Y o z Ehe Wi/dom of Religion ju/lifted, in the Vol, II. of Evils, is probably intended, as appears by the Oppofition in the next Words, The Righteous hath Hope in his Death ;) I fay, that bad Men, when they fall into any great Evil or Calamity, efpecially upon the Approach of Death, are full of Trouble and Difquiet, by reafon of their Guilt, and deftitute of all Comfort and Hope in that needful Time. And this is moft agreeable to the oppofite Part 6f this Proverb or Sentence,. But the Righteous hath Hope in his Death ; that is, the good Man, when any Evil and Calamity overtakes him, tho' it be the moft terrible of all, Death it felf, is full of Peace, and Comfort,and good Hopes; when there is nothing but Storms without, all is calm within, he hath forne- thing which ftill fupports him and bears him up. So that Solomon, in this Sentence or Proverb, Teems to defign to recommend Religion and Virtue to us, from the Confideration of the different Ends of good and bad Men, fo obvious to common Obfervation, and generally fpeaking, and for the molt Part, which (as I have often obferved) is all the Truth that is to be expeaed in Moral and Proverbial Speeches ; that for the molt Part, the End of good Men, is full of Peace and Comfort, and good Hopes of their future Condition ; but the End of bad Men quite contrary, full ofAnguifh and Trou- ble, of Horror and Defpair, without Peace, or Comfort, or Hope of . any Good to befal them afterwards. The Righteous Man bath great Peace and Sere- nity inhis Mind at that Time; is not only contented, but glad to die; doesnot only fubmit and yield to it, but defires it, as much better. And fo force read the Words, The Righteous defres or hopes to die : but the wicked Man and the Sinner dreads the Thoughts and Approaches of Death, quits Life with great Re- lu&ancy, clings to it, and hangs upon it as long as he can, and is not without great Violence parted from it. The good Mangoes out of the World willingly and contentedly: but theWicked is driven away, not without great Force and Conftraint,with much Reluétancy, and in great Trouble and Perplexityof Mind, what will become of him for ever. You fee the Meaning of the Words, that they contain a great Truth, and very well worthy of our moft attentive Regard and Confideration;. becaufe, if this be generally and for the molt Part true, which Solomon here afferts, then this is a mighty Teflimonyonthebehalf of Piety and Virtue, and plainly thews, that the Principles of Religion and Virtue are Proof againft all Affaults to which HumaneNature is liable ; and that the Principles of Infidelity andVice do (brink and give back when it comes to the Trial. And this, to any wife and confide- rate Man, is as good as a Demonffration, that the Religious Man is in the right, and proceeds upon Principles of found and true Witdom, and bath chofen the better Part but that the Infidel and the wicked Man is in the wrong, and under a fatal Miftake, which he feldoms difcerns, 'till it be too late to re&ifie it. Now in the handling of this Argument, I (hall do thefe three Things : FirfE I (hall (hew that this Obfervation of Solomon, concerning the different End of good and bad Men, ánd thefinal Iffue and Event ofa Virtuous and Vi- cious Courfe of Life, isgenerally true, and that the Exceptions on either Side to the contrary are but few,andnot of Force to infringe theTruthofthe Obfervation. Secondly, I thall confider whence this Difference proceeds, and I (hall endeavour to thew that it is founded in the true Nature and'Reafon of Things. And, Thirdly, That if this be true, it is a Demonftration on the Sideof Religion, and does fully jufify the Wifdomof it. Firfe, I (hall endeavour to thew, that thisObfervationof Solomon, concerning the different Endofgood and badMen, and the final Iffue and Event of aVirtuous and Vicious Courfe ofLife, is generally found true, and that the Exceptions oneither Side to the contrary arehut incomparifon, and by noMeans of futlìcient Force to infringe the general Truthof this Obfervation ; I fay, that this Obfervation of the wife Man, is generally and for the molt Part true, which (as I mentioned be- fore) is all the Truth that is to be expe&ed, in moral and proverbial Sentences. And for this I appeal to the common and daily Experience of Mankind, whe- ther we do not generally fee religious and good Men to have great Eafe and Comfort, and fometimes great Joy and Tranfport in their Minds, from the Re- fleCtion
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