this peace and harmonious accord in the soul: so, "Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them" (Psalm cxix. 165); not only peace, but great peace; a peace that passeth all understanding, a peace better felt than expressed; and this resulteth from obedience, or the government of our hearts and ways according to the will of God. Look, as cheerfulness and liveliness accompany perfect health, or the tunable motion of the spirits in the body; so this serenity and quiet in the soul, the regular and orderly motion of our faculties; there is a sweet contentment of mind resulting from it: "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." In a troublesome world, we need to have our hearts and minds kept and guarded from the assaults of temptations, and diffident, vexing cares and fears; and therefore it is mightily necessary in those times to get the peace of God, without which the soul is upon the rack. Oh! this sweet peace and calm that is in our hearts in the midst of all tempests and tossings from without! a man is provided and fortified against the apprehension of injuries, troubles, dangers, and those heart-cutting cares which otherwise are apt to seize upon us. This a believer can say, This peace of conscience I had in the midst of all the troubles from without. Now, this peace others cannot have: "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa. xlvii. 21): they have not this inward tranquillity and serenity of mind; their affections are so unruly, and their consciences so unquiet, they are never able to rest.

But how can this be? None seem to be less troubled than wicked men. I answer, there is a difference between a dead sea and a calm sea: a stupid conscience they may have, but not a quiet conscience. Their consciences are stupefied by drenching their souls in worldly delights and pleasures; but the virtue of this opium is soon spent: their consciences are easily awakened by the convictions of the word, the sting of afflictions, the agonies of death. Well then, this may the composed heart say, I had this peace, this serenity of mind," because I kept thy precepts."

2. Next to peace of conscience, there is joy in the Holy Ghost. This is the fruit of peace, as peace is the fruit of righteousness: "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. xiv. 17); first righteousness, and then peace, and then joy in the Holy Ghost. As joy of heart and gladness is the fruit of temporal or civil peace, when every man may sit under his own vine and his own fig-tree, and reap the fruit of his labour, without the danger of annoyance; so now, when a man can enjoy himself as being reconciled to God, or being at peace with him, and hath tasted of the clusters of Canaan, he can rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. v. 2). This is that joy in the Holy Ghost which God doth graciously dispense to those that obey his word, and hearken to the motions of his Spirit. Oh! how may a believer triumph and say, "This I had, because I kept thy precepts!" Joy is the fruit of holiness; and the oil of grace maketh way for the oil of gladness: "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches" (Psalm cxix. 14). David experienced the joys of obedience, and the joys of a crown now saith David, I rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, more than in all riches; not in the contemplation, but in the way. This was a joy that did result from practical obedience, which is more than the possessionsand treasures of the world. Many picture religion in their fancies with a sour and austere face, and think it inviteth men to nothing

but harsh and unpleasant courses. Oh! no; it inviteth you to the highest contentment the creature is capable of, the joy in the Holy Ghost, which is "unspeakable and full of glory." A sensualist, that runs after the dreggy delights of the flesh, is the veriest fool in the world; for he can never have any true joy: it is but frisks of mirth (while conscience is asleep); but, when it is gone, it leaveth a sting behind it.

3. Increase of grace. This is another benefit we get by keeping God's precepts: "They go from strength to strength" (Psalm lxxxiv. 7). As they that went to the feast at Jerusalem, they went from troop to troop, so they are brought forward in their way to Heaven: God, that punisheth sin with sin, rewardeth also grace with grace. The one is the most dreadful dispensation that God can use: when men have gone on in a course of sin, God often punisheth one sin with another, so that they are plunged deeper and deeper every day in the gulf of profaneness. But it is most comfortable when godliness increaseth upon our hands, and God is still perfecting his own work in us: "As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (Rom. vi. 19). It standeth us upon to observe the growth of grace, as we were formerly conscious of the growth of sin. Shall we be more earnest to damn ourselves than to save ourselves? There is no man but in his carnal estate might observe how he departed from God by degrees, and his heart was hardened by degrees. At first, he had some light and conscience, till he sinned it away, and turned the back upon the ordinances, which might revive it and keep it awake; and then his sin betrayed him further and further into a customary course of profaneness. I say, a carnal man may trace the growth of sin in his own heart step by step, and say, This I had because I slighted such a check of conscience, despised such an ordinance, fell into such an enormous practice; for God forsaketh none till they first forsake him; so may a child of God trace his gradual increase in holiness, This I had by hearkening to the counsel of God at such a time against the reluctancy of my flesh. There is no duty recovered out of the hands of difficulty, but bringeth in a considerable profit to the soul: The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. iv. 18). Look, as the day decreaseth, the night increaseth, till it cometh to thick darkness; so, by every sin, men grow worse and worse, till at last they stumble into utter darkness. But the way of the just is a growing light: it increaseth always into more durable resolutions and exact practice of godliness, till it comes to the high-noon of perfection. David taketh notice of the fruit of obedience : "Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight” (Psalm xviii. 24). 4. Another benefit that we have is, many gracious experiences and manifestations of God vouchsafed to us in the way of obedience. In the present world, God and believers are not strange to one another: a man that walketh close with him, will meet him at every turn: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness" (Psalm xvii. 15). The Psalmist there preferreth his present condition before the greatest happiness of carnal men. Why? Because he had opportunity of beholding the face of God, or enjoying the comforts of his presence. But how? In righteousness, in a strict course of obedience. If God be a stranger to others, they may thank themselves: "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,

