A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
The beſt medicines for the cure of mans maladies, muſt bee made of the word of God. An eſpeciall comfortatiue for the magiſtrate.
Eccles. 12.IN euerie Booke of the holy ſcriptures are contained moſt delectable words, vpright writings, euē the words of Trueth, the ſayings of the wiſe being like goades to ſtirre vppe, and like Nayles faſtened by the maiſters of the aſſemblies to confirme, which are giuen by one Paſtour (as ſaith Salomon) wherein is contained and publiſhed that perfect lawe of libertie,The word of God eternall. and whereof there is made a meete medicine for mans maladies. For albeit the eternall word of God may not bee comprehended and included within the leaues, lines, and volumes of Bookes, beeing the ſame which was with God in the beginning, and is euerlaſting, and that naturall and onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, begotten of the Father before all worldes, whoſe name is VVonderfull, the giuer of counſell, the mightie God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of Peace: yet hath it pleaſed his goodneſſe, to ſpeake vntounto man to his vnderſtanding: and hath commaunded his Prophets and Apoſtles to preach, to write, and to talke accordingly: that is, as Paul ſayde, foreign. After the manner of men, by reaſon of the infirmitie of man, being moſt vnable to conceiue the things that bee of the ſpirit of God. Therefore, howſoeuer wee imagine the eternall worde of God, and his diuine will, to be ſhut vp in his owne cloſe counſell,Apoc. 5.3, 4, 5 which neither any in heauen, nor in the earth, nor vnderunder the earth is found worthie to open and declare vntounto men, and which we may not preſume to inueſtigate or ſearch without the helpe of the Lion of the tribe of Iuda: Gods written worde.he would that we ſhould hearken vntounto his written will, and that word of God which he hath declared and made knowne vntounto vsus in the holy ſcriptures. VntoUnto this therfore the ſon of God (whom we muſt heare) ſent the Iewes, and bad thē to ſearch the ſcriptures. The vſe of this written word, he both taught and cōmended vntounto vsus, when he ſayd three times to the diuell, It is written, It is written, It is written. Thus he asked of the lawiers: How is it written?Mat. 4. How readeſt thou? And to the two diſciples going towards Emaus, he ſaid: Thus it is written. He commanded his ſeruant Iohn, Apoc. ….to write vntounto ye ſeuen churches in Aſia: and Paul commendeth the worde written, whē he ſaith, The Scriptures are writtē for our learning.
2 This is that lawe wherein the bleſſed man delighteth, and meditateth day and night. This is the foode whereon the godly man feedeth, to nouriſh his ſoule. This is the touchſtone which trieth the ſpirits: this is the Index which ſheweth who are the children of God. This Word giueth comfort, direction, faith, wiſdome, knowledge of the will of God, the feare of God, louelove, hope, holy zeale, and all heauenly vertues, when the holy Ghoſt (through the merit of Chriſt) hath his effectuall working in the true vſe thereof.A ſolace for euerie ſore. Of this ſweete hony combe is made a ſalue for all ſores, a medicin for all maladies, a plaiſter of peace againſt al trouble, and comfortatiues to content the children of God at al times, in all places. Therefore I eſteeme this,Ruth. as the beſt ground for Booz to ſow in: as the moſt plentifull field for Ruth to gleane in. This is (indeed) the ſweeteſt water to drinke of, and the wholſomeſt bread for man to feed of. This is that law which the King muſt copie out to lay before him, & that right Scripture which all men muſt ſearch to finde knowledge and life in. Therfore alſo to the ſame would I direct them that want comfort in diſtreſſes, counſell in their buſineſſe, and helpe in their miſeries. Neither doubt I, but that it ſhall bee embraced and well digeſted of them that feare God. But for this our argument and preſent purpoſe,Scripture for contentation of mens mindes. the Pſalmes of Dauid, the Prouerbes of Salomon, and chiefly his Eccleſiastes, or last Solace, which otherwiſe may be called his Common-wealth, are of ſingular choyſe.
