1.2:0 " A Box of .preciousOintment : Or letter of the Hebrew word i.7 rob, that is her rendred IGood, is bigger than ordinary, to thew the more than ordi- nary excellency of a good name and fame arnonga men. 'TWas good counfel the Moralia gave; when he laid, what- foever commodity you lofe, be fire yet to preferve that jewel of a good Name. A good renown is better than a gol- den girdle,.fay fome, And a mans eye and his good Name, can bear no jells, fay others. And if I may but keep a good-. Name, I have wealth enough, Paid the Naturalia,0 friends ! as ever you would keep a good Name, keep off from the ve- ry appearance of evil) for the very appearance of evil will both Eclipfe and wound a mans name and his Confcience at once. Certainly a man were better not to live,than to out- live his good Name. A mans good Name is like a piece of white Paper, which if once blotted, will very hardly be got out again, fo as to leave no Print of it behind ;, it is like a fair (rudure long time a rearing, but quickly ruin'd ; or like a Merchants elate, long a getting, but loft in a moment. And therefore how much does it concern every Chriaian to keep his Name as he would keep his life, and this he can ne- ver do, except he keeps off from the appearance of evil. 'Tis his Name only that (hall be kept green and flourifhing, like the Rod of ,Aaron, that was laid up in the Tabernacle, who keeps off from the appearance of evil. He takes the bell and the wifea courfe under heaven to preferve his good Name in the World, and to maintain the peace of his Con- fcience, who is moll fludious and induftrious to abflain.from all appearances of evil. But, &c. Fifthly, The appearance of evil may very much offend, fcandalize, thimble, and tempt weak Chriflians, and there- fore it highly concerns us to keep off from the very appea- rance of evil. The more.Grace any man hath in his own heart, the more fearful he will be of (tumbling or offending thofe that have lets. Venturing upon the appearance of evil,may not only defile my own Confcience,but alfo wound my weak Brothers Confcience, and therefore it concerns me to ()every illy of the appearance of evil. If in things O. f an ind:ffe_
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