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he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John xiv. 21). Holiness is the only way to clear up our right to these great comforts of the Gospel; and, if you would get experience of them, make conscience of obedience, and be exact and punctual with God; and you will not want your refreshments and visits of love, and expressions of his grace and favour to you. Those sensible proofs and manifestations God will not give to us but in a way of obedience: so the promise runneth, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, to him will I manifest myself: so, in the 23rd verse, "If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." These are taken into sweet fellowship and communion with God; and the blessed Trinity will take up their abode in his heart. But pray mark, Christ, that is so tender and willing to communicate the influences of his grace, yet standeth upon his sovereignty; and therefore still insisteth upon keeping his precepts, if they would partake of his comforts.

5. Protection in their work. They are under the special care and conduct of his providence, while they keep his precepts: He keepeth them as in a pavillion: "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man" (Psalm xxxi. 20). And who are they that are kept? Those that fear him and trust in him (verse 19). Pray mark, when they had no visible defence, when they seemed to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent adversaries, yet there is a secret guard about them, and they are kept, the world knoweth not how : God's favour and providence are their sure guard and defence: whatever contentious and proud men design and threaten against them, yet they never have their full will upon them. Many a child of God hath ridden out the storm, and may come and say, "This I had, because I kept thy precepts." This it is to keep close to God, and hold fast our integrity. Elsewhere the Lord expresseth himself to be a wall of fire round about his people (Zech. ii. 5), which should affright at a distance, and consume near at hand. In those countries, when they lay in the fields, they made fires about them to keep off the wild beasts: so God, when he seeth it fit to excuse his people from trouble, he can, in the most unsafe times, and when they are weakest, protect them by his secret hand; bridling their enemies, and making their attempts ineffectual. Satan is sensible of this privy guard: "Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side?" (Job. i. 10.) The world seeth not this invisible guard; but the Devil seeth it. There is no gap open for mischief to enter, and break in upon them. This can God do when he pleaseth; and a man that holdeth fast his integrity, and goeth on in his duty, referring himself to God's keeping, shall have experience of it; and, when the danger is over, say, "This I had, because I kept thy precepts."

6. In public and common judgments, God maketh a difference; and some of his choice ones are marked out for preservation, and are as brands plucked out of the burning, whilst others are consumed therein. This is done oftentimes, I cannot say always. The Jews have a proverb, that two dry sticks may set a green one on fire: a good man may perish in the common judgment; that is the meaning of the proverb. And sometimes their condition may be worst, as Jeremiah: the whole city was besieged, and he in the dungeon. Chaff and corn are threshed in the same floor;

but the corn is grinded and baked. But this is the best way we can take to be hid in the common calamity, though there be not an absolute certainty; for the comfort is but propounded with a possibility: “Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger" (Zeph. ii. 3). Though God hath a peculiar eye to the godly, yet their temporal safety is not put out of all doubt; it may be, or it may not be; but their eternal comforts are sure and safe: yet strict and humble walking is the only way; and in some cases God showeth that there shall be a distinction between his people and others, and, when others are overwhelmed, they shall be preserved. As, "Surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him; but it shall not be well with the wicked" (Eccles. viii. 12, 13); and, "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given him" (Isa. iii. 10, 11); and, “ Verily, it shall be well with thy remnant; verily, I will cause the enemy to treat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction" (Jer. xv. 11). All these places speak of delivering them from trouble, or moderating the trouble to them. If there be an uncertainty in the thing, yet a probability; but, whenever it is done, it is a singular favour, and we must own it as the fruit of obedience: "This I had, because I kept thy precepts." We must expect the temporal reward of godliness with much submission, and venture upon his providence. "Seek

