faults 't is then good hope that we repent and become new better men as King David Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Augustine Mary Magdalen and infinite others have done who had as great faults and perchance farre greater then we yet after seeing and being ashamed of their ill courses they repented became new men famous Saints So let us endeavour as farre as wee may to imitate all good and excellent men 'T is said of Themistocles that he was a vaine and vitious youth but after he made the world amends by his worthy deeds A generous and modest shame keeps us from doing ill and makes us strive to excell in all good things insomuch that such as are possest therewith are like to be the best men of fewest faults And of all others these are they who are most like to do great and worthy matters while obstinate shamelesse people who impudently maintaine and go on in a course of vice wickednes without remorse are like to come to dishonour and ruine Such men indeed however they may bee esteemed in this world noble brave gallant blades yet while they remain unconverted in such vitious courses they are base and dishonourable servants and slaves to their owne disordered lusts and affections Whereas in a wise mans eyes there cannot be a greater honour to a man even in this world then to become of such a noble temper and free spirit as to conquer his irregular affections and to returne from vitious unworthy courses into the wayes of divine grace and vertue which makes a man to become Lord of himselfe in this life and at the end thereof by Gods grace guerdons him with eternall honour in the heavens And it seems God himselfe and Angels rejoyce at this There is more joy in Heaven saith our Saviour for one Sinner that repenteth then ninety and nine just Persons which need no repentance Happy are we and with everlasting honour and glory shall we be crowned if we be occasions of such joy in heaven Now a few words concerning dishonourable and despised men in generall Oh what pitty it is to thinke how many hard and evill-hearted men there are in the world who being somewhat richer and perchance therefore onely better esteemed in the world doe very insolently scorne contemne mocke scoffe reproach and abuse poore men of a low and meane degree But sirs thinke I pray Oh thinke that God might justly have made you the poorest meanest and most despised man in the world and that it shewes a very maligne and satanicall heart unjustly to despise reproach mocke abuse insult over and so adde to the griefe and misery of such men who are already most low contemned and miserable But let such low despised men know that God himselfe who is most just sees their misery and wrongs and will one day redresse the same And if they can be patient and goe on in well-doing they shall hereafter be crowned with glory honour immortality eternall life Rom. 2.7 And 't is most like however they may thinke otherwise that disgrace infamy and contempt makes many men the better especially frees them from pride vaine-glory insolency ambition and also makes them more humble and meeke And with such God himselfe dwels Esa 57.15 He promises them grace and exaltation 1 Pet. 5.6 There are very many gratious promises in the sacred Scriptures to the meeke and humble The kingdome of heaven is theirs Matth. 6.5 where they shall be crowned with eternall honour and glory and set with heavenly Princes Psal 113.7 So if they can be the better and more humble for their disgrace wrongs and low condition their light momentary affliction shall worke for them a farre more exceeding eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Such heavenly glory and honor as is not worthy to be compared with their disgraces and sufferings in this life Rom. 8.18 Despised men you whom the world scornes and reproaches how happy how honourable are you if you be vertuous and pious Since God himselfe is your father and the kingdome of heaven your reward since it is your fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdome Luke 12.32 Feare not then but rejoyce for you have so much cause of joy if you can see it enough to make you unexpressably yea infinitely and everlastingly joyful To you Christ himselfe shall one day say Come you blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Matt. 25. Be then but Gods servants and you are most honourable freemen His service is perfect freedome Then however you may be despised disgraced and miserable in this world yet are you such of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11.36 38. most illustrious and honourable even in the sight of heaven You are the sonnes of the most high God guarded by Angels and feared by devils Eternity and the kingdome of heaven are prepared for your honour and glory Can you or dare you wish greater honour and happinesse Who will not say then but such men are most happy and right honourable Concerning poore despised men you may see or collect more consolations before in the first partition and fourth Section Let us then bee contented and not too much feare the losse of honour or grieve for the want thereof since there may bee such happinesse even in the good use of Reproach Contempt and Dishonour To discourse yet further concerning this subject of Contentment in respect of honour also Why should we feare the losse or grieve for the want of outward pomp and honour since although it be true that in it selfe and in the good use thereof it is of much worth and excellency as hath been shewed yet in comparison of the eternall glory and honour of heaven it is to be esteemed even as nothing either in respect of time or worth Insomuch as in such comparison it is more glory to despise honour then to attaine it to contemne and be above the world then to conquer it the rather since after such attaining and conquest a man knowes not what to doe with it and after a moment of time in comparison of eternity it passeth away from man or man from it Yea some have found that honour hath been rather a losse then a gaine but an occasion of envy jealousie opposition stormes and sometimes of poverty or death it selfe Witnesse those worthies Themistocles Phocian Aristides Scipio Cicero Seneca Socrates and divers others Many also have found the same but honourable servitudes and troubles All earthly things shew to us perchance better then they are and sometimes the devill also may tempt us as he went about to tempt Christ and so in our contemplations shew us the kingdomes and glory of the world but not the dangers troubles cares feares and vigilancies thereof Thus especially hee tempts ambitious men but many men who have duely considered these effects of honour and how the same may often hinder peace quietnesse also divine studies and resolutions have rather
