Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of Honour, Nobility, Greatneſſe.
THe proper rank of worldly honour is next after riches, for it is to them chiefly that honour is deferred. Without them the honour done to Vertue is but words. Indeed the honour that followes is but ſmoake, but yet ſmoake hath ſome ſubſtance, words have none.
Of honour gotten by vertue, and of its right worth, ſomething muſt be ſaid when we ſpeake of Renowne. Here we have to do with that outward gariſh luſter which dazleth the eyes of the vulgar, gets ſalutations, and opens a lane through the croud for a noble perſon. Riches are to honour that which the bones are to the body, for they keep it up: When honour loſeth riches it falls to the ground, like hops without poles. Nobility with poverty doth but aggravate it, and make it paſt remedy; A miſery deſcribed in two words by Solomon, Prov. 12.9. Honouring ones ſelfe, and lacking bread.
In time of peace it is wealth that brings nobility and greatneſſe; In time of warre it is violence: for, by invaſions, high titles and royalties of Lordſhips had their beginning. We may then value Nobility by its cauſes, for wealth hath nothing praiſe worthy, and it is the origine of new Nobility: Invaſion is meere Injuſtice, & it is the Origin of ancient Nobility ſo much cryed up.
There is a natural Nobility conſiſting in generoſity, and a nobility by grace which is our adoption to the right of Gods children; Theſe two together make a man truly noble. Civil nobility is nothing in nature, and conſiſteth meerly in the opinion of men and cuſtome of nations. We deduce it from maſculine ſucceſſion, but in ſome Kingdomes of the Eaſt they derive it from the feminine, becauſe every one is more certaine of his Mother then his Father. In China, learning, not extraction, gives nobility. In ſome places nobility conſiſteth in merchandize. In ſome the military profeſſion, in ſome in leading an idle life. Which different cuſtomes ſhew that worldly nobility lyeth altogether in fancy, and in effect is nothing.
Yet ſuch as it is, it proveth a goodly ornament to Vertue; it is like enamell which being of ſmall value ſets off the luſter of Gold. It addeth grace facility and power to vertuous actions. Many vertues are obſcured or altogether hid by poverty and meane condition. Sobriety in a poore man is imputed to indigence, continence to want of power, patience to baſeneſſe. But theſe vertues become illuſtrious and exemplary, when humility meets with greatneſſe, and temperance with power; Vertue then ſhines when it is ſet in a high Orbe, where a man takes for the meaſure of his deſires, not what he can, but what he ought to do,. A right good man, being high and rich, hath great helpes to do good, and power prompts him both with the occaſion and the deſire.
On the other ſide, when greatneſs and meanes meet with a weake and perverſe ſpirit, it doth harme in the world. And ſuch are moſt men, whoſe vicious affections appeare not when they are kept under by poverty & obſcurity, but when they riſe, their vices will riſe with them. As Organs ill ſet, and ill tuned, ſhew not their defect while the bellowes lie down unſtirred; but when the winde is blowne into the pipes, they gall the eares of the hearers by their diſcord and harſhneſſe. Likewiſe many vices lie mute and quiet, till the winde of honour and plenty get into them, and blow up an ill compoſed minde with audaciouſneſſe, raſhneſſe, and diſcordance with himſelfe, which riſeth too high with pride, and together falls too low by miſerableneſſe, and where all is out of tune by luſt, inſolence, and intemperance.
But even thoſe that were evill before, unleſs they have conſtant minds, and throughly dyed with piety, will bee corrupted by honour and plenty. For all men whom wee call good are prone to evill, and no greater invitation to evill then facility.
And if great honour (which is never without great buſineſſe) doth not corrupt a man, it doth interrupt him; and as it gives him meanes to do good, it takes off his mind from thinking of it, and many times binds his hands from doing that good which he intends, by reaſon of the diverſity of buſineſſe and ſeveral inclinations of men which he muſt accommodate himſelfe unto; it being certain the greater a man is, the more he is a ſlave. And it is in the higheſt condition that a man hath moſt reaſon to ſay after St. Paul Rom. 7.19. The good that I would I do not, but the evill which I would not that I doe. One is conſtrained to court thoſe whom he deſpiſeth, favour thoſe whom he feareth, ſhut his eyes many times to ſee neither vice nor vertue, till one uſe himſelfe in good earneſt to preferre conveniency before righteouſneſſe; There a mans life is a continuall Pageant of diſſimulation, which he knowes in others, and returnes it to them, who alſo know it in him, yet both parties put on the face of reſpect and kindneſſe over an arrogant and miſchievous minde, and embrace thoſe whom they would have choaked.
There alſo when a man would do good to others, very often he doth harme to himſelfe. To advance one mans ſuite he muſt put back and diſcontent many, and get ten enemyes for one friend, who will leſſe remember the good office, then the others the injury which they think to have received by the repulſe. Truly high places are not fit for true friendſhip, for they take away the freedome from it, and by conſequent the ſweetneſſe and the right uſe. In the throng of buſineſſe and companie, the mind loſeth its tranquillity; And many times after one hath loſt his reſt he loſeth his labour alſo. It is a great miſery for a man to be never his own, and to have no time to think of God, of which when one diſcontinueth the uſe, he loſeth in time the deſire of it, and too many acquaintances make one a ſtranger with God: Paucos beavit aula, plures perdidit; Sed et hos quoque ipſos quos beavit perdidit. The Court advanceth but few perſons, and deſtroyeth many but even thoſe which it advanceth it deſtroyeth and ſpoyleth; for moſt men as they grow in height decreaſe in goodneſſe, and many times in eſtate; like ſquibs which conſume themſelves as they aſcend.
It is in few mens choice, whether they may be great or no, ſome being borne to it and obliged by their birth to maintaine their condition. Others being borne farre under it, and there kept by invincible neceſſity. Yet among great and ſmall, ſome ſtill are in poſſibility to raiſe their degree and come to greater place. And whereas it is in the choyce of few perſons whether they ſhall be great, it is in the choice of all, whether they will be ambitious, and aſpire to high and negotious places. Let a wiſe man conſider whether honour be worth as much as it coſts to get and to keep; whether hee would loſe his reſt for it, leave converſing with God to converſe with men, runne the danger to become wicked to become great, and among the juſtlings of envy be alwayes ready to fall and break his neck. Let him weigh in the ſcales of a right judgement the reſpect and Opinion of others, againſt ſo much perſonal care, perill, and loſſe.
A middle degree of quality, enough to ſtand a little out of the dirt, is commodious and deſirable. The degrees above and beneath are ſlavery. But a wiſe and pious man finds liberty and nobility in any degree.