Philo & musus. THE Right Honourable, PORTRAYED. OR, THE VIZARD Taken off PRETENDERS. WITH Persuasive Reasons to allure the Will, and reduce men's Actions to obtain the Title. AS ALSO A set Boundary to the Honour of Saints departed. By Samuel Gilbert, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. London: Printed by F. Clark, for Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate-street. 1682. To the Right Reverend Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of London, one of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, etc. YOur Lordship, Honourable by Birth, Breeding, Parts and Place, and Right Honourable by your Piety, Pains and Stability in the Church of England, a Blessing God hath bestowed upon her, as a sound Pillar for her Support, and a Saint Paul for a Preacher: attended with an experienced magnanimous Courage, and yet of a most affable, courteous and obliging Demeanour; for all which famed and beloved by this and other Nations; tho' envied and maligned by our Church's Enemies. To whom should this small Piece, concerning the Right Honourable, Address itself for Protection, but to yourself that is so, and an Encourager of all Means to make others deserve that Title. I therefore, without considering the vast disproportion between the Worthiness of the Person to whom I Write, and the Meaness of what is Written on this Subject, as well as Obscurity of the Author; presume (yet with as much Humility as the Attempt can bear) to beg your Lordship's Patronage thereof, against the Villifying of those Persons that are only Honourable to the Eyes of the Vulgar. And that here your Lordship would be pleased to accept the Acknowledgement of Favours formerly extended towards me, tho' I believe both those and myself dropped out of your Memory; but must ever be retained in mine. And whilst I live, make my daily Petitions to Heaven, (for the whole Nations, as well as your Lordship's Interest) that Safety, Health, Prosperity, and Honour, with length of Days, may be your Portion in this Life, and Eternal Happiness in the next. And conclude with one to yourself, that I may be accepted amongst the meanest of your Servants, which Title is with all humility assumed by S. G. TO THE READER. MAny that Act the parts of Persons of Quality on the present Stage of the Universe, thinks that Honour consists only in Riches, Height, and strength of Parts, Worldly Preferments, the Cap and Knee, the Vogue of the Vulgar, etc. all which may be attained, and yet the Possessors not one Spark of true Honour in them, 1 Sam. 18 18. if not attended by Holiness, it's inseparable Companion, to make this and their mistake perspicuous, to characterise the Right Honourable, and to persuade those that are o'th' ways well qualified thereto, is the only Design of this small priced Pocket Piece, without Reflections on any, but good Intentions to all, under what scandalous imposed Titles soever, Tories or whigs. Vale. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE. HONOUR is the World's great Diana, the Idol whereunto it Sacrifices. There are none of such poor and pusillanimous Spirits, as would not say (at least) with Saul to Samuel, Honour me before the People. Every Man would have a good Name that desires not a good Conscience, the Sinner being ashamed to be accounted what he is not ashamed to be: Absalon having no Virtues to eternize his Memory, 2 Sam. 18 18. erects a Pillar, and calls it after his own Name. The Heathens were so drunk with a giddy desire of Honour, that they would be content to exchange their Lives for a dead Statue. Empedocles will Sacrifice his Life to the Idol of Honour, and cast himself into the flames of Aetna; In a word, there is no such flatness and poverty of Spirit, that hath not one spark of Ambition in him, to aspire to Honour: As there are none but desire it, so few that deserve it; many, they would be great, they will not be good; Glorious, but not Gracious; they would be Honourable, but will not be Holy. Many would rise to Honour, but they quite mistake the Footstool; And seek it rather any where than in Holiness; nay, some think they cannot be Honourable enough, unless Godless. Holiness is posted over to Colleges and Hospitals, etc. and thought by some to be fit only for those, that are little better (as they think) than mere Posts, It is enough, say they, for dry Divines, Men of low and poor Spirits (as they erroneously judge such) of grave, subdued, mortified and retired Minds: it is not for them that stand upon their Punctilic's and Terms of Honour, height of Place, sublimity of Spirit, nobleness and generous Disposition: do not most Men glory in their Shame, as most ashamed of that which is the only Honour of a Christian his Crown and Garland? It is Reason that makes us Men, but Holiness Christians; and better no Men, if not Christians. 'Tis the Badge of Christianity that makes us Honourable, for that is the Livery of the King of Kings. The Honour the World bestows is but the Livery the worst sort of People generally give those that commonly pay dear for its trimming, must seem their Servants, Cui servire est Regnare. nay indeed be real slaves to their humours that gets into popular applause or worldly preferments, which some think the greatest Dignity. But what says the Psalmist, that Kingly Prophet, inspired from above, This Honour have all his Saints, Holiness and Honour God hath ever knit together with a Chain of Adamant, Psal. 149. 9 a Bond of such inseparable and individual combination, as that the Oracle from Heaven hath pronounced it, Them that honour me I will honour. 