The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 12
Of Ambition, and Pride. Chap. 12.
AS Auarice is an exceſsiue coueting of riches, ſo ambition i… an vnmeaſurable deſire of honour, glorie, and reputation with men. That wee may therefore the more plainely laie open this vice, we will conſider it in three ſortes. Firſt in that man, not content with his eſtate, coueteth to be greater, and to hauehave more reputation and honour. Secondly, in that hee pretendeth a glory and praiſe in the giftes and graces which hee hath receiued from the Lord: and this kinde of ambition may properly bee tearmed arrogancie and pride. Thirdly, when man ſaith or doth anie thing whereby to ſeeme to hauehave or be more than he hath or is, & it may well be tearmed boaſting. As for the firſt,Gen. 1.26 Gen. 3 it is moſt liuely preſented vntounto vsus in the fall of man. Adam beeing created after the image of God, and appointed Lord & maſter ouer al his creatures, was not content with that excellencie and greatneſſe, but by the inſtigation of Satan, coueted and endeuoured to bee greater, yea, euen to bee lyke vntounto God. This plague hath ſo infected his poſteritie, that there is no imp of Adam but is tickled, yea, & wounded with this deſire to be great, euen greateſt of all. And in deed as the couetous man is neuer ſatiſfied with monie, ſo is the ambitious neuer full with glorie and honour. Ambition, ſayth Seneca,Seneca in hi… Epiſtles. neuer ſuffereth man to reſt in the ſame meaſure of felicitie which himſelfe hath before time wiſhed. No man is content wyth the ſame eſtate that hee hath attained vntounto, but ſeketh a higher. Man is neuer ſatiſfied ſo long as one may go before him, for Ambition ſuffereth him not to ſee whence hee came, howe farre thee is gone, or whether hee doeth aſpire. Euerie ſouldier deſireth to be Captaine: beeing a Captaine, he climbeth higher, and ſeeketh from degree to degree to come to bee a king, yea, if hee might attaine to be Emperour of all Europe, he then would couet to be Emperor of the whole world. Great Alexander was not content wyth the realmes that his father left him, & therefore vndertooke the conqueſt of all the world, yea, when he had obtained a great victorie agaynſt Darius king of Perſia, refuſing the offer that he then made of his daughter in marriage, and halfe his dominions, he anſwered, That as there was but one Sunne in the world,Iuſtin in his 11. booke. ſo would he bee the onelyonly king in the world. How many ſuch Alexanders are there in theſe latter daies? Whereto tended this roiall deuice taken of the increaſe of the Moo…, Vntill ſhee fill her whole compaſse. Alſo of an Emperour, Farther. Bee not theſe euident teſtomonies that mans heart is ambitious and vnſatiable: that it is ſo farre from beeing ſatiſfied by increaſe, that the ſame increaſe doth whet the appetite and ſtill miniſter more increaſe to the vnſatiable coueting of more honor and glorie?
2 There is not anie that in eſtate or dignitie, either in towne, prouince, or kingdome is ſecond, but hee aſpireth to climbe and to bee firſt, if not in the principall degree, as king, yet to bee next to his perſon, as Ionathan ſayde to Dauid, Thou ſhalt raigne, and I will bee next to thee. 1. Sam 23, 17. Math. 20.20The mother of the Apoſtles Iohn and Iames, made a petition to Ieſus Chriſte, that in his kingdome the one might ſit vppon his right hande,3. Iohn 1.9 the other on his lefte. Saint Iohn alſo taxed one Diotrephes, that coueted to bee chiefeſt in the Church.Plu. in the life of Iuli. Caeſar The Romane Emperour Iulius Caeſar, when ſome maruelled that in a little towne where they paſſed through, there was ſtrife who ſhoulde be greateſt, freely ſayde, that himſelfe had rather bee the chiefeſt in that litle towne, than the ſecond at Rome. Were not the Apoſtles at controuerſie who ſhoulde bee greateſt? And dyd not they demaund of Ieſus Chriſt who ſhoulde be greateſt in the kingdome of heauen?Mark. 9.34 Math. 18.1 They imagined that Chriſte ſhoulde raigne vppon earth, as Salomon before had doone: and before they ſaw the crowne vponupon his head, they demanded which of them ſhoulde hauehave the chiefeſt offices. Which is more, he that might attaine to the ſoueraigntie of the whole worlde, woulde yet ſeeke to bee greater, and if it laie in him, to climbe euen into heauen, and as Adam dyd, to bee lyke vntounto God. Some are of opinion, that the ſinne of the Angels that were turned to deuils, proceeded of the lyke ambition,Eſa. 14.13 taking it to be the ſame which Eſaie noteth, where hee ſpeaketh not directly of them, but of Nabuchadnezzer king of Babylon, declaring him to be in deede of the race of Adam, in theſe woordes, I will aſcend into heauen, and exalt my throane aboue, beſydes the ſtarres of God? I will ſyt alſo vppon the mount of the congregation, in the ſides of the North, I will aſcend aboue the height of the cloudes, and I will bee lyke to the moſt high. All the kingdomes of the earth coulde not ſatiſfie the ambition of greate Alexander,Valerius in his firſt booke who by the readinges of Anaxarchus, vnderſtanding that his maſter Democritus maintayned that there were ſundrye worldes, cryed out, ſaying: Woe is mee, wretch that I am, that hauehave not yet attained to the poſſeſsion of one of them. Wherevppon Valerius fitly noteth, yet ſpeaking as a Heathen man, that mortall man eſteemeth his glorie to bee ſtraighted, becauſe it is bounded in one worlde, which neuertheleſſe might ſuffice for the habitation of all the Gods. Hee alſo writ to the Lacedemonians, requiring them to place him among the Gods, and to offer ſacrifice to him,Plutarch in his Apotheg. as vntounto a God. Wherevppon one named Damis, ſcorned his ambition, and ſayd: Well, let vsus giuegive Alexander leaue to bee called God.
