Chapter 4

In what degree, and to what end, it is lawful for a man to desire Honour in the world; and of the extreme danger which there is, in holding places of Authority, and Command.

THAT thou mayst the better understand what hath been said; thou art to know, that it is one thing to love honour, and humane estimation for itself, as resting therein; & this is evil, as hath been showed. But another thing it is, when these things are beloved for some good end; and this is not evil. It is a clear case, that a person who hath command, & holdeth place, may for doing good to others, desire, that honour and estimation, which is fit, for the discharge of his employment, thereby the more to do good.¹ For if men have him, who commandeth, in mean account, they will not much esteem of his commandment though it be just. And not only this kind of persons, but all Christians ought to practise, that which is writren, Take² care, of thy good name. Not as if he were to rest in that; but because a Christian, aught to be such a kind of man, as that whosoever should understand or behold his life,³ might give the glory to God; as we use to do, when we see a rose, or a tree, full of shade, & fruit. This is that, which the holy Gospel requires, That our light may so shine before men, that they seeing our good works, may give glory to the celestial Father, from whom all good things proceed.

This aim at the honour of God, and the profit of men, did move⁴ S. Paul, to recount those great, and secret favours, which our Lord had done him, without holding himself for a transgressor of that other⁵ Scripture, which saith, Let the mouth of another praise thee, and not thine own. For⁶ he recounted his own prayies, so much without the sticking of any part thereof unto himself, as if he had not spoken thereof at al. Thereby fulfilling, that which he had already said to the Corinthians,⁷ That they who had wines, were to have them, as if they had them not; and they who wept, were to be as if they did not weep, & the like. Whereby he had a mind to say, That he useth temporal things as he ought, whether they be prosperous, or adverse, whether they be of consolation or affliction, who suffers not his hart to stick unto them; but it passeth by, as by a thing, which is transitory, and vain. And certainly S. Paul, (when he related those things of himself) did speak of them with a hart, which was not only a despiser of honour, but a lover of contempt and dishonour, for Jesus Christ his sake, whose cross he held, for the highest honour.

Such hearts as these, may well be trusted with taking honour, and may relate such things as will purchase it; for they will never do so, but when it shallbe necessary, for some good end. But, as it is a point of much virtue, for a man to possess a thing, as if he had it not; and so, as that the honour which is imparted to us by others, should not cleave unto our hearts; so⁸ is it also a matter of much difficulty, and to which very few arrive. For, as S chrysostom saith, To be in the midst of honour, and that the hart of him that is so honoured, should⁹ not be affected by it; is, as if a man were to converse amongst fair women, without ever beholding them, with unchaste eyes. And experience hath taught us, that honourable and high place, hath seldom made men better of worse; & hath very often, made men bad of good. For to bear the weight of honour, & to resist the occasions which grow in company thereof, a man had need of much strength. Because, as S Hi●rome saith, The highest mountains, are assaulted by the greatest winds. This is certain, that greater virtue is requisite, for commanding, then for obeying. And not without cause, & great cause, did our sovereign Master, & Lord (who knoweth all things) fly away¹⁰ from being made a King. Now since it was not possible for him to run hazard in any estate, how high so ever; it is plain that this doctrine was delivered for the help of our weakness; and that we ought to fly from that which is dangerous, since he fled who was out of danger. And if it be a very great boldness, and against the example of Christ, to receive a place of honour, when it is offered; what then shall it be to desire it? and what again to procure it? For, as for the mischief which it brings, to purchase such a thing with money, there life's not the man that can declare it.

We should find it very strange, that a man, who might walk securely upon firm land would rather choose, the dangers of going by sea;¹¹ and that, not in fair weather, but in a perpertuall tempest. For, as S. Gregory saith, What other thing is the power of honour, but a tempest of the soul. And beside, these troubles, and the dangers which are ever found in eminent place, are followed by that terrible menace, sounded forth by God, though it be harkened to, & understood by few; A¹² most severe judgement, shall pass upon s●ch as command. What kind of thing shall this be, when¹³ even the ordinary judgement of God, is such; as that the men, who are most refined in virtue, do tremble thereat, and say;¹⁴ Enter not O Lord into judgement with thy servant. And yet, there are persons so blindly bold, as¹⁵ that they choose to enter into his judgement; and that, not such a one as may be accounted ordinary; but into the most straight, and hard, that God affords. And considering, that Saul¹⁶ the King, to whom that kingdom was offered by the order of God, (without his prising it, or making much account thereof, (yea & he declined it, by hiding himself, but was pointed out, and shown by the hand of God) yet nevertheless that height of dignity, with the circumstances thereof, treated him so ill; that although God made choice of him, and himself desired to be excused, he yet passed through so wicked a life, and arrived to so wretched a death, that it ought to cast apprehension and fear, upon such as enter into place of honour, though they be called in, by the right door; and far, far, more, upon such others, as go not in, by so good a way.

