THE HUNTING OF THE FOX OR, FLATTERY DISPLAYED. The Flatterers devise; A Waterman looking one way, and rowing another, with this Motto Mel in ore, fell in cord.  
By H. H. Grayens.  
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, at the sign of the Golden Lion in Paul's Churchyard, 1632.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful Sir CHRISTOPHER HARFLETE, Knight of the I'll of Thanet.  
SIR:  
THe Hunting of harmful beasts is commended for recreation, and the Metaphorical hunting of wickedness is commanded for reformation. It was part of my recreation (being sometimes wearied with the study of the Law) to unkennel, to put up and hunt the Fox, for so S. Bernard calls the Flatterer; which may be called, My sparehoure-meditations: I know your Worship to be free from this vice, which made me bold to fly to your Worship to shelter it under the wings of your Protection, hoping for no exception but your acceptation; wishing you with your virtuous Lady, all health and happiness in this world, and all blessedness in the world to come: Thus prayeth  
Your Worship's affectionate friend and Kinsman, HEN. HARFLETE.   

To the Reader.  
GEntle Reader, I have written nothing but the truth, but I know Truth brings forth a bad daughter, Hatred, Veritas odium, but I wish that she might be an abortive; I hope none through hatred will give too hard a censure of me for writing the truth: I have writ the truth in love and charity: I have covered naked truth with her sister Charity. I hope (gentle Reader) that Hatred, the daughter of Truth, will pass by her Mother, and not know her in that attire; the●… judge favourably of me, and quo animo legis, obserua, quo observas, serua: Read it that th●… mayst remember it, and remembering, practise not flattery, but true amity; hoping for no less, and praying to God for this, I leave thee to God.  
Thy friend, no flatterer, HEN. HARFLETE.   

The Contents.  
Of Flattery consider,  

1. THe Definition. page 4.  
Which consists of the 1. Genus: 2. Differences.  
The Genus Vice. Flattery is a vice. 5  
It is the worst of vices: Because it counterfeits all virtues. 6  
Because it is hated of God. 7  
Because it is hated of Man. 8  
Because it is the nourisher and preserver of vices. 11  
It is an infectious vice. 12  
It is an hurtful vice. 14  
It is a scoffing vice. 15  
It is a fawning vice. 16  
The Differences, in which observe four things.  
First Flatteries near affinity with friendship, 'Tis hardly discerned from friendship; from which, note that flattery is like friendship. 18  
That a man can hardly know it from friendship. 21  
That a flatterer is a secret enemy. 23  
Secondly, the means whereby a flatterer doth deceive (viz.) by soft and smooth speeches. 24  
Thirdly his ends, which are taken from his 1. Policy. 2. Inten●….  
1. Of his Policy, see the 1. Object. 2. Extent.  
The Object is favour. To get favour▪ pag. 26  
The Extent, For some worldly respect. 27  
2. Intent, To deceive. 29  
Fourthly, his hypocrisy, pretending what he intends not. 31  
II. Distribution which demonstrats the Causes, Object, Signs of Flattery.  
The Causes are four: 1. Efficient. The Devil. 32  
2. Material, fair, and glozing words. pag. 34  
Which are in regard of the 〈◊〉 ●…lightfull. pag. ●…6  
In regard of the Auditor's 〈◊〉 or trial, bitter; because they are Bird-lime. 31  
Because they are sweet poison. 37  
Because they are wine but deadly. 38  
Because they are swords. 38  
Because they are nets. 38  
In regard of the flatterers aim deceitful. 39  
3. Formal Dissimulation or hypocrisy. 42  
〈◊〉. Final. Deceit. 44  
The Object is to be considered, 1. Generally, 2. Specially.  
Generally that flatter for some outward good, such are found in Church, Court, City, Country.  
In the Church. 48  
The Minister flatters in his Instruction, when he preaches for Favour, Profit, Credit. 50. 51  
And that in regard of the Matter. 55  
Intention 58. Manner of speaking. 58  
In the Court you shall find the flatterer Ambitious. 60  
Self-conceited and politic. 63  
Affecting popularity. 63  
In the City there flattery is between the Citizen and his Wife. 64  
Between the Citizen and Countryman. 65  
Between the Cheater and Stranger. pag. 69  
In the Country. 70  
Specially who aim at a man's Life. 73 Goods, 75. Good name. 76  
The signs are to praise a man (though absent) beyond his deserts. 77  
To praise a man to his face. 78  
Upon small distastes to slack acquaintance. 78  
He is a tale-bearer. 78. 79    

THE HUNTING OF THE FOX: OR, THE FLATTERER DISPLAYED.  
SAint Gregory compares the world to a rotten nut, which being opened with the knife of verity, you shall find nothing within but rottenness, and vanity; vanity indeed; so saith the wisest of Kings; vanitas vanitatum, & omnia vanitas: 
Eccl. 1. 1.  Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity: There is nothing found in the Macrocosm or great world, but vanity; you shall find the same in the Microcosm or little world, Man. Homo vanitas, man himself is vanity, so saith the Psalmist: but man is most vain 
Psal. 39 6.  respect●… vitiorum; in respect of his vices, as Solomon in his book of Ecclesiastes witnesseth; wherein he hath hunted out the vanities, and sins which men most haunt: The wicked like Esau, are cunning hunters of goodness, and good men; they hunt both 

1 vi &  
2 fraud.   By force, and fraud; by hand and head: 
Wicked hunt: 1. Vi, by force.   
Micah 2. 2. They covet fields, and take them by violence. Here they hunt with hands, by force. Anaxagoras thought man the wisest of all creatures, quia manuatus, because he hath hands, whereby to express all signs, but he might better have concluded him the worst of all creatures; because he hath hands, whereby to oppress his neighbour.  
Mal. 7. 2. They hunt with a net: Here they hunt with their crafty head, 
2. Fraud, by craft.  by fraud: As they are hunters, so they are cunning hunters. By their crafty head they have devised politic gins to catch good men: They seek not the Golden Fleece by jasons' merit or honesty, but by Medea's subtlety; But as S. Augustine saith, Their tricks 
August. 〈◊〉 vita & moribus Christi.  may be approved of, in iure fori, but they shall be reproved for them in jure poli; Earth may connive at them, but heaven will never receive them.  
I wish that all wicked hunters might be hunted by good men that are in authority. The hunting of harmful beasts is commended for recreation. The metaphorical hunting of wickedness, 
Metaphorical hunting.  is commanded for reformation. There are many beasts that may be hunted; for wicked men in the Scripture are compared to diverse sorts of beasts; some to wild Boars, some to Horses, some to Mules, some to Dogs, some to the Fox; and to others, and that respectu vitiorum; because they are so deformed by their sins, and through them transformed into savage natures; I insist not upon many particulars, but only upon one, and that is the Fox, whom 〈◊〉 hunt, not with sword, but pen; Cant. 2. 15. Take us the little Foxes; upon this place, S. Bern. saith. Duo sunt vulpium genera. There are two kinds of Foxes, the Flatterer, and the Slanderer; of which my intent is to unbourough only now the Fox-Flatterer.  
Flattery is the subject of this ensuing discourse; which doth object two things to your eye, and consideration; The 

1 Definition  
2 Distribution   of Flattery.  
1 The Definition.  
Flattery is a vice hardly discerned from friendship, whereby a man with soft 
〈◊〉. ●…d. ●…at flat●… is.  and smooth speeches seeks to get favour with a man for some worldly respect, thereby the more easily to deceive him, pretending what he intends not.  
Give me leave (gentle Reader) to open the definition of Flattery, that I may in part open and rip▪ up the belly of the Fox-Flatterer.  
The definition doth consist of two parts.  
The 

