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Basilicon Doron
BY
HIS MAJESTIE KING JAMES
INTRODUCTION.
In
1598, King James VI & I wrote Basilicon Doron
- the Kingly Gift - as a testament to instruct his young son,
Prince Henry, in manners, morals and the ways of kingship.
Prince Henry would not live to take the throne.
He died in 1612. When
he wrote Basilicon Doron, King James had no intention of publishing it for the public. He bound
his printer, Robert Waldegrave, to secrecy, and ordered an edition of
only seven copies for his own private use.
Of
the seven copies of the original private edition of 1599, only two are
known to survive - one in the National Library of Scotland and the other
in the Grenville collection in the British Museum.
The Basilicon Doron manuscript you are about to read is from the
Grenville copy.
Despite
the attempts at secrecy, intelligence of Basilicon Doron and its
contents got abroad. Consequently,
there was much demand from the King's new English subjects for Basilicon
Doron. In order to stem the tide of forgeries, several English
editions of Basilicon Doron were published as well as translations in
Welsh, Latin, French, Swedish, and German.
Basilicon
Doron comprises three short books.
The following is the first book.
The scripture references found in brackets [] also come from
Basilicon Doron. In the
original edition they are found in the margins, next to the applicable
text.
The
dedication, the Argument and the Epistle of the Booke
ANENT
A
KINGS CHRISTIAN
DUETIE
TOWARDS GOD
THE
FIRST BOOKE.
As
Hee can not bee thought worthie to rule & command others, that cannot
rule and dantone his owne proper affections & unreasonable appetites;
so can he not be thought worthy to governe a Christian people, knowing
& fearing God, that in his own person and hart feareth not, and loveth
not the Divine Majestie. Neither can aniething in his governement
succeed wel with him (devise and labour as he list) as comming from a
filthie spring, if his person be
unsanctified: for (as DAVID saith) [Psalm. 127.1] In vaine watchest
thou the Citie, or buyldest thou the house, if the Lord by his blessing
grant not successe therunto; & as PAUL saith [I. Cor. 3.6], CEPHAS
may plant, & APOLLO may water, but it is God only that may give the
increase. Therefore (my Sonne) first of al things, learne to
know and love that God, to whom ye have a double obligation; first,
for that he made you a man; and next, for that he made you a little God to
sit on his Throne, & rule over other men. Remember, that as in
dignity he hath erected you above others, so ought ye in thankfulnesse
towardes him go as farre beyond all others. A moate in anothers eye,
is a beame into youres: a blemishe in another, is a leprouse byle into
you: and a venial sinne
(as the Papists call it) in another, is a greate crime into you.
Thinke not therefore, that the highnes of your dignity diminisheth your
faults (much les giveth you a licence to sin) but by the contrarie, your
faulte shal be aggravated according to the height of your dignitie, any
sin that ye commit not being a single sinne procuring but the fal of one;
but being an exemplare sinne, and therefore draweth with it the whole
multitude to be guyltie of the same. Remember then, that this
glistering worldlie glorie of Kings is given them by God, to teach them to
preass so to glister and shine before their people in all works of
sanctification and righteousness, that their persons as bright lampes of
godliness and vertue, may (going in and out before their people)
give light to all their steps. Remember also, that by the right
knowledge, and fear of God which is the beginning of wisedome (as Salomon
saith) [Prov. 9.10] ye shall know all the things necessarie for the
discharge of your duety, both as a Christian & as a King, seeing in
him (as in a mirrour) the course of al earthlie things, whereof he is the
spring & onely moover.
Now,
the onely way to bring you to this knowldege, is diligently to read his
word, & earnestly to pray for the right understanding thereof: [Joh.
5.39] Search the scriptures (saith Christ) for they wil bear testimony of
me: And [2 Tim. 3.16.17] the whole Scriptures (saith PAUL) are profitable
to teach, to improove, to correct, & to instruct in righteousness,
that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfit
unto al good works. I joyne to this, the careful hearing of the
doctrine with attendance and reverence: For faith commeth by hearing
(saith PAUL) But above al, beware ye thraw not the word to your appetite,
(as over-many doe) making it like a bell to sound as ye please to
interpret: but by the contrarie, frame all your affections to follow
precisely the rules there set downe.
