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SEAM.
XXX.]
COURAGE
AND
HONOUR.
495
than
my
fathers have done. These are
some
instances
wherein
-we
may
perform actions
of
praise
that
are
be-
coming
a
man
or a
christian.
II.
It
is
a
thing praise
-
worthy
to
improve
all the
sea-
sons
and
occasions
of
extraordinary
virtue,
to
seize
on
those special
opportunities
which providence
now
and
then
may give us
to
exert
uncommon degrees
of
wisdom
or
mercy,
activity or courage.
We
are
always
required
to
be
faithful
to
our
rulers,
and
kind
to
-our neighbours and
friends
:
But
when
our
king
or
our country
is in
some
imminent danger,
when some
threatening
mischief bangs
over
a
family,
or
a city,
when
our
friend or
brother,
or
even
a
stranger,
is
in
immediate
peril
of
life,
there
may be a
glorious
occasion for some
great
and generous
exercise
of
loyalty,
fortitude,
corn-
passion,
or
love,
to
save
a
friend or
a
stranger,
a
prince
or a nation. All
the world shall agree
to
praise the man
who
performs
that
noble
service.
We are bound
always
to
be
liberal, and to
give to
the
poor,
but
sometimes
we
have
an
opportunity
to
exercise
that
grace
of
liberality
in
a
more ample
and generous
manner,
so as to
deserve
and obtain
an honourable
name
:
As
when
a great number of
distressed wretches
come to the
city
or place
where
we
dwell,
or when some
general
calamity
involves all
our poor
,neighbours,
and
reduces them to great
straits, then
we
should exercise
bounty
beyond
the
common measure
:
Thus a christian
shall
have the
honour
of
relieving the
poor
more than
hea-
thens
do,
or
those
who
make
no
profession
of
godliness.
So
in the
practice
of
charity and
forgiveness,
Jesus our
Lord requires
us-
to forgive
-our
enemies,
and
to
do good
to
those
that
hate,
and
abuse,
and persecute
us
:
But
when
it
lies
in
our power to
do.
a most
considerable ser-
vice to
a
person
that
has
done
us'the
highest injury;
then
there
is
a
special providence calling
us to
perform
a
glorious action
of
praise.
Such
was
the
character of
that
great
and good man archbishop Cranmer,
of
whom
it
is
said,
if
any
man
had done
him
an injury, he would
ever
afterward
be
his
friend.
In
short, whensoever an occasion arises to
give
an
eminent
and glorious
proof
of
generosity
or
compassion,
of
gratitude or
goodness,
Of
zeal
for God, or
love to men,
it
is
the
apostles
advice,
that a
christian should
seize
the