The Arraignment of Covetousness and Ambition, Chapter 17
CHAP. 17.
THus may you comfortably do my Lord, and then making it your principal aime and end, (with Asa, Hezekiah, Iehoshaphat, Iosiah, Zephaniah, Constantine the Emperour, and King Edward the Sixth, that none such for early holiness) to do that which is good and right in the eyes of the Lord, in seeking the good and welfare of the people, and in promoting Gods glory and worship, 2 Chron. 30.1. to the end of the Chapter, and 19.4. and 14.2, to 8. 2 Kings 10.26, 27, 28. Exod. 23.24. Zeph. 1. The God of peace shall be with you, and so crown your undertakings with prosperous and happy success: that all your enemies together with Gog and Magog, shall never be able to do you hurt. Yea, do you but yield to God, touching his Commandements: and God will so yield to you, touching your petitions; that his dealing towards you, shall be to the astonishment of all the World. For then as by his singular providence, he turned Achitophels wisdome, Shimeis cursing, those Princes conspiracie, Dan. 6.12, 13. the malice of Haman, and the Arrians hatred and devillish industry; to the no small good, honour and profit of David, Daniel, Mordecai, and Paphnutius: so the same God shall turn the most deep aud devillish plots and practices of your worst and greatest enemies, to your great good, benefit, and advantage.
Proceed therefore, thrice Noble Sir, until you have compleated a happy Reformation, both in Church and Common-wealth. Many high Cedars, and huge Mountains have bin thrown down, & removed to level the way; sundry Bulwarks and Fortifications built up, to shelter and defend the friends of Peace and Truth. It will be to your eternal praise and comfort; if you both erect and finish the whole Fabrick. This is the way, and the only way to make you truly happy and comfortable; to make your advancement a blessing to you, and the Nations; and to establish your Power, and posterity: when your conscience shall be able to testifie, that out of a publicke spirit, and for the love you bear to Christ and his members; you can make your self a servant unto all that need your aid.
Whereas on the contrary, if you shall out of any private, or self-ends, or interest; neglect or hinder this great work of the Lord, whereunto he hath called you: if you should not hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, to do his Commandements: your greatness will yield your Highness but a little solace.
As what will all your Honour and Greatness do you good? I need not tell you, how the ods that is between the high and low, rich and poor, in respect of true happiness is such; that the wise and good have never desired dignity barely for it self; but even sought to shun, and avoid great Places; except it hath been more to do good, then to grow rich, or great in them.
Good men that have clarified understandings; have many solid and weighty reasons, to disswade them from great Offices, and high places.
First (not to nominate what hath been already said in the former division) in regard of the great cares, and pains, and fears, and dangers, which usually they are subject unto, and attended withall: and likewise the peoples envy, malice, and evil speaking, deal they never so evenly and uprightly. We read that when Isocrates was demanded, if he would be a King; his answer was he would not: and being asked wherefore, he said, If I judge rightly, I cannot eschew hatred, and evil speaking on the one side; and again, if I judge wrongfully, I can no less escape it on the other: yea, I cannot eschue the pain of eternall damnation; Wherefore it shall better content me, to remain as I am. But this of mens evil requital, and hating them; is least to be stood upon.
