ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 2, 3. 71 the " dragon and his soldiers," Rev. xii. 7. of some sinners being of the devil, animated by his principles, and actuated by his will and commands, 1 John iii. 8. 2 Tim. ii. 26. Satan tempting and sinners embracing and admitting the temptation upon the inducements suggested, hath in it the resemblance of a covenant or compact. There are mutual agreements and promises as between master and servant, one requiring work to be done, and the other expecting wages to be paid for the doing of it. As in buying and selling, one bargains to have a commodity, and the other to have a price valuable for it. Thus we read in . some places of the service of sin, John viii. 34. Rom. vi. 16. 2 Pet. ii. 19. and in others of the wages belonging unto that service, Heb. xi. 25. 2 Pet. ii. l 5. Jude 11. and elsewhere of the covenant, bargain, and sale, for the mutual securing of the service, and of the wages, 1 Kings xxi. 25. Wicked men sell themselves, chaffer and grant away their time, and strength, and wit, and abilities, to be at the will and disposal of Satan, for such profits, pleasures, honours, advantages, as are laid in their way to allure them, and thus do, as it were, with cords bind themselves unto sin, Prov. v. 22. Ahab bought Naboth's vine- yard of the devil, and sold himself for the price in that purchase. Balaam against the light of his own con- science, and the many discoveries of God's dislike, never gives over his endeavours of cursing God's people till he had drawn them into a snare by the Midianitish women, and all to this end, that he might at last overtake the wages of iniquity which he ran so greedily after, Numb. xxii. 15. 21. xxiii. 1. 14. 29. xxxi. 16. Mic. vi. 5. Rev. ii. 14. 2 Pet. ii. 15. Jezebel binds herself by an oath unto murder, 1 Kings xix. 2. Judas makes a bargain for his master's
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