the same to many good ends and purposes as to the benefit of themselves their family the common-wealth the Church and in all respects to the glory of God and so can truly enjoy much pleasure and felicity therein and embrace the same as a blessing and gift of God as a little foretaste of that honour and glory which they expect to enjoy in heaven And by this good and divine use of honour to bee excited to search taste see and enjoy in some measure even on earth that heavenly honour and glory is that which I principally intend to discourse of in this Section This terrestriall honour and happinesse is a little reflection from the lightening wherewith heaven illuminates divine soules directing them to the acquisition of the true source and fountaine of all honour glory and happinesse by the aide of these small springs and rivolets Let then the excellency and splendency of this terrestriall honour stirre us up to view search and enjoy that eternall honour and glory of heaven which in the sacred Scriptures is called a kingdome in divers places the kingdome of God and of heaven Mat. 3.2 and 6.33 c. A heavenly kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 A kingdome prepared for and to be given to us Mat. 25.34 Luke 12.32 A crowne which in expectation and in divine glorious and heavenly contemplation and so in vision wee may already have and are advised to hold fast Rev. 3.11 and wee are by that Prince of Kings Iesus Christ already made and called Kings and Priests unto God his father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Rev. 1.5 6. Great men ambitious men despised men all men harke to this heavenly language which most certainly tels us we may and bids us seek to possesse such a Kingdome such a crowne such honour and glory as if we were truly capable thereof would make us even on earth so high and heavenly minded as even to disdaine in comparison thereof the most glorious earthly honour but only so farre as it may serve to the furtherance and increase of this heavenly honour and glory and then should we bend all our choisest desires and endeavours to seek this honour and glory of God of heaven But by the way let me say or rather let the sacred Oracles of God tell us that before this honour is humility Prov. 15.33 Isa 57.15 Mat. 6.5 Luke 1.52 1 Pet. 5.6 and divers other places We should deny and esteeme our selves as the Laodiceans wretched miserable poore blinde naked Rev. 3.17 and so denying our selves wee should looke up to Christ Iesus our Redeemer and Saviour and as hee counsels us ver 18. buy of him pure gold white rayment c. all divine and heavenly graces and so thereby live well graciously piously for to such as so live is this honour and glory promised Psal 84.11 and 91.14 15 16 and 149.9 Rom. 2.7 10. So then though we must deny our selves yet in Christ Iesus if we be endued with his heavenly graces and so live well we ought to think our selves rich honourable happy and illustrious even in the sight of God and Angels Isa 43.4 that we are as Kings children and all-glorious within Psal 45.14 faire as the moone cleere as the sun and terrible as an army with banners Cant. 6.10 even the sonnes of God and heires of the kingdome of heaven Iohn 1.12 Gal. 4.6 7. 1 Iohn 3.2 Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.6 Such honor have all his Saints Psal 149.9 So then let our designes be so high and heavenly even as to acquire a kingdome a heavenly kingdome the kingdome of God Mat. 6.33 Luke 12. In him let us seeke for glory honour immortality eternall life Rom. 2.7 We all desire to be honourable and the way so be most truly and highly honourable is to seeke for this immortall glory of heaven which is indeed the poore and despised mans only hope and life and ought to be the well reputed and noble mans onely ambition and this hope this desire if divine and heavenly enough and the acquisition thereof is by Gods grace sufficient to ennoble even the most despised man on earth with honor and happinesse far more worth then this world can give or imagine What now if the dishonourable slaves of sinne and wickednesse those whom God himselfe hath branded with the ignoble names of swine Mat. 7.6 and dogs Rev. 22.15 who neither see nor know those heavenly dignities honours and glories of the Saints of God should trample those divine pearles of grace and barke at those heavenly honoured men yet let us be contented we know 't is the nature of the beasts and curs so let them wallow in their filth and snarle at us still it matters not while we are so happy as to know these truths oh would they were so happy also that we are so honorable as to be the servants of God yea his sonnes and heires of the kingdome of heaven as hath been shewed And yet further now lately searching those heavenly Oracles I find that God is pleased so to honour us as to call us so farre as we are good and happy his owne image Gen. 1.27 Col. 3.10 yea the very divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 6.16 wherein God himselfe dwels Isa 57.15 1 Iohn 4.12 13 15 16. the beloved of God Cant. 1. c. the glory of God and of Iesus Christ Rom. 3.23 2 Cor. 8.22 With divers other honorable glorious and heavenly excellencies enough to make us exceeding joyfull and very gloriously high and heavenly minded even in the midst of all the reproaches and abuses that the devill and all his imps can imagine against piety and pious men and so to contemne the same even as we would the barking of a bitelesse cur or rather as hath bin said before to esteem the same as heavenly musicke and blessings since it doth serve but to increase this our heavenly honour and glory Mat. 6. 