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CFHRISriAR
MORALITIt, VIZ.
[SERM.
XXX.
him
a
good
report,
for
his
tongue
is
tipped
with religious
language, and
he seems to
be
a
saint
:
But
in
reality he
is
an universal hypocrite, and
true
to nothing.
Our
Lord Jesus
hates and censures
such a
character
as
this
is,
and
this
is
the
design
of
his
reproof.
Again,
II.
Let it
be
noted,
that
this
sort of
sinners can
hold
the
good word
of
all men
but
for
a
very
short
time.
The
drunkards, the profane,
and the
lewd, may
caress
a
man
for
a
season
who
complies
with
their
vices;
yet
when
they
hear
that
he
pretends
to
be
religious among
per-
sons
of
piety, they
will
speak
evil
of
him
in
abundance,
and brand
hirn
for
a
hypocrite,
which
is
a
more loath-
some
name; and
his
pious
acquaintance,
when they
shall
find
out
his
practice of secret
wickedness, they
will
justly
fix
the same odious
character
upon
him.
Thus
he
who
before had the good
word
of
all men, shall
then
be
loaded
with
public scandal
and
infamy.
I
add
further,
III.
That
a
good
report
signifies
a
good
character
and honourable reputation
among
all
wise
and good
men,
upon
the
account of
valuable
qualities,
and the
exercise
of
virtue and
goodness`,
and
where
a
man
ma-
nages
his
affairs with
an
excellent conduct
in this
re-
spect, and keeps himself
without
a blemish, he
will
command
some
degree
of
esteem
and reverence
from
the
viler
part of
the world
:
Ilis
good name
will
be
general,
though perhaps
not
universal
;
and
if
the
wicked world
finds
occasion
to
speak
evil
of
him
in
any thing,
it
is
only
in the
matters of
his
God, and
his
exemplary
prac-
tice
of
piety.
This thought introduces
The
second objection,
viz.
if
a good
name amongst
men
be
so
desirable,
why
does
our
Saviour
say,
Mat.,
v.,
11,
"
Blessed
are
ye when
men shall revile you,
and
shall
speak
all
manner
of
evil
against
you, falsely
for
my
sake;
then rejoice
ye,
and
be
exceeding
glad,
for
great
is
your reward
in
heaven, for
so
persecuted
they the
pro
-
phets
that
were before
you."
Answer.
Itis
supposed
that
the
evil which men
speak
of
you
is
false
;
for
so
our
Saviour expresseth
it,
"
when
they shall
speak
all
manner of
evil
against
you,
falsely
for
my
sake."
They
shall
scandalize
you as being
ill
men, merely because you
are
christians;
and throw
Upon
you many odiums, which
your practice
has
never