1 Sam. 2. 30. As shame of Sin, so Honour is the natural Offspring of Grace; As the shadow of the Body to the light of the Sun, so Honour is always an inseparable attendant of Holiness, like some officious Serviteur still at his Master's Elbow. Holiness and Honour, like a pair of Turtle Doves, where you see the one, the other cannot be far; or the two Cherubims upon the Mercy-seat, by a reciprocal and mutual prospect continually interview each other. The true Jacob's Ladder, or Stair of Ascent to Glory, is no other than Grace, and the high way to Honour, Holiness: no way to become great but by being good, nor truly honourable, but by being holy, yea even in God's stile, Optimus goes before Maximus, as if God himself, who is essentially great, could not be great, if not good, or not so great, if not so good, or not the greatest of all, if not the best of All. Only the truly Holy, are the truly Honourable: 1. Because Honour is nothing else but an attestation of the worth and worthiness that is in any Man; whence Aristotle tells us, Honour est in honorante, non in honorato. He means the outward performance of such respective Ceremonies and Compliments of Honour, as the worth and quality of the person honoured deserveth. Now the Spirit of God, the best Herald that ever was, and therefore knows best how to give Names and Titles, never makes mention of the Saints but with Titles full of Honour and Grace; as Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, and God's Friend; Moses my Servant, Heb. 3. 2. faithful in all the House of God. 1 Sam. 13. 14. David a Man after the model of God's own heart. Zachary a holy and just Man. John Baptist a shining and burning Lamp: none greater than he born amongst Women. If Achilles were happy, because he had Homer to be the Trumpeter of his Praises, how much more they, that have God himself to be the Blazoner and Herald of their Honour. It is not unworthy observation how regardless God is of Greatness without Goodness, Honour without Holiness; such an one was Dives in that Historical Parable in the Gospel shall go nameless; the Spirit of God will not so much as vouchsafe him a Name; there was a quidam, etc. a certain Man, etc. So Jeconiah of the Seed-Royal, and the last of the Kings that ever swayed the Sceptre of Judah, God will not do him the honour to give him the length of his Name, but instead of Jeconiah, he cuts off and curtails a piece of it, and calls him not Jeconiah, but in disdain, Coniah. But when God would grace and honour Abraham, Jer. 22. 24, & 28. as if Abram was not enough, he spins out his Name to the full length, and not willing to part with it too soon out of his Mouth, and calls him Abraham. Scripture tells us, that Saul Reigned only two years, and yet it is manifest by the Story that he Reigned more than two Years: what doth the Spirit of Truth mistake in matters of Chronology and Calculation of Times? No, he takes notice of Saul's Reign no farther than he Reigned well; and therefore Saul only Reigned two years, because two years well. The Tribe of Dan, 1 Sam. 13. 1. both in Chronicles and Apocalypse, is not reckoned: amongst the Tribes: did the Spirit of God mistake his account therein? No! but Dan was the first of all the Tribes, that fell to Idolatry, and therefore unworthy to be honoured with a Name in God's Register. The World indeed is a very unskilful Herald, and then ofttimes graceth when God dishonoureth, advanceth greatness without goodness: But God emblazoning the Coat of Arms of his honourable ones, only prizeth goodness without greatness, if they be his Saints they are honourable. All the Honour that comes from the World, is but like the reflection of a deceitful Looking-Glass, that represents to the beholder's view, nothing less than the true proportion of the Face, yea happily to a distorted and deformed Countenance, giveth Grace and Beauty. But that is the true Honour indeed, without all stain or taint, that comes down from him, who alone is the God of honour, and therefore alone can give it; He that is from Heaven is above all, and therefore his Testimony is so too; not he who Commends himself is allowed, but he whom God Commends; He is the true worth whose praise 2 Cor. 10. 18. is not of Men, Rom. 2. 29. but of God: and therefore Honour si quaeratur, St. Austin. illic quaeratur, ubi nemo indignus honoratur. 2. Because they only are the most Royally descended, from the noblest Stock, the honourablest Blood that ever the Sun saw, sc. the Blood of Christ: hence it is that they have Styles given them so full of Honour by the exactest Herald, the Spirit of God; for is it not an honourable preferment, only to serve him, whom to serve is to Reign? Methinks, saith St. Jerome, when I hear St. Paul begin every Epistle with Paulus Apostolus servus Jesus Christi, he is more proud of this Title, than if he had said, Perfect us pretorii, aut exercitus Imperiatoris Tiberii; Captain of the Guard, or General of Tiberius his Army. David, tho' a King, was ambitious of no greater Preferment in his Service, Psal. 84. 10. than to be a poor Doorkeeper: Here Solomon's Servants happy that stood in his presence, and not those that stand continually in God's presence? who is a greater than Solomon? but as if to be a Servant were not honourable enough, he makes us Friends. Joh. 15. 14. Thus Abraham is called God's friend. But as if to be a friend were not honour enough, they are not only admitted to God's Court, but to his Privy Council. Thus was Abraham God's Privy Counsellor. Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing I mean to do. Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his Secrets unto his Servants the Prophets. Psal. 25. 14. And the Secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him. But as if here were not honour enough, he makes them all Sons and Daughters to himself, and what is it nothing to be Son and Daughter in Law to a King? but as if to be Sons and Daughters were not honour enough, he makes them his Heirs, Coheirs with Christ, to share and divide the Inheritance with the natural Son of God, yea such an honour it is to be God's heir, that as each Son is an heir, so an heir to the whole inheritance, the whole Kingdom; but as if all this were not yet honour enough he hath drawn us yet nearer to him by Marriage, he hath Married us to himself, with an everlasting Covenant. And in that day I will make a Covenant for them, Hosea 2. 18. etc. And I will betrothe thee unto me for ever, 19 yea I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement, and in loving kindness and in mercy. I will even betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness, 20. and thou shalt know the Lord. And then the Rule is in Civil Law, Mulier fulget radiis mariti. The Wife shines with the Beams of her Husband, the Wife cannot be base where the Husband is honourable; by this Marriage Knot he hath made them bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, nay parts and members of him, and if one member be had in honour, doth not every member share in it; yea the honour that is done one, is done to each one, because all the members are but parts of and make up one body. Thus we see how full of honour holy men are, and what glorious things are spoken of them; which made good Theodosius, one of the best of the Roman Emperors, count it greater honour to be Membrum Ecclesiae quam Caput Imperii, a Member of the Church than Head of the Empire. 3. Because their Attendance and Guard is honourable, no less than a Royal Guard of Angels, like so many heavenly Janissaries to keep them in their ways, that they dash not their feet against stones: so far doth God honour them, that he makes even his Angels themselves those glorious and excellent Spirits, Heb. 1. 7. to be ministering Spirits for their sakes that shall be heirs of their salvation. 4. Their Reward is honourable; it is no petty Farm, or minor Cottage, nor inferior Office, nor vanishing dignity, but a Kingdom, and that a Kingdom of Glory, so called to kindle in us a more ardent desire after it: Glory being a thing whereof we are naturally ambitious; what an honourable estate than is this, which is attended with such a glorious reward. It was an unjust Aspersion that those Hypocrites in Malachy went about to cast on the the Service of God: Mal. 3. 14. It is a vain thing to serve the Lord, and what profit? What profit is there we can desire, that is not to be had in God's Service? whoever served this Master and went not always away Royally rewarded! other Masters take Servants, but it is as well for their own benefit as their Servants, but God takes his merely for the benefit and honour of those that serve him, to dignify them with special Honour. Hence is it we find such glorious things attributed to the Saints in Scripture; they are called Kings and Priests, and Temples of the Living God, 1 Cor. 6. 3. Hag. 2. 23 Jer. 22. 24. Judges of the World, yea Angels too: The Signet upon God's right hand: The Apple of his Eye: Deut. 32. 10. His Crown of Glory, Zech. 2. 8. Isa. 62 3. and Diadem in God's right hand. Oh what glorious and goodly things are spoken of the Saints of God? what a happy confluence of Honour attends them at every turn? Such and such Honour have all his Saints. What is the most that an Earthly Monarch can bestow upon his Favourite and Minion, when he sets his Wits on work to honour him, why! to clothe him in Purple and Royal Apparel, to set a Princely Diadem on his Head, to put a Chain of Gold about his Neck, a Ring upon his Finger, to set him in a Triumphant Chariot, with proclamation of the King's favour; this is all that earthly Caesars can bestow upon their Favourites; But what is this to the Honour of God's Saints, what is the shadow to the substance? instead of fine Linen and Royal Apparel, they have the Royal Robes of Grace, the King's Daughter is all glorious within. Ps. 45. 13. They shall not have a fading, but a flourishing; not a mortal, but an immortal Crown, not of Gold, but of Glory; instead of a Chain of Gold, 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8. St. Peter's Chain of Heavenly Graces; instead of a Ring they are planted as Rings and Signets on Christ's right hand. And thus shall it be done to the man whom God honours. And thus 'tis apparent that only the Holy ones are truly honourable, the only men that excel upon the Earth. Ps. 16. 3. Prov. 12. 26. They are more excellent than their Neighbours. They are the only men, the men of a thousand; they are as David's Servants told him, Job 33. 23. worth thousands of others. And it must needs be so, for the Garland of true Honour is only twisted and woven of the Flowers of Spiritual Graces, that alone which makes us Holy, makes us Honourable, nothing mends the Name, but what mends the Conscience. A holy and a gracious Life hath a far fairer prospect in the Field of Honour, than all worldly advantages besides. A Field of Sincerity, charged with Deeds of Piety, cannot but be accomplished with a Crest of Glory. The Heathens themselves, that Lighted all their Divinity at Nature's Candle, whom Saint Peter calls purblind, that cannot see a far off, could say that Honour was the proper reward of Virtue. The Egyptians amongst their Mystical and Hierogliphical Emblems, painted Honour next to Humility, averring what Solomon hath since recorded, before Honour goes Humility. Prov. 15. 