162 Long-life, Riches, and Honour, S E x M. they fee the genuine difcoveries of it, and VI. negledting the dazzling luflre and badges of external grandeur, they cannot help having in their heart a veneration for the man who, by the whole courfe of his behaviour ap- pears to be pious, fober, juft, and charita- ble, let his condition be what it will. My brethren, I would once more, in the conclufion, repeat the caution which has been already mentioned, that riches, or honour, or any thing of a parallel nature, any outward advantages in this world, are not the proper rewards of religion; and though godlinefs, in fome fenfe, hath the protnife of the life that now is, yet that is none of the better promifes on which the gofpel covenant is eflablifhed. Chriflianity propofeth other kind of motives to us than thofe of this world, and requireth, in order to f ncerity, that we fhould be influenced by them. If indeed we could affure men of riches and honour, as the certain recompence of their piety and virtue, perhaps many might be prevailed with, regarding thofe more than the fuperior arguments which the gofpel doth infift on ; but then piety and virtue would ceafe to be what they really are ac- cording to the true nature and fpirit of chri- ftianity, which requireth that we should forfake
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