As for that Morofenefs and Sournefs of Carriage which fome Men, who pretend to Religion, are noted for; this is not juftly to be ascribed to their Religion, but to their want of it. Joy and Chearfulness being not only a Privilege, but a Duty which Religion doth oblige Men to, whereby they are to adorn their Profeffion, and win over others to a Love of it.

1.

CHAP. VI.

How Religion conduces to our Honour and Reputation.

Fifthly, for the Intereft of Honour and

Reputation. This is one of the greatest Bleflings which this World can afford, much to be preferred before Riches or Pleafures, Prov. 22. or Life it felf. A good name is rather to be chofen than great riches, and loving favour rather than filver and gold. One that is a generous virtuous Man will chufe to die, rather than do any thing that may expose him to Infamy. St. Paul was of this Mind. It were better for me to die, than that any should make my glorying void. And because 'tis a thing of fo great Excellency, therefore we do pay it, as the best Service we can do to God, and to his Deputies,

1 Cor. 9.

15.

Magiftrates and Parents. 'Tis 'Tis by this that we are render'd ufeful and acceptable to others. And befides the Advantage we have by it while we live, 'tis one of thofe Things that will abide after us, when we are gone out of the World; and for that Reafon a special Regard is to be had to it. And the more wife and virtuous any Man is, the more care will he take to tranfmit a grateful Memory of himself to future Times; and fince he must be spoken of after his Departure, to take care that he be well-spoken of, that his Name may be as a precious Ointment, leaving a Perfume behind it, that Men may rife up at the mention of it, and call him bleffed. Nor can any Man defpife Honour, but he that doth either defpair of it, or refolve against doing any thing that may deserve it.

Now Honour is properly the Efteem and good Opinion which Men have concerning the Perfon or the Actions of another, together with fuch external Expreffions of Refpects as are fuitable thereunto.

And I fhall make it appear, that this kind of Happiness doth depend upon Religion, both

SMorally,
Naturally.

1. Morally. Nothing being more generally agreed upon amongst all the Philofo

X 2

phers,

26.

Deut. 32.

9.

Jer. 12. 7.

phers, than that Honour is the peculiar Reward of Virtue, and doth not properly belong to any thing elfe. And that Shame is the proper Reward of Vice, nor can it belong to any thing else.

The Scripture is very copious in Expresfions to this purpofe. Such as are Religious, are ftyled the excellent of the earth, Pfal. Cap. 12. 16. 3. and faid to be more excellent than their neighbours, Prov. 17. 27. They are God's peculiar treasure, the dearly beloved Exo. 19.5.of his foul. He fets apart the man that is Pfal. 4. 3.godly for himself. Though such Perfons may be but low in their outward Condition, being put to wander up and down in sheepskins and goat-skins, being deftitute, afflicted, tormented, fecking for refuge in defarts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth; yet are they upon the account of Religion, of fuch an excellent Value, that in the Judgment of the Holy Ghost, the world is not worthy of them, Heb. 11.

Cap. 4. 8,

9.

37, 38.

The Wife-man, fpeaking of Religion, saith Prov. 1.9 that it shall be an ornament of grace to thy head, and as a chain about thy neck. Exalt her, and he shall promote thee, and bring thee to honour. She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace, and a crown of glory. God hath engaged himself by Promise to thofe People that are religious, that he will fet them above other nations; they shall be

Deut. 28.

$3.

made

made the head, and not the tail. honour those that honour him.

He will Sam. 2.

Joh. 12.

30. And certainly, he who is the King of Kings, muft 26. needs be the Fountain of Honour, and be able to dispose of it as he pleases.

And on the other fide, Shame is in Scripture faid to be the proper Reward and Confequent of Sin, especially in the Writings of David and Solomon. Religion is styled by the Name of Wisdom, and Sin by the Name of Folly. And the Wife-man having faid, Prov. 3. 35. that the wife fhall inherit glory, 'tis added, but shame shall be the promotion of fools: it fhall be their promotion; the utmoft that fuch Perfons fhall ever attain to, will be but difgrace; when they are exalted and lifted up, it fhall prove to their difparagement, to make their Shame more confpicuous. And Prov. 13. 5. 'tis said, A wicked man is loathfome, and cometh to shame. The Word tranflated loathfome, properly denotes fuch kind of Perfons to be as naufeous and offenfive to the Judgments of others, as the most loathfome unfavoury Things are to their Taftes or Smells. They are ftiled by the Name of Wolves and Bears, Swine, Dogs, and Vipers, things both hurtful and hateful.

Men that are truly virtuous, have a Reverence paid them by all that know them. And on the other fide, vicious Men are defpifed. Not but that wicked Persons may be inwardly honoured, by fuch as do not know X 3 them

them to be wicked; and on the other fide, those that are good, may by others be esteemed and used, as being the Rubbish and Offfcouring of all things. But this is to be afcribed chiefly to their Mistake and Ignorance of them, whilft they look upon fuch Perfons as being the most dangerous pernicious Perfons. But the Generality of Mankind have heretofore, and ftill do pay a Reverence to any Perfon whom they believe to be Innocent and Virtuous.

2. Religion is the natural Caufe of Honour and Reputation, fo far as fuch Things are capable of any phyfical Efficacy. This I fhall endeavour to prove, both from Reafon and Experience.

I. By Reason. For the better understanding of this, we are to take notice, that Honour may be confider'd under a twofold Notion.

1. According to the Defert and Foundation of it, in the Perfon honoured.

2. According to the Acknowledgement or Attribution of it, in the Perfon honouring. Now Religion doth by a natural Caufality influence both these.

1. According to the Foundation of it, in the Perfon honoured, which is true Virtue and Merit. I have fhewed before, that the Effence of Man may be faid to confist in being religious, and confequently this must be the Rule and Measure of a Man's real

Worth: