and that hee miâ—â—â—â—â—ee religiouslie and holilie serued 〈◊〉 his church For let men thinke and say what they list it is for the churches sake alone which God hath euerlastingly loued euen from before all worlds that he vpholdeth and maintaineth this world For the Churches sake hee preserueth Monarchies Commonweales and Kingdomes which are rather the Innes as I may so call them than the houses of the church that warfaâ—eth and trauaileth to and fro in the world which otherwise wee might account sauing that by their grossenesse and thieknesse they shelter and couer the precious fruits that God hath put into them not very profitable specially as in regard of godlinesse And yet notwithstanding this is the Church that is sustained and maintained by God for his onely sonnes sake who hath suffered death for it euen Christ our Lord and Sauiour and notwithstanding is the king of kings vnder whom of necessitie all the kings of the world must bow and for whom it is that they must raigne casting down at the very feet of his crosse because in that hee triumphed their crownes their diademes and their scepters specially if they desire to raigne in blessednesse ouer their subiects in the world and would one day raigne for all eternitie in the heauens without which they are more miserable than the meanest of men Because for mighty men there are mightie torments prepared and the Prophet Isaih in expresse tearmes sayth Tophet is prepared of old Isaiah 30.33 it is euen prepared for the king he hath made it deep large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it In a word then as it were or short summe to shut vp all and to conclude with Dauid Our king will frame his soule to Mercie and to Iustice From his person they shall run and flow into his court into his counsell and froÌ„ thence they shall spread themselues â—â—â—r all the members of his state euen vnto the very borders vtmost bounds of his kingdome All his waies in a word 〈◊〉 according to Gods own example 〈…〉 10. shal be Iudgement and Mercie But because that the bodie is made for the Church he will with all his heart giue himselfe to the studie of truth and be very mindfull of and carefull for the seruice of God and will referre all that hee hath or may haue to the defence and maintainance to the restauration and reformation of his Church the rarest iewel that God hath vouchsafed to make shine in the world O God which hast from before all times appointed our king to bee borne in so troublesome a time and wicked age as wherein the state is rent by factions the Church is troubled with schismes and the most wise see nothing but darknesse and the same so thicke as no eye nay no discourse is able to pierce it much lesse to driue it away double in these double mischeefes and euils thy blessed annointing euen thy holy grace vpon him Poure vpon his head the spirit of thy seruant Dauid yea double and treble that blessed spirit of thine vpon him that vnder him we may once agaiâ— see our State established and thy church gathered together that so vnder thee by his meanes wee may with one accord sing as thy holie Angels did and doe Glorie bee to God in the most high places and in earth peace Luke 2.14 and towards men good will and that I my selfe might then say though it were euen at this present houre Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Luke 2.29 according to thy word seeing that mine eyes haue seene thy saluation So be it
from others and sundrie such like by means whereof men are many times misseled and because also I am sure these things may nay will fall out in perusing and reading euen the best things I can not but againe and againe entreat you herein also to haue a good eye to your selues and your own soules Assuredly you shall find specially if you weigh things well as in deed you should that you haue great and good cause so to doe for besides that the points handled therin are not meane neither of any simple subiect and therefore would be regarded and receiued with care and conscience of them the very manner of handling of them according to the vsuall course and practise of the Author is profound and pithie and therefore also will require a diligent and vnderstanding heart The treatie was first written in French by a worthy Nobleman of that country and therfore doth most properly appertain to that state That which peculiarly belongeth therto vnderstand it of and referre it to the same The rest that is common and according to general truth make common but yet good vse withall of it also And this premonition I think very meet to giue as knowing before-hand how ready men are to snatch and catch at that which belongeth not vnto them their times and states a point arguing great curiositie and no small lightnesse of mind and lacke of iudgement as also carelesly to neglect yea securely to contemne that which importeth them much a matter bewraying carelesnes at the least if not sencelesnesse of heart from both which as