The arraignment of pride, or, Pride set forth, with the causes, kinds, and several branches of it: the odiousness and greatness of the sin of pride: the prognosticks of it, together with the cure of it: as also a large description of the excellency and usefulness of the grace of humility: divided into chapters and sections. / By W. Gearing minister of the word at Lymington in Hantshire.

CHAP. 9. Of Pride of Honour.

SECT. 1. Of Affectation of high Titles, and a Name in the World.

HErein the pride of the Pharisees appear∣ed, who affected the name Rabbi; i. e. * 1.1 to be counted wise and understanding. When Sarah cast out the bond-woman and her son, * 1.2 the posterity of Hagar were content at first with the name of Hagarens; but afterwards in the pride of their hearts, considering that Hagar was but a bond-woman, they would not be called Hagarens, from Hagar; but Saracens, from Sarah the free-woman, and princi∣pal wife. True vertue is contented with one

title, or with none at all; for it self is a suffi∣cient title. Alexander the great, being pufft up with pride for his great victories, could not bare the greatness of his fortune with that vertue he woon them: * 1.3 But being more desirous of honour, then able to receive it, he command∣ed himself to be called the Son of Jupiter, and to be honoured as a God; and while he went about to encrease the glory of his acts, he defaced them with such vain titles; for he received more mocks of the wiser sort, then adoration of his flatterers: When he sent to the Cities of Greece to have his new title of Godhead to be confirm∣ed by publique authority, * 1.4 the mat∣ter being in consultation, one steps up, and said, Well, seeing Alexander would needs have it so, let us make him a God. Great and detestable is the pride of the Pope of Rome, who will be called the most holy Father, yea, Holiness it self: What is this but to lift up him∣self above Christ? Christ indeed is absolutely called the Holy One; but the Pope calleth him∣self, the Most Holy One, and that absolutely: Thus he proudly exalts himself above Christ, which is proper to Antichrist. The like may be noted from the title of Christs Priesthood, Hebr. 4.14, 15. where he is called an High-Priest, and a Great High-Priest; but the Pope arrogateth to himself an higher title, Ponti∣fex Maximus, the greatest High-Priest, where∣in

again he lifts up himself above Christ, shew∣ing that he is not his Vicar, but the Successor of the Arch-Priest of the Pagans, whom the Romans called Arch-flamens. And Gregory sometime Bishop of Rome said, Whosoever calleth himself, * 1.5 or desireth to be called the Universal Bishop, is in this his ambition a fore-runner of Antichrist, in that he proudly pre∣ferreth himself above the rest. And the Pope afterwards becoming Bi∣shop of the chief Seat, and not con∣tented with that title, a while after he made himself greatest, or chief Priest, which Dignity till then was proper to the Roman Emperours: for after Augustus, all the Roman Princes, who governed the Roman affairs under the name of Emperours (as Onu∣phrius writeth) either took on them the chief Pontificacy, or else suffered themselves to be called Pontifices Maximi, as Constantinus, Constantius, Valentinianus, Valens, and Gra∣tianus; who although they detested the fun∣ction of chief Priesthood, being addicted to the Christians, nevertheless they despised not, nor rejected the title thereof; Gratian the Em∣perour being the first (as Zosimus tells us) who forbad by Proclamation, that the Title of Pontifex Maximus should be given to him. Now these Augustal Titles being rejected by the Emperours, because of the impiety there∣of, the Pope assumed them to himself, making

himself the greatest Priest, and soon after Oe∣cumenical, Catholick, and Universal Bishop, being stiled Prince of Priests, and Head of Churches. But what will it profit men to have swelling titles, and to have their names known upon earth, if their names are not registred, and upon record in Heaven? What can it be∣nefit a man to be famous and talked on upon earth, and be commended in City, Court, and Countrey, and to have his name in many Books? If this be not attended and accompa∣nied with a sanctified heart, its but matter of pride and vanity.

