very mean and below us not very base and misbecoming us as men of reason and judgement What have we to doe but to eat and drink like horses or like swine but to sport and play like children or apes but to bicker and scuffle about trifles and impertinencies like idiots what but to scrape or scramble for useless pelf to hunt after empty shews and shadows of honour or the vain fancies and dreams of men what but to wallow or bask in sordid pleasures the which soon degenerate into remorse and bitterness To which sort of employments were a man confined what a pitifull thing would he be and how inconsiderable were his life Were a man designed onely like a flie to buzz about here for a time sucking in the air and licking the dew then soon to vanish back into nothing or to be transformed into worms how sorry and despicable a thing were he And such without Religion we should be But it supplieth us with business of a most worthy nature and lofty importance it setteth us upon doing things great and noble as can be it engageth us to free our minds from all fond conceits and cleanse our hearts from all corrupt affections to curb our brutish appetites to tame our wild passions to correct our perverse inclinations to conform the dispositions of our Soul and the actions of our life to the eternal laws of righteousness and goodness it putteth us upon the imitation of God and aiming at the resemblance of his perfections upon obtaining a friendship and maintaining a correspondence with the High and Holy one upon fitting our minds for conversation and society with the wisest and purest Spirits above upon providing for an immortal state upon the acquist of joy and glory everlasting It employeth us in the divinest actions of promoting Vertue of performing beneficence of serving the publick and doing good to all the being exercised in which things doth indeed render a man highly considerable and his life excellently valuable 'T is an employment most proper to us as reasonable men For what more proper entertainments can our mind have then to be purifying and beautifying it self to be keeping it self and its subordinate faculties in order to be attending upon the management of thoughts of passions of words of actions depending upon its governance 'T is an employment most beneficial to us in pursuing which we greatly better our selves and improve our condition we benefit and oblige others we procure sound reputation and steddy friendships we decline many irksome mischiefs and annoyances we do not like those in the Prophet spend our labour for that which satisfieth not nor spend our mony for that which is not bread for both temporal prosperity and eternal felicity are the wages of the labour which we take herein 'T is an employment most constant never allowing sloth or listlessness to creep in incessantly busying all our faculties with earnest contention according to that profession of S. Paul declaring the nature thereof Herein always do I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man Whence it is called a Fight and a Race implying the continual earnestness of attention and activity which is to be spent thereon It is withall a sweet and gratefull business for it is a pious man's character that he delighteth greatly in God's commandments that the commandments are not grievous to him that it is his meat and drink to doe God's will that God's words or precepts are sweeter then hony to his tast that the ways of religious wisedom are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Whereas all other employments are wearisome and soon become loathsome this the farther we proceed in it the more pleasant and satisfactory it groweth There is perpetual matter of victory over bad inclinations pestering us within and strong temptations assailing us without which to combat hath much delight to master breedeth unexpressible content The sense also of God's love the influences of his grace and comfort communicated in the performances of devotion and all duty the satisfaction of good Conscience the assured hope of reward the foretasts of future bliss do season and sweeten all the labours taken all the difficulties undergone therein In fine the bare light of Nature hath discerned that were it not for such matters as these to spend a man's care and pains upon this would be a lamentable world to live in There was for instance an Emperour great and mighty as ever did wield scepter upon earth whose excellent Vertue coupled with wisedom inferiour perhaps to none that any man ever without special inspiration hath been endowed with did qualifie him with most advantage to examine and rightly to judge of things here who not withstanding all the conveniencies which his Royal estate and well-settled prosperity might afford the which surely he had fully tasted and tried did yet thus express his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doth it concern me to live in a world void of God or void of Providence To govern the greatest Empire that ever was in the deepest calm to enjoy the largest affluences of wealth of splendour of respect of pleasure to be loved to be dreaded to be served to be adored by so many nations to have the whole civil World obsequious to his will and nod all these things seemed vain and idle not worthy of a man's regard affection or choice in case there were no God to worship no Providence to observe no Piety to be exercised So little worth the while common sense hath adjudged it to live without Religion V. It is a considerable benefit of Piety that it affordeth the best Friendships and sweetest Society Man is framed for Society and cannot live well without it many of his faculties would be useless many of his appetites would rest unsatisfied in solitude To have a friend wise and able honest and good unto whom upon all occasions we may have recourse for advice for assistence for consolation is a great convenience of life and this benefit we owe to Religion which supplieth us with various Friendships of the best kind most beneficial and most sweet unto us It maketh God our Friend a Friend infinitely better then all friends most affectionate and kind most faithfull and sure most able most willing and ever most ready to perform all friendly offices to yield advice in all our doubts succour in all our needs comfort in all our troubles satisfaction to all our desires Unto him it ministreth a free address upon all occasions with him it alloweth us continually a most sweet and pleasant intercourse The pious man hath always the All-wise God to counsel him to guide his actions and order his steps he hath the All-mighty to protect support and relieve him he hath the immense Goodness to commiserate and comfort him unto him he is not onely encouraged but obliged to resort in need upon him