1 Pet. 4.13 14. Now then let us raise up our thoughts and desires from this terrestriall to the heavenly glory let it be our onely ambition to rest in Gods favour on earth and to be crowned with eternall glory in heaven And in the meane time let us often pray with Moses O Lord we beseech thee shew us thy glory Exod. 33.18 and often endeavour already to soare aloft upon the wings of faith and divine contemplation unto this heavenly glory those everlasting heavenly glorious crownes and thrones which wee shall hereafter possesse Let this earthly glory and honour be an help to direct our soules thither and to learne the excellency of that infinitely transcendent eternall glory of heaven from which this earthly as a little bright reflection doth proceed And as children by the use and view of toyes and trifles such as they apprehend are encouraged to learn and doe thereby espy the way to greater excellencies and after seeing the vanity of those toyes
not finde words to expresse these Riches nor search the depth of them which made him to say O the depth of the Riches of God Rom. 11.33 and to cal them the unsearchable Riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 also the exceeding Riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 In desiring these Riches we cannot be too covetous Covet earnestly the best gifts saith Saint Paul O let our desires and our designes be eager in the pursuite of these heavenly Treasures And let the Riches of the earth help to direct encourage and incite us to the acquist of those divine Riches What though the blinde buzzards of the world dote onely upon earthly Riches and cannot see these infinitely more excellent heavenly Treasures yet Gods Saints the eyes of whose understanding are enlightned Eph. 1.18 do very perspicuously and gloriously view them 2 Cor. 4.6 7. And thogh we use these earthly felicities as passage-boats and ships the better to carry us to the haven where we should be to that cape of good hope to those happy Islands the heavenly Canaan yet doe we not set our hearts so on these ships or boats as to neglect or forget our heavenly haven but rather so as the better and oftner to remember the same and to convey us thither And we can with a most willing minde when God pleases leave those ships as Saint Paul did his to arrive at this our heavenly countrey Though as Travellâ—rs in an Inne while we are here we refresh our selves with these yet it is but the better to encourage and strengthen us in our journey towards our heavenly home where our soules are already oftentimes solacing themselves with divine hopes desires contemplations joyes of those heavenly Riches wherof we are now heires Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 Tit. 3.7 And we may truly say That such men as terminate their hopes desires and affections to possesse those eternall heavenly treasures which are only able to quench the thirst of our souls are the richest in the world Whence it is that a truly pious man can in comparison of these divine Riches when he pleases trample under foot very generously all the treasures and Riches of the earth through the knowledge of those which his spirit possesseth while he contemplates the eternall glorious Riches of heaven How rich is he O Lord who is thus heavenly minded enough to contemne worldly in comparison of divine treasures and to enjoy earthly Riches only in thee and to thy glory How contented is he who thinks and contemplates often of eternall Riches Oh how happy is he that makes thy selfe his treasures O God let it ever be the choisest desires of my soule to be so rich so contented so happy Preserve me ever if it please thee in this divine temper wherein I now finde my selfe already to marke out and set up my repose my delight my treasures above the world with thee O Lord in heaven The second PARTITION Of Honour SECTION I. The excellency thereof and the misery of Dishonour A Good name saith king Solomon is rather to be chosen than great Riches Prov. 22.1 It is better than precious ointment Ecc. 7.1 Honour is defined by some to bee the rumour of a beautifull and vertuous action which reboundeth from our selves to the view of the world and by reflection into our selves bringeth unto us a testimony of what others beleeve of us which turneth to a pleasing contentment and joy of the minde By others true Honour is defined to be the shining brightnesse of vertuous and worthy actions reflected from our owne conscience unto the sight and view of those with whom we live It may be called a gracefull respect or renowned reputation which every man ought to have in recompence of his worthinesse declared unto the world by good and glorious deeds and approved by the acknowledgment of good and vertuous men It is not then an imaginary phantasie but a splendent brightnesse which maketh him that is the subject therof to shine forth as the sparkling rayes of a pretious diamond And it shineth most brightly in such as are of greatest birth of greatest riches of greatest dignity and authority both in Church and common-wealth And forasmuch as it proceedeth from vertuous and worthy actions it is a divine good a caelestiall Treasure viewed and approved of by God and Angels and is alwaies accompanied with inward delectation and