To this Section let me adde, that the affecta∣tion of vain-glory, and getting themselves a name, hath been found in men of a base con∣dition; and some will endanger their lives to get themselves a name, not fearing to run into present death, to win same to them∣selves after this life, * 1.6 by some noto∣rious fact, not respecting the wick∣edness thereof. Pausanias being ambitious of a name, slew Philip King of Macedon, the most famous man in his time. I have read like∣wise of another, that set the Temple of Diana on fire, which for the sumptuousness of its building, and curiosity of Workmanship, was one of the wonders of the world: And being askt why he did it, he an∣swered, for no other end, but to get him a name, and that he might be talkt of when he was dead. And Livy tells us of a Roman,

who was so desirous of glory and fame, that he attempted to burn down the Treasure-house at Rome; and being apprehended, and put to torment, and examined, he confessed, that he had no other end in it, but that writers might make mention of him in their Chronicles.

SECT. 2. Of affecting High Places.

THe Pharisees loved the uppermost seats in the Synagogues, * 1.7 and greetings in the Marker-place. Christ doth not say, You sate in the upper-most seats (and therefore de∣nounceth a woe against them) for of necessi∣ty, some body must sit in the chiefest seats; but this was their sin, * 1.8 not the taking, but the loving the first place, Ye love the upper-most seats, &c. de∣siring it, striving for it. This was the disease of the Pharisees, * 1.9 and it is heredita∣ry to all proud persons; and wheresoever it is, it is a mark of pride. It is said of Diotrephes, that he loved the preheminence. Christ re∣proved this kinde of pride by a Parable, when eating bread in the house of one of the chief Pharisees, Luke 14.7. * 1.10 he put forth a Parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms, saying to them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more ho∣nourable man then thou be bidden of him; and

he that bade thee and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place, and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bid∣den, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee: * 1.11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be brought low; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Here was was a fault among the ghuests, and them that were invited and called to the feast; and that was, by put∣ting themselves forwards too fast, striving for the highest room, and not simply taking it, according to mens rank and place in the Church or Commonwealth; for the contra∣ry is rusticity, and want of good education (not civility or urbanity) from which he disswadeth by two Arguments:

1. Lest the judgement of the Master and maker of the feast, jump not with the conceit of his ghuest, and so he having authority to place and displace in his own house, put him back that was over-forward. The like advice gave King Solomon long before, * 1.12 saying, Put not forth thy self in the presence of the King, and stand not in the place of great men; for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up higher, then that thou shouldest be put lower in the pre∣sence

of the Prince whom thine eyes have seen.

2. From the evil issue and success that proud persons do meet with; viz. to be disgraced: For as Solomon tells us, * 1.13 That pride ever goes be∣fore a fall; and, He that exalteth himself shall be abased. True honour consisteth not in the Titles, Dignities and Preferments that we pos∣sess, but rather in the good works that we do; * 1.14 and he is more honour∣able and praise-worthy, that de∣serveth honour, and hath it not, then he that possesseth it, and de∣serveth it not. Canst thou reckon that to be any part of thy happiness, which produceth an infinite number of evils? It may be thou art in great Assemblies saluted with caps and knees, and art reverenced at Feasts in the highest places at the table; and yet thou considerest not that oftentimes many a wicked man is preferred before thee: And what advantage is that to the state of thy body or minde, whereof a man consisteth? that cannot be counted the greatest good, which often is not only turned into evil, but also per∣verteth them that possess it, and maketh them worse.

SECT. 3. Of pride of men in High Places.

IT is commonly seen, that high Places are apt to puff men up with pride. Hamans pre∣ferments made him so proud, as he thought none good enough to be his Peer. Intolera∣ble hath been the pride of many Popes in this kinde: What pride did Pope Gre∣gory the seventh shew, * 1.15 to make the Emperour Henry the fourth, stand three days and three nights at his gate, bare-footed, and bare-legged, with his wife and children, in the deep of winter, in frost and snow, to intreat for absolution? The like pride appeared in Pope Alexander the third, that made Frederick the Emperour at Venice, fall down be∣fore him to the ground, and ask him forgiveness, while he trod upon his neck, and gave him a push or two: And to shew the more arrogancy, he used these words of Scripture for a pretence, saying, Super aspidem & Basilicum ambulabis. The like pride was in Pope Celestinus, that put the Crown upon the head of the Emperour Henry the sixth, not with his hand, but with his foot, and threw it down again from his head with his foot; affirming, that he had power to make Emperours, and to depose them. What great

pride was in that Pope that cast Francis Dan∣dalus Duke of Venice under his table to gnaw bones among the Dogs? It is written also con∣cerning Pope Boniface the eighth, thus, That Albertus Duke of Austria, being by the Electours chosen King of the Romans, desired of Boniface the blessing and confirmation: To whom this proud Pope answered, That he was unworthy of the Empire; and having the Crown on his own head, and a Sword girt about his loyns, he said, I am Caesar. Julius the second, the Predecessour of Leo (a better Souldier then a Priest) goeth with an Army (as Wicelius witnesseth) in the year, 1513. against the King of Navarre, and threw Pe∣ters Keys into the River Tiber, saying, If the Key of Peter cannot, let the Sword of Paul prevail. Of which Mantuan saith thus:

