his device of Satan is to venly exercises, are only a saint. They are not the noble part, the soul, exercises are a heavenly s: 'I delight in the law 1 I serve the law of God, i. 22. To the noble part len is light,' Mat. xi. 30.1 those that tend to the right hands) are joyous,

All the ways and serict, to the better part of lways best when he sees hen he is highest in his ly in the service of God. ht be always thus! Oh , and my flesh as brass, le to my noble part, that ice, that is a pleasure, a

This

his device of Satan is, id glorious recompence service of the Lord in nts. Though the work ill make amends for all. ntly recompense you for e of all difficulties. iculties. He had an eye a house that had foundaI for a heavenly country.' face of all difficulties and author and finisher of our e him, endured the cross, right hand of the throne

ice of the Lord, must look s, more upon their future heir encouragements than rvice is wages; his ways y that is unspeakable and ch understanding.' Some as heat accompanies fire, sant, a good, and a gainful yoke, I duty carries meat in the mouth,

ight naked in a cold, frosty time, ted themselves in this manner: hiver for cold, but the bosom of

as beams and influences issue from the sun: thy servant warned, and in keeping of them Ps. xix. 11. Not only for keeping, but in ke great reward.1 The joy, the rest, the refreshin tents, the smiles, the incomes2 that saints no God, are so precious and glorious in their ey exchange them for ten thousand worlds. A Α sweet and glorious before pay-day comes, what Christ will crown his saints with for cleaving t of all difficulties; when he shall say to his Fat the children which thou hast given me,' Isa. much to be had in a wilderness, what then dise? &c.

The fourth device that Satan hath to keep s cises, from religious services, is,

Device (4). By working them to make false blessed and glorious things that Christ hat Christ hath done all for us, therefore there is n to joy and rejoice. He hath perfectly justific law, and satisfied divine justice, and pacified is gone to heaven to prepare a place for us, a intercede for us; and therefore away with and hearing, &c. Ah! what a world of profes in these days from religious services, by work sad, wild, and strange inferences from the sw that the Lord Jesus hath done for his beloved

Now, the remedies against this device are th Remedy (1). The first remedy against this dwell as much, on those scriptures that she services that Christ requires of you, as upo declare to you the precious and glorious thing for you. It is a sad and dangerous thing to our dignity and privileges, and not one to see ou should look with one eye upon the choice and exc hath done for me, to raise up my heart to love love, and to joy in Christ with the strongest j above all, who hath made himself to be my all the other eye upon those services and duties th of those for whom Christ hath done such bless of the apostle: 'What, know ye not that yo the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have your own for ye are bought with a price; t your body, and in your spirit, which are G And that: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be always abounding in the work of the Lord, ki

1 This is præmium ante præmium, a sure reward of well only for doing thereof, there is great reward, Ps. xix. 11. In-comings.'-G.

21

G

Tertullian hath this expression of the Scriptures: Aa I adore the fulness of the Scripture. Gregory calls the the heart and soul of God; and who will not then dwell in

nd that: And let us not shall reap if we faint not,' ice always,' 1 Thes. v. 16, And that in the Philipear and trembling,' ii. 12; .13; and that, 'Let us her to love, and to good es together, as the manner o much the more as you ow, a soul that would not 1st not look with a squint ance more of like import, ke these scriptures to be nd this will be a happy s service in these times, , under pretence of being ave been acted by Christ,

his device of Satan is, to Is that Jesus Christ hath far from taking us off inces, that they should be the performance of them tly evidence. I will only elivered out of the hands ear, in holiness and rightlives,' 1 Peter ii. 9, Luke your enemies, from the ry power of sin, the wrath s of hell; but what is the eat and marvellous things cow off duties of righteousmay be the more free and es. So the apostle, 'I will ''And I will be a Father daughters, saith the Lord therefore these promises, n all filthiness of the flesh the Lord,' 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18, race of God that bringeth ing us that, denying all e soberly, righteously, and hat blessed hope, and the - Saviour Jesus Christ, who nus from all iniquity, and the Scripture, but they did not h the Scriptures.' Greek there is his holiness, and his holiness e broke the devil's yoke from off

om our hearts.

purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealo ii. 12-14. Ah, souls! I know no such argun lively and constant performance of all heavenly are drawn from the consideration of the great Christ hath done for you; and if such argur and win upon you, I do think the throwing o will never do it.1

