in all Circurnflances illuflrated: 257 véry folemnly declared in the text, fay ye to S E R the righteous it (hall be well with him : Do XL not imagine that I mean to pronounce one `-'V event to you all, or to put good and bad upon a level ; the wife and righteous ruler of the univerfe will diftinguifh men, and all other moral agents, by their difpofitions and behaviour, and will render to them accord- ing to their works. This certainly is a doctrine of the greaten importance ; the very being of religion de- pends upon it : Unlefs we are perfuaded, that virtue is good, and vice ill for us, what can induce our minds to choofe the one and refufe the other ? And as it is of the utmoft importance, fo no principle is more evi- dent : It has been the fupport of anxious diflurbed minds in all the changes of their Rate, even in the deepeft afBiftion; though fome good men have had difficulty enough to keep themfelves always in the affeftionate belief of it. In fuch a cafe as that which the text refers to, it was very neceffary that it should be earneftly and warmly incul- cated, that the righteous, by its influence, might maintain their integrity, and not turn away from their righteoufnefs, either through evil example, or the temptations which VoL. I. S might
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