pleasure And we are to know that this divine approbation and inward delight of the soule is the onely reward that vertue looks for in doing good and honourable actions The opinion of men is much too weake a recompence for vertue and not to be compared with the inward delight of the soule And vertue desireth not a more ample or rich Theatre to shew her selfe and her actions then her owne soule and conscience The testimony thereof shee esteemes much better then of all the world besides yet with modesty in all good waies she disdaineth not but rather endeavoureth and rejoyceth to gaine this outward honour also A good name amongst men And so much doth vertue esteeme of this honour which deservedly proceeds from good and worthy actions that amongst vertuous noble great spirits nothing seemes to be more desirous and pleasant insomuch as they will spare no labour no paine but willingly and fearelesly will adventure through many difficulties many perils obtaine the same True honor and good estimation is the most illustrious most commendable and most durable good that a man hath in this world forasmuch as he leaveth unto the world a good testimony of his life and to his own posterity a good example Honour also may serve to many good uses as to countenance and uphold all goodnesse and good men to stirre and inflame us to all good pious and laudable actions and thereby to looke to that fountaine of all honour and glory God himselfe and those coelestiall rayes of glory of which these terrestriall are but little reflections those eternall crownes and kingdomes of heaven But of this more hereafter And we shall the better esteeme of honour and more plainly see it's excellency if we consider the misery of the contrary that is of shame and dishonour There is no greater griefe and vexation to high and generous spirits than dishonour and ignominy insomuch as they will take any paines and travell yea and chuse rather to dye then lose their honour their good estimation True it is there are many impudent people in the world who will not be moved with dishonour and ignominy but even with a face of brasse will out-beard all modest shame and honesty very impudently oppose all goodnes and maintaine all wickednesse yet a generous modest man a gallant and gratious spirit will be very sad and grieve exceedingly when he hath done any dishonourable actions and so to be disgraced and lose their good name and honour Wherefore true honour and good repute being so excellent as hath been said and the contrary so disdainfull and miserable the same is
resolved often to trace therein though all malitious vitious men should continually reproach and scandalize the same and me Yet once more I will imagine Momus telling the honest man that the world is already too full of books even cloyed pestered annoyed therewith and that therefore new ones are superfluous and the honest man telling Momus that there are not too many good bookes and that men especially schollers may easily enquire and know which are the best and use only them That there are as many and divers minds as men and therefore 't is good that there be many and divers kinds of good bookes That most men are but of plaine and common understanding and therefore many plaine and easie bookes are necessary That new things are most lookt upon and noted and therefore it is not amisse that there be often new good bookes published and the like But admit it be so that the world is cloyed with too many bookes therefore it is the more requisite that men should endeavour to collect refine and epitomize the same and to publish that only which is good necessary and well pleasing to vertuous pious men and in this respect concerning my selfe also if I have failed therein though I hope not much yet I have endeavoured to doe as well as I could yet truly my owne meditations contemplations and so additions in the studying and writing hereof have extended the book especially in some necessary places thereof where I thought good much longer then I intended I should perhaps have pleased some men to have cited abundance of authours to shew much reading and intermixed a multitude of Latine phrases and sentences c. especially to please such who thinke all learning is comprized therein All which indeed may be performed by a weake scholler in this age insomuch as a man may easily collect even out of moderne English Authours such matter enough to make a booke swel in Folio to a great volume but in this compendious discourse I thought better to neglect the same and so to be as briefe as conveniently I could In this booke I have endeavoured to use such a severall stile and language as according to my weake skil and judgement becomes the severall matters discoursed of in the Treatise And since I have been very much encouraged in this way by many worthy friends aswell Divines as others as I can shew and 't is well knowne under some of their hands I am the more freely willing to commit the same to publique view and censure notwithstanding the common and pernitious slanders and reproaches of Momus Zoylus and their followers But if I have digressed to returne Let us further consider that some enemies and reproaches are even good and necessary for us to purifie to try to quicken and enliven all vertue and divine graces in us Let us endeavour to mâ—ke a good use even of reproches by beiâ—g the better more circumspect and diligent in all goodnesse more wise resolute and contagious therein and then happy are we wee may rejoyce rather then sorrow at such reproach that occasioneth such good effects And againe concerning my selfe I confesse that if I had not had some very strange eager enemies and been reproached 't is very like I had not had the leisure to have been happy I protest me thinkes I do very plainly perceive that the same hath occasioned my greatest joy and felicity yea that all the enemies reproaches and