Ense potens gemino, * 1.16 cujus vestigia adorant Caesar & aurato vestiti murice reges.

Great Caesar with victorious Kings Who golden Crowns do wear, They do adore his foot steps who The double sword doth bear.

Now here we may observe the steps or lad∣ders, or gradations to the pride of the Pa∣pacy.

1. The first was the departing of Constan∣tine from Rome to Constantinople: So saith

Gratian; but Vella, and other Popish Writers, tell us otherwise.

2. The second, was the fall of the Empire in the West, Anno 471. in the time of Au∣gustulus: Of whom this Epigram was made,

Augustus Romanum imperium condidit, Augustulus labefactavit.

Augustus founded the Roman Empire, Augustulus destroyed it.

3. The third was a Charter made by Con∣stantine, Emperour of the East, to Benedict the second; viz. That they might chuse a Pope without the Emperour, which before they could not.

4. The fourth was the Amity between Za∣chary Bishop of Rome, and Pipin Governour of France, who ruled for Childerick, and sent to Pope Zachary to be resolved in this doubt, Whether it were fit for him to be King, that had the Name and Dignity, or he that bare the burthen. He presently picked out the meaning, and said, He that bare the burthen; then Pipin laboureth to depose his Master, and doth so. The occasion was this, the Pope finding the Lombards grievously disturbing Italy, * 1.17 sent for Pipin with an Army out of France, by whose help he suppressed the Lom∣bards, and thrust the Greek Magistrates out of Ravenna, and all Italy, usurping the Prin∣cipality of Ravenna, by the gift of Pipin the Conquerour; unto whom in recompence there∣of

(a thing not heard of before) he gave the Kingdom of France, thrusting Childerick the lawful King, into a Monastery or Covent. Here is not Scala Jacobi, or Coeli, but Inferni; for one must gratifie the other again.

5. The fifth step was, the decay of the Ea∣stern Empire, Anno, 756.

6. The sixth step was, the Translation of the Roman Empire from the Greeks to the French or Germans, in the person of Magni∣fical Charls (as Bellarmine calleth him:) for the Romans making insurrection against Pope Leo the third, because of his detestable pride, the said Charls, the Son and Heir of Pepin, coming with his Army into Italy again, freed the Pope: Hereupon the Pope not to be ungrate∣ful (out of the fulness of his power) gave un∣to Charls the Title of the Roman Empire (the which belonged to the Greeks, and therefore was not his to dispose of) crowning him Em∣perour of the West. On the other hand, Charls the new Emperour to gratifie the Pope, forced the Citizens of Rome to swear fidelity to Leo, and appointed him Lord of Rome; the which Donation, Lodowick Son of Charls, af∣terwards confirmed and encreased.

7. The seventh step, was the Constitution of Electors of the future Emperours, enacted by Pope Gregory, and Otho the Emperour, both Germans and Kinsmen.

8. The eighth step reacheth to Heaven: for thus they teach, Christus be ato Petro aeternae vitae clavigero, terreni simul & coelestis imperii

jura commisit, Christ hath committed to bles∣sed Peter, the Keykeeper of Eternal Life, the power both of earthly and heaven∣ly Jurisdiction and Government. * 1.18 These be the words of Gratian con∣cerning Pope Nicholas, and the Gloss upon them saith, Argumentum quod Papa habet utrumque gladium, & spiritualem & temporalem: An argument that the Pope hath both Swords, both the Spiritual and Tem∣poral; and in the marginal notes, Papa habens utrumque gladium, imperium transtulit: The Pope having both Swords, translated the Em∣pire.

That the properties of God are attributed to the Pope, you may see by their writings. Papa dicitur habere coeleste arbitrium, & ideo etiam naturam rerum immutat, substantiam unius rei applicando alii, & de nihilo potest ali∣quid facere.