all other extreames I wish the Christian reader as my selfe in this and in all other things of the like nature to be freed and purged and on the other side to be fulfilled with all sound iudgement and carefulnesse of spirit that so from this and other good things we may alwaies learne to know what that good holy and acceptable will of his is and may be enabled by the blessed spirit stedfastly to beleeue the same and carefully to walk in the obedience therof Now the very God of peace sanctifie you thorowout and I pray also that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom euery where but specially in the church be praise for euer euer Sobeit Yours euer in Christ T. W. Lord Iesus begin and make an end MEn who are desirous to frame their faces and to compound their countenances doe ordinarily go to glasses and indeuour to set them therby but Kings for the direction of their doings and affaires had much more need to looke thereinto as well because their callings are more high and heauie than other mens as also because they haue more lets from themselues and others that be about thē to hinder their sight And therefore they had need to haue if they could tell how more liuely and then you shall indeed surely raigne when you most soundly serue him Wherin if euen the best princes haue at sundry times ben not only admonished but threatened with the wrath and displeasure of God and all to preuent these euils in them that they might not fall away from their dutie or abuse his mercie patience and long suffering you Sir nor others must thinke much to be often called vpon yea prouoked and whetted on to these good things because none runneth so fast but hee had need to be incour aged 1. Cor. 9.24 So to runne that he may attaine neither standeth so sure but he had need to bee admonished and put in mind of the Apostles speech 1. Cor. 10.10 Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least he fall and withall to remember the saying of this very kingly Prophet Psal 30.6 7. I said in my prosperitie I shall neuer be moued but when thou diddest hide thy face I was sore troubled For this is a certaine and an assured point That men are in more danger to be ouerthrowne yea ouerwhelmed when they enioy abundance of graces from God than when they are vnder his chastisements and corrections For as for chastisements euen then when they beat downe men in themselues they lift them vp before God and make them by consequent capable and meet to receiue his mercies and that is it the Apostle meaneth when he saith They doe in the end bring with them the quiet fruit of righteousnes vnto them which are thereby exercised Hebr. 12.11 Whereas graces on the other side in Gods purpose indeed and their owne nature carrying men out of themselues vnto God cause them notwithstāding throgh Sathans malice and the corruption of their own hearts to despise almightie God himselfe and to say Who is the Lord Prou. 30.9 and so make them to become fit matter vpon whome to exercise and execute the seueritie of his rigour and wrath for the contempt or abuse of so singular graces Men much trouble themselues Sir now a daies to defend and maintain your calling and comming to the crowne But iwis it needeth not for your verie birth alone is sufficient to intitle you thereto But to come to it to come thorowly to it yea to come to the top of it and to carrie your selfe therein as is most meet there is indeed and there must bee indeed required a farre other thing and that is a great ascendent as men vse to say and a gracious aspect and direction thereof fauouring this birth of yours and being able to correct all contrarie cōstellations yea euerie thing that either directly or indirectly might annoy you with his influence That which I meane is not any starre or planet or anie whole zodiake as they vse to say no not heauen it selfe or the heauen of heauens but indeed the soueraigne God the only Lord maker and creatour of all things Iob. 38.31.32.33 who loseth as Iob saith the power of the starres and ordereth the gouernment of the heauens aboue the earth by whome as also saith Salomon Kings raigne Pr. 8.15.16 and Gouernors keepe their estate and by whom you Sir may say as this our King Dauid doth The Lord is with me I shal raign and rule against him there is neither counselnor strength wherefore nothing in the world can shake me or make me to be moued Wee that liue in the cleare light of Gods word wonder at the conceits that in the times of blindnesse and superstition men haue thrust one another into Astrologians made Princes in former time beleeue that such or such a planet bare rule ouer their birth They persuaded othersome that a certain spirit assisted them for the guidance line or leading of their life And it is as strange to consider what dotages these deceiued persons fell into and that not only the basest of the people but the best amongst men for euen the very Princes themselues honored these conceits and they did exactly obserue whatsoeuer they thought would please their instructers planets spirits and such