crosses of my life have turned to the increase of my good and happines and that the remembrance of them doth now but serve to enliven quicken my present joyes But to proceed It is common to all men to be evill spoken of and reviled especially religious and pious men most undeservingly The Apostles Martyrs and all the Saints have bin so abused those men of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 12.36 38. We doe but follow our leâ—ders yea our Captaine and Saviour himselfe hath led this way and he will crowne such with eternall triumphant honour and glory who patiently follow him in suffering 'T is a comfort to have such a leader such companions Hath God our Saviour most loving-suffered so much to make us happy and shall not we even willingly and joyfully suffer so little for his sake as the reproach of envious and malitious tongues Let us be ashamed to goe to heaven without suffering somthing for our Saviours sake When ill men hate and revile us it is a signe of goodnesse in us Such men would love us if we did use and allow their courses If we doe well they will hate and reproach us Let us then as the Apostles did rejoyce that wee are worthy to suffer for goodnes sake Such reproach is a blessing our Saviour saith it Blessed are you saith hee when man shall revile c. for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Matt. 6. What a weake conceit have we of heaven if we cannot willingly suffer even death it selfe for the least of it's rewards If we were truly capable thereof how joyfully should we suffer the greatest torments on earth to gaine such a reward and glory to thinke at what an easie rate in comparison we should gaine the same Puny Christians are we not worthy the name if we be dishartened at the airy reproach of dissolute people when our Saviour saith Great is your reward in heaven Let it then be as heavenly musicke to our eares to heare such vitious men so revile and reproach us We shall be rewarded with eternall honour and glory in heaven I reckon saith Saint Paul that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 And our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Of this glory let us contemplate let us lift up our minds to those crownes and thrones of heavenly honour and glory from thence let us looke downe on those barking bitelesse vitious men of the world and so being above their malice and reproaches let us contemne the same and pity them But say admit we be justly spoken evill of that we have plunged our selves into ill courses and actions whereby we have justly deserved to be so for no man lives without faults yet let us be contented let us make a good use of our disgraces so may they be an occasion of our rejoycing Let them make us see our ill deservings repent and amend seeke and returne to goodnesse Oh blessed is such disgrace that bringeth forth so good effects And although there be many impudent brazen-faced people in the world who can scoffe at and out-beard all modest shame and honesty and shamelesly maintaine all vice and wickednesse yet a generous modest man will grieve and be ashamed of ill-doing It is a signe of modest grace and goodnesse to be ashamed of and grieved for our
thought themselves happy without then with it insomuch as many Kings and Princes have voluntarily forsaken and refused it Dioclesian Sylla Carolus Martellus Ottanes King of Persia Pope Celestinus Edward the Confessor and eight crowned Kings of England while it was held of the Saxons and many others though it hath been thought superstition and unwarrantable for men so to forsake their dignities offices and callings have changed their Scepters for books knowing there was lesse trouble and perchance more peace joy and felicity in a study then in a kingdome He that is guided by reason and loves himselfe is contented with an indifferent fortune Likewise divers of the saints in all ages even the Apostles have voluntarily refused outward honour and our Saviour himselfe setting before him the glory of heaven as 't is said willingly endured the crosse and despised the shame For in such comparison of eternal and heavenly glory this externall terrestriall honour is not worthy to be esteemed but as altogether vain as meere aire breath clouds mists vapours shadowes dreames yea lesse even as nothing It doth not so much as touch a man onely his name which is nothing of his substance a thing separated in the aire from him very uncertaine fugitive and undurable So that if an ambitious man were but awaked out of his vaine-glorious dreame restored to his wits brought out of fooles paradise he would plainly see how in the prosecution of this vanity he did but run paths very vain devious and dangerous onely to build castles in the aire or according to a better phrase to sow the winds and reap the whirlwinds Then would hee remaine even most sweetly contented with a meane condition So uncertaine and undurable is honour that one day hath seene Haman honoured and hanged So Nebuchadnezzar a King and a beast Bajazet an Emperour and a caged prisoner I might instance in many more But if the renowne of a man doth make a longer noyse in the world a life time or more yet to what a small purpose is it since 't is but a noyse that passeth away with a thought and since the man himselfe also passeth away to nothing or worse to death the grave and corruption Where is now great Alexander whose valour could admit no comparison whose victories have spread through the Vniverse as likewise Cyrus his predecessour who upon his golden chariot was attended with that magnificent pomp as made men idolatrize in admiration of it So also Caesar Marke Antony Pompey Hanniball Scipio and all the rest who have bin registred in the world for famous They are dead and parted from their glory And to what a small purpose is all their conquests their honour and glory come to since even the very wormes have conquered