The Right Notion of Honor, Sermon
PSAL. VIII. part of Verſe v. —And haſt crowned Him with Glory and Honour.
THOUGH there is not any thing in the World, that hath been always more valued and deſired than Honour, yet there is nothing that has been ſo little underſtood, and explicated. True Honour does anſwer the Eſteem that hath been always ſet upon it. It is the beſt of our attainments in this Life: Nay, it is all we can return to God himſelf, for all the Bleſſings he heaps upon us. Next under God, our greateſt Obligations are to our Prince, and to our Parents: Now the Honour we pay to the Fathers of our Country, for the ſecurity of our Perſons and Fortunes, and to thoſe that bred us for our Nurture and Education, is the fulleſt Account of our Duty to both. Our Labours, Hardſhips, and Dangers; the ſharpeſt Pains, the cruelleſt Tortures, the worſt of Deaths we can undergo, have no greater temporal Reward than Honour. When God Almighty would make a Creature, as happy as any thing could be, lower than an Angel, he created Adam: of whom the Pſalmiſt ſays, That his Maker gave him Dominion over the Works of his Hands, and put all things in ſubjection under his Feet. In ſhort, He made him a King, and crowned him upon his Birth-day, he crowned him with Glory and Honour.
The Pſalmiſt in this place deſcribing the infinite Goodneſs of God, in creating Man after his own Image, and in repairing afterwards that Image in him, calls His original Righteouſneſs, and the Supplies of Grace after the Fall, his Honour. For as we call the Perfections of the Divine Nature, to which we owe our Beeing and Happineſs, the Honour of God; ſo the Integrity and the Renovation of humane Nature, are the Honour of Man, becauſe they make him capable of doing good. An Honour ſo great, that to expreſs it fully, the Original reads the former parts of the Verſe thus, Thou haſt made him little lower (foreign) than God, or almoſt a God. Now as we call the infinite Perfections of God, and the Moral or Religious Excellencies of Man, their Honour, upon account of the Benefits conferred by God upon Man, and by good Men upon their fellow Creatures, ſo is it likewiſe in the caſe of Temporal, Secondary, Imperfect Honour. Humane Authority, Power and Greatneſs is called Honour, becauſe it ſeems to imply and ſuppoſe in the Poſſeſſors, thoſe Perfections which tend to the Uſe, Benefit, and Welfare of Mankind. Thus Magiſtrates, even when they are corrupt, are honoured, becauſe by their Station and Condition, they are in many reſpects uſeful, and have always more Power and better Opportunities of doing good than inferiour Perſons: From whoſe better Reſolutions, for the time to come, we cannot expect ſo much of publick Benefit. For this Reaſon, when Noblemen are diſſolute, our Parents vicious, the Aged profligate, there is ſtill ſomething of Reſpect, and Honour due to them, though the Proportion of it is ſtrangely leſſened, by their defects and miſcarriages. That which I have here undertaken, is to give an account of Honour, both in its beſt Senſe, and in its largeſt Extent. To which purpoſe I conclude, That Honour is the greateſt Excellency both of uncreated and finite Nature, that we form our Apprehenſions of any Excellency according to its Title to Eſteem, and that we have the higheſt and moſt juſt Eſteem of thoſe Perfections by which we are moſt of all relieved, ſupplied, aſſiſted and comforted. What I have been hitherto deſcribing, I thus define; True Honour is eminent and beneficial Goodneſs atteſted: And in the common imperfect Notion of it, It is any degree, capacity, or reſemblance of ſignalized Worth.
This Definition, as it comprehends the Particulars of my following Diſcourſe, ſo it ſerves us to make a Judgment of thoſe two Conceptions of Honour, which are as diſtant in their Senſe, as their Age in the World. The one is old, the other very new: the former is from Plato, Ariſtotle, and their Followers; the latter from the Leviathan and his Diſciples. According to the old Notion, it is nothing but a Mark or Inſcription upon ſuppoſed Goodneſs: According to the new one, It is only an Inſtance, or Argument of Power. Honourable, ſays the Leviathan, is whatſoever Poſſeſſion, Action or Quality, is an Argument and Sign of Power. His Comment is as bad as his Text, for he goes on thus. Covetouſneſs of great Riches, and Ambition of great Honours, are Honourable; as ſigns of Power to obtain them. Nor does it alter the caſe of Honour, whether an Action (ſo it be great and difficult, and conſequently a ſign of much Power) be juſt or unjuſt: For Honour conſiſteth only in the Opinion of Power. For proof of this, he mentions the fabulous Rapes and Thefts of the Heathen Gods, and he ſays, That till there were conſtituted great Commonwealths, it was thought no diſhonour to be a Pirate, or a Highway-Thief.
