The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men, Chapter 19

The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men · Chapter 19

p. 372CHAP. XIX.

Of the vanity of the paſsion of Ambition.

AS it is not the quality, but the quantity of wine that is offenſive to men: So it is the exceſs and the irregularity of mens ambition that is deſtructive to mankind; for as a little wine rejoyceth the heart, ſo a ſpark of ambition in the heart of men bends their minds upon generous actions: And could they make vertue and holineſs the only objects of their Ambition, as they do the honour and glory of this world, Ambition would prove to be the beſt and the moſt commendable paſſion of men.See Plutarch in his Life. Themiſtocles did uſe to ſay, That the great Trophies of Miltiades did hinder him to take his reſt; even ſo, if the Faith of Abraham, the righteouſneſs of Lot, the patience of Job, the continency of Joſeph, the meekneſs of Moſes, the zeal of Phineas, the fervency of David, and the holineſs of our bleſſed Saviour, were the objects of mens ambition, ambitious men would carry away the garland, and be reputed as the p. 373only excellent upon earth.Pſal. 16.3.Ps 16:3 But to be exceſſively ambitious after the fading and momentary riches, honours, and glory of this world, or after the conqueſt of a Mole-hill, (for the greateſt Kingdom in Chriſtendom in compariſon of the whole Globe of the World, will appear but like a Mole-hill,) it is a meer vanity,Eccleſ. 6.2.Eccl 6:2 and an evil diſeaſe. Socrates being informed that Alcibiades was proud and ambitions, and boaſted of the great demains he poſſeſſed in Attica a Province of Greece, See Plutarch in his Morals.of which Athens was the Metropolitan City, brought him into a place where there was a Map of the whole Earth, and prayed him to ſhew him where ſtood his Poſſeſſions; Alcibiades after an exact view of the ſame, found out at laſt the Province of Attica, which was no bigger then a great pins-head, but could not ſee any ſign of his demains, whereupon Socrates ſaid unto him, Why are you then ſo proud and ambitious for a thing of ſo little Continent, that it cannot be ſeen in this Card. Even ſo Princes and Commonwealths, who out of ambition contend for enlargement of their demains, will finde at the end, when they have ſhed their ſubjects blood, and p. 374exhauſted their Treaſures, that they have only obtained with much ado, a ſmall Mole-hill of ground: And will be enforced to ſay,See the Hiſtory of France. as Charls the Fifth, and Philip the Second, Kings of Spain did (who through their Ambition had been the cauſe of the death of a million of men, and of the exhauſting of all the Treaſures that came out of the Weſt-Indies, which did amount in threeſcore years to above two hundred millions of Crowns, by the Wars they made about the Conqueſt of France,) viz. That with all this blood and incredible Treaſures, they had not won a Foot of ground in France, and were further from the Conqueſt of it, then they were the firſt day of their War. And verily if the ſeventeen Provinces of the Low-Countries were repreſented in a Map, and compared to the whole Globe of the Firmament, of the Seas, and the Earth, they would not ſeem to be ſo big as a Mole-hill: And yet they have this threeſcore years and ten been the object of the Ambition of him that ſtiles himſelf the greateſt King in Chriſtendom. And notwithſtanding his might and power,See the Hiſtory of the Netherlands. and the innumerable lives of men that have been loſt, and the incredible p. 375Treaſures that have been exhauſted in the Conqueſt and preſervation of them, yet hath he been enforced to acknowledge ſeven of theſe Provinces to be free-States, and at this very hour courts them by his Embaſſadors, to obtain an offenſive and defenſive League with them: For although the Ambition of Princes and Commonwealths have no bounds, yet are they bounded by the Lord of Hoſts, and ſhall extend no further then he hath Decreed: The beginning, the encreaſe, the decay, and utter annihilation of Empires, Monarchies, and Commonwealths being wholly at his diſpoſing. Notwithſtanding the deſires of Ambitious men are never ſatisfied, and are alwayes projecting to enlarge their bounds, although they are ignorant of Gods will and pleaſure therein; theſe ambitious deſires of theirs, being oftentimes the fore-runners of their ruine and annihilation.See Herodotus in his Life. Croeſus King of Lydia deſiring ambitiouſly to enlarge his dominions, made War againſt Cyrus, who deprived him in one day of his Kingdom, and of his incredible Treaſures. And Antiochus the great, ambitiouſly deſiring to enlage his Kingdom, declared War againſt the Romans, who p. 376took from him Armenia, See Plutarch in the Lives of Lucullus and Pompeius.and confined him beyond the Mount Taurus. And becauſe this fiery paſſion of Ambition is as predominant in all parts of Chriſtendom in theſe dayes, as it hath been in former Ages, give me leave to enlarge my ſelf upon theſe particulars:

