The Arraignment of Covetousness and Ambition, Chapter 15
CHAP. 15.
WHerefore be wise now O you most noble Protector, be instructed ye his honorable Counsellors: Serve the Lord with fear, you whom God hath so highly honored, as to make you (together with thrice noble Fairfax, never to be forgotten) the happy deliverer of your Countrey. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, Ps…l. 2. Seek the publick good, (and not your own private gain) as your place engageth you. For the chief Magistrate is a mixt person; the Physician of the Commonwealth, the Father of the Countrey, the Spouse of the State: who was wont by a Ring to be married unto the Realm at his Coronation. Make Epaminondas your President, whom all the riches of the world, could not withdraw from the least duty to his Countrey, as AElian reports. Yea, love your Countrey as Ziska did, who wisht that his skin might serve the Bohemians in their wars; when his body could no longer do it. Imitate Mordecay, who was great among the Iews, accepted among the multitude of his brethren, procured the wealth of his people, and spake peaceably to all his seed, Ester 10.3. With good Nehemiah, be not chargeable to your people; neither let your servants domineer, and rule over them, as hath been the manner of former Governours, Nehem. 5.15.
If some special occasion requires (as occasion enough there is) or necessity urges you to borrow: let it be of those you have enriched, and done good to; rather then of such as have already suffered, as the manner hath been.
Be able with Samuel, to justifie your self before all the people, 1 Sam. 12.3, 4. And with Moses the same, Numb. 16.15. nor could any one of the people tax either of them in the least. And happy is that man, that can be acquitted by himself in private, in publick by others, by God in both. For in all likelihood, there is no danger of that soul, that will not bite at a golden hook. And indeed it is too base and sordid for honour to be covetous. Though multitudes there are in these degenerate times, (wherein men generally worship the Golden Calf) that imitate Themistocles: who before he was elected to bear authority in the Common-wealth, was little worth; but when he had once swayed the place of superiority, when he was banished; his very moveables being praised, did amount to an hundred Talents.
Receive no gifts, for whosoever receiveth a benefit, selleth his own liberty. Besides, it is Gods express command, Thou shalt take no gift, for the gift blindeth the wise, Exod. 23.8. and destroyeth the heart, Eccles. 7.7. In choosing of Officers, Iudges, &c. let God be consulted, without whom Samuel himself, will take seven wrong before one right, 1 Sam. 16.6, to 13. And how contrary Gods method, and that of mans is, may be seen, Acts 7. This Moses, whom they forsook, saying; Who made thee a Prince and a Iudge; the same God sent for a Prince and a deliverer, by the hand of the Angel, which appeared to him in the Bush, Verse 35. Let all places be given, and not sold: to the most deserving, and not to such as will give most for them, viz. not to the covetous and ambitious: who make preferment their god, and Mammon their Mediatour: who study more to be advanced, then to be worthy of that advancement. The godly and consciencious can make no such gain or profit of places and offices as others do, that buy them at high rates: they dare not take bribes to make up their money again; Nor enrich themselves, by making others poor: they will be so honourable, as they may still be honest. And in all reason, if a man be not worthy of a place, why should he have it? if deserving, why should he buy that, which (in justice, piety and true policie) is due unto him?
Do not think every one sufficient, that thinks himself so: yea, Ne sit, qui ambit. Let him never speed, that sues. They that are worthy, must be sued to. Let such be preferred, not as would have places; but such as places would have. That think it better to be worthy of honour, then to have honour. I most admire the humility, and grace of those; whose vertues and merits are visible, whiles their persons are obscure: it is secretly glorious, to shine unseen.
Good men know Offices to be Callings: and so will not meddle with them, until they be called unto them. Ambitious and unworthy men are like Absalom, who with a great deal of subtilty, insinuated and intruded himself: pretending what great matters he would do, if he were made Iudge in the Land, or deputed of the King to hear Causes; when he intended nothing less, 2 Sam. 15.2, to 7. Or like Pope Boniface, who meek-minded man, would eat only a dry crust, until he had gain'd the Popedom. In the vacancies of the See of Rome, the Cardinals use to compose certain capitulations, to reform the Papal Government: and with all sware to perform: if they shall be chosen to the Popedom: though it appeares by all precedent examples, that every one sweareth with a minde not to keep their oath, in case he shall be Pope.
Forwardness argues dishonisty, or insufficiency: When Iesus perceived that they would come to take him, to make him a King: he with-drew himself, and departed, Iohn 6.15. None in all Egypt, or Middian was comparably so fit, for that Ambassage to Pharaoh, as Moses: which of the Israelites had been brought up a Courtier, a Scholar, an Israelite by blood, by education an Egyptian; learned, wise, valiant, experienced? Yet, Who am I, sayes he? The more fit any man is, for whatsoever vocation; the lesse he thinks himself. The un-worthy think still, Who am I not? but modest beginnings give hopeful proceedings and happy endings.
With Moses, Abraham and Iob relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherlesse, and defend the widow, when they cry unto you, and such as are ready to perish, but have none to help them. Break the jawes of the unrighteous, and pluck the prey out of his teeth, Genes. 14.14, 15, 16. Job 29.12, to 18.