s 1 1 ■ ^ ♦2r J? J *b 1 02 *** "£ * gs ^ TO g o3 *£> fc _l . : ! ; t* C ■ : w o I ! * £ ^ 8 o :• i c o ,5* g +* * -2 Q 3 ^ %** o O O ^ '% & ^ « 5c£> id?73 9 Y \ •3 mwi m\ ^ZTtrucii not my ^JinoirriccL . *Jinc£ do my Jnrhkds no harmc . J Pfaliog.lg. London Printed for Humphrey Aiojley . J 6 4, 8 IlT>avide c Per/eguitato % DAVID! Perfecuted. £ ► Written in Italian* By fc The ftJarquefTe Virgtlio% £ And done into Englifli $ ^ROBERT A S H L £ Y* ^ Gent. $ ^ _-^ J, LONDON, $ > Printed for Humfhrey CMofely, at$ t> the fignc of the Princes Armes # L inSty 1647. £ i DAVID PerfecutecL Hey that make a qucftion whether it berirue or no that GOD fpeakesany more to men, or indeed that men have any more intelligence from Go D; let them belccve it for a ccrtaine that he fpeakes, but they are too deaf to hear the language ; let them beleeve it for a cer- tain that he writes,but they are too blind to perceive the Character : He that will undcrftand his voyce, he that will read his letter, let him betake himfelfc to the Holy writ, that is a Vocabulary, which the Spirit of God hath left us to explain his profound difcourfes by, that is a key to difclofc all thofe obfcure letters tha* are directed to us from heaven. A 2 Will David Perfecuted. Will you, O Princes , will you, O people, conceive what it is that God fpeakes when he fends a pcftilence, when he fends a famine, when he fends warre, when hee brings eftates to deftruflion, or in hazzard to be deftroyed . ? Gog run over thefe names in the Vocabulary of the Almighty. But the weak and weary eyes of our mindefchew the light of the truth, they precipitate themfelves into an abyfle of of miferies, and among the obfeurities of the night grope for the fplendour of the Sun. Thus wee renounce the prero- gatives of the new law. It is not the way to get forth of the Clouds in which the Israelites walked, for men, but to change them. Thole divine myfteries which they beheld on- ly clouded up in darknefle, are now mod traniparently obferved in a clear skie 5 yet the caufes of the Revolutions of States, of the increafe of one, of the diminution of another, of the fall of Princes, of Famine, of Peftilencc, of Warre, were openly difplayed to them, tad we on the contrary envelop them in the obfcurity of a thoufand ambiguities, as David Verfccutcd. 3 as if that were not true which the grea- tcft Divines have told us, that the Cha- (tifements which came upon the Israe- lites befell them for our example. God fpeaketh but once (faith Jeb) and fpeaketh not againe : the holy writ is that booke in which hee hath fpoken : there then ought to bee learched the cafcfrs of good or bad events, where clearely, and for our fakes they are writ- ten. To frame Politicke aphorifmes, to fet downc rules lor it taken from pro- phane authors, is in a manner to pretend that mans will isneccflary and condu- cing* Nay I could find in my heart to fay that it is anundeifying of God, and a deifying ot the fecond caufes. He makes them ferve his turne, but them be ferves not. Hetbatindifcuflingupon naturall events brings in God only for a reafbn, is but a poore Philofopher ; and hee that brings him not in, in Inquiries of Poli- tick occurrences, is but a poor Chriftian; when it- is his pleafure that the fire which at one time fcorched fbould at a- nother cook, he nauft have recourfe to his j 4 David Pcrfecuted* I his almighty power in working mira |clc«, but hcc may very well without miracles give way, that the fame acti- on which at one time hath reared up a Prince, fhould at another fink him. Our too leaden wings cannot eagle us up from this bafe earth, wee walke in a gloomy aire, without lifting up our eyes to that mod glorious Sunne of the Empirenm. The Politick trcatifes of the Gentiles which are but earthly, bring us back to earth, in that they have in them but earthly caufes ; but the holy inftru&ions which are fent us from heaven produ- cing heavenly caufes v bring us home to heaven. OmoftbenigneLord, may it pleafe thee to give to drink of thy moft cleare and living water, this thirfty wretch who forfakes the (linking and muddy Citterns of the Gentiles, rather loathing them then fatisfied with them. If I knew not my felfe unworthy to be taken out of the darkneflfe of my groffe ignorance, I would moft humbly and upon my knees entreat thee for one ray which like the dawning leading rneeon to the moft cleare Noon?, might at this pre fent David Perfecuted. prefent in fome part draw mce out of the obfeurity of this dimmc night, that I might difcovcr thofe deep and profound myfteries which are concealed from the feeblenefle of our underftandings. 7 he Prophet Samuel reproves Saul, be- cauje that contrary to Godscomman- dement he had left Agag King of the Amdekites alive ^ ancLhadnotjlawe *ll hit Mull* THe difobediencc of Saul gives the lad turn to the wheele of his great- nefle : It is a fire which confumetb crowns, for they are lodred with obedi- ence. Heeknowethnot what belongs to matter of ftate that lofctfa this to- wards God : hce tcacheth others to for- goe it toward their fiiperiours, and as much as in him lyes, deftroyes the com- padture of the univerfe. Difobedience is the ofspring cither of the arrogance of the braine, or of the weaknefTs of the fenfes ; either that men thinke to do^ better then they are com- A 4 manded, David Ferfecuted. aianded, or that they are inclined to do worfe : In one of thefe the frailtie fometimes meets with compaflion, in the ofche r the contempt al waies provokes to vengeance ; This can never bee in regard of God, becaufe it is not pofliblc to bee wifer than God, and when it is pradtifed among men, although it may often fcemc to produce good fruit, yet is it alwaies naught, as that which pro- ceeds from an evill plant. Well ordered Common- wealths have not forborne to punidi it, though profperous victories ill difciplined bringing with them more damrmge then defeatments doe* Saul excufis himfelfe ito that the people hadfrefervedthebefi of the (poit U facrijice them tv God : Obedience is better then Sacrifice ( anfwers Samuel.) GOd had already ordained the Sacri- fice when he had commanded that aii die men and all the Cattell of the A- malekifcs fhould bee flaine 5 (b many Preifts Day t? Perfected. Prfeits they were* that were appointed to kill them, fo many facrificcs as to bee killed. There want not this day fuch Sauls , tharfacrificetoGod the Sacrifices of di£ obedience. Thefe golden mountaines heaped up with impiety that feemes fometimes to adorne them, defile the Al- tars of God, they only garnifh the am- bition of man : Hee that thinkes with thefe to pacifie his divine Ma jefty, in- cenfeth it : as much as in him lyes, with execrable blafphemy proclaimes that Ma- jefty to bee mod wicked, and makes him partaker of his mifdeeds, as if he were bound to bee appeafed with him, fohce may but have a fhare in the purchafes of his villanies. The Prophet replies Joecm fe thou hafi re- jetted the word of the Lord i the Lord hath re jetted thee from being King. Saul faies to him I have finnea/eturn with me that I may worjbip the Lord. SEe the power of ambition, which hath oftentimes more force upon the A 5 hearts 8 David Ferfecuted. hearts ofmenth:n the Commandements of God have: He makes as if he repen- ted, becaufe hee fears to lofe the King- dome : He repents not becaufe he cares not for lofing Heaven. But ( Oh the dc- ceivable judgements of men ) becaufe he repents not, heelofcrhthekingdome of Heaven ; when happily had he repented, hee had loft neither the kingclome nor heaven. He that wil learn the beft art for pre- ferring of ftates, let him read thedeca- logae,hc flial find therein ten lines dila- ted by the holy Ghoft, thofe directions which are the molt allured for the achie- ving of beay.en, and the lead: deceitful 1 for (overaignty upon earth : Policy is a Sea fo incenftant, fo turbulent, that there is no place to bee found in it where wee have not feene one Prince or other caft away, it is a.peice of Architecture fo de- cayed, that italwayes threatneth to fall downe 3 that to keepe the frame of the world upon its bafis ; God, that heaven and earth may not bee confounded, per- mits it (till to bee tottering, yctfomc- times under thofe that pbferve his owne precepts, Samuel David Perfected. Samuel offers to depart^ Saul takes him by the skirt of his garment and tearesit: Evenfo fhall the king- dome of Jfrael be rent from thee, addeth the Prophet. * DOe not ( Oh yee Princes ) fj>oylc your fib/efts ; Let the veftments of the Pricfts be facred in your eyes : He that fpoyleth the fubjcfHs not a Prince* hee is a Tyrant t he lofeth the frame if he lpfe not the eftate. God bath many times made garments expreffe~his intentions, perad venture be* caufc they are in Tome fort apart of our fd ves while they are united to us. The fpirits which continually exhale out of our bod ies.are thofs that caufe this union. The Coats of hearts are very certaine fignets of their nature, as the Garments | of men are of their conceit, for as that J apparells the one kind, fo the other doth j the other. Every Country hath its dif* j ference of Garment 6ecaufc each hath its * difference of conceit , which hath not acloathing of her owne, hath not a Prince of her ownc ; Agafoft fuch io David Perfected. a one peradventure one of the Prophets exclaimed inthreatning rearms when he faid, Woe bee to you which goe clad in ftrange garments* : It may go for a kind of a Aire token, that if they have not a ftranger to their Soveraigne, they would have one. A horfes coat fhewes hi$ conftitution, and a mans his inch- nation. Saul anfwereth that he hath finned^ jet prayes the Prophet againe to re- furflewithhhnto the Sacrifice, and to honour him before the Elders of the people. leape from Religion to Hypocri- fie, to offcnd and therewith to de- fend himiclfe, is not to ferve God, but tomato God ferve his turne, and when one cannot deceive him, to deceive o- fchers by him. The caufe of To great an impiety is that execrable proportion n?- ver enough deplored, tnat'tis all one, tQ bee good, and to feemc good. This may bee true in regard ol men whofe know- David Fcrfecuted. 1 1 knowledge is but opinion. Nofooaer was Saul made acquainted with the will of God, but he feeks how to hinder it ; no fooner leaves he to b:e religious, but he becomes a Politician ; as if the cunning of ftate which is not fufficientto defend us againft mci) 7 were able to defend us againft God, The certaine knowledge that a Prince is to lofe his eftate, raifes up many to look after it. There is no fearing of him whofe fortunes the heavens oppofe, and men are very gladly inftruments of God s anger. I f men were among us as zealous to remunerate the good as they are to chaftife the bad : .and rewards were equall to punishments, peradventurc the world would be better then it is; but be- caufe punifhment is many times accom- panied with profit ,&. reward withfome loflfe, men are more enclined to punilh then to rewards And it is very conveni- ent that in this world the Chaftifements fhould bee greater then the Rewards, to make us know that in the other the Rewards (hall bee greater then the Chaftifements. $mnel 12 David Perfecuted. Samuel hadfaid that he would not re- turned yet hee returneth afterward^ though riot to facrijice with Saul, yet to facrifce Agag, not as. a Mi- nijler of Hypocryjie y or of Policie^ but of Religion : Hee caufes Agag to bee brought before him^ that hee might flay him. He confiders in him the Image of a Tyrant waxen fat with the blood and f ub fiance of his fubje£fs and trembling at. the anger of God. The Prophet faith unto him., As thy fword hath made many women childlefs, fo fliall thy mo- ther bee made childleffe among women, and fo hee kilkihhim* K Now you why the Lord faiJ, Hee that ftriketh with the fword, /hall perijb "frith the fword} To adde force to the law of nature, that faith, Doe not that to another which thou wouldeft not have done to thee: but littfe would this, if G o d had not added ; for that which thou doeft to another (hal be done to thee: the one doth inftrucT:, and the other David Perfected. 1 3 other terrifie us. If God fhouldnot fometimes puni(h finncs in this world they wculd not bclccvc that there is a God ; if hee fhould alwayes punifh fin^ in this world , men would thinke there were no other world for them but this. Samuel depart eth to Ramah$ andjhtre mourneth for Saul, becaufe GOD repent eth that bee had wadz him King. PRinees may ,well think it is no ihame to remove thofc from their charge, that carry themfelves fhamefully therein: yet need they not regard that falfe rule of policy, that to change their Minifters before their time is to fubmit themfelves to their fubjec*l$ 3 to accuftome them to diflike of their- Govemours, and a pre- judiciall thing to their dominion in per- mitting them not to have the election, yet at lead the approbation of his Mini- ftcrs, who may thereby bee more apt copreferre the appetite of. the peo- ple , before tbe fcrvice of the Prince. The 14 David Perfected. The malignitie of men hath miftaken the tearms, this is not to give way to the people, 'tis but to give them earc. It is nolofleof authority, but a purchafe, and it (hall never accuttome the fubjecls to complaine of fuch officers which de- ferve well, to take away thofe who de- fer ve ill. Man who is moulded of bafe matter attributethtohimfelfe more oftentimes then to God , who though he can never repent, yet having chofen a Miniller who turneth to evili, doth fpeake and worke as if he repented. And man who hath many occafions to repent, either repent- eth not at all, or elfe proceeds, as if hee kad not repented. The Ummtdtions ^Samuel appeafe not Cod, arfdtvhyfhouldhis weepings ap- peafe him for Saul, wkc» Saul him- felfe iveepes not ? HOwoft doth -the righteous offer facrifice for the (inner, whiles the finner himfelf is ficrificing to the Devili? whiles David Perfecuted. 1 5 whiles the one labours to appeafe God, the other provoketh him farther. It might fecme unto God that the righte- ous interceflbur were a liar in craving pardon for him that refufeth it, if God did not know that the (inner is like to a mad man, who oft hath need of one of understanding to fpeak to the Phyfician for him, Godinfbmc fortcomplaincsagainft Samuel, when hee faith, How long wilt tkon mourn for Saul ? God] could not (if one may fay fo) endure his lamen- ting, and not hearken to his fuir. Thefc are thofe waters which in a manner of- fer violence to heaven s The fpirit of God moveth upon fuch waters, and they make a river of oblivion in Paradife. The teares which arefhed, the prayers which are faid, and the fupplications which arc fent up to God for others, are as acceptable to God, and morepcrad- venturethen if they were made for themfelves : They are efteemed of more merit, at leaft in regard of the moralitic of the a&ion. Why then doc fome Princes perfwade themfelves, that they fatisfie the obligation wherein they are obliged 1 6 David Perfecuted. otLged to fbme one, when they yeeld him his fuite which he hath made for a- nother ? Or to fay more truly, why doe f jme favourites bcleeve that there is fuch an impiety in their Princes ? Let them call to mind that the office of a favourite is the office of an Angell, and ought therefore to prefent the fuites and Tup- plications of the fubjecls to their Lord, and to bring backe the gracious grants of the Lord unto the fub/ecls ; he that doth the. contrary is a Diyell, and no Angell. , • Fill thy home with oyle ( faith Cod to the Prophet ) and goe to ifhai the Bethleemite, for amongft his fonnes I have provided mee a King : HeAnfrvers, How can I goe. for if Saul heare of it, hee will kill me. THus hee anfiveretb, not becaufe hee reareth death, but becaufe hee is de- {irous to do fervice unto God ; hee much prizes his life in that cafe wherein to dye is Da v i d Perfecuted. 17 is not to obey. Hence let thofe that are imployed by their Princes learn that the death of the fervant is feldome the fer- vice of the Lord. It ought indeed to be received couragioufly, but never to tee encountred but when it is very ufefull, and when the dying is an obeying. A man of worth is a high prized inftru- mentof thegreatnefle of his Prince, if he cares not to preferve himfelfe for his own fake, yet hee ought to be carefull of prefervation for his Lord and Matters fake. Every man that is fitted to d ye is not fitted to doe fervice. It is true alfo what I have faid even in the common Souldier, ( whofe life rather then his braine is dedicated to the Princes fer- vice ) that he ought alfo to endeavour to obey, and not to dye. He that runs head- long on death, doth not fpend his life to the advantage, but cafts it away to the loflc of his Lord, his fervice is to over- come,and not to die,and indeed they lofe that are flain.To expofe needlefly to death that body w ch can do lcrvice to its Prince but whiles it lives, is a mod: pernicious defire of vaina glory, contrary to good policy, againft: good military discipline, and 1 8 David Perfected. and an affection full of deceit and flatte- ry ; into which even the Generals whof: life is mo'.t pretious, do often pre- cipitate themfelves, as if it were a grea- ter bravery to fight then to command. But that Army is but in a bad taking ( pardon me this digrefiion ) whole fafe- ty confiftcth in the arme, not in the brainc of the Generall. To know how to command well in warre, is a part of the imaginative faculty. The imagina- tion to work well requircth a good raea- fare of hcate, whofe contrary is feare, which how little teever it be, the other abates, and bow little foever that abates, the imagination is difturbed ; whence it comes to palfe that to bee afraid and to command well cannot (land together : but how many arc there that are incited more by Honour then by Courage, doe both fight and feare? thefemay handle the fword well, but yet not apt for com- mand. The heating of the braine is not in our owne power, as is the managing of the hands .* we have no command o- verthat, howfbever abfolute dominion wee have over this other ; for other wife cowardifewcre not blame worthy if it were David Perfecuted. 19 were of nature neceflarily in us. thence it follow es that there is no greater or fu- rer (igne of a brave courage then to command well in a battell ; where both Reputation and life, yea , and many times the State it felfe comes upon the ftage. The Lord willeth Samuel to take him a calfe out of the fiocke^ and to fay that hee is come to doe furi- fice. BEcaufe God could fuccour him by ordinary meancs, hee would not have recbutie to extraordinary. If hee (hould alwayes bee doing of miracles, men would notthinke his Providence fo great in creating the lecond caufes ; and it" he never ufed miracles, hefhouldnot perhaps bee known to bee Almighty. Where God worketh many miracles, there is commonly great need of them ; and where there is fuch need, there is but little faith. When he is not known by his Impreffion, Stamp, or Image, which 20 Day id Perfected. which hec hath imprinted in the things by him created, then he findeth it requi- fite to make himfelfe fcen in the works of his Omni potency. Samuel obeyeth the Lord^ goeth and Calkth Ifhai and his fons to the Sacri- fice^ and looking on Eliab fuppofeth him to hee the man whom hee fbould anoint^ becaufehee is the tallest and thegoodliesJ ofperfon. Had the Prophet been of the opini- on of thofe Philosophers, who have cenfured men of great ftature to be voyd of wifdome, he would not at the firft fight fo much have refpe&ed the taleneffe of ftature. I for my part am not of that opini- on, but doe hold it to bee mod falfe. IF thofe Phylofophers belceved the neerencfle of the braine to the fto- mack, doth trouble the operations of the undcrftanding, and if they have alio imagined to themfelves , that the vitall 21 David PerfeMed. vitaHpirits, which afccnd from the heart* may bee made animall fpirits, for the fet" vice and operation of the braine, are un- apt for fuch efftcl, unleflcthey beefirft fomewhat cooled ;(becaufe of the incom* patibility of wifdome with heat) where- fore have they not alfo affirmed inc taller fort of men to bee wiier then the little, as having their Braine farther di- ftant from the perturbations of the ftc- mack, and their fpirits nut fo hot by reafon of their long way, and larger di- ftance from their Originall ? Peradven* ture they are deceived, in that they be- Iecve that men are alwayes great by the forming power, through the fuperabun- dance of matter, not obferving that ma- ny times there concurreth with it as '-a principall Inftrument the Quantitie of heat, as it is commonly verified inthofe whofe talnefle is accompanyed with flendernefle. It hath therefore been no- ted as artrue obfervation, that the tall men that have little heads, andtherlitrle men which have great, have more Braine then the reft, which commeth to pafie not as many have thought, be- caufe the little head in the great body, and 22 David Perfected. and the great in the little maketh ame- .diocrity in the ordinary ftatureof men j [which is falfe if wee msafure the medio- crity of the part in reaped of the whole of which it is apart : Butbecaufe the little head in a great man, is a figne that thecxtention did proceed of heat, and by confequence that the littlenefle of that member commcth through defect of matter in the bony and fleftiy parts, which being but fmall, produceth the the thinner and more delicate Organs which doe not obftrucl, or hinder the operations of the braine. The little man having a great head, is an argu- ment that it is full of braine, efpecially if hce bee but (lender, for it cannot bee afcribed to the thicknefie of the skull, ! became that Nature would rather have I imployed that matter to have made the man taller or greater. I am excu- fable if I feeke by reafon to overthrow this docTrinc, becauie I am willing to verifie it by the example of mine own ftature. The David Ferfecuted. 23 The Lord mlleth Samuel not to regard **&he countenance ofE\iab>nor the tale- ' n:$of hisftature, but hee had refufed him^ judging not as men do by the outward appearance, but beholding the Hem. LOs here the vanity of Metopofcopie and Phyfiognomie is pointed at. Beauty or Comelineffe is a moft perfect confonancy, arifingout of thefymme- trie and proportion of the firft Quali- ties. It gets in the eye becaufe it is fair; It attracts the will becaufe it is good, it moves the undcrftanding becaufe it is true. The Poets in the vanity of their fables have haply come neere unto the truth, calling beauty by the name of the Sun, of the Starres, and of Heaven: It is certainly .a peece of that Harmony which the motions and afpedts of the Heavens, of theSunne, and of the Stars doe incite, and hath fuch a radiant light in it f elfe, that ( though wee know not why) it doth if not in force otfr minds, yet certainly incline them ftrongly. The Providence of God hath feldomeinfor- B med 24 David. Perfected. mcd chc faireft body with the faireft mind^ that men might not beleeve, that from the fame Harmony of the tempera- ment of the ftarres,from which proceeds the Beauty of the one, that of the other did proceed likewifc. Ifbai having finally brought forth his fonnes before Samuel to the number offeven^ he refufwg them all^ asketh whether he hath no more : I(hai an* [wrings thre is yet one which is feeding of the fluepc^ the Prophet caufeth him to bee (ent for 9 and a- nointeth him in the midttof his Ere- threnfaingthe fame whom the Lord had appointed in the Jlead ofSau\. GOd having at firft chofen for Kin?, the talleft that was in.Ifracl,chufeth thefecond time the kaft that was in the houfc of ljhti i The fir ft {ball be laft, and the Uftjball be firft, (lakh the Lord) who then chofc the laft to be firft. There is' no difference of time with God, in whofc ctcrnitie there is neither firft nor fecond. Thceldeft may beftouteft, but are not ufually David Perfecuted* 25 ufually the wifeft. That tendcrnes that commonly enfeebleth the Children of our old Age, makcth the organs of their underftanding more tender and delicate. The cold of him that engendreth, gives' them the more wifdome, and his or- gans the better difcoude : whence it ' conies^ that if the laft begotten be com- i monly the weakeft, yet they are oft and 1 many rimes the wifelt* He that bringeth David from the (heep-hook to thefecp- ter, and exalteth him from the ftable to the kingdome,, it is heethat humbled himfelfe frora his kingdome to the fta- ble : Hee that is both a fheepheard and a King, maketh him a King who was but | a ftieephcard. There is a kind of Analo- gic in all forts of Commands. Heethat (aid that to know well how to order a table, was a figne that he knew alfo how to marfhall an Army, might as well fay, that he that could weirkeepaflock of fheep, had the skill how to govern a people Well. God from the fold hath taken Kings, from husbandry and hunting Tyrants: the husbandman would have the earth to produce that which naturally it doth not, B 2 and 26 David Ferfecuted. and that it (hould produce he wounds it. The hunts-man by fhedding the blood of poore innocent beads, groweth to be delighted in cruelty : But the fheep- heard conduces his flock to pafture, brings it back to the fold, preferveth it from maladies, and defends it from wolves : his taking their milk, and their Wool, is a disburdening of them, not a wounding. Let Kings learne to take their Minifters fometimes even of the fheepfold. The beft men are not alwaies in the greateft Palaces.: a lowly Cot- tage often times inclofes g high (pi fit, and a ragged Rock a very cleere Dia- mond. The good Spirit departeth from Saul, and the evill one entreth into him. GOds rcfufals are the devills pur- chafes : where the one departs, if the other enters not, he at leaft draws very neere, either to perturbe or to pof- effe* Let David Per [edited. 27 Let us fceke out one that can piny well ( fay the fcrvants of Saul ) that the King may bee eafed , when hee is rnolepd by the cvill/pint. THey beleeved peradventure that the Melancholy humour being (lined up, they that are oppreffed by it might be eafed by melody. There have been fome of opinion that Melancholy is produced of the devill. The wifer fort if they did not beleeve that it is of his production, yet judged that it may eafily prove to be of his in- troc'u&ion, and therefore rearmed it the the Bath of the devill, becaufeit i&the Lees,becaufe it is black, becaule it hath an Analogic with the darknefle of fin : The occasion of their beleif was the fee- ing fometimes how by the fixation thero? men were lifted up or elevated in an ex- tafie : yea,and fometimes how the (harp- neffe thereof irritating the brain, and ftirring the Images therein, hath made j fbme tJ fpeak things whereof before they j were not held capable; whence I think it 5 came to pafle, that many oppreffed with j B 3 the l 28 David Perfecuted. the greatnefle of theeffafts produced by this humour, have often judged the ani- mall Spirits to be infernall fpirits. I deny not, there are found fome mc- lanchoh'ckperfons poffefled with devils, or that melancholy is an apt bath for the devill j but I affirm? it not only,of the grofle, thick and dark melancholy, but even of that alfo which produceththc fubtileft: and lighted fpirits. Hee hath need of active bodily inftruments for his operations in the body. He joyneshim- felfe therefore gladly with the fubtileft and fined fpirits, becaufe they being in feme fort of a middle nature, being cor- poreall and incorporeall, are a more pro- pa fionate receptacle for a fpirit to unite himfd^ to a thing that is meeily curpo- rcail. An ancient Sage belceveJ that our fou'e which hee imagined to bee at firfl clothed with aire, had need of the like organs to joyne it to the body, wbere- unto he thought it not united but aflift- ant ; neither are thete wanting among the Divines thofe that have conceived the Angels to be clothed in like manner. They — ty whofe Champion hath been Viclor, is then taken to be ftronger, when it fhall -appear that he is governed by that which appertaines to the King, ar*d not by his own peculiar. There was none amongU the ifraelites^ but was afraid of this man. The King fromifeth to give him, his daughter in Marriage that fhall over- come him. REwards make valour appear, which lay hid before 1 they produce it, they doe-Jiot create it. It is great pru- dence in men to moderate their promifes when they are in great dangers 1 To make too large ones, is a token of fearful! neffc, and oftentimes doth not prevent the danger, but changeth it 1 To deliver from great danger, yeelds great reputation 5 Rewards increafe ftrength and reputati- on, and ftrength endangers the State ; From hence it comes that Promiiesare not kept, not becaufe they are made with purpofe . 36 David Perfecuted. purpote not to keep them, bin becaufe men are changed with their change of fortune, and he that fhould perform, is no longec the fame that promifed. David, who was returned homey comes now into the Army to bring cert dine frefents to the officers under whom his Brethren did ferve : He enquires concerning the buftnejfe in hand : He askeswhat ftrtllbee the reward. His elder Brother rebukes him of f ride and overweening. T His man difcernes not Pride from Fortitude, becaufe he looked on his brother with an envious eye, not with an eye of love. There are many vermes which have their operations -common with vice, being djftinguifhed only by the Intent : which becaufe it cannot bee feen, is judged of by others, and mens judgements are not alwayes without pafTion, it feldome happens that they judg without errour.He would not have any adventjure. on that which hee dares not Day id Perfected. 37 not adventure on : Thofe defers that are common, feeme rather the defe&s of mankind, then. of. any particular per- fons: he lay es the blame onus, that by being free fromfuch defe&s, bimfclfe/ac*- quits nature of them too. David is brought before Sail 1 , who fee- ing himfo young* telleth him that he is not Me to fight with the Giant ^ who was experienced in war from his youth. 15 Rinces ought not to put any upon a : great enter p rife, who haths. TO recount our owne doughty A&s is often times vanity, here it is of neceiftty % hee did not rehearfe it to (hew that he had overgone great dan- gers, but to andcrgoe greater \ not to Day id Perfected. 39 to bee commended , but to bee com- manded. Saul refolves to let David goe to fight Hee puts on him his own Armour^ which David beingmt dbletoma- nage^futsitojf. EVcn as a little man carinot fight wel with great Armour, fo neither can the leflcr Princes with thofe greater. He that hath not fitted himfelfe with ar- mour of his owne, is not to fight in a- nothcrs, Tatroculus came not to his death till hee put on that of Achilles. This is the common Dodrin of the Po- liticians, yet I take it fomctimes to faile in regard that there are often found men of that worth, that like Oftriges, they convert others Armes into their owne fubftance. This may come to paffe, when one receiving an Army without a Head, makes himfelfe to be obeyed, and mana- ging them by his valour, brings himfelfe into great eftimation ; If Generate that were no Princes, havefbmetimes drawn by 40 David Perfected. by futh meanes the Armies to be at their Devotion, and have gotten Kingdomes by fuch Armies as were not their own, why fhould not a valorous Prince be able to doe it by the Armes of his Friends ? David gocth rvhh his Jl off e and his flings with five fmooth ft ones against the Giant. HE had no need of other Armour, he was armed with his confidence in God. He which hath this Armour, can never perifh : If we happen to be deceived, *cis becaufe wee deceive our felves, having our confidence in thole things which we ought not, or not ha- ving Co much as wee ought ; to bring forth a true acl of Confidence, is a very difficult thing : There is requifite a great afliftan.ee of God to make one truly and' only relye on the help of God. If fuch acts were more frequent amongft u>, we (liquid not haply account (o many events to be miracles. They that teach us how notwithftandingour confidence iu God, we D a.v i d Perfected. 4.t wee onahtto doe as much as we can, or SSfcinfteadoftruftinginGodwe foould prefume upon him, their mean- ng may haply be, that it were but a rafli S«ion toperfwade our Hve.Au we have produced any true aft of Con- fidence, but not if wee firmly beleeve that God Tor his parr would alforedW helps us, whsa wee for our part flaould produce fuch an Acl. the GUnt derides D avid, cur fa hand difdaimshm, but he putting {Hone in his fling, threats it at himhittctb km iti the forehead, makes km fa I groveling on his face to the ground, and running upon him cittteth off fas head With his fmrd. IT hath been an ordinary thing m (in- gle combats, between! a Giant-liKe man and one of a msaner ftature, that ths little mm hath hid alwayss ths bet- ter i ThsPhylofophsrs would attnoute ths caufe to the .courage which is counted tobsgreatsrinthe klfcr heart; a (mill firs will heat a little room, when a larger 42 David Perfecuted. will fcarcebe warmed with a great one. I have no a durance in this opinion, but would rather adventure { if I flhould not bee thought too bold) to affirmethat Courage confifteth not in the Heart, as is commonly held both by the ignorant vulgar, and many of the learned. Who knoweth th*t it is not rather'pro iuced by the fame imaginative faculty out of which fear alfo proceed eth ? how many that in their health were exceeding fairff hearted, in raging fits have become rafh and defperate, which was occafioned on- ly by the heat of the Brain? For if it proceeded from that of the Heart, they that are diftempered with fevers fnouid fceealwayes the rnoftcouragiojs : and what is it that maketh hopelefiemen fj refolute? Is it their Heart forfooth growne leffe or more heated then it was before? or their understanding rather which fuggefteth unto them that there is no other way to efcape death but by encountring it ? To what purpofe doe men fpeak to cowards to animate them? Rcafons may indeed worke upon the Braine, but are not able to heate the Heart : Who knoweth not that the not know. David Perfected. 43 | _ knowing of the danger makes men ad- ventrous ? Whence it comes that the wifeft are not al waves the mod courage ous. Hardinefle ( and herein I refer my felfe to the better learned ) is a certaine kind of madaefle, confiding haply in a , hot didemper of the Braine, which per- j mitteth no confidcration or difcourle of i the danger of death. He that in fight- ing thinks he fhall be flain, cannot fight couragicufly. And albeit the Phylofb- ! phers define the valiant man to be fuch a : one as knowing the perils gees to en- j counter them, becaufe it is jult and ho- ned:. 1 beleeve it ought to be underdood tefore he entreth into thofe dangers, be- caufe after hee is once engaged, if hee knew them he would faint. A wife man was of the mind, that Pincers were more fesrfull then others, becaufe they knew the danger more then others : It is not therefore the Heart, but the Brain , and if it come from the Heart, it mud be in regard that fame is the originall of all the operations of the mind. The Divines going a fiirer way, would re- i olve this problem by faying, that it hath been the plcafure of God by humility to over- 44 David Perfected. overthrow Pride,and by the leaft things to abafe the greateft : If it were not (6 not only in men, but alfb in States and Empires, there would bee no tydes and ebbes in the world, but he that was once the greateft fhould alwayes fo continue, feeing hee could not bee overcome by a letter. The Politicians would allcage Dif- daintobeethecaufei hee that defpifeth his enemy, doth not drive with alibis might, but employing fome part only, and that with no great heed, is often o- vercome by one who being weaker then he, oppofeth him with the utmoft of his ftrength and cunning ; One of the great- eft errours that I have cbferved in great Potentates, hath bin to fee how applying their forces on an enter prife, they have rather taken meafure of the enemy then themfclves, oppoiing againft him only fo much of their ftrength, as they conjectu- red to bee anfwerable to the-prefent af- fairs; and whereas with a greater power they might have bin fure of vidory,with an equall one they have either loft it, or at leaft prolonged the warres with more expence of men and money. It is very difficult David Ptrfecuted* 45 difficult to meafure, the proportion of things by their Beginnings. Childrens garments mud bee allowed to be fome- what larger then themfelves, ieaft they growing greater, the garments become too little. It is enough for a meaner man if at the beginning he be enabled to refift a greater, that (o he may but get him re- putation, and by the means thereof he can procure himfelfe adherents and pro- tecTors, The Giant was no footer Jlaine, but the Army of the PhiUJiims being difcom- fited, betakes it felfe to flight :' tnd the Ifraelites pur fee and flay them . THat Army whofe trufl: is in the ftraightnefTeof fome paiTage, in the height of any fituation, in fheftrength of their Trenches, in the valour of a man.or in any one fpeciall thing of good defence, iseafily overcome by him who fhall be afluredlyperfwaded, that if heecan but overthrow fuch a part, or flay fuch a man, or pafle through the difficulties of fuch ahill,orfuchfortifications,he fliall find 46 David Perfected. find no other refinance, and therefore fhall hee fet forward very ftou'ly and couragioufly : Becaufe men having once loft that by which they were confident they fhould overcome, being dejedtcd, think there is nothing left that can de- fend them againft the valour of their e- nemies. But that Army which relies up- on its intire felf equally throughout is in a manner invincible : It may pt radverK ture bee routed, utterly dilcomfited: it cannot : Every one will fight to the Death,bec3uf: every one trufting in him* felf, will not diftruft of the victory, until he hath loft his life. The Jlaughter being ended David re* turnes with the Giants head. Saul enquire* of Abner who he is : A.b- nzr not knowing him, goes to meet him y and brings him unto Saul : Hee askes him whofe fonne hee is: Hee anfwers^heeisthe Sonoflfhal. SEe how fading or how difpleafing the memory of benefits is in Princes; either David Perfecuted. 47 cither Saul did not remember David, or elfe hee was not willing to remember li.n : Hce that but a lit tie before had found fo much favour in his fight, hath now loft it both in his fight and memo- ry : The memory of a benefit lafts well, it it lafts as long as -the benefit, and the refpeel that is gotten thereby often dyes 6efore its Father, if Rtafons may be rendered for the affections of a Prince towards a Conrtier, be they drawne of Profit or Pleafure, or whether aecom- panyed with Honefty, yet it is a thing but of final! coutinuance : If it follow Reafon, it formes a habit of which com- meth fatiety, and if it be not grounded on Reafon, the ground of fuch affection failetb, It is a vanity to thinkour (elves I able to yeeld a reafon of the affe&ionate j favours of Princes : Thofe arcgreat/and I fiowly will they end, for which there I can be no reafon given how they came J to begin. There are ftarres which in- j cline them thereunto by their influences, neither are thofe that love alwayes hap- j py, for neither arc the afpecls of theft al- wayes favonrable : in this manner haply • that great fcholler ment it, though he was 1 C . not 48 Da v 1 d Perfected. notfounderftood, whenhee teemed to doubt, whether any reafon could bee given of the inclinations of Princes s or whether they depended on the cou rie of their Nativity. And whereas in all other occurrents hee had flic wed himfelfe. a friend unto reafon, he never (pake of this Argument or matter, but made a prefent recourfc unto Deftiny, which having once coupled and conjoyned with the courfe of the Nativity, there is no doubt but he meant it by the operation of the ftarres. Politicians may ceafe to teach the wayes to obtaine the favour of Prin- ces ; men mud be born to k y not taught it. A man may by his valour and wif- domcmakchimfeUe wellefteemed, but yet not beloved. When hee had made an end of fp cak- ing, the fouleof Ionatbannw knit with the fettle of David, in a knot of idmitie. vv Ondcrfull things are Friend- fhipand Love, whence they proceed David Ferfwutcd. 49 proceedf with all refpe#,and far from all preemption be it fpoken ) men have not yet well declared for all their Philofo- phy* Some have thought them to be the daughters of Abundance, and of Want; but this were a taxing of Love and Ami- ty with imperfection, and to deny the prime and chiefe love which we call the holy fpirit : for in the three divine Per- fons there can be no defed* The reft of the Philofophers, have deduced the ori- ginall from the (imilitude of the parties loving, fome from the Heaven* forne from the ftarres, fome from the temper, fome from the manners, and fome finally from the features, yet peradventure they have att miftaken : for if love came from the refemblance, a man fhould rather love the male then the female : and whereas Love is but feldome recipro- call, it fhould bealwayes anfwered with like affe&ion ; feeing one thing cannot be faid to be like another, but that the o- ther muft alfo bee like to it, I belceve \ that there are fome Conftellations con- ducing to Fricqdfhip, and others to Love, which produce in their fubjeft, a kind of lovely Character which com- \ C 2 meth 50 David Perfecutcd. mcth not of the Temper, but rather of fome ( I know not what ) celeftiall .im- preffions which the Heavens and ftarres with their operations have left imprin- ted in that tender body, and that hee is moft beloved that hath raofl: thereof, and that he .who hath lefle cannot be the ob- ject of Love, but only of good will or refpect. Thereafon whereof is becaufe Beauty is the ob jecl: of Love : Yet not Beauty which is like unto ours , but that which is greater, otherwife there would not ( no not in iPatria ) bee any love towards God : And if fornetimes here wee love our equall, it is cither be- caufe then we fee none more worthy, or becaufe we do not refkcl thereon. But only that excellence which is in God is theadequate object of Love, becaufe that only which is in God is the adequate ob- ject of our will : and if wee cculd fee him as he is, hee fliould infallibly make us love him. But becaufe we arc here but sa in Via,he is not fo reprefented unto us; we turne our eyes to admire that celefti- all Beauty where we find it bed impriu- ted among us, and is often tearmed Gra- tU divifata, which, confifteth neither in C 3 the David Perfected; 5 1 the Symmetry of the Humours^ nor the Proportion of the Lineaments, albeit it oftentimes accordeth and agreeth well with them both when it is not hindred by any defect in the matter, and fo fome- times, but not alwayes the fair eft be the beft beloved. Hence we may learn the reafon of the little correfpondence, and the much mutability in Love : It is not alwayes connterchanged ,for if the grea- ter Beauty bee beloved, that which is beloved will not love that which lovech it. It is changed as oft as there is reprc- fented to us greater beauty then which wee Jove. Yet it is not furlkient that It be reprefented unt* us, if wee do not re- flect uponi t with a defire, and therefore many leave not their firft love, becaufe they permit not any new object of love to enter into their mind. . Saul fuffereth not David to returne home, but fetteth him over his Army: hee is very gracious in the eyes of the peop.e, and particularly of the fer- J van's of the King, The J 52 David Perfecuted. THefubjecT: that is grown great, di- minimeth the glory of his Mafter : What courfe lhall a Prince take then that fe but of flender worth ? If he take not worthy men to him, how will hee go- verne hisKingdome? If he take fucb, how will hce be a King? Hee is not King over others that hath in his Palace a greater man then himfelfe. If his (rate be unfetled, he lofeth his ftate ; if the flare be fafe, his reputation. With great reafbn men might complain of Nature, if they were not for the moO: part com- manded by the better. He that holds the Scepter, isnotthc King, hee is but the fervant of his Minifter who obeyeth him. Crowns come by Inheritance, 'tis true t but not the faculties of ruling : If fortune give thole to whom (he pleafeth, Nature difpofeth the other to him that dclervcs. That Propofition of the Phy- lofophers is mod true that fome are bound to command and others to obey : This is confirmed by him that divided thefignesof the Zodiack into comman- ding arid obeying fignes. This truth is not overthrown by feeing him to hold a Scepter that was born fitter for the mat tock • David Perfecuted. 5 3 tock ; though he play the King, he is not a King. David commeth to^eruCalem with the Had of the Giant^ the women meet him> rcjoycing, and ascribe more to him in their finging then to Saul, who is diff leafed thereat. Q Hort and unhappy are the favours of ^J the People; fhort, for like the float* [og cf the fea it is toft with every wind ; a Sea that in the fame haven wherein one time it hath fceured Hups, another (inks them. Vnhappy are they, becaufe it is as i a violent ftar, whofe radiall beams may \ bee good > but rot lucky , it never raifcth j any but to make their downe-falls the greater : unhappy love becaufe it hath for a Correlative the Princes hatred 1 The Prince is not Lord of that people thatloveth another better than him : If he be Matter of their bodyes and means, the other is Matter over their Hearts and Minds 1 But good God I how fhall a man behave hirofilfe ? mutt a mans va- C4 lour 54 David Perfecnted. lour needs become his infelicity ? A wile man may indeed not defire ap- plaufe, but he cannot hinder it, except he leave thofe qualities for which he is ap- plauded, or depart from themthat aplaud him. Ought hee then to forgoe the Ta- lents which God* hath beftowed on him ? cr employ them only among wild beafts in the horrid wildernefles, or in fblitary places ? The eminent verr'uc of men, ii it be not the caufe of their death, is to of their banifament: At the firft they are fought to out of nece tflty,and then againe they are expelled under co- lour of neccfluy. The Tree, that was efteeracd for its fhadow, to (hcltcr us from the he-tsof the fummer, is after- wards cut down todefendus from the cold of the winter. The fame man whom Princes embraced in the heat of their neceffity, is he whom they cut downc in the cold of their jeloufie. Saul fince that never looked aright on David. Nature teacheth when we look on our enemy to give a violent Metum to cur. David Perfecuted. 5 5 our afpeft, whether by (taring fiercely, or looking askew upon him, to Axike him with our very fpirits, and with the greateft quantity and worft quality that may be. Kee that thinks them not to iffue out of the eyes, and that they pro- ceed nor to touch the ob/ccT:, when it is neerethem, \s dcczrvcd f and he that be- leeves it, will not deny that they have their operation on that fubjedt. If the miy diverfitic of the afped make the fife fame radiation of theftarre, to be (bmetimes gracious, and fometimes deadly, why fhould not the eyes, being the (tars of this little world,bave power to diverfifie their cff:cl:s, according to the diveriity of their afpeds. // vmnot long ere the Devi 1 1 faulted Saul again ^ and when David played and fang to deliver Irim from the oppresfwn of the fpirits , heewith a Jpeare in his hand would have flakic him y but David avoided the blow ancL departed. . That $6 David Perfecuted. THat Tyrant is put to a fhrewd .pinch, that is grown jealous of a fubJedof worth and reputation : If he kill him, he feares the rifing of the peo- ple : If he fufFer him, he doubts his rai- ling of them. Now hee accounts him- fclfe happy if in his opprefllng him, he could make the faults of his will to bee layd upon the ignorance of his under- ftanding, and with the imputation of a mad man (mother that of an ungrate- full. A raoft wicked piece of Policy, to make our greateft defc&s the bed inftru- ments of our Government : There hath bin one that made ufc of drunkennefle, to fecurehimfelfe of the mod valorous man , of his Army ; and Saul doth the like by : his vexation with fpirits to make David away : Such colourable carriages doe move the ignorant rout tocompafllon, rather then to rebcllion,whilesthey give place to Princes to bewayta the death of thole, whom themfelves have (lain, and to make them beleeve that their tears of Joy arc tears of lamentation. Saul David Perfecuted. 5 7 §m\pirceiv€dthat Godwas withT>&- vid> when hee could not flay him with the cafling of his ff ear e, from which his valour could not defend him y be- caufe he did not expeff it , neither his tvifdome becaufe he did not fore- fee it. HEethat will know when God is with bis enemy (and this is a mo- ral! and not a naturall knowledge ) lee bun not confidet the conquefts made by his valour, and by that which wee call Prudence, but the helps which here- ceiveth from n3turall inanimate things, as Clouds, winds, fire, fiow, ice, raine and tempers ;- for they, as it is wric- ten fulfill the will of God. Whatavay- leth cur valour if God bee not with us ? and what is our Prudence if God do not govern it? It is nothing ( I fpeake of politick Prudence, ) for it is a good con- nexion of prefent things, with the fa- tare and thofe that are paft % but of that which is pa(t, and whkh is prefent, we know but little, and of what is to come ws know nothing. For my part ( in regard 58 David Perfected. regard of future things) I efleeme that as we give into God an unproper Attri- bute of that which he hath nor, fowec fuppofe alfo a vertue in man which is not in him. God hath not properly any pre- fcience, becaufe there is nothing future in fefped of him, neither is there any Prudence in man, becaufe heeknow£th not what is to come, That which is in G o d is more properly to bee termed knowledge, becaufe it is intuitive, and the other in man may be called Chance, becaufe it works on a fubjed which may be or not be. Then Saul began to be afraid \oj "David. THat the Prince fhould bee afraid of his fubjed, and the fubjed (land in feare of his Prince, hath been accoun- ted a Harmony to hold the State hap- pily together. This opinion howioe- ver it may kerne a witty conceit, while fuch feare keeps in the meane,and grow- eth not exceflive, notwithftanding is mod falfe: It is true that hot, and dry may bee correded .by degrees, even as heavic I>av id Perfecuted. 59 heavic and light may by their Counter- poifes, becaufe the degrees of the one are knowne, and the weight'alfo of the other; but the affecTionsof tbepiinde can hardly be counterpoifed,becaalc they have no firmenefle nor meafure. Feare hath too fharpe a pneke fotthofe that produce it, and is too, troublefome a pal- lion to them that awne it ; the one vt ith the qualitie that make them to bee fear- ed , are fpurred on forward after the Government s. The. "other cannot wil- lingly hold themfdves in, becaufe feare is a motion that is not oaturall but vio- lent. There is no man that defireth not to free himfelfe of it : The greater part a:tempt it, and in attempting it the State is troubled. , If the Prince bee hee that feareth, he turneth to bee a Tyrant ; and if any fobJccT: make himfelfe feared, t* will breed a 'Coripiracy ; if the whole Gommur.alty, a Rebellion. The Subject ought to feare the Tuftice of his Prince,& the Prince, that of God; if a SubjecT make himfelfe feared, he is no longer a SubjecT, or intends not to be fo ; if the^Prince bee afraid, hee is, no longer Prince, or not like long to bee, , To thiake t^make a Pjince 60 David Perfected. Prince good by Art, may chance prove but foppery ; they are rather borne to it then brought to it. The goodneffe of a Prince confifteth in J know not what in- cxprefllble myftery, that cannot bee known, nor can be taught : It wanteth nothing of thelaft Individuation which gives it the being, and that fame being and no other. This conceit of mine re- falvcs the ProbJem that demand eth how it comes to pafle, that many who in the managing great affaires, were held to be capable of the higheft Dignity and Dominion, having after attained to ir ? been found, to be unfit for it. Saul made D*ivid a Colonel ever a, thou- find Souldiers^ and [aid after that he would give him his daughter Merob to be his wife, fapppfing that to oh- taine her, he would fo far adventure againflthe Philiflims^ that he would be frine, . SAul would that ' < 2>^*V-fliculdbec- flain^ but God permitted not that he {hould D av I d Perfecutzd. 61 fhould be paft the (hame of being wick- ed, till hee could no more hurt Ttavid, that Saul was paft it. This errour of ad- vancing men that are rifing, and not to know afterwards how to take them down, hath often bapned even tothofe that juftly and, without any cffcnce of ©od ought to have done it. Aftarre though but a Comet, becaufe it is a light that is newly up, draweth all mens eyes to it, even theirs whole dammage it thrcatneth. A man of worth can no fooner begin to appear, but Princes be- ginne to emhrace him, thinking to raife tbemfelves by his Friend (hip, when indeed he raifeth hiBifelfe by theirs, not heeding that inftead of growing they decreaie, It is a difficult thing for one to advance himiclfe, if he be'not pro- tected or impugned by a great one : Ma- ny times when one hath begunne to ad- vance another by protecting him, hee rayfethhimhtgher by crofting of him, not becaufe it is likely hee would then fecond him 9 but becaufe he knowcth not how to extinguiih him. Men are afha- med, yea, and lometimes afraid to (bew thcmfelves open enemies of one that is thought 6z David Perfecuted. thought to be their friend who hath a v i d Perfccuted. 65 bur I fetit downe amongft the moft con- fukd. Saul fendeth word to David, that he doth not difdaine his poverty^ and that hce demands no other Dowry . then a hundred fore-skins of the Phi- lislims. HEre comes now on the ftage one of the Engines which were hidden under the Honour of Marriage ; to bring DavU in danger to be flainc by thePhi- liftims. If Nature had not 'often ac- companied the moft certains perils with the moft confpicuous glories, it were a commendable courfe to cx- pofe chem to fuch dangers whofe re- putation terrifies us; but becaufe neere the greateft downefals are the higheft hills, it is not fife to let men clime up the tops of thofs mountaines where they may as well raife up as ruine themfcl ves. Occafion is it which makes men wife, or which brings them to be known. Hee that at firft light could fee into men of ability 66 David Per famed. ability by a hidden token, fhbuld under pretence of Honour make them fpend their dayes in delicacy and idlencffr, and not fufcr men to have a light of that light, which untill it be ftricken ouc doth never appearc. The feeds of Plants that arc kept in vefcls of Gold, or of Pearle, or of pretious ftone, are honoured ther- by, but being as buried and become bar- ren, they bring fbrrh no buds unleflc they be firft cad into the foilc of the earth Without motion there is no Augmenta- tion, Rcfting is imperfection in things that may increafe : In God onely it is perfection, becaufc in him there is no Augmentation. It is not in our power to make our felves great. Theutmoft limit of our actions is in the hand of men of Fortune. How mmy that have bin very able in ?oenna % have come to their Grave without having any opportunity to performe an Act worthy their fufSci-- encie ? Saul fpeaketb to Ionnthan, ani to nil \ his ferv much he is obliged to him^ and what injufiice it were to flay him. BVt of what effecT bee fuch Remon- ftrances of Obligations t Thecbiefe Obligation which a Tyrant pretends to have, is the confer vation of his Domini- on, and his greateft Iuftice is to put to d^ath the beft. To oblige were a thing very defiderable if it were oneiy to ob- lige, arid not to bind himfelfc for a far- ther obliging. That Obligation which feemed compleat to him that produced it, comes to bee accepted but as a begin- ning by him for whom it was wrought. Hee that will binde another by benefits, muft.-joyne them one to another: The report of the one mud not ceafe before he hath added another* The lmkes ihat are not chained one to another dee not make up a Chaine. The refemblance hath a great force to move and receive in the Imagination even the Phantauxesthat j were dead. Time is a deftroyer of all things ; : where it deftroyeth not the greatnelle or j mens adHons,it will deftroy the marvel- ' ing at it : for it frames them into 68 David Verfecuted. a habit, and thatbdng once attained, makes the operations come on without difficulty, and without any reflecting. That which is parted already doth can- cell the obligation of private men; and with Tyrants that alfb which is to come, whether they be gratefull or un«* gratcfull, they are alwayes afraid, that they will oblige them either by their owne rewards, or through difcontent of not being rewarded, will make in- furrecTion. The words of Ionathan feemedto have appeafed Saul, wbogiveth order that David returne to Court. THe Truth which paflhh through our underftanding doth not ufe to flye away lo faft, but that our will taketh hold and embraceth it, unkfTe the ma- lice of our fenfes defile it. It is not fo hard to withdraw a wicked man from hisevill purpofes, as it is difficult after- ward to keep him in a good mind, there- to is requifite in a manner a perpetuall afliftance, David Vtrfecuttd. 69 afliftance, for asfoon as you leave him hee returneth to that from which you withdrew him. David returneth to the Court as infer- mer times. T Hey muft not all bee put to death of whefe valour we ftand in fearc, that thereby we may be fecured. To ufe a like proceeding is inconvenient, when the pedons are of a different difpo- 1 fitio:?. The benefits that ferve to ayd and j provoke the wickedly minded againft j their Prince,are but as Chains, whereby j generous minds are drawn to their de- j votions. So that to oblige them is to ! bind them : Buttheruineof the good j proceeds from the multitude of the E- j \i\\i which are not only evill, tut doe ; counterfeit zs if they were good ; fo that | becaufe it is a difficult thing to difcerne j Truth and Falfhood, men will rather deceive themfelves in hindring a thcu- fand that ought to be cherifhed, then in cherifhing one alone that ought to bee hindred; 70 David Perfected. hindred ; and becaufe ic is cafier to bee ingratefull then to maintaine their grati- tude, though they beleeve not alwayes that it is neceflary to put deferving men to death, yet they feigne fomerimes that they beleeve it, that they may cover the bafenefle of their minds with the forcible jealoufies of their Sove- raignty. The evil fpirit returmr>g againe to mo- left Saul, when David pUyed, Saul attempted againe to finite him to the w 41 with a fpeare^ huthetmneth afide dndefcapcth. WHen the fub je& once finds his Prince to be afraid of him, hee Hands alwayes in fesreof the Prince ; fiich jeloufies have no other fires to con- fume them but impolTibility ; for he that (lands in feare, beleeves that wbatfeever may happen unto him^ will. The firft perill weincurre in any thing may bee afcribed to fortune, the fecond if it bee the fame is commonly attributed to our in- David Perfecuted. 71 indifcretion. But the goodnefle of 7)a- vid makes him to be excufable in regard his exceeding good Confcience made him fo adventurous : David trufteth .SW,becaufe Saul might fafely havetruft- cd 'David. As wee naturally imagine other men to look like our felves, fo wee fuppofe them of our owne conditions. That which ftiall happen to a man,is not alwayes the fame that ihould. Thecon- fequences of the future are fallible, be- caufG the Antecedents prefuppofed by us are falfe. Hce that knew well the cu- ftomes and manners of all men as they are, and upon occafion fhould make ufe of them in conjecturing what is to come, (hould not need to have recourfe to the vanity of Aftrologers* Saul caufeth Davids houfe to bee com- pared with Souldiers that fhould kill him, yet gives them not order to en- ttr into the hottfe ', per advent urebe- caufe in thofe times it was refuted too J great a rvickednejfe tokilloneinhis] D bed A rjz David Perfected. bed. Having given over himfelfe a prey to tvickedne(fe } he had not haply as yet loft all re fpett unto goodnejfe. flpHat men are not altogether wicked, X nor yet perfectly good, is not, pcr- adventure, becaufe they know not how to be (b, but becaufe they cannot poflibly be fo : It confifteth rather in the ftrength of nature than of will : For if Nature have left no power to our feeblenefie to reach to the height of goodnefle, why ftiall we beleevc that (he hath left any to our corruption to come to the extremity of evill ? Hec that blamed a Ty rant in that behalfe, and thereupon did pretend that their mine was for the moft preor- dained, declared his beleefe to be, that the mifchiefes which are deftru&ions were confer vations : He difcovered his not knowing, that the evill which is not a being, cannot fubfift without the fitp- porting of that good which is a being , and finally he made it manifeft, that hee had not read the Matter of thole Doct- rines, with which he had honoured his writings, becaufe his faying was, that the David Ferfecuted. 73 the Tyrant, when hec goeth not in the way of goodnefle, muft notfufferitto be quite out of his fight, and that if he will not bee good throughout, yet that hee muftatleafthaveamoityof good- nefle. Michol tells David whatferill hee is in •, fhe lets him down through a win- dow and lajes an Image in his f lace in the Bed. GOd makes ufeof the Afts of Hu- man wittineffe, as Iuftrnmcnts of his Providence ; tbofs footfteps that fly it, are the felfe fame that lead to it : Saul makes David his fonnc in Law, to bring him to his end ; and becaufe he is his ion in Law, heefcapesit t That fentence, that the Deftinyes lead thofe that follow them, and draw thofe that are unwil- ling, is an unadvifed faying. They that wrote it were deceived cither in deny- ing the Providence of God, or in the manner of cxprefling it s Heedifpofeth! all things fweetly : Hee condudtethj D2 . them! 74 David Perfected. them that goc with a good; will, and thofc that arc unwilling to' goe, arc conduced ( if I may Co fay) By them - fclves. Saul fendeth fome again to take David, they bring word that be isfickinhis bed finally, helofethallreffeClof bed, and [will have himjlain how- ever $ but in Jlead of David they find an Image: Saul reproveth his daughter Michol p who excufeth her felfeby her Husbands threats. Men in their defires invefVthemfelves fofar in their ownintcreft, that they make themfelves beleeve that every one that knowes them (hould cooperate with them : but if they alfo inverted thcmfelvcs in the intereft of others, and didnotconfider everyone in reference to themfelvcs, but rather each one in re- ference to himfelfc, and whereas they think but of theirs alone, they formed as many interefts as there are men, they would not find themfelves fo oft decei- ved. David Fcrfecuted. 75 ved. Saul confidereth Mkhol as his daughter,& by confcqucnce in referrencc to himfelf ; if he had confidered her as Davids wife, then he had considered her in refernce to her felfe, and had not fonnd it ftrange that (he fhould fave her husband out of her fathers hands •• When women depart from their frcinds houfes, they oftentimes leave nothing behinde them but Love* $m\ fends fime after David, they fad him in the Compa ny of the Prophets prophefying with them : he fends o* others after him y and they find him in like manner : In the end full of anger and fury ^ hee goes himfelf e y and he alfo remaines with them, and prophefiethin like manner, THtreare fomefofuperftitious, that they account all things miraculous, becaufe they are ignorant of their fccond catries: fomeagaine are fo head*ftrong, D 5 as y6 Davib Perfected. as to deny all miracles becaufe they know not the firft caufc;and in conclufi- on there want not thofe that are ib facri- legious,that they wil rather acknowlede the Deviil to be the doer of fuch miracu- lous effc&s than God, becaufe they them- felves arc more of the Dcvill than God. I know not whether Sml might bee reckoned among thefe, or whether knowing the miracle hec fuffcred him- felfencvcithelefletobetrafported by his anger and fury to contend with the Al- mighty . All finncrs in regard of them- selves dee undeify him, yet there arc found very few that do defire to undeify him, yet there are not wanting fome, who in their choller would willingly they could reduce him to nothing, that hath brougnt them out of nothing. Hee that is in choler, I would fay hath even loft his understanding, yea,I would think him ftark mad, fave that there remaincth only fb much reafon in him, asfufficcth to make his works worthy of chaftife- ment : Choler ( and perhaps I am not deceived) is afoort fever ; which if it were in the humours as it is intheipi* rits, would prove to be a frenzie, where* unto David Pcrfecuted. 77 unto it is Co neereofkin, that if by a lit- tle while it continues it were not known from the other, there would fcarce bee any fuch piercing eye (that could difcern betwixt them : That little reafon that remaines in the cholcrick man makes him to difRr from the mad man ; yet makes him worfe then hee, beca^fe it makes him not only to erre, but to finne. David flyes, and going to meet Iona- than, he askew Inmwktt evillhee I committed that fbould procure Saul toptrftCHte him. HEeknew not pcradventure that an eminent Vertue is no lefle perfecu- ted then an exorbitant Vice. I am of opinion that even Tyrants themfelves do like well that their Minifters be men of valour and worth, but they would meafure them as they do cloth, by their arme, allowing them as much as will fit the perfon they reprefent, and no more : ! Good Minifters- are femetimes better I D4 then! 78 David Perfumed. than the beft , becaufe the bed are fome- times as dangerous as the worft are dit honourable. It is a happy nefTc in Prin- ces, how good ioever they be, to be fer- vedbygooifubje&s equallto their af- faires, for if they be of abilities above their employments, they negleft them, ifbeneath them, their employments ruin them. It is a fortunate thing therefore to happen on ft ch as are fit for the pur* pofe; feeing we ave no Instrument by which the degrees of worth may be mea« fared j neither any one that knoWeth /ufc» iy how mush evtry ©file* requiretb. to$i*hlft mfmnth DwUt&M hee (hoxldnot need to fear, becaufe his fa- ther would not refolve upon any en- ter f rife without commmicating the fume to him y and that hee would ad* vertizehim thereof : But David doth notbeleeve thtt Saul would ac- quaint him with his fur pofe. 3 what end fhouli a Tyrant com- municate his Machinations? they are T David Perfecuted. 79 arc io fhatntfull, that he cannot exped commendations: Hee is fo diftruftfull, that he will not feeke any counfell, and fa far re from trufting others, thathee fcarcely trufteth himfelfe; One rauft needs beleeve this Truth, when wee fee that diftrufting the better part of him- felfe, which is Reafon, his truft is wholly in his fenfe : when he communicates his thoughts, hee doth not impart them to have conference about them, but to com- mand, nottobee counfelled concerning them, but to have them put in executi- on. He hath no regard of fons, or bre- thren, or wife, or friend. Theintereft of (late is all in all with him, - and be- fides it hee makes no account -of any thing. A Tyrant is ordinarily fo cloie by nature, and fo enured by Art to con- ceale his intent, that when hee would willingly bee undcrftood, hee cannot lometimcsmakc them underftand him. For not only men know not what be thinks, but many times they underftand notwhathefayes.. They 8o Day i d Per fecund. they agree that Dmdfhouldhide him- felfe^ and Jonathan Jhould obferve what the King faith when on the fir ft day of the monethhe Jhould note Da- vids ah fence from the Table , and that by a figne bettveene them bee Jhould make knowne his Fathers in- tent. Then they depart afunder it? nerving their oathes and Covenants offriendjhip. THc firft day of the moneth being comc,SauI feeing that David appea- red not, flattering his defire hee would not belccve that David abfented himfelf for feare,but rather for fomeuncleannes : when he fees him not appcare on the fe- cond day heasketh lonatba* what is be- come of David, who anfwercth that he is gone to celebrate the folemnity ; then Saul reproachfully reprovcth his fon for preferring his friendQiip with David before matter of State, by reafbn that while David lived he could not be eftab- lifhcd in the Kingdome. To Day i d Perfecuted. 