3 It is no maruell that the Heathen ſo exalted themſelues, conſidering that ſome who not onelyonly take vppon them the name of Chriſtians, but alſo doo boaſt to bee Saint Peters ſucceſſors, hauehave growen to as great ambition. For the Biſhops of Rome, not contented with the title of Biſhops of the firſt ſea, hauehave taken vppon them to be called vniuerſall Biſhops, heads of the Church vppon earth, placed themſelues aboue kinges and Emperours, compared themſelues to the Sunne, and Kings and Emperors to the Moone, becauſe as the Moone hath no light but from the light of the Sun, ſo kings and Emperors do hold their power & dignity from them: yea, they proceed farther, & ſhare with God,Cap. Satiſ. Diſt. 69 ſuffering themſelues by their paraſites, to be called Gods vponupon earth. Whervpon Pope Nicholas concluded, that ſith God might not be iudged by man, neither might the Popes. And this is it which Saint Paul foretold,2. Theſ, 2.4 that Antichriſt ſhould exalt himſelf againſt al that is called God, or that is worſhipped, ſo that he doth ſit as God, in the temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God. Thus we ſee that the ambitious man is vnſatiable, and cannot be ſatiſfied with all the glorie of the world, but that hee muſt alſo climbe into heauen to become God, euen hee who beeing a poore worme vppon the earth, and coueting to bee great, like vntounto God, through his ambition fell ſo lowe, that he is not now worthie to be mentioned among the leaſt creatures in the world.
4 As this ambition burning in the hart, flameth euen vp to heauen, ſo is there no vice, corruption, ſinne, or iniquitie,Bern. in his 40. Serm. but it engendereth, and in deede, the eldeſt daughter of the firſt ſinne, namely, of the incredulitie of Adam and Eue, coulde not but bee a fruitfull mother and plentifull in vicious, pernitious, and damnable children. Ambition (ſayth Saint Barnard) is a ſecrete poyſon, a hidden ſinne, a forger of fraude, a mother of hypocriſie, a ſpring of enuie, a fountaine of all vice, a moath to holyneſſe, a blinding of the heart, conuerting remedyes into diſeaſes, and medecines into languiſhing. Firſt, what poyſon or plague is more mortall than ambition, whereby man ſeeking to bee equall wyth God, was made lyke vntounto the deuill, not onelye worthie of death, but alſo ſo vicious and corrupt, that at euerie moment hee haſtneth more and more to death.Pſal. 51.7 Epheſ. 3.2 2. Sam. 15.2.… 4.5 This vnthankefull ambition which was alſo the breeder of diſobedience, hath infected vsus with this plague and ſcabbe, that wee are conceiued in ſinne, borne in iniquitie, and by nature the children of wrath. It is truely a forger of fraude and mother of hypocriſie, for ambition diſguiſeth it ſelfe into a thouſande fourmes and ſhapes, to the ende to deceiue others, and by abaſing them to exalt it ſelfe. How dyd Abſolon, beeing reconciled to his father Dauid, flatter the people, taking one by the hand,2. Sam. 15.6 kiſsing another, ſpeaking kindly to all, offering to fauour them in theyr buſineſſe, and to procure their diſpatches? And to what end was all this? Euen to ſteale the hearts of the people, as the holy Ghoſt ſaith, & to turn them from his father Dauid, ſo beating a path to come to the kingdom. Ambition is the ape of Charitie, Charitie is patient for eternall goods, Ambition endureth all for temporall honour, Charitie is courteous to the poore, Ambition to the rich. Charitie endureth all things for the truth, Ambition for vanitie. Moreouer, as Saint Barnard ſayeth, that it is a ſpring of Enuie: ſo Saint Auguſtine calleth Enuie the daughter of Ambition. And truely the ambitious man euer enuyeth the proſperitie of others, either of thoſe that are greater than hee, becauſe he is not ſo great as they, or of his inferiours, leaſt they ſhould attaine to his greatneſſe, or of thoſe that are his equals, becauſe they be equall with him.
