CHAP. IV.

1, HOnour hath the universal suffrage of all ingenious persons for an in∣estimable Jewel, and worthy of the greatest Page  32 care and indeavours which can be imploy∣ed in its acquisition; they are justly cen∣sured as base and sordid, which have no respect to their Repuration, and basely applaud themselves like the Miser the Poet speaks of, under the hisses and disregard of the world, Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo. The ancient Heathens have had great esteem and veneration for all true and real Honour; and many have told us, that he makes no bad bargain that can pur∣chase it, though with the loss of all other Interests; yea, that life it self when it comes in competition with Honour, is to be undervalued and sacrificed thereto; and judged him unworthy the name of Man, which would not subordinate all designs and indearments, how precious soever, to the procuring of it.

2. The spirits of men are exceeding prone to boil over in immoderate desires of Honour, and by indirect and sordid means to attempt it, when they are de∣fective in those noble and generous at∣chievements which may give them right to claim a propriety therein: so eager Page  33 and impetuous is this thirst after fame and glory, that if it be not found in conjunction with Vertue, to direct it to such enterprises as truly ennoble the undertakers, and to cir∣cumscribe it within its just bounds & limits, it doth frequently provoke the minds of men to such wild and exorbitant actions in the chace and pursuance thereof, which contract the most real infamy and reproach, and speak the narrowness and degeneracy, not the am∣plitude and excellency of the Actors Souls. What else means the unbounded ambition, the savage cruelty, the perfidious treachery, the unjust usurpations, the violent invasions, the barbarous depopulations, with many other acts of the same hellish complexion, which by History and Experience we are too sadly assured of? What except an insatiate thirst of Glory, which could not be allayed with the draught of one World, could provoke the Youth of Macedon to weep because there was not another? What but an itch of Fame could intice an Herostratus to sa∣crifice the magnificent Structure of Diana's Temple to the bare mention of an execrable Name?

3. The Stoicks owned no other Honour for currant, then that which had the image and superscription of Vertue stampt upon it, accounting that spurious and illegitimate which was not the issue of a vertuous and heroique Soul, disdaining to lay the foun∣dation of so great an excellency upon the wheel of Fortune, or the uncertain blasts of Vulgar breath, but upon so firm a basis as was sufficient to support it without being beholden to external appendices, and could maintain its luster and oriency in the want of those splendid additaments, which those that are destitute of all true and real glory pride themselves in, as essentially requi∣site to the constituting of Honour, affirming Vertue not only to be its own Reward, but also its Herald too, proclaiming him that is vertuous most glorious and honourable: whereas the most illustrious Titles, when they are not accompanied with those inno∣bling imbellishments which are proportion∣able unto them, are evidences of vain-glory and arrogance in those which assume them; of misprison and ignorance in those which attribute them, and confer no real Page  35 worth and value upon such which pass un∣der those illustrious appellations. This Apo∣thegm is registred among the wise sayings of the Jewish Fathers, in Pirke Avoth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That the study of the Law doth magnifie a man and make him honourable.

4. Desert is the soul of Honour; the true stamp of Nobility is upon the Mind of Man. Religion puts a luster and glory upon the spirits of men, advanceth them unto the highest dignity that they are capable of: The Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour, of a more worthy extraction and descent; he participates of a Divine Nature, may claim kindred with God him∣self: what the Poet saith of Aeneas, is verified of him, Contingit sanguine coelum: he is neerly allyed unto Heaven, an high-born Prince, being as St. John tells us, born 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from above: the Blood-royal of Heaven runs in every Christians veins; as is Christ, so are they, each one resembling the Child of a King: with a little variation, but with the same amazement and affection may the words of the beloved Apostle be Page  36 applyed unto his present Theme, 1 John 3. 1. Behold, what manner of honour is this the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: which pri∣viledge is not meerly titular, & magni no∣minis umbra, but imports some real and essential dignity communicated unto those upon which this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is conferred, as the same Apostle styles it, Joh. 1. 12.

