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HOLY
FORTITUDE,
[SERM,
XXXI.
we
are
called to
undertake
the cause
of
the oppressed,
to plead for the
poor against
the mighty,
or
to
vindicate
the innocent against
the men
of slander
or violence.
It
is
a
cowardly spirit, a
spirit of
shameful pride, or
selfish
meanness,
to
trample upon those
that
are
lying
.upon.the
ground,
to
tread upon
the
poor
and the distressed, and
sometimes through fear
of
the
mighty, as well as
scorn
of
the poor,
to
neglect the cries
of
those
that
are injured.
This
indeed
is
the custom
of
the world
;
but if
we
be
the
disciples
of
Christ,
we
must
have more
courage than
this,
we
must
"
open our mouth for
the dumb,"
and
plead the cause
of
those
that cannot
speak for them-
selves,
Prov.
xxxi.
8.
When
we
happen into company that
delight
in
scandal,
and
the
slander
goes
round
from tongue
to
tongue,
we
must first guard our
lips from
the infamous compliance,
though
we
cannot
defend
our ears:
And then
we
should
have
some
Compassion
on the
absent
person,
who
per-
haps
may be
loaded
with calumny and
lies
:
I\Tor
should
We
be afraid or
ashamed to
put
in
a relieving word
;
to
support
the good name
of
those
that
are oppressed
by
malicious reproaches. And
if
the
censure
be
never
so
just,
yet
where providence
doth
not
plainly
call
us
to
join
in
that
censure, let
us
not
betray
such an
inclination
to
evil
-
speaking;
nor
show
such
a
base
and mean
soul,
as to call names
for
company.
Where
the
life
or
the
estate
of
our
neighbour
is
in
dan-
ger,
we
must
venture
something
to secure
it,
as
well
as
to
defend
his good name.
This advice
is
given
in
Prov.
xxiv.
11,
12.
"
If
thou
forbear
to
deliver them
that
are
drawn out
to death,
'and
those
that
are ready
to
be
slain;
if thou
sayest,
behold
we
knew
it
not,
doth
not he that
pondereth
the
heart
consider
?"
That
is,
if
there are
any persons
drawn
out
to death,
and ready
to
be
slain
by
sinful oppression,
and that thou hast
a
just
and reasona-
ble
power
in
thine hand
to
preserve
them,
it
is
not
thy
duty
to
stand
still
or
hide
thyself,
and
say,
behold
Ï
knew
it not."
He
that
lets the
ox
or the
ass
of
his
neighbour
go
astray
or sink
under
a burden,
and
passeth
away
regardless
as
though
he did
not
know
it,
is
under
the censure
of
the
word
of God
;
and much more do
we
deserve the censure,
if
we
abandon our
fellow-
creatures
of
human
nature
to
perish,
when
we
are able
to save them,