The
whole Scripture contayneth but two things: a command, and a prohibition;
to doe such thinges, and abstaine from the contrarie. Obey in both;
neither thinke it ynough to abstaine from evill and doe no good: nor
thinke not that if yee doe many good thinges it may serve you for a cloake
to mixe evill turnes there-with. And as in thir two poyntes the
whole Scripture
consisteth, so, in two degrees standeth the whole service of GOD by man:
Interior, or up-warde; Exterior, or downward: the first, by prayer in
faith towards God; the next, by works flowing therefrom before the worlde,
which is nothing else but the exercise of Religion towardes God, and of
equitie towards your neighbor.
As
for the particular pointes of Religion, I neede not to delate them; I am
no hypocrite, follow your Fathers foote-steppes and your owne education
therein. I thanke God, I was never ashamed to give accounte of my
profession, how-so-ever the malitious lying tongues of some have traduced
me: & my conscience had not resolved that al my Religion was grounded
upon the plaine words of the Scripture,
I had never outwardly avowed it, for pleasure or awe of the vaine pride of
some sedicious 'Preachours.
And
as for the poyntes of equitie towards your neighboour (because that will
fall in properlie upon the second parte concerning a Kinges office) I
leave it to the owne roome.
For
the first part then of mans service to His God (which is Religion) that
is, The worship of God according to his revealed will, It is wholie
grounded upon the Scripture (as I have alreadie saide) quickened by Faith,
and conserved by Conscience. For the Scripture, I have alreadie
spoken of it in general: but that ye may the more readely make choise of
any part thereof for your instruction or comforte, remember onely this
methode.
The
whole Scripture is dited by Gods Spirit, thereby (as by his lively word)
to instruct and rule the whole Church militant, till the end of the
worlde. It is composed of two parts, the Olde and New
Testament. The ground of the former is the Law, which sheweth our
sinne and conteyneth justice. The grounde of the other is Christ,
who pardoning sinne contayneth Grace. The summe of the Lawe is the
ten Commandes, more largelie dilated in the Lawe, interpreated by the
Prophets: and by the histories are the examples showen of obedience or
disobedience thereto, and what praemium or poena was accordingly given by
God. But because no man was able to keepe the Lawe, nor anie parte
thereof, it pleased God of his infinite wisedome
and goodness, to incarnate his onelie Sonne in our nature, for
satisfaction of his justice in his suffering for us: that since we coulde
not bee saved by doing, wee might (at least) be saved by beleeving.
The grounde therefore of the Lawe of Grace, is contayned in the foure
histories of the birth, life, death, and resurrection Christ. [S. Mat. S.
Mar. S. Luk. S. Joh.]
The
Larger interpretation of this Law, is contained in the Epistles of the
Apostles: and the practice in the faithfull or unfaithful, together with
their rewarde or punishment according thereto, is contayned in the Acts of
the Apostles.
Would
yee then know your sin by the Law? reade the bookes of MOYSES contayning
it: would yee have a
commentarie thereupon? reade the Prophets: would ye see, how good-men are
rewarded, and wicked punished? look the histories of GENESIS, EXODUS,
JOSHUA, the JUDGES, JOB and ESTER, but especialie the bookes of the KINGS,
and CHRONICLES, wherewith ye ought to be familiarlie acquaynted: for there
will ye see your selfe (as in a mirrour) either among the Catalogues of
the good or evill Kings.
Would
ye know the life and death of Christ? looke the Evangelists. Would
ye be more particularlie trayned up in his schoole? meditat upon the
Epistles of the Apostles: and would ye be aquaynted with the practizes of
that doctrine in the persons of the Primitive Church? Cast up the Apostles
Acts. As to the Apocriphe bookes, I omit them because I am no Papist
(as I said before) & indeed some of them are as like the dietement of
the Spirite of God, as an Egge is to an Oyster.
