Works of Joseph Hall, Letter 4
To M. Newton, Tutor to the Prince. EPIST. IV. Of Gratulation, for the hopes of our Prince; with an aduiſing apprecation.
SIR, God hath called you to a great and happy charge: You hauehave the cuſtody of our common Treaſure: Neither is there any ſeruice comparable to this of yours; whether we regard God, or the world. Our labours oft-times beſtowed vponupon many, ſcarce profit one: yours, beſtowed vponupon one, redounds to the profit of many millions. This is a ſummary way of obliging all the world to you. I encourage you not in your care: you hauehave more comfort in the ſucceſſe of it, then all worlds can giuegive you. The very ſubiect of your pains would giuegive an hart to him that hath none. I rather congratulate with you our common happineſſe, & the hopes of poſterity, in that royall and bleſſed iſſue. You hauehave beſt cauſe to be the witnes of the rare forwardnes of our gracious Maſter: and I hauehave ſeene enough, to make me thinke I can neuer bee enough thankfull to God for him. That Princes are fruitfull, is a great bleſſing: but, that their children are fruitfull in grace, and not more eminent in place than vertue, is the greateſt fauour God can doe to a State. The goodneſſe of a priuate man is his owne; of a Prince, the whole worlds. Their words are Maximes, their actions examples, their examples rules. When I compare them with their royall Father, (as I do oft and chearfully) I cannot ſay whether he be more happy in himſelfe, or in them. I ſee both in him, and them; I ſee and wonder, that God diſtributes to naturall Princes gifts proportionable to their greatneſſe. The wiſe Moderator of the world knowes what vſe is of their parts: hee knowes that the head muſt hauehave all the ſenſes that pertaine to the whole body: and how neceſſary it is, that inferiours ſhould admire them no leſſe for the excellency of their graces, then for the ſway of their authority. Whereupon it is, that hee giues heroicall qualities to Princes; and as he hath beſtowed vponupon them his owne name, ſo alſo hee giues them ſpeciall ſtamps of his owne glorious Image. Amongſt all other vertues, what a comfort is it to ſee thoſe yeares, and thoſe ſpirits ſtoope ſo willingly to deuotion? Religion is growne too ſeuere a Miſtreſſe for young and high courages to attend. Very rare is that Nobility of blood, that doth not challenge liberty; and that liberty, that ends not in looſeneſſe. Loe, this example teacheth our Gallants, how well euen Maieſtie can ſtand with homage; Maieſty to men, with homage to God.
Farre be it from me, to doe that which my next clauſe ſhall condemne: but I think it ſafe to ſay, that ſeldome euer thoſe yeares hauehave promiſed, ſeldome hauehave performed ſo much. OnelyOnly God keepe two miſchiefes euer from within the ſmoake of his Court; Flattery and Treachery: The iniquity of times may make vsus feare theſe; not his inclination.
For, whether as Engliſh, or as men, it hath beene euer familiar to vsus, to fawne vponupon Princes: Though, what doe I beſtow two names vponupon one vice, but attired in two ſundry ſuits of euill? For, Flatterie is no other than gilded treaſon; nothing elſe but poyſon in gold: This euill is more tame; not leſſe dangerous. It had beene better for many great ones not to hauehave been, than to hauehave beene in their conceits more than men. This, Flatterie hath done; and what can it not? That other, Treacherie, ſpils the blood; this, the vertues of Princes. That takes them from others: this bereaues them of themſelues. That, in ſpight of the actors, doth but change their Crowne: this ſteales it from them for euer. Who can but wonder, that reads of ſome not vnwiſe Princes, ſo bewitched with the inchantments of their Paraſites, that they hauehave thought thēſelues Gods immortal, and hauehave ſuffered themſelues ſo ſtyled, ſo adored? Neither Temples nor Statues, nor Sacrifices hauehave ſeemed too much glory to the greatneſſe of their ſelfe-louelove. Now none of al their actions could be either euill, or vnbeſeeming; nothing could proceed from them worthy of cenſure, vnworthy of admiration: Their very ſpots hauehave beene beauty, their humors iuſtice, their errors witty, their Paradoxes diuine, their exceſſes heroicall. O the damnable ſeruility of falſe mindes! which perſwade others of that which themſelues laugh to ſee beleeued. O the dangerous credulity of ſelfe-louelove! which entertaines all aduantages if neuer ſo euill, neuer ſo impoſſible. How happy a ſeruice ſhall you do to this whole world of ours, if you ſhall ſtill ſettle in that princely minde a true apprehenſion of himſelfe; and ſhall teach him to take his owne height aright; and euen from his childhood to hate a Paraſite, as the worſt Traytor: To break thoſe falſe glaſſes, that would preſent him a face, not his owne: To applaud plain truth, and bend his browes vponupon exceſſiue prayſes. Thus affected, hee may bid Vice doe her worſt. Thus ſhall he ſtriue with Vertue, whether ſhall more honour each other. Thus ſincere and ſolid glory ſhall euerywhere follow, and crowne him. Thus, when hee hath but his due, he ſhall hauehave ſo much, that he ſhall ſcorne to borrow the falſe colours of adulation. Goe on happily in this worthy and noble employment. The worke cannot but ſucceed, that is furthered with ſo many prayers.