IV.

SERM. and affection toward him; and to prize the judgment of other men concerning us, doth signify, that we are not oversatisfied with our own.

We might for its further commendation allege the authority of the more cool and candid sort of philosophers, (such as grounded their judgment of things upon notions agreeable to common sense and experience; who adapted their rules of practice to the nature of man, such as they found it in the world, not such as they framed it in their own fancies,) who have ranked honour among the principal of things desirable, and adorned it with fairest elogies; terming it a divine thing, the best of exterior goods, the most honest fruit and most ample reward of true virtue; adjudging, that to neglect the opinions of men (especially of persons worthy and laudable) is a sign of stupid baseness, that to contemn them is an effect of unreasonable haughtiness; representing the love of honour (rightly grounded and duly moderated) not only as the parent and guardian (as productive and preservative) of other virtues, but as a virtue itself, of no small magnitude and lustre in the constellation of virtues, the virtue of generosity 9. A virtue, which, next to the spirit of true religion, (next to a hearty reverence toward the supreme, blessed goodness, and that holy charity to

9 OcïőY TI Ý TIμý. Plat. de Leg. iv.

Καλὸν ταῖς πολλαῖς πόλεσι τὸ παρακέλευσμά ἐστι, προτιμῶν εὐδοξίαν πρὸ Tŵy πoλλ☎v. Idem, de Rep. xii.

Μέγιστον τῶν ἐκτὸς ἀγαθῶν ἡ τιμή. Arist. Eth. iv. 3.

Levis est animi, justam gloriam, qui est fructus virtutis honestissimus, repudiare. Cic. in Pis.

Ex omnibus præmiis virtutis amplissimum est præmium gloria. Idem pro Mil.

IV.

ward men which springeth thence,) doth lift a man SERM. up nearest to heaven; doth raise his mind above the sordid desires, the sorry cares, the fond humours, the perverse and froward passions, with which men commonly are possessed and acted: that virtue, which inflames a man with courage, so that he dares perform what reason and duty require of him, that he disdains to do what is bad or base; which inspires him with sincerity, that he values his honesty before all other interests and respects, that he abhors to wrong or deceive, to flatter or abuse any man, that he cannot endure to seem otherwise than he is, to speak otherwise than he means, to act otherwise than he promises and professes; which endows him with courtesy, that he is ready to yield every man his due respect, to afford any man what help and succour he is able; that virtue, which renders a man upright in all his dealings, and correspondent to all his obligations; a loyal subject to his prince, and a true lover of his country, a candid judge of persons and things, an earnest favourer of whatever is good and commendable, a faithful and hearty friend, a beneficial and useful neighbour, a grateful resenter and requiter of courtesies, hospitable to the stranger, bountiful to the poor, kind and good to all the world: that virtue, in fine, which constitutes a man of honour, who surely is the best man next to a man of conscience. Thus may honour be valued from natural light, and according to

common sense ".

* Trahimur omnes laudis studio, et optimus quisque maxime gloria ducitur. Cic. pro Arch.

Οἱ χαρίεντες καὶ πρακτικοί, plausible and active men do, saith Aristotle, place happiness in honour. Eth. i. 4

IV.

SERM. But beyond all this, the holy scripture (that most certain standard by which we may examine and determine the true worth of things) doth not teach us to slight honour, but rather in its fit order and just measure to love and prize it. It indeed instructs us to ground it well, (not upon bad qualities or wicked deeds, that is villainous madness; not upon things of a mean and indifferent nature, that is vanity; not upon counterfeit shows and pretences, that is hypocrisy; but upon real worth and goodness, that may consist with modesty and sobriety:) it enjoins us not to be immoderate in our desires thereof, or complacences therein, not to be irregular in the pursuit or acquist of it; (to be so is pride and ambition;) but to affect it calmly, to purchase it fairly it directs us not to make a regard thereto our chief principle, not to propound it as our main end of action: it charges us to bear contentedly the want or loss thereof, (as of other temporal goods;) yea, in some cases, for conscience sake, or for God's service, (that is, for a good incomparably better than it,) it obliges us willingly to prostitute and sacrifice it, choosing rather to be infamous than impious, (to be in disgrace with men, rather than in disfavour with Gods:) it, in fine, commands us to seek and embrace it only in subordination and with final reference to God's honour. Which distinctions and cautions being provided, honour is represented in holy scripture as a thing considerably good, which may be regarded without blame, which sometimes in duty must be regarded. It is there preferred

