54- The prefent andfuture Advantage Vol. 1 j table Tear of the Lord. And it is probable that upon this account likewife the Chriftian Doárine or Law is by St. fames call'd the Royal lam of liberty. This is the great defign of Chriftianity, to fet men free from the Slavery of their Lulls 5 and to this end the Apoffle tells us, Tit. 2. 13. that Chri11gave him- felf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himfelf a peculiar people, zealous ofgood works. And herein the great Mercy and Compaffionof God towards Mankind appeared, in that he fent his Son to refcue,us from that Servi- tude, which we bad fo long groaned under, that being made free from fin, we might become thefervants of God, and the fervants ofrighteoufnefr. And this hehath done not only by the price of his Blood, but by the Power and Purity of his Doárine, and the Holy Example of his Life , and by all thofe Confiderations which reprefent to us the Mifery of our finfult (late, and the in- finite danger of continuing in it : and on the other hand, by fe ting before us the Advantages of a Religious and Holy Life, and what a bleffed change we make, when we quit the Service of Sin, and become the Servants of God. It will not only be a mighty prefent Benefit to us, but will make us happy to all Eternity; and thefe are the Two Confiderations which at firft I propounded to fpeak to at this time. Firfi, The prefent Benefit ofan Holy and Virtuous Life, which the'Apo(Ile herecalls Fruit ; But now being made free fromfn, and become thefervants ofGod, ye haveyourfruit unto holinefs. Secondly, The future Reward and Recompence of it ; and the end everlajlinglife. Firfl, Let us confider the prefent Benefit and Advantage of an Holy and Vir- tuous Life, which the Apoftle here calls Fruit. If all things be truly confider'd, there is no Advantage comes to anyMan by a wicked and vicious courfe of Life. A wicked Life isno prefent Advantage ; the refleáion uponit afterwards is thame- ful and troublefome ; and the end of it miferable. But on the contrary, the Ad- vantages of anholy and good life are mpny and great even in this World, and upon temporal accounts, abftraáing from the Confideration'of a future Reward in the World to come. I fhall inftance in Five.or Six eminent Advantages, which it ufually brings to men in this World. L It brings great Peace and Contentment of Mind. II. It is a very fit and proper Means to promoteour outward temporal Intereft. III. It tends to the lengthning our days, and bath frequently the Blefiingof long Life attending upon it. IV. Ìt gives a Man great Peace and Comfort when be comes to die. V. After Death it tránfmits a good Name and Reputation to Poflerity. VI. It derives a Bleffing upon our Pofterity after us. And thefe are certainly the greateft Bleffings that a wife Man can aim at, and defign to himfelf in this World. Everyone of thefe taken feverally is very confiderable $ but all of them together compleat a Man's temporal Felicity, and raife it to as high a pitch as is to be expeEted in this. World. L A Religious and Virtuous courfe of Life is the heft way to Peace aad Con- tentmentof Mind, and does commonly bring it. And to a wife Man, that knows how to value the cafe and fatisfaáion ofhis own Mind, there cannot be a greater temptation to Religion and Virtue, than to confider that it is the heft and only way. to give reft to his Mind. And this is prefent Fruit and ready Payment; becaufe it immediately follows, orrather accompanies the Difcharge of ourDuty. The fruit ofrighteoufnefr is peace, faith the Prophet; and the Apoftle to the He- brews fpeaks of the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefr, meaning that inward Peace which a Righteous Man bath in his own Mind. A Man needs not to take pains, or to ufe many Arguments, to fatisfie and con- tent his own Mind, after hehath done a good Aáion, and to convince himfelf, that he bath no caufe to be troubled for it , for Peace and Pleafure do naturally fpring from it: Nay, not only fo, but there is an unexpreffible kind of pleafure and delight, that flows from the teftimonyof a good Confcience. Let but a Man takecare to fatisfie himfelf in the doing of his Duty, and whatever troubles and ftorms
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