154 Long-life, Riches, and Honour, SERM.aEtions to be juft and faithful, honeft and VI. beneficent, will have the efteem and love of all who have not divefted themfelves of hu- manity, and are not under the power of ftrong prejudices or irregular paflions; and confequently hath great advantages for his fafe- ty, to which the world about him will think . themfelves obliged to contribute as far as they can. The Pfalmift faith Pfal. lv. 23, bloody and deceitful men (hall not live out half their days. This, as it may be afcribed to the, juftice of divine providence, which, though, it doth not fully recompence good and evil-in this world, yet, being the guardian of human fociety, often interpofeth to punifh and reftrain thofe particular evils which are deftrutive to mankind ; fo in their own nature the crimes of fuch men tend to £ horten life, by awaken- ing the juftice and even the paffions of men againft the guilty. The fecondgift of wifdom mentioned in the text is riches, which it is natural enough for men to delire, indeed to an extreme ; fome with one view fome with another. There are many who have their hearts im- moderately fet on riches, and labour incef- fantly to obtain them, only as the means of ambition and luxury, or what they call living well, by which really is meant no more than having
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