them all and reduced them to nothing but corruption I am even astonisht when I consider that so great a number of Emperors Kings Princes Prelates Nobles who have commanded the world should now be conquered by so poore and contemptible things as death and the wormes and be imprisoned for ever in a narrow darksome grave and there to become onely a lump of filth a box of pallid putrifaction a nest of crawlers so full of gastlinesse and horrour as you would be even afraid to looke upon them Let us be contented then and not be ambitious or envy any mans honour and glory No not if an unworthy vitious impious man should grow great and honourable in the world Be not afraid saith King David when the glory of his house increaseth for he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall his pomp follow him Psal 49.16 What difference is there between the most honourable and the most despised man in the grave The poore despised mans comfort is his excesse to heaven is as free and 't is like freer with lesse impediments then the other and his departure from the earth not so grievous since he hath no pomp and glory but rather infamy disgrace and misery to depart from and if hee be a pious Christian he expects a crown of glory in heaven Why then should wee too much feare the losse or grieve for the want of externall honour and glory since as hath been shewed in respect of the eternall and heavenly which wee expect to possesse it is not worth our thoughts but in such comparison appeares altogether vaine fading and undurable as also the possessors thereof And it is most worthy consideration that such spirits as are divine enough to contemne earthly in respect of the heavenly honour and glory which they looke for and in some sort already view by a heavenly light in their soules are the most happy men The renowne of a vertuous pious man is much greater and more glorious then that of Caesar or Alexander And this honour onely lasteth eternally If we have this honour it matters not for any other we need not care which way we goe whether thtough honour or dishonour on earth so wee come to that glory in heaven Let us trust and relye on God and we are however blessed God makes us to be borne and live in what degree he pleases If we live in a mean low and despised condition among men till death God hath so ordained So it must be And if we can as if we were divinely wise we may even willingly and with sweetest contentment obey his heavenly decrees and relye on his divine providence without distrust we are certainly happy It should and why should it not be an heaven of joy to us to thinke that God whom wee should love Infinitely above our selves is in heaven that his name is glorified and his will is done on earth as in heaven To conclude then let us in respect of worldly honor rely on Gods providence what ever befals us knowing that if we trust in him we shall have that which is most good most fit for for us Let us make a good use both of honour and dishonour And so we may and let us endeavour to be contented and rejoyce in this respect and so in all things SECTION V. The good and divine use of Honour ALthough the vaine immoderate ambitious desire of praise and honour bee not good yet the moderate and vertuous desire thereof is certainly very commendable and also profitable aswell for private as publick good for it containes men in their duty awakens stirs up and inflames them to worthy and honourable actions and may serve to many good and divine uses Such honour therefore and good estimation as we have let us use the same well and in the good use thereof enjoy it freely However many vitious men use this treasure of Honour to many ill purposes to the countenance and furtherance of vice and impiety and so perhaps to their owne ruine and doe desire and seeke the same in a vain and vitious way onely to satisfie their pride arrogancy covetousnesse and other ill desires yet vertuous pious men can desire and use
and looking above them doe even contemne them in comparison of the more excellent things which then they know So let us as children in Gods family make a good use of this earthly honour and be thereby encouraged and excited to learne and search the way to the eternall glory of heaven of which this is but a shadow And when we are grown wise and skilfull men in rhe knowledge of divine things Let us then in comparison endeavour to be above and even contemne these toyes and trifles of the world for such is earthly honour even in it's greatest excellency in comparison of the heavenly honour and glory and then let us untye our selves from the overmuch and vitious desire of terrestriall honor which can never satisfie us and with a desire full of sprightfulnesse love and joy elevate our thoughts to heaven to eternity for certaine it is that those souls which doe often contemplate the heavenly glory and doe well know the excellency thereof are often raised farre above all the greatnesse of the earth inasmuch as eternity is above time and infinite glory above a shadow thereof And in these contemplations they are often so transported and raised beyond and above themselves as if they were then capable of terrestriall and humane vanities they would not know themselves while their souls doe thus direct their lookes desires affections and contemplations wholly to God himselfe to heaven Insomuch that while their spirits are so raysed in such divine thoughts and illuminations they doe seeme very gloriously then to despise all the honour and greatnesse of the earth and with unexpressable delight to marke out the thrones of their honour in the kingdome of heaven where they know that a crowne of immortall glory shall for ever environ their heads And in these divine thoughts and elevations they are often even astonisht with such wonderfull delights and happinesse as they can finde neither measure nor limits in these divine glorious