at honour in the Lord; and there is no place but what will he
ready to receive him; for the earth is the Lord's and the fullness
thereof. These things they who have their conversation towards God, not
to be repented of, both have done, and will always be ready to do." (Ep.
Clem. Rom. c. 54; Abp. Wake's Translation.)

This sacred principle, this earnest recommendation of forbearance,
lenity, and forgiveness, mixes with all the writings of that age. There
are more quotations in the apostolical fathers of texts which relate to
these points than of any other. Christ's sayings had struck them. "Not
rendering," said Polycarp, the disciple of John, "evil for evil, or
railing for railing, or striking for striking, or cursing for cursing."
Again, speaking of some whose behaviour had given great offence, "Be ye
moderate," says he, "on this occasion, and look not upon such as
enemies, but call them back as suffering and erring members, that ye
save your whole body." (Pol. Ep. ad Phil. c. 2 & 11.)

"Be ye mild at their anger," saith Ignatius, the companion of Polycarp,
"humble at their boastings, to their blasphemies return your prayers, to
their error your firmness in the faith; when they are cruel, be ye
gentle; not endeavouring to imitate their ways, let us be their brethren
in all kindness and moderation: but let us be followers of the Lord; for
who was ever more unjustly used, more destitute, more despised?"

IV. A fourth quality by which the morality of the Gospel is
distinguished is the exclusion of regard to fame and reputation.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them,
otherwise ye have no reward of your father which is in heaven." "When
thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door,
pray to thy father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly." (Matt. vi. 1 & 6.)

And the rule, by parity of reason, is extended to all other virtues.

I do not think that either in these or in any other passage of the New
Testament, the pursuit of fame is stated as a vice; it is only said that
an action, to be virtuous, must be independent of it. I would also
observe that it is not publicity, but ostentation, which is prohibited;
not the mode, but the motive of the action, which is regulated. A good
man will prefer that mode, as well as those objects of his beneficence,
by which he can produce the greatest effect; and the view of this
purpose may