7. It is wholly feparate from all furfeiting, drun kennefs and uncleannefs, and will free the foul from the fpiritual fins of haughtiness, insolency and felf-affuming. If our triumph be in the Lord, it feparates from sensual things, and from the spiritual fins of pride and arrogancy: therefore let there be always fomething that is fpiritual in the ground, reason, or occafion, or motive of your joy; fome notion of God's providence in all your mirth. Sadnefs and joy are things of the most powerful influence in the life of man; the former breaks his heart, and the latter many times greatly transports him. But now an eye to God in both, doth poise and balance them, and makes the soul safe and steady under them. And fo much for the former part of the text, rejoice in the Lord.

II. For praife is comely for the upright. 1st. These words you see are exegetical to rejoicing. Rejoice in the Lord, for praife is comely. If praise and rejoicing were not the fame, there were no argument in the words, for praise is comely. And then, 2dly. Uprightness is exegetical to righteousness. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praife is comely for the upright. By uprightness is here meant our fincerity and integrity, our honeft meaning and true intention; which through God's gracious acceptance is our righteousness. We are, none of us, at all better than we mean: our gracious God takes us by what we understand, intend and mean. And the truth is here, there is no difpenfation for failure in intention. For misapprehenfion, God doth grant allowance, and dispense with human frailties; but for a failing of intention

intention there is no difpenfation. Fail here, and you are hypeerites, and falfe-hearted; and therefore, uprightness is our perfection, and our righteousness. For, either you intend well, or you do not; if you do, you are upright; if you do not, you are hypocrites. It goes mighty far in religion, that a man doth fimply, honestly, and in plainness of heart, mean and intend God and goodness, righteousness and truth. He is upright that means well: though he be in many particulars, mistaken and incumbred with weaknesses, yet he is righteous in the sight of God, through God's gracious acceptance. There fore it becomes us to be highly charitable, one towards another, fince God is fo gracious, and fets fuch a value upon our good meanings and fincere intentions, as to account of this for righteousness, either in practice or opinion. If a man, in the integrity of his heart, doth honestly mean God ̧ goodness, righteousness and truth, God will receive him. Every man's mind is himself, and a man is what he means and intends; and what a man means not, that he is not, that he does not. And this I have faid, because in the text, there are two words made exegetical, praise and rejoicing, righteousness and uprightness. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praife is comely for the upright.

This remains to be spoken to; and 'tis a gallant notion in this age that tends fo much to atheism.

Praife is comely. This is fpoken by way of argument; and 'tis no argument, if this be not true, that there is a reafon for what we do, from the things themselves. I mean this, and if you grant but this, VOL. I,

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that

that there is that which of itself is good and comely, juft and right, and there is that which of itself -is finful and abominable; we exclude atheism out of the world and this must be acknowledged, otherwife there is no argument in these words, for praife is comely. If all things are alike, and no difference of things, one thing is no more comely than another. Now because this is an excellent rule, and a way to exclude atheism out of the world, I will fhew you that this notion is abundant in fcripture, viz. That goodness and truth are first in things; and though they are fo in mens apprehenfions fecondari ly, yet they are fo firft in themselves; and that men live in a lie, and are in a lie, if their apprehenfions be not conformed to things in their reality and exiftence. Several fcriptures have this notice: Phil. iv. 8. runs upon it all along. Whatfoever things are venerable, juft, honest, praise-worthy, &c. How infignificant were these sayings, if all things were alike as men would have them? fo Rom. xiii. 13. Walk decently or honeftly. 1 Cor. vii. 35. 1 Cor. xiv. 40. Let all things be done decently. 1 Cor. xi. 13. Is it comely, is it decent? Eccles. v. 18. Pfal. xcii. 1. It is good to fing praise to the Lord. Pfal. cxlvii. 1. Praise is comely, &c.

The reafon of things is, that law and truth which none muft tranfgrefs: I fay, the reafon of things is a law and truth which none, either by power or priviledge may tranfgrefs. And for this I will give you fuch arguments for conviction, that greater can> not be given: for I tell you, 'tis a law in heaven and that which God takes notice of in all his difpenfati

ons to his creatures. It is that which God will give an account of himself by, to the understandings of his creatures. For this I will produce many scriptures; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne, Pfal. xcvii. 2. Can any man understand this to be nothing but what is arbitrary? Job. viii. 3. and xxxiv. 12. Will he by power pervert that which is right? Rom. iii. 3. Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. How infignificant are all these expreffions, if all things be alike and arbitrary, if the difference of things be nothing else but fantastical and conceited? and yet this and much more must the atheist say, or else his opinion is worth nothing. For if there be a difference in things, he will be felf-condemned. We have Abraham's queftion, Gen. xviii. 25. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? thefe were certainly prefumptuous, arrogant, and bold fpeeches to be faid to God, if my notion were not true; for these conclude will, and shut it up, as having no rule in this law of right. So Acts xvii. 31. it is said, God shall judge the world in righteousness. If there be not difference in things, and a rule of right, these words fignify nothing. I could quote you hundreds of places for this ; all the ways of God are ways of truth of righteousness and of judgment. Can any man imagine, that this fignifies no more, but that things are as will would have them. Therefore I tell you, (and it is that by which you and all the world fhall be judged) that these are not bare words and titles, not fhadows and imaginations. There is that which is decent and fitting to be done; or that which is equal; that E 2 which

which is fair; that which is comely and feemly: there is that which holds of itself, and is decent, comely and fitting. Truth and goodness are firft in things, then in perfons; and 'tis our duty to observe them, and our uprightness to comply with them. All things are not arbitrary and positive constitution ; but there is that which is lovely and comely in itself; and there is that which is impure and ugly in its own nature and quality; and if any man meddles with it, let him be sure it will disparage him, and render him contemptible, vile, and base. There is also that which is generous, noble and worthy, and will gain repute and credit to him that uses it. 'Tis not all one for an intelligent and voluntary agent, to do one thing or another; for there are rules of right wherewith all intelligent agents must comply, and they do righteously when they do, and finfully when they do not. There is fuch a turpitude in fome things, that there is no priviledge or protection; nothing that can be alledged that will gain a man liberty to do them, for they have an intrinsick malignity and impurity; and thefe things are a disparagement to any perfon whatsoever. And there are things that are just and righteous, worthy and generous, that will recompence the perfon that is exercifed in them.

And then God made man with a judgment of difcerning, and 'tis expected that man should judge and difcern, and reafon concerning things. And this is not fo much our priviledge, as our charge and truft, to obferve the difference of things. The whole motion of the world below men, is nulled u

pon