33. 18. 12. And the ancient Romans so contrived their Temple, Honour is like a Palace with a low Door, into which no man can enter but he must first stoop. that a Man must unavoidably pass through the Temple of Virtue, before he touched the Stair of Honour. Thus it stands good both in God's and Man's account, that Grace is the Highway to Glory, and Holiness to Honour. And here I dare be bold to Challenge all Ages and Times, who ever was there, that honoured God, and was not honoured again. Yea even whilst the Saints live on earth, they want not honour, they are honoured by God himself, Angel, Good men, nay by Evil men. Holiness strikes an impression of Reverence, even into the hearts of those that hate it, that those that have not hearts to love it, are forced to admire it. Herod Reverenced John Baptist, not because a great or learned, but because a holy and just man; holiness hath such a dazzling and sparkling Lustre, even in the Consciences of the worst of Men, that they cannot but in their own Bosoms give it an honourable Testimony. To what purpose then, doth the Wicked Man brag of his House, and Heraldry, derive his Line of Honour from never so noble Progenitors, since God honours him not, he hath not one drop of honourable Blood in him, his Honour is but like some Pillar of Smoke, that vanishes and dissolves of itself, it is but like a blazing Star, the very Matter of it, is nothing else but a gross and Terrestrial Exhalation, that at last perishes with self-ruin. Well may he while he lives command the outward Ceremony, but never the honour of the heart: well may he make a blaze, and shine in the World while he lives, but when his Candle is out, he ends like a Snuff that causes a Noisome Smell in the Nostrils both of God and Man; when he dies, all his Honour is interred in the Dust, his Name and himself is buried together: and at his Funeral hath more in Black than in Mourning; and never till then satisfied the living so well, as by his dying, they rejoice at his burying, but with this allay of grief, That it was no sooner; never doing so good a deed to his Country before as to leave it. Hoc solum fecit nobile, As Ausonius of Otho. quod periit. This only he did Nobly, that he died. At the Birth of such Men we ought to mourn rather than at their Funerals, were we but Astrologers good enough to Calculate the truth of their ensuing ill Conditions; but not as the Thracians at the Birth of their Children, because they are born to misery, but because a misery is born to us, and rejoice at their death, not because they are taken from evil to come, but because an evil is taken from us, and those that are to come. Who then would not endeavour by their holiness to live the people's wish, and not by their wickedness their fear, and by their passing Bell to sadden, not rejoice them as for a deliverance. Nay, Jehoiakim, Jer. 22. 19 though a King, shall be buried with the burial of an Ass. Joash shall not have any honourable Sepulture amongst amongst the Kings of Judah, whereas Jehoiada, tho' a Priest, shall be buried amongst them, because he had done good to Israel and God's House, but Joash to neither, he had no care to honour God whilst he lived, and God will not honour him when he is dead. Not all the Balm of Gilead, nor the sweetest Arabian Odours, nor the costliest Spices of India, nor the richest Boxes of Spikenard, nor the most fragrant and delicate Perfumes, compounded of the rarest Ingredients, with all the Skill and Art of Apothecaries, or Embalmers, are able to preserve a wicked Man's Name from rottenness and putrefaction. Those that honour God shall be honoured, but those that despise him shall be despised. 'Tis Goodness not Greatness that holdeth out to the last, and therefore Goodness more honoured than Greatness: When a wealthy Merchant bragged to Lycon, a wise Philosopher, of the multitude of his great Ships and Furniture for Sea, being able to trade into all parts; the wise man made this answer, I esteem not that to be Felicity which hangs upon Ropes and Cables. Thus when a man is at the last cast, it is Piety and true Godliness, the fear of God, the pleasant Echo sounding from that Murus Aheneus, Brazen wall of an upright Conscience: not Plenty and Prosperity, Earthly Honours (which are but transitory) that shall stand a man in stead. The Smoke of a great Man's Sacrifice smells never the sweeter before God, because he is clothed in Silk, or like the Bird of Paradise, adorned with Plumes and fine Feathers. No! it is the inside that God regards; he looks on Man's Obedience, requires his Service, loves his Thankfulness, respects his Holiness, and will reward his Faithfulness. Alas! what is the honour and greatness of worldly men, but empty vanity. It was told to Agrippina, Nero's Mother, that her Son should be Emperor, and that he should afterwards kill his own Mother, to which Agrippina replied, Occidat modo imperet. Let my Son be so, and then let him kill me and spare not: so Thirsty was she of Honour. Tell me what are swelling Titles, but as so many Rattles to still childish men's Ambitions? And what is Honour and Greatness in the World! Honour is like the Meteor that lives in the Air, so doth these in the breath of other men; it is like a Gale of Wind which moves the Ship, sometimes Wind is down, a man hath lost his honour, and lives to see himself entombed; sometimes this Wind is too high, how oft have many been blown