d, but no peace in thy conscience, as long as the whoredoms of thy
heart are to the fore, thou mayest be secure, but security is worse than
fear. Know this, that continuing in a course of sin, entertaining any
known sin, shall trouble thy peace. If God hath spoken peace to thee, thou
shalt not lodge that enemy in peace. "Great peace have they that love thy
law." Obedience and delight in it doth not make peace, but it is the way
of peace, and much meditation on the blessed word of God is the most
excellent mean to preserve this peace, if it be secured with much
correspondence with heaven by prayer, Phil. iv. 6, 7. If you would
disburden your hearts daily at the throne of grace, peace should guard and
keep your heart, and then your peace would be perfect indeed. But because
your faith is here imperfect, your requests few and infervent, your
follies and iniquities many, therefore is this promised perfection a
stranger to the most part of Christians. Always what we want here, we must
expect to have made up shortly. Heaven is a land of peace, and all things
are there in full age, here all are in minority, it is but yet night, but
when the day shall break up, and the shadows fly away, and the Prince of
peace shall appear and be revealed, he shall bring peace and grace both
with him, and both perfect. To Him be praise and glory.

Sermon XIV.

Isaiah lix. 20.--"And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto
them that turn," &c.

Doctrines, as things, have their seasons and times. Every thing is
beautiful in its season. So there is no word of truth, but it hath a
season and time in which it is beautiful. And indeed that is a great part
of wisdom, to bring forth everything in its season, to discern when and
where, and to whom it is pertinent and edifying, to speak such and such
truths. But there is one doctrine that is never out of season, and
therefore it may be preached in season and out of season, as the apostle
commandeth. Indeed to many hearts it is always out of season, and
especially in times of trouble and anguish, when it should be most
seasonable, when the opportunity may commend the beauty of it, but in
itself, and to as many as have ever found the power of it on their hearts,
it is always the most seasonable and pertinent doctrine,--I mean the very
subject-matter of this text, the news of a Redeemer to captive sinners. It
is in itself such glad tidings, and shines with so much beauty and
splendour