ñ. ¡ta The Happinefs of the Righteous SE R M. fderation. If, however, the principle be XI. true, that virtue is the good or happinefs, and vice the ill or mifery of every man, it mutt hold univerfally, and always in propor- tion. How unreafonable were it to imagine that indeed the man who is perfeft in righteoufnefs, is perfeft in enjoyment, and the thoroughly wicked is the molt unhappy, but that the intermediate characters between thefe two extremes are indifferent, with refpeft to enjoyment ? That a found entire mind, as to its moral flate, is a great happi- nefs, a temper wholly defolute and vicious is neceffarily miferable, and yet that happi- nefs doth not rife and fall, according to the ineafure of our oppofite moral qualities ? Let us be affured, and always keep it in mind, that whenever in any inftance we depart from our integrity, we are fo far hurting ourfelves and acting against our own intereft ; and in the degree wherein we amend our temper and our ways, are ceafìng to do evil, and learning to do well, increafing in virtue and abounding in the fruits of righteoufnefs, in the fame degree we are promoting our own true happinefs, which doth not depend, even in this world, fo much on the circum- ftances
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