For judgment is against you.] Mark it, he doth not put all this evil upon ill Counsellors that got into the house of the King, but he puts it directly upon the house of the King it self. Ill Princes may be as great a cause why there are ill Councillors, 1as ill Counsellors why there are ill Princes. Ill Counsellors usually see what the design of a Prince is, and what is suitable to his disposition, and they blow up, nourish and help that with their evil counsel. But were it that the design of Princes and their dispositions were right they might have Counsellors about them to further that which is right too. Certainly it is no excuse for Princes to cherish flatterers and wicked ones about them, & then to say they were advised to such a way; For if the teaching of the Priests, and the comm•nds of Princes do not excuse people but they must see a rule for what they do, then Counsellors about Princes cannot excuse them, but they ought to see the rule for what they do too. It is the unhappiness of Princes to have none about them to charge them personally ⟨p. 343⟩with their sins, I mean in the Name of God, to show them the evil and the danger of their sins. It was wont to be said (as heretofore I have told you) Da Ambrosios & plur. habebimus Theodosios. Let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's, because of his freedom of spirit with that Emperor; And besides to another Emperor, Valentinian, saith he, Noli te extollere Imperator, si vis diutius imparare, esto Deo subditus. Do not lift up thy self Oh Emperor, if you will be Emperor longer, if you will reign longer, be willing to be subject unto God. And we know with what freedom of spirit the Prophets in former times spoke even to Kings houses. You know that of Samuel, 1. Sam. 12. ult. If you do wickedly you shall perish both ye and your King; So Elijah to Ahab, Thou art he that troublest Israel: So Elisha to Jehoram, 2 King. 3.13, 14. What have I to do with thee? (and yet Jehoram came to the Prophet in an humble way) what have I to do with thee, Get thee to the Prophets of thy father, And were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. This he said to a great King. Great liberty have others had in the Primitive times to speak thus unto Princes;
For judgment is against you.] Mark it, he doth not put all this evil upon ill Counsellers that got into the house of the King, but he puts it directly upon the house of the King it self. Ill Princes may be as great a cause why there are ill Councellors, 1as ill Counsellors why there are ill Princes. Ill Counsellors usually see what the design of a Prince is, and what is sutable to his disposition, and they blow up, nourish and help that with their evil counsel. But were it that the design of Princes and their dispositions were right they might have Counsellors about them to further that which is right too. Certainly it is no excuse for Princes to cherish flatterers and wicked ones about them, & then to say they were advised to such a way; For if the teaching of the Priests, and the cōm•nds of Princes do not excuse people but they must see a rule for what they do, then Counsellors about Princes connot excuse them, but they ought to see the rule for what they do too. It is the unhappiness of Princes to have none about them to charge them personally ⟨p. 343⟩with their sins, I mean in the Name of God, to shew them the evil and the danger of their sins. It was wont to be said (as heretofore I have told you) Da Ambrosios & plur. habebimus Theodosios. Let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's, because of his freedom of spirit with that Emperor; And besides to another Emperor, Valentinian, saith he, Noli te extollere Imperator, si vis diutius imparare, esto Deo subditus. Do not lift up thy self Oh Emperor, if you will be Emperor longer, if you will reign longer, be willing to be subject unto God. And we know with what freedom of spirit the Prophets in former times spoke even to Kings houses. You know that of Samuel, 1. Sam. 12. ult. If you do wickedly you shall perish both ye and your King; So Elijah to Ahab, Thou art he that troublest Israel: So Elisha to Jehoram, 2 King. 3.13, 14. What have I to do with thee? (and yet Jehoram came to the Prophet in an humble way) what have I to do with thee, Get thee to the Prophets of thy father, And were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. This he said to a great King. Great liberty have others had in the Primitive times to speak thus unto Princes;
- 1Note.
