Solon made Athens free by his excellent constitution of laws; but the ambition of Pisistratus began the ruin of it before his eyes. Alexander, not contented with his own kingdom, invaded others, and filled with spoil and slaughter those countries he subdued: and it was not ill said by the man, who, when Alexander accused him of piracy, told him to his face that Alexander was the greatest pirate in the world. It was the same ambition that made Cæsar turn traitor to his masters, and with their own army, put into his hand for their service, subdue them to his yoke, and usurp the government; which ended in the expulsion of freedom and virtue together in that commonwealth; for goodness quickly grew to be faction in Rome; and that sobriety and wisdom which ever rendered her senators venerable, became dangerous to their safety: insomuch that his successors hardly left one they did not kill or banish; unless such as turned to be flatterers of their unjust acquisition, and the imitators of their debauched manners.
VI. The Turks are a great proof to the point in hand, who to extend their dominion, have been the cause of shedding much blood, and laying many stately countries waste.
And yet they are to be outdone by apostate Christians; whose practice is therefore more condemnable, because they have been better taught: they have had a master of another doctrine and example. It is true, they call him Lord still, but they let their ambition reign: they love power more than one another; and to get it kill one another; though charged by him not to strike, but to love and serve one another. And, which adds to the tragedy, all natural affection is sacrificed to the fury of this lust: and therefore are stories so often stained with the murder of parents, children, uncles, nephews, masters, &c.
VII. If we look abroad into remoter parts of the world, we shall rarely hear of wars; but in Christendom rarely of peace. A very trifle is too often made a ground of quarrel here: nor can any league be so sacred or inviolable that arts shall not be used to evade and dissolve it to increase dominion. No matter who, nor how many are slain, made widows and orphans, or lose their estates and livelihoods; what countries are ruined; what towns and cities spoiled: if by all these things the ambitious can but arrive at their ends! To go no further back than sixty years, that little period of time will furnish us with many wars begun upon ill grounds, and ended in great desolation. Nay, the last twelve years of our time make as pregnant a demonstration as we can furnish ourselves with from the records of any age. It is too tedious, nor is it my business, to be particular: it has been often well observed by others, and is almost known to all, I mean the French, Spanish, German, English, and Dutch wars.
VIII. But ambition does not only dwell in courts and senates: it is too natural to every private breast to strain for power. We daily see how much men labour their utmost wit and interest to be great, to get higher places, or greater titles than they have, that they may look bigger and be more acknowledged; take place of their former equals, and so equal those that were once their superiors: compel friends, and be revenged on enemies. This makes Christianity so little loved of worldly men; its kingdom is not of this world; and though they may speak it fair, it is the world they love: that without uncharitableness we may truly say, People profess Christianity, but they follow the world. They are not for seeking the kingdom of heaven first, and the righteousness thereof, (Matt. vi. 33,) and to trust God with the rest; but for securing to themselves the wealth and glory of this world, and adjourning the care of salvation to a sick bed, and the extreme moments of life; if yet they believe a life to come.
IX. To conclude this head; great is their peace, who know a limit to their ambitious minds; that have learned to be contented with the appointments and bounds of Providence: that are not careful to be great; but, being great, are humble and do good. Such keep their wits with their consciences, and, with an even mind, can at all times measure the uneven world, rest fixed in the midst of all its uncertainties, and as becomes those who have an interest in a better, in the good time and will of God, cheerfully leave this; when the ambitious, conscious of their evil practices, and weighed down to their graves with guilt, must go to a tribunal that they can neither awe nor bribe.
CHAPTER IX.
1. The third evil effect of pride is love of honour and respect. Too many are guilty of it.—2. It had like to have cost Mordecai dear. Great mischief has befallen nations on this account.—3. The world is out in the business of true honour, as well as in that of true science.—4. Reasons why the author, and the rest of the people he walks with, use not these fashions.—5. The first is, the sense they had in the hour of their conviction, of the unsuitableness of them to the Christian spirit and practice, and that the root they came from was pride and self-love.—6. Reproach could not move them from that sense and practice accordingly.—7. They do it not to make sects, or for distinction.—8. Nor yet to countenance formality, but passively let drop vain customs, and so are negative to forms.—9. Their behaviour is a test upon the world.—10. And this cross to the world a test upon them.—11. The second reason against them is their emptiness.—12. Honour in Scripture is not so taken as it is in the world. It is used for obedience.—13. It is used for preferments.—14. A digression about folly in a Scripture sense.—15. Honour is used for reputation.—16. Honour is also attributed to functions and capacities, by way of esteem.—17. Honour is taken for help and countenance of inferiors.—18. Honour is used for service and esteem to all states and capacities: honour all men.—19. Yet there is a limitation, in a sense, to the righteous, by the Psalmist; to honour the godly, and contemn the wicked.—20. Little of this honour found in the world's fashions.—21. The third reason against them is, they mock and cheat people of the honour due to them.—22. The author and his friends are for true honour.—23. The fourth reason is, that if the fashions carried true honour in them, the debauched could honour men, which cannot be.—24. The fifth reason is, that then men of spite, hypocrisy, and revenge, could pay honour, which is impossible.—25. The sixth reason is drawn from the antiquity of true honour.—26. The seventh reason is from the rise of the vain honour, and the teachers of it, wherein the clown, upon a comparison, excels the courtier for a man of breeding.—27. The eighth reason against these honours is, that they may be had for money, which true honour cannot be.—28. The ninth and last reason is, because the holy Scripture expressly forbids them to true Christians.—29. As in the case of Mordecai.—30. A passage between a bishop and the author in this matter.—31. Likewise the case of Elihu in Job.—32. Also the doctrine of Christ to his disciples.—33. Paul against conforming to the world's fashions.—34. Peter against fashioning ourselves according to the world's lusts.—35. James against respect to persons.—36. Yet Christians are civil and mannerly in a right way.—37. But unlike the world in the nature of it, and motives to it.—38. Testimonies in favour of our dissent and practice.