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CHRISTIAN MORALITY,
VIE.
[SERM.
XXX.
golden
hour,
and
not
suffer a
heathen
to
prevent or
ex
need
him.
And among christians,
let
those
who
profess
the severest virtue, and the
,purest
methods
of
christian
-
ity,
be
the persons
who seize
most
of
these
opportunities
to
perform actions
worthy
of
praise.
But
when
there
is
any thing mean and
base,
scandalous
and sordid,
appears
in
the world,
as it never
should
be said
that
a
christian
has
done
it,
so
neither
would
I
ever have
such a
scandal
fall
upon
any
person
who professes
the strictest
forms
of
godliness.
I
come
in
the
next place
to
consider, what arguments
may be drawn from the light
of
reason,
to
excite
us
to
acs
tions
of
good
report, and
such as
are
worthy
of
special
praises
;
for
in the foregoing discourse
.I
told you,
that
I
should
join
the arguments
or
motives
together,
which
be
long
to
both these
exhortations.
L
If
a
person
practises
things
of
good
report,
and ac-
quires
to himself
reputation and
praise amongst
men,
he
does himself and
his
family
a considerable kindness
by
it.
If
a man has
not
a good name, he
can
neither expect
to
be
entertained
in
any society with pleasure, nor
to
receive
any special benefits from
the
world. A
person
of
ill
re-
port
is
rather
hated
than
beloved, he
is
shunned
and
avoided
rather
than desired,
and his neighbours
will
treat
him
with neglect
rather
than assistance. His
very name
is
mentioned
with disgrace
instead
of
praise. 'Whereas,
on the
other
hand, a man
whose
excellent
character
has
deserved a good
report
and honour among
his
fellow
-ci-
tizens, has
every one
ready
to
invite
him
to
their
com-
pany, and
willing to
reach
out
to
him
their
friendly
hand
when
he
is
fallen
into danger
or
distress.
Besides,
such
a person
lays
up honour for
his
house
-
hold,
and provides the friendship
of
mankind
for
the
help
of
his
family in
generations yet
to come,
It
is
confessed
indeed,
that
the
spirit of
the
world
has
too much
baseness
in
it, and too
great
a
neglect
of
real
merit; Yet
when
a
Man has
deserved exceeding
well
of
his
country, and ac-
quired
any special degrees
of
praise
or
renown amongst
them, the world
is
not
yet quite
so
brutal
and degene-
rate, but that
it
has given many
instances
of
bounty and
goodness
to
the
posterity
of
a
man
of
honour.
His
name
shall
be
had
in
everlasting remembrance, and
the
generation of
the
upright
shall
be
blessed."
Ps.
cxii.
2,
G.