A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 76
CHAP. LXXVI. Examples of Fame, Name, Renown.
IT's desireable, Prov. 15. 30. Phil. 4. 8. Zeph. 3. 19, 20. Prov. 22. 1. Deut. 26. 19. 2 Sam. 7. 9. 1 King. 1. 47. Gen. 12. 2. 1 Chron. 17. 8.
It's gotten by faith, and obedience, Rom. 1. 8. & 16. 19. Heb. 11. 2. By sufferings for Christ, Phil. 1. 13. Heb. 11. 39.
Scriptural Examples: Some before the flood, Gen. 6. 4. Solomon, 1 King. 4. 31. & 10. 1, 6. David, 1 Chron. 14. 17. Mordecai, Esth. 9. 4. Some, 1 Chr. 5. 24. Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26. 15.
Other Examples.
Alexander Magnus when he came to Achilles's Tomb fell a weeping to consider, that he had Homer to sing his praises, and to perpetuate them, whereas he had no such Poet to set forth his commendations. Fulgos.
Lysander the Lacedemonian seeking after fame, had alwaies about him Chaerilus the Poet, that he might celebrate in verse all his victories, and virtues. Idem.
L. Sylla, when a certain Poet had made some verses in his commendation, thinking that his fame would be rather obscured, then continued by so mean a Poet, gave him a great reward that he should write no more of him. Idem.
Pompey the Great when Theophanes of Mitylene had written his great Victories and praises, by way of recompence bestowed a City upon him. Val. Max.
Augustus Caesar when he made his will, affixed to it four books wherein all his great actions were recorded, requiring that they should be engraven in brazen Pillars at his Sepulchre. Dion.
AElius Adrianus wrote the History of his own actions with great diligence, and lest coming out in his own name the truth should be questioned, he published them in the name of one of his Freedmen. Fulgos.
Alphonsus of Aragon, King of Sicily, seeking glory, and fame, did not onelyonly build many stately edifices; but kept about him Panormitan, an excellent Poet, and Bartholomew Faccius, a skilful Historian to record his actions. Idem.
The Cities built by Alexander, Seleucus, the Caesars, &c. and called after their own names, shew how ambitious they were of renown.
The same Alexander commanded that no man should draw his picture but Apelles, the most exquisite Painter in the world; and that his statue should not be made in brasse, by any one but Lysippus, the most excellent workman in that kind: And he bargained with Chaerilus the Poet, that for every good verse which he made in his praise, he should have a piece of gold, and for every bad one, a box on the ear. Eras.
When Alexander M. had overthrown the walls of Thebes, Phryne, an harlot, proffered at her own charges to build them up again, upon condition that there might be ingraven upon them; Alexander overthrew them, but Phryne restored them. Idem.
Thucydides accused Pericles to the people of Athens, for bestowing such great summes of money upon excellent workmen for making pictures, and Statues: whereupon Pericles asked the people what they thought that those things had cost? They answered, Very much. Well (saith Pericles) I then will be at the whole charge of them, provided that my name may be set upon them all. Upon this the people changed their minds, and commanded that they should be paid for out of the common treasury. Idem.
Belisa…ius after he had often overcome the Goths in Italy, and had taken prisoner their King Vitiges, as also Gilimer, King of the Vandals in Africk, and had setled Africk, and Sicily in peace, and often triumphed over the Persians: He caused a golden Crosse of an hundred pounds weight beset with precious stones to be made, and therein to be engraven all his victories, which he dedicated to St. Peters Church in Rome, presuming that out of respect to the holinesse of the place, it would continue there as a lasting Monument of his praises. Fulgos.
Cornelius Gallus being sent by Octavius Caesar to govern Egypt; began to grow very proud of his great honour: Commanding his Statues to be erected in all the chiefest places of Egypt, and his actions to be engraven upon the Pyramids. Dion.
A good name is better then precious oyntment,
Eccles. 7. 1.