Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII. Of Flatterie.
THE reproof by Diogenes is not morePlutarch. known, then just, upon flatterers; that as tyrants are the worst of all wild beasts, so are they of all tame. And yet there is (and the same verie common) a worse beast, then eyther of them severally; to wit, a monster-gendred of them both. Men flatter their superiours, or others able to oppose them; to the intent they may tyrannize over their inferiours the more freely, without danger, or fear: and so become both flatterers, and tyrants.
A man needs no other flatterer then his own partiall heart to infatuate him. Notwithstanding, though few would rayther buy a false, then a true glasse to see their faces in: yet how fewer are there so truely ha…eing their own vices, as that they had not rayther seek, or at least, enterteyn such freinds, as may rayther cover their faults by flatterie, then cure them by faythfull reproofs? And this benefit men of a poore, and despised condition may set against divers miseryes incident thereunto: that they are thereby out of danger of being much flattered. Every one will be bould to call a poore man fool, or knave, and to speak of, and to him, all the ill which he knows, & more also. Whereas the rich, and mightie in the world are, for the most part, soothed up, to their destruction; as the fat ox is clawed by the same hand that strikes him down. And this is just from God upon the most of them, because they desire rayther to be pleased by flatteries, then bettered by hearing the truth. Few coming near Davids order, will say as he did, Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindenes: let him reprove me, it shall be a pretious oyl. Where yet thePsal. 141. excuse is not nothing, which the Phylosopher makes; thatPlutarch. as worms soonest breed in soft and sweet woods: so gentle and noble spirits do most easily admit▪ flatteryes.
He that reads the Epistles dedicatorie of learned me…s books in all faculties, divinitie not excepted; if eyther he knew not the contrarie, by experience, or suspected not, how easily ambition (the canker of learning, and mother of flatterie) might grow in learned mens breasts: would soon be brought to think, that almost all the great men in the world were so good, so vertuous, so religious, such, & so wise, and worthy patriots, as nothing more could be wished, or hoped for. But how oft, God and men know, whilst they labour to honour many of them unjustly, do they most justly shame themselvs, in proclayming those things of their benefactours to the world, with all confidence, which a modest man that knows the persons, cannot read without blushing? and giving men just cause to suspect (as Lactantius speaks of a Philosopher in Bithynia, writing against Christians, and pouring out himself into theLactant. prayses of persequuting princes) that oft times they write their books rayther to flatter in their prefaces, then for other matters prosequ…ted in the treatises themselvs.
Flatterie is in all cases, and persons a base sin, and whichProv. 28. will make one man (dog-like) to fawn upon another, for a morsell of bread: But in the ministers of Gods holy word, above all other men, it is most pernitious. For whereas in other cases a man makes himself a claw-back; in this he makes God himself, in whose name he speaks, no better, what in him lyes: Besides that, he turns into deadly poyson the onelyonly sovereign medcine of the soul. This made the Apostle take God to witnesse, that he never used 1 Thes. 2.flattering words: and to protest against others, that they in doing it, served not the Lord Iesus, but their own bellyes. Rom. 16.Such are not to be accounted the servants of Christ, whom they make their stayl; nor yet of their flattered Lords, and maysters, how lowd soever they professe themselvs their obedient servants: but they have a base mayster, whom they serve, and are ashamed to own; their belly, and the divell in it. It is not for nothing that the prophets, and Apostles have so thundered against the flatterers of the mightie; who both look so much for it, as that they think themselvs half maligned, andSeneca. envyed, if they be but sparingly flattered; and yet are so deeply endangered by it. Here notwithstanding, we must beware, that to avoyd the note of flatterers we become not raylers, affecting to speak evill of dignities, eytherIude 8. in pride, (as many scorn to flatter, that is, love to revile▪ or out of discontentment in our selvs, or to nourish it in others.