Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	body_n	particular_a	unite_v	3,071	5	9.8162	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58845	The royal politician represented in one hundred emblems written in Spanish by Don Diego Saavedra Faxardo ... ; with a large preface, containing an account of the author, his works, and the usefulness thereof ; done into English from the original, by Sir Ja. Astry.; Idea de un príncipe político-cristiano. English	Saavedra Fajardo, Diego de, 1584-1648.; Astry, James, Sir.	1700 (1700)	Wing S211; ESTC R21588	533,202	785

of changing mending and rejecting whatever his Ministers propose to him 'T is sometimes convenient to hide from 'em certain Mysteries and to deceive them as the same Philip did who differently reported to his Council the Negotiations of his Ambassadours when he had a mind to draw 'em to his own Resolutions or thought it convenient to conceal certain Circumstances from them A Council of State should be like a Colossus that the Prince standing upon its Shoulders may see farther than it The Thebans did not desire Princes so foresighted as one may guess by the manner of Painting them with their E●rs open and their Eyes shut signifying that they ought blindly to execute all the Resolutions of the Senate but this was not the Emblem of an absolute Prince but only of a Prince of a Common-wealth whose Power is so circumscrib'd that 't is sufficient for him to hear for the Power of seeing what is to be done it reserved for the Senate This is nothing but a dark shadow of Majesty and an empty appearance of Authority His Power is nothing but a reflection of that of the Senate and so he has no need of Eyes who can't go where he pleases But though 't is convenient for a Prince to preserve this Liberty in Counsels yet he ought not to be so vain as for fear of being thought to want their Advice to reject whatever they pro●●●e for so he would incur very great Inconveni●ncies As Pettus did according to Tacitus 28 Ne 〈◊〉 sententi● indig●●s videretur i● diversa ac deterior● 〈◊〉 Tac. 11. ann If 't were possible Kings should have Kings for their Counsellours that 〈…〉 Counsels might not deviate from 〈◊〉 A●thority and Honour of 〈◊〉 a Prince sometimes 〈…〉 beneath himself 〈…〉 Instigation of an abject 〈…〉 But since this is impossible they 〈◊〉 chuse 〈◊〉 ●●unsellours as though they are not Princes by Birth are so in grea●ness of Mind and Generosity In Spain there are several Councils instituted with a great deal of Prudence for the Government of Kingdoms and Provinces and for all the most important Affairs of the Kingdom yet ought not all Care to be rejected by confidently relying upon this happy Constitution for no Government is so strongly fenced but that its Foundations in time wear away or are unsens●bly undermin'd by Malice or Abuse 'T is not sufficient for each distinct part to be well govern'd if they don't sometimes all unite to treat as well of themselves in particular as of the whole Body in general For this Reason we have in Convents or religious Orders Provincial and general Chapters and in the Government of the Church Councils For the same Reason every ten years there is held at Madrid a General Council consisting of two Counsellours of each particular Council and of two Deputies of each Province to consult for the Preservation not only of each part but of the whole Kingdom For if these Kingdoms were not so renewed they would grow old and at last die This Assembly will unite the parts of the Monarchy and make 'em agree among themselves to the mutual assistance of each other For this Reason the Councils of Toledo were assembled where not only Matters of Religion but also those of State were treated of All these Qualities of Eyes ought also to be found in Confessors to Princes who are their Counsellours Judges and spiritual Physicians these Offices require Men of Zeal and intire Affection for the Service of God and their Prince Persons who have Sence to judge well prudence to advise Liberty to reprehend and Courage to undeceive by setting before his Eyes though at the hazard of his Favour the Disgusts of his Subjects and the Danger of his Kingdom without smearing over the craz'd and falling Wall with untempered Mortar 29 Ezek. 13. 10. Some Princes use Confessors only for Conscience sake others make use of them as Councellors of State I shall not pretend to examine into the Reason of these two Methods I only say 't is thought convenient in Spain to admit the King's Confessor into his Council as well to give his assistance in matters of Conscience as also that being as it were a sharer in the management of Affairs he may correct the Prince if in any thing he is deficient in his Devoir For some know the Faults that they are guilty of as Men but not those which they commit as Princes though those are greater which belong to their Office than those which respect only their person No● only the Confessors ought to assist in Council but also Bishops or other Ecclesiasticks who by their Authority and Learning may be very serviceable and so the two Arms the Temporalty and Spiritualty will more firmly unite for the Defence and Preservation of the Body of the Government The Gothick Kings used to advise about all weighty Affairs with Prelates who were to that purpose assembled in the Councils of Toledo What we have said about Confessors should be understood also of Preachers who are the Trumpets of Truth 30 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet Is● 58. 