of good men, he suffers not
himself to be beguiled into an over-valuation of them, lest he should be
led to substitute them in the place of conscience. He guards against
this by reflecting how indistinctly we can discern each other's motives,
how little enter into each other's circumstances, how mistaken therefore
may be the judgments formed of us, or of our actions, even by good men,
and that it is far from improbable, that we may at some time be
compelled to forfeit their esteem, by adhering to the dictates of our
own consciences.

But if he endeavours thus to set loose to the favour and applause even
of good men, much more to those of the world at large; not but that he
is sensible of their worth as means and instruments of usefulness and
influence; and under the limitations and for the ends allowed in
Scripture (these it is needless to repeat) he is glad to possess,
observant to acquire, and careful to retain them. He considers them
however, if we may again introduce the metaphor, like the precious
metals, as having rather an exchangeable than an intrinsic value, as
desirable not simply in their possession, but in their use. In this
view, he holds himself to be responsible for that share of them which he
enjoys, and, to continue the figure, as bound not to let them lie by him
unemployed, this were hoarding; not to lavish them prodigally, this
would be waste; not imprudently to misapply them, this were folly and
caprice: but as under an obligation to regard them as conferred upon him
that they might be brought into action, and as what therefore he may by
no means throw away, though ready, if it be required, to relinquish them
with cheerfulness; and never feeling himself at liberty, in
consideration of the use he intends to make of them, to acquire or
retain them unlawfully. He holds it to be his bounden duty to seek
diligently for occasions of rendering them subservient to their true
purposes; and when any such occasion is found, to expend them cheerfully
and liberally, but with discretion and frugality; being no less prudent
in determining the measure, than in selecting the objects of their
application, that they may go the farther by being thus managed with
oeconomy.

Acting therefore on these principles, he will studiously and diligently
use any degree of worldly credit he may enjoy, in removing or lessening
prejudices; in conciliating good-will, and thereby making way for the
less obstructed progress of truth;