5. Whatsoever doth any way contri∣bute to the rendring men famous and honourable, is in holy Writ eminently ascribed unto good and religious persons: Doth Wisdom make the face to shine, and Understanding give preheminence? A Good Man is wise as an Angel of God; To fear the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is Understanding: What greater wisdom then to secure an Eternal state of Blessedness? What more excellent know∣ledge then that of the best of Beings? with this noble Spirit is every holy man indued; he is conversant with the most glo∣rious and ravishing objects, knows the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, and lays up a good foundation against Page  37 the time to come, that he may lay hold upon Eternal life.

6. Doth Power, and Victory, the Throne and triumphant Chariot, challenge the highest attributions of Honour among men? Of him that is religious it may be truly proclaimed, he is a greater then Alexander, a stronger then Sampson. If Saul hath slain his thousands, David hath slain his ten thousands: Where shall we find such for∣titude and magnanimity as predominates in a Christian? A power over all violent transports of the Mind, and impetuous desires of the Sensitive Appetite, is a victory transcending the conquests of the most puissant Monarchs of the World. Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit mae∣nia. Those whose names have swell'd to the utmost, have been streightned by Am∣bition, and wanted elbow-room in the world; their Victories have been characters of their servitude, and their Trophies badges of capti∣vity. A stuat infoelix angusto limite mundi, is true of the mightiest them of all. The Hebrews have a Maxime, that he is a man indeed that masters his own appetite, Page  38 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Who the Champion? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he which subdues his concupi∣scence. None but a Christian can write himself the Conquerour of the World, 1 Joh. 5. 4. His 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or triumphant Song is in no danger of a Palinodium, 'tis set for Eternity; he is more then Conquerour: and who may triumph, if not he who doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, over-overcome, Rom. 8. 37.

7. Wisdom and Power by which men are rendred so conspicuous and glorious, when found in company with Goodness, make them truly Noble and Honourable; but when separate and abstracted from it, give them a name and nature resembling that of the Prince of Darkness, whose wit and power do concurr to make him most infamously famous. The light of Nature hath discovered in the most perfect and glorious Being, infinite Wisdom and Power joyned with as unlimited Goodness. Hence in the Writings of the Ancients, we fre∣quently find Deus optimus maximus. When Moses desired to have a view of the glory of the Deity, God tells him, he will cause his goodness to pass before him; as if that Page  39 were the only beauty and luster of his Na∣ture. The renowned Stagirite acknow∣ledgeth, that to be good, and do good, is the greatest honour. Though the wild Gallants account the name of Good-man a diminutive Title, yet the greatest Poten∣tates have to the rest of their Title super∣added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is of the same signi∣fication and importance.

8. There is in sin that turpitude which makes its Proselytes asham'd to patronize it; 'tis this that makes the countenance of man to fall: such that shame and ignominy which is annexed to it, that no body will own it but by another name; the proud man scorns any other Epithet but that of magnanimous; and the prodigal then that of free and generous: The Miser will have his sordidness interpreted frugality; con∣tention and revenge shroud themselves un∣der right and justice; and any worse name then a good companion, is displeasant to the rudest debauch; fraudulent circum∣vention usurps the title of Wisdom, and the most flagitious sinners baptize their sins with the name of Vertue, to make Page  40 them less odious to themselves and others: the Prince of Darkness acts in disguise, transforming himself into an Angel of Light, and inticeth sinners to the perpetra∣tion of the most horrid villanies under the appearance of the greatest good.

9. The holy Scripture representeteth sin under such averting forms, as may beget in us the highest shame of it and indignation against it. It hath supplanted us and rob'd us of our birth-right, and laid our honour in the dust. The state of Innocence was a state of dignity; by the first transgression the right Adam had to honour was forfeit, and he became at once obnoxious to shame and sorrow. Sin hath stain'd the purity and brightness of our natures, debased and me∣tamorphosed rational creatures into another kind: to express this great degeneracy, the Holy Ghost styles wicked men Vipers, Dogs, Wolves, Swine, and Children of the Devil; chargeth them with the greatest ignorance, folly, ingratitude, and dis-inge∣nuity, and with whatsoever is unbecoming a reasonable and well-natur'd creature; as to hate God, to love death, to despise a mans Page  41 own soul; mentions them as being fascina∣ted, distracted, infatuated.