3 And this is to be obſerued in theſe bookes, that as Dauid and Salomon hauehave miniſtred meete matter therein, for the inſtruction, ſolace, and comfort of all Gods children: ſo alſo they being well ſchooled by holy men, enſpired with an excellent ſpirit, and themſelues both Kings and rulers ouer the church of god, and his people: hauehave principally before al others, with their doctrine and examples, inſtructed, ſolaced, & comforted Princes,Dauid and Salomon hauehave com…orted Princes and Magiſtrates. Magiſtrates and all them in high authoritie: and ſo much the ſooner, for that they themſelues felt and wel perceiued, how that the Princes and Magiſtrates are often oppreſſed and troubled, with the manifold treaſons, rebellions, ſeditions, ingratitude, and offences of ſuch as are troublers of the Common-peace, and breakers of tranquilitie, and of ſuch, as lay in waite for the life and liuings euen of them, on whoſe care, wiſedome, and good gouernment, the ſafetie and weale of the people (next vntounto God) doth wholie releigh and depende, in euerie age.The Prince it the miniſter of God. According to whoſe good counſaile and direction yet reſerued in the holie Regiſter, the wiſe Prince and Magiſtrate knoweth himſelfe to bee the Miniſter of God, and a principall ſeruaunt of the King of all Kings, and Iudge of all Iudges, whoſe ſentence and power no man is able to reſiſt, and whoſe will muſt be fulfilled.
And that this God is not onelie preſent in the Congregation of Princes (as the chiefe Prince) but alſo beautifieth thoſe Princes with the high title of Gods, and ſonnes of the highest, and to comfort and ſtrengthen them in this place and function, and to take away all feare and fainting from them in authoritie, hee ioyneth his power and bleſsings to the ſame, and aſsiſteth them, and defendeth them, and the right of this gouernment againſt the proud faces, the murmuring mindes, policies, conceits, treaſons, rebellions, conſpiracies, and wilie practiſes of their enemies bee they neuer ſo manie or mightie: ſo that they ſhall neuer bee confounded, but ſtande ſure, proceede well, get the victorie, and prooue by their owne experience, that it lieth not in the power of man ſo keepe the people in obedience, and to conſerue the Common-wealth: but in the will and power of God, who as he hath ordeined Princes & Magiſtrates, doth alſo giuegive them wiſdome, power, and obedient ſubiects, and by their miniſterie often ſaueth ſuch from deſtruction, as naturally hate the Magiſtrates, becauſe they deſire to liue without all gouernment, and ſo without order, after their owne corrupt luſts.
How the good Prince behaueth himſelfe in his place.4 But to ratifie this conſolation, and to remooue away all iuſt occaſions of offence, from them that are readie to take offences before offences be offred them. The wiſe Prince taketh on him, & executeth this diuine function, with great reuerence, wiſdome, and in the feare of God. He knoweth that as God is preſent to beautifie, ſtrengthen and defende the right of his authoritie, ſo he doth alſo beholde all that is done, the which he would ſhoulde bee according to the methode and rule of his holie law, and that he will bee an inexorable Iudge, and reuenger of the iniuries & wrongs of them that peruert the iudgement. And he remembreth, that to remoue away that pride which exalteth fleſh and blood from this place, the Lorde hath not onelie ſayde by the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 82.7. that They bee Gods, whome hee hath to this aduaunced: but alſo ſayeth, that They ſhall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes: that is, if they abuſe the ſacred power: if they rule not theyr people in Equitye and righteouſneſſe, but oppreſſe them after theyr luſtes,Aug. de abuſ. ſaeculi. Baruc. 3. which is not the leaſt of the abuſes of the worlde, they ſhall periſh, like as did thoſe auncient Tyrants, which in theyr times, rather annoyed, then benefited the Common-wealth. Therefore the wiſe and godly Prince, according to the counſel and examples of thoſe holy men, cōmended in the holy Scriptures, gouerneth and ruleth himſelfe,The praiſe of a Prince. his familie, and the Common-wealth, and hath a chiefe regard to do that which beſt beſeemeth him,In Octauia Tragaedia. which is (as Seneca ſayth) The praiſe of a Prince, notwithſtanding that Nero the Tyrant impugned that ſentence with this: Calcat iacentem vulgus: The Commons will treade on, and oppreſſe the gentle and mercifull Prince.
