OF GOD-REDEEMER. 297 evince his right in you, and convince you that it was your duty to have lived unto him ? Do you think, sirs, that you shall then have the face to say, ' 1 thought, Lord, that I had been made and re- deemed for myself ? . I thought I had nothing todo on earth, but live in as much plenty as I could, and pleasure to my flesh, and serve thee on the by, that thou mightest continue my prosperity, and save me when I could keep the world no longer? I knew not that I was thine, and should have lived to thy glory ?' If any of you plead thus, ^what store of arguments bath Christ to silence you! He will then convince' you that 'his title to you was not questionable. He will prove that, thou avast his by thy very being, and fetchunanswerable arguments from every part and faculty : he will prove it from his incarnation, his life of humiliation, his bloody sweat, hiscrown of thorns, his cross, his grave. He that had woùnds to show after his resurrection, for the convincingof.a doubting disci- ple, will have such scars to show then; as shall suffice to convince a self-excusing rebel. All 'these shall witness that he was thy rightful Lord. He will prove it also from the discoveries ofhis word, from the warnings of his ministers, from the mercies which thou receivedst from him, that thou wast not ignorant of his right, and of thy duty; or at least not ignorant for want of means. He will prove it from thybaptismal covenant and renewed engagements. The congregation can witness that you did promise tobehis, and seal to it by the reception of both his'sacraments. And as he will easily prove his:right, so will he as easily prove that you denied it to him. He will prove it from your works, from the course of your life, from the stream of your thoughts, from your love, your desires,and the rest of the affections of your disclosed hearts. O, brethren, what' a 'day will that be, when Christ shall come in person, with thousands of his angels, to sit in judgment on the rebellious world, and claim his due, which is now denied him! When plaintiff and defendant, witnesses and jurors, counsellors and justices, judges, and all the princes on earth, shall stand equal be- fore the impartial Judge, expecting to be sentenced to their un- changeable state! Then, if a man should ask you, ' What think younow, sir, of living to God ? Is it better to be devoted to him, or to the flesh ? Which now do' you take for the better master? What would you do now if it were all to do again? What would you then say to such a' question? How would you answer it2 Would you make as light of it as now you do ?,' O, sirs, you may hear these things now from your poor fellow-creature, as proud- hearted gallants, or as self -conceited deriders, or as besottedworld- hngs, or senseless blocks, or seCret infidels, that as those (Dent. xxix. 19.) do bless themselves in their hearts, and say, ' We shall have peace; though we walk in the imagination òf our hearts.'
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