Num. 16 2. Kin. 1 1 2. King. 15 1. King. 16. Iud. 9.5 2. Sam. 15 & 18. Platina in his life.Agayne, there is no iniquitie or crueltie ſo hainous, but Ambition wyll vrge a man thereto. What mooued Corah, Dathan and Abiron to murmure agaynſt Moſes and Aaron, and to ſtirre vp ſedition? Athaliah to murther all the kings ſeed, that ſhee myght raigne? Sellum Zembri, and many others to murther their Lords and princes? Abimelech to murther his ſeuentie brethren, the ſonnes of Gedeon? Abſolon that hypocrite and ingratefull perſon, to driue his owne father from his kingdome, and with his armie to proſecute him and to deſtroie him? Pope Silueſter the ſecond, to conſent to giuegive himſelfe to the deuill, that hee might attaine to the papacie? To be ſhort, there is nothing ſo deuilliſh, but man by Ambition may be vrged thereto.
6 The ſecond kinde of Ambition, which we cal Arrogancie & Pride, is no other but a meere ſacriledge againſt God, in that man attributeth to himſelfe the glorie of thoſe graces which hee hath receyued from God. And this arrogancie may be conſidered in two ſortes: firſt, when man glorifyeth himſelfe, in the giftes and graces of God: ſecondly, in that hee ſeeketh and taketh the glory of another, reioycing when it is attributed to him, and ſorrowing when it is denied him. Concerning the firſt, man is ſo vnthankfull to God, as if he giuegive him either knowledge, wealth, dignitie, vertue, or anie other commendable or excellent gifte, hee attributeth the ſame to his owne induſtrie, & in hew of giuing the glorie therof to God, hee aſſumeth it to himſelfe, and waxeth proude thereof. Saint Paul was a choſen veſſell to preach the Goſpell, yet doth he confeſſe, that himſelfe was in daunger of beeing exalted aboue meaſure, through the abundance of reuelations,2. Cor. 12.7 1. Cor. 8.1 1. Cor. 1.26. had not God prouided a remedie. Againe, where he ſayth that knowledge pulleth vp, he noteth this to be a common infirmity among al men, namely, of the increaſe of Gods giftes, to take occaſion of pride In this conſideration, as hee writeth to the Corinthians doth God vſually call the poore, contemptible, ſimple, and fooles, to the knowledge of the Goſpel, rather than the rich, mightie, noble, and wiſe: to the end, that if anie will glorie, he ſhould glorie in the Lord: thereby declaring, that if God ſhould call the rich, the mightie, the noble, and the wiſe, they in liew of giuing the glorie, praiſe,Ephe. 2.… and thanks to God, would aſſume it to themſelues. The ſame doth he alſo ſay in another place, Ye are ſaued by grace through faith, & that not of your ſelues, neither of workes, leaſt anie man ſhould boast himſelfe. Wherein he alſo noteth, that if by good works we ſhould obtaine ſaluation, albeit their goodneſſe proceed from God, yet would wee boaſt of our ſaluation, as if by our owne works we purchaſed the kingdome of heauen.
7 Among all other reaſons why God doth not at full ſanctifie vsus in this life, albeit hee hath made vsus his welbeloued children by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, is to bee obſerued, our inclination to pride. And in deede, if wee doo boaſt of friuolous matters, as of fine dancing, leaping, running, gallant garments, and other like vanyties, what would wee doo if in this life God ſhould indue vsus wyth all holyneſſe and other vertues? How proude and glorious would wee become? Truly it would be our vtter ruine: for the arrogancie and pride that woulde ſpring thereof, woulde prouoke Gods wrath againſt vsus, to depriue vsus thereof, as vnthankfull perſons, and to puniſh vsus as ſacrilegious wretches, that robbe God of his glorie.In Proſpers ſentences. In this reſpect doth Saint Auſten ſaie, that humble confeſsion in wicked workes, is better than proud ambition in good. And therfore he ſayth farther,Ibidem. The firſt vice that conquered man wil be the laſt to conquer: for when man hath ouercome all other vice and iniquitie, then is the greateſt danger, leaſt the ſoule finding it ſelfe victorious, ſhould boaſt more in it ſelfe than in God.