Now he that makes Power to be the Foundation of Right, muſt make Honour to be the effect of Power, though never ſo ill gotten. When an Uſurper is to be upheld and defended; Injuſtice, Violence, Ambition, Cruelty, Theft, Murder, Sacrilege and Oppreſſion, muſt be of his Life-guard. I muſt needs ſay, That although the old Opinion of Honour is defective, it is far more tolerable than this Novel and lewd Extravagancy.
Would we then know what is to be underſtood by true and ſolid Honour, we muſt be inſtructed by the Principles of Religion, and not the bare Dictates of Natural Reaſon; we muſt learn it from the School of Chriſt, and not of Plato, Ariſtotle, or any other, and worſe Philoſopher. So that the Heads of my following Diſcourſe will be theſe two Particulars.
I. According to the Opinion moſt Men have of Honour, it is either nothing at all, or a very ſlight; empty, imaginary buſineſs.
II. The Chriſtian Inſtitution does give us the only true account of Honour, and doth advance us to the higheſt degrees of it.
I. For the firſt Particular, It is certain, that Honour is a greater reality than moſt People make it. It muſt be ſomething more than what it is repreſented to be by the Leviathan-Philoſophy, if there be any ſuch thing in Nature. For Power alone, and as it is diſtinguiſhed from Goodneſs, is no ſign or inſtance of Honour.
Power oppoſed to Goodneſs is no Perfection, or Excellency. If Greatneſs were nothing more than the Commiſſion of great Robberies at Land, or Piracies at Sea, the Ambition of great Honours, the Covetouſneſs of great Riches, the Gratification of Envy, Malice, Revenge and Cruelty; the worſt of Creatures would be the moſt Honourable, and the Prince of Darkneſs would be the greateſt Prince in Nature.
Power, when it is injurious and hurtful, when it is employed in the Oppreſſion of thoſe it ſhould preſerve, is no real excellency. To deſtroy and ruine is the baſeſt and moſt degenerate Action that the worſt of Men, and even the Devil himſelf can be guilty of.
The Beeing and Welfare of Mankind are the Reaſons of that Honour we pay unto the Author and the Inſtruments thereof. But if to deſtroy and oppreſs is unworthy and misbecoming a generous Mind; the Power ſo to do, abſtractly conſidered, can never be Honourable; nor plead a Title to the Significations of that kind Eſteem and beneficial Opinion in which external Honour does conſiſt.
So that Honour is juſt the contrary to what the Leviathan would make it. It muſt he ſomething elſe than what he calls by that Name, or there is no ſuch thing in Nature. And indeed, as it is better deſcribed by the Schoolmen, and their Maſters the old Philoſophers, we can never make any thing of it, that we can call ſubſtantial and ſolid.
As I do not give the name of real Honour to any Excellency that is only the Foundation or Reaſon of it, ſo neither can I grant that Appellation to the Externals of it, to that reſpect and deference which is often paid, where it is not at all due. I call Honour atteſted Goodneſs, ſince in the beſt common account of it, it is only (a)foreign. Ariſt. Rhet. l. 1. c. 5.a ſign or proof that others think well of us; and ſo Honour ſhall be ſometimes given, not for the ſake of any good Actions, but only of a Power or Obligation to perform them.
It is commonly ſaid to have its being in thoſe that pay it, and not in thoſe that receive it. It is ſomething, belike, we call ours, which we can neither command nor ſecure; our own undoubted Right, that is always poſſeſſed and diſpoſed of by other People.
