5 76 The enLlans Funeral. 3. Pfal. 1¢;. a. 4. t King, st 6. juff man thatperáfhetb in bis righteouCnefs ; and there is awickedman that prolongeth his life in his wickednefs. In the handling ofSolomon: obfervation herein, we will infili upon thcfe four parts, to thew, r. That it is fo. z. Why it is fo. 3. What abates- wicked men do I make bccaufe 4. What ofs good it is fo. men thould j Firft, that it is fo ; believe Soloman eyes, who profeffed that hefaro it. But here it will be demanded, how came he to behold a righteousman ? withwhat rare and new eyefalvehad he anointedhis eyes, to fee that whichhis father David '(ha- ving amore holy, though not fo large a heart) could never difcern ? Enternot into judgmentwith thy fervant, OLord; fornoflefh is righteous ári"thyfight. It is anfweted, though fuch an one whole rightcoufnefs is Gods judiceproof, !fever was, is, nor (hall be in this life, (Chrift alone excepted, beingGod and man) yet in a Gofpel, or qualified fenfe, he.is-accounted righteous, who juxtapropoJ- tumjuffevivendi, is fo intentionally; defiling and endeavouring afterrighteoufnefs with all the might ofhis Soul. Secondly, who is focoinparativey, in reference to wicked men, appearing righteous in regard of thole, who have no goodnefs at all in their hearts. Thirdly, righteous imputativey,havingthe righteoufnefsof God in_Chrift imputed unto him. Lafily, righteous inbefrvey, having many heavenly graces, and holy endowments,fincere,though not perfe&,or evangelically perfe&, pro hoc flaws, beftowed upon, and remaining within him.. Such a righteous man as this Soloman lawperiling in his righteoufnefs. But'in the fecund place, it will be inquired, How could Solomon patiently be- hold a righteous manperifn in his righteoufnek, andnot refcue him out of the paws of oppreffion ? Could he fee it, and couldhe.fuffer it, and be only an idle fpeera- tor at fo fad a tragedy ? Did his hand fway the Scepter, andwas hishead inverted with the Crown, contentedly to lookon fo forrowful a fight? Couldhe only as in the cafe of the harlots, call for a (word to kill a child, and not call for it to defend a righteous man ? He that is not with us (faith our Saviour) is ag4infl on. Ifit hold in private perfons,much more in publick Officers. Theyperfecute, whodo not protest ; deftroy, who do not defend ; flay, who do not fave the righteous man, who have power and place todo it. It is anfwered in the firftplace; Solomon: obfervation: were not all confined to his own country and kingdom thoughRaying at home in his perfon, his mind travelled into forraignparts,and in the neighbouring Countries ofEgypt, Edon), Sy- ráa, Affyria,&c. might behold the perifbingofthe righteous, and long flourifhingof the wicked. Secondly,his exprellion, l have feen,relatesnotonly to his ocular, but experimental di(coveries; What solomon got by the help ofH.ftory, Study, and perufalofChronicles. He that was skill'd in natural Philofophy from the Cedar to theShrub, was (no doubt) well vcrfed in all civil occurrences from the Prince to thePeafant, fromedam to the prefent age wherein he lived, fo much as by any err- tant recordscould becolle&ed. To let humane writers afide, the Scripture alone afforded himplentiful prefidents herein. Open the Bible,andwe (hall find(almoft in the firft leaf) juff"Abel perifhing in his rághteoufnefs, andwickedCain prolonging his life in his iniquity. To omit other inftances, Solomon, by relation froth his father, might.fadly remember, how AbimelecbtheHigh Prieft,peráfbed in bisrighte- oufnefi, with allthe Priefts, inhabitantsof the City ofNob, whiff} Said who con- demned,andDóeg who executedthem,floarifhed longin their iniquity. 'So much for the proof, thatit isfie. Cothe we now to the reab ras, whyitisfo. Thefe rea- fons are of a double nature,fome fetcht fromnature,othersfrom religion. For the prefent we inflftonly upon the former, refervingthe refttillwe lEali encounter the Atheifß in the lequel of ourdifcourfe. Firft, Becaufe good men, of all others, are molt envied andmaligned, having the
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