amuzements heavenly irradiations and elevations of spirit So not being able to find any thing on earth worthy of their greatnesse they have designed the crowne and set up the throne of their honour and glory in the empyrean heaven To conclude Let it alwaies be our glory to glorifie our fathet which is in heaven Mat. 5.16 Ier. 9.23 They that honour me I will honour saith God 1 Sam. 2.30 Psal 9.14 15 16. O how honourable how happy is he whom God is pleased to honour Teach oh Lord this secret divine language to my heart to desire onely thy honour thy glory and that I may glory onely in thee who art mans soveraigne glory yea onely true happines Let me esteeme this honour this glory this happinesse as heaven already The third PARTITION Of Conjugall Love SECTION I. Of the excellency of such Conjugall or Marriage Love in generall and the miseries of the losse and want thereof KIng Solomon saith a prudent wife is from the Lord Prov. 19.4 From the beginning of the creation saith our Saviour God made them male and female for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Mar. 10.7 Mat. 19. So it appeares God himselfe is the Author of this lawfull conjugall or marriage-love And therfore in respect of him the Authour to be very well esteemed accordingly Therefore in his sacred word by King Solomon he saith Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth c. See Prov. 18.2 Eccl. 9.9 and by Saint Paul Husbands love your wives as Christ loved his Church So ought men to love their wives as their owne bodies for he that loveth his wife loveth himselfe Eph. 5.25 28. Let me here againe make a short though perchance very necessary digression Since God himselfe as hath been shewed is the Authour of this Conjugall true Love and commends the same unto us I doe intend God willing to write on of this Subject though all the severe Grandsires and Stoickes of the world should frowne and the more nice then wise people turâ—e aside their heads and though envious malitious people should pine and grieve exceedingly at such loving felicities though over-doting sottish and brain-sicke Lovers should be toucht to the quick in this ensuing discourse and therefore kicke and though whoremasters should be gall'd and lash though Momus or jeering Coxecombes should carp and scoffe at this subject of Conjugall Love and though meere earthly sensuall fooles should not see or conceive the good and divine use thereof which is principally heavenly Love of God And I protest I shall in this discourse principally endeavour to please God the Authour of this Love that is to doe good for I know all goodnesse pleaseth him and what better and more necessary endeavour then to increase this so good and necessary happinesse of Conjugall or Marriage-Love in the world from which springeth so many good and happy effects therein as in this the next the fourth and fifth Sections of this Partitioâ— I intend to shew more largely And in the next place I would gladly also please all vertuous pious men and of them especially true-lovers which I hope I shall the rather since I have formerly been much encouraged by such and since I have followed and learned the substance of this Partition of many wise and worthy Authours who have formerly written of this subject done much good thereby and are deservingly commended for the same And lastly I write this to please and recreate my selfe also amidst more serious studies and occasions Now therefore let the said severe Grandsires Stoicks over-nice people envious malitious men over-doting sottish brain-sicke Lovers carping scoffing geering coxcombs meere sensualists or any other vitious men for such onely I thinke will frowne looke aside pine grieve be angry barke stir kick lash carp scoffe soulely detract or remain still meere sensuall fooles I care not since I have endeavoured and shall endeavour to doe this good hereby It matters not to me what such men say While I please God good men my self enjoy And since God the Authour of this Conjugall Love hath commended the same unto us in such a sweet amiable and pleasant manner as is said Prov. 5.18 c. Eccles 9.9 Ephes 5. and divers other places and also in the Canticles and elsewhere even in a misterious and divine way therefore if I or any man endeavour to shew and increase this happinesse and to do this so necessary good in a pleasing â—â—d harmelesse manner what wise well disposed man who but some rugged discontented envious carping maligne spirited men will be displeased therewith I wonder why any should be so maligne as to dislike grudge or envy the felicities of lovers I protest I wish that all the true-lovers and married men in the world might enjoy as much pleasure and felicity in their loves and wives as they can wish and thinke of though it were upon this condition that my selfe should lose all my joyes hopes and
acquite themselves of great high places of authority in Church and common wealth yet honour according to each mans degree and desert is generally due to those persons that doe well performe their duty in their professions and vocations both generall of Christianity and publique good and also particular whatsoever the same be And since also he is to be esteemed truly honourable who doth well governe himselfe in the wayes of vertue and piety and therein doth worthily for true honour only consists in vertuous and pious actions Let us endevour to apply our selves to the acquisition both of morall and divine prudence fortitude and all the most noble vertues and graces to scorne and despise all unworthy and base actions and on the contrary to addict our selves to the acquisition of good and excellent though difficult things to be resolute therein and couragious to stand upon our owne bottomes in all good vertuous pious wayes and not to be led away with flatteries and idle opinions nor with the discouragements or barking reproaches of base vitious