whatever Heart the Love of God is spread abroad, there will be Peace, Joy, and Happiness, both in this World and a better. And it is therefore the daily ftrengthening ourselves in this Conviction, the habitual Practice of this Refignation, and the growing up in this Love, which is the End defigned to be effected by all the Commands which God has given us; this is the spiritual Obedience he requires; and in this the spiritual Life of a good Man does properly confift. This will recommend us effectually to the Divine Favour, and intitle us to a Reward from him. Which leads me to the

3d Obfervation from the Text, That our Obedience to any of God's Laws, as well the pofitive as the moral, when accompanied with thefe Difpofitions of Mind, must be acceptable to God, and will be rewarded by him; their Praife is not of Men, but of God. Man can judge only of the outward Action, but must be a Stranger to the Frame and Difpofition of Mind with which it is performed. But God fees the secret Workings and Inclinations of the Soul; and his Wisdom cannot but approve, and his Juftice openly reward them. For it is these only that make any Act of Obedience to be strictly and properly a religious Act. Men may be temperate, or do Juftice, or any other Act of Duty out of Policy, Intereft, Humour, or Vanity; but it is then only, that M 4 thefe

thefe Performances are properly religious Acts, when done in Reverence to the Laws of God, and Obedience to his Authority, or out of Fear or Love for his holy Name. When the Divine Will is not brought into the Account, the Man may be cunning, but not wife; he may be artful or prudent, but cannot be good. And when on the other hand his Heart is fet on obeying the Commands of his God, and what he does is out of Reverence and Affection to him; this will improve his Actions into Works of true Virtue and Piety, and will intitle him to the Favour of that infinite Goodness which he ferves and loves. Indeed, the Intention cannot fo far fanctify the Action, as to make that lawful which he has forbidden, or unjust which he has commanded but it is the Difpofition of the Mind, which makes the Obfervance of what he has ordained to be Matter of Religion and Virtue; and wherever that is pure and undefiled, it cannot fail of his Approbation. Though the outward Action, which he commands, be in itself indifferent; yet a pure Heart and refigned Will cannot but endear the Man, who performs it, to him who is infinite in Purity and Perfection; and will infallibly lead him to a Participation of the Happiness referved by God for those who are united to him in Affection.

;

Thus have I endeavoured to prove, that the pofitive Commands of God ought to be carefully obeyed, as well as thofe which are called

moral;

moral; that this Obedience confifts not fo much in the outward Act, as in those Difpofitions of Mind which ought to attend it; and that these Duties, when thus performed, must be acceptable to God, and will be rewarded by him. And I come now to fhew the Usefulness and Neceflity of attending to these Truths, by a fhort Application. And

First, if it be the Will of God which properly creates the Obligation, and makes any Rule or Action Matter of Duty to us, we ought then to have an equal Regard to this Divine Will in every Inftance, and ought to be as diligent in the Discharge of thofe Duties which are properly Chriftian, as those which our own Reason might point out to us. We are as much obliged to believe on our adorable Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, and to confefs him before Men, as we are to refrain from Stealing, or any other evil Work. It is as much a Part of our Duty to frequent his Sa craments, and partake of his Ordinances, as to relieve the Poor, or to give every Man his Due. The Cafe, I fay, is the fame, fo far as the Authority of the Lawgiver is concerned; and as it is our Refpect to that, which makes our Actions dutiful, our Obedience to him may be as fully and as acceptably testified in one Inftance, as in the other. Which of two Duties is to be preferred on particular Occafions, when both cannot be performed, must

be

be determined by the Rules laid down in the Holy Scriptures, and by the Nature and Reafons of Things. But, in general, it is our indifpenfible Duty to regard both. As it is the fame God who commands us to believe the Gofpel, and to do Juftice, the fame Submiffion and Obedience must be due to every one of his Laws. And therefore as it is certain on the one hand, that no unjust, or covetous, or wicked Perfon, fhall enter into the Kingdom of God; fo it is as certain on the other, that he only has the Promife of Redemption and Salvation, who confefles with his Mouth the Lord Jefus Chrift, believes in his Heart that God raifed him from the Dead, and keeps his Commandments. Let then our Regard to the Laws of God be as extenfive as thofe Laws themfelves; let us strictly pursue Purity of Life and Manners; and let us at the fame time glory in the Cross of Chrift, and think it our greatest Felicity, as it certainly is, that we are called by his Name.

Lastly, and to conclude; Since our religious Obedience, as fuch, is chiefly confined to the inner Man, let it be our firft and great Care to purify our Minds, and regulate our Affections. Let us labour to poffefs our Souls with an awful Senfe of the Power and Authority of that God whom we ferve; and to warm and elevate our Hearts with the Remembrance of his Mercy and Loving-kindness. Let us fet him

always

always before us in all we fay, or think, or do; and let us confider the Wonders of his Love in all its Parts. Let us daily contemplate him in his Works, his Ordinances, and his Word; and let us look beyond the outward Letter of his Laws to the fpiritual Intent and Meaning of them. Let us make it our whole Business to be acquainted with God; and to this End let us raife our Minds up to him, by ferious Contemplations on Divine Things; and let us confirm and ftrengthen our Hearts in his Love and Fear, by Fervency in our Devotions and Addreffes to him. In a Word, let us redeem the Time that is already past, by a wife and a confcientious Improvement of what is to come.

in

We are now entering on a new Period of Life; and fince every Year's Experience ought to bring its Advantages with it, as we grow Age, fo we ought to grow in Piety and in the true Knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Befides, we know not but the prefent may be likewife the last Stage of our Trial: Let us therefore begin and pursue it with that Seriousness and Diligence in our Christian Calling, as if we expected to meet our Lord before the End of it. The farther the Day is spent, the nearer the Night must be at Hand. Let us then put off the Works of Darkness, and immediately put on the whole Armour of Light.

And