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way. If there are no dangers before them, they do not fall into any: but then their fuccefs is not to be attributed to any wit or fagacity of theirs they are happy by fortune, rather than defign. But if there fhould be dangers, they are fure to meet them; for they take no care at all to avoid or escape them, but run directly upon them, and fo they receive the reward of their floth and folly. But this is not the cafe with the religious man. He looks be

fore him, and confiders the dangerous confequences of vice and wickedness. He fees plainly that fin will bring a long train of evils after it. There will be the horror of a guilty confcience, the wrath of God, and the torments of hell and what forer calamities can poffibly befal him? Who knows the power of God's anger? It is a ? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: for our God is a confuming fire. Therefore, if the confequences of fin are fo dreadful, he is a wife and intelligent man, a man of thought and judgment, who takes timely care to prevent thefe evils by repentance and obe-. dience to the laws of God.

Thus

Thus much shall fuffice for the proof of the wisdom of religion.

The religious man is wife, because he acts up to the dignity of his nature, and the defign of his creation; because he imitates the best and most perfect beings; because he lays the fureft foundation for peace and tranquillity; because he aims at a good end, and ufes proper means to attain it; and because he fecures himself from the greatest and most intolerable evils.

Nothing now remains but to make application. And,

He

1. From what has been faid we may learn to make a right eftimate of true wisdom: it is fomething very different from what the generality of people take it to be. Many imagine that it confifts in notion and fpeculation, and in great natural abilities and endowments of mind. who has the largest compafs of knowledge, and the greateft depth of thought, who can reafon moft ftrongly, and difpute moft fubtily, is, in their opinion, the wifeft man. There are others who think that wifdem confifts in a vigorous purfuit of worldly pleasures and en

joyments.

joyments. They esteem thofe to be the wifeft men, who are most expert in the affairs of this life, who raise to themfelves the greatest estates, and make the greatest noife and figure in the world. But both these are grofly mistaken. For true wisdom confifts not either in great intellectual accomplishments, or in the arts of acquiring riches and reputation in this world. A man may have great natural parts, and be very dexterous in worldly affairs, and yet be an enemy to God by wicked works: and whoever is fo cannot be a wife man, because he acts in oppofition to his own true intereft and happiness; for the happiness of man confifts in communion with God, and conformity to him. A man may be learned and rich, and yet by fin make himself miferable for ever: and if fo, what is he the wiser for taking fo much pains in the acquifition of learning and riches; for neither of them will affwage the torments of hell?

Therefore if we will make a right judgment of things, we must come to this conclufion, that religion is the trueft wisdom; because it contains in it a fenfe of the obligations we are under

to

to the author of our beings, and a behaviour agreeable thereto; and because it fecures the happiness of the whole man, and that not only for a time, but throughout the whole extent of his duration, that is to fay to all eternity.

2. If religion is wisdom; then we should have a high esteem of religious men. Wisdom naturally draws refpect: if we see a man act with judgment and discretion, we can't forbear applauding and commending him. Why, no man acts with so true a judgment and fo much difcretion as the religious man. Whilft others make their court to mortal men, and ufe a thousand mean arts to gain their favour, he feeks the honour which comes from God, and ftrives to approve himself to him by integrity and uprightness of life. Whilst others labour for the meat which perisheth, he labours for that meat which endures to everlafting life. Whilft others pursue the grofs pleafures of the body, and can relish nothing but what gratifies their fenfes, he afpires after more refined and elevated joys, fuch as flow from converse with heaven, and the reflection upon virtuous actions. Whom fhould we re

verence

verence, whom should we love, if not a virtuous man, who retains fuch just ideas of things, and makes fuch admirable use of them in the conduct of life?

in us.

3. If religion is wisdom; then let us all be religious. There is fomething in the name of wisdom that is enough to raise our ambition, if we have any Hear what Solomon fays of wifdom in the third chapter of the Proverbs. The merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of filver, and the gain thereof than fine gold: fhe is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou can'ft defire are not to be compared unto her. And chap. IV. ver. 7. Wif dom is the principal thing: therefore get wifdom, and with all thy getting get underftanding. Now to be religious, is the way to get wisdom and understanding; for the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Men may account us fools for neglecting things visible and present for those which are invifible and future: but it is a small thing with christians to be judged of man's judgment. They have a greater regard for the opinion of God than of men: and in his o*

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