Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 9 · Excursus 1
¶Of Ambition.
What Ambicion is. What honor is Excellent men are iuſtly honored.AS touching the firſt, Ambition is to much deſire of honor. And honor is that reuerence which is geuen vntounto any man, to beare teſtimony of his excellency. And that teſtimony is borne vntounto hym iuſtly and of right: bycauſe it is mete, that we recompence ſomewhat vntounto them, whiche doo helpe and noriſhe vsus, and are endewed with giftes of God. And we hauehave nothing more worthy or better then honor. Farther, that they and their like may go forwarde to excerciſe them ſelues longer and more conſtantly in helping & keping of other. Moreouer, that we adding ſuch reuerence, may get vntounto them authority, whereby they may the more aptly and commodiouſly execute their office.It is lawfull for godly men to receaue the honours offred them. Hereby it is manifeſt that it is lawfull euen for holy men alſo to embrace the honours whiche are geuen vntounto thē for vertue, doctrine, and pietyes ſake. For they both deſire and allow things that are iuſt, and do reioyſe that men performe that whiche the law of God will hauehave done. And he commaūdeth to honor the father, the mother, the Magiſtrate, and ſuch like. Wherfore if men obey his preceptes, holy men can not but accept it thankfully. Thou mayſt adde, that if it ſhould not ſo be, their miniſtery would be contemned, whiche is by all meanes to be auoyded.
What muſt be taken heede of when honours are admitted.But bycauſe we are prone to pride, hautines, and arrogancye: therfore we muſt beware, and that circumſpectly, that for the deſire of honor, we abuſe not that whiche after a ſorte may be iuſt. Wherfore I thought it good to note thoſe thinges, which I iudge are to be taken heede of in this thing. Firſt, that we reſt not in this kinde of good, as in the laſt end. Whatſoeuer we do, muſt be directed vntounto God, and eſpecially that honor whiche is geuen vntounto vsus, when we rightly and orderly execute our dutyes, ſo that thereby both we our ſelues may know, & alſo teach other to glorify God,Honor is the reward of vertue. & not men in good workes. For this hath Chriſt commaunded, that we ſhoulde ſo directe our wookes, whereby they whiche ſee thē, may glorify God the heauenly father. Neither ought this to moue vsus which is …ōmonly ſpoken, ye honor is the rewarde of vertues. For yt is not to be vnderſtād, neither as touchyng ye vertues thēſelues, nor yet in reſpect of the mē which are adorned with thē. For it ſhuld be very yll wt either of thē, if they had no other ende performed then honor. The ende of good men is eternall lyfe, and the heauenly kyngdome. And the ende of vertues, is to prepare and renewe vsus to the glory of God. But honor is called the rewarde of vertues, as touching other, whiche doo beholde and wonder at the giftes of God in good and holy men:Howe honor is the rewarde of vertue. and and when they deſire to offer or recompence them ſomewhat, and hauehave nothing excellenter then honor, then doo they geue that. Wherefore after this maner is honor counted the rewarde of vertue. The other caution is, that a man doo not ſo burne with the deſire of honor, that he care not howe he come by it, whether it be by right or by wrong. Saluſt hath writtē an excellent ſentēce of this thyng:Saluſt. The good man and the euill doo both a lyke deſire vntounto themſelues glorye, honor, and rule: this man the true waye, but the other, bycauſe he wanteth good artes, contendeth to attayne it by guiles and diſceates. Thirdely we muſt beware, that a man deſire not more honor, then his merites and vertues require: or extort dignity and honors, when as rather he is worthy of vituperation. For this ſhould be both abſurde, and alſo want all maner of iuſtice.
Abimelech tooke not heede of the thynges whiche I hauehave rehearſed,Abimelech is ambicious. but incurred them all. For he ſet before hym the kyngly power, or rather tyranny, as the laſte ende: for to it directed he all hys actes and cogitations, alſo he contended vntounto it by diſceates and guiles, and not by the good waye and iuſt meanes. Yea he ſeemeth rather to graunte vntounto a ſentence of Euripidis: A ſentence of Eripidis.That ryght it ſelfe is to be violated for dominions ſake. And for as much as he wanted merites, he rather extorted honor, whiche is geuen as a teſtimony of vertues, then got it vntounto hymſelfe by iuſte meanes. He deceaueth hys Citizens with no obſcure kynde of bryberye, for he flatteryngly requireth of them the kyngdome, bycauſe he woulde beſtowe vppon them greate and moſte ample benefites, for as muche as he was theyr kynſeman.The Ethnike lawes condēne inordinate ambicion. The lawes alſo of the Ethnikes doo condemne ſuche inordinate ambition. For as muche as in the lawe Iuliā, de ambitu, it is decreed, that he whyche by bryberye obtayned honours, ſhoulde be condemned, both by paying of money, that is, a hundreth crownes, and therewith all made infamous.
He deceaueth hys brethren by a falſe accuſation, as we hauehave ſhewed:Abimelech falſely accuſeth his brethren & cōmitteth treaſon. and goeth farther and committeth treaſon agaynſte the people of the Hebrues. For he attempted to alter, yea rather to euerte the ſtate of that publique wealth. In the digeſtes ad I. Iuliam, Maieſtatis, he is ſayde to committe that cryme, whiche dyd any thyng agaynſte the people of Rome, or agaynſte the ſafety thereof. And who ſeeth not that Abimelech very diligently conſpired agaynſte the libertye of the Hebrues. He infringeth this lawe alſo: whoſoeuer hath with hym men armed with ſwoordes and weapons, and kepeth poſſeſſion of ſome certayne places: whiche thyng the hiſtory affirmeth that Abimelech dyd.Abimelech is guilty of robbyng the cōmō threafore. For he gathered together ſouldiers and came into Ophrath, & inuaded his fathers houſe. Wherfore he committeth treaſon, which (as Vlpianus teſtifieth) is next vntounto ſacrilege. Abimelech alſo is guilty of robbyng the common treaſure, when as he abuſed the money, whether it were publique or holy, to hys owne priuate vſe.