Mr. Bolton's last and learned work of the four last things death, judgement, hell,…Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things death, iudgement, hell,…

Thirdly, though an high place be holden in the false opinion of vain men, the only heaven upon earth: yet in truth, and upon trial, by accident it proves Satan's surest hold to hamper them in his strongest and most inextricable snares, until he tumble them hence with a more desperate and headlong downfall into the pit of hell. For, as those of truest worth are ever timorous, and most retiring in such cases; so the worst men ordinarily are most ambitious and aspiring. Consider for the purpose the unambitious modesty and magnanimity of the olive-tree, fig-tree, and the vine: but the base and worthless bramble, a dry, empty,¹ ⟨p. 187⟩sapless kex and weed, apt and able only to scratch, tear, and vex, must needs be up and be hoised into an high room, and domineer over others▪ Men of most prostituted consciences are for the most part the most pragmatical prowlers after undeserved preferments: and the only men to serve themselves vijs & modis, (as they say) into offices, honours, and places of advancement. For, they want honest wit to conceive and fore-see the weight of the charge, & conscience to discharge it faithfully. Now then, where there is a concurrence of corrupt times, a wicked wit, a wide conscience, and a vast gluttonous desire to domineer. What will not be done to attain their ends? They will not stick to lie, dissemble, break their words, forswear, machiavellize, practise any policy or counterpolicy to honesty, reason, religion, to flatter, raise a faction, humour the times, supplant competitors, gratify the Devil, do any thing. We may proportionably conceive the malignity of inferior ambitions by the monstrousness of higher aspirations. Now who hath not observed (saith that learned Knight in his Preface to the History of the World) what labour, practice, peril, blood-shed, and cruelty the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, and taken on them to make themselves and their issues masters of the world? Oh by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions, imprisonments, tortures, poisonings, and under what reasons of State, and politic subtlety have these fore-named Kings, &c. By this time these men by these means are mounted (I will suppose) on horseback, ⟨p. 188⟩and have left many Princes walking as servants upon the earth: And folly is set in great dignity. And what then?