16 coming is at our midnight. A tle(1 con flant r manebat in fuo fen. fu, mim- e/Jilin/a fa- cile trans. ivit in fen- tentiam Luth, in Gen. 3. Duty. nion ; But fhe did fo conftantly abide in her fence, that, Fa- cile tranlivie infententiammarls , he eafily turned to his mo- thers opinion. And indeed, what. more convincing to an adverfary then to fee one conftantly abiding by what is good? A Chriftian , efpecially a Chriftian Magiftrate , fhould be like to Chrift , who when he is in a way of mercy, will not be put out of his wayby men. Ifaiah. 27. verfe 4. who Would fet the bryars and thornes againft me in battell1 I Would go through them , I would burne them together. At the 2. and 3. verfe , he fpeakes of his great love ,'and care to and of his Church : rid vine-yard of red wine, I the Lorddo keepe it, I will water it every moment, leaft any hurt it,Iwill keep it night and day. I but in this vine-yard , there may be many briars and thornes, that may arife up to Gods people. True, But ( fayes the Lord) who would fet the briars and thornes againft me in battell ? I would go through them. As if he fhould fay, Indeed thefe wicked men are as briars and thornes, rending and tearing my poore people, and as briars and thornes they do conjoyne and twill together ; but though they do rife up againft me in the way of my mercy towards my people , yet they (hall not put me out of my way , I will even paffe throughthem : yea, and though they do rife, it fhall be to their owne ruine , they (hall burne together, I would burne them together, I theLordwould pafle through them.Now our Lord andSaviour Jefus Chrift,I hope, is in the way ofmercy to this poore Kingdome ; but certainly , he is upon the way to hisown Kingdome; and though wicked men may obftrat , and hinder us , they (hall never hinder him but he will park through them. Oh ! therefore, labour more and more to be like to Chrift , keepon your way; for though it be late ere he come, yet he will certainly come, he comes at midnight. Thirdly , If Jefus Chrift have come unto us even at mid- night : why fhould not all of us go forth to meet him with tome prefent of thankfulneffe ? The more abundant, full, free, and continued any mercy is , the more it doth call for thankfulnefle. Chrift hath been in the field for you and fought your
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