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7. So much of sanctified prosperity as shall be good for them: ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. vi. 33). God will cast them into the bargain; and, though he may keep them low and bare, yet no good thing will he withhold" (Psalm lxxxiv. 11); so that a child of God, surveying all his comforts, may say, This, and that, and the other mercy, I had from the Lord's grace: these comforts and these deliverances came in "because I kept thy precepts."

Thirdly, The next thing, is to show you what connexion there is between these two, obedience and this good; or the reason of the Lord's dealing thus. God doth it partly out of his general justice, as he is Governor of the world. His holy nature doth delight in holiness; and therefore it is requisite, ut bonis bene sit, et malis male, that it should be well with them that do well, and evil with them that do evil; and such dealing a man should have from God, as he dealeth out to God: "With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward" (Psalm xviii. 25, 26) : in the general, that it should be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked, there is an argument in the governing justice of God; but then, to come to particulars, that it should be so ill with the wicked, here is exacta ratio justi; but that it should be so well with men imperfectly righteous, this is moderate justice, mixed with undeserved mercy.

There is his gracious promise and covenant; Heaven and earth are laid at the feet of godliness: "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. iv. 8); something during our service in this world.

DOCTRINE II. The second point is, that it is of no small benefit to see and observe what good we have by obedience to God.

1. It will increase our esteem of his grace. That the little and slender

obedience that we yield to his law, should have such respect and acceptance with him as to be recompensed with so much peace, and comfort, and protection, and so many blessings! Lord, what am I, and what is my father's house? Oh! what a good Master have we! When the saints are crowned, they cast their crowns at the Lamb's feet (Rev. iv. 10). We hold all by his mercy. "When we have done all, we are unprofitable servants" (Luke xvii. 10); not in compliment, but in truth of heart, we are unprofitable servants. That God should respect us, it is not for the dignity of the work, but merely for his own grace.

2. It is of use, that we may justify God against the reproaches and prejudices of carnal men, who think God is indifferent to good and evil, and that all things come alike to all; that it is in vain to be strict and precise, that there is no reward to the good: "It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance?" (Mal. iii. 14.) Yea, the temptation may befall God's own children, and be forcibly borne in upon their hearts: " Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain" (Psalm lxxiii. 13). We think all is lost labour. Now, to produce the sweet consolations of God, and his temporal supplies, and the manifold blessings bestowed upon us, it is a good stay to our hearts, and enables us to justify God against the scorns and reproaches of the world.

3. It is of use to check our murmurings. If we endure anything for God, we are apt to repine, and pitch upon that evil we receive from his hand, passing over the good. A little evil (like one humour out of order, or one member out of joint) disturbeth the whole body; so we, by poring upon the evil we endure, pass over all his other bounty: "Wherein hast thou loved us?" (Mal. i. 2.) God cannot endure to have his love suspected or undervalued; and yet people are apt to do so, when dispensations are anything. cross to their desires and expectations. But now, it is a great check to consider, that, if we have our troubles, we have also our consolations; and we should rather look upon the good that cometh to us in pleasing God, than the temporal and light afflictions we meet withal in his service: "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job ii. 10.)

4. It is an encouragement to us in well-doing, the more proofs and tokens we have of his supportation. We are wrought upon by the senses; as, "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God" (Jer. ii. 19); and, "See thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done" (verse 23). As parents, when their children smart for eating raw diet, they upbraid them with it, 'It is for eating your green fruit:' so doth the Lord come to his people, • Now you see the evil of your doings.' So, on the contrary, it doth engage us to strict walking, to see how God owneth it. So doth God appeal to us by experience: "Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness?" (Jer. ii. 31 ;) and, "Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?" (Mic. ii. 7.) 'Look about you, survey all your comforts; did sin procure these mercies, or godliness? Have you not found sensible benefit by being sincere in my service?'

OBJECTION.-But is this safe, to ascribe the comfort and blessings that we have to our own obedience? Is it not expressly forbidden: " Speak not thou in thine heart, &c., For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land" (Deut. ix. 4).