to Hell, while they have been sailing with a brisk wind of Popular Applause! So that Honour is but Magnum nihil, a glorious fancy, seemingly great, a real nothing, it doth not make a man really the better, but too often the worse: for a man swelled with Honour (wanting Grace) is like a man in a Dropsy, whose Bigness is his Disease. But Holiness is an excellent thing, the true Basis of right Honour. Alexander coming with his Army against Jerusalem, Jaddus the High Priest went out of the City to meet him, adorned with his Priestly Robes, an upper Garment of Purple embroidered with Gold, and a golden Plate on the fore side, wherein the Name of God was written; the sight was so grave and solemn, that the Emperor fell to the ground, as Reverencing the Name that was inscribed thereon. Thus it is that in holiness there is such a sparkling Lustre, that whosoever beholds it, must needs be astonished at it: holiness is a beautiful thing, it carries a graceful Majesty along with it, wheresoever, or in whomsoever it is truly and sincerely professed, so that none but such are truly honourable. Than surely none shall (or should) be honoured, but those whom God honours, and God honours none but those that honour him, and none honour him but those that are holy; if a man would be honourable indeed, let him tread the paths of the Lord, for they lead to lasting, everlasting honour: 2 Chron. 1. 12. In the hands of wisdom is honour as well as wealth. The wise shall inherit glory, Prov. 3. last verse. etc. be but so wise as to honour him in all the passages of his Worship, and you shall have his Word for your preferment; true honour it comes neither from the East nor West, from South or North, but from above, and there resteth where the God of honour placeth it; therefore seek to be approved of him: who alone is able to set the Crown of true and lasting glory round your Temples: be but a Saint and you shall be honoured whilst you live, but when you are dead much more: Honour is compared to a shadow, which sometimes goes before and sometimes follows the Body: so the Hovour of the Saints, if it go not before them while they live, it shall be sure to follow them when they are dead. Those that die in the Lord, Rev. 14. 13. their works shall follow them. i e. To be rewarded with Glory in Heaven, and with Honour upon Earth, when even the Saints of God remove out of the room of this World, they leave a sweet perfume of a good Name behind them, that smells most graciously in the Nostrils both of God and Man: a good Man, tho' he die childless, yet leaves a good Name behind him, as his Heir; a Name better than that of Son and Daughter. The memory of the just is blessed. Prov. 10. 6. Solomon says not Benedictio adest Capiti justi, in the Singular Number, a blessing, as if some single or scattered blessing only did befall him; but Benedictiones, a Collection and Concurrence of Blessings; and those Adsunt capiti, they are upon the Head; put indeed by an usual, though figurative form of Speech, for the whole Man, yet importing, that these Blessings as they are manifold and various for Number, so are they for their Nature, Eminent and Conspicuous. Adsunt, he hath these blessings not in hope or reversion only, jus ad rem, but jus in re, blessings are upon the head of, etc. even in this life he stands or actually seized, or undoubtedly assured and ascertained of them: and one of the blessings that befalls a holy Man, is, that he shall leave a good Name behind him, and that is rather to be chosen, Prov. 22. 1. than to leave great Riches behind him: Eccles. 7. 1. a good Name is better than precious Ointment. The Woman in the Gospel that poured out the Ointment on our Saviour's Head, shall be spoken of where ever his Gospel is Preached, the smell of the costly Spikenard quickly perished in the Air, but the perfume of that gracious Action shall smell fresh and pleasantly for ever, as a good Poet concludes on the like subject: — the Actions of the just, Smell sweet and blossom in the dust. Not like Flowers which blossom from the Earth for a day or two, till the heat of the Sun dries up their moisture, (which maintains their beauty) and withers them again into the lap from whence they sprang, But their memory shall spread blossoming in sweet perfumes, which shall not lose, but increase their beauty and scent in open Air, which the Sun shall not wither, but make to smell the sweeter. God will never have any to be losers by him, but if they do him the least honour, he will be sure to requite it; yea, they shall receive in this life an hundred fold, and in the life to come, an infinite, an ineffable recompense in Heaven. We see with what a great deal of eagerness Earthly Honours and Offices, rich Prizes and great Places, are sought and pursued after: Balaam's Ass never Gallops fast enough to fetch in Profit and Preferment; set but a Wedge of Gold in sight, and Joshua that could stop the Course of the Sun, Joshua 7. 