Tertullian calls such Philosophers negotiatores famae Merchants for fame and it is perchance some part of their cunning in that trade which makes them strive to beat down the price of this commodity that they may more easily engrosse it to themselves However experience proves that such words are but words words spoken out of affectation and pretence rather then in good earnest and according to truth that endeavours to banish or to extirpate this desire are but fond and fruitless attempts The reason why is clear for 't is as if one should dispute against eating and drinking or should labour to free himself from hunger and thirst the appetite of Honour being indeed as that of Food innate unto us so as not to be quenched or smothered except by some violent distemper or indisposition of mind even by the wise Authour of our nature originally implanted therein for very good ends and uses respecting both the private and publick benefit of men as an engagement to Vertue and a restraint from Vice as an excitement of industry an incentive of courage a support of constancy in the prosecution of worthy enterprises as a serviceable instrument for the constitution conservation and improvement of humane society For did not some love of Honour glow in mens breasts were that noble spark quite extinct few men probably would study for honourable qualities or perform laudable deeds there would be nothing to keep some men within bounds of honesty and decency to deterr them from doing odious and ugly things men not caring what others thought of them would not regard what they did themselves a barbarous sloth or brutish stupidity would overspread the world withdrawing from common life most of its ornaments much of its convenience men generally would if not altogether shun society yet at least decline the cares and burthens requisite to the promoting its welfare for the sustaining which usually the chief encouragement the main recompence is this of Honour That men therefore have so tender and delicate a sense of their Reputation so that touching it is like pricking a nerve as soon felt and as smartly offensive is an excellent provision in nature in regard whereto Honour may pass among the bona naturalia as a Good necessary for the satisfaction of nature and for securing the accomplishment of its best designs A moderate regard to Honour is also commendable as an instance of humanity or good will to men yea as an argument of humility or a sober conceit of our selves For to desire another man's esteem and consequently his love which in some kind or degree is an inseparable companion of esteem doth imply somewhat of reciprocal esteem and affection toward him and to prize the judgment of other men concerning us doth signifie that we are not oversatisfied with our own We might for its farther 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 exteriour goods the most honest fruit and most ample reward of true Vertue 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 onely as the parent and guardian as productive and preservative of other Vertues but as a Vertue it self of no small magnitude and lustre in the Constellation of Vertues the Vertue of Generosity A Vertue which next to the spirit of true Religion next to a hearty reverence toward the Supreme Blessed Goodness and that holy Charity toward men which springeth thence doth lift a man 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 Vertue which enflames a man with Courage so that he dares perform what reason and duty require of him that he disdains to doe what is bad or base which inspires him with Sincerity that he values his honesty before all other interests and respects that he abhorrs to wrong or deceive to flatter or abuse any man that he cannot endure to seem otherwise then he is to speak otherwise then he means to act otherwise then he promises and professes which endows him with Courtesie that he is ready to yield every man his due respect to afford any man what help and succour he is able that Vertue which renders a man upright in all his dealings and correspondent to all his obligations a loyall Subject to his Prince and a true lover of his Country a candid judge of persons and things an earnest favourer of what-ever is good and commendable a faithfull and hearty friend a beneficial and usefull neighbour a gratefull resenter and requiter of courtesies hospitable to the stranger bountifull to the poor kind and good to all the world that Vertue 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 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 's villainous madness not upon things of a mean and indifferent nature that 's vanity not upon counterfeit shews and pretences that 's hypocrisie but upon reall worth and goodness that may consist with modesty and sobriety it enjoyns us not to be immoderate in our desires thereof or complacencies 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 then it it obliges us willingly to prostitute and sacrifice it chusing rather to be infamous then impious to be in disgrace with men rather then in disfavour with God it in fine commands us to seek and embrace it onely in subordination and with final reference to God's honour Which distinctions and cautions being provided Honour is represented in Holy
