282 THE 'ABSOLUTE DOMINION God, is to live to the truest and highest delights. His kingdom is not in meats and drinks, but in righteousness, peace,and joy in the Holy Ghost. His servants, 'indeed, are often troubled ; but ask them the reason, and they will quickly tell 'you that it is not for being his servants, or for serving him too much ; but for fear lest" they are not his servants; or for serving him no better. It is not in his ways, or at least not for them, thatthey meet with their per- plexities, but in stepping out of them, and wandering insheir own. Many, besides the servants of God, do seek felicity and satis- faction to their minds, and some discover where it lieth; but only they attain it, and enjoy it. But, on the contrary, he bath an ill master that is ruled by'him- self. A master that is blind, and proud, and passionate, that will lead you unto precipices, and thence deject you ; that will most effectually ruin you when he thinks he is doing you the greatest good9 whose work is bad, and his wages no better; that feedeth his servants in plenty but as swine, and in the day of famine de- nieth them the. husks. Whatever you may now imagine while you are distracted with sensuality, I dare say, if ever God bring you to yourselves, you will considerthat it is better to be in your Father's .house, where the poorest servant bath bread enough, than to be fed with dreams and pictures, and to perish with hunger. Reject not God till you have found a better master. 7. If you will needs be your own, and seek yourselves, you disengage God from dealing with you'as his ina gracious sense. If youwill not trust him, nor venture yourselves upon.. his promise and conduct, but will shift for yourselves, then look to yourselves as well as you can ; save yourselves in danger, cure your own dis- eases, quiet your own consciences, grapple withdeath in your own strength, plead your own canse in judgulent, and save yourselves from hell if you can; and when you have done, go and boast of your own sufficiency and achievements, and tell men how little you were beholden to Christ. Wo to you, if, upon these provo- cations, God should give you over to provide for yourselves, and leave you without any other salvation thanyour own power is able to effect, Mark the connection of this sinand punishment in Deut. xxxii. 18-20. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, be abhorred them, because of the provoking ofhis sons and of his daughters; and he said, " I will bide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be." As if he should say, I will see hewwell they can save themselves, and make them know by ex- perience their own insufficiency. 8. Those men that seek themselves, and live to themselves, and not to God, are unfaithful and treacherous both to God and
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