8 1 To chaftife an offence committed is proper to the Law : that which would be committed is referved to God ; that which may be committed is peculiar to a Tyrant : when it is not juftics, but a point of State that fcekes the life of a Subjcft, there is fcarce any remedy : If David had offrnded, he might have ho- ped for pardon, and haply have obtained k : But where there is no offence, there can bee no rccourfe to Clemency , nor expe&ation of it. Thofe merits that would have countervailed his faults, do condemns his innocencies* A great oc- cafion it muft bee to put an innocent to death , and becaufe it is great, it is infupe- rable. When juftice hath had her courfe in condemning , (he leaves Clemency , her place to abfolve ; but where it is in- jtuftice to condemned e putting to death | proceeds of felfe intereft. It is good for j him that dyes/if hee dye innocent ; but J in regard of the world it is better being , guilty when he is condemned. Hee that j hath done an ofjence, and demands par* j don, fpeakes not a word but to the Prin- ! ces praife/ he confefleth his fault, decla- ! reth thevertueof lufticein the Prince, and 8* David Perfected. and in demanding his pardon,he fhewes that hec doth al(o bslecve the vcrtue of clemency to b: in him. But all the words of the innocent found to the blame of the Prince ; He (he wes him to be uajuft, he declares him to be a Tyrant, he feekes not to pacifie him ; hee inccn(es him, and cannot hope for mercy becaufe hee cannot aske it: if hee pray the Prince to (pare him his life, hc« mufl: needs dif- cover t^e caufe that moves him to take it away, and becaufe he difcovers it, he is made worthy of Death. Ionathan demands of Saul, for what offence he doth persecute David : but the King inaragecatfsa ft? ear e at him^ and he flies. THere is nothin g more offcnfive to a Prince than to require him to de- clare what he deiirestoconceale. The Word(why)or(when)imporcs an Inter- rogation, ought never to be found in their mouthes that treat with Princes : The interrogating hath Ikno w not what fuperiority, becaufe it objigeth one to anfwer D ay I d Perfecuted. 83 anfwer, and Princes are not to bec oblig- ed, but rather to be obeyed. Ioruthan rifeth from the Table in- a great anger, he goes the next morn- ing where David was y and gives the figne according to their agreement. David comes out of the place where he wm hid : Jonathan informs him of his fucceffc, and reiterating the Oathes of their Confederacy ,and the tokens of their *Amity y not with- out tender tear es they depart afunder. WHat thing is friend fhip ? It is a union as one may fay of two foules in one body, which in a Drt doe informe it, if not truely yet vertually ; ani if a (bale bee fo much grieved when it is to depart out of an earthly body which it informed ; why (hould it not alfo be grievous to depart from another foule which fhe loved ? Such a departure fhould bebut as a death, were it not that the diftance of place doth: not breake off the 84 David Perfected. the union of thofe things that doe not poffeff; any place. But as in the parting of friends the foulesare not fo much af- flicled, the bodies are grieved in forgo- ing the fomentation of thofe fpirits that were a confolation to them. I* is not credible that Nature having permitted us fpirits to offend us with,hath not alfo granted that thelpiritsofa friend Ihou'd be comfortable unto us. Ocherwifethc fpirits of Hatred and of Love /hould be the felfe fame. David jlieth and commeth to Nob to Achimelcch the Priejl, who mar- veliing to fee him alone^ demands i he occafion thereof. David anftvers that he goes about the Kings fervice^ who hath fo commanded. \ HE faith trutb 3 that he goes about the Kings fervice, for in flying he doth the King good Service by bereaving him of occafion to doe a great outrage" His flight is not to efcape chaftifernent for his D ay I d Perfected. 85 his offence$,but to avoyd the mifchievous 1 rcquitall of his benefits. O the lamentable condition of men of high defert, they have two moft potent enemies,' Envic and Feare, the one very hardly to be overcome, the other impof- (ible.nay rather the victory over the firft makes the other the greater. Envie like a mountaine, if the waters of valour in- creafe, is fometimes overwhelmed ; but feare like a (hip, the more they increafe, the higher do:h it rife. What mud they doe then, that are fobefet with impofTi- bilities ? Let them couragioufly make head again (I the obftades of their good fortune, if where it is $ and where not, let them give place to the ey ill. It is neceffary fometimes even in a itorme to ftrive againfl: the win if hec fuffir no outward violences hath none within hint; thote which w^caUnt^diueMrtd which was Brattai thn thay ff^jcoaa tht Ltw $ tee mtio to biafch by fhs L«*,- Taw m nek% eonf^a^sby fuppofttQji, having a eondicionatl antecedent tor itheir fouadation : But ths fuppofitions that arc not authorized by the Law,have no confidence; for other wife, all the aftions of msn (hould be la wtail, feeing ail might bee neceflary by fuppofmg a iconditionall antecedent before them, out iof which a neceffiry confequsnee fhouid jarife by fuppotition. Therefore it is not true that necsflry hath no law, but it is very true tha: the nccefficy which hath no Law isonly that which is an eneny to the Law- David 88 David Perfecuted. Dav d flics to Achifh, but feeing him- felfe and his venues known, being much afraid of his envy, he faineth him felfe to be mxd^ andchangeth his countenance before him. HEe that is borne into this great Theater of the world, ought to know how tofuithimfelfeintofundry habits, that heemay be enabled in this Comedy to reprefent many perfons. When a man fees himfelfe perfecuted by envy, hce muft like the fhelfim falsi- fied by the dew of Heaven, call: away his Pearle rather then be a prey to thofc that have him in chaf:. David puts on a forme of madneffc, and by it brings A- cbijh to put off his envy. The counte- nance of the former is transformed be- fore the eyes of the latter, not that the effigies of the one is altered, but the in« tellecT: of the other: If it had pleated the Lord by his mercy and benignity to root up envy out of the world, how many Davids would change their coun- tenances in the prefence of *Achifh i But they that hate valour and vertue, let 8p David Perfected. let them ( I befeech them ) tell me what thing it is they thinke they hate , they hate even themfelves. Vertue cannot be odious; if it be good, it is faire alfo ; if it be faire it is the object of love, and not of hatred. The envious is an igno- rant Painter, or a malicious one ; who in drawing the vertue of others deforms It 5 cither he takes the perfections from if, or addes imprefe Aions to it, and blames in another that which himfeife hath added of his own to it, or what he hath taken from it. Yet this were not much if he did not alfo expofe that picture to publique view, that they who cannot fee the original! might hats it* Take away David out of my -pre fence, faith Achifli-, Have I any need of madmen { THis King is oneof thofe that when the time comes (hall call themfelves felves fooles, for having believed wifemen to be fooles: I know not which error to bee the greater, either to thinke wife go David Perfected. wife men to be fooles, or to account fools to bee wife men: of this ignorance as out of a root arife all precipitated cour- feSr The mod dangerous perfonthatis reprcfentcd, and the greateftfoolcthat can be found, is hee that takes upon him to be wife. David departs thence, md favesbim- felfe in the Cave of Aduilam^Aw hkketknn&nddlhU Fathers tmfe com tm* htm. AS a Foralgnc Warre is th6onl$ re- medy to unite the difordinatc mindes in Common- Wealths, fo arc en- mities and perfecutions to make an at- tornment in families. This is a true rule when, the difcords arenotbloudy, and when proceeding no farther than to fome high tearmes, they are not growne to hatred* Thofe brethren that in a fort would ha ve hindered the fortune of David, are they which now are willing to help him in his mifery.Bafe minds applaud our fe- licities, David Perfecuted. pi Hetties, and abandon as in our difafters ; buf they that are only corrupted by en- vie, retaining yet a kinde of generofity, when tneir en vie rather fprings from de- firc of honour , than Malignity , they runne readily to aflift their alies in their dangers : and if they goe not to ap- plaud them in their glory, it is not for that they defire not to fee them great,but becaufe they themfelves would gladly be great. The malecontented alfo gathered toge- ther to David* and made him their Capaine. IT is impofiible but there fhould bee fome fuch kinde of people in a State. If the Prince be good, then theevillare malecontent; if hee be evill, the good are : and fome that are Kot di/pleafed with the Princes government , are fo with their own, by which being ruina- ted and wafted, when they have no hope in quiet courfes, they affedl nothing but turbulencies. The ftate ought to beware of 2, mofl potent enemies,hope and defpaire for David Perfecuted. 9i for thcfe two extremes are they that m«- left if, the grcatcftand theleaftof qua- lity ; the onefuppofing that their good fortune calleth tnemto a better eft ate: the other by their evill one are ftirred to avoyd the word : for this caufe I (up. pofe was that City preferred by a profeft politick Writer which is inhabited by the middle fort of men. The Prophet Gad advifeth David to depart ^ and to go into the land of Iu- dah, and Saul hearing that David wasfeewe there ', complaineth greatly amongfl his fervants, that David being not able to give them vine- yards nor houfes, nor make them Commanders^ nor otherwife reward them, (hould find followers and he be abandoned. PRinces do crre when they thinke their Rebels fhould not be followed in hope of reward. I fpeake not of Da- vid who was a King and no Rebel), one that David Perfecuted. £3 that was raifed up, and not rifen againft bis Prince ; one that was flying from him, and not contending againlt him. The rewards expe&ed of treachery are farre greater than thofe that are yeeldcd to fidelity. And what doe not they pro- mifc, which promife that which is none of their own ? what doe they not give before they bee well advifed that it is their own ? Difordinate minds are not content with ordinate rewards : their troublefome heads account quietnefle their enemy, and even thofe of a quiet difpofition doe Sometimes furfet of reft, becaufe the naturall dcfire of change makes felicity it fclfe to be tedious. The Subjects ferving their Prince, if they will bee rewarded, oftentimes are driven to (hew fbme exceffive merit, becaufe there are few that thinke them- felves bound to thofe whofetervice is bound to them : but he that followes a Rebell, hath allready merited of him in that he followeth him. That falfe pro- pofition, that to worke where one is ob- liged diminiftieth his merit, is both per- nicious to Princes, and prejudicial to Subjects, The obligation rather increa- feth 94 David Perfecuted. feth the merit, feeing reward is due to the Subject not only for that/which he prcfently performetb, but for his future actions which hce hath obliged himfelfe unto. The ftranger that doth fbmewhat for the Princes fervice, gives-him onely fome fruitx>f his owne tree, whereas the Subject hath given himthctreeitfclfc with all the fruit* Doeg the tfdumean anfwereth Saul , that he faw David when he came to Achimclcch the Prieft^ who gave him be fides vifiuals^ the (word of Goliah \ the King fends to call him and sjueltions him thereabout. He^ who the truth being knowne, exyeB- ed reward rather than punishment , doth not excufe himfelfe as not guiU tie, but fpeakes with that confidence which rather proceeds of innocency than temerity\ faying* K^ind who is among al thy Servants more faith- full than David the Kings Son in- Law David Perfecuted. 95 Law , and readier to doe all thy Com* mandements f neither is this the firftthttethat I have prayed the Lord for him. Farre be the name of a Re- bell from me. J. thought 1 had done fervice to thee, in doing fervice to thy chief e Favorite. ■ T He Tub/efts of the Tyrant that hath an inward Favorite, are intangled in (freights inextricable. Let them look for mine at all hands, if they hate him when he is exalted, or if they love him when hec falleth; yet what errour doe they commit in loving him, but that their Lord doth the fame? Hec cannot finde fault with others, unlefleheefirft condemne hitnfelfe ; and he ddcrves the greater chaftifement, b^caufe he ought to have greater advertifement, irrconfider- ing who he is whom he exalts above o- J thers. Itis not the part of Subjects to examine the actions of their"Soveraignes It i> their glory to fecond them; and yet it is not fufficient to obey the com- mands of a Tyrant, if we dive not alfo into his fecret thoughts. Hee that leekes E to $6 David Ptrfecuted. to fcarch into them, makes himfclfe (as it were guilty of death; hee that doth not, eafily becomes lyablc. He embraces iometimes fuch a one as he could be con- tent were made away by his Sub;eds,he diffembleth for his proper intereft, yet permits not others to doe fo for theirs. If his thoughts were alwayes bent to- ward the prosperity of his people, hee were a wicked Sub jeA that did not bend himfelfc wholly to his lervicc. Saul commands Achimelech and att the Priefls of Nob, to kfiaine. I Who have found elfewhereth at the feme proceeding which provoked Saul Jci&d pacified a Tyrant, (hould won- | der at the diverfity oi thcefFecT, had it ; not becne produced by the innocency of \ David, who left sAchimclech no place to defend himfelfc without condemning the King, not oncly of an overfight as it was in the other, but even of ingrati- tude, perfidioufnefle, and cruelty, Saul David Perfected* 97 Saul faith^ kill Achimelech and all thePrieflsy but no man ftirreth^ he bids Doeg kill them, andhee fre- fentlj obeyetb. THc voyce that commanded] in ge- nerall,proceedeth not with fo much fharpncfle, as that which is dircd- ed to fome particular. The dividing of it into fo many earcs, makes fo many di- vifions, that it becomes dirninifhed ki every of them. The rewards as al/o the puniihments which arc in common, come but (lowly, but the private areas fooneofetain'd, as they aredefcrved : He that would chaftife generail errors, or would reward the merits of all, as thofe of fome particulars are ; on the one fide hee would deftroy the world, and the empty treafuries on the other : And therefore as in the great errors of a mui- j titude, the proportio decupla is obferved, j fo like wife in fuch great benefits,thc like | decimation is ufed, if not fome greater proportion. Whence it comes that par- ticulars are more eafily wrought on to doc well, and with greater difficulty to do evill the multitude,bccaufe their feare £ 2 and 08 David Perfected. and hope of chaftifement and reward is greater. Saul goetb afterward to Nob 3 where he killeth [mall and great \ as mil of the one [ex as of the other % a* mil men others. TF that City had been culpable,and Da. cither ha- ving 1 paflfed into a further degrec> ovbc* iog Day id Perfecuted. 107 ing& overpafTed himfelfe. Though Saul were more enraged againfl: %)avid f yet he leaves purfuing him to go againfl: the PhMfims, with whom he hath aaore in- tereft. Phyfitians do fame times not only not atfwage a ^griefe, but fuffcr it alfo to grow ; whiles they cure, a putrid Fe- ver hapneth. Hee isvery unwife, that for the healing of a part is carelefleof the whole, which when it dyeth 3 the part dyes with it. David leing retired into the holds of, I Engadd 1 , Saul returnes to purfue him even in rookie places, having vatjquifhed the Phihftims, and en- - tering into atCave for bis necefjarj buftnt(fe : , he hapned into the fame, in which David and his men were hid^ where they perfrvade David to kill himjbut he ts contented only to cut off a lap of his garment. . TO kill the-chiefe Commander of an Army, if hee be" gracious with-it, whea hee that kiileth him hath not f another j 108 David Perfected. another Army, is the revenge of a pri- vate perfon to discharge his paflion of hatred, but not of a Prince that defireth dominion. The Army is thereby incea- fed, maketk prcfcntfy another chiefe , thinkes to revenge the loflfe of their Prince, hateth the tnurthcrer , and is more ready. to dye againft him, than ferve under him. David, who was in the way to the Kingdome by manfuetude and fortitude, accompanied with the feare of God, and. by coniequcncc a re- verence toward his King, and humility withall, could fprgoe thole vermes, and take to him revenge with irreverence and cruelty, without lofle of reputation. Hee that is come forward with one ver- tuc, ought rather to dye than to change it : there arc fome who having gotten reputation by one manner of proceeding, cannot alter it, becaufe it is naturall to them ; others will not, becaufe they are profpercd withic; and thofe ought ne- ver to change, whofc demeanour hath ever been vcrtuous. That power which is riling, becaufe it rifeth commonly by themcanes of reputation, muft beware of lofing ir, and prcferre it even before l life, D ay I d Perfecuted. 109 life, for therewith all its good is lofy Politicians have eft cemed this rule to be fo true, that they have made it an uni- verfail one, and will have a Prince rather to hazard his eftate and life, than to lofe by meanes of Peace,* Truce, or Tribute his reputation. I fubferibe not to their opinion, yet doc I agree, that if the greatnefTe of a Prince confift in his repu- tation, hec ought rather to dye than to tofc it 1 but if it bee founded on (tore of triony and people which are his Subjc&s, let him y celd to the time,make peace and truce ever, though it bee with difad van- tage of reputation ; let him become tri- butary, though it be to an inferior Nari- on,and leave not any thing undone how meane fbever, (io it bee not againft Gods Law) rather than to adventure his eftate; for any thing is better than to put that i n jeopardy. If that be not loft, it is ne- ver out of feafbn to recover whatlbever is loft : Its prudence in Princes and no Infamy; they ought not to abhorre any thing that may augment or maintaine their dominion. Private men write fuch weakc rules, becaufe they meafure them by their ownccompafle: Every degree oi no, David Perfected. of men hath his proper and peculiar kind of reputation differing each from other, fo farrc forth that many things account- ed infamous in one degree, are well re- puted in another. A Princethat hath a great eftate never lofeth hisreputation,if he lofe not his eftate, for his eftate is his reputation * The world is in a confufion in fuch fort,that men of onedegrec leap- ing into that of others by confounding the diverfe degrees , have confounded all the world. The Merchant will take upon him the Gentleman, and the Gen- tleman the part of the Prince; the reli- gious that of the Souldier ; and where the. reputation of the one confifts in fuf- fering and forgiving of injuries , hce leapes into that of the other, whiles he fcekes .to requite and revenge. I am to bee excufcd if lam long in this matter, which is the caufe of great errours in the world ; for if every one would follow his owne profcflion, it would foonc be known that reputation confifts in know- ing well how to performeiisownpro- feffion. . David David Perfecuted. in David being on one fide of a mount aine :, feeing Saul on the other, calleth unto him and (hetveth htm his garment , afuring him of his goodwill, com- plaineth that hee is perfecuted, tut blameth the Kings Minifiers^ and not the King himfelfe. Saul hearing that malice is imputed to his fer~ vants^ doth not excufe himfelfe by them, hut kphthefmlt on him- fclfe. | T is an ordinary thing of male- con- tented man tocomUine, though not of the Prince himfelfe, yet of his Minifters. That which David doth here out of mo- defty, is done often by others out of fob- tiity. To rife againlt the government, makes the name of a rebellion the leflc odious, deceives the people, yea, many times, the Prisces themfelves for a while who fometimes difcerne not at thefirft the ambition that commeth masked un- der discontentment. Princes ought thcr- fore to have their Minifters about them of Angular goodneffc, and of tried pru- dence, 1 1 2 David PtrfecMed. dence, that upon the firft rumor they may bee well affured of the falfe-hood of fuch complaints, and break the heads of fuch horrible Serpents at their firft ap- pearfng. The reverence that the people beare toward the Prince is fo great, that it would be a d.Vficult thing to ftir them up agamft him, but by firft beguiling them; and though it be all one t* rife a - gainft the government, and to rebell a- gainft the Prince y (becaufe either ihc Princess hethatgovernetk, or he that govcrnes is the Princes Minifter ) yet it app:ares not at firft with fo foule a face. It is true indeed that an infurre&ion of the people is qccafioned by a bad Mini- fter, in which cafe the Prince doth al- wayes amiflc to chaftife him. In the peo- ple there is not alwayes one defire cover* cd under another, but if the great ones arifc againft the government, it is not becaufe they are not well governed, but becaufe they would be governors th:m- felves ;to fatisfie their demands were to content to lofe the Soveraignty, feeing fuch will not be fansfied, till they ob- taine it. Samuel David Persecuted. 113 Samuel dieth, he is buried with honour, And is by the people mojl tenderly be- bew ailed* t Know not whether mourning for the dead proceed of piety,or meer mtereft % It may favour pcrad venture of piety to bswaile when hedietb,but not after he is dead : who would not have companion of his friend, while he fees him, or ima- L gines tormented with thagfisvous ago- i' nics of death. Men arc certainly in very ' great paine, for they are in the paine due to a very great fault : And who would not afcsi rejo/ce to fee him departed victorious over humane frailty, and to triumpth over dea*h it felfe, without hi- ving left any other fpoyle in that conflict than his body, and that for a very fliort time? To lament the dead (if one may fay) is then tnoft impious, when it feemes moft pious : and then ought mod to bee done, when it feemes not du: at ail. The death of the righteous, at which wee ought to rejoyce, makes us to mourne ; and that of the wicked , which wee ought moft to lament, doth rejoyce us. 114 David Perfected. us. It is no friendly but an envious part f o be grieved at the death of that friend , ivhofe life may make us believe that he injoyes his deferved glory. But it is a part of piety to bee forry at their death, whofe wickednefle doth make us doubt that they arc caft headlong into hell. The world is fo mighty fullofevill and defperatefhares that the good ftiould not defire to be in it, becaufe there they may .bs- corrupted ; and fo great is the mercy of the Lord our God, that the wicked (hould defire to be thcreia,tbat they may be amended. But if wee are grieved in regard of our owne intereft, is it not more available that our friends pray to God for us, than to men ? He that thinks he hath loft his friend whenhedieth, if he believe the immortality of the foule,, and doth not thinke him damned, muft then beleeve that the Characters of his vertues arc loft with God. O how true it is that all ourerroursdoefpringand grow from our muddy fenfcs I They ac- knowledge no interelVbut earthy, no happinefle but worldly ; and albeit man is elevated by- his better part unto a more excellent knowledge, yet he cannot de- fire David Perfected. 115 fire it as he ought, becaufc hee cannot •know it as it is. David went unto the wilderneffe of Ra- chan, and underflanding that there dwelt neere thereabout a man exceed- ing rich in jlockes and other pofef- fions, whofe name was Nabal; hee fent unto him on the daj of fheep- fbearing^ to demand (ome relief e of\ provifton and victuals : But Na- bal not only denieth h;m, but with ill words provoking h:m^ declaring his avarice, to be accompanied with ma- lice. r\ IT is an ordinary thing in deftying of benefits ro accompany the denial with injuries ; I know not whether it bee to cloake their avarice with hate, or be- caufc fuch men loving their goods as decrely as their lives, when one demands to have any of them, arein- cenfed with anger,as if he fought fo much of their bloudjor els that it comes to paffe becaule n6 David Perfected. becaufc men in denying what is deman- ded, thinke they have made him their Enemy that 'demanded it, and framing him foch in their imaginations, (peake of him not as one that is become fuch, but as of one that is (o already. Peradven- ture alfb Nabal denies with arrogancy to aceomplifh Davids defac, doubting his guiltinefle might feeme tobeefome fignc that he itood in feare of violence, and to (hew that hee doth not feare it, himfelfc in termes begins to ufe ir. David h incenfedbj the anfwer of\ Na- bal, and fets forward to deftrof him and all his houfe. But Abigail 5 Nabals Wife, being a prudent and a beauti full woman, hearing of Da- vids re que ft) and her hushandsde- niafl, goes with many beafls laden with victuals to meet David, and heginneth with excufe of her Huf- bands ignorance 5 and fooltfhnejfe. , Shee entreats him to accept of the j prefent < David Perfecuted. 117 frefent Jhe brought, md pardon her Husband : iAn& [0 David is ap. peafed. T FT /Omen are of fb great force in V Vperfwading, that it hath beene held all one to hearken to them, and to grant their rcquefts. Hee that forbad them to be brought up in learning, had an eye perhaps not only to their difficul- tie of underftanding, but alfo to their facility in perfwading. Hee that was judged by the Lord God to be the wif- eft, made ufe of fuch an inftrument ; and that tyrant who was written among the mod circumfped , was afraid of this force. Women have alwayes delight joyned with their words, and where delight h, there is alfo perfwafion. If the underftanding doth not agree to it, the will confents t fe that when that which they fay cannot bee believed, yet t hey which have faid it muft not bee dip ; pleated. Their teates arc their Enthy- | mems, their beauty is their (word : where they doe not procure love, there they movecompaflion; yea,andfome- times they perfwade the better, becaufc they; n8 David Perfecuted. they have no skill in perfwading : There is no cunning fufpc&ed where there is no fcience, i yet there is more thereof in their countenance tbaninallRhetorick. It is lawfull to forgoe all ncrceneffe in favour of a fex that is fo amorou s : The weaknefle of it makes us not afhamed to lay down all our wrath to it, yca,rather makes him afhamed that doth not lay ic downe. David doth bletfe God and Abigail , for having by her prudence diverted him from revenging himfelfe of Nabal. T T is a great good hap to bee taken off from a neceffity of revenging himfelfe. He that can divert it aipd doth not, de- fcrveth great blame; hee that hindreth it, great commendation ; and he naerit- erh more that defireth to befo diverted • But there are many now a days defirous of fuch neceflities, which if they be but fmall, they leek to augment them, and faine fome when they findenone. They account \ I>a v i d Perfected. up account it a glory to revenge, and the name of revengefull, glorious. This is a proper art for thofe who having no Talents by which thcyjnakc themfelves knowne to bernen, will make themfelvcs known to bebeafts; they know not how to make themfelvcs honoured, therefore they will make themfelves feared, as if reputation and feare were all one. The vulgar rout brecdUtich kinde of people by applauding them, but filch applaufcs turne to their mines, feeing the quarrels which begin among the greater fort arc for the moft part quenched with the bloudof the meaner* Cities will nerer be rid of thefe bloud-thirfty compani- ons, till they ceafe from commending their bloudy proceedings, neither will the way to fuch falfe praife evet be (lop- ped up, till the way to the true, (ball be layd opens which then only will be ef- fected, when Princes and States giv@ place and occafion to their Subje&s to make knowne their true valour, and re« ward them according to their due defer- ving, F Abigail 120 David Ferfecnted. Abigail returms to Nabal, andbecaufe (he fin Acs him drunken, jhe forbear es till the momingto fpeake unto him, and then tells him what hadpajfed ., which when hee had beard, his heart was dead withtn him as a fl one j and within few dayes he dyes. WHy fliould Nab ah heart be- come dead, feeing his offence was pardoned ? or rather why fhould not his heart be dead, feeing he had of- fended? Dtf&^doth not caft him down, it is only his owne Confcience. He that offends his neighbour unjuilly offends his own reafon, and although his neigh- bour hath pardoned him, (he never par- dons him : the revenge take n of him, is the remembrance of his offences. Na- bal cannot believe that revenge to bee a- boliflied, whofe characters being blotted out of the memory of men, are written in heaven ; for then are they written there, when they are ftrucke out here* He doth not perfectly pardon, who doth not pray God to pardon ; which if he doe, hee doth not thereby diminifh the offences, David Perfecuted, i« offences, but in (bme fort incrcafeth them. If the Iudges, whom the Holy Ghoft caileth gods, didrefemblcGodin punifhing of finnes, as they defirctp be like God in fuperiority above others, there would not be Co much offending, and there would be more pardoning. A man hath no fooner forgiven an oflence, but the Judge alfo pardons it; yea r fom- timesalfb the Iudge hath abfolved before the party hath pardoned. That favage fierccneffc of never pardoning an enemy would foone be abolifhed , if their par- doning did augment the offences in the judiciary feats of men, as it doth in a fort before the Tribunali or high Iuftice of God. But when the offchded pardo- neth , the offences are written above , though here being remitted they are can- celled. David taketb Abigail being a woman of fingular beauty and prudence to Wife, and Saul gives hts danjAer^ who wm firfi the Wife of David 5 wtftfPhalti. F2 Who 122 David Perfeatted. TWyHo dcfires to marry to beauty , may peradventure mcete with a Dcyill : for the Dcvill alio hath fomc beauty. But he that dcfircs to bee joy- ned with Prudence, if he marry not an Angcll, yet hGe is furcly married to an Angclicall vertue. Prudence is a fire which converts all Antimony into me- dicinc , makes her pleafing that's de- form*d,makes her tolerated that is poorc, and her quietly enjoyed that is faire : for it is a Bezar that corrects the venomc of beauty; Jtmakesitmajefticall, and not lafcivious, and being ma jefticall it is the daughter of the radiant beames of Iuft- ter % not dCVenta ; rather enforcing re- verence, than enflaming defirc. He that fees her, conceits her a thing impoflible to obtainc, and the will never fixeth up* on impofiibilities ; if it bee not Rx^d it reflects on the object, if it doe not reflect, it loves not, for the often refle- ctions are the producers of love. The Ziphims got to Saul, andadver- tife him that David U in their de- fats David Ptrfeeuted. ti$ farts, and -he goes to [eekefamwitb 3000. chofenSouldiers. SEE how the pride of Saul is not mitigated with the humility of B 4* via 1 , perhaps becaufe the pride &as joy- ned with intcreit,and the humility with reputation. The proud man becomes meekc, not when his Enemy hath hum* bled himfelfe s but When he himfelfc hath humbled him. That humility that is be- gotten by feare, doth ever mitigate the pride that isnotbrutifh : he that belie- ved otherwise might haply have beene deceived, by confounding the one with i interefr, and the other with great neib of min^e. The proud man will have his Enemy bow unto him jbut if then when ne boweth downe, his deeds lift fiim up, he doth not mitigate, but rather exafpc- rate him, becaufe indeed of magnifying him; hec doth afflid and confound him, All the wife, yea , and wily men doe humble themfelves to him that perfecutes them ; when their humility encreafcth their reputation, which it alwayes doth when feperated from debility. The great- elt pride that may be found, goes clad in F3 the 124 David Perfected. the habit of humility ; and oftentimes is not difcerned by others, but himonely againft whom it is im ployed ;and becaufe by the reft it is not discovered, they can* not oppofc againft it without being bla- med. David being enformed of Sauls 4m- W/, and having gotten fome know- ledge of his ftrength^ calls unto him Achimelech and Abifhai • ashes them who will got with me into the i_sfrmy of Saul, and AbifliaUtf- frvcrs^l will got* \fX7\lzn Princes conferre a degree of Honour on a fubjecl, they will make choice thcmfelves ; buc in a matter of danger, they ufe to leave him to his owne choice : and whereas the fubjeel: thinkes to make his merit the greater, by how much it is the more voluntary ; the Prince on the contrary fometimes holds himfelfc leffe oblged to him whom hee hath leaft obliged, I blame not this pro- ceeding, lb it be not of purpofc to avoyd to David Perfecuted. 