in judging according to Appearance, but judge Righteous Judgment. That we be not haffy to utter any Thing in this Matter; that we contemn no Man for his Poverty, nor call the Rich Happy; In a Word, that we referr all Events to the Guidance of God, who in his due time, will bring them all to Light. To whom be Glory and Honour evermore. Amen.

SER

SERMON XVIII.

A Religious Life conducive to the trueft Happiness, both in this World, and that which is to come.

365

ECCLESIASTES viii. 12.

---Yet furely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God.

H

Appinefs or Self-fecurity is the firft and moft natural Affection of the Will of Man; that which excites and puts him upon Action, and overpowers all other Inclinations in him. Hither tend all his Defigns and Projects; all that Turmoil of Mind and Body, which we call Bufinefs: 'Tis that common Mistress, which is follicited with so much Importunity, and courted with fuch variety of

Ad

Addrefs. Some directly, and in a plain Track; others obliquely, by fubtil Intrigues and Windings fone by fordid and bafe Means; others, in Ways more Plaufible and Honeft; fome with Moderation and Prudence; others Furiously, with great Heat and Paffion : All in one Manner or other, plainly level at this Mark.

If therefore, a Method can be propos'd very Accommodate, and advantagioufly fuited to this Purpofe, which apparently comports with, and promotes this End methinks, in confiftence with our felves, and conformably to our ufual Manner of acting, we should be willing and ready to comply with it. Now fuch a Method we have prefcrib'd and fet before us; which is in it felf very practicable, fo that any that has a Mind, may make use of it; fuch as will infallibly turn to Account, and bring in Gains unfpeakably Vaft and Infinite.

It is, briefly, what the Text points at ; truly to ferve and fear God. i. e. In our Minds, ftedfaftly to believe in him; in our Hearts to love and reverence him; through all our Practice, fincerely and diligently to keep his Commandments, Surely knowing that it fall be well with them that fear God.

Man, the only Subject capable of this Happinefs, 'can only be confidered in a double Relation either with regard

I. To his prefent Condition in this World. Or

II. That which is Future in the World to

We fhall therefore confider him in both thefe Refpects, and fhew that nothing doth more directly tend to make him happy in them both, than the Fear of God, and a diligent Obfervance of the Laws of Piety.

.

I. In fpeaking to the First of thefe, The Condition of Man with Relation to this pre fent State of Things; I might confider him in a Civil Capacity, as a Member of fome Polity and Society of Men; and fhew what Influence a Religious Fear hath upon him in that Refpect; how well it ferves and corref ponds with the Ends of Government (in the Prefervation whereof all private Interefts are involved.) Now there can be no better Friend in the World to Government, than true and undiffembled Piety; it fixeth it upon an immoveable Bafis, by teaching Men the Duties of Obedience, Meeknefs, Humility, and Peaceablenefs: It enforceth the Obligations to thefe Things by the ftrongeft Ties, viz. those of Duty and Confcience. For there is a plain and manifeft Difference between performing the Duties we owe to the Government under which we live, out of Fear of Punishment,

Hope

Hope of Reward, or the like Selfish Defigns; and the discharging them out of Religious Confcience, He that makes Obedience to Governours (as it really is) a Part of Religion, will never, by, the most powerful Charms, be prevail'd upon to quit that Obligation; whereas, he that walks by other Measures, and fquares his Actions by broader Principles, can never be a good Subject to any Government his Obedience will always be unconftant and defultorious, ready to close with every turn of the Times; and perfectly at the Devotion of his Interefts or Pleasure. Thefe, I fay, with many a like Nature might be made out to be certain and neceffary Advantages of truly fearing God. But I fhall wave them at present as not being of equal Force to affect the far greater Part of Mankind, and perhaps, lefs agreeable to the Mind of the Wife Man in the Text and shall endeavour to fhew that Religion, or, which is all one, the Fear of God, fatisfies all the reasonable Wants and Defires of human Nature, and is the most effectual Way to make Men happy in their private, and individual Concerns: In order to the evincing of which, it will be neceffary to confider Man, as compounded of Body and Mind; and fhew how the Happiness and Welfare of both these are procured by this Means. We will begin with that Part of Man which is called Body:

Now all the Happiness or Satisfaction that this is capable of, may be referr'd to these Four Heads. 1. Reputation or a good Name. 2. Health