in the ways of God. Look often over that ' peace that passeth under- Btandino-.'and that heavenly joy and those blessed consolations that you have gained in the ways of God and in the ways of well-doing. When the mariner and the shopkeeper cast their eye upon their former gains, it encourageth and enableth their spirits to hold on against all the discouragements and troubles they may meet with in their way ; and so it will do with you.
[2.] In the second place, Look that you act and loalk in the ways of God, and in the ways of ivell-doing , from internal and sinritual prin- ciples. Oh, I beseech you, Right Honourable, and all that hear me this day, as you would hold on in the ways of well-doing, look to your princii)les, that you move from spiritual and internal principles, from the power of the Spirit and the breathings of the Spirit, from love to God and a holy fear of God ; and this will carry you bravely on against all discouragements you shall meet with. If you act from carnal and fleshly principles, and for carnal ends, as for honour or favour or profit, &c., you will never be constant in the ways of God ; but when these ends cannot be answered, you will turn apostates, and turn back from God. Therefore, as you would hold on, look to your jirinciples that i\\Q\ may be sound.
[3.] Then, in the third place, If you would hold on in the ways of well-doing and in the ways of God, notwithstanding all the afflictions and troubles that may befall you, labour to exercise faith. Faith is a singular means to enable us to walk in the ways of God against all the'^discouragements that may befall us. I shall open it in those two things, that are worthy of your consideration. Faith mil carry the soul'^through all discouragements and difficulties that the soul can meet with in the ways of God. Thus :—
First, By being conversant about soul-greatening objects. ]\Tark, this is one way by which faith enables the soul to hold on against all dis- couragements, by raising the soul to converse with soul-greatening objects, as God and Christ, and those treasures, pleasures, and sweet- nesses that are in the Lord Jesus Christ. So in 2 Cor. iv. the last three verses, ' Our outward man decays, but our inward man is renewed day by day.' How comes this ? ' While we look not at things that are seen, but at things which are not seen.' ' While faith is conversant about things which are not seen :' the word [a-KoirovvTfov] signifies to look as a man looks at a mark. While we keep a fixed eye upon future glory — while our faith is conversant upon that crown that fades not, upon those robes that wither not, upon that kingdom that shakes not, ' the inward man is renewed day by day,' and heav)' afflictions are made light, and long afflictions are made short. Thus faith enables the soul, and carries it bravely on against all discour- agements, by conversing with soul-greatening objects. There is nothing so enables the soul, and so divinely greatens the soul and makes it too large, too wide, and too big for troubles and afllictiona to bring under, than faith's conversing with those high and glorious objects.
Second, Then faith doth this, in the second place, by appropriating all to itself that it lays hands upon. Faith looks on God, and saith with the psalmist, ' This God is my God for ever and ever; and he
Ps. XLIV. 18.] PROGRESS OF THE UPRIGHT. 357
shall be my guide unto death.' Faith looks on Christ, and saith with Thomas, 'My Lord and my God.' Faith looks on the promises, and saith, ' These precious promises are mine.' It casts an eye upon the crown of righteousness, and saith with Paul, ' Henceforth is laid uyt for me a crown of righteousness.' It looks upon all treasures, pleasures, and sweetness that is in Christ, and that are by Christ prepared for the soul, and saith faith, ' Those treasures are mine, tliose pleasures are mine, and all that sweetness that is in him is mine.' Thus faith carries on the soul against all discouragements that the soul can meet with.
Third, Then again, in the next place, If you would hold on in the ways of well-doing, labour to increase and abound in love. Oh let your love to God and love to his ways be augmented and increased ! Oh look that love do its part, and then the soul will hold on ! Cant, viii. 6, 7, ' Love is stronger than death : many waters cannot quench it, nor the floods drown it.' If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be contemned. in2^ T12, bozjabuzu, con- temning it would be contemned, loathing it would be loathed, as the original hath it.
Now I shall shew you how love will enable the soul to hold out in the ways of God, and in the ways of well-doing, against all discourage- ments : and that it will do thus,
[1.] First, Bi/ egging oil other graces on to act and operate. Love is a very active grace. It is the great wheel in the soul that sets all other graces on work. Love is like to the virtuous woman, Prov. ix. 3, that sets all her maidens at work. Where love is strong in the soul, there no grace shall be idle in the soul. There love will call upon faith. Faith, do you lay hold on that God and on that crown that is set before you ; and. Patience, do you wait on God, &c. It calls on all, and sets all on work. And now the more grace is acted, the more its strength is increased; and the more its strength is increased, the more the soul is enabled to walk in the ways of God, against all discouragements that doth or can befall the soul. And,
[2.] Secondly, Love will enable you to hold on in the ways of God against all discouragements, by rendering all the loays of God siueet and pleasant to the soul. Love renders those ways sweet, that men that have no love to Christ look on as bitter ways. Every way is sweet and pleasant, saith love : his yoke is easy and his way is pleasant. As it is in Prov. iii. 17, ' Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace : ' in the abstract Love saith, This way is a precious way, and the other way of God, oh ! it is a heavenly way : I find much sweetness in it, saith Love ; and thus it encourageth the soul to hold on in the ways of well-doing. For the more sweet and lovely the ways of God are presented to the soul, the more the soul is raised and encouraged to hold on in those ways of God, notwithstanding any affliction and trouble that the soul meets withal. I remember I have read a story of a Dutch schoolmaster, who, when he was asked whether he loved not his wife and children, thus answered : Were all the world a lump of gold, and in my hand to dispose of, I would lay it down at my enemy's feet, that with freedom and liberty I might live and walk in the ways of God, they are so lovely to my soul.
358 god's delight in the [Ps. XLIV. 18.