God was rescued with the notable disappointment and grievous confusion of those who managed it The which Case at least in kind if not in degree beareth a plain resemblance to that which lieth before us And the Duties which upon that occasion are signified to concern people then do no less now sort to us the which as they lie couched in our Text are these 1. wisely to consider God's doing 2. to fear 3. to declare God's work 4. to be glad in the Lord 5. to trust in God 6. to glory Of which the First Three are represented as more generally concerning men the others as appertaining more peculiarly to righteous and upright persons These Duties it shall be my endeavour somewhat to explain and press in a manner applicable to the present case I call them Duties and to warrant the doing so it is requisite to consider that all these particulars may be understood in a double manner either as declarative of event or as directive of practice upon such emergencies When God doth so interpose his hand as signally to check and confound mischievous enterprises it will be apt to stir up in the minds of men an apprehension of God's special Providence to strike into their hearts a dread of his Power and Justice to wring from their mouths sutable declarations and acknowledgments and particularly then good men will be affected with pious joy they will be incouraged to confide in God they will be moved to glory or to express a triumphant satisfaction in God's proceedings These events naturally do result from such providential occurrences for production of these events such occurrences are purposely designed and accordingly where men are not by profane opinions or affections much indisposed they do commonly follow But yet they are not purposed simply as Events but also as matters of Duty for men are obliged readily to admit such impressions upon their minds hearts and lives from the special works of Providence they are bound not to cross those natural tendencies not to frustrate those wise intents of God aiming at the production of such good dispositions and good practices whence if those effects do not arise as often notoriously they do not in some persons men thereby do incurre much guilt and blame It is indeed ordinary to represent matter of duty in this way expressing those practices consequent in effect which in obligation should follow according to God's purpose and the nature of causes ordered by him As when for instance God in the Law had prescribed Duty and threatned sore punishment on the disobedient it is subjoyned And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously the meaning is that such exemplary punishment is in its nature apt and its design tendeth to produce such effects although not ever questionless with due success so as to prevent all transgression of those laws So also When saith the Prophet thy judgments are in the land the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness the sense is that Divine judgments in themselves are instructive of Duty it is their drift to inform men therein and men ought to learn that lesson from them although in effect divers there be whom no judgments can make wiser or better such as those of whom in the same Prophet it is said The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them and in another in vain have I smitten your children they received no correction As therefore frequently otherwhere so also here this kind of expression may be taken chiefly to import Duty To begin then with the First of these Duties I. We are upon such occasions obliged wisely to consider or as the Greek rendereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to understand or to perceive as our Old Translation hath it God's doing This I put in the first place as previous in nature and influential upon the rest whence although in the Hebrew it be knit to the rest as they all are to one another by the conjunctive parcicle ve and yet we do translate it causally for they shall wisely consider for they shall perceive because indeed without duly considering and rightly understanding such occurrences to proceed from God none of the other acts can or will be performed attentive consideration is needful to beget knowledge and persuasion these to breed affection and practice There are many who in such cases are no-wise apprehensive of God's special Providence or affected with it because they do not consider or do not consider wisely and intelligently Some are very inobservant and careless in regard to things of this nature so drowzy and heedless as not to attend to what-ever passeth or to mind what God acteth in the world such as those of whom the Prophet saith The Harp and the Viol the Tabret and Pipe and Wine are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands that is their minds are so amused by wanton divertisements their hearts are so immersed in sensual enjoyments as no-wise to observe the most notable occurrences of Providence Others although they do ken and regard what is done as matter of news or story entertaining curiosity and talk yet out of sloth or stupidity do little consider it or study whence it springeth contenting themselves with none or with any superficial account which fancy or appearance suggesteth like beasts they do take in things obvious to their sense and perhaps stand gazing on them but do not make any careful reflexion or inquiry into their original causes and reasons taking as a dog when he biteth the stone flung at him or as a child that is angry with the log he falleth on what-ever appeareth next to be the principal cause such as the Psalmist again toucheth when he saith A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this and as he doth acknowledg himself on one occasion to have been So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Others pretend to consider much and seem very inquisitive yet being misguided by vain prejudices or foul affections do not consider wisely or well understand these matters the result of their care and study about them being to father them on wrong causes ascribing them to the meer conduct and agency of visible causes hurried by a necessary swindge or rolling on by a casual fluctuation of things not descrying God's hand in them but profanely discarding and disclaiming it such as those in the Psalms who so reflected on Providence as to say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the Most High The Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Jacob regard it such as have been the brood of Epicurean and profane considerers in all times who have earnestly plodded and strained their wits to exclude God from any inspection or influence upon our affairs Some indeed there have been so very dull and stupid or so perverse and profane