his neck when he is rebuked, shall suddenly be destroyed, and cannot be cured: In respect of men's injuries. He saith not, I will recompence evil; but waits upon the Lord, and he shall save him. In which regard, the patient in spirit that suffers, is better than the proud of spirit that requites. Pr. iii. 11. Ec. vii. 16. Pr. iii. 12. x. 28. xix. 3. Ec. vi. 10. Pr. xxix. 1. xx. 22. Ec. vii. 10.

In all well ordered governments there are degrees, A higher than the highest, and yet a higher than they: and these, of God's appointment; not only in the inferior ranks, The rich and poor meet, and, the Lord is the maker of them all: but in the supreme, By me kings reign (saith Wisdom) and Princes decree justice; and not they only, but the nobles and all the judges of the earth; so it is a just wonder, that the grasshoppers have no king, yet they go forth by bands. And, as no king is a judgment, so many: for, Because of the transgression of the land, there are many princes; many, not only in frequent succession, but in society of regiment. Ec. v. 7. Pr. ii. 22. viii. 15. viii. 16. xxx. 27. xxviii. 2.

SECT. 2.

In a king are describedQuality of his person Natural,

Actions

Moral.

A KING must be high; as in place, so in blood: Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles; not of any servile condition; for nothing can be more uncomely, than for a servant to have rule over princes: and it is a monster in state to see servants ride on horses, and princes (of blood) to walk as servants on the ground: neither more monstrous than intolerable. There are three things for which the earth is moved, yea four which it cannot sustain: whereof one is, A servant when he reigneth. Ec. x. 17. Pr. xix. 10. Ec. x. 17. Pr. xxx. 21. xxx. 22.

AND as his blood is heroical, so his disposition; not lascivious, What, O my son of my desires, give not thy strength to women, nor thy ways: But why should he withhold from his eyes whatsoever they can desire, and withdraw his heart from any joy? why may he not have all the delights of the sons of men as women taken captive; as queens and concubines, and damsels without number? This is to destroy kings: He shall find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares. Not riotously excessive; whether in wine: for It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink : What not at all? To him alone is it not said, Go eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a cheerful heart? who should eat or drink, or haste to outward things more than he? not immoderately so as he should drink and forget the decree, and change the judgment of all the children of affliction: or in meat for, Woe be to thee, O land, when thy princes eat in the morning and if he be not the master of his appetite, his dainty meats will prove deceivable. Not hollow, not double in speeches, in profession: The lip of excellency becomes not a fool; much less, lying talk a prince. Not childish: Woe to thee, O land, whose king is a child: not so much in age, which hath sometimes proved successful; but in condition. Not imprudent, not oppressing; too vices conjoined: A prince destitute of understanding, is also a great oppressor. And, to conclude, in all or any of these, not wilfully inflexible: A poor and wise child is better than an old and foolish king, that will no more be monished. Pr. xxxi. 2, 3. Ec. ii. 10. ii. 8. Can. vi. 7. Pr. xxxi. 3. Ec. vii. 28. Pr. xxxi. 4. Ec. ix. 7. ii. 25. Pr. xxxi. 5. Ec. x. 16. Pr. xxiii. 2. xxiii. 3. xvii. 7. Ec. x. 16. Pr. xxviii. 16. Ec. iv. 13.

CONTRARILY, he must be temperate: Blessed art thou, O land, when thy princes eat in time, for strength, and not for drunkenness just and righteous, for false balances (especially in the hand of government) are an abomination to the Lord: but a perfect weight pleaseth him: A virtue beneficial, both 1. to himself (for the throne is established by justice) and 2. to the state; Justice exalteth a nation; than which nothing doth more bind and cheer the hearts of the people: for, When the righ teous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bears rule, the people sigh: and with truth and justice, must mercy be joined inseparably: for Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne shall be established, also, by mercy. And all these must have wisdom to manage them: By it princes rule, and are terrible to the ill-deserving. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheel to turn over them. To all these must be added bounty: A prince, that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days; where, contrarily, A man of gifts destroyeth his country: and, yet further, a conquest of his own passions, a princely victory: for He, that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty man; and he, that ruleth his own mind, better than he that winneth a city; because, of all other, The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion: and what is that but the messenger of death? And if it may be, a conquest of all others, through valour. There are three things, that order well their going, yea four are comely in going: whereof the last and principal is, A king against whom no man dares rise up. Lastly, secrecy in determinations: The heaven in height, and earth in deepness, and the king's heart can no man (no man should) search out: neither should it be in any hands but the Lord's; who as he knows it, so he turns it whithersoever it pleaseth him. Ec. x. 17. Pr. xi. 1. xvi. 12. xiv. 34. xxix. 2. xx. 18. viii. 16. xx. 26. xxviii. 16. xxix. 4. xvi. 32. xix. 12. xxx. 29. xxx. 31. xxv. 3. xxi. 1.