1. On the definition of this paſſion.

2. On the compoſure of it.

3. On the nature of the ſame.

4. On thoſe who are moſt addicted to it.

5. On the Cauſes that move men to be Ambitious.

6. On the proprieties of the ſame.

7. On the pernitious effects of it.

8. On the means to ſubdue the ſame.

Firſt,The definition. Ambition is nothing but an exorbitant and irregular deſire of worldly honour and glory.

Secondly, It is a mixt paſſion, compoſed of theſe,The compoſure. viz. of Audacity, of Hope, and Deſire. 1. Audacity expels the fears that might diſſwade Ambitious men from undertaking any perilous enterpriſes. 2. Hope infuſeth in them a confidence they ſhall attain to their ends. p. 3773. Deſire gives them wings to proſecute with indefatigable labour, the fruition of that which they aym at.

Thirdly, It is of a fiery, reſtleſs, and inſatiable nature. 1. It is fiery, becauſe ſuch as are more ambitious then others, are of a bilious, hot, and dry conſtitution. 2. It is reſtleſs, becauſe the bilious humour, which is the moſt predominant in their bodies, doth uſually aſcend up to their brains, which makes them active in all their actions, and ſudden in all their undertakings.The nature of Ambition. And of this natural conſtitution were Caeſar, Henry the Fourth King of France, and the laſt King of Sweden, who were all three extraordinarily ambitious. 3. It is inſatiable, becauſe of the great predominancy the paſſion of deſire hath over the other paſſions of which it is compoſed, nothing being more inſatiable then the deſires of men.

Fourthly, Thoſe who are moſt ambitious, are commonly of a haughty ſpirit, envious and impatient when they ſee any other excel them in valor, honor & glory. It was Ambition that moved Alexander to reject the fair offer that Darius King of Perſia made unto him of the half of his p. 378Kingdom, and of his eldeſt Daughter to be his wife, (if that would have ſatisfied his ambition,) ſo he might enjoy peaceably the other moity the reſt of his days;See Quintus Curtius in his Life. but this anſwer of Alexander made unto Darius upon this offer did proceed from a haughty and imperious ſpirit, viz. That as there was but one Sun in the Firmament, ſo there could be but one Monarch upon Earth:See Plutarch in Caeſars Life. And this ſaying of Caeſar did proceed from a haughty and ambitious heart, viz. That he would rather be the chiefeſt Magiſtrate in a petty City of Italy, then the ſecond in the City of Rome. And this other that he ſpake to the Maſter of a ſhip in the midſt of a ſtorm; Fear not, ſaith he, For thou doſt carry in thy ſhip Caeſar and his Fortune; as if the Winde and the Sea had been bound to obey and comply with his ambitious deſigns: But his paſſion of Sorrow when he wept, ſeeing the Figure of Alexander cut in Marble ſtanding in the Market place of the City of Cadice in Spain, doth evidently manifeſt that he was of a haughty and ambitious ſpirit. Out of theſe inſtances it may then be collected, that Ambition is as common to haughty and proud ſpirits, as Avarice is proper and p. 379peculiar to vile and baſe-minded-men.