1. the Interpreters between God and Men 31 For every High Priest taken from among Men is ordained for Men in things appertaining to God Heb. 5. 1. in whose mouth God has put his word 32 Behold I have put my words in thy mouth Ierem. 1. 9. the Prince ought to carry himself with great Circumspection towards them they being the Channels by which wholesome or poysonous Doctrines are delivered to the people the Mobb wholly depends upon 'em they being the most proper Instruments either to raise or appease them as has been seen in the Revolts of Catal●nia and Portugal Their Zeal for declaiming against Vice often gives 'em occasion to reflect upon those in Authority which the people eagerly swallow thro' their natural Aversion to the Ministers whence proceeds Contempt of Authority and the Peoples disgust which is the occasion of Seditions and Tumults especially when the Princes faults are reflected on 't is necessary therefore that these Reprimands should be general without pointing at persons when the Scandal is not publick or Holy Admonitions or other Circumstances have been ineffectual God so modestly in the Apocalypse reprehended the Bishops that he seems almost to ●latter them 33 I know thy Works and Charity and Service and Faith and thy Patience and thy Works and the last to be more than the first Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee Revel 2. 19. Christ never reflected upon any person from the Pulpit his Reprehensions were general and if at any time he descended to particulars 't was not as Preacher but as King That should by no means be heard from the Pulpit which is dissolute and punishable in the Streets in which Zeal is often mistaken either because 't is extravagant or blinded with the Applause of the Giddy Mobb which eagerly crowds to hear the Prince or Magistracy

firm and lasting Empire if they were good if wicked but of short continuance King Ferdinand who from his great Virtues was sirnamed the Great did by these wonderfully increase the Glory of his Kingdom and establisht it to Posterity His Piety was so great that when the Body of St. Isidore was carried by Sevil he and his Sons barefoot carried these Holy Relicks from the River Durio quite to St. Iohn's Church in the City For 't is God by whom Kings Reign and upon whom all their Power and Felicity depends they could never err if they would make him their only Object The Rays of the Sun never forsake the Moon she as if she knew she received all her Light from the Sun looks on him continually that she may be enlightned by him which Princes must so imitate that they may always have their Eyes fixt upon that Eternal Light which affords Light and Motion to the World and from which Empires take their encrease and decrease as is intimated in the present Emblem by the Scepter on the top of which is the Moon looking towards the Sun the true Emblem of God as well because no other thing comes nearer his Omnipotency as also because that alone gives Light and Being to all Which 'cause it solely all Surveys Is properly call'd Sol. Boet. For there is no Power but from God 10 Rom. 13. 1. Kings are crowned in his Eternal Mind before they are here on Earth He who gave the Orbs Coelestial first motion gives it also to Empires and Republicks He who has appointed a King over Bees has not left meerly to Chance or Humane Choice these Second Causes of Princes who are his Vice-Roys upon Earth and as like him as may be 11 Principes quidem instar deorum esse Tac. 3. Ann. being represented in the Revelations by those Seven Planets which God held in his Hand 12 And he had in his right hand seven Stars Revel 1. 16. upon them he darts his Divine Rays the Reflection of which gives them the utmost Power and Authority over their Subjects Without that Splendor all Power how great soever is in a manner dark the Prince who slighting this Light shall follow another an appearance may be of some good which his own convenience not right reason offers will soon see the Orb of his Power eclips'd and darken'd What e'er avoids the Sun must necessarily be in darkness The Moon although it finds its self oft'times quite dark does not therefore turn away from the Sun but looks on 't with so much the more eagerness till at last 't is again enlightned by it Let a Prince hold his Scepter fixt and steady having always a regard to Virtue as well in Prosperity as Adversity For the same Divine Sun which either for Punishment or Exercise of his Virtues permitted his decrease as a recompence of his Constancy will again promote and encrease his greatness Thus 't was with the Emperor Ferdinand the II. who was often reduced to that extremity of Fortune that his Empire and Life too seem'd desperate Yet he was resolved never wholly to despair nor to turn his Eyes from that Eternal Sun the Maker and Governor of all things whose Divine Providence freed him from all Perils and advanced him far above all his Enemies Moses's Rod which was the Emblem of a Scepter did Wonders whilst he held it● in his Hand upright t'wards Heaven but as soon as he cast it upon the Ground 't was turn'd into a venomous Serpent dreadful even to Moses himself 13 And he cast it on the ground and it became a Serpent and Moses ●led from before it Exod. 4. 