The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the vanitie of worldly power and authoritie.
ANd so much concerning the fauour of Princes§. Sect. 1. In what respect worldly authoritie is good, and in what euill and sinfull. and great personages. The other branch of worldly preferment, is aduancement to high places and dignities: as places of Magistracie, Nobilitie, Empire and Soueraignetie. The excellencie of Magistracie chiefely consisteth in their great power and authoritie, which they hauehave and exercise in ruling and gouerning others, who are inferiour and subiect vntounto them, the which is in it owne nature good: for as Iob Iob 12. 13. 16.saith, God is the fountaine of all power and wisdome: and the Apostle telleth vsus, that there is no power but of God▪ and the Rom. 13. 1. 4.powers that be are ordained of God, and that Magistrates who exercise this power are the Ministers of God, to reward the good and punish the euill. To which purpose one saith, thatNon mala potestas, sed is qui malè vtitur potestate, &c. Ambros. in Luc. cap. 4. …om. 5. power it selfe is not euill, but he that abuseth his power and authoritie; it is not authoritie that is euill, but ambition: finally, thus farre forth the ordination of power is from God, that he is to be accounted the minister of God who doth vse his power well; and therefore it is not the fault of the office, but of the minister, neither can the ordinance of God displease but the action of him who doth ill administer it. The Emperour giueth honor, and hath his due praise; but if any abuse this honor conferred vponupon him, it is not the fault of the Emperour, but of the inferiour Iudge. What shall we say then? it is good to vse power, and to desire honor: good I say, if it be lawfully conferred, and not ambitiously snatched. But yet as I said of the rest of worldly blessings, so of this, it is not good absolutely and immutably, but of an indifferent nature in respect of the vse, good to those that make good vse of it, euill to those who abuse it vntounto euill. So one saith, that riches, Diuitiae, potentia, robur, instrumenta sunt virtutis rectè vt entibus, &c. Basil. de Inuid. Homil. 11.power and strength, are the instruments of vertue to those that vse them well, although they hauehave no true felicitie in themselues: and therefore he is no lesse miserable who abuseth them, then hee who taking a sword into his hāds to fight against his enemies, doth turne the point thereof against himselfe, to his owne ruine. VntoUnto which abuse we are naturally most prone, partly whilest we set our hearts and affections more vponupon it, then vponupon our spirituall aduancement, to be the sonnes of God, and heires apparant of his kingdome, and therefore take more paines in getting, and more care in keeping this earthly preferment, then that spirituall and heauenly aduancement, of which we are readie to make forfeiture, by vsing sinfull and wicked meanes for the compassing of the other: partly whilest being puffed vp in pride, we glorie in our power and authority, despising and contemning those who hauehave not attained to the height of our preferments; and partly by putting too much trust and confidence in it, as though we were able to stand in our owne strength, and to outface and discountenance any danger by our owne power. But that we may not too much esteeme, affect, seeke, or glorie in this authoritie and power, but may learne to despise whatsoeuer portion thereof we hauehave in our selues, in comparison of out spiritual priuiledges, and eternall aduancement in Gods kingdome: let vsus consider that in respect of them, they are of no excellencie or profit; but contrariwise being abused through our corruption, they are vsually the causes both of sinne and punishment.
That there is no great excellencie in this power and authoritie,§. Sect. 2. That there is no great excellency in worldly power and authoritie.—virtus et summa potesta… Non coeunt. Lucan. lib. 8. Pharsal. it appeareth, in that God bestoweth it as a common gift both vponupon the good and the bad; yea commonly those vntounto whom he vouchsafeth the least, or no measure of grace, are most aduanced to these worldly dignities and preferments; and those which are aboue others inriched with earthly glorie, are often passed by, when as there is choice to be made of such, as shall hauehave spirituall and heauenly aduancement: for so the Apostle saith, that not many wise, not many mightie, not many noble, are called, but God chuseth the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise, and the weake things of the world to confound the mightie. And thus we reade that the first mightie men on earth, were those wicked giants, who were the issue of that vnequall match, betweeneGen. 6. 4. the sonnes of God, and daughters of men: and after the flood Nimrode began first to bee mightie on the earth; andGen. 10. 8. like vntounto these succeeded many others, both among the Heathen nations, and also Gods chosen people, who, the more mightie they were in power and authoritie, the more weake commonly they were, in all grace and goodnesse. All which serue as examples of the Apostles rule and obseruation, that not many mightie are effectually called; and consequently that there is no true excellencie in greatnesse, seeing it is so often void of goodnesse, and therefore those who most excell in it are neglected by God, when as those which are weake are called and chosen.
