable wood or trees to bee bewen downe and to be cast into the fire yea into that fire which shall neuer be put out But as wee haue said alreadie he commeth euen vnto the thoughts the lifted vp eyes saith he the heart that is puffed vp I will not suffer or indure them To trie out this point wee need not goe seeke for rules either of Phisiognomie for they are for the most part false or of Anatomie for they are not alwaies sure And indeed to speake properly the first of these are at the most but coniecturall and therefore will not steed vs here And the second is to as small purpose as possiblie may bee in this behalfe What shall we say then Discerned they must be that is true And we can hardly bee better instructed than from the things themselues specially if God giue vs grace to fetch light from thence The eyes doubtlesse bee as it were the windowes of the soule In our eyes or thorow them the soule it selfe looketh for that is true in reason and religion that we are wont to say the foule feeth by the eye yea by it many times it discouereth it selfe or causeth it selfe to bee seene as in regard of the affections thereof Now haughtie or lifted vp eies are such eyes as goe beyond their bounds and limits eyes of presumption and of pride eyes lifted vp indeed I confesse that but not vnto God for then they would humble themselues before so high and heauenly a Maiestie as good cause they haue and as the poore Publican did who durst not lift vp so much as bis eies to heauen but â—ifted vp in themselues Luke 18.13 Such eyes to be short that see nothing but they thinke it all belongeth to them and make an account of it as too base for them yea as if it were their verie vnderling And such eies as these are doe alwaies presuppose yea argue a heart of the like condition and nature Such a heart as cannot or will not containe it selfe within his owne bosome or breast such a will as will haue no law nor measure nor bounds set it which hath al the motions thereof answereable or proportionable thereto that is to say vnruly highly conceited and violent So wee haue in a few words the description of prowd persons as the Scripture calleth them and against which it crieth our so lowd and so continually People they are that God cannot abide and therefore it is said in the Word The Lord bringeth the prowd downe froÌ„ their thrones and in diuerse places Iam. 4.6 the Lord resisteth the prowd Yee hee pulleth vp the very roots of prowd peoples and nation and in their roomes planteth and that with great honour the lowly and meeke And againe people they are that men cannot brooke or beare and good reason for iâ— they bee insupportable to God to men much more Whereupon also it is commonly said That a prowd person is hatefull to all men to the good because they detest as other sinnes so that iniquitie and to the wicked because they are greened that any is preferred with them or before them Yea indeed they are pursued as if it were with publike execution And least of all are they to be born with by kings or to be suffered nigh vnto theÌ„ yea lesse there than in any other place whatsoeuer For besides that kings are great persons and therefore should bee good yea the best of men as they be the highest amongst them and should haue none approch vnto them but such as are good indeed proud persons about them will doe nothing but leaue in them a ielous spirit touching their present greatnesse or a feare of that which is to come and so both those humours fill them full of all vnquietnesse and make them vnfit for publike rule And if Princes be once hurt by these or such like the damage resteth not within themselues but floweth yea ouerfloweth to all mens hearts Who for the maintenance of their pride euery way must be pinched in their purses burthened in their bodies and greeued in their soules And therefore that wise king Salomon telleth vs that the Lord abhorreth seuen things and the first of them which hee nameth Pro. 6.17 are these same high lookes or these haughtie and lifted vp eies Such fellowes when they are nigh vnto or about Princes they make them beleeue that there is neither law nor king aboue them and that all that liketh them is lawfull for them to doe yea that whatsoeuer they can performe by violence is right and iust These are they that cause Princes and themselues also when they are once aloft to abuse their greatnesse euen according to their own passions and affections And because they imagine themselues though fondly and vntruly to bee pettie gods about the Princes whome they gouerne they cause themselues and their Princes also to despise that great and eternall God which hath set them on their seats and as much as in them lieth exempt them from subiection to his Maiesty and from his homage seruice Neither are they dangerous to Princes onely as before hath ben shewed but euen to people also For they are like those counsellours that said to Rehoboam 1. Kin. 12.11 Thy father did beat them with rods thou that hast more strong reines and loines than he make them bloudie euen with scourges and scorpions yea they are instruments of all manner of Tyrannie against the people and by consequent also meanes of the peoples reuolting from their Princes all which is euident in Rehoboams furie ten tribes at one time falling away from Dauids stocke to Ieroboam and neuer afterwards for ought we can read adioined ther to since wherein wee are yet to marke further that the more mightie the Monarchs and kings are about which such prowd persons are placed