Thus the Popes Parasites flatter him; Sicut non est Potestas nisi a Deo, sic nec aliqua tem∣poralis vel Ecclesiastica, imperialis vel regalis nisi a Papa. As there is no power but of God; so (say they) there is not any Temporal or Ecclesiastical, * 1.19 Imperial or Regal power, but of the Pope; In cujus femine scripsit Christus, Rex Regum, Dominus Dominantium, on whose

thigh Christ hath written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Gregory the ninth letteth this Doctrine fall from his own pen, Ad firmamen∣tum coeli, hoc est, universalis Ecclesiae, fecit Deus duo magna luminaria, i.e. duas instituit digni∣tates, quae sunt Pontificalis authoritas, & re∣galis potestas; & ut quanta est inter solem & lunam, tanta inter Pontifices & Reges differen∣tia cognoscatur. For the firmament of Heaven, that is (saith he) of the Universal Church, God made two great lights; that is, appointed two Dignities, which are the Pontifical Autho∣rity, and the Regal Power; and as a great difference may be seen between the Sun and Moon; so as great a difference may be known between Popes and Kings. See what pride is in the Man of Sin, * 1.20 who op∣poseth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or worship∣ped. That high places are apt to puff men up with pride, Decius the Emperour evidently saw, who when his Father would have invested him in the Empire, as David did Solomon in his Kingdom, in his life time, re∣fused the honour with this modest excuse, I fear if I am made Emperour, lest I forget that I am a Son; * 1.21 and I had rather not be an Em∣perour, and be an humble Son, then an Em∣perour, and an undutiful Son.

He knew it seemed, that Honores did or∣dinarily mutare mores, that honour did change

mens mannes; and so surely theydo in nature corrupted, and not by grace corrected, or where grace prevails not, or is not predomi∣nant above nature; for where it is, goodness will so oversway greatness, as no Dignity shall cause men to neglect or forget their duty. Now this is a great vanity, for men to be proud of honours, or high places, especially if we consider the instability of honours, great preferments, * 1.22 and great mens favours; as appears in Parmenio and Clitus, in high favour with Alexander the great, and Seneca with Nero, and Bellisarius with Justinian the Emperour; yea, even in Dionysius himself, Bajazet, and many other great Princes: And even in holy Writ, * 1.23 we see Joab a great favourite with Da∣vid at the first, is at last distasted by himself, and quite cashiered by Solomon his Son, and that by his approbation and appointment; so likewise Haman rose not so fast, * 1.24 but he sell faster. They that be in the hight of honour to day, * 1.25 may be in the lowest degree of disgrace by to morrow; for we know not what a day may bring forth, Prov. 27.1. And we have seen many notable instances of the transitoriness of worldly honour in these our days: Man being in honour abideth not, * 1.26 he is like the beasts that perish, Psal. 49.12. The old Translation reads it thus, Man shall not continue in honour, he shall be like the beasts that dye; or as Tremel∣lius, * 1.27 he shall be like the beasts that dye of the

Morrain, and so become useless and fit for nothing: And many times men are lifted up on high, that their fall may be the greater. * 1.28 Some in these days boast of the honour that they have got∣ten by the disgrace of others, of their rising by others falling; but this is a great vanity, to grow proud that we rise by others ruines. Thus did the common souldiers in Tacitus repress the pride of Pompey: * 1.29 Thou art great by our misery, therefore swell not against us. He that (like Matthias) cometh in the place of another, must rather lament the others loss, then grow proud of his own gain. If the Gen∣tile be advanced by the fall of the Jew, he should not boast against the Jew, but rather lament the Jews falling, then be proud of his own rising. Many in these our days, have erected to themselves stately Pallaces, * 1.30 by the fall of other mens houses; and such as these, are ready to swell with pride against their de∣cayed brethren: It is a sign of a vain mind, to think the worse of any man because he is fallen; or to think the better of our selves, be∣cause we are risen. What though Job be on the dunghil, yet he shall be restored; and though Joseph be in prison, yet he shall be ad∣vanced.