Fifthly, The cauſes moving men to be ambitious, may be theſe:

1. Self-love.

2. Pride.

3. Vain-glory.

1. Self-love induceth to prefer their own glory to any thing under the Sun. And it is certain that all the heroical Actions of the antient Heathens did rather proceed from ſelf-love, then from the love they did bear to Vertue, or to their native Countrey. And in theſe days moſt of the commendable Actions of Magiſtrates, Commanders,The cauſes moving men to be Ambitious. and Learned men, have a greater reference to this ſelf-love then the glory of God and the Publick good, except it be the actions of ſome ſpecial Saints, and true children of God.

2. Pride raiſeth their hearts above the Moon; for like proud and ambitious Haman, they would have all men bow their knees before them, and will be accounted as the Cedars of Libanon, and not as the brambles of the Forreſt. And this Pride makes them aſpire to the greateſt Offices and Places of the Commonwealth, being p. 380aſſured that by theſe Places and Dignities they will be more honoured then for their own worth. Never conſidering that the ſteepeſt Mountains, the higheſt Clifts, Towers, and Steeples are more ſubject to be beaten down by the boyſterous winds and thunder-claps, then the low trees growing in the Valleys. And that God doth always exalt the humble, and ſpeaketh thus to the proud, Though thou exalt thy ſelf as the Eagle, Obad. 1.4.Obad 1:4and though thou ſet thy neſt among the ſtars, thence will I bring thee down, ſaith the Lord.

3. Vain-glory gives wings to the ambitious men, and makes them undertake the moſt perilous enterpriſes, if they conceive they may obtain in this life the prayſe and the applauſe of men, and make their memory famous in the Generations to come. This moved the two Decii to throw themſelves in the midſt of the Enemies Army, to ſave and to give the Victory to the Roman Legions:See Livie in his firſt Decade. It moved Martius Curtius to caſt himſelf on Horſe-back, armed from head to foot, into a bottomleſs Pit to free the City of Rome from the contagion of a conſuming Plague: It moved Scevola p. 381to burn his own hand before King Porſenna in the flame of a lighted Torch, to obtain an advantageous Peace for his native Countrey. And the ancient Romans knowing what power vain-glory hath over ambitious men, did ordain to this purpoſe three kinde of Triumphs, to incite them by theſe vain ſhews and the applauſe and acclamations the common people made at their entring,See Livie in his 1.2. and 3. Decade. to hazzard their lives in Martial Atchievments; the firſt of theſe Triumphs excelling in honour the ſecond, and the ſecond the laſt; that their valour might be honoured according to the degrees, as it did really deſerve: Whereby it appears that vainglory hath from the beginning to this day been the only aym of proud and ambitious men.

Sixthly, The proprieties of ambition are numerous, but for brevity ſake, I ſhall onelyonly ſpeak of three of them.

