of its intimate Union with, and more Plentiful Participation of the Divine, is become more Honourable than the moft Glorious Creatures. So that even the Man Chrift Jefus is really more honourable than the most Exalted Seraphim, being (as the fame Apostle tells us,) Ver. 4. made fo much better than the Angels, as he has by inheritance obtain'd a more excellent Name than they.

The grounds of Honour thus briefly open'd, we have in the fame view a Discovery of that particular Right which the Good Man has to it for 'tis very certain and undeniable, that the foregoing Measures are truly and highly applicable to him that he has fuch Excellencies and Perfections of Mind, as resemble and express those of the Divine Nature; that he is in his Proportion (as the Son of God is in his,) waμa s

rs, an Effulgency, an Eradiation of God's Glory, and Tng Tйs dors, a Character, an Impreffion of his Substance, a Living Idea and Reprefentation of the most Perfect Being, and that there is a very Great and Eminent Appearance of God in him; which must needs give him a more than ordinary Title to Honour and Refpect.

'Tis true indeed, there is fomething of this in every Man, as being made in the Image, and after the Likeness of God; upon which account it is, that a Measure of Honour is due to every Man, according to that injunction of the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all Men. There is,it feems, a certain Reverence due to Human Nature, and Man as Man is Honourable, and confequently

every Man may juftly challenge a part in our Refpect and Efteem. For let a Man be otherwife never fo vile and unworthy in himself, his Nature will always be good and excellent; which he will never be able fo to debauch or dishonour, but that it will still bear the Image and Superfcription of God, (however blotted and ftain'd ;) and as long as it does fo, fome degrees of Reverence. will be due to it.

But this Image of God, which is Legible in every Man, is bright and fhining in him that is Good; like a Picture that not only retains fo much of the Fundamental Draught, as to difcover whom it was intended for, but whofe Features are distinct and plain, the Proportion just, the Colours fresh, and the whole Ayr approaching to Life. The Divine Likeness does more eminently appear and fhine forth with a more strong and perpendicular Ray in a Good Man; who refembles and reprefents God, not only as to the Effentials of his Nature, but the Order and Re&titude of it; partaking with him not only in the Spirituality of his Effence, but in that which renders him more Divine, Lovely and Adorable, the Morality of his Will. This is the brightest fide of the Divine Image; and here it is that a Good Man does more particularly refemble God, as being renew'd in the Spirit of his Mind, and having put on the New Man, which after God is Created in Righteoufness and true Holiness, Eph. 4. 23. So that he is doubly Partaker of the Divine Nature, and carries a Two-fold Reprefentation of his Creator,

N 2

Creator, perfonates him in his Moral as well as Natural Character, and has therefore an Accumulative Title to our Reverence and Esteem, and is worthy of Double Honour.

Goodness is indeed the best Patent for Honour; and there is no Man who upon a serious and rational Estimation of things, will appear fo truly Honourable as the Good Man; and that whether we refpect

Firft, The greatness of the Perfection he is poffefs'd of; or

Secondly, His Right and Property in it.

First, If we refpect the greatness of the Perfetion he is poffeffed of. He refembles God in his beft and greatest Perfection, that for which God feems moft to value himself, and that for which we most admire and adore God, that is,his Goodnefs. Neither the Spirituality, nor the Immenfity, nor the Wisdom, nor the Power, nor all the Attributes of God put together, represent him either fo lovely or fo glorioufly, as this fingle one of his Goodness, as the Moral part of his Nature. This is his Grandeur and his Glory, and that which he most glories in, and is concern'd to vindicate. I will make all my Goodness pass before thee, Exod. 33. 19. fays he to Mofes,when he defired a view of his Glory;implying that his Goodnefs was really his greatest Glory. And we do not find God any where concern'd to justifie his Wifdom or his Power, but we find him making a Solemn Appeal to the Sons of Men concerning his Goodnefs and the Morality of his Conduct,

Hear

Hear now, fays he, O Houfe of Ifrael, is not my Way equal? Ezek. 18. 25. He feems fo jealous of the Equity of his Proceedings, and fo tender (as it were) of his Reputation in this Point, as to be concern'd to convince Men of it; and one main end of the Day of Judgment, is to give the World publick Satisfaction of this,which is therefore call'd the Day of the Revelation of the Righte ous Judgment of God, Rom. 2. 5. Now this being that Perfection of God which is of greatest Excellence, and that wherein the good Man particularly resembles him; the Court of Honour must not take it amifs, if upon this account we conclude the Good Man more truly honourable than any of thofe, who upon the Score of their Birth, Quality, Fortune, or any other Pretence affume that Title. All the other Sons of Honour represent some lower Perfections of God; as the Man of Knowledge and Learning reprefents the Wisdom of God, the Man of Quality his Greatnefs, the Man, of Strength his Power, and the Man of Authority his Regality; but the Good Man represents the Morality of his Nature, his Goodness and Righteousness, which is the Flower of his Perfections; that which brings moft Honour and Glory to himself, and confequently to the Man who in this part resembles him.

་་

This, I know, runs very crofs to the common Measures of the World; where, to be reckon'd a Man of Parts and Learning, is thought more honourable, than to have the Character of Good, nefs and Integrity; and accordingly, when we N 3

hear

hear the Name of a Worthy Man given to any one, there presently rifes in our Minds an Idea of great Parts or Learning, as if that were at leaft the greatest, if not the only Worth; and upon the fame Principle the Name of Fool is worse refented than that of Knave; and that which only queftions our Senfe, or Capacity, is thought more to reflect upon our Honour, than that which even Reproaches our Honefty. But all this is carried out by meer Confidence and Affurance, by Number and Vote, without Reafon or Principle; for there is more of God, in the Man that is Good and Virtuous, than in him that is Knowing and Learned; and therefore also a greater Right and Title to Honour. Not but that even in refpe&t of real Senfe and Understanding, the Good Man might stand upon a level with him; fince by the ' wife Government of himself, and discreet Conduct of his Life, he gives the best demonstration of Intellectual Light; according to that of St. James, Who is a Wife Man, and indued with Knowledge among you, let him fhew it out of a good Converfation. But to wave this Confideration at present, it may fuffice to give our Good Man the Preference of Honour in his Competition with the Learned, Great, Powerful, or any other; that he resembles and represents God according to a more noble Perfection,than any of them do. And thus is he more honourable in refpect of the greatnefs of the Perfection, he is poffeffed of. As alfo

Secondly, In respect of his Right and Property