2 54 Reputation of Godliqs 4-nd Honefy how far your health,andwealth,fo mit you do with your Reputation, even in point of Honeity,and be fatisfied that hecan clear you when he pleafes. 9. And it is not Gods ordinary way to leave the Reputation of his fervants wholly uncleared even in this world. if one condemn them, 'another (hall yallitie them : and commonly thewifeft and belt men Juftifie them; and the molt foolifh and ungodly are they that-condemn them : And cannnot you bear the words of fools and children ? The proud& man can pafs by a contempt or flander from a drunken man, an ideot, or a mad Man, as being no difhonour to him rand cannot you bear the cenfures of the diffraeted world ? Or ifthey are bet- ter men that flander you, its too to one but it is the more foolifh or paffionate fort of them ; and that the judgement of themore wife and fober is againfi them, and vindicateth your reputation. Or ifat the prefent they do not, its ten to one but Providence (hall work to the clearing of your reputation, either in your life-time, or when youare dead. lvloit ofthe Servants of God that were moil. hated and flandered, while they lived on earth, are cleared and honoured now they are dead. God is not difregardful of his fervants names. o. But however it go, you are fecured of the main ; that which you expected or covenanted for with God, you chaff be fareof. If you have the Thing, you may eafilybear the want ofthe name. Hath the Spirit of God renewed and fan- aified you ? are you made the living membersof Chrifi, and the fons of God, and the heirs of Heaven ? I hopeyou may well fpare then the applaufeofmen,and eafily bear it,if you be refuted to be deftituteof what you have. If youare in health, it-will not much trouble you if it be reported that you are Eck : And ifyou are alive, you can bear it if the report go that you are dead : For as long as you have the thing you can fpare the name : And ifyou have Chrift, and Grace, and Par- don, and Juftification, and Title to eternallife, cannot you endure to have men think that you are without them ? How bafely do you undervalue thefe ineftimable things, when the Thoughts ofa mans mind, or the words of a mans mouthcan Wail the comforts of them all ? youkidtq the wqrld, It
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