But
when ye read the Scripture, read it with a sanctified & chast eare:
admire reverently such obscure places as yee understand not, blaming onlie
your owne incapacitie; read with delite the playne places; and studie
carefullie to understand those that are somewhate difficile: preasse to be
a good textuare, for the Scripture is ever the best interpreter of it
selfe. But preasse not curiouslie to seek out farther nor is
contayned therein; for that were misnurtured presumption, to strive to
farther upon Gods secreats nor he hath will ye be: for what he thought
needfull for us to know, that hee hath revealed there. And delite
most in reading such partes of Scripture as may best serve for your
instruction in your calling, rejecting foolish curiosities upon numbers
& genealogies, which are but vain & profit not (as PAUL saith)
[Titus. 3.9] [1]
Now,
as to Faith which is the intertayner & quickner of Religion (as I have
else said) It is a sure persuasion and apprehension of the promises of
God, applying them to your soule: and therefore may it justlie be called,
The golden chaine that linketh the faithful soule to Christ: And because
it groweth not in our garden, but is the free gifte of God (as PAUL sayth)
[Phillip. 1.29.] It must be nourished by praier, which is no thing else
but A frendly talking with god.
Use
oft to pray when ye ar quietest, especially in your bed: for publik praier
serveth more for example (for the most part) then for any particuler
comfort to the supplicant. In your praier, be nether over strange
with God (like the ignorant common sort, that prayeth nothing but out of
bookes) nor yet over-homely with him (like som of our vain proud
puritanes, that thinke they rule him upon their fingers.) The former
way will breede an uncouth coldness in you towards him: the other wil
breed in you a contempt of him: but in your praier to God, speak with al
reverence, for if a subject wil not speak but reverently to a king, much
les should any flesh presume to crak with God as with his companion.
Crave
in your prayer, not onelie thinges spiritual but corporall, whiles things
of greater, and whiles of lesse consequence, that yee may laye up in store
his grant of these things for confirmation of your faith: and to be an
arles-pennie unto you of his love. Praie, as ye finde your heart
moveth you pro renata: but see that yee sute no unlawfull thinges, as
revenge, luste, or such like: for that prayer can not come of faith, and
prayer without faith is sinne (as Paul saith) [Rom. 14.23.] When ye
obteyne your prayer, thank him joyfully therefore; if otherwaise, beare
patientlie, preassing to win him with importunitie as the Widdow did
Christ [Mat. 15.22]: and if notwithstanding thereof yee bee not heard,
assure your selfe God fore-seeth that which ye aske is not for your weal:
and learne in time so to enterprete all the adversitites that God shall
sende unto
you, so shall ye in the middest of them not only be armed with patience,
but joyfully lift up your eyes from the present trouble, to the happie end
that God will turne it to: and when ye finde it once so fall out by
proofe, arme your selfe with the experience thereof against the next
trouble, assuring your selfe (although ye cannot in time of the showre see
through the cloud, yet) in the ende, ye will finde God sent it for your
weill, as ye found in the former.
And
as for consience (which I called the conserver of Religion) It is nothing
els but the light of knowledge that God hath planted in man; which
choppeth him with a feeling that hee hath done wrong, when ever he
committeth any sinne: & surely, althou this conscience be a greate
torture to the
wicked, yet it is as a great comfort to the goodlie, if wee will consider
it rightlie. For have we not a greate advantage that have within our
selves while wee live here, a count booke and Inventarie of all the crymes
that wee will be accused of, either at the houre of our death, or at the
greate daye of judgement; which when wee please (yea if wee forget) it
will choppe, and remember us to looke upon, that while wee have leasure
and are here, we may remember to amende, and so at the daye of our tryall,
compeere with new & white garments washen in the blood of the Lambe
(as Saint JOHN sayeth) [Rev. 7.14] Above all then (my Sonne) labour,
to keepe sounde this conscience which manie prattle of, but over-fewe
feele: especiallye be carefull to keepe it
free from two diseases, which it useth oft to bee infected with, to witte,
Leaprosie, and Superstition: the former is the mother of Atheisme: the
other of Heresies. By a Leaprouse conscience, I meane; a cauterized
conscience (as PAUL calleth it) [I. Tim. 4.2.] being become senselesse of
sinne, through sleeping in a carelesse securitie, as King DAVIDS was,
after his murther and adulterie, aye while he was wakened by the prophet
NATHANS similitude [2 Sam. 12.1]. And for superstition, the word it
selfe is plaine ynough, being vocabulum artis.