5 That godly and perfect man Iob ſpeaking in the perſon of a Prince or chiefe Magiſtrate, telleth what was his ſtrength, defence, and comfort in his place, whether men were pleaſed, or not pleaſed: I put vppon mee (ſayeth hee) righteouſneſſe, Iob. 29.14.which couered mee as a Garment: and Equitie was my Crowne. To this ende was Salomon made King ouer Iſrael, as the Queene of Saba ſayde to him, namelie, To doo equitie and righteouſneſſe: Heere is Equitie, but not without Righteouſneſſe: heere is Righteouſneſſe, but not without Equitie. Equitie and Iuſtice both neceſſarie in a Magiſtrate.And both theſe vertues combined in the ſame perſon, become both him and the place right woorthilie. For as Iuſtice is that habite and affection of the minde, whereby men are apt to do and deſire that which is iuſt, and by the which there is yelded to eueryevery man his right, and therefore woorthilie commended in all men, but chieflie in Princes, and Magiſtrates, as that whereby the Common-wealth is conſerued & defended: ſo Equitie reſpecting not the letter, but the will and meaning of the law, and intent of the law-makers, doth either aptly apply the ſame to the matters in queſtion, by the wiſdome of the Iudge, or thereby the Iudge applieth himſelfe to the reaſon and qualitie of the cauſe, qualifying the rigour of the law, bowing the law to the cauſe, and not the cauſe to the lawe, knowing that Extreme law is extreme iniurie: And this vertue is as neceſſarie as Iuſtice, and no leſſe commendable in Princes. Salomon himſelfe being the King and chiefe Magiſtrate in the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and thereto beautified with the diuine wiſdome, giueth this good counſaile to all Princes and Magiſtrates. Be thou not iust ouermuch: Eccles. 7.18.19, 23. Luth. ibid.neither ouerwiſe, that thou periſh not. Be thou not wicked ouermuch, neither bee thou fooliſh: leaſt thou die before the time. That is, be thou not too ſeuere an Exactor of the law, leaſt thou become cruell, and ſo hatefull: nor be thou too remiſſe and gentle, leaſt all become nought, and thy ſelfe ouertaken by ſuch as contemne thee, and thine authoritie. For Salomon ſpeaketh of the ciuill iuſtice.
Arcadius negligent. Melanth.6 Archadius the Emperour, being too remiſſe and negligent, puniſhed not thoſe heinous offences that iuſtly required the rodde of iuſtice, to the great iniurie of his ſubiects, to his owne diſhonour, and great daunger.Iulian did not execute iuſtice on them that oppreſſed the chriſtians. Herod. Sylla. So Iulian puniſhed not them that moſt wickedly oppreſſed the Chriſtians, but rather derided the Chriſtians vppon their complaints, caſting their Maiſters commaundement of patience vnderunder the croſſe in their teeth. But on the other ſide: Herode, Sylla, and Aurelianus, tranſgreſſed iuſtice through their hard exactions and crueltie:Aurilianus were cruell. they killed as well the peaceable, as the rebellious, and were too ſeuere agaynſt the meaneſt offenders: as of whome Iuuenall might well ſay: Exceſsit medecina modum: The Medicine was too ſtrong, Inuenal.for that diſeaſe. In this reſpect Ariſtotle ſayde:Li. 5. Eth. Iuſtice her ſelfe being weaponed is most cruell.
7 Beyonde manie others, Nero tranſgreſſed,Nero his crueltie. and exceeded in this extremitie, whome gouernment rightly deciphered indeede (for Office tryeth a many). For albeeit,Ariſt. 5. Eth. that during the firſt fiue yeares of his gouernment, hee behaued himſelfe verie prayſe woorthie: and, that Seneca had written and dedicated to his Maieſtie, a Booke intituled, Of Clemencie, or gentleneſſe, therein, exhorting him to that vertue, dehorting him from bloodie crueltie: yet, Nero impudentlie defendeth the ſame agaynſt Seneca, Sen. tragae. in octa act. 1.as hee did likewiſe in the caſe of Octauia the Empreſſe: Ferrum tuetur princepem, ſayth hee, By dint of ſworde must the Prince bee preſerued. In concluſion, hee beeing cruell by nature, and more cruell in his place, killed both the guiltie, and the innocent: the iuſt, and the vniuſt. Hee murthered his moſt truſtie Counſailour Seneca, hee ſlewe his owne Mother, his owne VVife, and cauſed his owne Cittie Rome to bee ſette on fire.
