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A11380 The practice of policie in a Christian life taught from the Scriptures / written by I. Saltmarshe ... Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647. 1639 (1639) STC 21639; ESTC S964 73,178 331

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THE PRACTICE OF POLICIE IN A CHRISTIAN LIFE Taught from the Scriptures Written by I. Saltmarshe M. of Arts of Magd. Col. in Cambridge Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. LONDON Printed by E. G. for Samuel Endarby and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Starre in Popes head alley 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD HENRY RICH of Kensington Earle of Holland Groome of the Stoole and Gentleman of the Bed-chamber Chancellor of the Vniversity of Cambridge Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter one of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell MY LORD IT may seem a daring and superfluous act to present any draughts of Policy to so great a Statesman as your selfe especially for me so out of distance to yeares experience practice employment profession but my privilege is the subject I make choice on a subject enriched with all these I know as the Samaritane said The Well is deepe and I have nothing to draw with nothing if compared with the talents of deeper judgements but my engagement to your Lordship is the Universiy our Studies wearing your Honours title and superscription and our Savoiur hath there entitled a Tribute where there is Image and Superscription what I doe heere is but in the right recognition what I doe in the next leafe is in right of Dedication and patronage God make your Grace a Jewell to the Crowne below and prepare you a Crowne above My Lord Your humblest Servant J. SAULTMARSHE TO MY HONOURED Patron Sir ARTHUR INGRAM the younger SIr I have observed you active in your conversation abroad and at home and I could not study any thing I thought more sutable and congruous than these practicall leases which may at once recreate and instruct your retirement instruct you not as mine but Gods for his words are my ground and foundation both for place and sense and in this course I foresaw saw most security for heere I have his Word for what I say and I give you his Word for what you are to doe and my lines are but onely drawne here to point you to the center of the Scriptures there your designes your projects may rest and relie Sir I know you have a breast-plate rich enough of your owne yet to set an higher rate upon your counsels bee pleased to let these holy jewels of Gods Word which will bee a bright Urim and Thummim to your bosom● have a place and that I may be just to the brevity I professe in my Booke I hasten to bee as I am ever bound Sir Your most devoted Servant J. SALTMARSHE The Motives which perswaded me to this I Observed that the wit and industry bestowed on the Scriptures that of the Fathers and the more moderne was most in perspective and meditation set the Pulpit apart I meane Preaching so as they made the Scripture the Sabbath of their pennes recreating in the divine fancies and contemplations but I know none that made the sixe dayes worke of it and reduced it into practice for the conduct and administration of action David stiles it A Lampe unto the feet not so much to the head the contemplative part as to the feet the active I observed too that the fa●ous Politician brought his vessell to this holy cisterne and drew some sacred Aphorismes though too few for action rather devoting his penne to the Romane Livie for copy and imitation than hither I observed againe that some had bestowed themselves on Tacitus and on the Italian History as Guicciardine And Lipsius who deserves much in this hath gone a succinct and speedy way in his Politicks but all his draughts and copies were from heathen examples and precepts Haud usquequaque convenienter ad hoc aevum as hee himselfe not fashioned for us and our times I observed also that among the ancient Plato and Aristotle had not beene a little painfull in their Politicks but their conducts were of a great latitude for common wealths and nations not strait laced enough for particular affaires and so Zen●ph●n and the rest These kindled in mee an holy indignation when I was still conversant with a more faithfull and sacred Oracle therefore I set my selfe to the study of Scriptures and drew from thence these short formes from the individuals and particulars there which though small yet like seeds Se explicant they are spreading and diffusive and such things as are drawne from particulars sayes our learned Authour know the best way to particulars againe For methode I thought it the best to observe none for knowing how independent contingent and emergent affaires are I held it the best to keepe time with the variety in these which I intend for their conduct and administration For the brevity heere I drew these copies rather in tablets than a larger space Legem breve●esse oportet quae jubeat directive and imperative aphorismes should bee quicke and spirited and practise should not bee put too farre about If some of them heere seeme in feature and complexion of phrase or matter alike or the same you shall finde but an exegesin I hope not unpleasant a better illustration and something for variety superadded which in so much variety could not bee well escaped The sufficiency of Scriptures for Policy WHy goe yee to enquire of B●e●zebub because there is not a God in Israel Good Eliah was loth to have his Master loose credit or resort to see them goe after other gods when there was a God at home to supply and that faithfull Apostle is alike so●●icitous Master sayes he whither shall wee goe thou hast the words c. Wee should bee as zealous as this Prophet and Apostle for the advancement of his credit and glory and call home all the resorts that are made from him though in other Histories civill and ecclesiasticall there are many exquisite copies for action which may doe service to the negotiations of posterity yet there are no such warrantable and safe examples and conducts and transactions as the Scriptures abound with and hee that shall devote his meditations to them shall at once be wise and religious a Serpent and a Dove all other formes and draughts of affaires which are ●eerly humane have too much of the wisedome of the World and The wisedome of the World is foolishnesse with God and a consulting with such is a kinde of departure with Saul to aske counsell of a dead Samuel the Policies of flesh and blood should have vigour and influence from divine wisdome like those jewels which have their matter from earth their sparkle from heaven they that have consulted their owne darke bosomes never looking after a beame of divine light have had successe as blacke as their counsels how was Herod infatuated in his bloody designe upon the male infants How was Haman in his project upon the Jewes and Mordecai How Julian in extinguishing all Christian Schooles in setting up the Iewes idolatry and superstition these followed
