r-- SEAM. XXX.] COURAGE AND HONOUR. 499 sons of an excellent spirit, and: obtained a good report among their heathen neighbours : they saw their good works, and were thereby led, by degrees, to glorify their heavenly Father, and their Saviour. And where there is any separation made from the public. worship of a nation, with a profession to reform anycorruptionsof doctrine or practice, howmuchhonour would be done to these reforming principles, and how much service to this interest, if every one that is engaged in it were always practising things of good report, and aiming at some eminency and uncommon goodness in their various stations of life. If therefore we have any love for Christ our Lord, if we have any zeal for his glory, if we have any.regard to the honour of the gospel, or if we would bring any, credit to the particular profes- sion we make, let us set a severe watch upon ourselves, against every thing that would blemish our character in the world, and let us aspire to all superior excellencies' that are within our reach, that we may be " to the praise of the glory of his grace, who has made us accep- table in the beloved.r .Eph. i. 6. It is necessary here to remove two or three objections out of the way, that may seem to attend this exhortation ofthe apostle. The first is this. -If a good name be so valuable a thing, why should there be such a wo denounced by our. Saviour against those that have the good word of all men ; Luke vi. 26. ¡ o unto you when all men shall' speak well ofyou; for so did their fathers, to the false prophets. 1. Answer. That the- design of our Saviour is to shew, that noman in a degenerate, and corrupt age, can attain . the high esteem, and hearty good word of all persons in the world, but those who are time-servers and hypocrites,' who can suit themselves to every company, and comply with every change of the times ; who can profess to be religious, and yet indulge themselves or others in the practice of their secret iniquities; such were the false prophets of old. Such a person as this may for a short season-get all men to speak well of him : The drunkards will commend him, for he can be drunk as well as they; and the swearer, for he can join with them in swearing: and the men of- piety may be deceived in him., and give 2 s
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