anything he commands, that they count God rewards them for one piece of service, if he enables them for another. ' This I had,' saith David, ' because I kept thy precepts,' Psa. cxix. 56. What Avas the great reward he got? see ver. 55 : ' I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and kept thy law ;' then follows, ' This I had :' he got more strength and skill to keep the law for the future, by his obedience past ; and was he not well paid, think you, for his pains ? There is fruit even in holiness, the Christian hath in hand, ■which he eats while he is at work, that may stay his stomach until the full reward comes, which is ' eternal life,' Rom. vi. 22. Jesiis Christ is a Prince that loves to see his people thrive, and grow rich vmder his government. This is he whom sinners are so much afraid of, that when he sets open their prison, and bids them come forth, they choose rather to bore their ears to the devil's post, than enjoy this blessed liberty. It is no wonder that some of the saints nave indeed, ' when tortured, not accepted deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection,' Heb. xi. 53. But what a riddle is this, that forlorn souls, bound with the chain of their lusts, and the irresistible decree of God for their damnation if they believe not on the Lord Jesus, should, as they are driving to execution, refuse deliverance ! This may set heaven and earth a wondering. Surely, dying in their sins, they cannot hope to have a better resurrection than they have a death. I am afraid rather, that they do not firmly believe that they shall have any resm-rection ; and then no wonder they make so light of Christ's offer, who think themselves safe when once earthed in this burrow of the grave. But let sinners know, it is not the grave can hold them, when the daj' of assizes comes, and the Judge calls for the prisoners to the bar. The grave was never intended to be a sanctuary to defend sinners from the hand of justice, but a close prison to secure them against the day of trial, that they may be forthcoming. Then sinners shall be digged out of their burrows, and di-agged out of their holes to answer their contempt of Christ and his grace. O how will you be astonished to see him become your judge, whom you now refuse to be your king ! to hear that gospel witness against you for your dam- nation, which at the same time shall acquit others for their salvation ! What think you to do, sinners, in that day ? Wilt thou cry and scream for mercy at Chi'ist's hand ? Alas ! when the sentence is passed, thy face will immediately be covered : condemned prisoners are not allowed to speak : tears then are unpro- fitable, when no place left for repentance either in Christ's heart or thine own. Or meanest thou to apply thyself to thy old lord, in whose service thou hast undone thy soul, and cry to him, as she to Ahab, 'Help, O king :' alas! thine eve shall see him in the same condemnation with thyself. Hadst thou not better now renoimce the devil's rule, whilst thou mayest be received into Christ's government ? pour out thy tears and cries now for mercy and grace when thev are to be had, tiian to save them for another world to no purpose ?
Qttesf. But possibly thou wilt say, ' How ma}' I, that am a home-born slave to sin, yea, who have lived so many years under his cm'sed rule, get out of his dominion and power, and be translated into the kingdom of Christ ? '
j^nsw. The difficulty of this great work lies not in prevailing with Christ to receive thee for his subject, who refuseth none that in truth of heart desire to come under his shadow. It doth not stand with his design to reject any such. Do physicians use to chide their patients away, lawyers their clients, or generals discourage those who fall oft' from the enemy, and come to their side? Surely not. When David was in the field, it is said, 1 Sam. xxii. 2, ' Every one that was in distress, in debt, or discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became a captain over them.' And so will Christ be to every one that is truly discontented with Satan's government, and upon an inward dislike thereof repairs to him. But the main business will be to take tliee off from thy engagements to thy lusts and Satan, till which be done, Christ will not own thee as a subject, but look on thee as a spy. It fares with sinners as with servants. There may be fallings out between them and their masters, and high words pass between them, that you would think they woidd take up their pack and be gone in all haste ; but the fi-ay is soon over, and by next morning all is forgot, and the servants are as hard at their work as ever. O how oft are sinners taking their leave of their lusts, and giving warning to their old masters;
UQ AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE