Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

§. V.

The advantages of the vocation of a Courtier, ballanced with some prejudices, in point of piety.

THus have I with my best skill set the Courtiers Com∣passe, by which he may steere a good course, through the deepest of his temptations; and the Wise man seems to qualify me for this office, saying, They who saile the Sea, re∣port the perils of it; so that in my judgement, there may be a convenient safety in this course, when it is steered by sincere humility; for truely humility is like the Marriners needle, but a little motion, yet requisite for the use of all the Sailes of moral vertues, in the course of a Christian; and I have set as good markes as I can upon those bankes, and sands of flattery and adulation, which lye covered over with the shallownes of civi∣lity, and complement, upon which if our affections do stick, they will batter, and by degrees open our hearts, and so cast them away quickly upon all vanities and presumptions; and indeed, these sands are more dangerous, then apparent and

emergent rockes of riches, and ambition, which give more warning of their dangers.

Nor do the many wrecks that are made in Courts, justly discredit the profession of this traffique, for temporall com∣modities; I have already in this expresse argument, voted the pursuance of all worldly honours, respectively to severall con∣ditions, very competent with piety and devotion; though in∣deed it must be remembred, that such estates in the world re∣quire much more vigilancy, and attendance, then others of a more simple constitution, as engines of various motions may be kept in order with proportionate appliance of labours, as well as a single wheele; for regularity is as sociable with mag∣nitude, as with mediocrity, if there be proportionate art and labour to concert them; and greatnes is as consortable with goodnes, as simplicity of life, where there is a commensurate applyance of the mind, to the obtaining of an answerable mea∣sure of grace.

He who suspends the world upon the weight thereof; and measu∣reth * 1.1 the waters in his span, keeps the Sea in bounds as easily, as the smallest Brooks in their own beds: Every condition hath a size of grace suited to it; as the Apostle saith, Every one hath * 1.2 his proper gift; and proportionate duties are annexed to every severall condition: God is so just, that he chargeth the great∣est possessions of temporalities, with the greatest taxes of dif∣ficulties in spirituall payments; but no condition is scanted in a capacity of such performances as Gods precepts charge upon it: And so we see how all conditions have presented to us Saints, which humane reason weighing all circumstances, can∣not ranke in order of precedency in the Church: How many Kings and Courtiers doth the Church reverence, as now pla∣ced in those heavenly mansions, where she cannot discerne in what degree (as severall Starres) they differ in brightnesse? So equall hath the lustre of their lives been, with that of any other vocation, as they dazle us in any such distinguishment of their merits, we know how the good seed of the Gospell tooke roote as early in the house of Cesar, as in any part of Rome, and Saint

Paul sets an emphaticall note on those Saints, in preference be∣fore * 1.3 the rest. Did not S. Sebastian in the head of the Emperour Dioclisians: Guard (which was one of the greatest elevations on earth) appeare in the same eminence of zeale among the Primi∣tive Christians? And did not Saint Maurice in the head of the Emperours Army, erect such a trophie for Christianity, as all Times triumph in? for in desiance of those Spirits which called themselves a Legiou, he flourished the Colours of Christ Jesus, dyed in the bloud of a whole Legion of Martyrs; which blessed legion of Spirits did so possesse the Christians of those times, by their, examples, that many gave supernaturall testi∣monies * 1.4 of this holy possession.

And may it not be remarked for the honour of Courts, that while Christianity was but shed and sprinkled here and there, in the lower parts of the Roman Empire, it was carryed but in the hands of Christs Commissioners? but when Christ was plea∣sed to appeare at Court, he marked his lodging with his own signet, the glorious Crosse; first in the ayre, visible to the Em∣perour Constantine, and to the whole Court, and after, the same * 1.5 night appeared himselfe to the Emperour, advising him how to manifest his glory, which untill then, he was content should not break out of the clouds of contempt & persecution, that over∣cast it. And thus Christ made his remove presently from the Grots and Cavernes of the fields, up to the imperial palace of Rome, where he set up his Crosse triumphant over that Crown, which til then, went as near burying of it, as the keeping it long under ground, for the Caverns of the fields were before that time, both the Tombes and Pallaces of the Christians.

And it may be noted, that when Christianity descended from this heigth of the Court, upon the lower parts of the Empire, it spread it selfe faster in a few yeares, then it had done in the three hundred, before it camp up to the Court, for till then, the waters of Life were cast upward, and forced against the risings of sense, humane power, and naturall reason, by the supreame force of Miracles, and so were spread no further, then they carried them by continuall renewed supplies of miraculous o∣perations;

but now after there broke out this Spring of Living water, on the tops of the mountaines of the Empire, it ranne down more naturally, and plentifully upon the subjacent parts, and fructifyed the earth faster, and more universal∣ly.

In our corrupted nature, what is the common effect of mate∣riall, holds also in spirituall weight falling on our mindes, for the higher reason falls from the elevation of authority, and ex∣ample, the more impression and penetration it makes upon them: wherefore Christian Religion, when it fell from the su∣preamest point of humane power, the Imperiall Court made much more sensible markes upon the world, then it had done before. And as this operative efficacy, may endeare to Cour∣tiers their vocations, so must it needs presse so much the more upon them the evidence of their vertues.

Thus I have showed how the Court may say, in honour of her conversion, that Christ in diverse manners spoke to the other parts of the world by his Messengers, but unto us he spake him∣selfe, * 1.6 when he came first to Court in publicke, for before Con∣stantines time was there but as we say in incognito, but then he appeared in his own place, over the head of Kings, and present∣ly dislodged the Prince of darkenes out of these roomes of State, whereas before he had but displayed him in his under Offices, while he did but deliver and free private possessions, but then in one act he seemed to dispossesse the whole Roman Empire, when he expelled him from the Court.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iob 26.
• * 1.2

  Cor.
• * 1.3

  Phil. 4. 22.
• * 1.4

  Mar. 5.
• * 1.5

  Euseb. vit. Constant.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 4.