According to theſe Men, it is only a ſplendid Slavery, or a Maſs of uncertain Riches; a dangerous Truſt, or a barren Title; a Formality, a Shew, a Ceremony, an Inſcription; the late reward of macerating Study, or of the cruel hardſhips of the Camp; the eaſie Spoil of Flattery, Malice, Ambition or Avarice; not ſo often conferred upon known Merit, as revoked upon Miſtake or Prejudice: the mark of the Envious, and the frequent purchace of the Undeſerving; though long expected, and gained with Labour, Care, and Toil, yet quickly forfeited by Negligence, Paſſion, Miſchance, or Indiſcretion.
Now Honour, which is the moſt valuable Enjoyment in this World, and which, in its Perfection, is the Bleſſedneſs of the World to come; that which is the greateſt Gift we can receive from God or Man, muſt certainly amount to ſomething more than we can find in the foregoing Deſcription of it. Which brings me to the ſecond Particular.
II. The Chriſtian Inſtitution doth give us the only true account of Honour, and does advance us to the higheſt Degrees of it. It ſhows us what Honour is in God, and in Man.
I. We are inſtructed by the heavenly Doctrines of our Religion, in the Nature and Reaſons of that Honour we render unto God. It is obſerved, that the Greatneſs of earthly Potentates concerns only their Subjects and Allies, thoſe they protect or aſſiſt, and is not regarded by the Inhabitants of far diſtant Countries.
Honour is never paid as a juſt Debt, but to thoſe Excellencies by which Mankind is ſome way or other bettered, profited, or endeared. The Excellencies of the Divine Nature do then only affect and raviſh us, when we conſider that we owe our Happineſs, Preſervation, and Beeing, to them. We therefore adore and reverence the Divine Goodneſs, Bounty, and Mercy, becauſe we are thereby not only redeemed from infinite Miſery, but ſurrounded with innumerable Bleſſings.
God Almighty never appeared with ſo much Glory in the World, as when in the ſecond Perſon of the Trinity, he condeſcended for the recovery of Mankind, to take our Nature upon him, and to humble himſelf even unto the Death of the Croſs.
When the Son of God came down from Heaven, the way he took to illuſtrate his Glory, was by doing the greateſt Good, and by making Peace between God and Man. When he was to prove his Divinity, he wrought not one Miracle, only to ſurprize and aſtoniſh the Beholders, not one that did not ſhow he was ſent to bring Health and Salvation to the Sons of Men, and to be the great Example, and effectual Promoter, of Goodneſs and Piety.
This was the end of the Creation, for this reaſon did the Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament ſhew his Handywork, that the manifeſtation of his Goodneſs might be the Glory of his Power.
He framed the World by his omnipotent Hand, not that his Creatures ſhould for ever ſtand gazing, wondring and amuſing themſelves at his Power, but that they ſhould be led on by the conſideration of it to admire his Goodneſs.
He is unchangeable in his Nature, and cannot receive any Additions to his Glory and Happineſs, by all our Praiſes and Services. This therefore was his Motive, That it was a proper Work, an action hugely befitting, ſuitable and congruous to infinite Goodneſs, to communicate, diſcover and manifeſt it ſelf, in the exerciſe of that immenſe Wiſdom and Power with which it is joyned.
Finite Beeings were not created upon account of any Uſe, Benefit, or new Satisfaction to their Maker, who was entirely happy from all Eternity, in the Contemplation of himſelf, and the infinite Raviſhments of his inexpreſſibly-glorious Nature. But he ſpoke us into Beeing, and exerciſed his Almighty Power in the Production of all things, becauſe it was the moſt natural Uſe of inexhauſtible Goodneſs, to diffuſe, open and exert it ſelf in all the Varieties of the greateſt Love, and the wiſeſt Contrivance: To the end he might behold in every Region, through the vaſt Tracts of Nature, ten thouſand times ten thouſand Myriads of Repreſentations, and clear Images of his boundleſs Goodneſs: That he might not only be entertained at the dawning of the World, with thoſe firſt Anthems in the Celebration of his glorious Bounty by the Sons of the Morning, and with the Adorations, Praiſes and Thankſgivings of his Church throughout all Ages of the World; but likewiſe by all the bright Legions of Angels, by all the Companions of the glorified Order, by the whole Quire of Heaven, enthroned Martyrs, rejoycing Sufferers, triumphant Captives, crowned Saints, comforted Mourners, and the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect; aſcribing Rev. 4. 11. c. 5. 13. c. 19. 1.Honour, Salvation, Bleſſing, Glory and Power unto our God for ever and ever.
