Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 23 – Section 24
23. Paſſages expunged againſt Popiſh evill Councellours, and the vices of Princes Courts.
IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, page 78, written copy, theſe clauſes are deleted.
A foole (faith Solomon) breedeth farres among friends, but a Man of wiſdome appea ſeth ſtrife: The firſt we ſee verified in Rehoboams young Councellours, who made a breach and irreconcilable rent between the King and his people, 1 King. 12. and the ſecond in good Abigail, 1 Sam. 25. 18. and in the woman of Tekoah, 2 Sam. 14. Sowers of diſcord are found in the Church or in the Kingdome; in Kingdomes, viz. Firſt, thoſe that long for nothing but warre, blaming a peaceable government and quiet State, and are never well but whiles they are fiſhing in troubled waters: Secondly, thoſe that inſtigate others to warre, as the Cardinals and Jeſuits upon every occaſion doe whiſper in the eates of Princes to make warre upon their neighbours, when they perceive any advantage may be had thereby: Thirdly, thoſe that make themſelves mercenary for the nouriſhing of ſlaughters.
Ibidem on Mat. 11. 7. 8. …. this whole diſcourſe is expunged. What went you out to ſee? &c. as theſe words, what went you out to ſee, a reed ſhaken with the wind? may be referred (by way of reproofe) unto the people; ſo alſo theſe, they that weare ſoft clothing are in Kings houſes; doth our Saviour then ſimply tax the pomp and glory of Princes Courts?
Firſt, certainly there is pompe and coſt, and bravery in Princes Courts, which is not unlawfull: and that both becauſe it ſerves to the beauty, glory, and ornament of the place, and alſo becauſe the vulgar ſort are kept thereby the better in obedience and feare: Secondly, yet our Saviour ſeems ex conſequenti, to reprove and condemne the life of Courtiers, or the court-life; went you out to ſee a man clothed in ſoft rayment? behold they that weare ſoft cloathing are in Kings houſes: as if he would ſay, a religious life and a court-life are not alike, for although the pomp, bravery and delights of Kings Courts be not immediately evill in themſelves, yet they leſſe ſuit and agree with Religion: Whence we may note,
That a ſoft, dainty, delicate and court-like life, hinders many from true Religion, or from being truly religious; it being the nature of pleaſure, to draw the mind along with it.
What things are ordinary in a court-life?
In Kings Courts theſe vices are moſt frequent and familiar; namely, firſt pride; it is ordinary with Courtiers to look high, to deſpiſe others, to over-prize themſelves and with Simon Magus to think themſelves ſome great ones, Acts 8. 2. Now Religion teacheth men to be humble and lowly, and to give place one unto another, and to ſtrive one to come after another; and not as many Courtiers frequently doe, who ſtrive, quarrell, juſtle and fight about the wals and precedency, Rom. 12. 10. 46. Secondly avarice, for they which have many things, want many; and they who ſpend much, want much; and according to the Proverb, rob Peter to pay Paul, i. e. extort from others to expend upon themſelves: Now Religion teacheth men to give almes, and to be liberall; but Kings Courts (although they teach not, yet at leaſt) practice rapire, oppreſſion and griping of thoſe under them: Thirdly, pleaſure and delight; as we ſee in Dives, Luke 16. and hence men become more effeminate, unconſtant and unable to ſuffer any afflictions, injuries, wrongs, or the like; whereas Religion teacheth men to ſuffer, and to want, and to be content in all eſtates, Phil. 1. 27. 29. & 4. 10. James 4. 7. &c. yea, the court-life being full of pomp and pleaſure, makes men more unable to reſiſt or withſtand the temptations of Satan, the allurement of the world, or the ſuggeſtions of their owne corrupt nature, and more proue and ready to yeeld unto them: Chriſt the ſecond Adam was tempted in the Wilderneſſe but could not be conquered; but the firſt being aſſaulted in Paradiſe (a place of pleaſure) was eaſily overcome: Fourthly idleneſſe; Courtiers (for the moſt part) are given to eating drinking, ſleeping and gaming, yea like the Iſraelites, ſpend the moſt part of their lives in theſe, Exod. 32. 6. but Religion teaches us to labour and take paines, yea to earne our bread with the ſweat of our browes, Gen. 3. and how can he labour in Religion who will not labour nor take paines in ſome worldly employment: Fifthly flattery; Aio, Aio, Courtiers can fawne and ſooth yea jurare in verba Magiſtri, ſweare what their Lords ſay: Now Religion …acheth men to be couragious and bold, yea not to flatter, but rather to reprove offenders to their face; as Chriſt ſaith, goe and tell Herod that Fox, and John boldly reproved him; for Herodias his brothers wife, and the King being angry with him for this, and caſting him into priſon, yea afterwards beheading him, the Courtiers willingly permitting it.
