498
CHRISTIAN MORALITY,
VIZ.
ISLRM.
ment
to
seat thyself
in
a
lower
place,.
Luke
xiv._ 10:
the
master of
the feast shall
exalt
thee,
and
thou
shalt
have
worship
in
the presence
of
those
that
sit
at
meat
with
thee
;
for
he
that
humbleth himself shall
.
be'
exalted."
St
Paul
tells the
christians
"
do
that
which
is
good
and
thou
shalt
have praise from the
ruling
power,
for
magistrates are appointed
for
the
praise
of
them
that
do
well
;
".
1
Peter
ii. 14.
Solonnm
proposes
the same mo-
tive
;
Prov.
iv..
7,
8.
Wisdom
-is
the
principal
thing,
therefore
get
wisdom;
she
shall
bring
thee
to
honour
when thou
dost.embrace.her
:The.
apostle
recommends
often
to
the christians
of
his
day
a.-good
nan
e. amongst
infidels
and heathens;
a
good
;
veport
of trein
which
are
without;
and
he
mentions it
as
an.éminent character of
a
companion of Titus,
that
his..praise
is
in
the gospel
throughout
all.
the churches
;
2 Cor.
viii.
l
8..
And
it
is
recorded to
the
honour of Demetrius
by St.
John,
that
he
had
a
good
report
of all
men, even
of.the. truth itself,
3
-John,
ryerse.l
-,Q.:
;Christians andt.heathens. speak
_Well
of
him,
and
his good
character
_is
just
and
true..
Tor
must
it
be
forgotten;
that in.this
little collection
,of
ad-
vices
in
my.
text, the apostle 'twice :recommends
-such
practices
as
deserve
honour
among: men,
viz.
things
of
good
report,
and things worthy
of
praise.
Surely
if
we
did
but
consider
how
much our
Saviour
and
his
gospel gain
by
it in.the
world, we
should
ever
be engaged
in works
of
good
.report,-:
and practising
that
which may
redound
to
our
praise, for
hereby
we
spread
a
good savour
of
the name
of Christ
wide in
the
:world,
and dur
holy religion
reaps
sensible
honour
and
advan-
tage
by
it.
When the name
of
any
person
is
celebrated
amongst
men for
something
great
and
useful, when his
deeds are mentioned
with
public
praise,
it
is
quickly en-
quired,
"
-
What
religion
is
he
of
?"
Is he
a
heathen
?
Then the
glory.
will be
ascribed to idolaters, and the
ho
nour
perhaps
given to
their
idols.
Is
he
a
christian
?
Then, the name
of
Christ
our
Lord
will
gain
reputation
by it,
and men
will
speak more favourably of
that
doc-
trine
which
was
adorned
with such'
eminent virtue and
piety. This
did
unknown service to' the
gospel
in
the
first propagation
of
it,
when
it appeared.
in
the
world,
that
the
Characters
and
the
lives
of
christians
were
lovely,
that
their
works were
all goodness,
that
they were per