VI.

world. Yet, fince length of days, riches, SERM. and honour, are infifted on by the inspired writers as the effects of wisdom, it will be very proper for us to confider them in that view; and we fhall find that, at least, religion hath not, generally speaking, such a tendency to distress, mifery, and dishonour, even in this life; and, on the contrary, that irreligion and wickedness is not fuch a fure way to become rich and great, as many are apt to imagine, who, it is certain, govern themselves by fentiments entirely oppofite to thofe of Solomon; and the very reason why they chufe the ways of injuftice, dishonesty, and vice, is, because, poftponing the concerns of their fouls and of eternity, they hope thereby to fecure and to promote their prefent interests, which are higher in their esteem.

To explain the doctrine of the text, and prevent mistaken notions concerning it, I muft obferve that there is a great difference between the Old Teftament and the New, with respect to the motives by which religious virtue is severally enforced in them; and the affertion of our author might be pronounced by him in another fenfe, and on other accounts than it can be now according

to

SERM. to the gofpel. It is certain that by the coVI. venant God made with the people of Ifrael,

and that is the foundation the Old Teftament writers go upon in their doctrine; there was an established connexion betweenobedience and outward profperity; the land of Canaan, and an undisturbed safety in it, with fuccess against their enemies who should at any time invade them; these bleffings were pofitively promised to that na tion, upon the condition of their keeping God's law. Accordingly we' find in their history, that whenever they declined to idolatry and other fins, defolating judgments brake in upon them, their enemies triumphed, their country was wafted, and they were brought into bondage. On the other hand, no fooner they repented, returned to their God and to their duty, reformed their manners, and practifed piety and righteoufnefs, than immediately there was a change in the state of their affairs, which presently were in a flourishing condition, their adverfaries fell before them, their loffes were repaired, and God eftablished them in the quiet poffeffion of the promised land. And as these were the measures constantly and uniformly kept with the whole nation, the

conduct

conduct of providence towards particular SER M. persons was, not always, but for the most VI. part, agreeable to them. The most righteous men, and of the most exemplary lives. for piety and virtue, were profperous, and, according to the declaration in the text, had length of days, riches, and honour. Abrabam, from a fmall beginning, grew to a great eftate; Jacob also, Jofeph, Job, Mofes, David, Daniel, and others, men of the most distinguished worth, and the most illuftrious characters we meet with in the Old Testament history; though fome of them had very grievous trials, (as the whole Ifraelitish nation had, which is not inconfiftent with the promise of external profperity made to them, fince that was the event) yet, in the main, their lives were rather happy than afflicted, and the difficulties they met with in the beginning ended in their profperity.

But the New Teftament differeth from this very widely, both in its general declarations, and the inftances of fact which its history containeth. Our Lord affureth his disciples, all who will embrace his religion, and subject themselves to his rules, that they muft expect tribulation, and through it enter into the kingdom of God: He requireth

of

SERM. of them, as the very condition of their bes VI. ing his approved followers, and entitled to

his favour, that they fhould refign and be ready to forfake (hating in comparison) all their worldly interefts. So that length of days, riches, and honour, inftead of being promised as the rewards of christianity, in fome cafes, must be renounced by all the fervants and difciples of Jefus Christ. And then, for particular inftances in history, so far as the fcripture bringeth it down, they are perfectly agreeable to these general declarations. No one of the apostles (and theirs are the most eminent characters for religious wifdom) lived in any external fplendor; on the contrary, they were tried with continual affliction, perfecutions, reproaches, and diftreffes, and approved themfelves to God and to the churches as faithful minifters, in labours, imprisonments, perils, faftings, troubles of various kinds, poverty, and all manner of ill ufage in the world, inftead of riches and honour.

There feemeth to be an objection against this, especially from two expreffions in the New Teftament; the one is that of our Saviour, Matt. vi. 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things

(the

the things of this world, from an anxiety SERM. about which he had been diffuading them) VI. Shall be added unto you. The other is, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

For the firft, it is plain our Lord's defign is to fhew the folly of an inordinate carefulness, not about abundance of worldly things, outward splendor, and great wealth, but the neceffaries of life, what we fhall eat and drink, and wherewithal we fhall be cloathed. The promise therefore must be understood to extend no farther than to answer the intention of fuperfeding our thoughtfulness about these needful things, encouraging us to truft chearfully in the bounty of providence, for fupplying us with them, and it doth not reach to honour and riches; and yet even in that limited fenfe, we muft not conceive of it inconfiftently with the whole current of the gospel doctrine, which requireth a refignation of our very lives, and a readiness to part with them for the honour of God, and to preferve a good confcience. As to the other text, 1 Tim. iv. 8. it feemeth to mean, that in the practice of true religion we may hope that, ordinarily, God's gracious care will be employed for our fupVOL. III. L

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