If therefore men are ambitious of honour, * 1.31 let them honour God: Them that hononr me, saith he, I will honour. Let David carry

himself valiantly in the wars of Israel, though Saul himself labour to keep him down, * 1.32 and to ecclipse his glory, yet the very women in their songs shall prefer him before their King, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands: If Mordecai the Jew be faithful to King Ahashuerus, and dis∣cover the Treason of Bigtanah and Teresh, there will come a time, that the King will be at leisure to read the Chronicles, and reward his good service, Est. 6. If Daniel continue con∣stant in Gods service, it shall at last appear, that the truth was at his side, and he shall pre∣vail, and be preferred according to his desert, * 1.33 Dan. 6. If Paul and Si∣las be painful in their places, and seek their Masters glory, and the en∣largement of his Kingdom, by the propagation of the Gospel, if men be dumb and silent, the very Devils shall confess them to be the servants of the most high God, and to shew unto men the way of Salvation, Acts 16.17. In a word, if our Saviour Christ go about preaching in the Synagogues, and curing diseases, and doing all sorts of good deeds, howsoever the Rulers of the Jews accuse him, * 1.34 and persecute him, and seek to execute him, yet many of the common people admire him, yea, seek to advance him, and thought to make him their King, howbeit he will accept of no such honour; yea, Pilat himself cannot but confess to his eternal Glory, and his own per∣petual

shame, that though he condemned him to please the people, and not displease the Emperour, yet he found no cause of death, nay no fault in him, Joh. 19. The way to be truly honoured, is first to be vertuous; * 1.35 and this the wise ancient Romans knew right well, by building the Temple of Honour within the Gate of Vertue; to teach all their people, that who∣soever would come to the one, must pass through the other; and doubtless, whereso∣ever Honour is placed in the Crest, and hath not vertue for a Supporter, all true Heraulds know to be but false Arms; and wheresoever it is conferred without vertue, it will not con∣tinue, it being out of its element and proper place: But on the other side, * 1.36 wheresoever is vertue, there honour and estimation shall be first or last; for it follows true vertue, as the shadow accompanieth the body when the Sun shineth; and when it doth not, it is but the over-casting of a cloud, and the Sun will one day shine again.

SECT. 4. Of Pride of a generous and noble descent.

PRide of descent is, when men do boast of their noble Extraction and Generous O∣riginal: This is a thing most ridiculous, for a man to boast of that which belongeth to ano∣ther: It is better that others be known by thee, then thou be known by others. Plato saith, that every King cometh of a slave, and every slave of a King: * 1.37 The great Tamerlain was the son of a Peasant, and kept Cattel; Arsaces King of the Parthians, was of so base a stock, that his Parents could not be known, yet he got such re∣nown by his vertue, that his poste∣rity were called Arsacides, as the Emperours of of Rome were called Caesars, of Augustus Caesar. Per∣tinax a Roman Emperour, was son of an Artificer, his Grandfather∣was a slave. Agathocles King of Cicily, the son of a Potter. The Emperour Probus, the son of a Gardiner. The Suldan of Cayro, was cho∣sen out of the Mamalukes, to which honour none might arise, unless he had first been a slave. Divers Popes likewise were basely de∣scended. Little cause have men to pride them∣selves in the Nobility of their birth, when they come by it by their Parents, who by some vertuous or noble acts, exceeded other

men, and were by the people held in the great∣er estimation, which honour for their sakes, descended to their posterity: So that if any glory be due, it is due to the Parents, and not to the children, unless they tread in the steps of their Parents, and many times Children do not tread in the steps of Vertuous Pa∣rents; which gave occasion to Cicero to re∣prehend Catiline, by comparing the antiqui∣ty of his blood with the vitio∣sity of his manners; * 1.38 who saith of him, That he was not more fa∣mous by the Nobility of his Pa∣rents, then ignominious by his no∣torious vices. Let the French King and Queen, saith one, be thy Parents, if there be no ver∣tue in thy mind, I will regard thee no more, then if thou hadst an Husbandman to thy Fa∣ther, and a poor Countrey-woman for thy Mo∣ther. But if Nobility of blood be joyned with grace and true humility, it is a thing much to be esteemed. The Jews boasted themselves, they had Abraham to their Father: * 1.39 It is more credit for a man to be countenanced by his own vertues, * 1.40 then the ver∣tues of his Progenitors: It is better to be the beginning, then the end of a mans house. The best Nobi∣lity is built by vertue: God chuseth not as man doth, by outward ap∣pearance; he chuseth Saul out of Benjamin, the least of the Tribes, and his Fathers family the least in that Tribe, by his own confession,

to be King over Israel, 1 Sam. 9.21. So in the choice of David, 1 Sam. 16.7. Not Eliab, nor Amminadab, nor Shammah, nor any of the rest chosen, but little David, that kept his Fathers sheep. Thus Christ chose Fishers to be his Disciples, Mat. 4.18.21. and Shepherds to be the Heraulds of his Nativity, Luke 2.8. The foolishness of God is wiser then men. Of whom he maketh choice especially, the Apostle tells us, * 1.41 That not many wise, not many mighty (after the flesh) not many Noble are called.