And as there is no cause to glorie in greatnesse, in respect§. Sect. 3. That worldly authoritie and power doth not profit vsus for the attaining to grace and ver…ue. of any excellencie there is in it selfe: so neither in regard of any great profit it bringeth vntounto vsus; seeing this might and authoritie doth not helpe vsus to the obtaining of the best things, which are to bee desired, nor to the preuenting or escaping of the greatest euils, which are to be shunned. We cannot with all our might and authoritie command one sanctifying grace, or furnish our heart with one vertue; yea commonly this worldly power rather opposeth against grace, keeping it from entring where it is not, and nipping, curbing, and suppressing it where any seedes thereof are sowen; whereas they who are weake and contemptible, being manured by Gods husbandmen, doe like gentle and light grounds, bring foorth fruitfull increase of vertue and goodnesse; whereas the other, like stiffe and strong clay, do choake and burie whatsoeuer good seeds of grace are committed to them. And as this is to be obserued in seuerall persons, so also we may note a great difference in the same men in these different estates: for how many hauehave we seene, who before they hauehave had preferments, hauehave been humble, courteous, religious, and inriched with many graces and good parts, who being aduanced to dignitie and authoritie, are changed with their estate, becomming proud and insolent, disdainfull and contemptuous, irreligious and prophane, or at least cold and negligent in all good duties, the power of Gods word becomming vnpowerfull vntounto them, and their zeale being cooled, when this winde of vain glorie hath but a little blowne vponupon them? And this difference is obseruedEcclesia nata & adulta persecutionibus creuit & martyrijs coronata est, &c. Hieronym. de vita Malchi. epist. tom. 1. by an Ancient in the state of the primitiue Church, which being borne and come to some age and strength, did grow in the middest of persecutions, and was adorned with the crowne of martyrdome: but after it had Christian Princes indued with power to defend and prouide for it, it increased with riches, but decreased and declined in vertue and all goodnesse. Neither doth this power and authoritie helpe vsus at all in our warfare against our spirituall enemies; for these principalities and powers cannot be ouerthrowne with humane might; and these fleshly weapons are farre too weake for this spirituall incounter; yea rather it betraieth vsus vntounto danger, seeing we are more apt to trust vntounto it, when we find our owne might, and it alwaies faileth vsus when wee most relie vponupon it. It doth not intitle vsus to true greatnesse, and the chiefe magnificence of a Christian; which doth not consistSi magna feceris non braus et is, sed si bona magnus. in abilitie to doe much, but in a willingnesse to doe that which is good; neither will doing of great things make a man good, but doing of good things makes him great.