1 Genus.  
2 Differences.    
1. The Genus in this word. Vitium, 
●…ry is 〈◊〉.  it is a vice.  
1. It is a vice.  


1 The worst of vices.  
And secondly, 

2 infectious  
3 hurtful  
4 fawning  
5 scoffing   Vice.    
First. A Vice: or peccatum, a sin, so Aquinas calls it; For (according to the judgement of Divines) it is a sin against the ninth Commandment; A flatterer bears false witness against his neighbour: Now a man may bear false witness two ways: either first privately, by himself, or secondly publicly, before the Magistrate: Flattery, and slandering, are two members of private bearing false witness, a slanderer bears false witness to a man against others; a flatterer bears witness to a man against himself. ●…his ●…a granted proposition, it needs no greater amplification: so that it is as Tacitus saith, Vetus in republica malum, It is an old evil in the Commonwealth, and no vices like to old vices; and as it is vetus, so it is vitiosum, a vicious evil, for it is first vitiorum pessima.  
1. The worst of vices.  
And that in 3. respects, propter 

1 Simulationem virtutum. 
1. It is the worst of vices. Worst of vices.   
2 Odium 

a deo.  
ab homine.    
3 Conservationem vitiorum.    
First, it is the worst of vices, because it counterfeits all virtues: Vice 
1. Because i●… count ●…its all vices.  is made virtues Ape in a flatterer's practice; It is his intent Virtutem non colere, sed vitia colorare; as S. Bernard saith, Not to embrace virtue with a 
Bern. super Cant ser. ●…6.  good intention, but to paint over vice with a fair complexion: For every vice takes his colours, or his instigations from him, and his greatest exploits are, either to further vice, or to smother it. He is like unto the Chameleon, apt to all objects, capable of all colours, who cloaks hate with holiness, ambition with good government, and flattery with eloquence; yet whatsoever he pretends is dishonesty; for as a Chameleon hath all colours save white, so hath he all points save honesty.  
2. It is the worst of vices because it is hated both of 

1 God. & 
2. Because it is hated.   
2 Man.    
Man cannot abide him, because he doth a little profess amity to man, God cannot endure him, because he doth no more but profess it.  
Because he wears God's livery of true amity, the world daignes not to be his mother, and because his heart is fallacious and sinne-wedded, God means not to be his Father. A touch of these. And first he is  
Hated of God. 
1. Of God.   
The Scripture tells us the Lord hates evil, and the Psalmographer assures us, that the flatterer harbours an evil heart. Psal. 41. 7. God then cannot choose but hate him, for if flattery were not evil, it could not be the object of hatred, for nothing can be hated but evil, or that which is esteemed so at the least, according to the Moralist, Odium est, quo voluntas resilit ab objecto disconuenienti, vel vi disconuenienti; Hatred is the turning of the concupis●…ible appetite from that which is evil, or esteemed evil. Now God doth not hate flattery as an esteemed evil, but as an absolute evil in itself. 〈◊〉  
The Schoolmen tell us of a twofold hatred in God.  
There is a hatred 

1 Negative.  
2 Positive.    
1. The negative hatred of God is twofold: 

1 Negatio amoris.  
2 Displicentia rei.    
The first is, when God doth deny his love, he is said to hate; so he hated Esau before he had done either good or evil.  
The second is; when sin doth displease him, causing him to turn away his wont favour, he is said to hate.  
2. The Positive hatred is d●…retum puniendi; a decree in God to punish; for when God doth punish man any way for sin, he is said to hate the sinner; now if God doth hate the flatterer, what can he expect but God's displeasure and judgements upon him for his false heart; and whom God hates man cannot love, and therefore  
2. He is hated of man. And why? 
2. Of man.   
Because a flatterer pretends amity, intends enmity. He salutes his friend in his mouth with Ave, or, God keep you; when in his heart he means, Cave, or, The devil take you, thus he is amicus nomine & ore, inimicus re & cord; A friend in show, an enemy in deed. Psal. 41. 5. and therefore worthy to be hated of man, who thus turns enemy to man: I may speak of the life of a flatterer, what Tully 
Tully.  speaks of the life of a Tyrant; Haec est vita Tyrannorum (saith he) adulatorum (say I) in qua nulla fides, nulla charitas, nulla stabilis benevolentiae potest esse fiducia, omnia semper suspecta, nullus locus est amicitiae; In the life of a flatterer there can be no faith, no charity, no sure benevolence; all things are always suspected; there is no place of friendship. And therefore he is worthy of hatred. But me thinks I hear the flattering enemy, inducing us to subjection to the God of the word, producing an objection out of the word of God. Backing it both with precepts affirmation, and examples confirmation. And first by precept. Math. 5. 44. We must do good to those that hate us; and love our enemies. And 1 joh. 3. 15. and 1 joh. 2. ver. 9 and 11. He that hateth his brother is a manslayer. And Leu. 19 17. We ought not to hate our brother in our heart. Secondly, by example. David loved those that hated him, 2 Sam. 19 6. And therefore we ought not to hate the flatterer who is our brother.  
To these I answer.  
First, there is a twofold love. Amor 

rei.  
personae. 
Sol. 1.     
The love of the 

1 thing or action.  
2 person.    
We must love the person of our enemy that hath wronged us; but we must hate his ●…nfull actions, we must pray against their sins, not persons. 2 Sam. 15. 31. Acts 4. 29.  
Or secondly, There is a twofold 
Sol. 2.  hatred, say the Schoolmen.  
Odium 

