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346
CHRISTIAN MORALITY, Vii.
ESERM.
XX.
amongst
their acquaintance, and
profane
amongst
strangers. They have
not
impudence enough
to
be
constant
in
vice,
nor
have they grace
enough
to be
true
to
virtue.
There
are
some
that
speak
fair
to
the
face
of
their
neighbour, and spread their
compliments
abroad
before
him
;
but
behind
his back,
in
other
company,
they are
as
liberal of their reproaches, and
can
hardly
endure a
good
thing
to be said
of
him.
Their
behaviour has brought
an
infamous
word
into the English tongue;
for
they
are
justly
called backbiters.
There
are
some
children
that
pay
the utmost deference
to their parents
in
appearance and
show,
and
will
not
dare
any thing
vicious
while
they
are under
their eye;
but
when
they are mingled
with
their
vain young ac-
quaintance,
they
run into
many extravagances, and
give
a
loose to
the
wild
appetites
of
the
flesh.
But
these
are
not
the children
of
truth.
There are
some
servants
who
make
their
zeal
and
dili-
gence
appear
while
their
master's
eye
is,
upon
them; but
they are mere
eye
-
servants and
false
creatures,
for
when
they are out of
his
sight,
they
can waste
his
substance
among merry companions,
and perhaps
purloin and pil-
fer
to gratify
their
own covetousness,
or
luxury:
or
at
best
they make
no
conscience
of
acting
for
their master's
interest,
when
he
is
absent.
Thus
different company hath
a
different
influence on
the
thoughts, the
words,
and the
works
of
men
:
And
some
persons
will
run
into
every
vice
and
folly,
rather
than
to
oppose
their company;
they
had
rather
sin
against God, and
be false to
their
profession, than ven-
ture
to
be,
what
they
call,
rude and
uncivil
to
company.
So
tender are
they
of
giving offence to men,
and
so
care-
less
of
offending the
great and dreadful God
!
There
are
some
of
all
ranks and orders,
of
all sexes
ánd
ages
of
mankind,
that
seem to be sober,
but
have
nothing of
this divine
virtue of
truth
or
constancy
in
them.
They
would
neither
swear,
nor
drink,
nor
game,
nor
speak
a
lewd
or impious
word, when they
are
in a
sober
family
:
But
when
at
any time
they
happen
to come
into
houses
without
godliness,
they can
follow
the course
of
the
family in all
manner of
iniquities, and grow
false
to
all
their
former,
appearaaccs of
goodness.