The firſt proprietiy of it, is, That it hath neither limits nor bounds; and this I will prove by three inſtances, that are known to ſuch as are verſ'd in ancient and Modern Hiſtories. 1. The Ambition of the Democratical Commonwealth of Rome had no bounds, although the beginning p. 382of it was vile and ſmall; it was vile becauſe the firſt erectors of it were for the greater part Out-laws, Fugitives, and Vagabonds; and it was ſmall becauſe their number did not exceed three thouſand before the Sabines joyned with them; the firſt object of their Ambition was the City of Alba, See Livie in his 1. Decade. Lib. 1.which was deſtroyed in one day; the ſecond was Gabes; and the Citizens of them both were joyned with the Romans, which did much encreaſe their number, and ſo by degrees ſubdued all their neighbouring Princes and Commonwealths; then Sicilia was the object of their Ambition, then Carthage, Spain, France, England, Greece, Macedonia, and Armenia: And when they had in their poſſeſſion the greateſt part of Europe, See Caeſars Commentaries.Aſia, and Africa, then the ambition of Caeſar ſwallowed up them: who from a ſervant became their imperious Lord. Neither was the ambition of their Emperors ever limited; for the greater part of them did endevor to enlarge their Monarchy, till the days of the Emperor Trajan, See Dion and Apian.at which time it had the largeſt extent that it ever had; for preſently after, it began to decay, and was annihilated by its own waight, as all great Politick p. 383Bodies are commonly. 2. The Ottoman ambition was never limited to this day. At the firſt, it was contained within the Circumference of a Countrey Village, their number not above ſix hundred; then they extended the ſame in the Leſſer Aſia, and then it came over Helleſpontus into Greece, conquered Conſtantinople, See the Turkiſh Hiſtory.ſuppreſſed the Greek Empire, ſubdued Servia, Dalmatia, and a great part of Hungaria; then Egypt, Syria, and Armenia, with the Iland of Cyprus, Rhodes, and all the Iſlands of the Archipelago; then they extended the ſame into Perſia, but were enforced to give it over becauſe of their Civil Diviſions: The Janiſaries and the Spahis holding at this preſent the helm of the ſhip of that great Monarchy; for they have of late years placed and diſplaced to, and from the Throne, ſuch as pleaſed and diſpleaſed them; yet is not their ambition limited; for Candia is now the object of it. 3. The ambition of the Houſe of Auſtria was never yet limited: 1. In the days of Ferdinando and Iſabella, they conquered the Kingdom of Grenado, See the German and Spaniſh Hiſtory.and the Weſt-Indies, and by a wile poſſeſſed themſelves perfidiouſly of the Kingdom of Navarr, and drove the p. 384French out of the Kingdom of Naples, and the Dutchy of Milan; and having by the Heir of the Houſe of Burgundy obtained the rule of the ſeventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, Charls the Fifth, the ſon of that Heir was choſen Emperor of Germany when he was already King of Spain, which Kingdom he left to Philip the Second, his ſon: and the Empire of Germany to his brother Ferdinande, whom he cauſed to be choſen by his power in his life time; and ſo ambitiouſly and cunningly made the Empire of Germany Hereditary to that Family, that was formerly elective; his ſon Philip the Second of that name, King of Spain, following his ambitious ſteps, by the invincible Navie he ſent to conquer England, See the French and Engliſh Hiſtory.and the Catholike League that were his Emiſſaries to betray into his hands France their native Countrey, came very near to be the abſolute Monarch of Chriſtendom: But God who derides at the ambition of Princes which do not tend to the execution of his ſecret will, brought all his ambitious deſigns to nothing; for his invincible Navie was beaten and ſcattered by the Engliſh valour, and the greateſt part of it ſwallowed p. 385up by the roaring Seas. And the Catholike League in France, was utterly ſubdued by the activity, wiſdom, and valour of Henry the Fourth their lawfull king.See the Netherland Hiſtory. Yet notwithſtanding that the Hollanders have deprived him of ſeven of the Netherland Provinces; and the Portuguies from his uſurped kingdom of Portugal; he hoped ſtill ambitiouſly to make himſelf the abſolute Monarch of Chriſtendom, by the diviſions he hath lately fomented in Holland, England, France, Scotland and Ireland, by the means of the Machiavellian Principles ſpread abroad by the Jeſuitical Locuſts, that he hath ſcattered among theſe Nations like ſo many ſwarms of Bees. But I hope, God will turn his Counſels into fooliſhneſs,2 Sam. 17.14.2 Sam 17:14 as he did that of Achitophel: and make his unlimited Ambition the cauſe of his utter annihilation.