21. cannot stay Achan from courting and catching at it. And yet what are Riches but the Golden Gives, the noble Miseries of this wretched life: and what do they that are set upon them (with the neglect of holiness, heavenly honours, and the wealth of a better World) but prefer the Onions of Egypt, before the Bread of Angels, paltry Pebbles, before precious Pearls, thick Clay before pure Gold, counterfeit Coin before true Treasure. O see and bewail this so great a folly in yourselves and others, and for the future learn to covet Spirituals, to be greedy of Grace, to practise holiness, without which none can be truly honourable. However, the holy ones of God here in this life receive many hard measures, yea, when they live best many times hear the worst. Therefore must we take Virtue with a sweet or sour Breath; 'tis naturally sweet, sour only through the corruption of the Air we live in, being putrified by the infected Lungs of those that are wicked despisers of her, and ignorant of her worth to take Virtue as she is naturally, with a sweet Breath, is pleasanter, tho' with a sour more meritorious: for Regium est male audire cum bene feceris: it is Kingly to be ill spoken of for good Deeds, and whilst we have our Actions warranted by the great seal of Virtue, we verify the saying of one constant to such. Conscia mens Recti, famae Mendacia ridens. An upright Breast, laughs at the abuses of report. A well grounded self justification Ovid. 4. fast. scorns the dispraise of the Vulgar, whose commendation is not authentic enough to call Persons or Actions good, such infamy hath its delight, and we must be just merely out of love to it, not for Glory by it, and be content to be ill spoken of for being so; 'Tis good for a man to have Praise when he deserves it; but better to deserve Praise when he hath it. few know the pleasure of a well got ill report, but many the pains and pricks of Conscience for the ill getting a good report: That raising themselves by over witting, out reaching and fair promising others, never intending performance, not being set by God as Joseph, but setting themselves over their elder Brethren. They that place Honour in honorante, honour in the bestower, exile it as well from our care as power. That passage through good and bad report, gone through by that great adventurer for Heaven, St. Paul. leadeth to a Haven of such inward rest, as fears not the blasts of misprision, nor the mire and dirt the wicked in their ragings cast up; but can solace themselves in St. Paul's words, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the Testimony of our conscience; that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the World. And this music surpasseth all the Jingles of Fame; not that we should slight a good Report, but rather covet it, especially from the best sort of men, i. e. good men; To contemn Fame, is but a security of doing ill: He that would not be thought good, careth not for being so. Tac itus. Contemptu famae, contemni virtutes: He that contemneth a good report, despiseth the goodness deserving it; yet if we miss it whilst our Actions are regulated by the square of Religion and Justice, it is not Arrogance, but well becoming Confidence, to scorn the injurious World, when it denyeth Merit its due: Let us not be good on the salary of its praise, nor suffer their scorn to spoil good purposes in their conception, by damping our resolutions, or by frights abortive their execution, or smother our joy at their birth. For when God hath once by the hand of Death drawn a Curtain between good men, and the eyes of the World, and removed them out of sight, then is every one ready to bless their Memories, and follow them to Heaven with a loud Peal of gratulatory Acclamations. After death, martyred Names, as well as Men, are Calendared, even to an unquestionable repute of merit, and that in those faithful Registers of Impartial History. The Living may be Tenants at will to reputation: but it is the possession of the dead, and when the Grave dust is flung on our Chronicles, envy itself cannot blur them. Animis hominum manet, Tacitus of Agricola. in Aeternitate Temporum Fama rerum. While some are buried in oblivion, others in the memory of men survive even Posterity. This is the condition of us all, evil things we feel them before we fear them, but good things we lose them before we know them: De bonis judicamus a tergo; 'Tis the want that commends the worth of a thing: even those we see by experience, that could not endure the Saints whilst they lived, yet when once gone, they never speak of them without a preface of reverence. Herein do the Saints of God resemble an excellent Picture, or a curious piece, or Cloth of Arras, that looks well when ye are near it, but fairer and smother when farther off. The wicked are compared to Hawks, of great esteem whilst living, but afterwards nothing worth; but the Saints to tamer Fowls, (often Prey to such Hawks) that are hushed away, and little esteemed whilst living, but after death, brought to the Lords Table. God will look to their honour when they are dead, that so much looked to his while they lived. Rather than Moses should not be honoured, God himself will make his Funeral Sermon; Josiah and Hezekiah, that honourable pair of Kings, how were they honoured by all Judah and Jerusalem at their death; Such honour have all his Saints. And if they are so honourable, let us know how to prise them and give them their due; Let us not fear to Imitate the Church in her Ancient Practice herein, the Celebration of our Annual and standing Festivals in the Honour of the Saints; A Custom in the Church from time to time Traditionary, of so long a standing and Antiquity in the Church, that now even by prescription, 'tis grown grey headed and venerable. Certainly God must lose a great deal of his Honour, if we bury the Honour of his Saints: Laudate Dominum, saith David, in Sanctis, if God be to be praised in all the Works of his Hands, from the Cedar to the Shrub, from the glorious Cherubin to the despicable Worm; is he not to be honoured in the Saints, those whom he raised up to be horoical Instruments for the propagation of the Gospel. But as many things are good in the intent, which are not always so in