LXXVI.

1. From the hatred and oppofition of bad men S ERM. to holiness and virtue; and these are commonly the greatest number, and make the loudeft cry. They are declared enemies to goodness; and then how can it be expected, they fhould have any great kindness for good men? They want virtue themselves; and therefore they think themselves upbraided by the good quality of others.

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This enmity of wicked men against the righteous,
and the true reafon of it, is very well exprefs'd, in
the wisdom of Solomon, chap. ii. 12. " Let us (fay
they) lye in wait for the righteous; because he
" is not for our turn, and is clean contrary to our
"doings; he upbraideth us with our offending the
"law, and he objecteth, to our infamy, the fins of
"our youth; he was made to reprove our thoughts,
"therefore he is grievous unto us, even to behold;
"for his life is not like other men, he is quite of
"another fashion; we are esteemed of him as re-
"probate filver, he abftaineth from our ways, as
"from filthinefs." This is that which filleth the
minds of wicked men with malice against the righ-
C teous; and malice will eafily invent ways to blast
any man's reputation. Good men do sometimes,
as it is their duty, reprove thofe that are bad; or if
they do it not in word, yet they upbraid them in
their actions, and contrary courfe of life; and both
these are grievous and provoking to them. Not but
that wicked men are many times in their confciences
convinced of the real goodness of thofe whom they
fpeak against; but they will not own it, left in fo
doing they fhould condemn themselves.

2. Another cause of this is the envy of those, who
perhaps have fome degree of goodness themselves.
For
great virtue is apt to raise envy in those who

fall

SERM fall fhort of it; and this makes thofe who are but LXXVI. imperfectly good, to detract from the eminent worth of others; because they are fenfible, they are outThined by them, and that it occafions a difadvantageous comparison, and makes their defects taken notice of.

They can endure a man that is moderately good, and keeps pace with his neighbours: but if he endeavour to outftrip them, they presently combine against him, and take all opportunities to undermine his reputation; and will be very glad, either to find a blot in his escutcheon, or to fix one there.

3. There is fomething in the very presence and nearnefs of goodness and virtue, which is apt to leffen it.

In matters of fenfe, the nearer the object is, the bigger it appears; and the farther diftant it is from us, the lefs it seems to be: but here it is quite otherwife; men are not fo apt to value prefent worth, when yet they will reverence it mightily at a dif

tance.

I know not whence it comes to pass, but fo we certainly find it; that men are more fenfible of the goodness and excellency of any thing, under the want of it, than while they enjoy it; and do ufually value it more when it is gone, than they did whilst it was prefent with them. Whilft we live with good men, and converfe with them every day, we take but little notice of them; but no fooner are they departed, but we admire them, and every man's mouth is open to celebrate their good qualities. Perhaps familiarity, and acquaintance, and converfation does infenfibly beget fomething of contempt; but whatever the reafon of it be, we find the thing moft certainly true in experience,

(2.) Let

LXXVI.

(2.) Let us confider in the next place, for what SER M. reasons the providence of GOD permits it thus to be? I fhall mention but these two..

1. To keep good men humble, and, as the expreffion is in Job, "to hide pride from men."

God's providence, in the difpofal and ordering of things in this world, feems rather to confult our fafety, than our fatisfaction; and the fecurity of our virtue, than the full reward of it. Now if good men fhould always meet with that clear esteem and reputation, which their goodness deferves, they would be in great danger of being puft up with a proud conceit of themselves; and pride is enough to fupplant the greatest virtue in the world; fuch a dead fly, as this, were fufficient to fpoil a box of the moft precious ointment. For man is an ambitious creature, and vain above all things; fo vain, as not only to be covetous of praife, but even patient of flattery; and the best of men lye too open, on this blind fide of human nature; and therefore God, who knows our frame, and how apt duft and afhes are to be proud, hath in his wife and merciful providence fo difpofed things, that good men are feldom exposed to the full force of fo ftrong a temptation. And for this reafon, he lets loofe envious and malicious tongues, to detract from good men, for a check to the vanity of human nature, and to keep their virtue fafe, under the protection of humility.

And this is the way likewife to fecure the reputation which they have, and which otherwife would be in danger of being loft: for he that is once proud of the esteem he hath got, takes the readieft way to fall into contempt; and certainly it is better of the two, that our reputation fhould fuffer a little by the malice of others: than be ruin'd by our own pride and vanity.

GOD

SERM.

God does not envy good men the reputation of LXXVI. their goodness and virtue; but he knows the weakness of human nature, and " will not fuffer it to be "tempted, above what it is able." When good men are grown up to perfection, and able to bear it, as they will be when they come to heaven, their good name shall be fully vindicated, and they shall have praife, not only from men, but from angels, and from GOD himself.

2. This life is not the proper feason of reward, but of work and fervice.

In this life, GOD is pleased to give some present encouragement to piety and virtue, but reserves the main of our recompence, to be bestowed upon us at the end of our work. When our courfe is finished, then, and not before, we must expect our crown; when our accounts are caft up, and ftated, and it appears what improvement we have made of our talents, then will come, the euge bone ferve," well "done good and faithful fervant." In the mean time, good men must be content with fuch a portion of esteem, as an envious and ill-natured world will afford them.

And thus I have done with the first thing I propofed to enquire into; whence it comes to pafs, that good men are frequently defrauded of their due praise and reputation, while alive? I proceed to the Second enquiry, namely, what fecurity good men have of a good name after death?

And the true account of this is to be given, partly from the providence of GoD, and partly from the nature of the thing.

(1.) From the providence of GOD: which is concerned herein, upon á twofold account.

1. In refpect of the equity of it.

SERM.

LXXVL

2. In regard of the example of it.

1. In refpect of the equity of it. GOD, who will not be behind-hand with any man, concerns himself, to fecure to good men the proper reward of their piety and virtue. Now praife is one of the most proper recompences of good and virtuous actions; this good men feldom meet with in this life, without a great deal of allay and abatement; and therefore the providence of God hath fo ordered things, that it fhould come in the propereft feafon, when our work is done, and when we are out of the danger of the temptation of it.

2. In regard of the example of it. It is a great argument to virtue, and encouragement to men, to act their part well, to fee good men applauded, when they go off the ftage. Every man that hath any spark of generofity in him, is defirous of fame; and though men care not how foon it comes, yet they will be glad to have it after death, rather than not at all. Piety and virtue would be but very melancholy and uncomfortable things; if they should always be fo unfortunate, as never to meet with due esteem and approbation: but when men are affured, that they fhall have this reward, one time or other, and obferve it to be fo in experience; this is a great fpur and encouragement to do virtuously: and a great mind, that hath a juft fense of reputation and a good name, will be content to lay in for it beforehand; and patiently to wait the time, which GOD knows fittest for the beftowing of it.

(2.) The other part of the account of this truth, is to be given from the nature of the thing: because death removes and takes away the chief obstacle of a good man's reputation. For then his defects are out of fight, and men are contented that his imper

fections