Serro. XXII. Good Men, after Death. 16 3 wicked, yet it feldom deals fo hardly and ünjuftly with Men of eminent Goodnefs and Virtue, asto defraud them of their due Praife and Commendation after death. It very frequently happens otherwife to Good Men, whilft they are alive ; nay they are then very feldom fo juftly treated, as to be generally elteemed and well fpoken of, and to be allowed their due Praife and Reputation : But after death; their Good Naine is generally fecured and vindicated, and Pofterity does tliein that right, which perhaps the Age wherein they lived denyed to them. "Therefore in the Profecution of this Argument, I (hall enquire into thefe Two things. Firft, Whence it comes to pafs, that Good Men are very often defrauded of their juft Praife and Reputation, whilft they are alive ? And, . Secondly, What Security they have of a Good Naine after death ? Fir/t, Whence it comes to pafs, that Good Men are fo frequently defrauded of their juft Praife and Reputation, while they are alive ? And to . give our felves full fatisflétion in this matter, Two things are fit to be enquired into. I. From what Caufe this proceeds ; .. 2. For what Reafon the Providence of God doth often permit it ? (t.) From what Caufe it proceeds, that good Men have fo often the hard Fate to be ill fpoken of, and, to be feverely cenfur'd, and to have their worth much detracted from, while they are alive ? And this proceeds partly from Good Men themfelves ; and partly from others. t. Good Men themfelves, are many times the caufe of it. For the belt Men are impeded ; and prefent and vifible imperfe&ions do very much leffen, and abate the Reputation of a Man's Goodnefs. It cannot be otherwife, but that the luftre of a great Piety and Virtue should be fomewhat obfcured, by that mixture of Hü- inaneFrailty, which doesneceffarily attend this ftate of Imperfe&ion .: And though a Man by great Care and Confideration, bygreat Vigilancy and Pains with him- feif, be arrived to that degree and pitch of Goodnefs, as tohave but a very few vifible Failings, and thofe finali, in comparifon; yet when thefe come to be foann'd and commented upon, by Envy or Ill-will; they will be ftrangely inflamed and magnified, and made much greater, and more than in truth they are. But there are few Perlons in the World, of that excellent Goodnefs, but befdes the com- monand more pardonable Frailties of Humanity, they do now and then difcover fomething, which might perhaps juftlydeferve a fevere Cenfure, if fome amends were not made for it, by many and great Virtues. Very good Men are fubje& to confiderable Imprudences, and fudden Paflions ; and efpecially to an affe&ed Severity and Morofenefs of Carriage; which is very difguftful, and apt to beget diflike. And they are the more incident to thefe kind of Imperfe&ions ; becaufe out of a juft hatred ofthe vicious Cuftoms and Pra&ices of the World, and to keep out of the way of Temptation, they think it fafeft to retire from theWorld as much as they can; being loth to venture themfelves, more than needs, in fo infe&ious an Air. By this means, their Spirits are apt to be a little four, and they muff neceffarily be ignorant of many points of Civility; and good Humour ; which are great Ornaments of Virtue, though not of the Ef fence of it. Now two or three Faults in a Good Man, if an Uncharitable Manhave but the handling and managingof them, may eafily caft a confiderable Blemish upon his Reputation; becaufe the better the Man is, fo much the more confpicuous are his Faults ; as Spots are fooneft difcovered, and moll taken notice of; in a . pure and white Garment. Betides that, in matters of Cenfure, Mankind do much encline to the harder fide; and but very few Perfons are fo charitable and equal, as to con- ftrue things to the belt fenfe, and to confider a Man all together ; and fairly to fet the Good that is in him, against hisFaults and Imperfe&ions. But, 2. ThoughGood Men many times contribute too much, to the leffening.of their: own Reputation, with thofe among whom they live; yetthe principal Caufe of their Suffering in this kind, is not from thertifelves, but lathers; and that upon thefe Three Accounts. s. From the Hatred and Oppofition of Bad Men to Holinefs and Virtue ; and thefe are commonly the greateft number, and make the loudeft cry. They. are Y 2 declared
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