The Second Propriety of Ambition, is, That it hateth Parity, and all Competitors and Equals. Numerous Inſtances might be produced for proof of it: but half a dozen ſhall ſerve: 1. Romulus and Remus, brethren, having been choſen kings or Governors of the Fugitives that were the firſt Erectors of the Roman p. 386Commonwealth, did not raign two years together,Livie in his firſt Decade. Lib. 1. but Romulus out of ambition to raign alone, ſlew his brother Remus under colour that he had in deriſion leaped over the mud wals of the City of Rome. 2. Lucius Tarquinius impatient of the long life & raign of Servius Tullius his Fatherin-Law, poſſeſſed with an ambitious deſire to raign in his ſtead, by the wicked inſtigations of his wife Tullia, Lib. 1. p. 76.threw him down the Senate-Chamber ſtairs, and cauſed him to be murthered in the ſtreets of Rome; and this accurſed and abhorred Tullia coming from the Senate in a Chariot with four horſes, where ſhe had cauſed her Husband to be proclaimed King, cauſed her Coachman to drive the Chariot over her Fathers body, as he lay a dying and goared in his blood in the ſtreet: And no marvel it was that ſhe who to proſecute her ambitious deſign, had already cauſed her Husband to murther her own ſiſter and his own brother that was her firſt Husband; would omit to act this unparalleld cruelty towards her Father-in-Law, by whoſe untimely and violent death ſhe came to have the fruition of her accurſed ambition.See Plutarch in their lives. 3. Craſſus, Pompeius, and Caeſar having divided p. 387the power of the Roman Commonwealth between them, Craſſus being gone with a great Army into Aſia to ſubdue the Parthians, and Caeſar with another Army into France, and Pompeius with another Army left at Rome to preſerve Italy; all three of them being exceſſively ambitious, and ſpecially the two laſt, could not be contented with their condition, but under-hand aſpired to be abſolute Monarchs, which Caeſar after the death of Craſſus eaſily obtained. 4. After the death of Caeſar, Lepidus, Marcus Antonius, and Auguſtus Caeſar did divide the power of the Roman Empire between them; but before ſeven years came about, Auguſtus Caeſar the moſt ambitious of them became the abſolute Monarch of the World, by theſe means; firſt Antonius and Auguſtus joyned together to deprive Lepidus of his part; then Antonius and Auguſtus came to a ſecond diviſion; but ambition being more predominant in Auguſtus then in Antonius, who was addicted to volupty, he ſoon deprived him of his part, and became the only Monarch upon earth. 5.See Herodian in his Life. The Emperour Severus at his death left his two ſons, Baſsianus and Geta, equal Heirs of the p. 384Roman Empire; but Baſsianus tranſported with an unnatural ambition, ſlew his brother Geta before a year came about in his Mothers arms, to raign alone. 6. Lewis the Twelfth, King of France, and Ferdinando King of Arragon by a mutual conſent did divide the Kingom of Naples between them:See the French Hiſtory in the Life of Lewis the Twelfth. But the Spaniard being more ambitious then the French, under colour of a Toll paid for Cattel, which did really appertain to the French, but fained to be the Spaniards; Ferdinando's pride and ambition diſdaining to have a Competitor or Equal in that Kingdom, deprived the French of all he held in the ſame.

The third Propriety of ambition, is, That it is never free from jealouſie; I mean that which is called the jealouſie of State; And for proof of it, theſe following inſtances ſhall ſuffice. 1. The Emperour Tiberius out of an ill-grounded jealouſie that Germanicus his own Nephew, who was extreamly beloved of the Senators, Souldiers, and common People for his vertue, valour, and noble parts, ſhould aſpire to the Empire before his death;See Tacitus in his Life. cauſed Lucius Piſo Governour of Syria to poyſon him at a Banquet, and then forſook the ſaid Piſo, being accuſed p. 389and convinced of the Fact, and ſuffered him to be ſentenced and executed, although he had a warrant under his own hand, commanding him to rid him out of the way; the which Warrant he durſt not produce out of fear the Tyrant would deprive his children of his incredible Riches and yearly Revenews. 2. Nero out of the ſame ambitious jealouſie, cauſed young Germanicus the true Heir of the Empire to be poyſoned as he ſate at his own Table. 3. Domitianus out of the like jealouſie,See Tacitus and Dion in theſe Empeiors lives. cauſed divers Roman Senators to be ſlain, and was reſolved to do the like to the Captain of his Guard, and to the beſt beloved of his Concubines, if they had not prevented him by taking away his life to preſerve their own. 4. Lewis the Eleventh King of France, out of an ill-grounded, but violent ambitious jealouſie, that his Brother Charls Duke of Normandy did aſpire to the Crown,See the Hiſtory of France and of England. cauſed him to be poyſoned ſecretly by one of his own ſervants. 5. Edward the Fourth King of England, by the falſe impreſſions that his younger Brother Richard Duke of York had malitiouſly infuſed in his heart of this ambitious jealouſie, cauſed the Duke of Clarence his brother to be p. 390arraigned and drowned in a Butt of Malmſey. 6. Richard the Third, out of this State jealouſie cauſed the Duke of Buckingham to be beheaded, becauſe he conceived him to be as willing then to diſthrone him, and to ſet his Crown upon the Earl of Richmonds Head, as he had been ready in former times to make him that was an Uſurper, King of England. 7. This ambitious jealouſie is ſo cruel, that it makes men trangreſs the Law of Nature, and to put their own ſons to death, as Herod did Antipater his ſon;See Joſephus. whereupon Auguſtus Caeſar ſaid ingeniouſly, that it was better to be Herods Swine then his Son.See the Spaniſh Hiſtory. 8. Philip the Second King of Spain, cauſed Prince Charls his eldeſt Son to be put to death by the Inquiſition of Spain, out of an ambitious jealouſie that he did aſpire to bereave him of his Crown.

