XIV.

SER M. have ever fucceeded in This manner; bores many have been defeated and blafted in the Attempt, before they could at all gain their Point; how little, how uncertain, how vexatious, how interrupted the Enjoyment has been, of those who have in This method had the greatest and most remarkable Succefs; and, after all, how frequently, and in how fhort a time, the highest Prosperity of This kind has terminated in the heaviest Ruin ; it will undeniably appear, that the moderate proportion of the good things of life, gained ufually by Frugality, Industry, Honesty, and Integrity; enjoyed with Temperance, Contentment, and Security; and, through the Bleffing of God, generally, (or at least much more often than the Wages of Unrighteousness,) continuing permanent; are really and truly, in a right Computation and Estimate, even according to this prefent World, the most Subftantial Riches. So that it is with great Truth, that Solomon affirms concerning Virtue and Integrity under the Name of Wifdom, Prov. iii. The Merchandife of it is better than the Merchandife of Silver, and the Gain thereof

14.

thereof than fine Gold: She is more pre-SER M. cious than Rubies; and all the things thou XIV. canft defire, are not to be compared to her : Length of days are in her right hand, and in her left band Riches and Honour. Nor is it without particular reason, that he here mentions Honour diftinctly, as well as Riches. For though, with regard to Honour alfo as well as Riches, it is indeed undeniably true, that by unrighteous, fraudulent, and corrupt Practices, the Highest Honours and Dignities in the World have Sometimes been attained to; yet whoever impartially confiders upon the whole, the Precipices upon which unrighteous Grandour ftands; and compares it with that valuable and Lafting Efteem in the Eyes of the Beft and Wifeft part of Mankind, which is built upon the folid Foundation of Real and True Worth; will find, that it is in moft perfect agreement with the Nature and Reafon of Things, that the Scripture declares that the Righteous is Prov. xi. more excellent than his Neighbour; that the 26. Righteous fhall be had in everlasting Rethat the Memory of the Just Prov. x. 7. membrance is Bleffed, but the Name of the Wicked Shall

;

Pf. cxii. 6

SERM. fhall rot; that the Wicked are exalted for XIV. a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way,

and cut off as the Tops of the Ears of Corn; Job xxiv. 24. And therefore the Advice of Solomon is entirely well-grounded; Prov. iii. 3: Let not Mercy and Truth forfake thee; bind them about thy Neck, write them upon the Table of thine Heart; So fhalt thou find Favour and Good Understanding, in the fight of God and Man.

THERE is One Particular still behind, which contributes more to any man's Happiness even in this present Life, than all either Bodily Enjoyments, or External Affluence of Wealth and Honours; And That is, Inward Peace and Satisfaction in his Own Mind. Now in This Particular, there is no Pretence of Comparison, between the Righteous and the Wicked. Here, Virtue triumphs abfolutely without Controul; and has no Competitor, to fhare or to contest with it the Enjoyment of the most valuable and moft lafting Pleasures of Life. The cafe of Perfecution itself, needs not here to be excepted. Nay, even the Falfe Coin, the very Delufion, the imaginary Satif

XIV,

Satisfaction of the mereft Enthufiafm, has in S ER M. This refpect the Advantage over the greatest Pleafures of Unrighteoufuefs. How much moae, when the Peace and Satisfaction of Mind is built upon the most folid Foundation, upon the moft Rational and Real Grounds! when it is founded upon a Sense, of having done, what, in itself absolutely, in the Nature and Reafon of Things, is juft and fit and right! what, by proper and natural confequence, tends to the Benefit of Mankind, to the Happiness of the whole Creation! what renders a man as certainly acceptable and well-pleafing unto God, as it is certain the World is at all governed by fuch a Wife, Just, and Good Being! and what, consequently, in the laft place, gives a man a reasonable and well-grounded Expectation of being happy hereafter, when the Enjoyments of This World fhall be no more! This is indeed, in the Senfe of our Saviour's Parable, a Pearl of great Price; justly and highly magnified in numerous Expreffions of Scripture. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man, is peace; Pf. xxxvii. 38. Light is fown for the righteous, and VOL. VI. joyful

Z

SERM.joyful gladness for them that are upright XIV. in beart, xcvii. 11. Great Peace have

they that Love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them, cxix. 165. Her ways are ways of Pleasantness, and all her paths are Peace, Prov. iii. 17. The work of Righteoufness is Peace, and the effect of Righteousness, Quietness and Affurance for ever, If. xxxii. 17. The wicked is driven away in his Wickedness, but the Righteous bath Hope in his Death, Prov. xiv. 32. It is true; fometimes very pious and good perfons, have been extreamly afflicted with Trouble of Mind: But This Trouble has never been the Effect of Virtue; and can with no more Justice be put to the Account of it, than weeds which fpring up among the choiceft Corn, can be faid to proceed from the good Seed which was fown. This Trouble is always owing, either to fome mistaken Notion of the Perfections of God, to fome ill-grounded Fear, to fome implanted Prejudice of Superstition, or to a real Sense of some past Sins; and therefore never arifes from, but is only to be cured by, a right understanding of the Nature and Effects of True Virtue.

In