Finally, this worldly power and potencie, doth not helpe§. Sect. 4. That he who hath most authoritie ouer others, hath least in ruling himselfe. vsus to the obtaining that most esteemeable victorie of ouercomming a mans selfe; neither doth it assist reason in subduing and ruling of our affections and passions; yea rather when the vnresistable flood of power, is ioyned with the violent streame of our owne passions, it causeth them more to swell and rage, bearing downe al where there is but the least apparance of opposition; whether it bee the inward stop of conscience, or the outward stop of admonition or restraint; making their will to stand for law, and all that to be lawfull, whatsoeuer liketh them. Neither doe they now measure their designes and actions by the rule of equitie and iustice, but by their owne power and abilitie, thinking that they may doe, what they can doe; and often desiring moreQuod non potest, vult posse qui nimium potest. Senec. in Hypollit. power, to doe that which they cannot now atchieue, whereas they hauehave alreadie more then they can well vse, their passion and power ouerruling their reason, which should be in subiection, and obedient vntounto it. And whereas the doubling of their authoritie and power, should make them redouble their care to vse it with sobrietie and moderation, and their abilitie to doe what they list, should the more restraine theirMinimum debet libere cui multum licet. list, and will, within the bounds of honestie and equitie; now hauing the raines of libertie put into their hands, they runne on in wilfull courses, oppressing and bearing downe with violence, whatsoeuer standeth in their way, and but seemeth to hinder them; fretting and fuming against any that dareAmicae potestati pene semper impatientia est. Gregor. Moral. lib. 20. cap. 29. Ʋbi cum potestate habitat ir… cundia, fulmen est. presume to say they do amisse; and thundring in their pride and impatiencie sharpe reuenge against all, who hauehave but in the least degree displeased them. So that whereas before their anger and wrath, like a flash of lightning, appeared and vanished, without doing any great hurt; now power like a thunderbolt being ioyned with it, maketh it to become deadly and pernicious. Lastly, this worldly power and authoritie doth vsus no good in attaining vntounto our chiefe good, neither hauehave we our heauenly happinesse by command, but by intreatie, not by authoritie, but by humilitie and submissiue suite. So that in this regard wee hauehave greater cause of glorying in the least dramme of spirituall grace, then in the greatest measure of worldly authoritie and might; according to that of the Prophet, Let not the strong man glorie in his Ier. 9. 23. 24.strength, but let him that glorieth, glorie in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord. Yea though our power & authoritie were such, that we could command the diuels, and ouerrule the infernall spirits, yet we must not, as Christ said to his Apostles, Reioice in this, that the spirits are subiected vntounto Luke 10. 20.vsus, but rather reioyce in this, that our names are written in heauen.
But as this worldly aduancement, power and authoritie§. Sect. 5. That worldly authority freeth vsus not from our greatest euils. Psalm. 33. 16. helpeth vsus not to the attaining of any chiefe good, so neither doth it exempt or free vsus from any great euils. It doth not priuiledge vsus from dangers: for as the Psalmist saith, the king is not saued by the multitude of an host, neither is the mightie man deliuered by great strength. Yea rather it exposes men to many perils; their greatnesse making them but the fairer markes for enuie to shoot at, and inflaming many as ambitious as themselues, to vse all their art and power for the vndermining of their estate, that so out of their ruines they may raise their owne preferments. It cannot deliuer vsus from the iust vengeance of God in the day of his visitation, the Lord hauing a thousand meanes to weaken vsus in our greatest strength, and being able to make our owne power and authoritie the instrument of our destruction: for if he do but blow vponupon vsus with the breath of his displeasure, our proud might shall serue but as an ouer great saile to ouerturne vsus,Potestas culminis est tempestas mentis. Gregor. epist. in Moral. lib. 1. cap. 1. and our owne strength shall become the instrument of our ruine. It doth not free the mind from cares and griefes, nor our bodies from sicknesses and diseases; yea the more authoritie a man hath, the more is his care and trouble, and though he be in neuer so great place, yet the ague and gout, apoplexies and palsies, consumptions and such other griefes and maladies, will not be afraid of him, but comming as officers from a superiour power, will in despite of all his glorious greatnes, hold him vnderunder their arrest, till they hauehave a discharge from our chiefe soueraigne. Neither doth the greatest earthly power, and transcendent authoritie free any from death; for as the Psalmist saith, Man shall not continue in honor, Psalm. 49. 12.he is like the beasts that die: and death feareth the scepter no more then the goad, he regardeth the stately throne no more then the basest foot-stoole, and with as vndaunted courage he entreth into the Princes palace, as into the poorest cottage. Finally, after death we shall hauehave no priuiledge by our authoritie and greatnesse, when as we shall all appeare before the iudgement seat of God: for then both Magistrates2. Cor. 5. 9. 10. and people, mightie and impotent shall be all alike, and receiue their iust sentence according to that which they hauehave done in their flesh, whether good or euil, without any respect of persons: for as Iob saith, He accepteth not the persons of Princes, and regardeth not the rich more then the poore, seeing they are all the worke of his hands. Yea rather at that time they shall find hereby great hurt and inconuenience, seeing it wil then but increase their bils of accounts, of which then they are to giuegive a reckoning; for this power and authoritie were committed vntounto them by God, as his good talents, which they were to vse for the honor of their Master, and for the good of their fellow seruants, which being well imployed, might hauehave gained much glorie vntounto God, and good vntounto his Church, in maintaining and vpholding his worship and seruice, in preseruing and defending his true religion, in countenancing & rewarding the good and vertuous, and in disheartning & punishing the wicked and vicious. In which accounts if they come short, they shall at that day hauehave little ioy of all their former authoritie & greatnes; seing it will but increase their debts, and make them to find so much the lesse fauour, by how much they hauehave abused the greater merciemercy.
