lemma's as thefe is every one that walks not uprightly, ever and anon crampt with in his Counfels and Deliberations.

But fuppofe he get well over the prefent Difficulty, yet he is but where he was; for upon the next Emergency of Affairs, he is as much puzzled and nonplufs'd as before. The fame Method will not ferve him twice, for the carrying on his Defigns. As often as new Occafions arife, for often muft he alter his Counfels, and take new Meafures: So that he is always unfteady, often inconsistent with himfelf; utterly unrefolv'd what Man he fhall be, or what Part he fhall act, in the next Scene that offers itself.

T

Thefe Difficulties and Perplexities the Mari of Intrigues is always hamper'd with; and they neceffarily arife from the various Flexures and Turnings of the Way that leads to his Ends: But the contrary of all this is the Lot of the Upright Man: For his Way neitheir lies on this fide, nor on that fide, but always ftraight forward. He hath but one great End to purfue, and that is to discharge a good Confcience : All his other Concern ments are wholly regulated by that. The Confequence of which is, That he hath no clashing of Interefts to perplex his Delibera

tions no little Turns that must be served, to . divert him to the Right Hand on to the Left, but he always looks ftraight before him? So that all his Refolutions are easily made most of those Difficulties that intangle other Men, are quite cut off and avoided; his Counfels

and

and his Methods are always the fame; and he is feldom at a Lofs how to behave himself upon a new Emergency. In a Word, his Way is commonly fo plain, that he stands in need of little Advice or Inftruction for the finding it. And this is that which Solomon Prov. 11. hath told us, The Integrity of the Upright fhall guide him: For the Path of the Juft is a shining Light.

3.

Cap. 4.18.

But Secondly, If it be his Lot to fall into fuch Circumstances, where his Way is not fo plain, but that there is need of

great Advice and Deliberation what Courfe to fteer; as it often happens, especially in fuch Times as the Text fpeaks of: Yet here the Upright Man hath the Advantage of all thofe that walk by different Principles; for (all other Things equal) he has more Light to direct him in the finding of his Way than they have.

There is this Difference between a Man that walks uprightly in all his Converfation, and a Man that hath finifter Ends of his own to purfuc; The former hath always the free Ufe of his Intellectual Powers, and can exert his Reafon in its higheft Perfection, and to the best Advantage: whereas the latter is horribly clouded in his difcerning Faculties; he hath conftantly a Mift before his Eyes, which hinders him from rightly distinguishing the Objects he looks upon; and confequently occafions many Blunders and Mistakes in the Choice of his Way.

My Meaning is this, Whoever frames his Life by other Measures, than thofe of Honefty

nefty and Confcience whoever intemperately purfueth his private Ends, or is a Slave to inordinate Paffions, let them be of what kind they will; thefe Things do clap fuch a Byas upon his Soul, as renders him utterly uncapable of making a right Judgment of Things before him, and confequently muft unavoid→ ably expofe him to a great many dangerous Errors, in the Management of his Affairs; and this oftentimes in Matters that have no great Difficulty in them.

Take any one of the Paffions that usually govern the Man that hath no Principles of Confcience; let it be either Fear, or Envy, or Revenge, or Vainglory, or Avarice, or Ambition; it is a wonderful Thing, to fee how monftrously they diftort his Reason, and what odd extravagant Courfes they put him upon; and this even in plain easy Cafes: Nay, though the Man in other Things where his Affections have no Influence, be a very wife Man. One could fcarce imagine the Power that thefe Things have over a Man's Judgment ; but that we every Day fee fuch ftrange Inftances of it.

But now the upright Man, is not in the leaft obnoxious to any of thefe Inconveniencies; for having no Turns to ferve, but those that are Honeft and Good; having no private Affections or Paffions to be gratified; he looks upon Things in a pure and fimple Light, and not through a coloured Glafs. And confequently, his Conceptions of them, as far as Human Endeavours can fecure, are accordVOL. I.

M

ing

ing to their Nature; and his Determinations. and Refolutions, are fuitable to his Conceptions; that is to say, are reasonable and fit, and fuch as become the Occafion. As his main Design is to do in all Inftances that which is beft; fo that Defign preserves him from miftaking in his Notions of what is best. His Reafon and Understanding are free and at liberty; and if there do arife any Knot or Difficulty, he of all others is likely to untie it with the greatest Ease. And this is Pfal.. that which the Pfalmift hath told us, The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom; a good Understanding have all they that do thereafter.

10.

9.

But Secondly, If we take Light for Safety and Security, for Defence and Protection, as it is fometimes used in the Holy Scripture; in this Senfe alfo, Light arifeth to the Upright, in Times of Darkness. For fuch a Man may in the worst of Times, above all other Men, promise these Things to himself. And this is Prov. 10. that which Solomon tells us, He that walketh uprightly, walketh furely. And, indeed, this feems to be the Thing principally intended in the Text; the Light which is here faid to arife to the Upright in Darkness, fecmeth chiefly to refpect his Security from Danger, in the Times of a common Calamity; as appears by what immediately followeth, viz. He fhall not be moved for ever; he shall not be afraid of evil Tidings, his Heart fhall not shrink, until he fee his Defire upon his Enemies.

Now

Now this Security in Times of Danger, the Upright Man may expect upon thefe Two Accounts: Firft, his Uprightness in its own Nature (as Things are contrived and carried on in the World) doth above all other Things conduce to it. And Secondly, He is upon account thereof, intituled to God's more particular Protection.

First, the Paths of Uprightness are in themfelves, fuch as naturally tend to fecure a Man in evil and dangerous Times.

II.

For First, They do really contribute to the Good and Happiness of the Publick, in the which every Man's private Safety is in a manner bound up. As by Wickedness (they Prov. 11. are the Words of Solomon) a City is overthrown, fo by the Bleffing of the Upright it is exalted. Every upright Man is really a Benefactor to the Publick: For by him, and fuch as he, Cities and Kingdoms are fupported, which would otherwife fall into Confufion. The whole Body Politick owes its Preservation to the virtuous Care, and honest Endeavours of Upright Men. And every fuch Man in particular, reaps the Benefit of fuch his Endeayours; for he fhares in his own Perfon, that Protection and Security he procures to the Community. And if he had not been Upright, as the Publick would have fared fomething the worfe for it; fo it is certain he in his private Capacity, would in the fame Proportion, haye fared the worse alfo.

But this Confideration of the Conducivenefs of Honesty and Uprightness to the Good