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Honeft Man's Undertakings. But Craft and Cunning have the quite Contrary Effects, and as naturally give the alarm to all about, to ftand upon their guard and be as fhy, jealous and fufpicious as they can. And as for Diffimulation, it is certain that can be of no use further than it is conceal'd; forafmuch as none will truft a known Cheat. Now as fome Men ufe Diffimulation for their Intereft, Others have an Intereft as ftrongly engaging them to use all their Art and Industry to find it out; which makes it infinitely hard, if not morally impoffible, for a Man to carry on a long course of Dif fimulation without discovery. This falfe Cunning will betray it self by a Thousand ways, by too much or too little care to hide it, by being too open or too fhy, by a real refervednefs or an affected frankness, but what is a certain and never failing fign of the double Dealer, is his Inconftancy to himself, his shifting with the various changes of times, in which he is always a quick Revolver, and as nimble at a Change, as a well manag'd Horfe, that in his fulleft carreer can fuddainly ftop, and turn fhort in the compafs of his own length. There are none of these Men of art but fecretly pride themselves, that they fee thro' all the defigns of those they deal with: and do they think that the World don't fee them too

thro'

thro' all their thin difguifes? Let them not flatter themselves fo vainly. For as Solomon tells us in the fame Verfe with my Text, He that perverteth his ways fhall be Known. Now Diffimulation once difcover'd is not only no Help, but the greatest Impediment of Action in the World. For fince Men will not Truft any farther than they judge a Perfon for his Sincerity fit to be trufted; it follows that a known Perverter of his ways can atchieve nothing great or confiderable: for not being able to gain Men's Truft, he cannot engage their Concurrence, and fo is left to Act fingly upon his own Bottom; which being all that he can do, must needs be contemptible. While Integrity and Honefty having irresistible Charms, that draw all Men to Efteem and Reverence and confide in a Man, do confequently contribute to the promoting of all his Righteous defigns and endeavours.

But further, How often do's the Crafty Politician over reach himself? how often, thinking others Act with as much Cunning and as little Truth as himself, do's he take true Honefty and upright Dealing, when he meets it, for a Feint only and a Copy of the Countenance? and fufpecting ever fomewhat deeper intended than what appears, believes wrong, and confequently acts wrong and succeeds accordingly.

Again,

Again, when this fort of Men meet with plain Dealers, and know 'em to be fo: They are as much put out of their Play, as a skilful Fencer is, when he lights on a sturdy Fellow that has no Skill at all; he had better engag'd with a Mafter like himself; For true Honefty, is a folid, unmoveable Quality, that will not let a Man give ground; but on the contrary preffes ftill forward, and by that Means baffles your Man of Art, and often puts your fine Contriver as hard to it, as the determin'd Courage of a truly Gallant Man do's him, that has no foundation of real inborn Bravery, but relies only upon the Skill of his Weapon and the use of a trick he has been taught.

This Integrity also, which is another Inftance of the Truft that we ought to repose in it, is a fure Comfort, when after all the most just and prudent Methods us'd, Dif appointments happen. The Confcience of having propos'd to himself none but honeft ends, and of having us'd none but just means, will be an Eafe and Satisfaction, whatsoever Succefs befals. He, acccording to David's excellent advice, Refts in the Lord and waits patiently for him, frets not himself because of him who profpereth in his way, because of the Man that bringeth wicked devices to paß. He trufts that at laft God will make his Righteouf neẞ as clear as the Light, and his juft dealing

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as the Noon Day. Pfal. 37. He trufts that Truth must at laft prevail: Truth, that was prov'd in the Prefence, and allow'd by the Judgment even of Darius himself, to be the ftrongest of all things; ftronger than either Wine or Women or the King. 1 Efdr. 4. As for Truth it endureth and is always ftrong, it liveth and conquereth for evermore: v. 38. She is the Strength, Kingdom, Power and Majesty of all Ages.

'Tis this Integrity that, in difficulteft Times and the greatest Streights, gives a Man conftant Confolation and Support; nay more than that, not only supports Men under hardships, but often preferves Men from 'em. For it infpires Courage and Refolution, The Righteous is bold as a Lion: and a well fettled Refolution to do ones Duty, whatever enfues upon it, has often favd Men from being forc'd to the contrary, and often, as Solomon tells us, when a Man's ways pleafe the Lord, he maketh his Enemys to be at Peace with him. But Tricks and Shifts and prevaricating with Confcience make Men only the more contemptible to their Oppreffors, who can then infult over their Virtues and Minds, as well as their Bodies and Eftates.

But Laftly, the Upright Walker do's not only engage all Good and Wife Men, but the God of all Goodness and Wisdom himself

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himself to be on his fide: and how can he
miscarry, who has him to his Friend, upon
whofe fole Will all Events of the Wifeft
Counfels and Deliberations do depend? We
fee with what Artifice and Compliance Men
will infinuate themselves into the Affe-
ctions of those, 'who according to several
Revolutions are advanc'd into the places
of Power; of how much greater Advantage
is it to get an Intereft in his Favour, who
do's and fhall always Rule over the Sons of
Men? having all times at his difpofal, out
of whofe hands no Strength or Policy fhall
be ever able to wreft the Sway and Domi-
nion of things. For whatever the Wife Men
of this World think; Let Men plot as deep-
ly and as finely as they can, yet all the Suc-
cefs of the moft advis'd Counfels, put in -
practice by the most industrious diligence
and application, depends ftill on the fa-
vour of an Over-ruling Hand. And this is the
true Reason of what seems fo ftrange, tho
it has happen'd in all Ages that have paft,
and is likely to do fo in all that fhall come,
that the most hopeful Projects, tho never
fo finely contriv'd or warily laid, with all
the Advantages of Secrecy and Combination
of Parties; yet by fome petty Inftrument,
that perhaps if the Projectors had fore-
feen they would have defpis'd, have been
unaccountably baffled, and in the very mi-
Y

nute

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