Seventhly, The Effects of Ambition are worſe then the Proprieties of it; for Paracidies, Murthers, Rebellions, Mutations of States, Annihilations of Laws, inteſtine and forraign Wars, with all the deſolations and miſchiefs that follow them at the heels, are the fruits of mens ambition; and of theſe I will ſpeak p. 391in order, and by inſtances confirm the ſame.

For the firſt, Andronicus the younger,See the Hiſtory of the Emperor of Conſtantinople. See the Turkiſh Hiſtory. out of ambition to raign, did moſt cruelly put out the eyes of his Grandfather, and famiſhed him to death in Priſon. 2. Sylimus out of ambition to raign, did moſt unnaturally poyſon his Father Bajazeth, and flew all his brethren. 3.2 Chron. 2.10.2 Chr 2:10 Athaliah out of Ambition to raign, ſlew and deſtroyed all the Seed-Royal of the Houſe of Judah. 4. Richard the Third King of England, out of Ambition to raign,See the Engliſh Hiſtory. cauſed his two Nephews to be murthered in the Tower; and in hope to ſettle the Crown upon himſelf and his Poſterity, he put his Wife to death, to marry the Lady Elizabeth his own Niece: Inceſts being accounted no ſin by ambitious men: So they may (as the Houſe of Auſtria do daily) uphold and advance by it their ambitious deſigns.

For the Second,2 Sam. 3.27.2 Sam 3:27 Joab out of ambition to remain ſtill the Commander in Chief of the men of War, murthered perfidiouſly under colour of friendſhip, Abner and Amaſa, by ſtabbing of them under the fifth rib. 2. Baaſha out of ambition to raign, murthered Nadab his Lord and p. 392King.1 King 15.27.1 Kgs 15:27 3. Zimri out of ambition to raign, murthered Ela his Lord, the Son of Baaſha. 1 King 16.10. 1 King. 16.18.1 Kgs 16:101 Kgs 16:184. Omri out of ambition to raign, roſe up againſt Zimri and enforced him to burn himſelf in the Kings Palace.

For the Third, Abſolom out of Ambition to raign, rebelled againſt his Father King David, 2 Sam 26.21.and did endeavour to deprive him of life from whom he had his being. 2. Zedechiah out of ambition to raign as an abſolute King, rebelled againſt his benefactor King Nebuchadnezzar, 2 King. 24.20.2 Kgs 24:20which was the cauſe of his miſerable end. 3. Otho out of ambition to raign, rebelled againſt Galba who had made him his ſecond favourite.See Tacitus. 4. Pippin the ſhort, out of ambition to raign, rebelled againſt his Lord King Childerick, and by force and violence cauſed him to be ſhaven as a Monk,See the French Hiſtory. and to be ſhut up into a Monaſtery.

