find yourself inclined to do, and confider what Judgment you should make of him, and fo judge of yourself: By these Means perhaps we may preserve ourselves from the fatal Influences which Vice and Paffion have over the Reason and Understanding of Mankind.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE VII.

ROMANS xiv. 16.

Let not then your Good be evil spoken of.

26 N defcribing the Condition of our Chriftian Warfare, St. Peter

I

tells us, If, when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it pa-: tiently, this is acceptable with God: To this, fays he, you are called by the Example of Chrift, who fuffered Reproaches willingly, and, when he was reviled, reviled not again. This is a Duty, in which one would think there fhould be no Danger of any Man's over-acting his Part. Reproach and Contempt are not fuch defirable Riches, that we need be warned against their Temptations, or cautioned left we too earnestly pursue after them. We are apt enough to

fhrink at the Approach of Calumny, and to invent plaufible Excuses for the Neglect of a Duty, which performed would expofe us to Envy or Ill-will. What then means the Apostle by this Exhortation, Let not your Good be evil Spoken of? Are we called by Chrift to fuffer Revilings and Reproaches? and, are we called by his Apostle to fly from them and avoid them? Our Saviour feems to speak other Language to us in his Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are ye when Men fhall revile you and perfecute you: And, if it be our Happiness to be reviled, how is it our Duty to take care not to be evil spoken of for our Good?

But fuppofe, however, that it is no Way inconfiftent with our Chriftian Duty to avoid the Calumny and Reproach of the World; yet ftill is it in our Power to ftop the Mouth of Malice and Wickedness ? When we do our Duty, can we help it if others will speak Evil of our Good? Why are not they rather exhorted not to speak Evil of our Good, than we not to let our Good be evil spoken of? It is not in our Power to govern other People's Tongues: Is it not enough therefore that the Thing we do is good, but must it likewife lie upon us to

fecure

fecure our Good from the Attempts of Malice and Envy? Is it not fufficient that we fuffer patiently under the Malice of Wickedness, but muft we partake in the Guilt of it too; and fhall it be imputed to us as a Crime, that we let our Good be evil spoken of?

Such Reasonings as these perhaps the Text may suggest at first hearing; but, when maturely confidered, it will afford excellent Inftruction for our Conduct in the Purfuit of thofe Things which are in themselves truly good and praise-worthy: It will teach us not only how to be good in ourselves, but likewife how to be useful in the World, by exercifing a truly Christian Prudence and Address in promoting the Interest of Virtue and Religion.

To court Oppreffion and Perfecution, to invite the World to mifufe us for the Sake of our Profeffion, is far from being a Duty to which the Gospel has called us. It is neither for the Intereft of our Religion, nor the Glory of our Mafter, that we should voluntarily expofe either ourselves or our Doctrine to the Hatred and Contempt of the World: In both Cafes our Saviour has given other Directions; Give not, fays he, that