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I. WHENCE IT COMES TO PASS, THAT GOOD MEN ARE VERY OFTEN DEFRAUDED OF THEIR JUST PRAISE AND REPUTATION WHILST THEY ARE ALIVE.

1. From what cause it proceeds.

(1) Good men themselves are many times the cause of it. For the best men are imperfect; and present and visible imperfections do very much lessen and abate the reputation of a man's goodness.

(2) The principal cause is from others. From the hatred and opposition of bad men to holiness and virtue. From the envy of those who perhaps have some degree of goodness themselves.

(3) There is something in the very presence and nearness of goodness and virtue, which is apt to lessen it. Perhaps familiarity and conversation does insensibly beget something of contempt; but whatever the reason of it be, we find the thing most certainly true in experience.

2. For what reasons the providence of God permits it thus to be.

(1) To keep good men humble, and, as the expression is in Job, "to hide pride from men."(2) This life is not the proper season of reward, but of work and service.

II. WHAT SECURITY GOOD MEN HAVE OF A GOOD NAME AFTER DEATH.

1. From the providence of God.

(1) In respect of the equity of it. God, who will not be behindhand with any man, concerns Himself to secure to good men the proper reward of their piety and virtue.

(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 see good men applauded, when they go off the stage.

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 sight, and men are contented that his imperfections should be buried in his grave with him.

III. INFERENCES BY WAY OF APPLICATION.

1. To vindicate the honour which the Christian Church hath for many ages done to the first teachers and martyrs of our religion; I mean more especially to the holy apostles of our Lord and Saviour; to whose honour the Christian Church hath thought fit to set apart solemn times, for the commemoration of their piety and suffering, and to stir up others to the imitation of them.

2. Let this consideration, that "the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance," be an encouragement to us to piety and goodness. This, to a generous nature, that is sensible of honour and reputation, is no small reward and encouragement.

3. Whenever we pretend to do honour to the memory of good men, let us charge ourselves with a strict imitation of their holiness and virtue.

(J. Tillotson.)

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KJV: Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

WEB: For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.