Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of Glory, Renowne, Praiſe.
FRom the honour that attends greatneſſe and riches we paſſe to that which is deferred to Vertue, or that which beares the name of it. For this ſecond ſort of honour many generous ſpirits have contemned the firſt, and greatneſſe, and riches, and life too; dying willingly that they night have glory, when they ſhall be paſt having any thing in this world.
Wiſe Solomon ſaith, that a good name is rather to choſen then great riches, Prov. 22.1. And better then be precious oyntment, Eccl. 7.1. The goodneſſe of it lyeth in ſome facility that it gives to do good, for when mens minds are poſſeſt with a good opinion of a perſon they are ſuſceptible of his counſels. Thereby alſo a man may better his condition.
The content that a good action gives to the doer is a real and ſolid good, but the content that the reputation of it giveth, is vaine and deceitfull: If the Renowne be for vaine things, ſuch as moſt things are in the world, it can yeeld but a contentment like itſelfe, and though it be raiſed by real vertue, yet reputation is but diſcourſe and the Opinion of others; It is hollow meat, and who ſo will feed upon it will ſoone be like that hungry Dreamer of whom Iſaiah ſpeaketh, who dreames that he is eating, but he awakes and his ſoul is empty. Iſa. 29.8. A wiſe and good man lookes for a better reward of his vertue then the talk of the world. No action is good if it be don for praiſe, or if approbation be ſought of any but God and ourſelves. John 5.44. How can ye beleeve (ſaith Chriſt) which receive honour one of another; and ſeek not the honour that cometh from God onelyonly? Our actions ought to be ſuch as to be of good ſavour, before the world, elſe they can do no good in the world: But that good ſavour muſt be ſought as an acceſſory, not a principal, and muſt bee rejected, when inſtead of an acceſſory it becomes a hindrance and a barre from the the principal, which is the glory of God and a good conſcience: Let that witneſs beare teſtimony to our ſelves, and let men ſay of us what they will. My Opinions and Affections if they be good, make me good and happy, not the Opinion of my neigh bours.
A wiſe man muſt ſubject reputation to himſelfe, not himſelfe to her. If he can make her runne before him as his Harbinger, to prepare for him an accommodation whereſoever he goeth and get him a roome in the judgements and affections of men, it will be a prudent courſe. And it will be a point of prudence not to hunt reputation too eagerly: for Reputation is well compared to our ſhaddow, ſhe fleeth from us when we run after her, and runnes after us when we run from her. She will go more willingly where you would have her, if ſhe go not of your errand but of her ſelfe, and doth better ſervice when one thinkes not of her. If ſhe be deſired it is for ſomething elſe; but to court her for her owne ſake, it is more then ſhe deſerveth. A vertuous man will diſdaine to do ſo much, when he obſerveth that ſhe is more apt to ſpeak of frivolous then ſerious matters, and will many times put a gloſſe of praiſes upon evill things. What a coyle doth Roman antiquity keep, about that harebrain'd girle Clelia for ſtealing a horſe out of Porſena's Campe, where ſhe was an hoſtage, and foording a River none of the greateſt to returne to her Mothers chimney-corner? For that action againſt the publique faith, raſh, ungenerous, injuſt, and eſpecially immodeſt in a mayd, her ſtatue on horſeback was publiquely ſet in the Market place, and fame is trumpetting her praiſe to the worlds end. It were eaſy to name many both of old & late date, that have got reputation at a very eaſy rate. How many famous men are like boyes crackers, that give a great report without effect? How many toyes are talked of and extolled, while grave workes are buried in ſilence? Since Fame hath trumpets, it is no wonder that ſhe fills them with winde; that goeth farre and faſt by its leightneſſe, and is fit to make a noiſe. But a ſolid vertue makes little noiſe, and the tongues of the vulgar do ſo much for her, as to let her alone.
The Renown of great and good things advanceth but ſlowly, but recompenceth her ſlownes by her long laſting. But even in that long laſting there is vanity, for what benefit is it for vertuous men deceaſed, that the world ſpeakes of them two thouſand yeares after their death? Are their ſoules more glorious for it in heaven? Are their bodies the leſſe cold in the grave? Yet for that hope of an outliving uſeleſſe renowne gallant men will climb up a breach through a thick haile of musket ſhot and granadoes, that the world may ſay of them, Theſe gentlemen are dead in the bed of honour: O brave men! It is pitty that theſe praiſes make not theſe brave men to riſe from the dead for joy, preſerve not their fleſh from wormes and putrefaction, and make no roſes nor violets grow upon their graves. Well let us pay them that praiſe which they have ſo deare bought. O brave men! But let us ſay alſo, O the folly of men, who having fed themſelves with vanity in their life time, will not end their vanity with their lives, but ſeek to perpetuate it by their death.
It were ſtrange that praiſe ſhould do good to the dead, ſince it doth more harme then good to the living. For one that is encouraged with praiſe to do well, a thouſand are thereby puft up with pride. It is hurtfull to weak ſpirits and troubleſome to the ſtrong. If praiſe were a real good, every one ought to praiſe himſelfe, as one feeds himſelfe. And none ought to be aſhamed to heare or ſpeake his owne praiſe, for none ought to be aſhamed of good things. That ſhame, is a proofe either that praiſe is not good or that it belongs not to us.
This deſerveth a deeper conſideration. Glory and praiſe among men are of thoſe ſhades and images of divine attributes ſcattered in this inferiour world; of which ſhades the ſubſtance and reality is in God. Glory in him is a ſubſtance, yea his owne eſſence, and to him alone all Glory belongeth. The ſparkes of glory that are in creatures are rayes of that ſoveraigne ſplendour. Now theſe rayes go not ſtreight like thoſe of the Sunne, they go round and fetch a compaſſe to returne to the principle of their being. Pſ. 145.10. All thy workes ſhall praiſe thee O Lord, and thy Saints ſhall bleſſe thee. Since his works praiſe him by nature, his Saints muſt praiſe him by will. Thoſe ſtreakes of glory that are in his creatures, as comming from him, muſt returne to him by nature or by will. For although man be not able to give any glory to God by praiſing God, yet God knoweth how to receive from us that glory which we cannot give him, and to make himſelfe glorious in his owne workes.
Here is then the reaſon why men are deſirous of praiſe and glory, and yet are aſhamed of it: Their deſire of it is a natural ſence that it is good; And that they are aſhamed of it, is another natural ſenſe that it was not made for them. Wherefore a wiſe Chriſtian will deſire and ſeeke the glory of God: And when ſome image of that glory is given him by the prayſes of men, hee will preſently bring that praiſe and glory to God as Gods proper goods, ſaying, Glory is a Crown that was not made for my head, and on my knees I put it on the head of him to whom it properly belongs.
Such is praiſe in its Original and End, both which do meet; but being conſidered in its inferiour cauſes and conveighances, as it comes from and through men, it is a tide of popular applauſe, as ſubject to go downe as to come up, conſiſting in fancy, expreſt in talke, riſing upon ſmall cauſes, and upon ſmall cauſes falling againe. We muſt make more of our content then to pinne it upon ſuch an uncertain poſſeſſion; never reckoning among our goods a thing lying in the Opinion of another, and remaining in the poſſeſſion of the perſon that gives it, for humane praiſe belongs not to him that is praiſed but to him that praiſeth, ſince every one is or ought to be maſter of his Opinions and words. They that give us praiſe retaine it in their power and may take it from us when they pleaſe.