For the Fourth, The ambition of Nebuchadnezzar was the ſecondary cauſe of the deſtruction of the Aſsyrian Monarchy: And the ambition of Cyrus was the cauſe of the overthrow of the Babylonian Monarchy: And the ambition of Alexander was the cauſe of the annihilation of the Perſian Monarchy: And the ambition of p. 393the Roman Commanders was the cauſe of the utter ſubverſion of the Greek Monarchy:See Sir Walter Rawleighs Hiſtory of the World. And the ambition of Caeſar was the cauſe of the mutation of the Democratical Government of Rome into a Monarchical: And the ambition of the Rulers of the Gauls, Goths, Viſgots, Vandals, and Lombards, of the utter ruine of the Roman Monarchy; for they rent the ſame in pieces as a Kite rends a young chiken. I ſay, the ſecondary Cauſe, for the ſecret will and Decree of God is the firſt and efficient cauſe of all the mutations of States or Monarchies: And that is the reaſon why Saint Paul giveth this charge,Rom. 13 1.Rom 13:1 Let every ſoul be ſubject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God; the powers that be, are ordained of God.

For the Fifth, From the mutations of one kinde of Government to another Government,See Plutarch in Caeſars Life, and Caeſar in his Commentaries. proceeds annihilation of the antient Laws of either of them. It hapned ſo at Rome, upon the change that Caeſars ambition brought in that Commonwealth; for the ancient Laws were annihilated, and new Laws were eſtabliſhed; and likewiſe after the coming of William the Conquerour p. 394into England, the antient Brittain Laws were annulled,See Speed in his Hiſtorie of England. and the Norman Laws confirmed: This proverb being not more common then true, viz. From new Lords, new Laws; and this might be proved by divers inſtances out of the antient and modern Hiſtories; but theſe two alledged will ſerve for brevity ſake.

For the Sixth, Ambition breeds diviſions, and diviſions beget inteſtine and forraign Wars, and from theſe Wars proceed the mutations of States and Monarchies, and from theſe mutations the Annihilation of antient Laws. Now the inſeparable companions of forraign and inteſtine Wars, are, Atheiſm, Schiſms in the Church, and a Laodicean luke-warmneſs in Religion, and great effuſions of blood, injuſtices, oppreſſions, and deſolations; And all theſe miſchiefs proceed from the exorbitant and irregular ambition of men; and therefore I conclude, that the paſſion of ambition is nothing but vanity and vexation of ſpirit, and more deſtructive to mankinde then any other paſſion.

But before I ſpeak of the means which are to be uſed to reſtrain the fury of this violent paſſion, give me leave to examine p. 395the juſtice, or injuſtice of the Wars which have been meerly undertaken out of an ambitious deſire of vain-glory.