1 abominationis.  
2 inimicitiae.    
The hatred of 

1 abomination.  
2 enmity.    
With the hatred of abomination, a man may hate or distaste the evil or sin done against God, which is hateful to God, and hurtful to his members, as flattery is.  
Secondly, with the hatred of Enmity, a man may hate the person; but how? only as he doth will or permit the punishment of the person, because of the evil he hath committed; so a Magistrate may will a man to be punished, Vt improbus sed non ut homo; as a wicked man, but not as a man; so I may hate a flatterer Non ut homo, sed ut adulator: Not as a man, but as a Flatterer.  
Thirdly, It is the worst of vices.  
Quia vitiorum altrix & conservatrix.  
Because it is a nourisher and preserver 
3. Be●… it preser●… vi ces.  of vices.  
Flatterers are Authores et fautores mali, They are Authors and favourers of evil; I need apply no more to this, but what is applied to the jesuit, may be implied in the flatterer. 
Consulo, praecipt●…, consentio, prov●…, laudo;  
Non retego culpam, non puni●… non reprehend●…;  
Participo, de●…ēdo, men in caput ista redundant.   
Evil counsel lies lurking in his head, he forbids good things to be done with his tongue; he can consent to evil in his heart; he can do mischief with his hand: so that his tongue, head, heart, and hand, are nourishers, preservers, and practisers of vice: So that I may infer, that slattery is but another sin's Pander. Demosthenes doth likewise aver, that it is Vitiorum altrix et vei itatis corruptrix; The nourisher of vanity, and corrupter of verity. Thus it is the worst of vices. Secondly, it is an  
Infectious vice. 
2 Infectious vice.   
Adulatio insi●…it illum, qui came asficit, et interficit, quem inficit: It doth infect that man, who doth affect it, and it kills him, whom it doth infect: This sin carries death at his tail: and therefore saith a Heathen, It kills two at a blow; the flatterer, and the flattered. The flatterer carries death in his tongue, the flattered in his ear: The flatterer like the serpent in Paradise, wrongs himself persuadendo, by enticing to sin; the flattered kills himself consentiendo, by consenting to sin: as Eve by believing the flattering devil.  
The hurt that befalls the preserver of this vice, is manifest. And the damage that betides the flattered, is mams●…ld; but yet this infection spreads no ●…r the●… then to the flattered; there being a reciprocal relation between them both (happy would the nature of man be, if all infectious diseases were of that nature) Quamvis adula●… sit perniciosa, noc●…re tamen nemini potest, nisi ei, qui eam recipit, aut qui ca delectatur; Although it be pernicious or infectious, yet it hurts none but those, which do receive it, or delight in that vice, saith Isocrates.  
I would wish all men to beware of touching this pitch, lest they be d●…siled therewith; It leaves something behind it where it comes, and therefore it may not unsitly be compared unto Swallows, which in the Summer time creep under every house, but in the Winter time leave nothing behind them but dirt, or perhaps some infectious matter; for, Blanditiae sunt pessimum veri affectus venemon, Flattery is the worst poison of true affection, saith Ta●…us. It is vitium linguae, a vice of the tongue; I have read of many unreasonable creatures that carry poison in their tails, but I never read of a reasonable creature, that carries poison in his tongue, till I read of the flatterer, Under whose lips is the poison of Asps, saith the Psalmist.  
3. It is a hurtful vice. 
3. A hurtful vice.   
Bias being asked of all beasts which was the worst, and most hurtful, answered; Inter feras tyrannus, inter cieures adulator; Among wild beasts the Tyrant, among tame the flatterer; yet surely if I might compare him to a ●…ame fowl, I would liken him to the tame Peacock for hurt; and therefore what some have mockingly said of the jesuit, I may truly say of the slatterer, Pav●… est; he is a Peacock; for he hath the colour of an Angel, the pace of a thief, and voice of a devil; what more hurtful, and deceitful, than a fine but false colour; then a comely, but thievish pace; then a pleasing, but a devilish voice. And therefore it is the best course of every man to course from him this hurtful beast; and if it were my lot to fall among beasts, I would accept of Antisthenes' opinion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I had rather fall among Ravens then among flatterers; for they would but peck me being dead; but these will pick me being living.  
4. It is a scoffing vice. 
4. A scoffing vice.   
And therefore we call him a fl●…ering fellow, a fawning Sycophant, and a scoffing Parasite, Adulatores suorum dominorum tam arrisores quam arrosores sunt; Flatterers are as well scoffers as biters, saith Seneea: They do as well flout at their prey, as deceive their prey; for the flattered is but the flatterer's prey, and as long as the hope of obtaining some benefit sticks in his stomach, he is his servant to wait upon him; but as soon as his benefit is obtained, no longer a servant, scarce a friend: and perhaps he hath left his acquaintance with many a scoff; for it is most certain he hath showed him some cheating trick, for his courtesies; his a●…rision is a sign of delusion; he hath de●…ved him, and therefore he áerides him; but a wise man, will never (like Solomon) believe the flatterer, nor yet with Diogenes care for his 〈◊〉; who when the people mocked him, was wont to say: Arrident me, attain●…n non derideor; They deride me, 
Diogen.  yet I am not decided.  
5. ●…t is a fawning vice. 
5. A fawning vice.   
It is a fawning vice too; doglike, who fawns upon his Master for crusts and bones. Loving smiles, and Apish gestures are his best impostures: He uses his mouth as the dog wags his tail, the one to obtain a boon from his friend, the other to gain a bone from his Master. I wish now that missing their boon, they might be censured to Adonibezeckes doom, that their hands and toes might be cut off; their hards, Vt neminem assequantur; that they may lay hold of none; their toes, Vt neminem insequantur; that they may not follow any man to flatter him: and they should gather crumbs under men's tables; they fawn like dogs, let them feed like dogs, saith one.  
Thus for the Genus in the definition, Flattery is a vice; now follow the  
Differences.  
In the words following.  
In which observe four things. 

1. Flattery's near affinity with friendship. 'tis hardly discerned from friendship.  
2. The means whereby the flatterer doth deceive: and that is by soft, and smooth speeches.  
3. The flatterer's end, and that is twofold. taken from the flatterers 

1. Policy; to get favour for some worldly respect, where note the 

1. Object of this policy, & that's favour to get favour.  
2. Extent of the Object; for some worldly respect.    
2. Intent, to deceive.    
4. The flatterer's hypocrisy; pretending what he intends not:    
First, flatterie's near affinity with friendship.  
It is hardly discerned from friendship,]  
From which Note may be noted these three notes.  
That 

1. Flattery is like friendship.  
2. A man can hardly know it from friendship.  
3. Flattery is a secret enemy.    
First, of the first.  
1. That Flattery is like friendship.  
Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit, saith Isocrates, Non est eadem, sed sient, o●… fere; 'tis like or almost friendship, Almost in Agrippa married a good Christian, and the flatterers Almost covers a friend, and discovers a so: They are mutually mingled together affectu; they differ effectu; or as the Moralist saith, In omni motis, & affectu animi, sed non in actionibus; They are joined together in every motion and affect of the mind, but they are disjoined in their several effects and actions; therefore we grant the old rule true, Nullum simile est idem, If flattery be similis, it cannot be eadem, That which is like to a thing cannot be the same; flattery is but like friendship, and therefore nemo amicus idem et adulator, A flatterer cannot be both a flatterer and a friend.  
Aquinas will have friendship to be a virtue, and flattery a vice: now vice may be in some respects like virtue; and vice sometimes may been virtue's Ape; but yet no vice can be a virtue, for they are mere contraries; would you know what this friendship is which opposes flattery; Then thus. Amicitia est specialis virtus, secundum 
Aquin. 22. Friendship, what it is. 〈◊〉  quaminter se homines bene disponuntur, simul conviventes; Or thus arcording to some, which runs both to one sense. It is a community of a perpetual will, the end where of is fellowship of life; and it is framed by a perfect habit of a long continued love. Now brass being gilded over with silver, may to the outward appearance seem to be good silver; but time or the touchstone, (time by long wearing, or the touchstone by present rubbing) discerns it to be but brass; Flattery being covered over with amity, may appear to be true friendship to the eye of the world; but either time (for true friendship is perpetual flattery temporary) or the touchstone of adversity or present necessity, will discover true f●…iendship from flattery, and therefore well said Plato, It is the property of true friends to live and love together; but feigned friends fly from a man in time of trial▪ for where flattery dwells, friendship can have no chamber to lodge in: they cannot be lodged in the same subject, no more than God and Dagon under one roof. 
Nemo potest 〈◊〉 pariter servire, deoque  
S●…c & adulator null●… 〈◊〉 erit   
If God and Satan may be bedfellows, no doubt but flattery and friendship may be chamber-fellows; If one man can truly serve God and the Devil, I would yield that one man might be both a true friend, and a flatterer; Though friendship be like, yet it is contrary to flattery, dislodging verity, without which the name of amity cannot subsist; and as flattery is Like, so i●… is so like to friendship that (in the second note.)  
2. A man can hardly know it from friendship.  
Flattery is an arrant thief, he hath robbed friendship of his coat, and wea●…es it himself. I hay both wear God's livery, and of m●…n they are both taken for God's servants; one that is a wrongful detainer of a great man's livery, is taken for to be one of his true retai●…ers, and of a stranger t●…ken for his true man; but the Master knows he is none of his servants, wherefore he punishes him for his presumption; so ●…lattery is hardly discerned from friendship; Difficile est eodem & adu●…atore et amico uti: It is a hard thing ●…o p●…t any confidence in that man that ●…eemes to be a friend, but indeed is a ●…iend; Solomon saith Caveat amicus, let ●…he flattered take heed; but I say ca●…eat adulator, Let the flatterer take ●…eed; though man knows not his ●…eart, yet God knows it; and will one day pay him home for his dissimulation: The fl●…tterer is clothed like the Ass in the Lion's ski●… in the fable; who, when he had gotten on the Lion's skin, was taken of all beasts for the true Lion: but his Master finding him, knew him by his long ears, which he could not hide, disrobed him, and beat him well for his knavery. The fable is but a fable, the moral●… may be good; This Ass is the flatterer; who hath got on the Lyo●… skin, friendship●… coat, and of all simple, silly and mistrustless people taken for the true Lion, true friendship; but the Master, that is God▪ who is Lord and Master over all knows him well enough by his long ears, that is his heart, that is no●… clothed with friendship, and therefore God will disrobe t●…is dissembling Ass the flatterer, and make him appear as he is indeed, a righ●… Gnatho, a Parasite; I wish that m●… might know flattery theoretically, bu●… not practica●…y; that he might kno●… it to avoid it, not to practise it; f●… by practising he becomes man's enemy, for thirdly,  
3. A flatterer is his friends secret enemy.  
No enemy like to a secret enemy, and therefore Antigonus in his prayers was want to desire the g●…ds to defend him from his Friends; for he said, he could easily beware of them, whi●…h were his open enemies: David the beloved of God, found some secret and inward hatre●… in those, of whom outwardly he seemed to be beloved, for so David himself confesses, ●…sal. 41. 7. The flatterer did secretly hate him, 
Pro. 26 24.  and seek his hurt; These flatterers are Lamiaes, Witches, which kill those which suck their milk, Lamiaes, is translated Dragons: and Lam. 4. 3. These are the Dragon's whi●…h draw out their breasts: I h●…se cannot choose but be secret enemies, who vn●…er a pretence to give the body nutriment, should be a cause of mischi●…fes increment, and health's decrement, I c●…nnot choose but count him my enem●…, that pretends health, but intends death, Prou. 26. that 
Pro. 26. 28.  for to cure my grievous malady, would not care to prescribe a venomous remedy: that under a healthful potion would give me death's portion. Haec adulatoris amicitia, blanditoris inimicitia, The flatterer's amity, in the end proves enmity: For whose sake was devised this device; A Waterman rowing one way, and looking another; His motto, this; M●…l in ore, fell in cord; Honey is in his mouth, but gall in his heart.  
2. The means whereby the flatterer doth deceive, and that is, By soft and smooth speeches.]  
Flattery according to the Hebrew tongue, (as those can best tell as have skill in that language) signifies blandus, or mollis, smooth, or soft, because the flatterer uses smooth and soft speeches; but he is like unto a Sodom Apple, fair and sound in the outward appearance, but rotten within; so is he faire-tongued, but rotten-hearted; and therefore say some of the Hebrews, the word (to flatter) signifies Dividere, to divide, because in the flatterer his tongue is divided from his hart: but those smooth speeches soothe up man ad interitum to his own destruction; and therefore, well saith Diogenes, A flattering tongue is like 
Laer●…. in vit●… D●…gen.  ●…o a ●…lken halter; which is soft because silken, but strangling, because a halter.  
Smooth words, but all vanity, little verity in them; for a man had better give the words of an enemy some credit, than the words of a flatterer; for Illi verum saepe dicunt, high 
Tul. in Laelio.  ●…nquam, saith Laeliu●…; they sometimes speak truth, these never.  
Receive then solomon's advise, le●…t he deceive you by his faire-tongued devises. Though he speak (fairly or) favourably believe him not; so I leave his fine, and feigned tongue, and come to his vain  
Ends.  
Which are twofold, his 