the event, good in the Institution, not always in the Execution; as there are many things excellent in their first birth and original, which in tract of time gather soil and rust, and so degenerate from the purity of their first Institution; even so it is with the honour of the Saints, for whilst Men out of too strong a bent and overplus of inordinate affection towards the Saints, thought they could never honour them enough, at last they became flat Idolaters, turning Charity into Piety, Affection into Superstition, Veneration into Adoration. When the People first met together at the Monuments of the Martyrs, (an Ancient and Yearly Custom of the Eastern Churches) to praise God for his Martyrs, at last they forgot their Errand, and turned their Worship of God into the Worship of the Martyr; at first their Relics were precious, at last they grew holy; first the Saints were honoured, but after worshipped; at first they but commend, but afterwards enshrined; so hard it is to subsist in a Golden Mediocrity: we either shoot under, or over; not do, or over do; either not honour the Saints at all, or too much: being right Englishmen, (too many in this point) never think we mend the matter, till we mar it. God gave the Israelites an express inhibition, not to take his Name in vain, at last the Jews, out of a superstitious Reverence, durst not so much as name the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Name Jehovah; they ought not to name him in vain, therefore afterward they would not name him at all: the Brazen Serpent at first erected by God's Institution, for Historical Commemoration, only of their delivery from fiery Serpents, at last from Historical Commemoration, it was translated to Religious Adoration; so the Saints were first honoured out of Affection, at last worshipped out of Superstition. The Persians, in policy, (as Xenophon tells the story) taught their Children to lie and not to lie, but with this distinction, to lie to their Enemies, but to tell truth to their Friends: but Xenophon tells us the issue of this Persian Education, their Children forgot their distinction, and made bold even to lie to their best Friends. So the Roman Clergy teach the People to Worship the Saints, and not to Worship them, so long till they forget their distinction, and entitle the Saints themselves to the same honour that is due to God; but welfare St. Austin, Sancti sunt honorandi propter immitationem, non adorandi propter Religionem. That is the truest honouring of the Saints which is a returning of their honour to God's greater honour. The Saints that are alone to be honoured in Deo, and propter Deum, must be honoured without impeachment and derogation of God's honour, to be a follower of the Saints, as they be (or were) of Christ, is the truest Worship of the Saints. It is most certain, that the Blessed Virgin receives not so much Indignity from her Enemies that deny her, as from such her Friends that Deify her; it is a Sin to give the Saints more than their due, as it is to give them less: to deprive them of all honour, was the Error of Vigilantius, and many of this last Age; to give them too much, was first the Error of the Collyridians', and at this day of the Papists, whereby they do not so much honour the Saints, as dishonour God. The truth is, we honour the Saints triumphant in Heaven, but we give them only honour Charitatis, not honour Religionis; we give them Veneration, but not Adoration; we honour their Memories, but we erect no Idolatrous Shrine; we honour them as fellow Servants now glorified, but not as demi Gods half deified; we honour them as Patterns for imitation, not as Patrons for protection; we know no Relics, but their Graces; we observe their Festivals, by the Anniversary Revolutions of the Year, but we dedicate no Days to the Saints, but only to the God of the Saints. What is there no mean in giving honour to the Saints, but we must deny them, or deify them? Is it not enough to Commend, but we must Adore them? Is there no mean, but we must be either ungrateful or Idolatrous, or that we must make them either less than Saints, or little less than Gods? Is it not a dangerous thing to obtrude that honour upon them, which must needs bring them into Emulation with God; with aspiring Lucifer, to be similes Altissimo? Hath not God solemnly protested? Isa. 42. 8. saying, I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my Glory I will not give to another, neither my praise to graven Images. He that touches the least spark of God's Glory, does he not touch the Apple of his Eye? Of all other things, God and the Throne brook no Corrivals. Is it not the general Voice of the Church, Non nobis Domine? Not unto us, O Lord. Do not the Saints in the Apocalypses, cast down their Crowns at the feet of the Lamb? And in their Doxology, ascribe all Honour, Glory, Praise, to him that sits upon the Throne? So Religiously Tender are they in this Point, that they will not suffer the least of God's Honour to stick to their fingers, but still shake it off with a non nobis Domine. Let God have his due above all, and the Saints their due; give unto God the things that are Gods; and to the Saints the things that belong to them: Let the Saints have their due honour, but so that by a necessary reflex and resultance it redound to God's Honour; for else it is no honour to the Saints, to share in their Maker's honour, whose chiefest honour it is with denying of their own, to bring Glory to God. Thus have we discovered the true Dignity of the Saints; and if Saints, tho' in Rags, they are rich and honourable, how honourable