eonfidered under the Notion of Wifdom. 25 whenever we decline a fubje Lion to its em- S ER M. pire, or aft otherwife than it direaeth. I. Doth not wifdom require us to a& with a regard to the future, as well as the prefent time ? Is it not true difcretion to have a greater regard to a more important than to a lefs important intereft, and to have a greater regard to an eternal Rate, than to that which is momentary and perifhing ? And if this be taken into the account, the wifdom of religion will fully appear. It is certain that multitudes of mankind conduit themfelves quite otherwife ; they take up with the pleafures of the external fenfes, or the gratification of low defires; and they imagine themfelves wife in doing fo, deviling fubtile methods for obtaining their ends. But this fatal mifiake arifeth from a partial confideration of the human nature, and a narrow view of our exifience. If we deliberately confider the whole of our frame, and with difcretion extend our pro - fpeéts to a future fiate, of which we have the firongefi affurances, we fhall be con- vinced that fenfible objets cannot afford us the trueft felicity ; and that it becometh fuch creatures as we are, to provide for a longer duration than the prefent life ; that the
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