The Chief Interest of Man, Section 3
SECT. III. The advantage which Men have by Religion in reſpect of their good name, honour being both a moral and a natural effect of vertue and holineſſe. The Hypocriſie of ſome that profeſſe Chriſtianity, an argument of the excellency of it. Shame the preſent reward of ſin. None dare ſpeak againſt holineſs or holy men as ſuch.
WHat I have hitherto ſaid hath been ab aequo, I ſhall now argue ab utili, and ſhew what advantages come to Mankind by a due obſervance of the Rules of the Goſpel, whereby the truth of the Apoſtles aſſertion will evidently appear, that Godlineſſe is profitable to all things, and is the chief intereſt of the ….
And firſt, let me conſider man in his perſonal capacity, and his ſeveral intereſts in ſuch a reſpect, and I will begin with that which is moſt extrinſick to him, viz. his good name which Solomon juſtly ſaith is rather to be choſen than great riches, and he adds a reaſon of it, loving favour is better than Silver or Gold. That is the effect of it, it commands a friendly reſpect from all, and ſo entertains him where ever he goes, is his harbinger to beſpeak him in all places an honourable reception, it is his ſurety, to vouch him in all his dealings with others, ſo that there is nothing can more ſweeten a Mans life to him, and indeed nothing which generous ſpirits do more eſteem. No greater incentive to vertue among the Heathens than honour, and it is ordinarily ſeen that Men can more eaſily bear the loſſe of Goods than diſgrace or contempt, a breach in their Eſtate, than a wound in their name. Now I will not here ſpeak of that honour, which after a few days ſhall be put upon all Godly men when they ſhall appear with Chriſt in Glory, and ſhine like the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, while others ſhall be cloathed with perpetual ſhame: Nor will I ſpeak of honour as it is a moral effect of Godlineſſe, God having promiſed to honour thoſe that honour him, and he that gave the Iſraelites favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, and made them to be pityed of them that carryed them away captive, can give a Man eſteem and repute among others.
But I ſhall ſpeak chiefly of honour as it is a natural effect of Godlineſs, and it is worthy to be conſidered that that which at firſt view ſeems to reflect diſ-honourably upon Religion, and which many improve to the reproach of the profeſſors of it, doth upon a ſerious weighing of the whole matter exceedingly commend it, and argue ſomething of more than ordinary worth in it, and that is the Hypocriſie which is found among Chriſtians: this implies that there is ſomething in it which is attractive that men ſhould uſe ſuch induſtry to counterfeit it, and ſeek by a feigned ſhew of it to inſinuate themſelves into the eſteem of others whoſe good opinion they think moſt conſiderable. However, as I have already ſaid (and ſhall ſay again in due place) there are many ſcorn men for it, yet this is an evident proof that it is a thing of good report and praiſeworthy; though we do not eſteem every thing that looks like Gold, becauſe it is ſometimes counterfeited, yet this is an argument of the worth of that which is Gold indeed: ſo, though 'tis true every one that makes profeſſion of Godlineſſe doth not preſently deſerve the honour and reſpect of a Godly Man, becauſe there are many Hypocrites; yet it is an argument of the greater worth of ſuch as are Godly indeed. Pearls and Diamonds are oftener counterfeited than thoſe things that are of mean value. What is there that begets an higher eſteem amongſt Men than that Humility, Meekneſs, Goodneſſe, Charity, Juſtice, which the Goſpel requires, and which every true Chriſtian in ſome meaſure hath? It makes a Man (as was ſaid of Veſpaſian) the Darling of Mankind, and makes his memory bleſſed. What is the ordinary Character which you ſhall hear of ſuch a Man? He was a good Man, a quiet Man, you might have put your Life in his hand, his word was as good as his bond; and however the Devil cheats men with the hopes of eſteem in the World by a careleſſe neglect of Religion, though they gratifie the greateſt part of the World (in ſome reſpect) as they juſtifie their wicked wayes by their own practice; yet we ſhall obſerve (through the juſt judgment of God) ſhame is the preſent wages of ſin. Prov. 13.5. Rom. 6.21. and indeed the Heathens themſelves made honour the reward of vertue, ſo that a wicked Man according to them is not capable of it. Pride is that which all abhor, ſwearing and blaſpheming are ſuch ſins as none gain by, and therefore will commend no man; for, Drunkenneſſe diſcovers ſo much of a Mans weakneſſse, that it makes him obnoxious to every Mans pity or ſcorn; lying, injuſtice, oppreſſion, and other ſins againſt the ſecond table, being immediatly againſt our Neighbour, and ſo prejudicial to the intereſt of Mankind, cannot purchaſe any man any honour or eſteem; and though it is true, as I have before complained, that a Godly man is expoſed to ſcorn and reproach; yet, firſt, it is of ſuch whoſe reproaches we may glory in, and bind to us as a Crown. What was ſaid of Nero, is true of them, that it is likely to be ſomething that is good which they ſpeak againſt; yea, commonly ſuch before they dye, juſtifie thoſe whom they reproached, and when they grow wiſer come to be of their mind, when they come to lye on their ſick beds, and to be convinced by ſenſe and experience of what they would not believe, or at leaſt conſider before, that there is a vanity in every Creature, that they must dye, and that their former pleaſures will yield them no comfort at ſuch an hour: then they reproach themſelves more than formerly they reproached others, then they find that they were the fools for deſpiſing inſtruction, and wiſh now they were in the caſe of thoſe whom they deſpiſed; and which is yet more obſervable, Godlineſs doth command ſuch an eſteem from all, that none dare ſpeak againſt it, and you ſhall hardly hear any Godlyman reproached as ſuch as the Jews would not own that they ſtoned Chriſt for a good work, but for Blaſphemy; when Wicked Men reproach others, they will not by any means acknowledge that it is for Godlineſſe, but for Ʋngodlineſſe, for Hypocriſie, for being too nice and ſuperſtitious, doing more than God requires, for Covetouſneſſe, or ſuch like ſins; ſo that by their own confeſſion, ſincerity, obſerving what God hath commanded, charity, &c. are good and commendable, and ſo they are condemned out of their own mouths. Let ſin ſeek excuſes and ſubterfuges. Vertue (as truth) ſeeks no corners, knows no ſhame.