MEDITATIONS vpon Psal 101. Written first in French by PHILIP MORNAI lord of Plessis and by him dedicated to Henrie the fourth the French king And now translated into English for the benefit of the Christian Reader by T. W. LONDON Printed by Adam Islip for Thomas Man dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot 1599. To the right Honourable and his verie good Lord the L. Robert Earle of Essex c. L. high Marshall of England c. and now L. Generall of hir Maiesties forces appointed for the reducing of Ireland to former yea and to more faithfull obedience than heretofore T. W. wisheth all prosperitie and blessednesse thorow Christ both now and for euer WE haue right Honorable an old saying amongst vs He giueth twise that giueth quickly And the spirit which is both antiquitie and veritie it selfe saith A word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer How fitly this wil agree with other mens actions and my present practise I had rather others and your L. especially should iudge and feele than my selfe speake This I am sure of that as hertofore many times you haue by sundrie persons ben presented with great varietie of vvordes and workes so now particularly vpon your going out against the Irish rebels you haue and shal haue the like performed because as Salomon saith Many doe seeke the face of the ruler I say againe how fitly these haue bene or are accomplished as also with vvhat affections men do them that is known to God alone who is the onely searcher of the heart and reins And yet I doubt not but that your L. is indued with grace from aboue in some measure to practise that in your selfe and towards other which the holy ghost speaketh Though councell in the heart of man is like deepe waters yet a man that hath vnderstanding will draw it out I vvill leaue others to the Lord before whome they must stand or fall vvhosoeuer they be for vvho am I that I should iudge or iustifie any sith that office belongeth to the Lord alone But touching my selfe it is ynough for me that I know mine owne heart and that I can in some sort sence truelie say as the Apostle dooth This is our reioicing the testimonie of our conscience that as in other things so in this that I now doe I walke not according to fleshly wisedome but in simplicitie and godly purenesse Many send your L. men and monie horsse and armor and many good thinges besides towards the furnishing and setting of you forward in this great and noble voiage yea sundrie are cōtent to aduenture as it vvere their portions and persons vvith you in this vvorthie seruice All these thinges no doubt of it are good in themselues may be true testimonies of sincere affection in your followers and fauourits yea they may be powerfull meanes of iust defence for you and yours our whole state of lawful annoiance and confusion vpon the enemies against vvhom you goe But take heede my L. that these cause you not to be puffed vp in your selfe and so to go forth in the arm of flesh and bloud The thing that you rather are especiallie to regard therin is that they bee thankefullie receiued as from God and religiouslie vsed as in regarde of your selfe and those that shall assist you and be at your command Outward and humane helpes my selfe haue not to present but may rather say vvith the Apostle Siluer and gold haue I none such as I haue such I giue And yet let not I beseech you my vvant of vvorldlie things make lesse precious in your iudgement the spiritual graces that God is pleased by me the vnworthiest of his seruants at this time to offer vnto you for this I can and dare assure you euen in the vvord of truth and life vvhich is more than the vvords of all mortall men in the vvorld though neuer so great that though it be little in outward appearance and weak according to vvorldlie shew yet if it be thorowlie setled in you for knowledge and continuallie obserued for practise it vvil be not onlie as good as the most or best outward things that you carie with you but a vvorthie mean to sanctifie all euerie one of them to you others yea it vvil make your going out glorious your cōming in again prosperous ful of renown a matter that manie I am sure wish and praie for vvith all their harts as which indeed wil watch for you when you sleepe vvill vphold your credit at home person abroad yea and preserue you yours though you should come vnto the greatest danger distresse that could be In al this great praise of the thing it selfe I neither praise mine owne paine I protest nor prouide for my commendation in the vvorld nor couetouslie o◠cunninglie seeke gifts from your L. But dutifullie thereby to prouoke your L. care to diligent reading thereof and carefullie to stir you vp to dailie performance of such good things as are propounded therin Your high place and person your honorable and holie profession the worthie and vveightie causes that you must manage