13*, Reputationof Gollinels .end Hoefly bay far- you, andfhall fay all manner ofevil againg youfalfly fir my fake:. .Rejoyce andbe exceedingglad ; for great is Reward in heaven: forfo perfecuted they the Prophets that were beforeyou] So that you fee the thing that you fo abhorr, is matter of exceeding joy : Even to be falily counted an Heretick or Erroneous for the fake of Chrift and Truth : we are bitledwhen we are faifly reviled as Erroneous, and have all thefe evil fayings againil us. But tobefiscb indeed, is to be accurfed : Though the name of Herefie will Rand with the fpecial. Love of God, yet Heretic it felf he utterly abhorrs. And whether doyou think it is bet- ter topart with Truth and the 'Favour of God with it ; or with theName andReputation of Truth, while we keep both Truth and the favour of God ? Deny yoroldvei then even as to the Reputation ofFaith and Orthodoxnefs For you will certainly deny the Faith, if you cannot deny the name of it, to preferve it. X CHAP. LIX. Reputation of Godlinefs and Honefly howfar - p. A Nother piece of Honour that felf mull be denied in, is, TheReputationof Godlinefs and Roney. Concern- ing both the former and this I mull fay, by way of cautkin, that theReputation both of Faith and Godlinefs, is a great Mercy, and not to be defpifed, nor prodigally caft away by ourown negligence or mifcarriages -; nor unthankfully to be received : But yet 1. It is not be defired for it felf, but for God, that it may help and advantage us toferve him, or as it is a Mercy-that brings the report of his love. 2. And the great- er the Mercy is , the greater is our temptation , when it would deprive us ofa far greater mercy then it felf : I have oft thought it was a very high 'mirage for an Heathen to fay as Seneca did, that No mandothfhew a higher efteemof good- nefs, than he,that can let go the Name or Reputation of being a good man, rather then let go his goodnefs it felf.] Theworld is fo much, unacquainted with goodnefs, that they know it . - _ not
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