Long -Life, Riches, and Honour, &c.' 1431 world. Yet, Pince length of days, riches, S E R M. and honour, are infifted on by the infpired VI writers as the effets of wifdom, it will be very proper for us to confider them in that view ; and we (hall find that, at leaft, reli- gion bath not, generally (peaking, fuch a tendency to diftrefs, mifery, and difhonour, even in this life ; and, on the contrary, that irreligion and wickednefs is not fuch a fure way to become rich and great, as many are apt to imagine, who, it is certain, govern themfelves by fentiments entirely oppofite to thofe of Solomon ; and the very reafon why they chufe the ways of injuftice, difhonefty, and vice, is, becaufe, poftponing the concerns of their fouls and of eternity, they hope thereby to fecure and to promote their pre - fent interefts, which are higher in their efteem. To explain the doEtrine of the text, and prevent miftaken notions concerning it, I mutt obferve that there is a great difference between the Old Teftament and the New, with refped to the motives by which religi- ous virtue is feverally enforced in them; and the affertion of our author might be pro - nounced by him in another fenfe, and on other accounts than it can be now according to
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