8 But let vsus proceede to other the giftes of God,Gen. 16.4 1. Tim. 6.17 Agar finding her ſelfe with childe by Abraham, grew ſo loftie and proude, that ſhee deſpiſed her miſtres. Saint Paul admoniſheth Timothy, to charge the rich men in this world, that they bee not high minded, thereby declaring, that riches vſually doo ingender pride. To this effect wee reade, that Aſſuerus ſitting vponupon the throane of the glorie of his kingdom, made a feaſt to all his princes and officers, that hee might boaſt vntounto them of the riches of the glorie of his kingdome,Gen. 16.4 1. Tim. 6.17 Heſter 1.4 and the honour of his great maieſtie. Alſo, that Haman, the Iewes enemy, hauing ſent for his friends and his wife, reported vntounto them the glorie of his riches,Heſter 5. and boaſted the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king dyd magnifie him aboue all the princes and ſeruantes of the king. Nabuchadnezzer walking in the royall pallace of Babylon,Dan. 4.27. boaſted of his greatneſſe ſaying? Is not this great Babel, that I hauehave builte for the houſe of my kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maieſtie? Thus doth the vnthankfull and ſacrilegious perſon boaſt of the giftes and graces of God, attributing to himſelfe the praiſe due to God onelyonly.
9 The ſecond point of this arrogancie and pride, conſiſteth in ſeeking and accepting the praiſe due vntounto others, and in taking pleaſure therein. And this alſo is a verie common and dangerous plague Saint Auguſtine ſayth, that it is not inough that we couet not the honour, either that wee make but ſmall account thereof when it is denyed, except we alſo practiſe our ſelues in refuſing it, and withall, take no pleaſure when it is offered vsus. Yet contrarywiſe, it is ſeldome ſeene, ſayeth Cicero, that anie man, after ſome notable exploit or peece of worke, forbeareth to craue commendation and glorie,In his familiar Epiſtles, as a reward of his labours: and himſelfe beeing of the ſame ſtampe, by his Letters deſireth a friend of his to write the hiſtorie of his dooinges, and therein ſomewhat to his prayſe, for (ſayth hee) my ſelfe am alſo ſomewhat couetous of glorie. Alexander the great eſtemed Achilles bleſſed, becauſe he had Homer,Plutarch in his life. Cicero in his Orat. for Archias. Plutarch in his lyfe. an excellent Poet, the recorder of his deeds and glorie. Themiſtocles ſhewed no leſſe ambition, when beeing demaunded in what voyce he was moſt delighted: He anſwered, In the ſame that moſt commendeth my vertues. In concurrence whereof, beeing on a time at the famous exerciſes of Olympus; where the people caſting theyr eies frō the wraſtlers vponupon him, as not ſatiſfied with his ſight, pointed alſo to him, and ſhewed him to ſtraungers, with teſtimonie of great applauſe, he ſo liked of that glorie, that ſpeaking to his friendes he ſayd, that that daie hee had reaped the fruit and rewarde of all his paynes and trauayles for Greece. We ſee alſo euen in little children, the draughts & beginning of this vainglorie, they wyll leape, they wyll hoppe vppon one legge, they wyll endeauour to reade well, they wyll ſhew theyr writing, and will greatly reioyce in praiſe and commendation. Let a man tell them that they bee fayre, or wiſe, or that they hauehave a gaie coate, and ſo foorth, they wyll euen bee proude of it. To be ſhort, there is no man but loueth to bee praiſed. And that is the reaſon, that when a man deſerueth to bee reprooued, there muſt bee longe excuſes, the blame muſt conſiſt in few wordes, and thoſe ſweete, for feare of offending: but in matter of praiſe and commendation, it muſt bee ſpoken freely and wyth open throate, there ſhall neede no intreatie to take it in good woorth, wee know that wee ſhall bee welcome, and hauehave free audience, yet can wee take no pleaſure in ſuch commendations without ſacriledge againſt God, in that thereby wee accepte and receiue the glorie to our ſelues, which is due to him onelyonly. Neuertheleſſe, what Chriſtian is there,Plut. in his Laca…nicals. that hateth to bee prayſed and commended? The verie Heathen doo heerein ſhame vsus: As among others, Theopompus, who when hee hearde that there were certayne honours decerned vntounto him by publyke authoritie: in liew of reioycing thereat, hee wrote, that Time woulde increaſe honours and wealth, and abate ſuch as were ſuperabundant. The lyke modeſtie dyd Socrates ſhew: for when hee heard a certayne diſcourſe of Plato, tending highly to his commendations, hee cryed out, ſaying: Oh what a number of vntruths doeth this young man reporte of me. And ſo would not in anie wiſe allow of ſuch commendations.
10 Chriſtians in duetie ought not onelyonly to enſue this modeſtie, and to reiect ſuch glorie as maye bee attributed to them, but aſo to declare vntounto whome it appertayneth, that it may bee giuen where it ought. As Saint Peter when hee had cured the lame man, and ſawe the people meruayle thereat, ſayde: Yee men of Iſrael, why meruaile yee at this? Act 3.Or why looke yee ſo ſteadfaſtly an vsus, as though by our power and godlyneſſe wee hauehave made this man goe? This myracle hath beene wrought by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and therefore the praiſe and glorie thereof belongeth to him, and not to vsus. Paule and Barnabas proceede farther, for ſeeing that for healing a lame man at Liſtra, the Licaonians thought them to bee Gods, and woulde hauehave offered ſacrifices vntounto them, they in great horror rent theyr garments and ſharplye reprouing them, tolde them that the praiſe and glorie thereof belonged to God onelyonly, and to him muſt be giuen.