125 to be beholding, but to be aflured of the fufficiency and love of thefubjeft* To expofe him to danger and to love him, doe not very weD agree. To make one to offer himfdfe in a voluntary manner,is not fafricient argument of foch affection* if without much entreaty his offer be ac- cepted. David and Abifhai goe to the campe of Saul, where they finde the Guard, the King himfelfc and all his Soul- diets afleepc. THe Lord God ordinarily in theef- icfts of the world fuffcs his hand to be feene of them only that are very . fharp fighted, becaufe he works by natu- rall inftruments; yet fometimes alfo he will be feene even of thofe that are blind, bfcaufe he workes by thcfupernaturall armeof his Omnipotency. When there are operations perceived to bee contrary to the ordinary courfc, that the watch- full arc found fleeping, that the prudent are overfeene, that the valiant arc faint F 4 hearted ; / 1 2# David Perfected. hearted ; there they that arc well fight- ed difcerne the hidden finger of God, who when hee intendeth the mine of fome houfe or kingdome, or any other place, takes from it thofe that might fave it ; orotherwife alters them in fiich fort, that they oppofc not his dc- fignes: fometimes aifo taking away the mark of naturall things, hee fends an Angels to burne Cities, to deftroy Ar* myes, and raifeth up Captaines, that with the light of a torch or a lamp make Cities fall do wne ; and then there is no eye fo blinde, but feeth therein the Al- j mighty hand of God* Abifhil would; hwe Jt/in Sau!, Da- vid would not, permit him^ but , takes away his Jpeare and his. pot of water. WHo will wonder at David, that having been as a Lion when he (lew the Giant QUiab y he now fhawes himfelfc a lambe in furring Saul, to live, if he were a figure of that God ? who David Perfecuted. 127 who to the (inner was aLambe, anda Lion to the DevilL Hec that aimeth at a dignity, in Shewing himfclfe faint- hearted in obtaining it, will not prove couragious when hee hath obtained it* David did not foibeare to fay Saul for any rcafbn of State, but abftained from it for the reverence and feare of God. Where hath that man been found, that knew this peece of policy at any time ? It is too finely wrought to be difcerned by the eyes of thofe that arc blinded with the pafilons of defire to rule or re- venge, untill having obtained the do- minion or thcrevenge they defired, their eyes happily are cleared ; thentbey be- gin to confider thac which theyftiould haveconfidered before, they arc afraid of the example which themfelves have begotten ; whence it came to pafle that many have revenged the death of thofe Princes, of which^hemfelves have been the procutors. They are terrified in their feat of State, they hate their Scep- ter, as if it 'thrcatned violent death to him that^treads on it or hold it : They ftand in fear of the ftarres that rule over that kingdome, as if the vanity of thofe were 128 David Perfected* were true, as it is mod falfc ; who have bclceved that the violent conftellations of kingdomes, with a very little helpe of the Kings Horolcopc had the power to kill them. David calleth out to Abner, and re- moves him for not having kept the King duly. IKnow not whether this were good policy to provoke the Generall of the army, but I know that Abner after the death of Saul, was he that made all the war againft David, He complaints againeto Saul of his be- ing perfecuted, faying^ifOodhath Jlirred thee up again ft me, let him bee appealed with facrifice ; // men have done it, ac cur fed bee they of Cod. He Day id Perfected. 133 David with bis men goe to Achiflv/tf King of Seth , which when Saul under Uood^ hee left of furfuing him. TT fecmes lawful! to flie among the Pa- gans when there is no other way to fave Tiimfelfe, fa that hee live not like a Pagan ; and he is not alwayes to bee bla* med, that hath rccourfe to their help for the recovery or defence of his own eftate It hath becne fometimes alfp permitted to help them againfl: oihcr Pagans, fo the help we yecld them be in favour of rea- fon and right. But it (hall be alwayes recorded for a great fault to fuccour, to encourage, to move or to counfell the Idolaters to an Invafion of the ftates of true beleevers, for that were not to goe againft men, but againffc God, tolcflcn his kingdome, and to enlarge the con- fines of the DevilL David faith unto Achifli , / am not worth) to dwell in the head Cit) with thee. j 134 .. David Perfccuted. thee. appoint me, I befeech thee fome other place : then Achifh af- filed him Ziklag. JT\Av$d withdrawes himfelfe from J-/thc Coart of King Mhifb ; not becaufc Courts arc to be f orfiken, but hec retires himfelfe, becaufc his different re* ligion and great valour, would Have made him fufpefled and feared. I am not of their mind that blame and condemne the Court, it is the true-P aragon of ver- ous men : there is no place where vice is fboner difcovercd, and Vertncmore rewarded. It is a light by which mens hearts- are feenc and difcerncd, yea> it is a moft cleare teft to diftinguifh naturall gold from that of Alchimy. Hec that hath great talents let him haften thither, for there they are glorioufly fpentand employed. Let him not regard the com- plaints of thofe whofe talents , how great foever they have beene, have not advanced them. Jt may perhaps bee found > if they were examined, that they were not printed with the ftampc of prudence^ and fo of no value, becaufe hec that had them couid not utter them, or Day id Perfected* 135 or becaufe he would have them goe for more than they were worth. Hee that excells in any art or fcience, if he have not withall fame eminent place in Court hee cotnplaines that vcrtues are not re- garded. Princes for the moft part both efteems. and reward all men according to the greatiieffi of their quality, not of their ambition : and if any one com- plaine, it is thought he hath more of that than of the other. A great part of the errors in the world arifeth hence, not becaufe every one doth not give place to his better, but becaufe every one doth not know his better; ani inieed, it is a difficult thing to kno # htm, tecoiS he goas not ilwayesclai in ttefarcecloth. Men deceive themfelves in equivocating from agrcatneffowith an addition to an abfolute greatnes ; believing oftentimes, becaufe they are cfteemed the beft in fome one thing, that therefore they (ho^ld be the beft efteemed. He only in regard he is the greatei in his profeflion, /hill bee in great repute above others, whofe pro- feflion fhall bee in eftimation above o- thers. David 136 David Pafecuted, David with his men goes forth of the Cm to fpoyle and destroy certaine Idolatrous Countries, and returning to Achifh, makes him beleeve that he hath beene to endamage the Ifrac- lices • and the King thereupon is per (waded that he might ajfure him' filfe of David, believed that bee had fo fane provoked the Ifraelites that hee could no more be reconciled MAny Princes when they were gro wnc jealou 3 of the fidelity of a fabje&, have ufed thelikemcanesto be fecured of him, and the chie ft ft among Rebels doe commonly ground their hopes in putting thofe that follow them in defpaire. Yet ail fuch rampiersare veryweake, and eafily overthrowne, as foonc as aflaulted with the Engine of reafon and Ihte. it facilitateth pardons, makes offbnees to be forgotten,and over- comes all defires,becaufe the defire of do- minion, is the firft begotten and eldeft of ail the affccYions. The Princes that are wary and circumfpeft, doe thinke them fetves David Ferfecnted* 137 fclves only affured of that faith which is cither enforced, or interefled. The Philiftims prepare a great *^rmy to got again ji Saul . Achi fh invit- tth David to got with him^ andhtt accepts of his invitation. I Would not that this place (hould ferve for any example to any Chriftian Princes* to accompany anypnfidels in opprefling the faithfull : Hec had no thoaght of bringing thePhiliftims.into tbeLsnd of /faet, out hee was brought into the poflcfli m of that Kingdomeby tsichifb, onto which God had ele&ed him. The Philiftims went not to fight againft the kingdome, but againft the King ; -as was clcarely feenc, when after the overthrow given to rcfuppofechitinany s is foments t& : :eivcd 5 and bec^ufe he is fometimes ttcwv d, he doth never prefuppofe ir, ft annot bee believed without Mm\i ome errour in policy, or without feme :rrour already made, He that mates ufe >r it after long experience doth not erre^ G yet 144 David Perfected. yet erred then when heenaadeexperi. enccofit. Achiih although T>M\&hadnotbeene with him above fixe moneths, faith that be hadhinmth him feme years, U make it beleeved that if hcehad beeneevill, heejhottldhavckflmw htm* IT is not altogether impoffible tore- fraine nature a long time, but it is fo in ihe utmoft confines of poflibility.Tbere is requifite therunto a perpetual afiiftancc judgement ; nature is ready to move according to her inclination, if (be be notalwayeswith-held.i and it through headlefnefle or wearines (lie be left unto her fetfe, (He falls like aftonc to her own center. Hcrchence comes that little truth which is found in Attrologicall prcdiftion?, or rather which wee make them have; becaufe our inclination is a mover that continually worketh in us* and doth not alvvayes findc a contbiuU refiftance. That which is violent is faid to David Perfected. 145 to be of little continuance, not only for the ncceflity in hirn thatufcth the vio- lence to be al wayes working ; but; alfo becaufe he is therewith fo wearied, that either wearineifc or fatiety makes him to ceafe. David feemes to bee grieved that A- chifh mil not take him with him, not knowing that he hath given him any occasion to the contrary : A- chiih answers that in his eye? hee is ansAngelhf God, fat the Prin- ces of the army are not f leafed in him, LOe here a means how one may lofe his inward familiarity with a Prince and get not his favour. The confpi- racy of great ones where thcry beare great fway, undoubtedly cither doth ruin the favevritcj or trouble the ftate, whenfoevet he tbaris greateft with the Prince, is not the greateft among tr?cm,j It> fuch a cafe men would not bee afha- G: med 1^6 David Ferfecuted. med to bow unto him, to whom though he were not the favourite, hc2 ought t bow: and there would be opened unco them a clear way without any dirty flat- tery, or thorny danger, to runne a happy courfe between the obfequioufnefle, and odious liberty; but this fcldomc or ne- ver happens: whether bythecunning of Princes, or by nature, I know not. This Art teacheth them thai the greateft in theftate may not bee called into in- ward fivour without danger of domi- nion, from which hee is but one pace diftant. Nature teacheth to lift up the lowly, and to beat downe the mighty; aed this nature is dictated of God, who raifcth the poore from the dunghill to place him among Princes, even with the Princes of his people : It is fignified by the fiarrcs , whofe radiation is then thought to be great, powerfull,and glo- rious ; which lifting men from low e- ftate, doth feate them with Princes. It is finally manifefted in the earth, whiles it favourably cheri(het}i and raifeth up thoie plants that are not wrapt in gold, that is refplendent, but buried in the bafenefle of the foyle that is uncleanc. What D a v id Perfected. 147 What inftruftion may then be given to favorites for eichewing the hatred of great ones? The wittieft politicians feemes to commend fuch a fubjeft, as contenting himfelfe to bee thegreateft of the great ones in authority about the Princesi cared not to exceed the meaner ones in dignity : I take this to be want of knowledge, how to make ones beft benefit of the fortunes that befall one, or rather an abufing of them : and that it is no way furricient to^xtirpate envy, to become the obj^db of cempaffion. Hethatthinkes riches and honours arc envied, is deceived : It is the command* the applaufe, the obfequioufnefie, that they bring with them 2 if thefe were fe* parated from the King, it were no de- firable thing to be a King. A very imall reverence, and a very little place, is fufficient to fatisfie what our bodies re- quire : but the whole world k not e- nough to quench the thirft of the mind; which (lands alfo with reafon, becaufe the body may eafily finde his object in a bodily world. But the mind which is afpirit, never findes it where there is no fpirit. It deceives it ielf fometiroes I G3 in! 148 David Perfected. j in running with the body after fome 1 6odily thing, as toward a proper ob- j j eel:; but no fooner is the fame obtained, I but the errour is difcovered. Thofe I pleafing taftes which fome altogether fenfiall do account but as fmoak, which are the obfcquionfnefle, the reverences, the applaufes, thefe are the greateft food to the minde, becaufi thefearetheleaft corporeall. There are a thoufand other precepts Written for favourites, both to defend them from the hatred of the great, and from every other oecafion that might works their overthrew! Some alfo I could adde which are not mentioned by others, but becaufe they are all vainc and frivolous,! will not fill up the page with fiich vanities and weakneffcs : I will fay one onely thing, being the trued and (e- cureft courfe to maintains himfelfe in the Princes favour, which may wellbeper- formd,and may well be fpoken of; yet cm it not be learned nor taught, which is, to preferve alwayes the love of the Prince, and the manner how to preferve it* It is true, that the favourite never falls with- out fome caufe, but the fame caufes have not David Perfected. 149 not al way the fame effects : for fomtimes they are furmounted by an affection, grea» ter than their owne , if this (lands firm sn i fure, there can be no danger; if this fhrinkes, then the mine Is at hand : not becaufc he falls without caufe,but because 'tis impofTiblc not to give fome caufe,and then the letter have more force than at a- *hothcr time the greater would. Acon- ftellation which would fcaroc have cau- fed a fimple tertian in youth (by confent of thofe that write thefe vanities in A* ftrotagy) is fufficient to kill onein his decrepit age, Hee trutwculd not have his love decline, let hi.n hold both his eyesaiwayes fixed upon the Prince, ne- ver depart from him, never feeke any o- ther but bftn; forasfboneas heeturnes his eyes to himfclfe or others, hee is un- done. His greatnefie, his affection?, his pieafures, and delights, muft bee in his Prince. Neither let him thinke that by this means he may miffe of preferments, but rather that h:e Pnall be fore of them , and peradventure with lefTe envy. Hee j that pofKfctb things that are fabjeel: to j envie, and takes no delight in them, is I rather to be pit-tied, than envied. But ; G g 4 who j 150 David Perfected. who is hee that wi'l doe fo> having the man that is full of affe&ioiv and moft tenderly enamoured of his Lord. It is a thing that cannot bee reduced into Art, though it be eafily knownc. Affectation differs much from affection, which if he hath not, let him not imitate ; forfuch imitations are odious in the fchoole of love 1 they that will tnaintaine theot- felves in tne Princes favour with Art* their Art failes them, and they then faiie with theie Art returns with his men to Ziklag % whereby they finde that the Amalc- kites have burnt the City, and car- ried away all the Inhabitants pr i fi- ner s, with Davids Wives alfo - y and the people therewith enraged, would have floned him. |T is no marvcll that this multitude * would have ftoncd innocent 7) avid: men being angry, feeke fbme fub/ect on which Da v i d Perfected. 15 X which they may difchargc their paffion \ yet if they finde not thofe that offend them , they fuppofe whomfoever they mecte to bee the fame ; yea, and fome- times when there appeares before theoi no other, on which they may revenge themfelves,they beat the pavement with their feet, and the Walls with their fifts. And this is no (iich folly as many doe imagine, but an inftincl: of nature; which feeling the heart fuffocated by fo great a quantity of fiery fpirits, fcekes to eafe her fclfe by diverting fome part of them in theexercifingof fome acti- on. The paifions of the people are too di« ftemp:.rate going alwayes to extremes, which is not proper to the peeple,as they are a people, but as they are a multitude; in which every one hath his particular paffion, and participated! alfo with that of the others, and with that participa- tion increafeth his owne. I have fome- times doubted, ( but I fay it is not a thing undoubted) that in this increafing the contracting at haft of the fpirits hath fome part : confidering tiat a multitude of people gathered together, finds no thing 152 David Perfected. thing to ftay it from going whither is may go without feparating, and whither they would not goe with leffe danger if they were fepa rated : from whence may be taken an infi ruction for them that wil fortitie thcmklvcs in a place that they have regard to accommodate in fuch manner, that the fortification it felfe may be able to withftand the incurfion of a multitude ; or otherwife, not think their ftrengtb fafficient to maintaine it with neither fire nor fhot t David ashes coiw fell of the Lord ther- ufon what fhall be done , and fnd- denly turnes to follow the fiefs of the Amalelutes, THis is the beft way to withdraw himfelfc out of danger to divert an angry multitude to the true object of their anger, that thereby they may forfake the talfco They Day id Perfected. 153 The) finally find out the Amalekites, fight with thtmjmd overc$me them 5 recovering the prey with the Priso- ners : And the [pile which thjeyh d taken, David witi have divided with thofe that ktftthe baggage, and were not at the hrkt. THe Capraine of a male contented company, had need bee both valo- rous, and circumfpefl : that heat that ftirres up a multitude, whether for love to their leader, or anger againft their Prince, groweth foone cold, and then gives place to a comparison* to which facceedeth repentance; the confequence whereof, is either the killing of their Captaine, or the abandoning of himi Neither is it fufficicnt for the efchewing of fuch a danger, to have once gotten a great reputation : time confumeth it, and how great foever it be, reduceth it to nothing. It is neceflary tolinkc it in- to a chaine, not fuffcrii ig the report of a great action to ceafe, without renewing it with another as great or greater. Da- vid becaufe his flying from Sanl might take 1 54 David Perfecuted. take from him the reputation he had got- ten in fubduing the Giant, no (boner be- gins to flie, but he rictus and overcomes the Philiftiracs, that had facked KtUah > 3 and becaufe that flight is an argument of fearc, and chat, teare brings a loflTe of re- putation, hec makes it knownc that he could twice have killed the King , to give his flight the title of reverence, and to take away the imputation of feare. Afterward being returned to Zihlag^ that the malccontcntcd might. not have leifure to make any reflections on hina to hisharme ; and deflrous to maintaine his J reputation, hee oftentimes with honour I and profittohimfelfeafnulteththelnfi^ I dells ; and finally vanquifhetb the Ama- { Jekites, and recovereth that reputation, the diminution whereof , had brought him into the peril! of being ftoned. The Philiftimcs fight with afclfrae- Iites, and havt broken the bod) of their Army, and flaine three of the Kings fonnes ; the firength of the whole charged §2\A,wken he turning to David Persecuted, i 5 5 to his Armour-bearer^ prayes him to kill him^ that he might not he a deri- sion to. the uncircumc/fed; which when hee refufed $au\ fets his owne Sword againll his hreatt^ and fal- ling on it ^ kills himfelfe. Know nor how the dcicription of Death to be the utmoft of all terrible things ,fhould be underftood : If in this life the utmoft of all delectable things be not ta be had, why fhould the utmoft of the terrible ? Oae. of the contraries cannot bee admitted, but the other mull alfo be granted* Now to live, not being the utmoft of delectable things, reach- eth that,- to. dye is not the utmoft of the terrible. The not finding in this our world any objed that is the laft of de- lectable and of terrible thingsf if we will not fup'poic the powers without an ot- je&) makes us beleevc that it is in the other world, acid in that other world, is God fecne and not; focne* But hee that defcribed death the , la ft of all terrible things^meant it of things in this world; which would be true,if 4>oken of the laft in \$6 David Perfecuted. in number, and not in weight : for o- t hcrwifc, if ic be fuch in it felfe, it mud then bee alway fuch unto all : And yet we read of many men that have imbra- ce i n,:o efchelh (omc other thing,which we mud nee is beleeve was more terrible to them. He that wonders at a lefoluti- on fo extravagant as makes a man kill himfHfe, may marvell at nature alio which being fometimes terrified at death doth prevent it* The Armour-bearer of Saul feeing what his Lord had done ' 5 dravtes out like- wife his frvord^ and kills himfclfe. Some Writers are of opinion that this was Docg the Edomite, Sauls fa- *u write; who left he jlmJdbef 'uni- fied by his fucceff or failed himfelfe. THe Favourites of a Prince that hath a fucceflbur, if they dye not before Satil % yet they dye often with Sat I. ] know not how to fteere them from this Rock : there hath been one, that feeing no other remedy,tnade at the Sovcrai gn- tie David Perfecuted. 1 5 7 tie it felfc, and was juft there deftroyed. There hath been alio that turned his bick to the Wc(t,and fate his eyes toward the Eaft,and towards thofe rayes that wculd have bin deadly to him, had not that Sun bin then under the line of t\\zHcrUon. As the fonnes of Princes cannot endure any companion in domination, no more will Princes in their love.He that thinks there is no envie betwixt the Father and the fon, is deceived. The honours dene to the fon, if they increafe that of the fa- ther, doe rejoyce him ; but if th:ydi- minifh his, they make him forrowfull ; which becaufc it falls out butfcldome, men fuppofe there is no fuch tl ing When the favourite hath hope that by courfe of Nature he (hail furvive the Prince, it is a hard matter for him not to have an eye to the future ; toward which if hecafta look,he lofcth thst which is prcfent t but hee deferves no favour, that defircs or thinkes to out-live his Lord. The great-, eft felicity that may befall the former, (i\ being not lawfull for any violently to charge upon death) would be to end his life juft when tbeJatrer. dieth. It is hard to dye before him, bccaule it is no cafe i thing ! 158 David Perfecuted. thing to leave one that is his Patron, and his Love. Hee that blames Princes for having favourites, would have them in- humane and vile: What thing is a man that harh no love? or wherein may a Prince {hew gracious unto others, or fee himfelfe his owne greatneflc, but in ad- vancing of others ? and how or why fhould he advance them, if he doth not love, them t Would they have him al- wayes masked ?■ would they not allow him any, to whom he may unftrip him- fcifc,and difcover the fecrcts of his heart? He that will give to Princes (that which fjrely they ought to have) leave to def- cend fometimes from their throne of Ma- jefty, aud to confer their inward cogita- tions with any one, he mult allow a fa* vourite: if the Prince lay aflde his Ma- jefty, withali he would grow contemp- tible ; if his fecrets fhould be imparted unto many, they could not be fecrets \ but. if he -be famiJiar but to one, open but to one, he is then the favorite. It is wiihed by them that arc not beloved above the reft ,trjat the Prince would love all alike: buc why ffiould he love all alike, fincc he is not beloved himfelfe of all alike ? A wcl devoted fubjeft ought to be grieved that D a v i d Perfected. i5P that any onelovcthhis Lord more than he an! not that his Lord loves another defire to tyrannize over the affeftions ot Princes* which men ought to reverence He that could make his love more fervent than that of the favorite, might perad- venture make himfelfe the greater favo- rite t but commonly men drive to un» horfe him by malice, and not by vertue, becaufe it is more eafie toenvie, than to love. Givd mce leave atfo further to af- fiant (if without o&nce I my) that it tim&l bee any bhms to hiv« a ft wt He, ^K ^55w»a» who* ftwi» w Saint John. One faffing h chance neer unto Saul, who longed to die, and asked bm whence he was-, and the other anfwe- ring that hee was an Amalekite : Saul prajeth him to kill him, which heexcufeth. OThe unfpeakable providence of God J-hee perad venture permitted ! not Saul to kill himfelfe, heconfented itbat his fin Qipold kill him. One of the *s4male m i5o David Terfecuted. Amalekitts , whom againft the will of God he hacifaved alive,God will have to put him to death. That (inner fpoke for all finners, and fpake divinely, that (aid, My finne is alwayes againft me. We have no enemies, but we makefomt* nor -is Sanl alone fhineby his finne, For there be but few men that are not alio tolled by theirs. And it is very particular>that one particular fhould kill them; feeing it was the fame that brought death into all the world j Ohowpleafont, and how pro- fitable are the precepts of God / He is a Phvrttian (under favour be it fpoken)** only fjr thefouls, butter tbe body alio, He nath left us better rules in a few leaves to preferve our health, than are contain ed in the great volumes of the bookes of the Gentiles. King Saul dietb after hee ha i reigned many yeares, and with the $£?&&> di- et}) a great part of the people, tvh ch had demanded a King . FAvours are not therefore .demanded of God that he may doe them,but be- caufe hee wili doe them ; bee doth them by mcanes of our prayers : they are ob- tained with the Optative, not with the Impc- David Ferfecuted. 161 Imperative mood. He that wil command them, deferves then onely to bee heard when it is to his harme ; to have becne heard to teach him that is God, neither to bee taught, nor to bee commanded* Wherefore then it was that Saul did lofe his life, and wherefore the Kingdoms of Ifrael went out of his Progeny, is eafily refolved by them,who omitting the ma- nifold other caufes, have recourfe to that alone, which is the firft, and chiefe, and prime caufe : from whofe well, all the reft proceeds But why God willeth the deftruftion of Kings and Kingdoms , would be eaffe ACq to ftiew, were ie not the will ©f God, is not aj waves effi&ive, but fometiraes alio perraifllve : He wils that fiich as forfake him, loft their King- domes ; and that they that follow him, obtains them. Moreover,how and when it comes to pafTe that he permittcth fom- times thofe that follow him to be abated, and thoie that abandon him to bee exal- ted, I doe not know, and others perad- venture know as little. Thofe Princes then that are not in Gods favour,fet them alwayes feare, how profperous foever they are: Being notable to alledge any caufe 1S1 David Perfecuted. caufe of their happincffe, they mud needs be afraid ; if they be great, they know not why they are for and it is to be doub- ted that fuch great neife cannot long en- dure ; whereof no caufe C4n be given for which it began. Hee who hapningto Cone into the houfc of a fortunate man, did fuddenly depart thence, certainly he meant it not of them that God maketh happy and fuccefleful^but of thofe whom God permitteth lb to bee. The ruineof SahI came peradventureofhis own great profperity,his being from a bale eftate ex% ahei to a Kinpdtfme, confirmed and f«- led therein with happy fucceffe, in ftead of making him the more devout, made him more confident, yea, more rafti and unadvifed. Let us not make it lawfull to fervehimthekfic, who hath profpe- red us to the. end ; we fhould ferve him the more, „as if the gifts or graces which God vouchfafeth us were but for our pleafure, and not for his glory. A great fbrt of men offznd their God in their pro* fperiry, and pray unto him. in their ad- verfityjyet is he frill thefame God,whert hee delivered! u5*ou: of mifery and di- ftrefc, and when he overturweth our for- tunate David Perfecuted. 163 tunatc courfes and proceedings. It may feeme perad venture, that to deliver out of difaftcrs doth more manifeft the Di- vinity,than to abafe profperous fortunes; whence it is that men are more confident in his mercies, than fearefull of his ven- geance. There is no man kow wicked foever, but doth feme good thing wher- unto hee afterward afcribes thecaufebf his good fuccefle, and equivocating be- tweene the reward, and the grace given him,hath no feare of lofing what he pre- tends to have deferved. On the contrary, there is no man fo good, but he commit- teth fome evill whereunto for the moft part he attributed the caufe of his mif- for^une,and equivocating between Gods chaftifing and his exerci T ng of him/ends up fometimes his fupplications to God, when he fhould rather have fent thanks- givings ; as if the world which is the place of meriting and dementing, were | the place alfo of rewarding & pnnifhing. To conclude, let us f rdy his Divine Ma* I'ftjfh** hercill he alwaies pleafed te end the persecutions of the Davids with the death of I the Sauls : And all to the glory and honour of his great Name-in which I end this Boe^ as I defire alfo to end my life. F I N I S # i THE CHIEF E $ I EVENTS! OF | * The Monarchic of * spaine. J In the yeare 1659. 1 Written ^ i By the Marquefle Pijg/Ko • I Malue^xh one of his Ma* g £ jetties Counceii of $? I Warre. $ > T 7, : "- i |? Tran/lated out of tb' Italian Copy) & t? ^(RobbrtGbntuisG^. ^ F "~"~" i — ^ I LONDON, $ I Printed by 7*. ff. for Humphrey * £ Mojeley at the fignc of the ^ *, Princes Arms in St.Pattls * £ Church-yard, i £47. $ To the right Honourable EDWAKDjEarleof Dorfet, Lord Buckhut& y Krt/ght of the moft Honou- rable Order of the Garten Lord Chamber- berlaine of his Majefiies Hot* [ho Id, and one of his Honourable Privie C ounce IL SIR, Have prefumed to prefent this Tranflation to your Lordfliipsview, and fend it into the world under your Patro- nage. And though my felfe bee not worthy fo great a Patron, yet the Author Count Virgllio Maluezzi his Workes generally are of fuch efteem,that a Noble and honoura- ble Penne in this Kingdome hath vouchfafed to English fome part of A 2 them. To the Reader. them. And this particular Hiftone is fo inter-woven with feverall grave politick Di/courfes, learned and pi- thy Speeches upon fundry occafi- ons,that I queftion not but your Lordfhip may find fomewhat in it worthy your reading at vacant houres. This,and your ever knowne love to learning, (hewed by your dai- ly favours continually flowing upon Scholars, hath encouraged mee to prefix your honoured Name to thefe my endeavours : in which though I comefarre fhort of Maluezzis in- comparable ftile, or the honourable Tranflatorsfacunditie, I fhall moft humbly befeech your honour to caft a gracious afpedt upon it 5 which may encourage mee to attempt higher things, if fo great a one fhall deigne to accept of this fo fmall prefent. So praying God ever toblefTe you,& all your honorable family 5 I humbly reft, Your Honours moft devoted and humble feryanCj Robert Gcnnlis. tlillfil VJP9** To the Reader. Eader, 1 confefe, I ufe my ut termofi skill to not write a Hi fioriewith aplaine narrathn and that £ employ the utter- m*ft of mine underfianding t* fet it out, it feeming to me to k' t *e dutie of him who is to leave unfolded to pofieritie the noble remembrance of the renowned deeds and admirable attions of thegreateft King in the world. ThcTttfcane aires the Ruggierie and Romancies t & other touches , So*gs andDaunces^are playd in theftreets, and Market places y and alfo in the Roy all Palace. The Merchant, the Citizen the Gentleman y and the King a/fogoe clothed in Silke; but thofe which art playd in the Royall Pallace, are playd leifttrely with A 3 learned \ To the Reader. learned, counterpoints touched with For- raigne daintinejfcs, flopps , quavers, ac- cent /, and fpirits. This place on mofl no- ted day es clotheth the Kings per fin, in a ha- bit woven with gold and gemmes. embroi- dered and garnished ; and fe great is the art and workmanship , that the leafi thing that is heard in the one is the Baffo>and that is feene in the other is Silke. If RoyaU things are fo different from Qity ones, who Jhall blame my Hiflorie onely for the manner of it t Surely tf the fubjetl is good } I have given it flat e y and embroide- red it j if .bad, I have put it out of tune, and bundled it up . if Hiflorie s be written . to give inflruVvion inflruBing or teaching is not to tak^ off the courfe and bring to an end, a thing need full to bee done both for thofe which read them cnrioufly, and for them who fludy them attentively \eithcr to change vttn de fires, or give fatisfaBion to thofe as are well regulated. So that hse is cjueftionicjfe fraifi-worthy , who tahjth a man out of the ordinary way, which is long and broad, and condutleth him through one that is not darks but fhort, full of ftrange- neffe i fentences , exprefflons , which fome- times To the Reader. times teach , and fbmetimes delight and which at fometimes mingled together dot both teach and delight* If I have donefo I have fulfilled my de- foe and ycr adventure mj duty ; But be- caufe it rvouldbefrideinme to affirme I had done it it JhaH be afufficient excufefor me, I have a defire to doe it, that if I be notjraifed t I may at letft btfnffered* The Italian Printer to the Reader. THe jjuthor is refolved to print this Book e in his owne natural! tongue, in Regard of fome confiderable errors jtith change of the fenfe, which pajsed in the Spanijh Imprejfion at Madrid through the Printers carelefnelj'e y which hap- pened whilft he r»M absent from that Court. The The chiefe Events in thcSpanifli Monarchy. Fflided Europe wcepes (for many ages; from time to time at her mines, either becaufe God doth mort cha- rt ife the carelefneffe of thofe whom he lovethbeft, and fo it is good will ; or becaufe he moft punimeth the fenlt^ of them who are moft bound urto him, and Co itfeemes revenge : he either rriet'^ as me:ci?ull or fcourgeth as wrath- Full. Sometimes fhefeeth her Inhabitant bfouJy themfelvesin eiviil warres, a->d oftentimes fhe feeth her Jand overrlowne with barbarous Nations. Our bitternefle calls fimplicitieBarbarifme and him bar- barous, who is not tedious of other mens affaires; who is content with his owne, as long as it is able to maintaine him; who to offer violence, will fri\ have it offered to himfeKe ; who goeth aganlt a mai through adeiire of preferving him- *