s Non vis esse justus sine gloria? at mehercule sæpe justus esse debes cum infamia. Sen. Epist. cxiii.

I.

T.

4.

16.

before other good things, in themselves not des- SERM. picable. For, A good name is better than pre- IV. cious ointment; yea, A good name is rather to Eccles. vii. be chosen than great riches, saith the Wise Man. Prov. xxii. It is called a gift of God: for, There is a man, Eccles. vi. saith the Preacher, to whom God hath given riches2. and honour. Yea, not only a simple gift, but a blessing, conferred in kindness, as a reward and encouragement of goodness: for, By humility and the fear Prov. xxii. of the Lord, saith he again, are riches and honour. Whence it is to be acknowledged as an especial benefit, and a fit ground of thanksgiving; as is practised by the Psalmist in his royal hymn: Honour, Ps. xxi. 5. saith he, and majesty hast thou laid upon him. Wisdom also is described unto us bearing in her Prov. iii. left hand riches and honour and wisdom surely will not take into any hand of hers, or hold therein, what is worth nothing. No: we are therefore moved to procure her, because, exalting her, she Prov.iv. 8, shall promote us. She shall give unto our head9 an ornament of grace, a crown of glory shall she deliver to us. We are also enjoined to render honour as the best expression of good-will and gratitude toward them who best deserve in themselves, or most deserve of us; to our prince, to our parents, to our priests, especially to such of them as govern 1 Pet.ii. 17. and teach well, to all good men, (Have such in re- 17. putation, says the apostle.) And were not honour a good thing, such injunctions would be unreasonable. Yea, because we are obliged to bear good-will toward all men, St. Peter bids us to honour all men. 1 Pet. ii. 17. From hence also, that we are especially bound to render honour unto God himself, we may well infer with Aristotle, that honour is the best thing in our power Eth. iv. 3.

1 Tim. v.3,

Phil. ii. 29.

Aristot.

13.

17.

IV.

SERM. to offer. To these considerations may be added, that we are commanded to walk evoxnμóvws, (deRom. xiii. cently, or speciously, which implies a regard to Rom. xii. men's opinion;) to provide things honest in the sight of all men, (rà Kaλà, that is, not only things good in substance, but goodly in appearance;) to 1 Pet. ii. 12. have our conversation honest before the Gentiles, (Kaλ again, that is, fair, or comely, and plausible, such as may commend us and our profession to the judgment of them who observe us.) St. Paul Phil. iv. 8. also exhorts us to mind, not only what things are true, are just, are pure; but also a ceμvà, (whatever things are venerable, or apt to beget respect,) σα проσpiñ, (whatever things are lovely, or gracious in men's eyes and esteem,) σa evpnμa, (whatever things are well reported, or well reputed of.) He requires us not only, if there be any virtue, (any thing very good in itself,) but, if there be any praise, (any thing much approved in common esteem,) that we should mind such things. Lastly, the blessed state hereafter (the highest instance of divine bounty, the complete reward of goodness) is represented and recommended to us as a state of honour and glory; to be ambitious whereof is the Rom. ii. 6, character of a good man. To every man, saith St. Paul, shall God render according to his works: to them, who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life.

7.

Such is the reward propounded to us in itself; no vile or contemptible thing, but upon various accounts much valuable; that which the common apprehensions of men, plain dictates of reason, a predominant instinct of nature, the judgments of very