Policy, where is the 

Object of his policy; and that is, favour to get favour.  
Extent of the object, for some worldly respect.    
Intent to deceive.    
First, the object of his policy, and that is  
To get favour,]  
The flatterer's policy is but a crafty, and worldly policy: It is most sure that he is the world's friend, and God's foe. For crafty, knavish, and worldly policy, and true, and religious piety never shake hands together. Policy is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which in our English tongue is termed civility; but I am sure the flatterer's policy is but knavish civility: the confines of his policy reaches to a man's favour; and deceit sets a full period to his policy. To be in a man's favour is but to be well esteemed of him, or to have the favourable aspect of his countenance, and respect of his heart; I think it is strange, that the tur●…ing of a favourable countenance vpo●… a man, should make a man turn devil. To be a devil in heart, a Saint in tongue: To insinuate is the devils practise, and the flatterer is but the devil's Ape; These kind of wretches are a kind of mercenary wretches, they prostrate themselves thereby to suck out private advantage, such a one was jehonadab, 2 Sam. 13. who being destitute of all grace did prostitute his service to Ammon, to be a graceless approver, and shameless procurer of Ammon's shameful lust, that so being a favourer of Ammon's incestuous mind, he might the better insinuate himself into Ammon's favour. Thus for the object, now follows the  
2. Extent. For some worldly respect.]  
We read of a threefold love. Amor: 

1. Purus.  
2. Lascivus.  
3. Quaerens utile.    
The first, is a pure love, the second lascivious, the third worldly. The first is a stranger to the flatterer; with the second he may, with the third he always doth entertain his friend, which shows him to be a temporiz●…r. He loves his friend, as long as he can live by his friend: he is a fair company-keeper, as long as he is a fair tongue-keeper; hoping by fair words to obtain his worldly desire; if you can find in your heart to give him presently, he will find in his heart to love you everlastingly; but yet  
Aes in praesenti imperfectum format amorem.  
His love is lame of one foot, which makes him go halting; he is like unto a Hawk, who getting into the wide world with a full belly, gives his Master a kind farewell; but if once he find need and want, he will again stoop to the lure. The Greek word for the world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies saire, which may show us thus much that a faire-tongued flatterer is a mere worldling: 'tis the property of a worldling to feign himself a friend, as long as he can gain by his friend; I would have every good man to beware of this pocket-friend. Thus have I done with his policy his first end, I come to his second end, by which he intends  
Deceit. To deceive.]  
He doth invont many good words, thereby the more easily to circumvent his friend: he is like the horse-stealer that strokes the horse with a sweet Glove, whose end is to cheat him of his good cheer, for he gets upon his back, and rides him out of his Pasture. We read in the Prou. 29. 5. That a man that flat●…ereth his neighbour, spreads a net for his feet. The flatterer plays the fowler, the poor silly mistrustless friend is his bird; and his fair, cunning, and close words, the net he spreads to deceive him.  
Fistula dulce canit, volucrem dum decipit auceps, saith the Poet.  
Pindarus calls the deceitful man a flatterer, Impossibile est (saith he) ut cives dolosus, qui est adulator, forte aliquod & sincerum verbum proferat. It is impossible that a deceitful Citizen, who is a flatterer, should speak a true word from his heart: and flattery is not only deceitful, but it is cruelties partner, Fallax & crudelis res est adulatio, saith Saint Austin: and therefore Felicem accipimus, qui fallacem non recepit; We account him happy that shuns the flatterer's acquaintance; For he that warily receives the deceiving flatterer, may easily perceive a cheating knave; but follow him not, lest he lead you to hell, for roaring and drinking is the horse-way to hell, and whoring and cheating is the foote-way to that infernal pit: and there I leave his deceit, and come to his  
4. Hypocrisy. Pretending what he intends not.]  
He seems what he is not, and that is playerlike, Extremum injustitiae genus est, iustum haberi qui iustus non est, saith Plato; 'tis the highest kind of injustice for a man to be accounted just, true, and honest, who indeed is not so. A man had better trust to an enemy that seems as he is, then to a friend that seems as he is not: For multo melius de quibusdam acerbi inimici merentur, quam illi amici qui dulces videntur & acerbi vere sunt: The greatest enemy deserves better at a man's hand, than that friend which seems to be his loving friend, but indeed is his greatest foe; and from such a friend  
Libera me Domine.  
Thus have I done with the Definition of flattery, I come now to the  
Distribution.  
which demonstrates the 

causes  
object  
signs   of flattery.  
First for the Causes, which are four.  
The cause 

