the upright in heart shall glory. See John xvi. 33, &c.

(6.) In fuch as relate to the special conduct of providence directing their steps. Pfalm xxv. 11. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him Shall be teach in the way he shall choose. He layeth up found wisdom for the righteous, Prov. ii. 7, 8. and preferveth the way of his faints. He declareth, I will teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye, Pfalm xxxii. 8. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, Rom. viii. 28. This God is their God for ever and ever: He will be their guide even unto death, Pfalm xlii.

-14.

(7.) In such as relate to free access to the throne of grace, and acceptance through Christ for their persons and duties. The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. xv. 8. He is well pleased with their approaches to him, and their fincere defires and endeavours to please him; their spots are covered, and their defects are supplied, and themselves accepted in the Beloved; in whom God is become a Father of mercies to them, and deals with them as such.

(8.) In fuch as relate to spiritual advantages by publick ordinances. Prov. x. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright. And they that wait upon him shall renew their strength. they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not

faint, Ifa. xl. 31.

(9.) After

(9). After a life spent in the service of God, they have a promise of peace and hope in their death, and of heaven beyond it. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace, Pfalm xxxvii. 37. The righteous hath hope in his death, Prov. xiv. 32. He fhall enter into peace, &c. each one walking in his uprightness. The ranfomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Sion with fongs, and everlasting joy upon their heads, &c. and forrow and fighing shall flee away.

5. Light is fown for the righteous, in the work of grace wrought in their hearts. Sanctification is one ground of confolation. The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and affurance for ever, Ifa. xxxii. 17.

Four things speak the work of grace in the heart to be a ground of joy.

1. Its being the refult of eternal love.

2. Its being never to be undone, destroyed, or taken away, after it is wrought; but to be carried on to its perfection.

3. Its being accompanied with pardon of fin and juftification.

4. Its being the pledge and earnest of future glory, Whom he justified, them be alfo glorified, Rom. viii. 30.

6. Laftly, Light is fown for the righteous in the preparations made above. Eye hath not feen, nor ear beard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

This Christ leaves with his disciples, as a powerful cordial at his going away. In my Father's house are many manfions; if it were not so, I would have told you : 1 go to prepare a place you. And if 1 go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be alfo. Thus we have feen where light is fown.

IV. The last enquiry is, When is the season of reaping?

And to this, the answer is, The season of reaping the first-fruits, of reaping in part, is at some times in the present life; the feason of reaping more fully, is at death; and of reaping most fully and perfectly commenceth at the day of judgment, and is continued throughout eternity.

1. The season of reaping in part, falls out at some times within the course of this present life. Particularly,

(1.) Times of affliction have been to the upright, seasons of reaping the joy fown. By this they have been prepared for fufferings, supported under them, and made afterwards to forget their forrows, by reason of the gladness breaking in from the affecting discovery of what God has done for them, and wrought in them. Thus God causeth light to arife in darkness, and in a rainy day refresheth them with a beam from heaven, brightening the drops that fall: brings his people into the wilderness, and there speaks comfortably unto them.

(2.) Seafons of fuffering for the fake of Chrift

and the gospel, have been seasons wherein the upright

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upright have begun to reap the joy sown. When called to refift unto blood, striving against fin, they have need of more than ordinary comfort, to enable them to meet, and hold firm thro the fiery trial: and they have found that then encouragement hath been yielded them in a degree they never before experienced, John xvi. 33. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

To this the apostles could witness, 2 Cor. i. 5. As the jufferings of Chrift abound in us, fo our confolation also aboundeth by Christ. When Stephen was stoning, he saw the heavens opened, and the Glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. When called to the greatest fufferings, or in the extremity of them, the comforting Spirit has come in, giving the faints that view, of what grace had done for them, and of the great things thereupon promised to them, which has in a good measure scattered their doubts, and carried them above their fears. Thus the bitter cup is sweetened, and as being that which their Father gives them to drink, they are prepared with a steady hand to drink it up.

(3.) Seafons wherein God has called the righteous to great and difficult service, have been feafons of reaping the beginnings of joy fown. When their heavenly Father has lifted up the light of his countenance upon them, and shed abroad the sense of his love within them, they are prepared to go whither he sends them, and to do whatever he bids them.

(4.) After

(4.) After fore conflicts with Satan, the up

right have been revived by the springing of the joy fown. After Christ was tempted, came an angel to comfort him. And for the encouragement of his followers, he declares, Rev. ii. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the bidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. The like after a time of desertion, God gives his people: beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness; enabling them who were ready to conclude themselves forgotten, to read his own words with application, and fo with the joy of faith. Ifa. liv. 7, 8. For a small moment have I forfaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord, thy Redeemer.

(5.) In waiting upon God in the sanctuary, the upright have met with him, and fo have had the beginnings of joy fown.

In prayer the holy Man is sometimes wrapped up to heaven, and fatisfied as to the happiness that awaits him there. The glory of the upper world is shewn to his faith, with the ground on which he may hope for a part in it: so that in in this respect he hath had the promise made good to him, Ifaiah xxxiii. 17. Thine eyes shall fee the king in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off.