of the Publick, I direct chiefly to thofe that are in Office and Authority; for really their Carriage and Conduct hath a more than ordinary Stroak, in the good or bad Succefs of the common Affairs. And, therefore, it concerns them, efpecially to look to themfelves, that they be Men of Integrity, and keep a good Confcience in the Discharge of their Truft. Upon their upright walking, the Safety and Prefervation of the Publick doth more depend, than upon the Endeavours of a Thousand Private Men. Though they are but particular Perfons, yet being vefted with Authority, their Conduct and Management hath as great an Influence upon the common Good, or the common Ruin, as if they were a Multitude; and, fingle as they are, they do in a great Meafure carry the Ballance of the publick Fortune in their Hands.

For

But Secondly, The Conduciveness of every Man's Uprightness to the Publick Good, is not the only Confideration, upon which it is recommendable, as a Means for obtaining Safety and Security in evil Times. let the Publick go as it will, in the worft of Times, if any Man can in probability be thought able to fhift for himself; if any Man can in reafon hope to efcape the Violence and Iniquity of the Times; the Upright Man, the Man of Honefty and Integrity, is likelieft to be the Man: I fay, in reafon he is likelieft, and as Things commonly go

For

For he, of all others, takes the fureft Course to preserve himself; and is least obnoxious, either to the Malice or the Envy, the Undermining or the Rapine, of open Enemies or pretended Friends.

All Knavery and dishonest Dealings fet a Man up for a Mark to be fhot at; but Uprightness and Integrity, is a Shield and a Protection.

The Upright Man doth fo order the Course of his Life, that he ufually avoids all those Rocks that other Men fplit upon, and which ufually prove their Ruin. The Undoing of most Men even in evil Times, lies commonly at their own Door, and they may thank themselves for it. If they had been fufficiently careful of themselves, the Malignity of the Times would fcarce have touch'd them. It is generally either very great Carelefnefs, and grofs Neglect of their own Affairs; or the Lavishness or Intemperance of their Tongues; or an ill-gotten Eftate; or private Injuries they have done, and private Grudges they have contracted; or Pragmaticalness in other Mens Matters; or factious Adherence to a Party; or Breach of Truft; or Treachery to the Publick, or the like; I fay, it is thefe Things, that do moft commonly draw Mischief upon Mens Heads, and lay the Foundations of all thofe Straits and Difficulties, in which they are intangled, even in the worst of Times. But now the Upright Man doth, in a great measure, avoid all these Occafions; for his Principles do oblige him to walk in a Way,

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a Way, that is diametrically oppofite to the Things I have mentioned.

The Upright Man treads upon fuch fure Foundations, and his Ways are fo univerfally approved by Mankind; that, as Things ufually go, no Man will eafily offer him Injury, but it will be to his own Detriment.

The Rule he walks by is fuch, as doth effectually procure him the moft Friends, and the feweft Enemies, for he takes the course to oblige all forts of Men; and confequently he cannot eafily fail of finding those who will ufe their utmoft Endeavour to affift and refcue him, when he lights into any difficult Circumftances.

His righteous Converfation is fo unexceptionable, and fo prudent he is in the Management of his Affairs, that thofe that love him not, will not eafily find an Occafion to do him much Mischief.

Even those that have no Acquaintance with him, yet have fo much Concernment for Honefty and Uprightnefs in general, that they will ftudy to give him what Affiftance and Defence they can, out of a natural Senfe, that it is fit a good Man fhould be protected; and that, for any thing they know, his Cafe and Circumftances may come to be theirs.

And thofe that have loft all Senfe of Good and Evil, yet out of Care to preserve their Credit amongst Men (amongst the generality of whom, to be an honeft Man will always fignify a great deal; for when all is done, it is impoffible to extirpate the Notions of

Virtue and Honefty, out of the Minds of the
Multitude:) I fay in Point of their own
Credit and Intereft, they are concern'd to be
careful how they opprefs fuch a Man.

But whatever become of these Things; how ineffectual foever all Human Means may be for the fecuring and preserving an Upright Man in evil Times; yet in the Second Place, he has another Anchor to stay himfelf upon, which is more firm and ftable, and which will not fail him; and that is, the Protection of God Almighty; the Care of his particular Providence, to which he is intitled.

Men may flot and defign; may model and contrive; may order and manage Things as they pleafe but when all is done, it is God. that governeth the World; and either blafts their moft fair and hopeful Projects; or, if he fuffers them to fucceed, turns them to what Ufe and Purposes he pleases: Now this God that rules and difpofeth all Things (even the moft particular; For not a Sparrow doth fall to the Ground without his Will; and by him the very Hairs of our Head are numbred.) This God hath engaged himself, to take care, in an efpecial manner, of thofe that fear him, and walk uprightly before him.

40, 41.

He hath paffed his Promife, over and over again, that he will make their Righteousness as Pfal. 37. clear as the Light, and their juft Dealing, as the 6, 19, 24, Noon-Day. They fhall not be confounded in the perilous Times, and in the Days of Dearth, they Jhall have enough. Though they fall, they shall

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not

not be caft down, for the Lord upholdeth them with his Hand. In a Word, that he will be their Strength in the Time of Trouble; he will ftand by them, and fave them, he will deliver them from the Ungodly; he will fave them, because they put their Truft in him.

It would be endless to quote all the Paffages in the Book of God that fpeak to this purpofe. And, therefore, I fhall difmifs this Point, with that remarkable one, which we Chap. 15. find in the Prophecy of Isaiah, wherein we

7. 16.

may fee, both the Upright Man, and his Security in evil Times, defcribed in very lively Colours. He that walketh righteously, and Speaketh uprightly; He that defpifeth the Gain of Oppreffions; that shaketh his Hands from holding of Bribes; that floppeth his Ears from hearing of Blood; and butteth his Eyes from feeing Evil: He ball dwell on High; bis Place of Defence fhall be the Munitions of the Rocks; his Bread fhall be given him, his Water fhall be fure. The Senfe of which in short is this, That whoever walks Uprightly, and makes a Conscience of his Ways; fuch a Man fhall be always under the watchful Care and Protection of the Divine Providence. And never will God fuffer him to fall into any grievous Diftrefs; but he fhall always have fuch a Portion of the good Things of this World afforded to him, as will be fufficient, not only to make his Life fupportable, but eafy.

And, in Truth, the Experience of the World generally makes this good: Honest

and