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For he, of all others, takes the fureft Course to preserve himself; and is least obnoxious, either to the Malice or the Envy, the Undermining or the Rapine, of open Enemies, or pretended Friends.

All Knavery and dishonest Dealings fet a Man up for a Mark to be fhot at; but Uprightness and Integrity, is a Shield and a Protection.

The Upright Man doth fo order the Course of his Life, that he usually avoids all thofe Rocks that other Men split upon, and which usually prove their Ruin. The undoing of most Men, even in evil Times, lies commonly at their own Door, and they may thank themselves for it. If they had been fufficiently careful of themselves, the Malignity of the Times would fcarce have touch'd them. It is generally either very great Carelefnefs, and grofs Neglect of their own Affairs; or the Lavishness or Intemperance of their Tongues; or an ill-gotten Eftate; or private Injuries they have done, and private Grudges they have contracted; or Pragmaticalnefs in other Mens Matters; or factious Adherence to a Party; or Breach of Truft, or Treachery to the Publick, or the like: I fay, it is thefe Things, that do moft commonly draw Mischief upon Mens Heads, and lay the Foundations of all thofe Straights and Difficulties, in which they are intangled, even in the worft of Times. But now the Upright Man doth, in a great Meafure avoid all these Occafions; for his Principles

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ciples do oblige him, to. walk in a Way, that is diametrically oppofite to the Things I have mentioned.

The Upright Man treads upon fuch fure Foundations, and his Ways are fo univerfally approved by Mankind; that, as Things ufually go, no Man will eafily offer him Injury, but it will be to his own Detriment.

The Rule he walks by is fuch, as doth effectually procure him the most Friends, and the fewest Enemies, for he takes the course to oblige all Sorts of Men; and consequently, he cannot easily tail of finding those who will use their utmost endeavour to affift and rescue him when he lights into any difficult Circumftances.

His Righteous Conversation is fo unexceptionable, and fo prudent he is in the Management of his Affairs, that those that love him not, will not eafily find an Occafion to do him much Mischief.

Even those that have no Acquaintance with him, yet have fo much Concernment for Honefty and Uprightness in General, that they will study to give him what Affiftance and Defence they can, out of a natural Sense, that it is fit a good Man fhould be protected; and that, for any thing they know, his Cafe and Circumftances may come to be theirs.

And thofe that have loft all Sense of Good and Evil, yet out of care to preserve their Credit amongst Men (amongst the Generality of whom, to be an honeft Man will always fignifie a great deal; for when all is done,

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it is impoffible to extirpate the Notions of Vertue and Honefty, out of the Minds of the Multitude:) I fay, in Point of their own Credit and Intereft, they are concern'd to be careful how they opprefs fuch a Man.

But whatever become of these Things; how ineffectual foever all Humane Means may be for the fecuring and preferving an Upright Man in evil Times: Yet, in the Second Place, he has another Anchor to stay himself upon, which is more firm and ftable, and which will not fail him; And that is, The Protection of God Almighty; the Care of his particular Providence, to which he is intitled.

Men may plot and defign; may model and contrive; may order and manage Things as they please: But when all is done, it is God that governeth the World; and either blafts their moft fair and hopeful Projects; or if he suffers them to fucceed, turns them to what Use and Purposes he pleases: Now this God that rules and difpofeth all Things (even the moft particular; For not a Sparrow doth fall to the Ground without his Will; and by him the very Hairs of our Head are numbred.) This God hath engaged himself, to take Care, in an especial manner, of those that fear him, and walk Uprightly before him.

He hath paffed his Promise over and over again, that he will make their Righteoufnefs as Pfal. 37. clear as the Light, and their Juft Dealing, as they. 6. 19, Noon-Day. They shall not be confounded in the 2440,41. perilous Times, and in the Days of Dearth, they

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bave enough. Though they fall, they shall not be caft down, for the Lord upholdeth them with his Hand. In a Word, that he will be their Strength in the Time of Trouble; he will stand by them and fave them, he will deliver them from the Ungodly; be will fave them, because they put their Trust in

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It would be endless to quote all the Paffages in the Book of God, that speak to this purpose. And therefore, I fhall difmifs this Point, with that Remarkable one, which we find in the Prophecy of Ifaiah, wherein we may fee, both the Upright Man, and his Security in evil Times, defcribed in very Chap. 15. lively Colours. He that walketh Righteously, ver. 16. and peaketh Uprightly; He that defpifeth the Gain of Oppreffions; that baketh his Hands from holding of Bribes; that toppeth his Ears from hearing of Blood; and butteth his Eyes from feeing Evil: he shall dwell on High; his Place of Defence fhall be the Munitions of Rocks ; his Bread fhall be given him, his Water shall be fure. The Senfe of which, in fhort, is this, That whoever walks Uprightly, and make a Conscience of his Ways; fuch a Man shall be always under the watchful Care and Protection of the Divine Providence. And never will God fuffer him to fall into any grievous Diftrefs; but he fhall always have fuch a Portion of the good Things of this World afforded to him, as will be fufficient, not only to make his Life fupportable, but easy.

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And, in Truth, the Experience of the World generally makes this good: Honeft and Upright Men, for the most Part, in the moft Publick Calamities, fare well; at leaft much better than those that are not fo. In their greatest Extremities, when they have no Profpect of Deliverance, from any Humane Means, ftrange, extraordinary, un expected Succour and Relief doth arrive to them. In a word, that Care of the fpecial Providence of God attends them, that they are never Miserable; however they may be now and then cut short of their outward Fotunes.

But it must be acknowledged, that though Piety and Uprightness hath the Promife of Security in this Life; and that Promise, for the most Part, and in general speaking, is made good; yet there are a great many exempt Cafes. God may fee it fit, now and then, to fuffer an Upright Man to be Oppreft, and to perifh in a common Ruin; and this without any Violation of his Promises of this kind, which do, indeed, refpect no more than the ordinary common Events and Succeffes of Things. But yet, even in this Cafe, ftill there will to the Upright, arife Light in Darkneß; That is, Light in the Third Sense we have given of the Word, viz. taking Light for Peace, and Joy, and Comfort. And this is that which the Pfalmift tells us in another Place, pl97. 11. Light is fown for the Righteous, and Gladneß for the Upright in Heart.

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