Thus we ſee that Honour in God, ſo far as it commands the due regard of intelligent Beeings, is the Manifeſtation of the Divine Goodneſs in our Temporal or Eternal Happineſs.
2. Chriſtianity alone does rightly inform us, what Honour is in Man: Namely, that it is both the reward and the diſcharge of his Duty.
(1.) Honour in Man is the reward of his Duty, either in this World, or in the next. It is here, the Benefit that accrues to us from the good Opinion of wiſe and good Men; it is what we gain by our Moral or Religious Excellencies, by our Services in the Church or in the State; in the Court or in the Camp; by our Tongues or Hands; by our Pens or Swords.
It is the Princes Favour, the ſence of good Laws, the munificence of Founders and Benefactors, in the encouragement of that vertuous Induſtry to which the corrupted Nature of Man is of all things the moſt averſe.
In reference to the other World, Honour is that Goodneſs which does entitle us to the Divine Favour and Acceptance; whereby we are admitted into the neareſt Relation unto himſelf; by which good Men become his adopted Children, a choſen Generation, a royal Prieſthood, not Servants only, which is Honour enough, but the Sons of the moſt High, and more than that, Kings and Prieſts unto God: Hereby they receive the Inheritance as well as the Adoption of Sons, and the Kingdom prepared for them, from the beginning of the World; immortal Honour, and an exceeding weight of Glory.
(2.) Honour is not only the Reward, but it is likewiſe the diſcharge and exemplary Performance of our Duty. Honour, (quite contrary to what the Leviathan aſſerts) is that quality or action which is a ſign of extraordinary Goodneſs. To turn his Words, I aſſert the contempt of great Riches, and the refuſal of great Honours to be Honourable, as they are Signs of that unuſual Goodneſs which does at the ſame time both deſerve and deſpiſe them.
The Hebrew words for Glory and Honour foreign and foreign ſignifie a recommendable quality and endowment, as well as Promotion or Ornament. The latter without the former is the leaſt part of Nobility; which is then compleat and perfect, when Power and Goodneſs meet together.
We therefore find in S. Paul's Inſtructions 1 Tim. 5. 17.to Timothy, That there is a greater Reverence due to our Superiors, than what their mere Power and Authority requires of us; That the Elders who rule well are to be counted worthy of double Honour. In the ſight of God, and the opinion of all good Men, Perſons of Honour are far leſs noble by their Birth, and the higheſt Extraction, than by Virtue and humble Piety.
Upon this account it is; that in the Hiſtory of the Patriarchs, Japhet the eldeſt Son of Noah, is thruſt down beneath his two younger Brothers, and Sem the ſecond Son is named and reputed as the Eldeſt. For this reaſon Abraham was named before Haran the eldeſt Son of Terah, Iſaac was ſet before Iſhmael, and Jacob advanced above his elder Brother Eſau. Hence it was, that Jacob, in Bleſſing his Sons, laid his right Hand upon Ephraim's Head, who was the Younger, and his left upon Manaſſeh the firſt-born.
When Ariſtotle bequeathed to the Schools the common received Notion of Honour, he taught the World to believe that Honour has its being (a)foreign. Eth. Nicom. c.rather in thoſe that yield it, than in the Perſons honoured. When he maintained this, he had a regard only to the Ceremonies, the attire and externals of Honour, not to the Foundation and Original, the Reaſons and genuine Cauſes of it. For he adds at the ſame time (b)foreign. Eth. Nicon. c. 3., that People ſeem to purſue Honour in hopes to be accounted good Men.
