3. The helps and assistances of the Spirit go further, and increase this delight in the way of God's commandments. God doth not only renew our wills, and fit us with an inward power to do the things that are pleasing in his sight, but exciteth and actuateth that power by the renewed influences of his grace: Phil. ii. 13, ' He givetli us to will and to do ; ' not only a will, or an urging and inclination to do good ; but because of the opposition of the flesh and manifold temptations, he gives also a power to perform what we are inclined unto : ' Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,' 2 Cor. iii. 17, or a readiness of mind to perform all things required of us, not only with diligence, but delight.
4. The great encouragements which attend obedience, as the rewards of godliness both in this life and the next. The rewards of godliness in this life I shall speak of in the next head ; for the future, the end sweetens the means to us. We have no mean end, but the eternal enjoyment of God in a complete state of glory and happiness. Now this hath an influence upon the love and delight of the saints, to sweeten their labours, and difficulties, and temptations. The scripture
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everywhere wltnessetli : 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Therefore, my beloved l)rethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ; forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord ;' Phil. iii. 14, ' I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ;' Rom. v. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the glory of God ;' and Rom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the suffer- ings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.'
.5. Present comfortable experience.
[1.] In the general, of peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost.
(1.) Peace, which is the natural result of the rectitude of our actions : ' The fruit of righteousness is peace,' Isa. xxxii. 17; and Ps. cxix. 165, ' Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.' Pax est tranquilUtas ordinis. That description fits internal peace, as well as external. When all things keep their order, afiections are obedient to reason, and reason is guided by the Spirit of God according to his word, there is a quiet and rest from accusations in the soul.
(2.) Joy in the Holy Ghost is distinct from the former : Eom. xiv. 17, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteous- ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' These two differ in the author. Peace of conscience is the testimony of our own souls approv- ing the good we have done ; joy in the Holy Ghost is a more immediate impression of the comforting Spirit : Rom. xv, 13, ' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.' They differ in their measure : peace is a rest from trouble ; joy, a sweet reflection upon our good condition or happy estate. It is in the body a freedom from a disease, and a cheerfulness after a good meal ;■ or in the state, peace, when no mutinies and disturbances; joy, when some notable benefit or profit accrueth to the state. So here they differ in their subjects. The heathen, so far as they did good, might have a kind of peace or freedom from self-accusing and tormenting fears : Rom. ii. 15, ' Which show the work of the law written in their hearts ; their consciences also bearing witness, and their thouglits in the meantime excusing or else accusing one another ; ' but '• a stranger intermeddleth not with these joys.' The Spirit, where a sanctifier, there he is a comforter. They differ in the ground. The joy of the Holy Ghost is not merely from a good conscience as to a particular action, but from a good estate as being accepted with God, who is our supreme judge, and assured of our interest in eternal life. They differ in effects. Peace is an appro- bation for the present ; joy in the Holy Ghost a pledge and beginning of that endless joy we shall have hereafter: 2 Cor. i. 22, 'Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts ; ' and Rom. viii. 23, ' We ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adop- tion, to wit, the redemption of our body.' Both together show that there is no such solid comfort as in the obedience of God's command- ments ; certainly more th(in in all the pleasures of sin, yea, more than in all the enjoyments of the world : whoever have proved them both
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will find it so. Many have proved tlie pleasures of sin, but never yet found what comfort is in mourning for sin. Many have proved the comforts of the world, but never yet proved wliat is the joy of a good conscience, and the sweet pleasure of a godly conversation.