SEItMONXXX. 421 It is necessary here to remove two or three objections out of the way, that may seem to attend this exhortation of the apostle. The first is this : Ifa good name be so valuable a thing, why should there be such a woe denounced by our Saviour against those that have the good word of all men : Luke vi. 26. Woe unto you when all mete shall speak well ofyou ; for so did their fathers to the falseprophets. I. Answer. That the design of our Saviour is to shew, that no man in a degenerate and corrupt age, canattain the high esteem and hearty good word of all persons in the world, but those who are time-servers and hypocrites, who can suit them- selves to every company, and comply with every change of the times ; who can profess to be religious, and yetindulge them- selves or others in the practice of their secret iniquities ; such were the false prophets of old, Such a person as this may for a short season get all men to speak well of him The drunkards will commend him, for he can get drunk as well as they, and the swearer, for he can join with them in swearing ;. and the men of pietymay be deceived in him, and give 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 hypo- crite, and true to nothing. Our Lord Jesus hates and cen- sures such a character as this is, and this is the design of his reproof. Again, H. Let it be noted, that this sort of sinners can hold the good word of all men but fora very short time. Thedrunkards, 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 persons of piety, they will speak evil of him in abundance, and brand him for an hypocrite, which is a more loathsome 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 ofvirtue andgood ness ; and where a man manages his affairs with an excellent conduct in this respect, and keeps himself without a blemish,, he will command some degree of esteem and reverence from the viler part of the world : His 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 th matters of
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