11 Of this ſecond point of arrogancie and pride, proceedeth ſuch griefe and ſorrowe, as wee take when wee are defrauded of the honour, glorie, and reputation which wee pretende and looke for at the handes of others.Heſter 3 Haman, mentioned in the hiſtorie of Heſter, ſeeing that Mardocheus would not ſtoope and bowe, to doo to him like honour as others did, grewe into ſuch wrath and rage, that hee practiſed the death of the ſayde Mardocheus, together with all the Iewes that dwelled within the hundred and ſeuen and twentie prouinces of king Aſſuerus. Another moſt horrible example we hauehave in the perſon of Achitophel, who beeing taken to bee the wiſeſt and graueſt counſellor among the Iewes in his time,2. Sam. 17 ſeeing that Abſalon had preferred the counſaile of Chuſay the Arachite before his, being vnable to brooke that abaſement of his glorie and reputation, for deſpite went and hanged himſelfe. Pelaretus, a Lacedemonian, though a Heathen, practiſed a cleane contrarie vertue:Plutarch in his Apotheg. for ſeeing himſelfe not choſen to bee one of the three hundred (this was a dignity of honor at Sparta) was ſo far from grieuing thereat, that he made publike demonſtration of great contentment and ioy: and when the Ephori meruailing thereof, demanded his reaſon: Hee tolde them that hee reioyced at the good of the common wealth, becauſe he ſaw there were three hundred better and more worthy to gouerne than him ſelfe. Where ſhall wee finde one Chriſtian heart that ſo loueth his common wealth, as that hee wyl reioyce to ſee many preferred before him in dignitie and honour, as beeing thereby perſwaded, that they may bee more vertuous and profitable to the common wealth than himſelfe.
12 The third kinde of Ambition, is vaine boaſting or preſumption, as when a man ſpeaketh or doeth anie thing, to the ende to ſeeme to hauehave more than hee hath, and to be that which he is not. Some there are ſo ambitious & fooliſh in this point, that the leſſe they hauehave whereof to bragge, the more they boaſt themſelues, and ſo theyr bragges are as teſtimonies of theyr ignorance, want, and miſerie. When the ſhadowes of our bodies grow great, it is a ſigne that the Sunne beginneth to depart from vsus: and in like manner it is an argument whereby to proue that vertue decaieth, when preſumption augmenteth. As full veſſells make ſmall noiſe, & when they yeeld a great ſound, it is a ſigne they be emptie: euen ſo vain glorie and much boaſt is a token of ſmall vertue. As alſo the poor pedlers that hauehave but theyr packs, doo in euerie market ſhewe all that they hauehave, when the great marchants doo make but ſome ſmal ſhew of the marchandiſe, whereof they hauehave great plentie: ſo doo theſe men by their boaſting declare themſelues to bee deuoyd of that whereof they ſet the greateſt face, and ſo depriue themſelues of the glorie that they ſeeke for, and ſo it falleth out with them in manner as wee ordinaryly ſee, that the ſhadowe flyeth from thoſe that runne after it, and followeth thoſe that flie frō it. Alſo as the eares of corne that hang theyr heads, are ordinarily wel taken and full, and thoſe that ſtand vpright, do make vsus to thinke that there is little in them: ſo they that walke in humilitie, and exalte not themſelues, neither ſeeke for glorie, are moſt endued with vertue, and other commendable qualities, when contrarywiſe, the greate boaſters by theyr proude ſpeeches, doo ſhew themſelues deuoyde of the ſame. Experience alſo teacheth, that as the vallies are ordinarily fruitfull, ſo the hills the higher they are, the more is theyr barrenneſſe. Let theſe men therefore no longer deceiue both the world and themſelues, neyther let them bee ſuch fooles, as to bee content wyth the falſe apparance and no effect: Let them endeauour to bee in deede that which they would ſeeme to bee, namely, wiſe, holie, and vertuous, otherwiſe wee may liken them to ſuch as couet rather the name of a king, than the kingdome, or to bee king in deede. Withal, let them remember, that as ſuch impudencie and boaſting is intollerable among men, ſo when it is practiſed in matter concerning the ſeruice of God, it is no leſſe than deteſtable hypocriſie in his ſight.
