SER M. have ever fucceeded in This manner; how XIV. many have been defeated and blasted 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 Success; and, after all, how frequently, and in how short a time, the highest Profperity of This kind has terminated in the heaviest Ruin; it will undeniably appear, that the moderate proportion of the good things of life, gained usually 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 Substantial Riches. So that it is with great Truth, that Solomon affirms concerning Virtue and Integrity under the Name of Wisdom, Prov. iii. 14. The Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver, and the Gain thereof

thereof than fine Gold: She is more pre-SERM. 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 distinctly, as well as Riches. For though, with regard to Honour also 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 stands; and compares it with that valuable and Lasting Esteem in the Eyes of the Best and Wisest part of Mankind, which is built upon the solid Foundation of Real and True Worth; will find, that it is in most perfect agreement with the Nature and Reason of Things, that the Scripture declares that the Righteous is Prov. xii. more excellent than his Neighbour ; that the 26. Righteous shall be had in everlasting Re-Pf. cxii. 6. membrance; that the Memory of the Just Prov. x. 7. is Blessed, but the Name of the Wicked Skall

SERM. shall 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 Skalt 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 absolutely without Controul; and has no Competitor, to share or to contest with it the Enjoyment of the most valuable and most lafting Pleasures of Life. The cafe of Perfecution itself, needs not here to be excepted. Nay, even the Falfe Coin, the very Delusion, the imaginary Satif

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Satisfaction of the merest Enthusiasm, has in SERM. This respect the Advantage over the greatest XIV. Pleasures of Unrighteousuess. How much moae, when the Peace and Satisfaction of Mind is built upon the most folid Foundation, upon the most Rational and Real Grounds! when it is founded upon a Sense, of having done, what, in itself absolutely, in the Nature and Reason of Things, is just 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-pleasing unto God, as it is certain the World is at all governed by such a Wise, Just, and Good Being! and what, consequently, in the last place, gives a man a reasonable and well-grounded Expectation of being happy hereafter, when the Enjoyments of This World shall be no more! This is indeed, in the Sense of our Saviour's Parable, a Pearl of great Price; justly and highly magnified in numerous Expressions 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

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

they that Love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them, cxix. 165. Her ways are ways of Pleasantness, and all ber paths are Peace, Prov. iii. 17. The work of Righteousness is Peace, and the effect of Righteousness, Quietness and Assurance for ever, If. xxxii. 17. The wicked is driven away in his Wickedness, but the Righteous hath 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 spring up among the choiceft Corn, can be faid to proceed from the good Seed which was sown. 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 Superftition, or to a real Sense of fome past Sins; and therefore never arises from, but is only to be cured by, a right understanding of the Nature and Effects of True Virtue. In