And thus hauehave I shewed that authoritie and great power,§. Sect. 6. That worldly authoritie is accompanied vsually with pride and tyrannie. are vaine and vnprofitable to those, who too much set their hearts vponupon them. It followeth that I also shew that it bringeth vntounto vsus, being thus abused, much euill, and that both in respect of sinne and punishment. It is the cause, being abused through our corruption, of many sins, but especially of those two hainous and mother sinnes, pride and iniustice. For being aduanced vntounto these high places, it is vsuall with them to forget by what power they were thus aduanced; and leauing their dependancie vponupon God, they begin to wax proud of themselues, and thinking it too base to sustaine the place of Gods deputies, they aspire themselues vntounto the supreame soueraignetie, and rebelliously affect diuine honors. So Nebuchadnezer being by his greatnes puffed vp with pride, forgate himselfe to be a man, and would needs hauehave his image worshipped by all his people; and this was vsuall among the Heathen Potentates, who ambitiously desired to be deified, and to hauehave their statues and images erected, vntounto which diuine worship was to be imparted. And thus Vzziah, howsoeuer he was a Prince of the better sort, yet when hee grew2. Chron. 26. 16 mightie, it is said of him, that his heart was lift vp to his destruction. And as it maketh men proud in respect of God; so in respect of men, most insolent, disdainfull and tyrannicall. It is true indeed, that those who vse their authoritie well, doBenè potentiam exercet qui scit per illam super culpas erigi, & scit cum illae caeteris aequalitate componi. Greg. Moral. lib. 26. cap. 19. keepe an humble mind in an high estate, like the Sun, which the higher it is, the lesse it seemeth, and do not so much looke at their superioritie of state and order, as at the equalitie of their naturall condition; and considering that all by nature are equall, and that it is sinne which maketh this difference of superioritie and inferioritie betweene them, therfore they aduance their power to beare sway ouer their vices rather then ouer their persons, and whilest they remember that they punish sinne, they do not forget that it is punished in their brethren. Nether do they (as one saith) so much reioyce toGreg. Moral. lib. 21. cap. 11. rule ouer men, as that they may profit them by their gouernment, knowing that the ancient Patriarks were not so much Kings ouer men, as Pastors ouer sheepe, and that when God said to Noah and his sonnes increase and multiplie, and fill the earth, adding that their feare and dread should be ouer the beasts, fowles and fishes, hee doth not say also that it should be ouer men, because mans terrour should be ouer beasts and not ouer men. Although indeed holy gouernours desire to be feared of their subiects; but it is when as they see that they do not feare God, that at least they may be restrained from sinne by this feare of man, who do not stand in awe of Gods iudgements: and therefore they are not proud of this feare, in which they seeke not their owne glorie, but the iust cariage and demeanure of their subiects: neither do they desire to be feared of ill liuers as they are men, but as they behaue themselues like beasts ouer caried with sensualitie: and when there is no vice to punish, they do not reioyce in the excellencie of their power, but in the equalitie of their condition, and are so farre from desiring to be too much feared, that they refuse to be too much honored. But the most part through the corruption of our nature, are apt to abuse their power and authoritie vntounto pride and tyrannie, imagining that they exceed all that are subiect vntounto them, as much in vertue, as they do in titles, in worth and desert, as they do in dignitie and power; and measuring themselues not by the rule of Gods word, nor by the testimonie of their owne consciences, but according to the hyperbolicall, or rather lying praises and commendations of palpable flatterers; and beleeuing that they are such as these false glasses would seeme to make them, they wax proud of their greatnes, esteeming their inferiours as base and contemptible, and thinking that they are good for nothing but