13 We hauehave alreadie declared, that ambition and deſire to bee mightie, together with ſuch arrogancie and pride as maketh man to glorie of himſelfe, to reioyce when glory is giuen vntounto him, and to grieue when it is denied him, taken from him, or diminiſhed, are common faultes and deeply rooted in mens heartes, and wythall very dangerous: as alſo is boaſting, as when a man ſeeketh to ſeem to be more thā he is, or more than he hath. What more is ther now to bee done, but that as Ieſus Chriſt exhorteth vsus to amend, ſo to the end to obey him, wee conſider vponupon all conuenient meanes to correct and vtterly to mortifie this curſed ambition, pride, & boaſting.Plutarch of ſelfe praiſe. Plutarch hath in writing left vntounto vsus many good rules and aduertiſements, to helpe vsus herein. Firſt, he willeth vsus to beware that wee take no occaſion to praiſe our ſelues, when we heare the commendations of others, eſpecially of our equals and inferiours, for then doth our ambition naturally deſire that they ſhoulde alſo ſpeak of vsus. As when we ſee another feed ſauorly before vsus, it maketh our mouthes water to eate with him. Or, as experience ſheweth, when another man yauneth, we open our mouths & yaun with him: but we are more inclined to praiſe our ſelues, when others do report our vertues & commendable works, for therin are we tickled vntill we laugh again, and clawed where it doth itch. Likewiſe if the reporter thereof ſpeaketh ſoberly or with the leaſt, wee can not longer forbeare, but as if we meant to reueale ſome theft, and ſought to recouer the ſame, wee are ſtraight vrged to tell the reſt, yea, and rather than to looſe one iot of our commendation, more than all. Many times alſo it chanceth, that vnderunder pretence of praiſing the vertues of another, we cunningly doo ſlip in, & ſhew forth our own. As when a man exalting the humilitie and affabilitie of a king or prince, reporteth that he gaue him his hand, & thus & thus honoured him, pretending therby to let men vnderſtand, that him ſelfe is of good eſtimation and worthie honor. And herein do wee Chriſtians many times offend, when vnderunder colour of praiſing God for his gifts and graces poured vponupon vsus, wee rehearſe them to the end our ſelues may alſo hauehave ſome part of the glory. This is a counterſet glorie giuen to God, that our ſelues may hauehave a ſhare therin. Some there are that reproue others, and ſharply rebuke them of their faults and infirmities, propounding themſelues for examples of the contrarie vertues, and this is common with age, who therein ſeek to ſet a face vponupon their owne glorie to the diſhonor of others. Others we ſhal alſo finde, who vnderunder pretence of humility do miniſter occaſion of their own praiſe, & ſo make their humility abait to catch their praiſe. They will abaſe their giftes, graces, vertues, and commendable actions in the preſence of ſuch as knowe them well inough, thereby to giuegive occaſion to gainſaie them, and ſo the more amplie to commend them, yea, they woulde bee loth a man ſhuld conſent to their own ſpeeches. Theſe aduertiſements might ſuffice to warne vsus to beware of praiſing our ſelues. To conclude, we are to imagine, that as it is a griefe and trouble to vsus to heare the boaſting and proud ſpeeches of others, ſo leaſt we ſhould giuegive like cauſe of trouble to others that heare vsus, and withall incur the reputation of vaineglory, wee are to beware of praiſing our ſelues. Theſe be good aduertiſements deliuered by Plutarch. But in as much as they tend chiefly to frame a requiſite modeſtie and ſeemlyneſſe among men, that ſhunning the obloquy of ambition & arrogancie, they may purchaſe the praiſe due to humilitie and modeſtie, wee wyll ſtand no longer vppon them, but proceede to the conſideration of ſuch things as may vtterly vncloath vsus of ambition, vainglorie, and boaſting in the ſight of God.
4 Firſt, let vsus remember the horrible vengeance that God in old time hath executed vponupon the ambitious and proud. What a fearefull puniſhment was inflicted vppon Adam and Eue,Gen. 3 when they laboured to bee like vntounto God?2. Ephe. 3 Pſal. 51.7 That by birth wee are the children of wrath, conceiued in ſinne, borne in iniquitie, ſubiect to a thouſand both bodily and ſpirituall corruptions and tribulations, bond ſlaues both to temporall and eternall death, and by nature more miſerable and wretched than bruite beaſts: Theſe bee the accurſed fruites of this root of ambition, which might cauſe vsus to abhorre and deteſt it. What iudgement dyd God execute vppon Haman, the enemie of the Iewes,Herſte. 7.10 2. King 11. 