Verily,¹⁷ it is to be wondered at, that there are persons to be found, so strait-harted in the service of our Lord, that if they be advised to do any thing therein, though it be clearly good, yet do they go considering, & reconsidering whether or no the doing of it, do oblige under the pain of mortal sin, that so indeed, they may forbear to do it. For they say, that they are but weak, & they will not ingulfe themselves into matters of great perfection, but tread in the plain, & beaten way. And yet these very men, who are so void of courage, in the search of true virtue, (which by the grace of our Lord, it would be no hard matter for them to obtain) are, on the other side, so audacious, as to put themselves into dignity, honour, and places of Command. For the innocent use whereof, (without the hurt of him that hath them) there is need of perfect, and tried virtue; which they make themselves believe that they have; and that, forsooth, they will give a good account of the forward rank they hold, without hazarding any thing of conscience, wherein yet others, have run so much hazard. So¹⁸ deeply doth the desire of honour, and command, and other humane interests, blind men; as to make them, who dare not set upon an enterprise which is secure, and easy, attempt other things, which are accompanied with difficulty, and danger. Yea, & they, who do not confide in God, that he will help them, in those good works, (which only do concern themselves:) do promise themselves (with strange boldness) that God will guide them by the hand, towards those things, which concern the government of others. Whereas indeed, he may answer them with great reason, That since they would needs plung themselves into that danger, let them look to their own carriage therein. For of such as these, it is, that God did say, They reigned, but not by my direction; They were Princes, and I knew nothing of the matter; which signifieth, that he did not approve, or like it.

And he that shall consider, how God¹⁹ abandoned King Saul; (the same God having placed him in the Kingdom) will find, that he²⁰ hath much reason to undeceive himself; since there will be no assurance given him by any, that he is not to prove as frail as Saul; but only by his own pride, and ambition of command. Of²¹ this I am very sure, that he shall never more honestly enter into it, than Saul did. S Augustine had reason, when he said, That authority, and dignity, is necessary for such as are to rule the people; and that when a man is in it, he must administer it according to reason; but that it is unlawful for him, that hath it not, to desire it. And of himself he said, That he desired and procured to save his soul, in a low place; that he might not put it, to hazard in a higher. This is especially to be done, when the place whereof we speak, doth concern the charge of souls; the well discharging whereof, doth carry with it so much difficulty, as that it is called the Art of Artes.

These²² dangers ought to be fled by us, as much, as with a moral possibility we may; in imitation of the example already touched, which our Lord did show, in flying from the acceptance of a Kingdom, & he hath represented to us, many other holy & wise persons, who have fled the like, with all the hearts they had. And such as enter into these places, had need do it, either by revelation of our Lord; or by obedience to such as have power to command them; or by counsel of such others, as do well understand the obligation of such an office and the dangers thereof; and they must be sure, to keep the judgement of God before their eyes; and to cast all temporal respects behind their backs. If these conditions may not be found, it will at least be needful, that there be ground for good conjecture, that God is pleased to lay such a burden upon them; & that such or such a man, may give credit to those conjectures, before he embark himself into so great a danger. And notwithstanding all this, there will be matter enough of fear; and continual watch must be kept; and our Lord must be prayed, that since he kept the entrance free from ill, he may also defend them in the issue of it; for fear lest otherwise, it end in everlasting condemnation. For we have seen many of them, who lived with much contentment, in such command, die full of wishes, that they had never been employed therein; and loaden with great fears of that, whereof before, they were, in their opinion, secure. And²³ in all likelihood, the truth of a man's judgement concerning temporal things, doth shine brighter upon him when he is departing from them; & when he is more approaching to the judgement of God, wherein all Truth remains.

Footnotes

1. Men of authority may desire to be well reputed, so that it be to a good end. ↩

2. Eccles. 41. ↩

3. Note. ↩

4. 1. Cor. 4.
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5. Prou. ●7. ↩

6. He might safely do so; but other men must take heed. ↩

7. ●. Cor. 7. ↩

8. The more need we have, to use all diligence. ↩

9. Both these cases are full of danger. ↩

10. This point deserveth great ponderation. ↩

11. We should think that he were mad. ↩

12. Sap. 6. ↩

13. Let men of power & command, consider this. ↩

14. Psal. 141. ↩

15. For want of faith and the consideration of the next life. ↩

16. 1. Reg. 10.
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17. A strange blindness, or rather madness. ↩

18. How mightily doth the love of honour, intoxicate the brain. ↩

19. Os●ae. c. 8. ↩

20. A sad example, but fit for ambitious men, to look much upon. ↩

21. Note. ↩

22. Certain excellent directions, for practise. ↩

23. Platerv, and false judgement, is then out of date. ↩