Efficient.  
Material.  
Formal.  
Final.    
First for the efficient cause of flattery, and that is, the  
Devil.  
He makes a man a flatterer; for these two are great friends; and there is a kind of a conjunction copulative that knits these two together; they are commonly in league soothing up one another as mutual flatterers, they never meet without shaking of hands, such mutual fellowship is there betwixt them, as between prosperity and pride, which are seldom persuaded to part company; but here is the difference, the devil is the Master, and the flatterer is his Schaller; who being no good and skilful Grammarian, teaches him to speak false Latin; his School is the flatterer's heart, and quando adulatio linguâ resideat, diabolus corde insidet; When as flattery is resident in the tongue as porter, the devil keeps Court (and sits precedent) in the heart, as King and the chief Ruler; and wheresoever you see a flatterer, you may say, Ibi diabolus.  
He is the devil's child too, and as like the father as he can possibly look, he is the father of lies, joh. 8. 44. and there is no liar like the deceitful flatterer, wherefore lying and flattery are joined together. Psal. 78. 36. The devil began to flatter our first parents in Paradise, and there he first put out his flattering horns, and I think his children have them by succession; therefore it is good for the honest plain-dealing man to take heed, lest he be gored with the horns of the flatterer; for let him look how he can, yet fronti nulla fides; I will not trust his countenance.  
It was Seneca's pride, and he boasted much Vbicunque ago, Demetrium circumfero, But the best thing the flatterer can boast of, is this Vbicunque ago Diabolum circumfero; wheresoever he goes he carries the devil about him, to whom I leave him, and proceed to the  
2. Material cause; of flattery.  
It is composed of fair and glozing words.  
A fair tongue is the flatterers Hawks hood, whereby he carries his mistrustless friend quietly into perdition, without ever baiting at the Inn of repentance.  
His smooth tongue is but a lying tongue, they be words of seeming amity, but seldom words of any verity; for which he is accounted the father of a monster, for he is the common father of untruths, and untruths are unnatural monsters, for oratio is oris ratio; the soul is the mother, and the tongue should be the midwife of truth: now for the soul to conceive a truth, and the tongue to bring forth a lie is wonderfully unnatural; such a monstrous tongue owns our flatterer: It seems by his fair, sweet, and pleasing words, that he is a sweet friend; but Non acerba, sea blanda verba timendasunt, saith Seneca, for all his sweetness lies in o'er non cord; in his lips not heart. The Bees go forth and return home (in Virgil's phrase) crura thymo plena; their thighs full of honey; but this sweet friend goes out and returns home, Ora thymo plena, hony-tongued.  
By this it seems their mouths drop honey combs. l 'tis true; but their end is as bitter as wormwood; for sweet meat relishes best with sour sauce, saith our proverb. Would you now know what his fair words are; Consider what they are  
in regard of the 

1 sound.  
2 sense or trial.  
3 his aim.    
They are in 

1 the sound, deligtfull.  
2 the sense, bitter.  
3 his aim, deceitful.    
1. In regard of the sound; we may speak of them as it is spoken of the Nightingale's voice; Voces sunt praeterea nihil; They seem for the present sweet and delightful in the ears of the Auditor: or else I may say of them as S. Ambrose lib. 2. 〈◊〉. 7. said of Calanus answer to Alexander; Praeclara verba, sed verba; eloquent words but no more.  
2. Would you know what they are in the Auditor's sense or trial;  
T●…y are, 

1. Viseus merus, birdlime.  
2. Venenum mellitum, poison.  
3. Mulsum lethale, deadly wine.  
4. Melle litus gladius, a kill sword.  
5. Laqueus, a net.    
1. They are birdlime but entangling; according to Plautus, Viscus saith he: Now it is the nature of birdlime, after the poor bird hath touched it, so to entangle her, and clog her, that it hinders her slight again into the air; such are the words of the flatterer, which being always dedited by the Auditor, will so clog him, that at last he shall not be able to raise up his flight to heaven.  
2. They are poison, but as sweet as honey, saith Pliny: who would be so mad for a little sweetness to kill himself, such is the nature of the flatterers words; they are to the Auditor sweet in the conception, but deadly in the operation; for  
Impia sub dulci melle venena latent, saith Ovid; and saith Minus, Habet suum venenum blanda oratio. a sweet tongue but deadly.  
3. They are wine, but death is in the cup; Mors in olla; he that believes the words of the flatterer, is like him that is drunk with wine, bereft of his senses.  
4. They are a sword, but it is melle litus; besmeared with honey; thus are the flatterers words like this honyed-sword sweet in the apprehension, deadly in the application; yea, it is more hurtful than the sword. Plus nocet lingua adulatoris, quam gladius persecu/ da/ toris; The tongue of a flatterer hurts more than the sword of a persecuter, saith a Father.  
5. They are laqueus, a net but entrapping. They entrap a man, saith Diogenes; Malus homo blande loquens cuique laqueus agnoscendus est; The tongue of a flatterer is a net to the hearer.  
3. Would you know what the flatterers words are in his own aim or end, they are deceitful; they are like unto a fair rotten staff, whosoever trusts to them shall be sure to have a fall.  
His smooth words are but oscula inimici, the kisses of an enemy, Prou. 27. 6. Better are the wounds of a friend, then kisses of an enemy.  
We read in the Scripture of five kisses. Osculum 

1 amicitiae.  
2 lasciviae.  
3 amoris.  
4 proditionis.  
5 adulationis.    
The first is of friendship, so jonathan kissed David.  
The second of lust. So the harlot kissed the young man. Brou. 7. 13.  
The third is of true love, betwixt Christ and his members.  
The fourth of treachery, so judas kissed Christ.  
The fifth of flattery, so Absolom kissed the people in the gates. Two of these are good; the other three naught, and bad, and are much used by the flatterer; they are the kisses of a false friend, whose kisses are odious; Amici vulnera, quam inimici oscula sunt utiliora, saith Saint Ambrose.  
His words are kisses, and they be not verba, but verbera, not words, but wounds; and if a man do but observe his words, he shall find that the composition of them is an opposition to his heart; and therefore you shall find them spoken with  
a 

humble  
complemental   tongue.  
He hath a tongue of humility, and a tongue full of compliments:  
First, an humble tongue; a formal hypocritical humility; you shall have him show himself affable, courteous, and officious even to admiration, lay his hands even under your feet, when his heart picks but matter of some worldly and by-good out of this his abasement. Vt vipera curvando, sic iste humiliando ingreditur; As the viper enters his cranny by bowing, so he enters your heart by crouching.  
And secondly, he hath likewise a complemental tongue; he will tell you, that he will be your servant's servant to command, and be at your service to wait upon you; but what his tongue utters, his heart means not: for demand of him the least kindness, and he will be ready to forbear your company, but command his best service, and he will utterly forswear your acquaintance. You know now the flatterer's language, he can, imitate Pertinax, of whom it is storied, that he could speak exceeding well, but do exceeding ill; you see his tongue is full of fair words; but his heart is full of hypocrisy; that is,  
3. The formal cause; or formality of flattery.  
Hypocrisy, or dissimulation.  
The greeks say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the 
Lingua.  tongue is so called quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to know; signifying thereby, that the tongue should speak nothing but what the heart means; now what greater dissimulation then to express that by the tongue which is not impressed in the heart and soul; for the soul (saith one) is the fountain of knowledge, and the tongue a channel from that fountain; Now a flatterer is a right dissembler, and hypocrite, for he is like unto Aristotle's videtur quod non est; he seems to have a good, true, and sound heart, when as he is rotten at the heart; he is like a Sepulchre, Sepulchrum quasi semi-pulchrum, Extra nitidum, in●… foetidum, saith one; he is (as our Country proverb is) like to D●…me silver-pinne, fair without, and soul within. And a stately building where a flatterer inhabiteth, is but a gaudy coat to a Sodome-apple; I pray GOD keep every good man from keeping their visitation in his house (or Chapel:) for there you shall find a Gentleman bearing in his arms a cloven or divided tongue, and a double heart; Of all letters in the Crosse-row a W is the worst, for it is a dissembling and flattering knaves Epitheton; Can any man think the dissembling hypocritical flatterer to be a true friend, no? nor yet a half friend, witness the Poet.  
Qui lingua duplicem mentem sic gestat in una;  
Hostis, sed nunquam fidus amicus erit.  
Cato further confirms it.  
Qui simulat verbis, ●…ec corde est fidus amicus.  
Flattery and hypocrisy keep their revels in that heart, where the sign of a double tongue hangs at the door of the mouth: The emblem of deceit, as well as hypocrisy is a double heart; and so I come to the fourth final cause of flattery, and that is  
Deceit.  
Whatsoever the flatterer doth propose to be the end of his more than wont friendship, yet surely his purpose is to end his friendship with Deceit; No longer pipe, no longer dance, saith the proverb; if once his friend can show him no more booty, he will show his friend a light pair of heels. Craft always usher's deceit; if Craft be in the premises, deceit will be in the co●…sion: for what the flatterer's Craft hath in invention, his fraud and Deceit doth put in execution. We read of the crafty Fox, that he will feign himself dead, that thereby he may the more easily get his prey; so the flatterer feigns himself honest, that thereby he may the more easily deceive his friend: he plays verth his friend as the Fox in the fable played with the Raven, who seeing a piece of Cheese in the mouth of the Raven sitting in a tree, devised this way to cozen her of her fare; he praised her for the most fairest bird living, and that she surpassed all other birds in her most pleasant voice, which he most desired to hear; which praise the Raven hearing, opened her mouth to sing, by which means the Cheese fell to the ground, the Fox caught it, and ran away: The Fox is the Emblem of a Flatterer, he gets into a man's favour, intending nothing but Deceit.  
His words are like Hypomanes balls to deceive Atalanta.  
Flattery cannot choose but be the eldest borne of the devil, begotten upon the body of deceit, delivered forth by the Midwife Craft.  
There are two things that are naught to be practised by any man; the one is to flatter a friend, the other is to neglect a friend; The first of these is, to play false in the game of friendship; the second is, to throw the Cards in the fire: The first by flattery, blinds the eyes of his friend, the more easily to get some goods from his friend: The last by Pride, binds his own hands from doing good to his friend; these two are both to be condemned, for this is Lion-like, to forget his benefactors courtesy; the other is Foxlike, to circumvent his Neighbour's simplicity.  
What is spoken of the Youths of our times, I may speak of flatterers, They bear in their thoughts not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not Virgins but Courtesans; so the flatterer bears in his mind not the Virgin Truth, but the Courtesan, Deceit: He uses Covin in all his actions, now Covin in the law, is, when a man making show of one thing, doth the clean contrary; and if ever Covin is used by any man in personal actions, it is used by the Flatterer: and I wish that we English could deal with these Foxes, as the Welshmen did with their Wolves, pluck off their skins, until they were extinct, and not one of them left in a whole Nation.  
I have done with the causes, the object of flattery follows.  
The Object is to be considered 

1. generally.  
2. specially.    
1. Generally Is for some outward good; or for some worldly respects; and for the flatterers own private ends: This hath been handled before, I will but run it over now, or if you please but little for explication, somewhat for application of this point.  
Such as flatter for their own ends, (if you desire where to find them) you shall find them  
both in 

Church.  
Court.  
City.  
Country.    
1. In the Church.  
I am sorry flattery should creep so high to God; but it is carried thither by flattery's Porter, Covetousness; I know some will be ready to say to me in Terence, phrase, Bona verba quaeso; good words, I pray; My intent is not to give any ill words; but desire from my heart, that no ill flattering words should proceed out of the mouth of a Minister. Mistake me not; I am no man to teach Paul; or to instruct that tribe what to say, but do honour it with my heart; but a word spoken in his place, is like apples of gold with pictures of silver. Preachers are 
Pro. 36. 11.  called Fishers, but some there are that fish with a shining shell in their ●…t; and these are flattering fishers; These are they that may say at the sunset of their life, we have fished all day and caught nothing; or if they have caught some fish, (for the word of God is powerful, proceeding out of the weakest and wickedest) yet themselves have perished in the waters; These are they I aim at: who aim not aright.  
I would presume that there would be no flatterers found among the sons of Levi; If I might truly speak of them what Nazianzen hath in his Epitaph on great S. Basill; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That their words are thunder; their life lightning; But would you know, who is the flatterer? you shall know him by this if he flatters  
either in his 

1. Instruction,  
2. Conversation,    
Either in his words, or life; precepts, or example; If his words be not thunder, and his life lightning, he is a slatterer.  
1. In Instruction.  
He flatters in his preaching, when his chief aim in teaching, is to please; if he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one that makes Merchandise of the word; and this he doth, when in teaching he seems to aim at those three golden apples that men-pleasers usually run after; that is, when he  
Preaches either for 

1. Favour.  
2. Profit.  
3. Credit.    
Divine Paul sought for neither of these in his Doctrine; For first he did not carry the word of God in his mouth, thereby to curry favour with men, for 1 Thess. 2. 5. He used not flattering words.  
Secondly, he seeked not profit; His pains was not only for gains, he was none of those silver fishers, that angle for the tributary fish, with twenty-pences in her mouth; he sought to get more souls to God, not more money to his purse; for Ver. 5. He used not a cloak of Covetousness; It is a badge of a false Prophet to seek his own profit, jer. 6. 13.  
Thirdly, he aimed not at Credit; he did not distribute the word to man, thereby to purchase credit of man; he did not speak to man, that man might speak to him as the people spoke to Herod; Vo●…Deinon hominis, The voice of God not of man he desired not at last to come off with a great Him, and a Plaudite; for vers. 6. He ought not glory of men, but a flatterer pleases both for favour, gain, and credit. The Minister must not preach pleasing 
Ob.  doctrine, lest he turn flatterer; Then, pray what was Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He became all things to all men, that by all means he might gain some? I answer. The flattering 
Ans.  teacher, and faithful Preacher, may both please but in different respects; For first, the flatterer in his doctrine pleases in the matter, seeking placentia, but a faithful teacher doth please for the manner, speaking truth, placenter faithfully, yet wisely to become with men: Secondly, the one doth please in dispendiumveritatis, the other in compendium charitatis: Thirdly, one pleases propterse, and that is a carnal pleasing; the other propter deum, and that is a Christian pleasing: Fourthly, the one pleases men in their sins; the other seeks to please men by converting men from their sins: Lastly, the one doth please men for God's sake, and that is not to please men but God; the other pleases men for the flesh's sake, and that is not to please God but men. Thus doth the flatterer soothe up, humour, and please men in their sins; and therefore they sin to please men. Would you have the Emblem of a flatterer? I have read of Trochylus the little Wren of Egypt, who doth pick the Crocodiles teeth, whereby he doth feed himself, this tickling and pleasing of the bird doth cause him to gape wide, which Ichneumon the Rat of Pharaoh perceiving, and taking her advantage by this means, shooteth suddenly into the bowels of the Crocodile, and eateth out his belly: Thus doth that Preacher, which doth flatter men in their sins by pleasing and tickling Sermons, he humours men sleeping securely in their sins, by which means he makes open way for the devil, to enter into the hearts of men; he is like to the Serpent in Paradise, who tickled Eve to death with pleasing words; Eris sicut Deus: and like to the Chameleon, he lives on the air of men's favours. Ministers should preach in Love, when aiming neither at favour, nor reward, reprehend sin in his best friend; but the flatterer doth otherwise; he seems to have small charity in his heart, when flattery sits in his mouth; for flattery is contrary to Charity; but how can that be, seeing all the while he 
Ob.  pretends charity; and it is so taken? I answer: that flattery in a private 
Ans.  man or public Minister, may be considered  
three ways, ratione 