By theſe heinous Tragaedies,Nero left his name reprochfull. and his daily crueltie, he committed the honor of his name to a ſhamefull reproch, as thoſe ancient tyrants had done before him,Tyrannus: ſometime a name of noble Princes. which degenerated from the right noble vertues of Princes. As the tytle foreign, or Tyrant, in the olde time, was in the good part giuen to honourable Princes, gouernours, and noble conquerours, in regard of ſtrength, fortitude, and vertue: but at length through the great malice, pride, inſolencie, and crueltie of heathen Potentates, that title became a name of diſgrace:Nero was a proper name. Gell. li. 11. ſo among the Sabines. Nero was a proper name (which noted Vertue, and Fortitude, of that Greeke word foreign, the ſinews, being the coniunction and ſtrength of the members:) and ſuch perſons alſo were of them called Neroes, as excelled others in the moſt egregious fortitude, and noble vertues. Afterward, when this tyrant Nero (who deſcended of the Claudies, which were Sabines) had degenerated from all the heroicall vertues of his aunceſtors, and became ſo bloodie and cruell, he gaue occaſion to the poſteritie, to change that proper name into a name appellatiue, which called them that were cruell, Neroes, and in compariſon, Neroniores, thoſe which were more cruell.Iob. 18.17. Prou. 10.7. Of ſuch ſpeaketh Iob, That their remembrance ſhall periſh from the earth: yea, and The name of them (ſaith Salomon) ſhal ſtink; as of them which hauehave been the occaſions of the ruine of their owne palace, & people, as the Lord ſaid by Ezechiel touching the Prince of Tyre, Cherub the Prince of Tire in Ezech. 28.who in glorie ſome times ſhined like the bright Cherub, in the houſe of god: but now deformed, and in high contempt.
Moderators of the lawes neceſſarie.8 By this it appeareth, that the Prince is not onelie the Law-giuer, but alſo the Moderator, and qualifier of the ſame law: & that alſo the Magiſtrates in their places, are moderators and qualifiers of the generall law.Luth. in Eccle. And the moderation of the law is no leſſe neceſſarie, then the law it ſelf: cōcerning the which, the time, the place, the perſons, and other circumſtances of the matters and cauſes duely conſidered, the vertue foreign, that is, Equitie, hath a place.Equitie. For Equitie being next neighbors, or one of the daughters of Iuſtice, and placed betweene thoſe two hard extremities, Negligence & Crueltie, withſtanding thoſe extremities, and relieuing the meane, remitteth ſome offences for the cauſe of common concord, and againe puniſheth ſome faults with lenitie and gentleneſſe. And in this ſhall be ſeene that moderate libertie, and that moderate ſubiection,Chytr. Reg. vit. which Plato commended to be ſo excellent good in a common-wealth.
This Princely vertue ſhined in Iulius Caeſar, who when he had a iuſt occaſion offred him to kill Cicero, Iulius Caeſar ſheweth great equitie.M. Marcellus, & ſome others, did neuertheleſſe remit and pardon them. He wel conſidered, that extreme law was wrong, and therfore moderated it through Equitie. And nothing more grieued the heart of that noble Auguſtus, then when by any poynt of ſeueritie, he was too much feared of his Subiects.Auguſtus Caeſar. Therfore to one that offered him a ſupplication with a trembling hand, he anſwered: VVhat? thinkeſt thou that thou offereſt a penny to an Elophant? Hearing alſo of the crueltie of his familiar friend Pollio, he reprooued him for it verie ſharpely: but when hee was certified of the moſt barbarous bloud-thirſtineſſe of Herod in Iury, Mat. 2.which had commanded the yong innocent children to bee murthered, and among them ſpared not his owne ſonne, hee ſaide in high diſpleaſure: Better it is to be Herods hogge, then his ſonne. Hee right well conſidered that ſuch ſeueritie and crueltie to the poore ſubiects, could purchaſe vntounto a Prince neither honour, nor riches, nor louelove, nor ſafetie:VVhat is Clemencie. and on the other ſide, Clemencie and Gentlenes, which is defined the temperāce of the mind, which hath power to reuenge: the lenitie of the ſuperiour towardes the inferiour, and the habit whereby hee which is prouoked againſt any man is through goodneſſe reſtrained, is both commodious & commendable, eſpecially for Princes. The conſtraint wherof hath depriued many a potentate of the glorie of his place, and caſt his Crowne downe to the ground, wherof there be extant examples and teſtimonies in hiſtories both humane and diuine.