the manifold perils that thereby you may preuent the singular good that thereby you shall atcheeue vvith sundrie such like shou1d I am sure and I doubt not but they vvill prouoke sincere obedience Wherof I trust your L. vvill haue no vvhit the lesse regard euen in this respect because that I for my part shall think my care my labour my loue and vvhatsoeuer dutie I haue done or may doe vnto your L. to be sufficientlie recompenced if these poore trauails may find good acceptance vvith you and patronage from you and in you may bring forth these good and gracious effects And so humblie beseeching the Lord mercifullie to direct you in all affaires that you shall take in hand according to his holie vvil namelie to prosper this present and so important seruice for Gods glorie the welfare of our kingdomes her Maiesties Christian comfort peace euerie manner of vvaie your owne particular good and the confusion and ouerthrow of al Gods the estates her Maiesties and your ovvn enemies I humblie take my leaue At London the second of March 1599. Your Honors very humble and readie to bee commanded in all Christian dutie T. Wilcocks the Lords vnworthy seruant To the Christian Readers grace and peace from God c. I Beseech you all of what state soeuer with carefull attendance and serious thoughts to view and read ouer this Treatise following This motion I make not for any doubt or suspition J haue of any vnsound matter therin for J am persuaded it containeth in it the truth of God But because I am acquainted with or at the least wise not ignorant of those ordinarie stops and lets that hinder our growth in goodnes by good things as Sathans malice our blind and ignorant harts our carelesse minds discouragements
borders of a very great Empire and Kingdome yea many times vnto other mens territories and gouernments The blows and strokes which they giue are verie fore and heauie euen according to the proportion of the Prince himselfe and yet they are but set on worke or thrust forward by a very light sleight toung which afterwards can neither call these blowes backe againe nor repaire the breaches that they haue made But if wicked tongues bee domageable and hurtfull to Princes seruants as they are because they make them to become flatterers false witnesse bearers c. they must needs bee much more hurtfull to Kings and Princes themselues if they once draw nigh to their persons and presence because through slaunder and lying and ill speech they trouble their estates and by flatterie they blind the Princes owne eies And therefore in this respect good men haue good cause to say as the Prophet doth Psa 52.1.2 3. c. Why boasltest thou thy selfe in thy wickednesse O man of power The louing kindnesse of God indureth daily Thy tongue imagineth mischeefe and it like a sharpe rasor that cutteth deceitfully Thou doest loue euill more than gord and lies more than to speake the truth thou louest all words that may destroy O deceitfull tongue So shall God destroy thee for euer Hee shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle and root thee out of the land of the liuing Wherein it shall not bee amisse to marke how and after what sort the tongue proceedeth effecteth these euill things By ill speech they disguise good mens actions and deeds and set another manner of hue and shape vpon them than indeed they beare And the better men are the worse are they spoken of The reason because that their proceeding being lesse close colored their goodnes and wel doing is so much the more laid open to calumnie and slaunder that we may say nothing of the hatefull hart that the wicked carrie against them And this is certaine that where slaunder seeth the flesh naked or a man laid open it will not with Shem and Iapheth couer it but rather with Ham reioice at it yea there it taketh occasion with the wicked of the world to insult and triumph there it nippeth and there it biteth because elsewhere to assay it it were but lost labour and the breaking of their owne teeth And what are the effects that flow from this euill The better the men are the more sensible and feeling are they the sooner offended and greeued and by meanes thereof begin liuely to be touched yea being touched indeed either they become malecontent as we say or at the least thrown downe into despaire of their state and past hope of recouerie they make themselues vnfit either for publike or priuat and vnprofitable almost for any imploâ—ment And from hence come so many disgraces offered them from abroad so many iust forrows and sighings in themfelues by means wherof the country and Commonwealth haue oftentimes been spoiled of worthie persons and besides these noble and worthie spirits cast downe in themselues and disgraced before the world And these and fundrie such like are the fruits of slaunder or ill speech But flatterie is much worse and more dangerous by much for by it the Prince is disguised to himselfe yea he is so subtellie deceiued that hee doth not