10. Religion restores the Soul to the dignity of its first Creation, by accom∣plishing it with those virtuous habits and excellent dispositions which were the glory of man before his lapsed state; this hap∣piness doth, most what, attend virtuous men, that their actions have the approbation of their enemies, there not being many so insensible of the difference between good and evil, as not secretly at least to acknow∣ledge those which are truly religious worthy of honour and esteem, yea, and imitation too; and on the contrary, that those which are vitious and debauched, have a real igno∣miny and reproach inseparably cleaving to them, from which only Repentance and Reformation can be their Vindicators.

11. Such indeed is that vain and desul∣tory temper of some persons, that we may justly take up the complaint of the Church, Lam. 4. 2. The precious sons of Zion, com∣parable to fine Gold, how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers, the work of the hands of the Potter! in lieu of honouring them Page  42 that fear the Lord, they slight and under∣value them, making them the subject of their scorn and insolent humours, vilifying them with opprobrious and ignominious terms, accounting them the filth and off∣scouring of the world, the poyson, and a pest, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Act. 24. 5. of humanity, unwor∣thy of all civil society and natural accom∣modations: But all that contumely and re∣proach by which such men endeavour to render such men ridiculous or odious, de∣rogates nothing from their true worth and honour, which can be no more disparaged by those calumnies wherewith it is aspersed, then those eminent Constellations in the Heavens which contain so many glorious Stars, are obscured by the fictitious imposi∣tions of Bear, Scorpion, Dog, Serpent, &c. Honour is alwayes secured in the company of Vertue. And although for a time good men do lie among the Pots, and may be sullied with scandalous imputations, the time is at hand when they shall come forth and appear glorious as a Dove, whose wings are covered with silver, and her fea∣thers with yellow gold, to borrow the lan∣guage Page  43 of the Psalmist, Psal. 68. 13.

12. Sith true Religion is essential Honour, the prosecution of it is not a design unworthy the most heroique and generous spirits; The King of Heaven is the Fountain of Honour, and 'tis derived from him upon all his favourites in such a measure as may gratifie the height of ambition, ('tis beyond our thoughts to tell you, what his dignity shall be whom this King will honour) when you read in holy Writ of a Crown, a Throne, a Diadem, a Scepter, and all royal habiliments, and triumphant magnificence, secured by the Promise of God unto his Servants, it should quicken you to the per∣formance of such religious and vertuous actions, as may render you worthy of that honourable entertainment with which the bounty of God will bless his people.

13. I would have none honour himself with the name of Man, that scorns those accomplishments which are the glory of Hu∣mane Nature, yea, and of the Divine also; God having emphatically spoken of Holi∣ness as his greatest glory, Exod. 15. 11. To set goodness at naught is to spit in our Page  44 own our faces, and to lay our honour in the dust. He that can sport and caress him∣self either in the Publique contempt, or sly and secret derision of what is indeed reli∣gious Vertue, let him pass for as acute a Wit, or worshipful Gallant as he will in his own account, he doth but reproach his Being, speaks evil of his Dignity, is a∣shamed of his Glory, and proclaims his folly: and thus did not those which pass for Heroes and Worthies in the Annals of Ages, as well Humane as Divine. At Athens the Temple of Vertue was to be passed through to that of Honour.

I shall conclude this Chapter with a pas∣sage out of a person honourable upon all accounts, R. B. Fame is a blessing only in relation to the qualities and persons that give it: Since otherwise the tormented Prince of Devils himself were as happy as he is miserable; and famousness unatten∣ded with endearing causes, is a quality so Page  45 undesirable, that even infamy and folly can confer it; As Momus is little less talk'd of then Homer; the unjust Pilate more famous then Aristides the just; and Barabbas his name signally recorded in Scripture, whereas the penitent Thief is left unmentioned.