A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

8. In the mean time God will take care of your name: He will make the very tongues that slander you to honour you; in the blindness of their reproaches, crossing themselves. As the Papists by the poor Waldenses, saying they were the more dangerous heretics, because they held all the Articles of faith, and lived godly and honestly, and were reputed holy, but only that they were against the Church of Rome. As you trust God with your health, and wealth, so must you do with your Reputation, even in point of Honesty, and be satisfied that he can clear you when he pleases.

8. In the mean time God will take care of your name: He will make the very tongues that slander you to honour you; in the blindness of their reproaches, crossing themselves. As the Papists by the poor Waldenses, saying they were the more dangerous hereticks, because they held all the Articles of faith, and lived godly and honestly, and were reputed holy, but only that they were against the Church of Rome. As you trust God with your health, and wealth, so must you do with your Reputation, even in point of Honesty, and be satisfied that he can clear you when he pleases.

9. And it is not Gods ordinary way to leave the Reputation of his servants wholly uncleared even in this world. If one condemn them, another shall Justify ⟨p. 316⟩them: and commonly the wisest and best men Justify them; and the most foolish and ungodly are they that condemn them: And cannot you bear the words of fools and children? The proudest man can pass by a contempt or slander from a drunken man, an idiot, or a mad man, as being no dishonour to him: and cannot you bear the censures of the distracted world? Or if they are better men that slander you, it's two to one but it is the more foolish or passionate sort of them; and that the judgment of the more wise and sober is against them, and vindicateth your Reputation. Or if at the present they do not, it's ten to one but Providence shall work to the clearing of your Reputation, either in your life-time, or when you are dead. Most of the Servants of God that were most hated and slandered, while they lived on earth, are cleared and honoured now they are dead. God is not dis-regardful of his Servants names.