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gent in holy services; and that you turn not your backs upon religious duties.

Rem. 5. Solemnly consider, that there are other choice and glorious ends for the saints' performance of religious duties, than the justifying of their persons before God, or the satisfying the law and justice of God, or the purchasing of the pardon of sin, &c.* viz. To tes tify their justification: A good tree cannot but bring forth good fruits:' to testify their love to God, and their sincere obedience to the commands of God; to testify their deliverance from spiritual bondage, and evidence the in-dwellings of the Spirit; to stop the mouths of the worst of men, and to rejoice those righteous souls that God would not have made sorrowful. These, and abundance of other choice ends there are, why those who have an interest in the work of Christ, should, notwithstanding, keep close to the holy duties and religious services that are commanded by him. And if these considerations will not prevail with you, to wait upon God in holy and heavenly duties, I am afraid, if one should rise from the dead, his arguments would not prevail upon you, but that you would hold on in your sins, and neglect his service, though you perish for ever, &c.

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It is a precious truth, never to be forgotten, duties are esteemed not by their acts, but by their ends." "The end moves to doing. Keep thyself within compass, and have an eye always to the end of thy life and actions," was Maximilian the emperor's motto.

CHAPTER V.

The fifth Device that Satan hath to draw souls from religious services, and to keep them from holy duties, is,

BY presenting to them the poverty, &c. of those who walk in the ways of God, and hold on in religious practices. Saith Satan, Don't you see that those who walk in religious ways, are the poorest, the meanest, and most despicable persons in the world? This took with them in John vii. 47. Then answered the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who know not the law are cursed.'-Now the remedies against this device are these that follow:

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Remedy 1. Consider, that though they are outwardly poor, yet they are inwardly rich; though they are poor in temporals, yet they are rich in spirituals; the worth and riches of the saints are inward:* The king's daughter is all

"Do not you see (saith Chrysostom) the places where treasures are hid are rough and overgrown with thorns? Do not the naturalists tell you, that the mountains that are big with gold within, are bare of grass without. Saints have, as scholars, poor commons here, because they must study hard to go to heaven."

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glorious within. Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him?" saith James. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich,' saith Christ to the church at Smyrna What though they have little in possession, yet they have a glorious kingdom in reversion. Fear not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' Though saints have little in hand, yet they have much in hope. You count those happy in a worldly sense, that have much in reversion, though they have but little in possession; and will you count the saints miserable, because they have little in possession, though they have a glorious kingdom in reversion of this? I am sure the poorest saint that breathes would not exchange (were it in his power) what he hath in hope, for the possession of as many worlds as there are stars in the heavens, or sands in the sea, &c.

Rem. 2. Consider, that in all ages God hath had some who have been great, rich, wise, and honourable, who have chosen his ways and continued in his service in the face of all difficulties; though not many wise men, yet some wise men; and though not many mighty, yet some mighty have and though not many noble, yet some i

such have served the Lord;* witness Abraham, and Jacob, and Job, and several kings, and others, that the scripture speak of; and how many have we among ourselves, who have serv, ed the Lord, and who have swam to his service through the blood of the slain, and who have not counted their lives dear unto them, that they and others might enjoy the holy things of Christ in his own way.

Rem. 3. Solemnly consider, that the spiritual riches of the poorest saints, infinitely transcend the temporal riches of all the wicked men in the world; they can sit down satisfied with the riches of grace that are in Christ, without worldly riches and honours, &c. He that drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall thirst no more.' The riches of poor saints are durable, they will bed and board with them, they will go to the prison, to a sick bed, yea, to heaven with them. The spiritual riches of poor saints, are as wine to cheer them, as bread to strengthen them, as clothes to warm them, and as armour

to protect them. Now all you that know any thing, know, that the riches of this world cannot

*Good nobles (saith one) are like black swans, and thinly scattered in the firmament of the state, even like stars of the first magnitude, yet God hath had some in all ages.

† Alexander's vast mind enquired, if there were any more worlds to conquer.

satisfy the souls of men, that they are as fading as a flower, or as the owners* of them are, &c.

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Rem. 4. Consider, that though the saints considered comparatively, are few? though they be a little, little flock, a remnant;' Luke xii. 32, a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed;' Cant. iv. 12, though as the summer gleanings;' or as one of a city, and two of a tribe;' though but as a handful to a houseful, a spark to a flame, a drop to the ocean; yet consider them simply in themselves, and they are an innumerable company, that cannot be numbered, as John speaketh, Rev. vii. 9.After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.' So Matthew speaks, Matt. viii. 11.

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And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.' So Paul, Heb. xii. 22, 23. But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. To the general assembly, and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the

* Crassus was so rich, that he maintained an army with his own revenues, yet he and his great army, with his son and heir, fell together, and left his great estate to others.

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