then are Saints in Silks that are all glorious within and without too, both to Spiritual and Temporal Beholders; that are rich in Graces, as well as Garments; in inward worth, as well as outward wealth; high in God's, as well as the King's favour; where goodness and greatness join hands; whose outsides belie not the furniture within; that are not like rich Cabinets with empty Drawers, or rather filled with filth, or that which they are ashamed to own, tho' not to keep; but are richer within than without, having their Caskets filled with the richest Rubies, drops of Christ's Blood, to adorn their Souls; Repentance Tears shed for past Sins, turned into the rarest Pearls; the sparkling Diamonds of Grace set in the Golden Lockets of pure and refined Hearts, having to their Faith, Virtue; and to their Virtue, 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. Knowledge; and to Knowledge, Temperance; to Temperance, Patience; and to Patience, Godliness; to Godliness, Brotherly-kindness; and to Brotherly-kindness, Charity; St. Peter's choicest Collection of Heavenly Jewels, which none but a Saint can possess: those that have such Rarities within, (which God himself is delighted in the beholding) and encompassed with outward Riches and Preferments too, are those whom only the Spirit of God can to the full declare how glorious and honourable they are, the finest Rhetoric too course to see their Beauty through, and will rather cloud than show their Lustre, which can never be truly inspected by mortal eye. But what shall we say to many of the Gallants of this Age, whose honour hath no other Basis but the Herald or Tailor, or some Office that gives them liberty to Rant and Swagger in the newest Terms and Mode, It is a base thing to erect Trophies of Honour to themselves, upon the ruins of another's Reputation. who make it their business, if possible, to unsaint others (being such Devils themselves) and bring Holiness into discredit, by scoffing at and deriding it; but sure it takes with none but what are as of little credit as themselves, who race out Holiness and Saint out of the Titles of Honour, and instead thereof practice Drinking, Whoring, Swearing, Cursing and Scoffing at the Saints, as Qualities of a Gentile stamp, and think the ascent of a pair of stairs in a Bawdy-house, as necessary and equivolent, as those of Virtue, to arrive at the Temple of Honour, and as Authentic, being Licenced by the Imprimatur of the Times. What shall I say? why thus to such, That God hath blotted their Names out of the number of those that shall possess Eternal Honour, and marvel they are not ashamed to let them remain in the Church-Register, so much to the disgrace of Christianity; but where shames laid aside, no wonder they commit all manner of Sin with Greediness and Glory in their shame, brag of their Debaucheries, and would as fain stifle the Repute of Holiness, as they have done the Checks of their own Consciences, scorning that Men of their Parts and Knowledge should be prescribed Holiness by any, nay, even by God himself, being spiced with that Pride that was in Lucifer, and his fellow-aspiring Angels, that made the first Schism and Separation in the purest Church, even in Heaven itself, among the Angels that were wholly perfect: But let such know, a Dram of Holiness, is above a Talon of Parts; a Drop of Grace, above a Sea of Knowledge: Though in Knowledge we are said to be as Angels of God, yet in Holiness, like God himself. Therefore so much as God is above an Angel, so much is Holiness above Knowledge, and the more so, because Knowledge may be without Holiness, but never Holiness without Knowledge: pluck therefore off the Plumes of your Pride and Self-conceitedness, the deplorable Error of most of our Separatists, and really is the Pest of the Church and Bane of Religion, which is best preserved in Unity and Humility. Who then is Wife, and would have his Name, Person and Estate flourish, let him purge himself from Original Corruption, Actual Transgression, by Faith in the Blood of Christ: Shame is the consequent of Sin, but Honour ever attends on Holiness; wherefore acquaint yourselves with the Ways of Christ, follow his steps, walk as he walked, stamping your Actions in the Mint of Virtue, He that Sails by the Star of Virtue, shall in time land himself upon the Shore of Honour. your Names shall be writ in Heaven, and your Fame be Current, if not in this lower, in that upper Court of Honour, and had in everlasting Memory, while others are buried in Oblivion, yours shall survive even Posterity. If Honour be your Aim, and Holiness the Path that you tread towards it, you shall then indeed be right worshipful, right honourable; when such as by their Purses purchase Titles, not by their Virtues, shall be base and ignoble. Would we have others that we esteem, that are near and dear to us, our Relations and Friends truly Honourable, endeavour we by our Example and Advice to make them truly Holy, doing as Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke 1. 6. They were both Righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, endeavouring to Walk (constantly) in All the Commandments of God (indifferently,) before God (sincerely,) and as much as in us lieth, before Men, unblamably. Non sine peccato, sed sine querela. Teaching our Children the Trade of Holiness betimes, whilst they are Young, that they may not forget it when they are Old, resolving whatsoever others do, that we and our Houses will serve the Lord; that they and us living holily here, may be truly honourable, and eternally happy hereafter. FINIS.