He ſays, that (c)foreign.in all thoſe things or actions which are juſtly rewarded with Honour, there is Honeſty and Virtue. This he delivers as a plain Demonſtration, and makes it (d)foreign. Rhet. l. 1. c. 9a neceſſary Conſequence, for Virtue to be honourable. He ſhews us with great acuteneſs, the nature and connexion of Honour and Virtue, when he determines the former to be (e)foreign. l. 1. c. 5.the proof of an opinion in others, which is a benefit to our ſelves, and the latter to be that (f)foreign. l. 1. c. 9.Power in us whereby we are beneficial unto others. They are (g)foreign. l. 1. c. 5.honoured (ſays he) in Juſtice, and in the higheſt degree, that do good in the World: But yet ſtill the Man is honoured that has the Power of doing Good.
Theſe Sentiments of Ariſtotle have paſſed for ſound Divinity among the Scholaſtick Doctors: who tell us, That bad Governours and vicious Parents are to be honoured, as they have the Stamp, Commiſſion, or Authority of Almighty God: That Nobility and Age are honourable, meerly as Signs or Reſemblances of that Vertue, which is the eternal Reaſon of Honour.
So that when the forementioned Qualifications are wanting, then it is that Men give Honour where Honour is not due, then are they guilty of the old Idolatry of throwing Stones to Mercury's Heap, reproved by (b) Solomon; and S. Paul's reſpect (h) Prov. 25.of Perſons.
This we are taught even by Nature it ſelf; for all Mankind hath naturally ſomething of the Nation, as well as of the Senſe and Deſire of Honour. There is an old Pagan Empire on the further ſide of Aſia, where the Religion and Learning, which they had for above two thouſand years, was to ſtudy the repair of Humane Nature, the perfection of Government, and the Reaſons of Honour. Their Emperor (whom they ſtiled the Son of Heaven) was for the moſt part a Philoſopher, and always a very improved Perſon. Their Nobility was not from Families, but from Wiſdom and Knowledge: And as Men grew eminent for their Intellectual and Moral Endowments, ſo they were accordingly enriched and preferred.
There are Inſtances enough from whence we may conclude, that by attending to the ſound Dictates of Reaſon, we may raiſe our ſelves to greater Honour, than by any other Methods, beſides Chriſtian Piety, and the moſt ennobling Precepts of our Religion. Which is the laſt Particular.
2. As the Doctrine of our Saviour gives us the trueſt Account of Honour, ſo its due Practice does advance us to the higheſt degrees of it. As our natural Principles of Juſtice, Honeſty, and Goodneſs, were our firſt embelliſhment, ſo the recovery and improvement of them, by the Grace of the Goſpel, is the higheſt degree of Honour that mortal Man can arrive at.
That which is the greateſt Perfection, is likewiſe the greateſt Ornament of Humane Nature.
Upon this account it was, that (a)Plato in Alcib. Conviv. Phadr.foreign, among the Greeks, and (b)Frigidus & Sylvis Aquilo decuſſit honorem. Virg. Georg. 2. Hunc virum bonum dixiſti, & honoris cauſa appellaſti Cic. pro Q. R.Honor with the Latins were uſed to ſignifie both Honeſty and Beauty. For as the clearneſs of the Complexion, and the proportion of Parts, is the Beauty of the Body; ſo the Purity of the Mind, and the Harmony, or correſpondence of our Actions to the Principles of Reaſon and Religion, is not only the Beauty, and charming ſweetneſs of the Soul, but an Honour like that which we pay unto God himſelf.
Such is the Beauty of Holineſs, ſo lovely are the Features of Goodneſs, that it is admired by all the World, and the very worſt of men; like the innocence of its Divine Author, to which Pilate bore witneſs, when he ſacrificed it to the malice of the Jews.
On the other hand, there is nothing ſo foul, mis-ſhapen, and ugly as Sin, there is no Monſter ſo deformed, no Beaſt ſo filthy; could we ſee it in all its lineaments, we ſhould find it more hideous than the Devil himſelf in his worſt ſhape; it is far more black than it was ever yet painted.
But now the everlaſting Righteouſneſs of the Goſpel does ennoble and raiſe us as many Degrees above Nature, as the attainments of Nature and Reaſon all one can advance us above the level of Beaſts.