1. materiae.  
2. intentionis.  
3. modi loquendi.    
1. In regard of the matter; when a Minister or other man seems to praise another's sin; this is flattery; but you will say; 
Ob.   
Est procul à nobis populi laudatio ●…ulpa.  
It is so? then what means those 
Ans.  hyperboles at the last funerals of a lost friend; when we shall hear the dead raised and praised even ad astra, as though there were none left living to parallel them: when as their Actions in their life time gives him the lie; when they have been known to have led as lewd a life as the lewdest upon earth; of whom a man may speak (I am sure) without flattery, and (I suppose) without the gift of too hard a censure; as once it was spoken of a quondam Pope; Vt Leo vivebat, ut canis moriebatur; so these, they lived like Lions, and died like dogs; then what is this but to praise not them, but their sins; but you will say; Charity requires a better judgement; and it is required that men judge favourably; I grant this, Love indeed covers a multitude of sins, but it is no Love to praise another's sins, (or to praise a man above his deserts, that's right flattery) for this contraries first the love of God, against whose justice a man speaks; and secondly, the love of a neighbour, whom he cherisheth in sin, and calls evil good, to whom a woe is pronounced, Esay 5. For suppose a man have been known by his neighbours to have been a most wicked ill liver, yet at his suneralls he shall have a large commendation beyond his deserts, what is this but to open a floodgate to sin, and to give the ignorant further liberty to sin. I will illustrate this by one instance; Suppose a man hath been a notorious Drunkard, but yet a plain-dealing honest man; yet at his Funerals, and death, he shall be praised for a very good liver; an excellent Christian; an example for imitation; and that for conclusion, No doubt but he now rests in peace, etc. As Charity wills a man to judge, I confess it. Now what will the ignorant be apt both to think, and say? this is their usual saying, He was a good man, but yet he was given to Drunkenness, that was the worst fault in him; but yet the Preacher saith, he is a happy man: then surely think they, Drunkenness is not so great a sin as we take it for, but for all that a man shall get to heaven well enough. I hope you cannot but grant (these things being considered) that overmuch praising of the dead, is but a flattering of the living: and in this case I hold it better for a man to spare every word, then to speak too many words: and upon such an occasion (by which may a fault be committed) it is better to conceal, then to reveal all the truth.  
2. Flattery is to be considered  
Ratione intentionis:  
In regard of the intention of the flatterer, when a man flatters a man to this end, that he may fraudulently hurt him either corporally or, spiritually; I hope this is far from the Minister's intent; these are they that with the Priests in the sixth of jer. 13. 14. cry out, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. This contraries charity too.  
3. In regard of the manner of speaking; when the praise of the speaker doth cause the hearer to sin, prater adulatoris intentionem, beyond the intent of the speaker; this may not contrary charity, though a man may please to call it Flattery, and therefore take this note out of Aristotle; Si aliquis 
Lib. 4. Et●…. cap. 6.  velit ad delectationem alteri loqui & execdit modum delectandi; & si hoc faciat sola intentione delectandi vocatur placidus, sed si faciat ho●… intention alicujus commodi externi consequendi, vocatur blanditor si●…e adulator; If a man by speaking doth delight the hearer, and doth exceed in delighting, if he do this with an intent only to delight, he is called a man-pleaser: but if he do it, intending and hoping thereby to get some outward and by-good thereby, he is called a Flatterer.  
Secondly, as he may flatter in Doctrine, so he may flatter in Conversation, and life, when he doth nor lead his life according unto his Doctrine; for if the Minister be given to any vice, the people will imitate it as a ve●…tue; the Minister doth lead the people by the eyes, as Hercules did by the ears: let them then do as they say, lest by their ill life they lead men to hell, Plus movent exempla quam praecepta, was Seneca's observation; but both precept and example joined together, is most commendable in a Minister. You see how they flatter, and that for some by-respect. Thus for Churchflattery; now follows  
Court-flattery.  
The arrows that these flatterers shoot, fly to two marks only, either pleasure, or profit; Pride usher's pleasure, and avarice is Gentleman-usher to profit: for what makes the flatterer fly to the Court for ease and pleasure, but pride; and what makes him flatter for gain and profit, but Covetousness. Flattery is the Eare-wigge of the mighty, and the very bane of Courts; Magnates sunt magnetes, Great men are those loadstones, that draw flatterers to them, Divitum sunt asseclae, said Diogenes to Aristippus, they are attendants upon rich men; for these horseleeches are soon found in great or rich men's waters; for the rich shall never want them.  
Te bona dum splendet fortuna sequuntur amici.  
V●… te dum lucet sol solet umbra sequi:  
Quam primum liquidus nebulis offenditur aer,  
Ecce repentè tuum deserit umbra latus, saith Owen in his Epigrams.  
They will follow great men, as long as they obtain great gains by great men, but if once adversity should arrest that great man, they would fly as fast from him as Croto's Mouse did, when his house was on fire: for there is no Parasite will lurk but where he can find gains, Patitur dum potitur, He will endure the hardest labour to obtain thee ' least favour, for praemium est solatium labour is, saith he, labour is his consort till a reward be his comfort, Adulor saith one, quasi adaulor, quod in aulis maxime fieri soleat, It is most used in Courts.  
King Zerxes marching towards the greeks with a great Army, called some of these Parasites unto him, and asked them what they thought of this war; the one told him, that when the greeks heard of his Army, they would quickly yield. Another told him, that the air had not room enough for the arrows they should shoot off; some spoke one thing, some another: The King being puffed up with pride called ‛ Damascerus the Philosopher to him, and asked him, what he most doubted of in that war, he told him, that the thing he most feared, was, that these flatterers would deceive him, and destroy him. Adulationis unctio, domorum est emunctio, The flatterer's instruction is but the Creditors destruction: So that the flatterer is but like the trencher-flye, which waits more for luere then for love. In the Court you shall find the ambitious flatterer like Absolom, who may speak in Fortune's phrase with Nebuchadonezer,  
Regno, regnavi, regnabo, sum sine regno: but the ha●…e of his head was his death.  
Secondly, the self-concei●…ed and politicle Flatterer like Achitophel: but mark his end, he went out and hung himself.  
Thirdly, the flatterer affecting popularity with Herod, but he was even up with worms.  
Fourthly, the vainglorious flatterer like Nebuchadonozer; but he was turned into a beast. Take heed (ye Courtiers and great men) of these flatterers, and say with an Epigrammatist,  
Tam gravis ille mihi, nigri quam flumina ditis,  
o'er aliud qui fert aliud sub pectore celat, I hate the flatterer like the devil. Thus for Court-flatterie: you shall find the flatterer likewise in the  
City.  
That is full of flatterers: there you find a great deal of flattery,  
between 

1. the Citizen and his wife.  
2. the Citizen and the Countryman.  
3. the Cheater and the Stranger.    
1. Between the Citizen and his wife; you may call it femaleflattery, mutual friendship, alias flattery. It is a strange thing, that a woman should be turned like Io into a beast, to be her husband's Spamell; and she carries two egregious flatterers about her; her back, and her belly, or rather flatters for the outward good of them both; for sometimes you shall find all a Citizen's wealth upon his Wives back, and her table; here pride is flatteries jackey; she like ‛ Dalilah flatters him to get away Sampsons' strength, Sampsons' lay in his lock, the Citizens under his lock and key, or in his purse: To get fine clothes and jewels on her back, and dainties for her belly, is the end of her flattery. Thus she turns a Dalilah to her Husband: Dalilah signifies poverty, and how many of them have brought their Husbands to poverty by back and belly-flattery; for by their instigations, pride, and flattery, they do (as we usually say) maintain their Wives above their degree; their Children according to their degree, and themselves (very seldom now in these days seen) below their degree.  
Secondly, flattery between the Citizen and Countryman; or the Citizen, flattering the Countryman; here is flattery crept into the Shop, for their sale commonly is not without flattery, to the end 〈◊〉 deceive the buyer; Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware of this flatterer: The poor and simple Country man takes a great journey to London, to buy things for his use at the easier rate, where he finds a great many of our, What lack you Sirs, standing at every Shop; at last finding a Shop that may supply his wants; he makes it his resolution, there to give his purse a discharge of his burden he is entertained with Hat in hand, a bended knee, a supple tongue, with speeches sleeped in Oil; with candied flattery, and ho●…ed words, carrying in their mouths the figure Hyperbole, praising their own Wares, even ad astra, with a None-such, or the best in London, especially of that price, when as the skilful Merchant knows, it is the worst (almost) in London: thus at last many a fair forsoothes draws the Chapman's hand to his Pocket, to draw his Purse: thus to close up the bargain with a fair word; at the heel of Farewell commonly follows their common sayings, either, Pray tell no man what you paid, or else, in good faith (if it were as strong in their heart, as it is common in their mouth, they would not say) I gain nothing by this bargain, but amrather a loser by it, but I do it that I may take your money another time, and such like words, when it is scarce worth half the money; and as soon as the Chapman's back is turned, they can (with derision and joy) bless themselves, and say, God send us more such Chapmen as he is.  
Thus he was entertained with reverence, respect, and flattery in his face, he goes away with an ill bargain, bad ware, excessive price, an empty purse, and scoff at his back; I know who they be that can say, Expertis crede.  
Oh the wickedness of such flattering Shop-men, experienced by the silly Chapmen. The sale of these flatterers is put in the school of Injustice, whose weight is deceit, unjust vendition is their pride, and part of their ambition; they take Mimus words for their rule, as Saint Austin hath it (lib. 13. de Trin. cap. 3.) Optimum est vili emere, & caré vendere. They can by cozenage and flattery put off bad Ware at a dear rate.  
Let the buyer take heed of these flatterers, and shun them (if he ca●…) as he doth that house where L●…d have mercy upon us, is set upon the do●…e. So I leave him, and come to another flatterer, and that is the  
Cheater; Who watches for the Stranger, as the Cat for the Mouse: his gettings come in when a Stranger comes to town; he hath a great deal of Pocket-friendship in him: he laughs a man in his face, when as one hand is in his Pocket: these are such flatterers, as lie in every street, a man can scarce get to his journeys end, without meeting, such acquaintance, especially to unloade his full purse at home, if he have not Argus his eyes, and especially one eye in his Pocket: This flatterer is so well known, I need describe him no further; for he is sibi natus, multis notus, omnibus nocuus, mundi nothus, & diaboli filius: He is known to many, hurtful to all, the world's bastard, and the trueborn child of the devil, to whom I leave him, and come to seek out siattery in the  
Country.  
I am sure that is not free from the devil's watermens; that look one way, go another way; that do one thing, and mean another; whether shall I travail to find them out, I need not travail far to seek them, for I am sure if I miss them all day, I shall find them at night at my lodging. junes and Taphouses are not free from them; there you shall find the Taphousehaunter, a common guest, he will presume to keep you company, and profess great friendship, if you will bestow but a Pot upon him; this is but pot-friendship, and drinking friendship is but drunken kindness: and likewise there find you another flatterer the Gamester; that will be ready for you at any pastime to pass the time away; who will be sure to cheat you of your money, and then perhaps fly your company; you shall seldom find true friendship among gamesters, where one word perhaps breaks off the game of friendship, and gives friendship Farewell, with a broken head: this you shall find at games: Beware of these flatterers bearing in your mind that old verse,  
Ludens taxillis bene quid sit in illis:  
Take heed lest the game for conclusion trip up thy heels.  
Or if these flatterers appear not thy Host himself will come and act the part of a flatterer, who to rob thee of thy money, will entertain thee kindly but if he draw the drink out of his barrel, he will be sure to draw thy wit out of thy head, and thy money out of thy purse, and then turn thee out of doors: beware of this flatterer, for he is a monster, if our common saying be true, that such a one must have, (for if his Wife be a wanton she will never want one;) a head like an Ox, a back like an Ass, to bear all taunts, a belly like a Hog to drink with all companies, and a tail like a dog to fawn upon every comer. You shall find many flatterers beside; if thou knowest them, shun them; if not, be wary what company thou keepest. Thus have I done with Countryflattery, and with the object of flattery in general; next follows  
The special object of Flattery,  
which is threefo●…d, thy 

