Twenty Direaiens for denying Life. tire in .their stead. Will any man fay, thefe ragsare loft ? At leaft they will not fay that theman is a lofer by the change. that is not loft that is committed to God, upon the groundof a promife. Nor that which is laid out in his Service, at his command. Reafop will tell us, that no man can be a tofer by a courfe of fubmiffive Obedience to God. You cannot be at fo much con for him, or offer him fo dear a fervice, which he is not able and willing to fatisfie you for a thoufand fold. God will not be beholden to any man. You cannot bringhim in your debt, beyond what he doth by his bountiful! pro- mife : But if you could, he would not continue inyour debt. You'l make nothing of your death,ifyou do not either under-, goe it for Chrift, or bear it fubmiffively by the power of heavenly love constrainingyou. Meerly to diewhether youwill or no, as a fruit of fin, is common to the moil ungodly men: But if the love of God can make you voluntarily fubmit to death ( whether natural, or violent from perfecutors ) what a glorious advantage may you make of it ? You will 1, Put your falvation moreout of doubt then any other courfe this world could do. For whofoever perifheth, its molt cer.. taro that fuch, as thefe (hall be faved. 2. And therefore you may diewith the greateft confidence and joy, as having lieu the matter of your doubts removed, and dying in thevery exercife of thofe graces that have the promife of falvation and in fuch a ftate as hath the fulleft and moft frequent pro:. miles in the Gofpel. 3. And then the Crown ofMartyrdom. is the molt glorious Crown. You will not have an ordinary place in heaven. Thefe are that part of the Heavenly Holt that ftand neereft to theThrone of God, and that praife him with the higheft joyes, who hath brought them through trig- bulations,and redeemed them by his blood. If a man should make a motion to you to exchangeyour cottage for a Pallace and a Kingdom, you would not flick at it as if it were againft you, becaufe you muff leaveyour ancient home : And how much letsIhould you be againft it, when you are but moved to stepout ofyour ruinous Cottage intoglory,wheu it would fhortly fall upon your heads, and you mull leave it whether youwill or no, for nothing 1 D d 9>W1 t 201
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