Brag not of the clarity of thy blood; for God made all mankinde of one blood; * 1.42 and if any mans blood be more purethen others, it is not Nobility, but soundness of bo∣dy causeth it. * 1.43 Boast not of thy an∣tiquity, for every mans Original was one and the same; there was but one common Parent of man∣kinde, one Spring and Fountain of all men. Beast not of the antiqui∣ty of thy Family: for how many Noble Fa∣milies have there been of whom there is no remembrance at this day? and in our days we have seen the overthrow of Noble and Royal families: Every thing which springeth up in time, dyeth with time. Boast not of thy Birth, for thy Nobleness cometh not by thy birth, but by thy life. Let us not then so much desire to be great, as to be good; nor to fet our Pedigrees from ancient houses, as to carry our selves worthy such Ancestors; else their

goodness cannot so much credit us, as our badness will discredit them. * 1.44 We may say of all these outward things, as an honourable Gen∣tleman was wont to say of the Arms of his house left him by his Ancestors,

Vix ea nostra voco;

We can scarce call them ours, alluding to a saying of a Poet,

Et genus, & proavos, & quae non fecimus ipsi, &c.

In a word, if we be good, we shall be great; for if they are greatest in blood, * 1.45 who can de∣rive themselves from the highest persons, and greatest Peers; then surely incomparably greater be they, which can derive themselves from him which hath no Peer; and so may all the faithful, without check of pride or pre∣sumption; for Christ himself acknowledgeth them as his kinsfolk, Matth. 12.50. saying, Whosoever (let him be never so mean in other respects) shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my Brother, and Sister, * 1.46 and Mother. And here it may not be unfit to bring in these Verses:

Why doth Earths Gentry count themselves so good, Giving Coat, Arms, for all the world to gaze on? Christs Blood alone makes Gentlemen of blood, His shameful death doth give the fairest blazon. then he is ancient'st, and of best behavi∣our, Whose Arms and Ancestors and from his Sa∣viour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 23 8.
• * 1.2

  Christo non vieta che non si renda il suo ho∣nore a i magistrati, e a i maestri: ma condauna l'ambitione. Ital. Annot. Sir Rich. Barckley de Summo bono.
• * 1.3

  That vain Woman Cleopatra, would be called Regina Regina∣rum.
• * 1.4

  Sapor the Persian wrote to Constantius, and called himself King of Kings, and Brother to the Stars, the Sun, and the Moon, &c.
• * 1.5

  Pareus in Apocal.

  Their glory is great, that got the name of Great, as Alexander the great, Pompey the great, Charls the great; but they get more glo∣ry, who obtain the name Optimus; i. e. the best.

  Trajan wrote his title upon a wall, which Constantinus see∣ing, called Herbam parietariam.
• * 1.6

  Such was the humility of Pertinax the Em∣perour, that he forbad his name to be written in the Imperial posses∣sions, because they were not proper to the Emperour, but to the Romans.
• * 1.7

  Luke 11.43.
• * 1.8

  The poor Prodigal desireth to be made but as one of his fa∣thers hired servants.
• * 1.9

  3 John 9. Vain ho∣nour is the idol of fools. Adams.
• * 1.10

  Luke 14.7, 8, 9, 10.
• * 1.11

  David had rather be a door-keeper in the House of God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

  A door-keeper, in limine insidere, to sit in the threshold, as the Hebrew signifies; frequentare limen, ver∣sari in ecclesia. Tremel. The Rabbins expound it, to sit at the gate, as the meanest Officer in Gods house.

