164 l he Keputation of V ol. I. declared Enemies to Goodnefs ; and then how can it be expe&ed, they fltould have any great Kindnefs for Good Men ? They want Virtue_ themfelves; and therefore they think themfelves upbraided by the Good Qualities of others. This Enmityof Wicked Men againft the Righteous, and the true Reafon of it, is very well expreft, in the Wifdom of Solomon, ch. 2, V. 12. Let lid ( fay they) lie in wait for the Righteous ; becaufe he is not for our turn, and is clean contrary toour doings ; he upbraideth no with our offending the Law, andbe objetfleth to our Infamy, the fins of ouryouth ; he was made to reprove our Thoughts, therefore he is grievous untous, even to behold ; for his life it not like other men, he is quite of anotherfafhion; we are efleemed of him as reprobate Silver, he abllaineth from our ways, asfrom filthinefs. This is that which filleth the Minds of Wicked Men with Malice againft the Righteous; and Malice will eafily invent ways to blatt any Man's Reputation. Good Men do fotnetitnes, as it is their duty, reprove thofe that are bad ; or if they do it not in Word, yet they upbraid them in their Acti- ons, and contrary courfe of life ; and both thefe are grievous and provoking to them. Not but that Wicked Men are many times in their Confciences convinced of the real Goodnefs of thole whom they fpeak againft ; but they will not own it, left in, fo doing they fhoúld condemn themfelves. 2. Another Caufe of this, is the Envy of thofe, who perhaps have fomedegree of Goodnefs themfelves. For great Virtue is apt to raife Envy in thole who fall fhort of it ; and this makes thole who are but imperfectly Good, todetract from the Eminent Worth of others ; becaufe they are fenfrble, they are out-fhined by them, and that it occafions à difadvantagious Comparifon, and makes their Defe&s taken notice of. They can endure a Man that is moderately Good, and keeps pace with his Neighbours : But ifhe endeavour to outftrip them, they prefently combine againft him, and take all oportunities to undermine his Reputation ; and will be very glad, either to find a blot in. his Efcutcheon, or to fax one there. 3. There is fomething in the veryPretence and Nearnefs of Goodnefs and Vir- tue, which is apt to lelfen it. In mattersof Senfe, the nearer theObje& is, the bigger it appears ; and the far- ther diftant it is fromus, the lets it teems to be : But here it is quite otherwife ; Men are hot fo apt to value Prefent Worth, when yet they will reverence it mightily at a Diftance. I know not whence it comes to pafs, but fo we certainly find it; that Men are more fenfrble of the Goodnefs and Excellency of any thing, under the want of it, than while they enjoy it; and do ufually value it more when it is gone, than they did whilft it was prefent with them. Whilft we live with Good Men, and converfe with them every day, we take but little nutice of them ; but no fooner are theydeparted, but we admire them, and every Man's Mouth is open to celebrate their Good Qualities. Perhaps Familiarity , and Acquaintance, and Converfation does infenfbly beget fomething of Contempt ; but what- ever the Reafon of it be, we find the thing moll certainly true in Experi- ence. (2.) Let us confider in the next place, for whàtReafons the Providence of God permits it thus to be? I thall mention but thefe Two. a. To keep Good Men humble, and as the expreffion is in job, to hide Pride fromMen.: God's Providence, in the difpofal and ordering of things in this World, Teems rather to confult our Safety, than our Satisfa&ion ; and the Security of our Vir- tue, than the full Reward of it. Now if Good Men fhould always meet with that clear Efteem and Reputation, which their Goodnefs deferves, they would be in great danger of being puft up with a proud Conceit of themfelves; and Pride is enough to fupplant the greateft Virtue in the World; fuch a dead fy, as this, were fufficient to fpoil 31: Box of the molt precious. Qyotment. For Man is an ambitious Creature, and vain above all things ; fo vain, as not only to be.cove- tous of Praife, but even patient of Flattery ; and thebell of Men lie too open, on this blind. fide of Humane Nature ; and therefore God, who knows our frame, and
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