ambulatory in the presence of great Persons for if they cast an eye of delight upon it you cannot so freely and resolutely deny their solicit and importunity and it is as if you should bring forth your picture of waxe before the Sunne who whiles he lookes on it melts it from your owne hand Thus When Dinah walked too openly among the Daughters of the Land Shechem the Prince of the Country tooke her Gen. 33. 2. POLICIE XLVII 'T is folly to cry Non putavi WHen any one with whom you have had slender correspondence and transaction would bee contracting and covenanting bee first inquisitive into the engagements they propose how farre they may prove incongruous and inconvenient to you it is a folly to say non putavi Thus Thus Shechem and his Father were too unadvised when they yeelded to circumcise the Males of their city and so betray them to the sword of Jacobs Sonnes Gen. 34. 18. 25. POLICIE XLVIII Vse favour with secrecy for feare of envy WHen you have grace and favour with any use it with secrecy and not too much ostentation least you make worke for your adversary to undermine you hee that shewes his wealth to his enemy is the cause of his owne pillage Thus Thus because Joseph wore a parti-coloured coate the apparant livery of his fathers love therefore say his Brethren Come let us slay him Gen. 37. 3. 20. POLICIE XLIX Innocency without prudence is hurtfull WHen you are to present your selfe to a party or faction where you are envied and maligned forecast and thinke what may bee plotted and contrived against you and how farre it may injure you and what you have that lies naked and exposed to the danger this is to consider and thinke your selfe into security Thus Joseph might have prevented his present misery had hee thought before of his brethrens envy and the danger in his single approach Gen. 37. 18. POLICIE L. Take earnest of an action you suspect IF you suspect the performance of a promise worke them obliged by some speciall engagement and pawne this is to imitate a performance and take an earnest of an action Thus Thamar to binde Judah to the remembrance of the covenant said Give mee thy signet and bracelets and thy staffe Gen. 38. 18. POLICIE LI. Not to advance a thing in expectation without triall BE not too rash in entertaining opinion by any publike profession or open protestation and by advancing any thing in your expectation without triall least you sacrifice your judgement and election to errour and repentance barely approve till a full experiment command your assent God himselfe is famous for his will of approbation Voluntas approbationis efficientiae Thus The Midwife seeing one of Thamars children to offer first into the world bindes rashly a scarlet thred to it for the first borne but he drew backe and his Brother came out Gen. 38. 28 29. POLICIE LII How to avoide the importunity of Sutors IF you would avoide all drawing into bad engagements and obligations avoide the importunities of others and doe not farme out your eares to the Mollissima tempora fandi the soft times and opportunities of impression your stay and attention encourages sollicit and when you come so neare to the words of any it is hard to keepe at distance with his request Thus Joseph when he was sollicited by by his mistris day by day hearkned not unto her Gen. 39. 10. POLICIE LIII An adversary may rend a skirt of advantage WHen you thinke you lie open to occasion and exceptions bee cautelous and frugall of your selfe least your adversary rend a skirt of advantage from you Thus Joseph with being in opportunity of place with his Mistris scatters a piece of his Garment to her curtesie and she shewes it for her owne purpose He left his Garment with me and fled Gen. 39. 18. POLICIE LIV. How to attaine honourable imployments IF you finde your selfe successefull and prospering in attempts and dispatches shew your selfe abroad in other businesse and being once observed to bee lucky and fortunate the reports and fame will bring you home honourable emploiments Thus Joseph wrought himselfe into grace The Keeper of the Prison looked not to any thing because the Lord was with him and that which he did the Lord made it prosper Gen. 39. 23. POLICIE LV. How a man may recommend himselfe VVHen you have done a thing which hath gained you favour or honour in the eyes of any make use of it as it may prove advantagious to you else you neglect the opportunity and become guilty of Christs complaint How often would I but yee would not Thus When Joseph had told Pharaohs Butler the interpretation of his dreame and saw that hee pleased him Thinke on mee sayes he when it shall be well with thee G. 40. 14. POLICIE LVII A Sheepe in Wolves cloathing IF you would not have any to presume or grow insolent upon your favours bestow them without taking much notice in a kinde of neglect and inadvertency or else in pretence of indignation which thing a witty dissembling will much helpe and this is to bee a friend in the person of an adversary and to bee a Sheepe in Wolves cloathing Thus Joseph spoke roughly to his Brethren and kept them in Prison and they interpreted it harshnesse which was his love to detaine them And he puts their money in their sackes yet so as they wonder how it came Gen. 42. 17 19. 24 25. POLICIE LVIII A friend in the person of an enemy IN discovery of a busines which containes in it any thing of eminent immutation or change bee circumstantiall and prepare them whom the relation concernes with passages which in their nature may exercise and fit them I observe the Sunne is not without the bright preamble of a Starre and gives notice in that of a following day Thus Joseph would tell his Brethren who hee was but first uses them as Spies then put devised imputations upon them then afflicts his Father with taking away his Benjamin and then sayes I am Joseph Gen. 45. 1 3. POLICIE LIX Gradations necessary to bee observed IN those relations which you feare may procure danger of Passion in those to whom it is imparted first apologize for the qualification and let your preface be such as may diminish the occasion of Passion and this is to cast on water before you kindle the fire Thus Joseph fearing that his Brethren might gro● afraid upon the discovery beginnes Be not grieved nor angry with your selves that yee sold me hither Gen. 45. 5. POLICIE LX. Not to bee too credulous in matters unexpected IN businesse of wonder and unexpected event bee not too credulous till there bee testimony sufficient to convince your faith it is healthfull for any to rise up early and betimes but to faith and credulity Thus Jacob was not confident of the newes his Sonnes told of Joseph till hee saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him Gen 45 26