Remedy (3). The third remedy against t seriously to consider, That those precious sou hath done and suffered as much for as he exceeding active and lively in all religious performances. He did as much and suffered you, and yet who more in praying and prai Seven times a day will I praise the Lord,' Ps in the studying and meditating on the word t my meditation day and night,' Ps. cxix. 97. 1 run and read in Jacob, Moses, Job, Daniel, and prophets and apostles, for whom Christ hath you. Ah, how have all those worthies abounde ness and holiness, to the praise of free grace? got the upper hand of those souls that do a done such and such glorious things for us, ther any care and conscience of doing such and s men say the word calls for. If this logic be Ah, were the holy prophets and apostles alive out of the mouths of such as profess themselve great and glorious things that Jesus Christ ha ones, how would they blush to look upon suc their hearts grieve and break within them to h observe the actings of such souls.3

Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against 1 seriously to consider this, That those that do of righteousness and holiness, that do not several duties and services that are command that evidence to their own souls of their righ their fellowship and communion with God, and their happiness hereafter, as those souls light in the ways of the Lord, that are alw most in the works and service of the Lord.

1 Tace, lingua; loquere, vita, talk not of a good life, but le in passing pass not away; for every good work is a grain The saints' motto in all ages hath been Laboremus, Curristas, not Quæristas, the runner, not the questioner of

The day is at hand when God will require of men, N nec quid dixerint, sed quomodo vixerint. He that talks of h God, is like him that gazed upon the moon, but fell into

4 Certainly it is one thing to judge by our graces, our trust in them. There is a great deal of differen serving. As David's daughters were known by their g are God's children by their piety and sanctity. A Chr house walking towards heaven. High words surely n just; but a virtuous life, a circumspect walking, make that is not fruitful is for the fire. Christianity is not a

hat doth righteousness is
ii. 7. In this,' saith the
ifest, and the children of

3 is not of God, neither he now that he is righteous,' ne that doth righteousness, and keepeth not his comin him. But whosoever of God perfected: hereby he abideth in him, ought If we say that we have we lie, and do not the in the light, we have felJesus Christ cleanseth us ii. 4-6, and i. 6, 7. So brethren, though a man faith save him?' i. e. it is dead, so faith without eavenly works, is the best d and deluded by Satan's omfort; holy works being precious Spirit, begetting , clear, strong, and lasting ourselves a constant and Father and the Son, and happiness, look that you curn not your backs upon

this device of Satan is,
choice and glorious ends
ies, than for the justifying
fying of the law or justice
on of sin, &c. viz., to testify
but bring forth good fruits,'
d their sincere obedience to
verance from spiritual bond-
it, to stop the mouths of the
uls that God would not have
choice ends there be, why
s doings of Christ, should,
ly duties and religious ser-
nd if these considerations
God in holy and heavenly

of fruit, he will take up his axe,
e'? But prefixed to a volume of
quies, or a Manual of Devotions,'

a 'house' ascending upward, re-
rse, of the Church. So that the
Conscious.'-G.
non actibus, sed finibus pensantur
by their ends.

1.

duties. I am afraid if one should rise from th would not win upon you, but you would hold o glect his service, though you lost your souls for The fifth device Satan hath to draw souls vices, and to keep souls off from holy duties, is,

Device (5). By presenting to them the paucit that walk in the ways of God, that hold on i Saith Satan, Do not you see that those that w religious ways are the poorest, the meanest, an persons in the world? This took with them in answered the pharisees, Are ye also deceived? or of the pharisees, believed on him? But thi not the law are cursed.'

Now the remedies against this device are the Remedy (1). The first remedy against this consider, That though they are outwardly p wardly rich. Though they are poor in tempo in spirituals. The worth and riches of the sa King's daughter is all glorious within,' Ps. x beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poo faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath love him?' saith James ii. 5. I know thy pov saith John to the church of Smyrna,' Rev. ii. 4 have little in possession, yet they have a glori sion. Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's kingdom,' Luke xii. 32. Though saints have have much in hope. You count those happy, i have much in reversion, though they have little you count the saints miserable because they ha in possession, though they have a glorious ki this? I am sure the poorest saint that breat were it in his power, that which he hath in hop the possession of as many worlds as there be st in the sea, &c.

Remedy (2). The second remedy against th to consider, That in all ages God hath had son rich, wise, and honourable, that have chosen to his service in the face of all difficulties. men, yet some wise men; and though not m mighty have; and though not many noble, Witness Abraham, and Jacob, and Job, and se that the Scriptures speak of. And ah! how ourselves, whose souls have cleaved to the Lor to his service through the blood of the slain, an

1 Finis movet ad agendum, the end moves to doing. Ter keep thyself within compass, and have an eye always to th was Maximilian the emperor's motto.

Do not you see, saith Chrysostom, the places where t and overgrown with thorns? Do not the naturalists tell y are big with gold within, are bare of grass without? Saint mons here, because they must study hard to go to heaven.

VOL. I.