dissolute people to imitate as farre as wee may the best men in their most sublime and excellent actions But we are still to observe and remember this caution that wee should not onely be vertuous pious and doe good onely for outward honour and glory as if that were the solary and reward thereof the opinion of men is farre to weake a pay for divine vertue and grace And as the same is too modest so also too noble to beg such a recompence We should perswade our selves that vertue and divine grace were it not to doe good to others desireth not nor seeketh a more ample and rich Theatre to shew it selfe then her owne soule and conscience no other recompence then the contentment and pleasures thereof in its own witnesse of well doing which is farre better then the testimony of all the world besides Therefore a truly vertuous pious man who is truly an honourable man 1 Iohn 3.2 scornes to look for only outward rewards he holds it for a Principle a Maxime that the fruit of honourable actions is to have acted them yea to have endeavoured them Wherein he taketh most pleasing delight and if any outward honor as the good opinion of men and so a good name bee added to this inward delight of his soule he also modestly rejoyces and well esteemes thereof yet but as an uncertaine fraile though good blessing and not to be compared with the inward testimony and delight of his conscience in well doing Yet he endeavoureth in all good wayes with modesty to gaine this outward honour also a good name and the good opinion of men for vertue not onely adorneth a man with true wisedome modesty and a pleasing conversation but also accompanieth him with valour and magnanimity takes away from him all base feare of danger and of death and inciteth every one that is endued with a generous disposition to erect unto himselfe an eternall remembrance by vertuous glorious and so honourable actions To proceed more particularly This crown of honour also duely belongeth unto two sorts of men that is first to such as professe learning Secondly to such as professe Armes or martiall affaires Forasmuch as the endeavours of the valiant Generall Captaine and souldiers seemes to aime almost wholly at honour and the renowne of men I shall first in this respect discourse of them Honour is most justly due unto those men who spend their lives in the service of their Prince and countrey and voluntarily oppose themselves to apparant dangers for the preservation of the common wealth from forreine invasions and to maintaine our Religion our Lawes and liberty which next under God are the necessary cause of our well being Since they take such great paines in so many and great dangers for such high and worthy ends this crown of honour therefore in this respect most worthily appertained to such men neither shineth it so magnificently and gloriously in any affaires as in the couragious attempts of martiall enterprizes Therefore it is that the golden Merchant although he be a very profitable and worthy member of the common-wealth yet so much honoured as the poore souldier for the one heapeth up a mountaine of treasure respecting chiefly his owne enriching the other practiseth but few meanes to enrich himselfe and those also as instruments of honour the principall end of all his endeavours being referred to the maintenance of our Religion and liberty to the good of our countrey to the faithfull service of our King and to the acquisition of honour and glory Wherefore in antient times as honourable rewards of such men have been given crownes lawrels garlands statues a certaine forme of accoutrements the honour of some sirname orders of knighthood places of worth and dignity precedency in assemblies pensions of money and the like have been worthily bestowed upon such as have valiantly fought for their Religion their Prince and countrey and Armes have been permitted to noble personages as the recognisance of their honour But it falleth out sometimes that some of these and the like markes of honour to such as have not deserved the same are an occasion of their greater disgrace for high titles and great authority without vertue and publique utility are deservedly contemptible And also sometimes it may be greater honour not to have these honourable marks having deserved them then to have them It is more honourable unto me said Cato that every man should aske me why I have not a statue erected in the market place then why I have it These military martiall affaires therefore do conferre on men such deserved honour as crowneth them with a shining light reflecting a splendent brigtnesse to posterity Insomuch as divers famous Philosophers and Historiographers as Socrates Xenophon Architas Thucydides Thales Epiminondas and a milli-of other famous men have offered themselves to all perils to gaine honor and glory and for the benefit and safety of their common wealth Yea insomuch as many Emperours Kings and Princes have esteemed and doe esteeme it a great addition to their honour to maintaine and to be martiall defendors if occasion be of their Religion and countrey This crowne of honour also most deservingly belongeth unto them which professe learning especially those most honourable sublime and generous professions of Divinity Law and Physick Divinity which concernes principally that most excellent part of man the eternall heavenly soule and the professors thereof being conversant in the knowledge of God and his true Religion the science of living well and blessedly for ever and so in all supernaturall divine and eternall things is most honourable and most worthy the study and knowledge of the greatest Monarch on earth Nor can there be a greater addition to the honour of Emperours Kings and Princes then to be religious and worthy defendors of the true Christian faith The law also is a generous and honorable profession however it be abused and although there be many