for their vse, and that like cyphers they only serue to make vp the summe of their greatnesse: and therefore they rule them not according to law and equitie, but according to their will and pleasure, neuer considering what they ought to do, but what by their power they are able to do; nor think what is good for their inferiors but for themselues, as though it were their summum bonum and chiefe happinesse, if by their labours, wealth, lands and liues, they can procure vntounto them the least pleasure or profit, or giuegive them the least ease of any trouble. So that it is a matter of greatest difficultie to excell in authoritie, and to beate downe pride; to hauehave great power, and not to thinke it greater then it is; to rule ouer inferiours, and not to insult ouerEcclesiasticus 3. 19. §. Sect. 7. That worldly authoritie vsually is accompanied with vniustice and oppression. and contemne them as base and abiect. And therefore great potentates had need to hauehave that saying sounding in their eares: The greater thou art, the more humble thy selfe in all things; and so shalt thou find fauour before the Lord.
The other sin into which power and authoritie commonly plungeth men, is vniustice, violence and oppression; for they that hauehave power to do more then is fit, commonly hauehave also will to do more then is lawfull; because they imagineCui plus licet quam par est, plus vult quam …icet. that their pow…r is most magnified, when as it extendeth it selfe beyond all bounds and limits of either law or reason. And thus the Author of the booke of Wisdome bringeth in mighty men incouraging one another to commit all outrage and cruelty: Let vsus (say they) leaue some token of our pleasure Wisdome 2. 9. 10. 11.in eueryevery place, for that is our portion, and this is our lot. Let vsus oppresse the poore that is righteous, let vsus not spare the widow, nor reuerence the white haires of the aged that hauehave liued many yeeres: let our strength be the law of vnrighteousnesse, for the thing that is feeble is reproued as vnprofitable. In which cruell courses, when as they are long fleshed, they follow them, as bruit beasts their prey, when their bellies are full; not for hunger, but for wantonnes, affecting wrongs and oppressions, not for any pleasure or profit they hauehave in the thing done, but only for the delight they take in doing it; andColit hic reges calcet vt omnes, perdat{que} aliquos nullum{que} leue…, tantum vt noceat cupit esse potens. Senec. in Octauia. Ambros. Hexamer. lib. 5. ca. 5. chiefly glorying in their power and authority, because they are inabled thereby to do mischiefe; as though there were no musicke so sweet to their eares, as the outcries of the wronged, and the groanes of the oppressed. Neither is this any rare fault of the mighty, seeing (as one complaineth) inferiours in all places are subiect to the couetousnes and oppression of those who are stronger then they, and the weaker a man is, the more fit he is thought to be made a prey: for it is amongst them as among deuouring fishes, the lesse becommeth the food of the greater; and he againe being assaulted with a stronger then he, becommeth his prey, who before deuoured another, and one belly now holdeth them both, giuing an example to the mightie of reuenged iniurie: whereby it appeareth that this power and authoritie being vsually seuered from iustice, becommeth hurtfull and pernicious: for as those signes, Castor and Pollux, appearing bothPlutarch. Pistisera vis est valete ad nocendum. together vntounto sea-fairing men, comfort them with the hope of faire weather, and a prosperous voyage; but being seuered and appearing alone portend a tempest: so when power and authoritie are ioyned with wisdome and iustice, they bring with them much profit both to priuate men, and to whole societies: but when this power is seuered and diuided from the other, it bringeth foorth no other fruites then crueltie, rage, oppression, and all manner of hurt and mischiefe, and that both to those who are vnderunder it, and to those also who thus abuse it. For as for them, they are not masters of any thing which they enioy, all their goods and substance being daily endangered to their spoyle and rapine; the which their iniuries they