It is certain, that if the actions of the moſt ambitious Princes and Commonwealths that have from the creation to this day bin upon the Earth, were examined without prejudice or partiality, that they would be found more injurious then juſt: If men ſet aſide the ſecret will & Decree of God, who had ordained from the beginning that theſe four great Monarchies here ſpoken of, ſhould be ſo ſucceſsful in their encreaſe; they would wonder how injuſtice and oppreſſions could have ſuch proſperous events. I will only ſpeak of the Actions of the Romans and Greeks. 1. Becauſe they have been more clearly demonſtrated to us by their Authors, then the actions of the other two. 2. Becauſe the Actions of the Aſsyrians and Babylonians were guided by a ſpecial providence of God, for the puniſhment of the ſins of his own People the Jews. As for the Actions of the Romans, men may clearly ſee, that from their very beginning until the days of Caeſar, they have for the greater part been unjuſt, oppreſſive and injurious, although they with much p. 396cunning and art did palliate them under the cloak of Juſtice, and the right of the Laws of Nations. And as for the Civil War undertaken by Caeſar againſt his native Countrey, it was voyd of all humanity and Juſtice; and Ambition only gave him the audacity to reſolve to enſlave under his yoak thoſe to whom he had been a ſervant for ſeven years together; Nay, with that very Army that they had given him and entruſted into his hands, and conſtantly paid wages to for the enlarging of their limits. And as for the invaſion of Aſia by Alexander, It was in the Opinion of the beſt Polititians, a raſh and inconſiderate enterprize, proceeding rather from Temerity, then from prudence or true valor to undertake ſuch a Conqueſt with an Army of forty thouſand Foot and ten thouſand Horſe, when Darius had to oppoſe him twenty times as many more; yet becauſe it was decreed in the ſecret Councel of God, that he ſhould be the Head of the third Mornarchy, the end of this raſh and unjuſt enterprize proved proſperous, and not for the juſtice of his cauſe; for Darius had never attempted to invade any of his Dominions, or done him any injury; p. 397all the pretext he had, was, that the former Perſian Kings had invaded Greece; and to prevent future invaſions, it was a wiſe policy to aſſail and give him work at home: A poor excuſe or colour of juſtice for him to deprive Darius of his Life, Empire, and incredible Treaſures; which did well deſerve this Anſwer that a Pyrate made unto him,See Plutarch in Alexanders Life. when he was brought before him to be ſentenced to death for his Pyracies at Sea; For Alexander having asked him why he did uſe that baſe and unlawful trade of Pyracy; Out of need (ſaid the Pyrate;) for my Father left me nothing but this ſmall Brigantine to maintain my ſelf, my wife and children; but thy Father left thee a large Kingdom, and incredible Treaſures, and yet thou uſeſt this trade by the great, by depriving Princes of their Kingdoms and Treaſures, whereas I uſe it only by retail, in taking ſome ſorry Merchants goods; conſider then which of us two is the greateſt Pyrate, and which of us deſerves the greateſt puniſhment. Alexander was ſo aſtoniſhed at this Anſwer, conſidering that he ſaid nothing but the very truth, that in lieu to ſentence him to death, he made him Captain of one of p. 398the beſt Ships he had in his Navie. Therefore forraign and inteſtine Wars are not to be undertaken but upon juſt grounds; otherwiſe the Authors of them will be anſwerable at the laſt day for the life and blood of thoſe who have been ſlain in them, and for appropriating to themſelves ſuch Provinces or Kingdoms to which they have neither right, nor any juſt tittle.

Eighthly, The means which are to be uſed to allay the fury of this paſſion, and to ſubdue it utterly if it be poſſibe, are theſe: 1. Men are to endevor to attain to a true habit in the grace and vertue of humility; for he who is truly humble, can never be ambitious; becauſe Pride and Ambition are inſeparable companions. 2. This grace of humility will beget in them a filial fear; for men before they be humbled by the conſideration of their unworthineſs, can never attain to this filial fear, the fear of God being the beginning of true wiſdom; And to fear God, and to keep his Commandments, Eccleſ. 12.13.Eccl 12:13is, ſaith Solomon, the whole duty of a man: And thoſe whoſe are endowed with this filial fear, can never be ambitious; becauſe they know it to be offenſive to God and p. 399to men: as the criminal effects of this ſinful paſſion here before diſcribed do witneſs the ſame. 3. Men are to ſtrive to attain to an habit of true contentedneſs; for ſuch as are contented, cannot be ambitious; becauſe from the diſcontentedneſs of the minde, proceed the ambitious deſires of men. Diogenes had more content with his Tub, to ſhelter him from the injuries of the Meteors of the Ayr, and with his wooden diſh to eat and drink therein, then Alexander had with the Conqueſt of half the World, and the fruition of all the Treaſures, Pomps, and laſcivious Volupties of Aſia. 4. Men are to conſider,Job. 1.21.Job 1:21 That naked they came into the World, and naked they ſhall go out of it. And that the reward of all their ambitious undertakings will be at the concluſion, if they had conquered the whole World, but ſix foot of ground to bury them in. 5. Ambitious men are ever to have in their minde this ſaying of our bleſſed Saviour, For what is a man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? 6. If men will needs be ambitious, let them be ambitious to excel all others in ſpiritual Graces, and to make p. 400their Calling and Election ſure; That they may at their departure out of this miſerable life, be made by the merits of Chriſt Co-heirs with their bleſſed Saviour of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of eternal Glory.