2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' The word that is rendered laid up [dTroKecrat] signifies safely to lay up : it notes both a designation and a reservation. There is a crown designed and safely kept for me. And so such a promise as that. Rev. iii. 5, ' He that overcometh shall be arrayed in white : and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess him befere my Father, and before his angels.' And in ver. 21 of the same chapter, ' He that overcometh shall sit down with me in my throne, as 1 overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.' That is another reason from the promises of reward. Promises of reward to the master and mariners, oh, how do they raise up their spirits to go through any storms, to go through many dangers ! and so doth the glorious promises of reward that God makes to his ; they carry them bravely through all storms.
3. A third reason is, Because of all ways the ways of God are the most honourable ways; therefore upright hearts will hold on in them, notwithstanding all the afflictions and discouragements they meet with. The most renowned and honoured saints that ever breathed on earth, and that are now triumphant in heaven, have walked in those ways of God. The ways of sin are base, reproachful ways ; but the ways of God are honourable ways.
When a man doth but fancy that the way he walks in is an honour- able way, alas ! how is his spirit carried on in that way against all opposition that he meets with ! Oh, how much more doth the testi- mony that God gives of his ways, and the encouragements that he gives to his people to hold on in his ways, raise up their spirits to hold on against all discouragements.
4. But fourthly. The principal reason of upright hearts holding on in the ways of well-doing against all discouragements, is, because they are carried on in the ways of well-doing, and in the ways of God, from spiritual and internal causes, from spiritual principles, from a prin- ciple of inward life and spiritual power. It is true, if upright hearts were onlv carried on iVom flcshlv, carnal, and external causes, thev
Ps. XLIV. 18.] PROGRESS OF THE UPRIGHT. 345
would wheel about, and turn apostates, and be base, and what not. But upright hearts are carried on in the ways of God from inward principles, as in Jer. xxxii. 40, ' I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall never depart from me;' and in Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27, ' I will take away the heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit in them, and cause them to observe my statutes, and to walk in my ways.' Upright hearts are carried on by an inward principle of fear, faith, and love, and this carries them bravely on against all the discouragements they meet with. In Isa. xl. 31 * They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength like the eagle ; they shall run and not be weary,' because they run upon an- other's legs — viz., the Lord Christ's; 'and they shall" walk and not faint,' because they walk in the strength of Christ. That is another reason.
5. The fifth and last reason of their holding on in the ways of God, notwithstanding all the discouragements that befall them, is drawn from the former profit and sweetness that they have found in the ways of God. Oh ! upright souls have found by experience the ways of God to be profitable ways indeed, to be the most gainful way that ever souls walked in. Upright hearts can say, We went to prayer at such a time, and we met with Christ answering us. Oh ! what a mercy was that ! And another time, We went to the word, and we met with Jesus Christ embracing us. Oh ! what a favour was that ! And another time. We went to the communion of saints, and we met with Christ warming and inflaming our hearts ; and oh, what a heaven was that ! as they in Luke xxiv. 32, ' Did not our hearts burn withm us while he talked to us?' Oh! the remembrance of that former sweetness they have found carries them aloft against all dis- couragements ! The kiss that the king gave one, as the story speaks, M^as more than the golden cup he gave to the other. Oh, the spiritual kisses that the King of kings gives upright souls when he meets them in his ways, carries their souls an-end against all afflictions and oppositions that they meet withal. David saith, in Ps. cxvi. 2, ' Be- cause thou hast inclined thine ear to me, therefore will I call on thee as long as I live.' Therefore — wherefore ? ' Because thou hast in- clined thine ear to me, I will call on thee as long as I live.' In summer season and in winter season, let men smile or frown, I will call upon thee as long as I live. The sweet gain and profit that usurers and mariners have found in such and such ways, doth ex- ceedingly carry their spirits on in those ways, notwithstanding all discouragements, reproaches, and scorns ; and so doth the sweetness that upright souls have found in the ways of God. And thus much for the reasons of the point, and for the doctrinal part.
We come now to the use, which is the main thing I have my eye upon at this time.
1. And first, Is it so, that upright hearts will hold on in the ways of God and the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all afflictions, troubles, and discouragements that may befall them ? Then this, in the first place, serves to shew us that the number of upright hearts are very few ; for ah ! how few be there that keep close to the ways of God, and hold on in the ways of well-doing, when storms begin to rise !
346 god's delight in the [Ps. XLIV. 18.
Right Honourable, it is notliing for a man when he hath wind and tide on his side, when there is concurrence of all secondary causes to lift a man up and carry him bravely on ; it is nothing to hold on now in the ways of God and the ways of well-doing. Oh, but when a man is tossed and afflicted, broken and persecuted, now to hold on in the ways of well-doing, this is the glory of a Christian ; but how few are there that hold out in these seasons ! Oh ! witness the treachery, witness the apostasy, witness the neutrality of men in our days, that, when storms begins, for fleshly ends wheel about. It shews that the number of upright hearts are very few : but I will not stand on this.
2. Secondly, Is it so, that upright hearts will hold on in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all discouragements that befall them ? Right Honourable, let me then exhort you first more particularly, and then more generally, to hold on in the ways of well-doing, not- withstanding all the afflictions, troubles, and discouragements you may meet with. You have begun to fall upon the execution of jus- tice, which is a way wherein God delights to walk, and wherein he delights to see those that are in authority to walk impartially. I shall press this particularly, and then press the })oint more generally, both upon yourselves and all that hear me.