For to speak really and impartially, what is the Iustice, the Iudge, yea, the King himself? but a great servant to the Common-wealth: (as Statesmen are wont to call them.) Yea, Antiochus thus told his son Demetrius, that Kingly rule, was but noble slavery. Whence good Q. Elizabeth, spake it openly in the Parliament House,: that she had rather be a Milkmaid then a Queen, were it not more for her Subjects sake, then her own. Whence Ptolomy seeing certain Fishers, sporting themselves upon the Seashore; wished he were like on of them; adding moreover that Monarchies are full of cares, fears, mistrusts, and disguised miseries. Which also Charls the Fourth and Fifth Emperors were wont to alledge, even desiring to lead a private life. And Seleucus before them did the like; adding, that if he should cast his Crown into the high way, there would be none found, that would take it up, knowing the cares, charges and griefs, that ever did accompany it. And Pope Adrian said, he conceived, no estate so miserable, nor dangerous as his own: and that he never enjoyed a better, nor more pleasant time; then when he was but a simple Monk. Trajan the Emperour, wrote unto the Senate of Rome, that having now tasted the cares and pains which the Imperial State brought with it: he did a thousand times repent, that ever he took it upon him. I have read also of another Romane, (whose name hath slipt my memory) that long aspiring to be Emperour; he was not so forward formerly to have it; as now feeling the burthen, he was willing to cast it off; even bemoaning himself, and complaining, how heavy and burthensome he had found it. Demosthenes also, after a long Government at his pleasure, in the Common-wealth (upon what consideration himself knew best, and Statesmen may easily guess at) is reported to have confest to his friends, who came to visit him: that if at the beginning, two wayes had been proposed before him; the one leading to the Tribunal of Authority, the other to his grave; if he could by inspiration have foreknown the evils, the terrours, the calumnies, the envies, the contentions and the dangers, that men in such places must accustomarily meet with, that he would much rather with alacrity, and cheerfulness; have posted on to his Sepulchre; then to his greatness. And lastly, when some egged Dioclesian forward, to re-enter again into the Empire, he answered them: that having once escaped the Plague, he would no more drink Poyson; and was contented to become a Gardiner. To couclude this reason, besides all this a Prince is alwayes in great danger, and fear of his life by treason: especially a good one, as the Life of Queen Elizabeth may inform us. To omit many examples of the Kings of Israel and Iudah; as being well known', as also a cloud of examples out of other Histories: we read that in the Imperial Seat; in the space of an hundred yeers (in vvhichwhich vvere threescore Emperours) there were but three that died in their beds by sickness; all the rest suffering violent deaths. So that how great and glorious soever, they may seem to men of the World; they are but in a sad condition. As suppose a man arrayed and apparelled in Tissue, or Cloth of gold; set in a Chair of State, having before him a Table furnished, with all dainty delicates; his servants Monarchs and Princes; his riches the very choicest and chiefest treasures and Kingdoms of the World: but withall that there were one standing by, with a naked sword to cut his throat; or a wilde Beast, ready to pull him in pieces: we cannot otherwise say, but his condition is rather to be pitied then envied. Now it fares not so with other men, the mean Cottage of a Swain stands in more safety, then the Palace of a Prince.
Furthermore, the greatest Princes cannot so clip the wings of prosperity or victory; but she may flie away before they dream of it. Riches, honours, pleasures, are so transitory; that the same day hath seen the knee bowing to the head, and again the head stooping and doing reverence to the knee. Yea, as in fairest weather, a storm may suddenly arise: so one houre may change the greatest King, into the most miserable captive, as every age gives instance. For men are both more sensible of their present misery, by remembring their former happiness; and also more tender and delicate, and so less able to bear it. The memory of former happiness, makes the present misery more deplorable, which like dead Beer, is never more distastful then after a Banquet of Sweet-meats. For Bajazet, to change his Seraglio for a Cage: for Valerian, to become a footstool to his proud soc: are calamities able to sink a soul deep in sorrow. Yea commonly, their change is not more sudden, then it is doleful. Who but Adrianus, Emperour of the East, for many yeers? but at length he was set upon a scabbed Camel, with a Crown of Onions platted on his head; and in great mockery, carried in triumph thorough the City. And the like of Polycrates King of the Samians. Dionysius, Henry the Fourth that victorious Emperour, Gelimer, that potent King of the Vandals, Adonibezeck, and many others: of whom I might muster up a multitude. And no fewer of them, whose life and happiness have ended together, as it fared with Pharaoh, Herod, and Belshazzer: who was sitting at a Feast merry, while on a sudden death came like a Voider, to take him away: with many the like, though that one example of Haman and Mordecay might serve in stead of all; to shew that as men honour and obey God in their places: so God will bless or curse them. We see how Haman, whose comand ere-while almost reached to Heaven; was iustantly adjudged to the Gibbet: while Mordecay, who was condemned to the halter, was all of a sudden made second in the Kingdome. What stability is there then, in earthly greatness? when he who in the morning, all knees bowed unto; as more then a man: now hangs up like a despised vermine, fot a prey to the Ravens: and when he who this morning, was destined to the Gallows, now rules over Princes, Ester 6 and 7 Chapters. But