As
for a Preservative against this Leaprosie, remember ever once in the foure
and twentie houres, either in the night, or when yee are at greatest
quiet, to call your selfe to accounte of
all your laste dayes actiones, either wherein ye have committed thinges ye
should not, or omitted the thinges ye should doe, either in your
Christiane or kinglie calling: & in that account, let not your selfe
be smotthed over with that flattering, (which is over kindlie a sicknes to
al mankinde) but censure your selfe as sharplie as if yee were your owne
enemie: For if yee judge your selfe, ye shall not be judged (as PAUL
sayth:) [I. Cor. 11.31] and syne according to your censure, reforme your
actions as far as ye may; eschewing ever wilfully & willingly to
contrare your conscience: for a small sinne wilfullie committed, with a
deliberate resolution to breake the bridle of conscience therein, is far
greevouser before God, then a greater sinne committed in a
suddaine passion, when conscience is a sleepe. Remember therefore in
al your actions of the great account that yee are one daie to make: in all
the dayes of your life ever learning to die, and living every daye as it
were youre last;
Omnem
crede diem tibi diluxiffe fupremum.
And
therefore I would not have you to praye with the Papistes, to be preserved
from suddaine death, but that God would give you grace to live, as yee may
everie houre of your life be ready for death: so shall yee atteyne to the
vertue of true Fortitiude, never being affraide for the horror of death,
come when hee list: and especiallie, beware to offend your conscience with
use of swearing or lying (suppose but in the mowes): for
oathes are but an use, and a sinne clothed with no delite nor gaine, and
therefore the more inexcusable before God: and lying commeth also much of
a vyle use by bannishing shame: therefore beware even to denie the trueth,
which is a sort of lye that may best be eschewewd by a person of your
rank: for if any thing be speered at you that yee think not meete to
reveale, if yee saie, that question is not pertinent for them to speere,
who dare examine you further? & using this answere whiles both in true
& false things that will be speered at you, these misnurtured people
will never be the wiser thereof.
And
for keeping your conscience sound from that siknes of Superstition, which
is called Morbus animi, yee muste neither laye the safetie of your
conscience upon the credit of your owne conceits, nor yet of other mens
humours, how great Doctors of Divinity that ever they be: but ye must only
ground it upon the express Scripture: for conscience not grounded upon
sure knowledge, is either an ignorant fantasie, or an arrogante
glaikerie. Beware therefore in this case with two extreamities: the'
one, to beleeve (with the Papistes) The Churches authoritie, better nor
your own knowledge: th' other, to leane (with the Anabaptists) to your own
conceites & dreamed revelations.
But
learne wisely to discerne betwixt poyntes of salvation and indifferent
thinges, betwixt substance and ceremonies; & betwixt the expresse
commandemente and will of God in his word, & the invention or
ordinance of man;
since al that is necessarie for salvation is contayned in the Scripture:
for in anything that is expresly commanded or prohibited in the booke of
God, ye cannot be over precise even in the least thing, counting every sin
(not according to the light estimation and common use of it in the world)
but as the book of God counteth of it: but as for all other things not
contayned in the scripture, spare not to use or alter them as the
necessitie of the time shall require. And when any of the spiritual
office-bearers in the Church, speaketh unto you any thing that is wel
warranted by the worde, reverence and obeye them as the Heraulds of the
most high God: but (if passing that bounds) they would urge you to embrace
anye of their fantasies in place of Gods word, or
would colour their particulars with a pretended zeale, acknowledge them
for vaine people passing the boundes of their calling; and (according to
your office) gravely and with aurthoritie redact them in ordour againe.
To
conclude then, both this purpose of Conscience, and the first part of this
booke; Keep God sparinglie in your mouth, but aboundantlie in your
hart. Be precise in effect, but sociall in shew. Kyth more by
your deeds nor by your wordes the love of vertue and hatred of vice: and
delite more to be godlie and vertuous in deed, nor to be thought and
called so; expecting more for your praise and rewarde in heaven nor heere:
and apply to all your outward actions Christes commande, to
give almes secretly: so shall ye on the one parte be inwardly garnished
with true Christian humilitie, not outwardly (with the proud Pharisie)
glorying in your godlinesse: but saying (as Christ commandeth us all) when
we have done all that we can, Invtiles fervi fumus [Luke 17.10.]: and on
the other parte, yee shall eschew outwardly before the world, the
suspicioun of filthie proude hypocrisie and deceitfull dissimulation.
Finis:
The First Booke of Basilicon Doron
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