518 BAXTER'S FAREWELL SERMON. he is not overcome, nor will he give up his kingdom or interest in the world. When he letteth the boar into his vineyard, it is not to make it utterly desolate, or turn it common to the barrenwilder- ness ; for, 1. He bath conquered the greatest enemies already, and, there- fore, there remaineth none to conquer him. He bath triumphed over Satan, death and hell he bath conquered sin; and what is there left to depose him from his dominion? 2. He retaineth still his relation to his servants ; whether he be corporally present or absent, le knoweth his own, and it is their care also that, whether present or absent; they may be accepted of him ; 2 Cor. v. 7 -9. He is their head while they are suffer- ing on earth, and, therefore, he feeleth their sufferings and infirm- ities ; Heb. iv. 15. And hence it is that he thus rebuketh a per- secuting zealot, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? " Acts ix. 4. 3. He bath not laid by the least measure of his love ; he loveth us in heaven as-much as he did on earth: "Having loved his own which were in the world, to the end he loved them ; " John xiii. 1. And as Joseph's love could not long permit him to conceal himself from his brethren, but broke out the more violently after a short restraint, so that he fell on their necks and wept; so will not the more tender love of Christ: permit him long to hide his face, or estrange himself from the people of his love, and when he returneth, it will be with redoubled expressions of endearment. 4. His covenant with his servants is still in force; his promises are sure, and shall never be broken, though the performance be not so speedy as we desire. " Know, therefore, that the Lord thy 'God he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them : he wilt not be slack to him that hateth him ; he will repay him to his face ; " Dent. vii. 9. " He keepeth cotenant and mercy with his servants .that walk before him with all their heart ; " 1 Kings viii. 23. 'Dan. ix. 4. Neh. i. 5. and ix. 32. And it is the promise of Christ, when he departed' from his servants, that "He.will come again and take them to himself, that 'where he is, there they may be also ; " John xiv. 3. and xii. 26. 5. His own interest, and honor, and office, and,preparations,' do engage him to return to his disconsolate flock his jewels and pe- culiar treasure are his interest; Mal. iii. 17. 1 Pet. ii. 9. Ex- pdus xix. 5. He that bath chosen but a little flock, (Luke xii. 32.) and confineth his interest and treasure into such a narrow compass, will not forsake that little flock, but secure them to his
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