Who are here to be blamed?
Thoſe who are deceived with the delights of a court-life, for it is not what it ſeems to be, but rather is like to a painted reed, or a beautifull raine-bow, as appeares thus; Firſt, court-favour and felicity laſt not long, for it is as ſlippery as an Ele, as fading as a flower, as brittle as glaſſe, and like graſſe upon the houſe top, which quickly withers. Secondly, court-felicity and delights are evill, corrupting the manners; for firſt, ſome obſerve, that there are but few truly good in Kings Courts: and ſecondly, if they be good at firſt, yet at laſt they are corrupted, as we ſee in Tyberius, Cal-gula, Commodus: Aula vel malos invenit, vel facit, the Court finds ſome bad, and ſo leaves them; the Court finds ſome good, but makes them bad; and therefore who would praiſe that barne or field that changeth the wheat into tares? or that cask that changeth the Wine into vinegar? or that veſſell which changeth the Oyle into Lees? Secondly, they are to blame who delight in proud apparell and fantaſticall faſhions; for firſt, it was never a thing of any good report in Solomon, gorgeous attire is not reproved, but yet we ſee that his bravery, proſperity and court-delights did ſo eneruate and weaken his mind and cauſe him ſo farre to decline, that many have queſtioned, whether ever he were renewed by repentance or not: Secondly, proud and gorgeous attire is alwayes taxed and blamed in Scripture, read Iſa. 3. & 1 Tim. 2. 9. & 1 Pet. 3. 3. Yea thirdly, the bravery and faſhions of the Court are noxious and hurtfull unto the Country, who is too ready to imitate it herein: And fourthly, it is a fooliſh thing for a man to ſeeke praiſe by his apparrell, he being in his richeſt robes, no better then the Crowe, who braved it in borrowed plumes; yea, it is a wicked thing for a man to glory or be proud of his ſhame, as all thoſe doe who are proud of their apparell, it being but a covering of their ſhame, which vaile they had never uſed nor needed if they had not ſinned. Thirdly, they are here faulty who accuſtome themſelves to worldly pleaſures, paſtimes, and delights, as Dives did, Luke 16. for this is a ſtrong cord of vanity, Iſa. 5. 18. and many have been enſnared with lawfull things, whom the devill could never captivate or draw unto groſſe and enormious ſinnes, &c.
In Doctor Clarks Sermons, page 403. this clauſe is deleted: Their Councell will not inform Kings, for Kings have their Confeſſors they will ſay, that office fitteth them; the Courtiers dare not, it may prejudice their preferment: Nay Courtiers are rather corrupters of Kings, they make the King a Saint, an Angell, a God; theſe flatterers Constantine cals ſorices Palatij, the vermine of the Court: and what is adulatio but adaulatio, ſaith the Etymologiſt, to be a flatterer, that is, to be a Courtier, &c.
24. Paſſages deleted, That all things are decreed, and nothing uncertaine to God.
IN M. Wards Comentary on Matth. p. 10. writ. cop. this is deleted: Obj. Gods decrees are ſure, therefore all means are vain. Anſ. 1. If we muſt never uſe the means but in thoſe things where there is no decree, then we muſt never uſe the means at all, for all things are decreed, and there is nothing uncertaine unto God.