must indure not only with silence and patience, but at least with outward cheerefulnes and thankfulnes: for if they seeme but to take notice that they are wronged, they doe make way for a new mischiefe, and put them in minde to redouble the iniurie. And therefore the best way for these inferiours, is willingly to offer that toMinora potentibus negare est maiora promi… tere. these powerfull tyrants which they seeme to affect; for to denie vntounto them lesser things, is to promise vntounto them greater, and by withholding from them some things, to make them masters of all. Yea oftentimes by crossing their desires they doe not only expose their goods to the spoile, but their liues also to danger, as wee may see in the example of Naboth, who labouring to hold his vineyard, lost his life and his vineyard too. Neither is this abused power and authoritie lesse pernicious to those that ha…e it; for making themselues hereby odious to all, they twist snares to catch themselues, and fall into their owne pit, whilest either they expose themselues to popular rage, or pursuing the weake doe fall intoQui ob hoc in…uriam facit quia potest, citò desinet quia fecit. the power of those who are stronger; like the wolfe, who ouergreedily following the lambe, doth himselfe fall into the lions paw. So that it is truly said, that he who therefore doth iniurie because he is able, will not long be able because hee hath done it. And wisely did the Heathen man aduise those who desired to vse their power long, that they shouldCato apud Stobaeum, serm. de Ma…istratu. vse it sparingly whilest they hauehave it; for they who doe all they can, will not long be able to doe what they will.
But as this abused power and authoritie plungeth men§. Sect. 8. That worldly authoritie exposes men to enuie and many dangers. into sinne, so it subiecteth them to the euill of punishment: for depriuing them of the chiefe humane strength and defence, namely the louelove and good will of those that are about them, it exposes them to the enuie and hatred of all, so that those who flatter them with their mouth, threaten their ruine in their hearts, and whilest they creepe and crouch vntountoPot…tibus omnes adulantur, inuident omnes. Bernard. de ascensu Domini, serm. 4. them, they watch for desired opportunitie to tread vpō their necks, and to solace themselues in their vtter ruine. Yea they are not safe from the conspiracies and attempts of those whō they repute their neerest friends; and euen those who guard them, are so falsehearted towards them, that oftentimesSenec in Herc. Oct. act. 2. they had need of another guard to defend them from their treacherie. And hereof it is that these great Potentates are continually exposed to innumerable dangers, which threaten a fearefull and shamefull downfull, whilest eueryevery one enuieth their greatnesse, and none almost supports it, vnlesse it be that they put to their hands to vphold it whilest it standeth by it owne strength; being readie to pull them away when it a little tottereth, and standeth most in need of their helpe. And as they are thus endangered by false friends, so also by open and professed enemies, who hauing through the abuse of their power been wronged and iniured, doe daily waite for opportunitie of taking reuenge, and feed themselues with hope of seeing their ruine, when as they may pay them home with their owne measure. From which dangers and euils, though they be defended through the greatnes of their power, yet are they not priuileged from the continuall feare of them; neither is it might, and powerful tyrannie, but innocencie, iustice, and well-deseruing that bringeth secure peace. For hauing abused their power to oppression and violence, their guiltie conscience, as it were an implacable furie, continually haunteth them, making them to expect what they hauehave deserued, and to feare, as much as they hauehave hurt. Whereby it commeth to passe, that howsoeuer they are sometime safe, yet they are neuer secure, but spend their life in continuall agonies and perplexities. Now what is this continuall anticipation of euils through feare and dreadfull expectation, but a daily suffring of them, the greatest part of worldly euils being the feare that goeth before them?
