and most obstinate of all their enemies. This puts them hard to it in the battle, and makes them cry out for aid and help, Rom. vii, 24. But against this also they receive strength, so as to carry the day. As to its reign and dominion it is perfectly defeated for the present, Rom. vi, 14. The means of its rule is the authority of the law over us; that being removed, and our souls put under the conduct of grace, the reign of sin comes to an end. Nor shall it condemn us, Rom. viii, 1. And what can it then do? Where is the voice of this oppressor? It abides, (O reviving thought!) it abides but for a short season, and that to endure and die. Death also contends against us by its own sting, and our fear; but the former, by the grace of Christ, is taken from it; the latter we are delivered from, and so have the victory over it. And all this is the work of the captain of our salvation for us and in us. Again,

§21. 5. He not only conquers all their enemies, but he avenges their sufferings upon them, and will punish their oppressors for their enmity and opposition. And though these enemies prevail not absolutely nor finally against the sons of God; yet by their temptations, persecutions, and oppressions, they put them ofttimes to unspeakable hardships, trouble, and sorrow. This the captain of their salvation will not take at their hands, but will avenge upon them all their ungodly endeavors from the lowest to the highest of them. Some of them he will deal with in this world, but he hath appointed a day wherein not one of them shall be able to escape. See Rev. xx, 10, 14, Devil, and beast, and false prophet, and death, and hell, shall altogether be banished into the lake of fire.

2

$22. 6. He provides for the Christian soldier a recard, a celestial crown. He is gone before the adopt

ed and highly favored sons into heaven, to make ready their glory, to prepare a place for them, and he will come ere long to receive them to himself, "that where he is, there they may be also," John xiv, 2, 3. When he hath given them the victory, he will take them to himself, even to his throne, Rev. iii, 22, and as a righteous judge will give them "a crown of righteousness and glory," 2 Tim. iv, 8. Thus is the whole work of conducting the sons of God to glory, from first to last, committed to this great captain of their salvation; and thus doth he discharge his office and trust therein; and blessed are all they who are under his leading and guidance!

$23. And should not all this teach us to betake ourselves to him, and to rely upon him in the whole course of our obedience, and all the passages thereof? What should hinder us from betaking ourselves unto him continually? Is our trouble so small, are our duties so ordinary, that we can wrestle with them, or perform them in our own strength? Alas! we can do nothing, not think a good thought, nor endure a reproachful word. And whatever we do, or endure of ourselves, is all lost; for in us dwelleth no good thing. Or are our distresses so great, our temptations so many, our corruptions so strong, that we begin to say, There is no hope? Is any thing too hard for the captain of our salvation? Hath he not already conquered all our enemies? Is he not able to subdue all things by his power? Shall we faint while Jesus Christ lives and reigns? But it may be we have looked for help and assistance, and it hath not answered our expectation, so that we now begin to faint and despond. Sin is not subdued, the world is still triumphant; and Satan rageth as much as ever; his temptations are ready to pass over our souls. But have we sought for his help 29

VOL. II.

and assistance in a due manner, with faith and perseverance; for right ends, his glory and the advantage of the gospel? Have we taken a right measure of what we have received? Or do we complain without a cause? Let us not judge according to outward appearance, but judge righteous judgment. What is it to us if the world triumph, if Satan rage, if sin tempt and vex; it is not promised that it should be otherwise. But are we forsaken? Are we not kept from being prevailed against? Moreover, if we ask amiss, or for improper ends, or know not what we receive, or think because the strength of enemies appears to be great, we must fail and be ruined; let us not complain of our captain; for all these things arise from our own unbelief. Let our application to him be according to his command, our expectations from him according to the promise; our experience of what we receive be measured by the rule of the word, and we shall find, that we have all grounds of assurance that we can desire. Let us then in every condition "look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," who hath undertaken the leading of us in the whole course of our obedience from first to last, and we shall not need to faint, nor shall we ever fail. And if we neglect him, his example, his direction, his teaching, it is no wonder if we pine away under our distresses.

$24. Obs. 2. The Lord Christ, being consecrated and perfected through sufferings, hath consecrated the way of suffering for all that follow him in their march to glory. All complaints of sufferings, all despondencies under them, all fears of them in prospect, are rendered unjust and unreasonable, by the sufferings of Christ. It is surely right that they should be contented with his lot here, who desire to be received into his glory hereafter. To elucidate the above observa

tion, and to reconcile us to our lot of sufferings in following the captain of our salvation, we should consider, that they are made necessary and unavoidable. 'The apostle tells believers, that they are "predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son of God," Romans viii, 29. And no small part of this conformity consists in their afflictions and sufferings. The head having passed through them, there is a measure of afflictions belonging to the body, which every member is to bear his share of, Col. ii, 24. And the Lord Jesus himself hath given us this law, that every one who will be his disciple must "take up his cross and follow him." Discipleship and the cross are inseparably connected, by the unchangeable law and constitution of Christ himself. And the gospel is full of warnings and instructions to this purpose; that none may complain they are surprised, or that any thing did befall them in the course of their profession, which they looked not for. Men may deceive themselves or others with vain hopes and expectations, but the gospel deceiveth none; it tells them plainly beforehand, that "through many tribulations they must enter into the kingdom of God," and that "they who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecutions." But we would be children and not be chastised; we would be gold and not be tried; we would overcome, and not be put to fight and contend; we would be Christians, and not suffer! But all these things are contrary to the irrevocable law of our profession.

Again: All sufferings for the gospel are now made honorable. The sufferings of Christ himself were indeed ignominious, and that not only in the esteem of men, but also in the nature of them, and by God's constitution. They were part of the curse, as it is written, "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree." And as

such our Lord considered them, when he wrestled with and conquered the shame as well as the sharpness of them. But he hath rendered all the sufferings of his people for his sake very honorable in themselves, whatever they are in the reputation of a blind and perishing world. Hence the apostle rejoiced that they had the honor to "suffer shame for his name," Acts v, 41. That is, the things which the world looked upon as shameful, but themselves knew to be honorable. When Moses came to make a right judgment concerning this matter, he "esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt," Heb. xi, 29.

Beside, they are made useful and profitable. The Lord Jesus Christ, by consecrating our sufferings as our way of following him, hath quite altered their nature and tendency, he hath made them good, useful, and profitable. He hath thereby cut them off from their old stock of wrath and the curse, and planted them on that of love and good-will. He hath taken them off from the covenant of works, and translated them into that of grace. He hath turned their course from death towards life and immortality; mixing his grace, love, and wisdom, with these bitter waters, he hath made them sweet and wholesome. And if we would benefit by them, we must always have regard to this consecration of them.

He hath also made them safe. Never did a believer perish by afflictions or persecutions, never was real gold or silver consumed or lost in this furnace. Hypocrites, indeed, and false professors, the fearful and unbelieving, are discovered by them, and stripped of their hopes: but they that are disciples indeed, are never safer than in this way, and that because it is consecrated for them. Sometimes, it may be, through