By the conduct of Reaſon we are brought to the Honour of being temperate, liberal, juſt, merciful, kind, and faithful: But by our Chriſtian Inſtitution, and the guidance of the Spirit of Grace, it is our Glory, and Crown of rejoycing, that we do not only abſtain from the filthineſs of the Fleſh, but the uncleanneſs of the Spirit; that we are ſo far from invading what is our Neighbours, that we do not ſo much as look upon it with a covetous, or impure Eye: That we can be kind where we expect no return, and love others beſides our Friends, and pity thoſe Enemies which other Men hate.
When Sin had filled the World with Contention, Fierceneſs, and Cruelty; when the Teeth of the old Serpent that were ſown in the accurſed Earth, had ſprung up in a Race of Men that were all in Arms againſt one another; how glorious was that Chriſtian Charity that could forgive an Injury, do good to an Enemy, pray for a Perſecutor, and relieve an impoveriſh'd Oppreſſor!
Surely there is no Honour in this World ſo great as to deſire, contrive and promote the Welfare of all Mankind: to be concerned like the Providence of God, for the good of the whole Creation.
That Chriſtian Charity which thinketh no evil, is more glorious, as well as more laſting, than all the greatneſs of this World: Nay, the Glory which ſhall be revealed hereafter, is not worthy to be compared unto it, for that will but make us like unto the Angels, this will make us like unto God.
Such Honour have all good men in the moſt private Capacity, which one would think ſufficient to ſatisfie any pardonable Ambition, and yet it is not to be named with the Glory of Pious Greatneſs.
The Virtues of Princes and Grandees, are the greateſt Temporal Bleſſings to Mankind. Our Saviour ſpeaking of the Kings of the Gentiles, ſays, they were ſtiled foreign, Benefactors. Such, they always are, or ought to be.
They that govern ſhould be eminently bountiful and Pious. The World had been a foul reproach to him that made it, if when he erected the Government of it, he had not given Power, Credit, and Superiority to Goodneſs, and debaſed wickedneſs by the diſtinct Characters of ſhame and hatred.
Had the Almighty committed the Government of the World to the monſtrous Leviathan; had Violence been the Rule and Standard of humane Affairs; had Cruelty been allowable, and Rapine juſt, the World had quickly been tumbled into the Confuſions of its firſt Chaos.
It is the Glory of good Princes and Potentates, that they are the Inſtruments of the Divine Providence in preſerving Mankind from thoſe Deſolations, into which their wild Paſſions would certainly plunge them.
That the World might ſubſiſt, when Sin had diſcompoſed it, God was pleaſed to ordain and ſeparate ſome particular Men for the conduct and protection of the reſt: to be more his Image, than others of the ſame Race: to repreſent him after a more lively manner in that Goodneſs to which we owe our Beeing and Preſervation; and withal to derive and convey it unto thoſe, who continually depend upon it.
The World is upheld, and the order of things maintained by the Charity and good Offices of good Men to one another: not of all good Men alike, but of thoſe more eſpecially, who were born for that very end of a better Race, and were ſent into the World better ſtock'd with generous Principles than other People. They are of that ſtrain, where the Men are Valiant and Juſt, and the Women Chaſt, out of a Senſe of the Obligations they lay under by their very Birth and Extraction. They are Perſons whoſe natural Elevation of mind withholds them from ſordid Advantages, and baſe Pleaſures.
Juſtice and Charity, Mercy and Pity, Love and Benignity, are as great Ornaments to our ſelves, as Benefits to others. But theſe excellent Virtues are never ſo beneficial to the World, as when they are improved into Chriſtian Graces, and are the Fruits of the Spirit.
It is the trueſt and higheſt Nobility for Men to be as great in their Piety, as in their Stations; to have the good report of a good Conſcience, and not to blot their Eſcutcheons by ſtaining their Chriſtian Profeſſion.
When Princes execute Juſtice and Judgment, when they deliver the Oppreſſed, and aſſert the Cauſe of the Innocent: when they are nurſing Fathers to the Church of Chriſt, a terror to evil doers, and a praiſe to them that do well, when they walk before God with a perfect Heart, and whilſt they are enthroned upon Earth, have their Converſation in Heaven, then it is that they are Crowned with Glory and Honour.
Now to the King Immortal, Inviſible, the only wiſe God, be Honour and Glory for ever and ever, Amen.