Two sermons preach'd at the funerals of the Right Honourable Robert Lord Lexington and the Lady Mary his wife by Samuel Holden.

A Good Name.

Now ev'ry Name that's Great, is not still Good; nay, a Great Name is very often Bad; whil'st a Mans sense of his own power and glory enclines him to act by pre∣sumption, conceiving himself secure from controul: As Heathens in Lawrels defi'd Thunder. Herod had a Name as great, as he had Virtue little. The Chimney is the highest part of the House, and 'tis the foulest too. Good Names are the acquisitions of Goodness, not of Power; of Triumphs over Vices, not over Kingdoms. 'Tis Moderation, not Titles, must be known unto all men (c) 1.1. Those make Menlive the Slaves of Epithites, and dye perhaps the Martyrs of Orations, and slattering Inscriptions.

'Tis true 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Text, only imports a Name, and the Hebrew omits this Attribute of Good, it being the addition of the Septuagint, or vulgar Latin, or else (as Lorinus sayes) of the Chaldee.

But though the word's not in the Original, the Sense is there. It is the Good, Ecclesiastes means; for Names no more than Great, are not so useful as to outvalue precious Oyntment; they seldom live before the Owners dye; and then each enjoyes them but the Men that should. But a Good Name, though it survive the Man, and though himself be sensless of the rumor; yet he possesses the result of all those Actions that ac∣quir'd it, being happy by them; and what though

other Men alone discern the clinking, if I enjoy the treasure?

Besides, Solomon must needs mean a Good Name, be∣cause none but of Power and Eminence gain Great Ones; But even the mean and poor may reach to that repute, which is (to them) better than Oyntment; and which way may that be, but by being good? That's not the atchievement of the brawny arm alone, the feeble knees may have it? 'Tis not a thing so proud, as ever to inclose it self in Cedar; but is oft the Tenant to low Roofs and Cottages; whil'st Lazarus is a Name better than Julius Caesar.

A Great Name so differs from a Good Name, as a Great Man does from a Good Man; and whatsoever Virtue Man may discern in Man, proportionably enti∣tles him to that Appellative of Good. Now that stile, that title, should be all Mens Avarice (d) 1.2, though it proves few Mens Riches; 'tis all Mens love, though it be few Mens study; 'tis Warmth in the Winter; Sunshine in the Grave; the Emulation of the Wise; and the Envy of Fools. A Good Name is

Notes

• (c) 1.1

  Phil. 4.5.
• (d) 1.2

  Negli∣gere quid de se quisque sen∣tiat, non so∣lummodo arro∣gantis est, sed omnino disso∣luti. Cic.