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ra∣ther then be in the tents of wicked men in pomp Septuag.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 48.10. Prov. 25.6, 7.
• * 1.13

  Prov. 16.8 Luke 18.14.
• * 1.14

  Augustine saith of Cato, Quo minus pe∣tebat gloriam, eò magis illum sequebatur. Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 5. cap. 12.
• * 1.15

  Regni e falsi honori, le gemme, et l'oro, cui solo it mondo vagillan∣do crede l'alta fatiche, il nostro hyman lavoro, Che sia del tempo dolo∣rose prede, Nascon d'affannai, et fuggonsi poche hore, Solo il ben nostro oprar gia mati non muore. Benevent. de Rambai∣dis.
• * 1.16

  Mantuan.
• * 1.17

  Aistulphus, or as some, Aristulphus King of the Lombards besieged Rome three moneths.
• * 1.18

  Boniface the eighth made a Decree, That ēvery humane Crea∣ture must submit him∣self to the Bishop of Rome, under pain of eternal damnation. Platina de vitis Ponti∣fic.
• * 1.19

  Greg. 7. sirnamed Hildebrand said, That he had power to give and take away Kingdoms at his pleasure; and it is more to make and marre Kings, then to be a King: as R. Nevill Earl of Warwick sometime said in the Civil War between Henry the sixth, and Edward the fourth of England.
• * 1.20

  Some Popes in pride have caused them∣selves to be worship∣ped.
• * 1.21

  Vereor, nc, si fiam im∣perator, dediscam esse filius; & malo non esse imperator & humilis filius, quam imperator & filius indevo∣tus. Valer. Maxim. lib. 4.
• * 1.22

  Craesus King of Lydia, spoiled by Cyrus King of Persia, and bereft both of his Kingdom and life: Cyrus him∣self afterwards served so by Thomyris.
• * 1.23

  1 King. 2.5, 6.
• * 1.24

  Hest. 7.
• * 1.25

  Tolluntur in altum, ut lapsu graviore cadant.
• * 1.26

  Similis est pecoribus morticinis.
• * 1.27

  Tremell.
• * 1.28

  Dionysius of Syracuse, glad to teach a School at Corinth, to get a poor living.
• * 1.29

  Nostrâ miseria mag∣nus es. Tacitus. Honour is the greatest outward glory, saith the Philosopher. Arist. Ethic. 4.
• * 1.30

  Ʋbi honor non est, ibi contemptus. Hier. Epist.
• * 1.31

  1 Sam. 2.30.
• * 1.32

  Non facit nobilem atri∣um plenum sumosis ima∣ginibus; animus facit nobilem. Sen. Epist. 44.
• * 1.33

  Men mistake the way to be great, while they neglect the way to be good. Adams.
• * 1.34

  Joh. 6.15.
• * 1.35

  Nobilitas sola est at∣que unica virtus. Juvenal. Sat. 8.
• * 1.36

  There be two things make holi∣ness above greatness; 1. The work of Holiness. 2. The re∣ward of Holiness; Blessing shall cover the head of the righteous, Prov. 10.6. Dr. Sutton.
• * 1.37

  Such was the pride of C. Caligula, that he took from the ancient noble families their Arms, and Badges, as from the Torquati their collar; from the Cinnati, their curled lock; from Cneius Pom∣peius his posterity, the sirname of Magnus. Suetonius in vit. Ca∣lig.
• * 1.38

  Faelix quem virtus gene∣rosa exornat avorum, & Qui virtute suis adjicit ipse decus.
• * 1.39

  Luke 3.8.
• * 1.40

  Verè nobilis ille non quem, sua villa sed virtus nobilitat; & me∣lius domum Domino, quam Dominum dome honestari.
• * 1.41

  1 Cor. 1.26.
• * 1.42

  Acts 17.26.
• * 1.43

  Malo Pater tibi sit Thersites, dummodo tu sis Aeacidae similis, Vul∣caniaque arma capessas, Quam te Thersitae simi∣lem producat Achilles.
• * 1.44

  Sir Philip Sidney.
• * 1.45

  These two are infi∣nitely and joyntly in God; viz. Greatness and Good∣ness, who is both optimus & maximus.
• * 1.46

  To be the Sons of Nobles, is nothing, to the Sons of God; to be born of Princes, is but baseness, in comparison of this, to be born of God; Moab is but a wash∣pot, Edom but a wiper of shoes. Dr. Sutton. Saints are Gods ex∣cellent ones on earth, Psal. 16.3.