any longer know himselfe or his owne estate turning his vice into vertue his crueltie into iustice his cowardise and faint-heartednesse into clemencie and mercie telling him that his words are Oracles that his lawes are aboue all reason and nature whatsoeuer that he himselfe is not Gods officer but his companion with a thousand other such Syrenian songs so much the more dangerous yea deadly by how much the person is great that is corrupted therby and the effects flowing therefrom desperate and past recouerie Surely surely these are not onely close and secret but dangerous and deadly wounds For it appereth by the stories of all ages and times that these adulations and flatteries these adorations and worshippings haue very quietly and almost without anie sence or feeling brought the most mighty Princes of the world to their end as if it were oxen that did weare the garland against the day of their slaughter Nature teacheth the quite and clean contrary And wee see by experience that Chirurgians heale when they hurt and put to paine Wheras flatterers tonugs kil men when they would seem to tickle and please theÌ„ The feeling knowledge of this point made Dauid elfewhere both to pray and say Let me not eat the delicats of the wicked Psa 141. â— 5 Let the righteous rather smite me for that is a benefit and let him reproue me and it shall be a precious oyle that shall not breaks my head meaning that the reprooses of the righteous yea his very wounds stripes are as a precious baulme or oyle to help and heale And Salomon after him The chiding or rebuke of the wise is much better than the song of the soole And therefore much better indeed is the free speech of a good and faithfull seruant than the inchanting words of flatterers Wise Princes in the world haue alwaies taken great heed to keepe themselues safe and sure from such people Hence is it that euen the Heathen could say It is better to fall into the hands of crowes cormorants than to come amongst flatterers And they haue rendred this reason of it For those doe but prey vpon dead carkasses and those eat vpliuing men And we read of sundry great kings who fearing that their fauorites courtiers and attendants did set a better colour vpon causes thaÌ„ they were worthie of or had indeed would now and then dissemble their states and persons that so from the common sort they might the better vnderstand that which they could not by their friends and fauourites This was a good intent and purpose I confesse but not well guided or ordered For what could they learne thereby but the common voice of the people as wee say which is as readie to blame the good as to accuse the euill yea many times more ready to that than to this because as the wife man sayth The iust is an abhomination to the wicked and our Sauiour telleth vs that the world will loue his owne But the truth is kings that are wise indeed will practise another manner of matter and keepe a farre other course They will chuse vertuous people and place them about them and they will giue all manner of libertie to those that are not passionate to speake vnto them yea they will open their mouths that are fit to speak and will take in good part their good aduertisements and councels yea they wil profit by their accusations whether they bee bent against their actions or against their persons and liues And good reason it should bee so For they speake from a sound heart and direct their words to religious and
and flie away Yea and this shall they the sooner effect if in their deeds if in their words they detest euill and loue good and if they they themselues carrie in their faces and foreheads the marke and impression of vertue iustice mercie and such like For darknesse without doubt shall and must flie before light And euen so euil which is nothing but a priuation of good as darkenesse is of light if goodnesse once appear be established cannot hold his place nor continue or bee at all where goodnes once entreth But if it so fal out thet a Prince come to gouernment and state in an age so corrupt as ours is and hee is not able to root out euill so soone as he would or as he should this specially at the least he must aduise and look to that hee suffer it not to fall or drop vpon the more noble parts of the bodie for if they be once taken the other being ouertaken therwith no part shal be free but rather that he send it packing to the bâ—sest and furthest parts of the Commonweale euen as nature it selfe in a naturall and humane bodie teacheth vs expelling that which would annoy or hurt the vitals as wee say to the furthest parts that so in that care and wisedome the Prince may prouide that it bee no part either of his sence or of his life and least of all certainely of his spirit and of his soule In a word this is my meaning The Prince should not admit such corruption neither to his presence nor to his person nor to his practise and affaires nor commit vnto it his life his councell or estate for