9 In the due conſideration whereof, although the auncient Romanes had appointed eight ſeuerall puniſhments for malefactours, as namely, Damage, Eight puniſhments.impriſonment, whipping, recompence, ſhame, exile, ſeruitude, death, yet did they very ſeldome, and that neuer vniuſtly,Romani. Tul. Iſidor. li. 2. Etymolog. and without great cauſes, execute them: but ſo were the lighteſt applied, as the feare often ſpread to many, the paine to few, knowing well, that the getting of a kingdome is with ſword, but the continuance thereof is with glorie, merciemercy, and beneuolence of a Prince to his ſubiects: and the Subiects good will and affection towardes their king, as ſaid Antigonus the Macedonian prince. And this thing was wel weighed of the Emperour Frederik 3. whome Luther therefore remembreth: his common ſaying was:Luth. in Eccl. 5.8. Qui neſcit diſſimulare, neſcit & regnare, whereto Luther addeth, neſcit & viuere, A man cannot liue which will not winck at ſome faults. Quintilian.ſpoken in the beſt ſence and meaning, as thus: It is impoſſible for a prince to raigne that cannot wink at ſome faults, or forbeare to puniſh them in time and place. In the which ſence, that ſentēce of Quintilian touching a ſchoolemaſter in Grammer, may be taken, that among the Graces to him belonging, this is one, Eccles. 7.that hee be ignorant of ſome things: meaning that hee muſt ſeeme not to ſee, nor knowe many faults in his ſchollers. And as thouching thoſe priuate iniuries which touch many men neere, Salomon counſaileth again, ſaying: GiueGive not thine heart to all the words that men ſpeake, leaſt thou heare thine owne Seruant curſing thee. And this hath beene noted to bee obſerued by Antigonus, to his prayſe.Antigonus. When himſelfe on a time heard certaine lewd perſons to ſpeake vnreuerently of his perſon, hee gently required them to remoue further from him, leaſt happily he ſhould heare them.Octauius Caeſar. And Auguſtus hath beene no leſſe commended, for that he did not onelyonly ſet little by, but alſo pardon the offence of Cynna, the nephew of Pompeie, and alſo Timagines the rayling Hiſtoriographer, and Pollio that lodged the ſaide Timagines in his houſe: and for that hee remitted Aemilius Elianus, which was accuſed to him for an euill talker of his Maieſtie. So alſo King Philip of Macedonia was highly lauded,Philip of Macedonia. for that hee did ſo patiently putte vppe thoſe euill and ſlaunderous wordes of the Peleponeſians touching his owne honour, when ſome of his friendes would that he ſhould bee thereon ſeuerely reuenged on them. Beyonde all theſe, this right vertue (indeede) was diſplayed in Moſes towards the Iſraelites:Moſes. Dauid. Elizabeth Queene of England. in Dauid to Shimei, and is rightly apparant in our moſt mercifull Princeſſe Queene Elizabeth, towards many of her ingratefull ſubiects, and others. But moſt of all, it hath ſhined in the face of our Sauiour Chriſt, which did not onelyonly ſay:Chriſt. VVho ſo ſpeaketh a word againſt the Sonne of man, if ſhall be forgiuen him: but alſo, Prayed vntounto his father, to pardon and forgiue them that nayled him to the Croſſe. And this vertue God himſelfe (which is onelyonly wiſe and knoweth and ſeeth all,God commendeth vntounto Princes merciemercy, gentlenes, by his owne example. whatſoeuer is done and committed againſt him, and from whom the priuie murmuring cannot be hidde) hath by his owne example commended vntounto all Kings, Princes, and Magiſtrates in the world, that raigne by his authoritie & grace: for although that he puniſh horrible ſins with horrible plagues, he doth yet not onelyonly ſeeme to winke at, and not to note many ſmall offences of his ſeruants againſt himſelfe, and long ſuffereth men to walke in their owne wayes before he puniſheth them: but alſo expreſſeth great Equitie in the moderation of offences, cheefely there, where by nature the maladies bee not curable. For if the Lorde ſhould deale with men after their deſerts, who were able to abide it? But vntounto him belongeth merciemercy and forgiuenes, when vntounto men belongeth ſhame and confuſion: therefore doth hee not enter haſtily into iudgement with them, nor in furie rebuke them, but in gentleneſſe and compaſſion.