3. Whilst the Scepter like Iacob's Ladder touches Heaven God himself supports it and Angels descend to its assistance 14 And he dreamed and behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it reached to Heaven and behold the Angel● of God ascending and descending on it Gen. 18. 13. This the Egyptians knew who on the top of their Scepters were used to engrave the Head of a Stork a Religious Bird and Pious t'wards its Parents but on the bottom the Foot of a Sea-Horse an impious and ungrateful Animal which Plots to kill his Father that he may the more freely enjoy his Mother By which Hieroglyphick they meant nothing but that Princes ought always to prefer Piety to Impiety Machiavel would have his Prince to learn this Hieroglyphick but in quite another Sence for he would have Piety and Impiety placed at each end that he might turn it as he pleased and hold that upwards which tended most to his Preservation and Advantage For which reason he thinks 't is not necessary for a Prince to be Virtuous 't is enough if he pretends to be so for to be really so and to act according to the Dictates of Virtue would he says be pernicious but that 't is most advantageous to be thought so for by this means he will be so disposed as to know how to shift upon occasion and so to act in all things as advantage or opportunity shall require And this he says is principally necessary for Princes new●● come to the Crown who ought to be quick and ready to spread their Sails to every breath of Fortune and as necessity requires Impious and foolish Counsel that would insinuate that Virtues need not be real and genuine but only counterfeit and imaginary for how can the Shadow be as effective as the Substance What Art or Pains can bring Chrystal to that perfection as it shall equal the Diamond in lustre and brightness Won't any one at first sight discover and laugh at the Cheat. A true Glory takes root and flourishes tha● which is not falls like Blossoms nor can any thing be lasting that is counterfeit 15 Vera gloria radices agit atque etiam propagatur ficta 〈◊〉 celeriter tanquam flosculi decidunt neque fimulatum quidquam potest 〈◊〉 diuturnum Cic. lib. 2. de Off. cap. 32. There 's no Art or Cunning so great as to make a vicious Inclination appear truly good and virtuous For if we so easily fail in real Virtues so agreeable to our Nature and Inclination what shall we do in false and imaginary ones How will the Subjects when they discover the Cheat be able to endure the Stench of this Sepulchr● of abominable Vices without any ornament of Goodness How can they turn their Eyes from that inward Wound when the Patch under which it lurk'd being drawn off 't is openly exposed to the sight of all 16 And all our righte●●●nesses are as filthy rags Isaiah 64. 6. Whence a Prince will be contemptible and ridiculous to his own People at home and suspected by Foreigne● abroad He will be surely odious to both for neither can live securely under him Nothing renders Tyra●ny more grievous than when the Prince dissembles Virtue For from thence oft-times greater Vices spring for this Reason many were afraid of Otho

them The Customs then of Nations being known the Prince will be able far better to manage Affairs whether of Peace or War and know how to rule Foreign Countries every one of which enclines to a particular Manner of Government 7 Natura enim quoddam hominum genus proclive est ut imperio herili gubernetur aliud ut regio aliud ut civili horum imperium cujusque aliud est jus alia commodit●s Arist. l. 3. Pol. c. 12. as conformable to its Nature They have not all an Uniform Reason of State no more than one Medicine is a Cure for all their Diseases And herein Unexperienc'd Counsellors are generally out who think others can be govern'd by the Maxims and Principles of their own States The Bit which is easie to the Spaniard is not so to the Italian and Netherlander And as the ways of Dressing Managing and Breaking the Horses of Spain Naples and Hungary are different though they are all of one Species so Nations also should be differently govern'd according to their Natures Customs and Habits From this variety of Peoples Conditions we may gather how careful the Prince ought to be in sending Embassadors to see that they be not only endued with all the Qualifications necessary for the Representation of his Person and Exercise of his Power but withal that their Natures Wit and Manners agree with those of the Nation they are to treat with For if this Conformity be wanting they will be fitter to kindle War than to make Peace to excite Hatred than procure Love Hence God himself was as it were in Suspence and Dubious in the Choice of a Minister to send to his People and therefore deliberates thus with himself Whom shall I send and who will go for us 8 Isai. 6. 