But say they could escape both feare and danger from§. Sect. 9. That abused authoritie subiecteth men to Gods vēgeance. men, yet deserued vengeance from God shall surely ouertake them, for abusing that power and authority which they hauehave receiued from him, to his dishonour, and the hurt of their brethren, whereas they might by a good vse thereof hauehave gained vntounto him much glorie, and benefited those who were vnderunder their gouernment. For the Lord when hee commeth in visitation, will not respect the mightie more then the weake and impotent; yea rather taking delight to ouermaster and confound their proud greatnesse, wherewith they hauehave opposed against him, hee draweth them first to punishment, and maketh their condemnation more heauie and intollerable, for the mightie shall be mightily tormented. 1. Sam. 2. 4. Wisd. 6. 7. 8. Esa. 2. 13. Zach. 11. 2.Neither is it a matter of more difficultie vntounto him, to tread vnderunder foote these ouertopping Cedars, and strong okes of Bashan, then the weakest bramble, or lowest shrub. For as the Apostle saith, the weaknes of God is stronger then men, and1. Cor. 1. 25. 27 hee is able by the weake things of the world to confound the mightie. He leadeth away Princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie; he powreth contempt vponupon Princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake, as Iob speaketh. In regardIob 12. 19. 21. whereof, there is no power of man of any continuance, but that which being guided with wisedome, and grounded on vertue, is supported and vpheld by his omnipotent might: yea contrariwise as a building which wants a good foundation, the greater and higher it is, the more neere it is to a dangerous downfall, seeing it greatnes and height doth but help forward and hasten it owne ruine: so these high Babels of power, and greatnesse, which hauehave not vertue for their ground and foundation, but are onelyonly vnderpropped with the weake staies of violence and tyrannie, are neere vntounto confusion, when the least breath of Gods wrath doth blow vponupon them.
Seeing therefore this worldlie power and authoritie is§. Sect. 10. That spirituall power is much to be preferred before that which is worldlie. Eph. 6. 10. 11. through our corruption so subiect to abuse, and being abused is the cause of so manifold euils, let vsus learne not to esteeme it ouermuch, or to set our hearts vponupon it; but rather let vsus labour after spirituall power and might, and as the Apostle exhorteth vsus, let vsus be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, and put on the whole armour of God, that wee may be able to stand against the diuell▪ and may obtaine a glorious victorie ouer the spirituall enemies of our saluation: for if we be assisted with this power wee shall be able to doe all things, as the same Apostle speaketh. Let vsus labour after that power whereby we may be inabled to master and ouercomePhil. 4. 13. our owne sinnes and corruptions, and to subdue and keepe them vnderunder, to mortifie and slaughter them, when they rebell against the spirit: for this is the chiefe and greatest power wherein a Christian man should reioyce, not toMagna potentia non posse malum. be able to offend God by doing euill, which we shall hauehave when we come into our countrie; and the next to that is to restraine our selues from sinne, vntounto which the corruption of our nature leadeth and inclineth vsus. Let vsus chiefly desire to hauehave that authoritie and might whereby we may be inabled to rule and gouerne our selues, and to moderate and keepe in order our owne passions and affections; let vsus shew our strength in ouercomming our pride, couetousnes, ambition, lust, anger, desire of reuenge, and the rest: for as the Wise man telleth vsus, he that is slow to anger, is better then the mightie Prou. 26. 31.man; and hee that ruleth his owne minde, is better then he that winneth a citie. Neither will it ought auaile vsus to rule ouer the whole world, and in the meane time to be slaues vntounto our owne lusts; to hauehave all nations vnderunder our subiection, and to hauehave within vsus tumultuous passions, and disordered affections, which continually stirre vp in vsus ciuill and intestine vprores and seditions, when as they rebell against the rule of holy reason, and resist the good motions of Gods spirit. Finally, if wee would hauehave that strength which is worth esteeme, let vsus like true Israelites labour after such power asHos. 12. 3. 4. may preuaile with God; and after the example of our forefather Iacob, let vsus wrestle with him by our prayers and strong cries, neuer letting him depart from vsus, till wee hauehave obtained a blessing, which shall be accompanied here with comfort, ioy, and peace, and with eternall blessednesse and true happinesse in the life to come.