if he doe so hee hazardeth all his bodie his soule his scepter his kingdome his subiects c. And sith this is the nature of naughtinesse and sinne that if it may be but permitted to prease into presence it will conceiue hope of further accesse and entertainement mightie men must stop the passage of it and shut their pallaces gates the eies and eares of their head the power of their hands the passions and affections of their hearts and whatsoeuer else against it But this is a verie great worke indeed for a Prince or King I confesse it But the person is great that is to doe it and hee hath manie more meanes to effect it than meaner men and therefore taught his fingers to fight Psal 144.1 and made him able to ouercome all yea and to instruct all Princes present and to come For whatsoeuer things are written beforehand Rom. 15.4 art written for our learning that we thorow patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope What course to keep what remedie to vse specially when they haue established peace at home and abroad for the redressing and the repressing generally of all euils and particularly of such as either ciuile or forraine warres haue set on foot in the kingdome Verse 8. I will cut off sayth he betimes all the wicked of the land that I may root out of the citie of the Lord the workers of iniquitie IT is as much in effect as if he should say I will not put off from day to day neither to frame mine owne life wel nor by mine owne example to amend my people for delaies are dangerous specially of good things and occasion as wee say is bald behind and therefore good taking hold of her forelockes besides I haue no charter or patent of my life and therefore I will not deferre the doing of this good Neither will I for a long time or many yeares delay the reformation of my estate but as much as in me lyeth labour to bring it to a good condition speedily I know pother Princes are or will be of another mind and that they may alleadge for themselues many goodly clokes and colours as innouatian is dangerous feare of the people doubts and diffidences concerning the action it selfe and diuers such like But I will cast all these behind me and make no account thereof for the first is but a principle of Policie and that is as vncertain as mans braine that bred it And for the second it hath small force in it and it may bee specially standing for God that when I fear most I shall be most fauoured and followeâ— for he hath the hearts of men in his hand to turne them at his pleasure And as for the third concerning the action it selfe seeing mine own hart telleth me it is good and I am persuaded thereof by the truth of the Word why should I lay or suffer to lie stumbling blockes in my way Nay rather thorow Gods goodnesse and strength I will rise vp so much the more earlie and put my hand to that busines whatsoeuer may come of it This is my full and flat resolution And sith the lord by nature doth teach it me I wil thorow his assistance and grace perform it Doth not the sunne as soone as it riseth yea before it riseth driue and chase away darkenesse And then why should not I so soone as I ascend to the scepter and throne and come to the crown perform these good things Surely I will erect the throne of Iustice certainely I will establish pietie vertue shall find entertainement at my hands and I wil banish vice This did Dauid say and this did he doe also And in both these it behoueth all good kings to resemble him An excellenâ— enterprise and of great consequence I confesse specially in this State and Kingdome in which vice hath triumphed a long time nay in which it yet ruleth and beareth sway But yet if men will begin in time the day is long and there are many houres yet before night come Delaies in other things are not good but here they are staâ—ke naught Purposes will not serue for they are but the imaginations of our mind nor promises neither because they are but bare words and vttered many times to deceiue men but practise performance is it that will glorifie God and doe good to Church Commonweale Countrey Kingdome and all The beames and streams of a vertuous Prince may make hote and comfort and that without ouerheating or discomforting of himselfe his countrey and kingdome yea they may cause vertue to bud and spring and they may nip vice in the head And why should wee doubt of it Seeing wee know that Gods graces though in priuat persons shall not yet bee vnprofitable much lesse shall they bâ—â— without life in men that resemble his Maiestie and beare his marke vpon them His Zodiake as we may say is furnished a man may see it planted with much goodnes he is not yet at the midst of his age and if God would wee might see all things in the Kingdome and Commonweale changed into better the sores thereof strengthened and healed and that without any wound or scar the former euils softened yea almost worne out of memorie and as it were quite and cleane forgotten And though it were so that