Nota.10 All this being ſaide, may not iuſtly embolden any perſon to preſume againſt the Prince and Ordinance,The merciemercy of the Prince ſhould not encourage men to preſume againſt the Prince and lawes, nor hinder iuſtice. vppon ſuch Equitie and Lenitie of gracious Princes and wiſe Magiſtrates: nor may hinder the noble Prince and Magiſtrate from the execution of iuſtice, as occaſion and reaſons may be miniſtred. For, as hee beareth the Sword not for nought, ſo neither ſhould that man liue without all feare of the ſame, that offendeth: for hee is the miniſter of God, to take vengeance on them that do euill, and to defende and comfort them that do well, and that it is lawfull for the Prince and Magiſtrate to puniſh (among other offences) eſpecially them that rayle vponupon the Gods (that is, the Princes & Iudges) and that male pertly prattle and talke vnreuerently of theyr actions and deedes: a kinde of people woorthie of rebuke and puniſhment. But this hath beene ſaide onelyonly to declare the great patience, lenitie, moderation, graciouſneſſe, mercifulneſſe, equitie, yea, the higheſt magnanimitie of a Prince, when he can bee well pleaſed vppon good occaſions, to neglect and ſet little by the raſh wordes and fooliſh actions of vaine and ingratefull perſons, touching his owne perſon and eſtimation.
11 Finally, although the Counſels of Pompey, The hard haps of ſome princes, ought not to diſcourage others from their duties.Alcibiades, Mithridates, Ageſelaus, hauehave not beene ſo happie and fortunate as the Counſels of Abraham, Dauid, Moſes, Ioſuah, and ſome other Princes in their times, yet the euents of thoſe things (beyond all expectation) do nothing aſtoniſh, nor diſcourage the wiſe Princes and learned Magiſtrates, which are well ſchooled in the diuine doctrine and feare of God: but they do learne by theſe euents, to knowe their owne infirmitie and the power of God, to bee modeſt, and not to endeuour to compaſſe things after their owne wiſedome and ſtrength, to moue vp none vnneceſſarie matters, to attempt nothing againſt the word and will of God, to remitte no diligence in their dutie, to rule well, to gouerne, to proceede, and ſtand faſt, as Moſes, Ioſuah Nehemiah, The good magiſtrate doth what he can, when he cannot do that he would.Samuel, Salomon, Dauid, and Hezekiah hauehave done. And moreouer, when they ſee many faults, as well in the ſeate of iudgement, as in other places of their gomernment, and know not how to redreſſe them, nor how to amend all things that are amiſſe (notwithſtanding all their good lawes, orders, proceedings,Eccles. 3.16. and conſtitutions, a thing which Salomon himſelfe in his owne common-wealth ſaw & complained of) they doo neuertheleſſe exerciſe merciemercy,Mat. 23.23. iudgement, fidelitie, equitie, & other princely vertues: committing the ſucceſſe of all things to the God of heanen: waiting patiently with prayer for the goodneſſe of the Lord to appeare on them and their people, in the appointed time.
Thus hauing expreſſed the true wiſedom of their places, they ſhine with the glorie of the diuine maieſty by whome they raigne, and do henceforth expect that bountifull reward, which the almightie God promiſed and timely performed vntounto his righteous ſeruant Abraham, Gen. 15.1.according as he ſaid: Feare not Abraham, I am thy ſhield, and thine exceeding great reward. And that beautiful Crowne of eternall glorie, wherwith the ſonne of God ſhall crowne them that hauehave beene faithfull in his houſe.