2. Sam 18 who was hanged vponupon the ſame gallowes that hee had erected for Mardocheus? What reuenge did hee take of Athaliah, who hauing murthered all the kings ſeed for to raigne, was her ſelfe ſlaine? How fearefull and horrible was the death of Abſolon, who hanging vponupon the tree,Eſay 14. Dan. 4 was ſtroke thorough and ſlaine, when with his armie hee purſued his father Dauid? What iudgment did Eſaie denounce agaynſt Nabuchadnezzer? And as Daniel declareth, it was put in execution, when after hee had exalted himſelfe in pride, hee was driuen from among men, and eate graſſe lyke an oxe for the ſpace of ſeuen yeeres, his bodie beeing watered with the deaw from heauen, vntill his haire grew like to the feathers of an Eagle, and his nailes like the clawes of birdes? Neither muſt we omit the notable example of Herod, who, after hee made a plauſible Oration, and that the people commended him, ſaying, It is the voice of God and not of man, Act. 12.21was preſently ſtroken with Gods hand, becauſe accepting and allowing of the glorie giuen to himſelfe, hee gaineſaide it not, neither gaue it to God, and was eaten with wormes and died miſerably. Let theſe iudgements and this vengeance of God keepe vsus in feare of this plague and poiſon: euen as ſuch as are put to execution, are ſo many iudges and heralds pronouncing ſentence of death agaynſt all thoſe that commit the like crimes as they are executed for. And in deed, the holy Ghoſt crieth out and teſtifieth,1. Pet. 5.5 Math. 20.27 Math. 23.12 that God reſisteth the proud, and giueth grace to the lowly. Againe, He that will be firſt among you (ſaith Chriſt) ſhal be miniſter, & he that exalteth himſelfe ſhal be brought low. If man therefore couet to be exalted, God is his aduerſarie: if vponupon arrogācie he attributeth to himſelf the glorie due to God, he muſt loke that God will be his enemie, as he doth proteſt, ſaying, I will not giuegive my glorie to another. Eſay 42.8It falleth out with the ambitious, as Ou…d writeth of Iearus, who taking vponupon him to flie with wings made of wax, when he came neere the Sunne, his wings melted with the heat thereof, and he fell into the ſea, which of his name is yet called the Ieariā ſea: euen ſo the ambitious, the higher they riſe in glory, the more they approch the heat of Gods wrath, and ſo doo melt and fall into the gulfe of eternall confuſion. The man that taketh vponupon him to climbe a tree, the higher hee goeth, and the neerer hee commeth to the toppe, the greater is his danger. As he that is condemned to be hanged, hath no liking of the ladder, becauſe he knoweth that the higher hee climbeth, the neerer he is to his death, and therefore could bee content the ladder ſhould be either broken or burned, if he might hauehave his deſire: euen ſo ought we to deteſt this ambition and pride, and indeuor to denie and to mortifie the ſame, as knowing that to deſire greatnes is to deſire miſhap, and that pride & arrogancie is the higheſt ſtep wherefrom man is caſt headlong into vtter ruine.
15 Surely it is maruellous, that men ſhoulde ſo delight in theſe vices,Bern. of Conſider. li. 1 which doo but torment them euen in this life, & confounde thoſe that hauehave them in poſſeſsion. Oh ambition, ſaith S. Barnard, the croſſe of ambitious men, how doſt thou torment mankinde? Thou pleaſeſt all men, yet is there nothing more mightie in torment, or more grieuous in trouble: And truely if we could cut off theſe vices of ambition and pride, our mindes woulde ſure growe content and quiet: we ſhould not thus conſume in enuie, care, and a number of other paſsions which trouble and moleſt our minds: we ſhould not ſel our liberty, & become ſlaues vponupon an vncertain hope of dominion, neither ingage our conſciences to the deuill for kingdomes. Moreouer, as poiſon put into good and ſound meate, maketh it mortal, ſo pride, taking occaſion of Gods graces to boaſt it ſelfe,Auguſt. vponupon the 58. pſal. doth by ſuch ſacriledge turne vsus vntounto deſtruction. Arrogancie, as S. Auguſtin ſaith, is a deadly ſin, becauſe that the farther that man procedeth in vertue, the greater is his temptation, wherby he looſeth all that he had profited.Auguſt. in his booke of Nature & grace. All other ſins, ſaith he in an other place, are to be feared in miſdeedes, but arrogancie moſt in good. And truly as man hath no cauſe to boaſt of his wickednes & miſerie,Chriſo. in his 29. hom. vponupon Iohn. ſo in his vertues doth his pride grow, take increaſe & nouriſhment, cauſing him many times the more vertue hee is indued with, the more to be proud. And therefore Chriſoſtome compareth it to a worme that breedeth in the wood, & eateth it: alſo to ruſt, which growing out of yron, conſumeth it. Whereupon he addeth, that vainglory & arrogancy are full of thorns that choak vp vertue: & a beaſt that hath many armed heads, againſt thoſe that are poſſeſſed of him. Many are of opinion, that yong vipers do kil their dams in their birth, & ſuch is our corruption, that it cauſeth pride to ſpring out of vertue, & withal, this wicked child to be the deuourer of his dam. We are therfore ſo to reſiſt other corruptiōs, that ſtill we muſt reſerue the principall to fight againſt this wickedneſſe, which groweth vp in vertue, and poiſoning the good giftes which we receiue of God, doeth ouerthrowe that man who otherwiſe is holy, wiſe, and endued with vertue.