8. Every Court requires a Minister suitable to its Nature In that of Rome Men of Thought are approved who are perfectly versed in the Art of Dissimulation so as not to betray any Passion either in their Speech or Looks such as appear Sincere and are Subtile and Prudent who know how to Oblige all Men and be Obliged to none are Civil in Negotiations Easie in Treaties Reserved in Counsels Constant in Resolutions Friends to all Intimate with none The Emperor's Court requires a Man who maintains his Authority without Pride who Speaks with Sincerity Proposes with Modesty Answers with Truth and Expects with Patience who anticipates not Accidents but makes use of them when they happen who in a word is Cautious in Promising Exact in performing The French Court likes Men of Facetious Pleasant Humours that can mix Seriousness with Gaiety that neither despise nor very much regard Promises who change with the Times though more according to the present than future In England the Grave and Reserved are commended such as are slow both in Negotiations and Dispatches At Venice are valued Men of Eloquence of a Ready lavention Ingenuous in Reasoning and Proposing and Quick-sighted into others Designs At Genoa Persons of Frugality loving rather to compose than breed Dissention who keep up their Authority without State are Patient and Time-Servers The Suissers require such as can upon occasion lay aside Publick Grandeur and be Familiar in Conversation as have learn'd to ingratiate themselves by Presents and Hopes to have Patience and watch their Opportunities for they have to do with a Subtile and Jealous People differing from each other in Religion Factions and Methods of Government but are unanimous in their Resolutions and Decrees and in their Counsels avoid Extremes which each Canton afterwards executes according to its own Method Now as these Qualities are proper for every Court before-mention'd so are Complaisance Civility and Splendour of universal use in all if accompany'd with a good Mien and Carriage with some Learning and Knowledge of Languages particularly the Latine for these affect every body procure the Applause and Esteem of Foreigners and Credit to one's own Country As Nations differ in Manners so do they also in Strength That of the Church consists in the Respect and Obedience of Christian Believers that of the Empire in Reputation of Grandeur of Spain in its Infantry France in the Nobility of England in the Sea of the Turks in their Number that of Poland in its Cavalry that of the Venetians in their Prudence of the Savoyards in their Judgment Almost all Nations differ from each other in Arms both Offensive and Defensive which are adapted to the Genius and Disposition of each Country wherein it is principally to be considered which are the most common and general and whether those of our own Country are inferior to others that the most advantageous may be made use of for Excellency in one kind of Weapons or the Novelty of the late-invented ones often give or take away Empires The Parthians enlarged theirs by the use of Darts The French and Northerns opened a way to theirs by that of the armed Lance forc'd on by the Swiftness of their Cavalry The Art of Fencing which the Romans practis'd in their Publick Sword-Plays wherein Judgment has great effect made them Masters of the Universe And the Spaniards have conquer'd a New World and establish'd a Monarchy in Europe by the Invention of several sorts of Fire-Arms for these above all require Courage and Resolution which are the particular Vertues of that Nation To this Element of Fire the very Earth has opposed it self so that now all the Four Elements conspire the Destruction of Mankind and by introducing the Pick-ax and Shovel the Industry of the Dutch has made such advances as to be able to resist the Valour of Spain The greatest Politicians often mistake the Balance of Governments particularly some of the Italians who vainly strive to keep them always in Aequilibrio for that Government is not the most Dangerous or Potent whose Dominions are of the Largest Extent or Subjects most Numerous but which knows best how to use its Strength If you put the Forces in a pair of Scales and one fall down the other hang in the Air yet upon adding to this but one drachm of Prudence and Valour or else if the quantity of Ambition and Tyranny exceed in that the former shall poise if not out-weigh the latter They who have raised their Fortune in this World and ruled it have all had but slender Beginnings The Grandeur of the House of Austria inflamed the Envy of many and all conspired to bring it down while not one so much as thought of Sweden which had undoubtedly enslaved Germany and perhaps Italy too had not the King's Death prevented it Powers that begin to grow are more to be feared than those that are already grown for in these their Declension is Natural as in those their Encrease The one strive to preserve themselves by the Publick Quiet the other to advance themselves by disturbing Foreign Dominions Suppose one Power be in it self stronger than another this has not therefore less Valour than