life.  
goods.  
good name.    
He that aims at thy 

1. life  
2. goods  
3. good name   is a 

1. treacherous  
2. covetous  
3. tale-bearing   Flatterer.  
The first aims at thy life; here Envy is hid under seeming friendship, and cloaked under Flattery; these are they the Psalmist speaks of, Psal. 28. 3. That speak f●…rieadly to their neighbours, but imagine mischief in their hearts:  
Tuta frequensque via est per amici fall●…re nomen,  
Tuta frequensque licet sit via, crimen habet.  
To deceive by emity is but plain knavery: It is an easy way to deceive by friendship, yet it is the devil's policy, to deceive by friendship; thus was Caesar deceived by his friends Brutus and Cassius, who murdered him in the Senate-house! So Alexander was deceived by his kinsman, and dear friend (as he thought) Antipater, who poisoned him in the midst of his triumphs at Babylon: Adulator Scorpio est, qui palpando incedit, sed cauda ferit, 
Super Ezek lib. 1. cap. 9  saith Saint Gregory; and if a man do believe this Scorpion, the flatterer, he shall find his tail, that is, his end, intent, and purpose, to be death and confusion:  
— Name front politi, Astutam vapido servant sub pectore vulpem.  
This flatterer deals with a man as the Fox doth with the birds, feigns himself dead, that he may the more easily catch them to devour them; and the flatterer feigns himself harmless, honest, and religious, that he may the more easily deceive the hearts of the simple. Thus joab dealt with Abner, 2. Sam. 3. And thus doth this flattering Butcher claw a man like an Ox, that he may the more easily knock him on the head: I can but use this prayer either for them or against them; Aut convertantur, ne pereant, aut confundantur, ne noceant; Lord, convert them lest they perish, or of thy justice confound them, for making others to perish.  
The second aim at a man's goods, and they are covetous flatterers.  
Envy moves the first, covetousness this. The goods of man is that good which he aims at; he will most love that man, whose purse he hath at command; and what is it that a man will not do for gain; Committitur cades lucri gratia, spoliantur templa, violatur amicitia, fides negligitur, patria proditur, omnia mala patrantur; Money (we say) makes the man, but money makes the flatterer mar the man: for to get a little gain, murders are committed; friendship violated, and all evil by it committed This hath been fully handled in the book, I leave it and come to the last, who aims at a man's good-name, and he is a  
Tale-bearer:  
And is a detractor likewise; who carries two tongues in his head, one to lick, another to bite; one to flatter a man to his face, another to slander him behind his back; he is one that to please some, will backbite and detract from others. The flatterer that gives his neighbour an ill name, is halfe a hangman; who with the sharp razor of his tongue doth cut his throat, Cum actum est de nomine, actum est de homine: He that hath an ill name, is halfe-haaged; the tongue is a dangerous thing if ill used, though it cannot prevail always ad interitum hominis, yet it will ad interitum nominis; if it cannot murder, yet it will murmur; the head of john was cut off with the foot of a woman; and a man's good name diverse times is cut off by the tongue of a man: these flatterers are such as do famam ex infamia comparare; climb to merit praise by the stairs of others disgrace. These are the firebrands of the devil; if thou hearkens to them they will burn thee in thine ear; or if thou hearkenest to them, thou hast a devil in thine care as they in their tongues. I have done with the object of Flattery, I come at last to the  
Signs of a Flatterer.  
The first sign is, to praise a man (though absent) beyond his deserts; so saith Aquinas, Adulator supra debitum virtutis modum verbis hominem delectare studet. A flatterer doth seek to delight a man by praising others beyond their merits.  
The second sign is, to praise a man to his face; for this is but to puff a man up with pride and self-conceit: for (saith one) it is an easy thing to make men believe they be better than they be; but you may flatter some women beyond the knowledge of themselves. We ought not to be proud of the flatterer's praise, for another's dispraise can soon blemish it; but another's opinion of thee concerns thee not so much as thine of thyself, in which thou shouldst not be partial.  
The third sign is, if, upon small distastes slacks his acquaintance, than he was not a friend, but a flatterer; for a good Bow is not easily broken, unless it be extremely overdrawne, nor a well grounded affection fullied with the smallest distastes.  
The fourth and last sign, he is a tale-bearer, if he doth backbite another, and tell thee long tales to the disgrace of another, he is a flatterer, for be sure he spares not to do the like of thee to another: this is confirmed, Pro. 18. 8. & 26. 22. Psal. 41. 6. He hath a divided tongue, of two humours like Ptolemy's man, or as of two colours, white and black, white with a complemental courtesy to thy face, and black with a defaming injury behind thy back; he uses his tongue as joab did his hand, he salutes and stabs the same man with the same tongue: believe him not, for he will deceive thee.  
Thus have I ripped open the flattering- Fox, I hope you may now partly know him, and knowing him avoid him, for there is no truth but deceit in him.  
And now (thou flatterer) I speak to thee, repent of thy sins, which by flatteries means do accompany thee; lying, covetousness, deceit, malice, ambition, hypocrisy, and what not; Panaces the herb was good for all diseases: so this herb Repentance applied to thy heart, is good for these and all other thy foul and soule-diseases: repent that God may forgive thee; repent of all or else of none; for God will forgive thee all, or none.  

Larga Dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit,  
Aut nihil, aut totum te lachrymante dabit.   
FINIS.