10 To theſe purpoſes, we muſt imagine that there is nothing leſſe conuenient to man than ambition, pride, and arrogancie. Let man, (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) for whom the ſonne of God humbled and abaſed himſelfe,Auguſt. vponupon the 18. pſalme be aſhamed to ſtriue to be mightie and high minded. Seeing that man ſeeking to bee higher than hee was, is fallen from the height where hee was placed, reaſon requireth, that now he humble and abaſe himſelfe, contenting himſelfe to bee lowe in his owne ſight, that hee may recouer his loſſe, and bee mightie in him that humbled himſelfe for him.Eſay 24.23 If the Moone (as Eſaie ſayth) ſhall bee abaſhed, and the Sunne aſhamed, when the Lord of hoasts ſhall raigne in mount Sion and in Ieruſalem, and when glory ſhall be before his auncient men: ſhall wee poore ſinners, clothed in iniquitie, and repleniſhed with infection of ſinne, lift vp our heads in the preſence of Gods maieſtie? Shal not wee rather be, as it were, ſwallowed vp in the gulfe of ſhame and reproch? To vsus belongeth open ſhame, Dan. 9.7ſaith Daniel. If the brightneſſe of the Sunne dimmeth the light of the Starres, ſhall not the Sunne of Gods glorie vtterly extinguiſh all excellencie and glorie of man?
17 Againe, let vsus waigh our bodily miſeries, the vice and corruption of our ſoules: in briefe, all our iniquities, againſt whatſoeuer may in vsus be excellent, honorable, or wherein wee doo boaſt: and ſurely the counterpoiſe will waie downe our pride, and repleniſh our countenances with confuſion & ſhame. Let vsus ſet our ignorance againſt our knowledge: the vertue that we want, agaynſt that which we hauehave: our ſinnes, againſt our righteouſneſſe, and our corruption, againſt our holyneſſe: ſo ſhall we ſoone quench all arrogancie and preſumption. Let vsus not compare with the deuils in exalting our ſelues, but with the Angels in humbling our mindes. It is thought that the peacocke ſo full of faire feathers, hauing only two foule feet, ſtanding proudly in the circle and contemplation of his beautifull trains, ſo ſoon as he ſeeth his feet, which he thinketh to be foule, ſtraight humbleth himſelfe, and abateth & ſeeketh to hide his feathers: how much rather ought we, by the feeling, ſight, and apprehenſion of many our foule feet, and corrupt & peruerſe paſsions that raigne in vsus, to humble our ſelues, and to abate our pride, ingendered of a few feathers, which hauehave only ſome ſmal beginning and apparance of beautie? Moreouer, the more plentifully that almightie God beſtoweth his bleſsinges and graces vponupon vsus, the more are we bound to doo him homage, in referring them to his glorie,Heb. 1.16 and not make of our ſelues Idols, by ſacrificing to our nets, and offering incenſe to our yarne. The more directlie that the Sunne lieth vponupon vsus, the leſſe is the ſhadow of our bodie, as at noone wee may ſee by experience, and a little before and after: euen ſo the leſſe that wee arrogate and boaſt of our ſelues, the greater giftes and graces of God are wee endued withall.1. Cor. 4.7 What hauehave wee, ſayth Saint Paul, that wee hauehave not receiued? If we hauehave receiued it, why doo we boaſt of it, as if we had not receiued it? Men would laugh at a poore man, if hauing precious garments lent him to acte the part of ſome honorable perſonage vponupon a ſtage, when the play were at an end, he ſhould keepe them as his owne, and bragge vp and downe in them. Yet ſo doo they to whome God imparteth his giftes and graces, when in liew of yeelding the glorie of the ſame to him that is the author, they aſſume it to themſelues.
19 Let vsus therefore renounce all ambition, mortifie all pride, & deſpiſe the ſmoake of worldly glorie. What man was euer more mightie, more rich, more wiſe, or rayſed to greater glorie than Salomon? Yet doth hee crie out and proteſt, that all is but vanitie of all vanities, and that all is vanitie. What will it auaile vsus to be glorious among men, and an obloquy in the ſight of God? Commended in the world, and abhominable in the ſight of Angels? O man of lyttle vnderſtanding, ſayde an ancient wiſe man, what art thou the better for thy vaineglorie, when thou ſhalt bee well ſpoken of where thou art not, and where thou art thou ſhalt bee tormented? If wee bee abiect and contemptible in this lyfe, it is but for a few dayes, let vsus then bee content, and take comfort in that wee are mightie, rich, and glorious in the ſight of God, through his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, as beeing his children, and inheritours of his euerlaſting kingdome. Humilitie, ſayeth Chriſoſtome, is the foundation of Chriſtian philoſophie. And as our humilitie is an exaltation in the ſight of God, ſo hath the confeſsion of our humilitie, for a remedie prepared his merciemercy and goodneſſe. Wee are not (ſayeth Saint Auguſtine) to glorie in anie thing, for wee hauehave nothing, vnleſſe man hauing wholy put awaie himſelfe, doo learne wholie to depend vponupon God. And as for all giftes, graces, and vertues wherwith wee may be endued, let vsus yeeld the glorie to God onelyonly, the author of all goodnes, for to him onelyonly belongeth all honor, glorie and praiſe for euer and euer.