lead us to living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. When he comes, all those dear friends of ours, which have slept in Jesus, will God bring with him; and we, which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with . them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

DISCOURSE VIII.

A MEDITATION ON

PSALM CXVI. 16.

O Lord, I am thy servant; truly I am thy servant, and the son of thine hand-maid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

"THOU hast made me free, and I am impatient to be bound again. Thou hast broken the bonds of sin; now, Lord, bind me with the cords of love. Thou hast delivered me from the tyranny of Satan, make me as one of thy hired servants. I owe my

liberty, my life, and all that I have, or hope, to thy generous rescue: and now, O my gracious, my divine Friend and Redeemer, I lay myself and my all at thy feet."

Right, my fellow Christians; it is the very language that was expected from you. The Lord Jesus Christ will force no man into his service: It is an unspeakable favour that he will accept those who are disposed to offer themselves. When he had, by a most surprising method, effected our deliverance from the power of sin and Satan, he did not, with the stern authority of a conqueror, say, "Now I have saved your lives at the expence of my own, I insist upon it, that you take my yoke upon you, and do whatsoever I think fit to command." No; with a generosity peculiar to himself, as soon as he had set

you at liberty, and you could not but own, that you were free indeed, he sent me to you with this gracious proposal; "Choose you this day, whom you will serve." And who can conceive the satisfaction he felt, when he just now saw you eagerly coming into his presence, and heard one crying, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant;" and another, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant." Suppose now, then, [in this little interval, before the indentures are signed and sealed, that are publicly to bind you; to Christ's service for ever,] that I were in a few words to remind you of what Christ will expect from his servants, and what his servants may expect from him.

He expects, then, that you renounce all other masters. No man can serve God and mammon; or God and any sin whatever. Indeed, in subordination to God, we may serve our fellow creatures: as children may obey their parents; subjects their prince; and servants, their master. In many things, God and men may be served at the same time. But where a divine precept directs one way, and any human power, or corrupt inclination, would lead us another, we must immediately, and invariably, disclaim all that would usurp the rights of the Almighty. For it is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; and him only shalt thou serve." If, therefore, there have been any sin, that has formerly reigned in your heart or life, and resisted the authority of Christ, you must instantly and heartily depose and renounce it. "Yes, gracious Lord; most cheerfully do I agree to this. Other Lords, besides thee, have had dominion over me; but henceforth I will make men

tion of thy name only. If sin, or Satan, or the world, should lay their commands upon me, and insist upon my compliance as formerly, I will tell them, that I have changed masters, and am no longer their servant; but that I have devoted myself to the service of God."

Again, Christ expects that his servants should obey him out of choice and sincere affection. Thus David speaks of himself: "Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear." He meant not a slavish fear," that is forced up merely to avoid punishment; but an ingenuous, filial, godly principle, in which reverence and love are united. It is excellently described in the words of Isaiah: "All the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants; every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer!" "Yes, gracious Lord, most cheerfully do I agree to this also. I would rather be bound than not. My heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; and therefore I care not what bonds thou layest upon me. I was glad when I heard that thou wouldst condescend to make any proposals; and when I knew what they were, I was impatient to subscribe them."

Once more, Christ expects, that if any man serve him, he should follow him. This is evident; for his servants we are, whom we obey; and the very employment implies our being bound to do what we are bidden, without any exception. The good centurion has well expressed our duties, when he thus speaks of

those who were under his authority: "I say to one' Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” So must we act in whatever Christ may appoint. It is vain to call him, Lord, Lord; to give him titles of respect, and profess subjection to him, if we do not the things which he commands. To choose our work, to do one part, and leave the rest undone, is rather following our own inclination, than doing the will of our Master. But Christ not only expects us to obey him for some days, or some years: he requires that we should be servants for life, like the Hebrew domestic, whose ear was bored, and who was bound to serve his Master for ever. "Yes, gracious Lord, with all my soul I agree to this also. What wilt thou have me to do? Thy service is perfect freedom. O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, or the honey-comb. It is, therefore, with the greatest readiness and pleasure, that I here solemnly engage, through thy grace assisting me, to be steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

But I promised to tell you also, what you may expect from Christ, for none ever served him for nought. In general, I might say, that you will receive every thing which a prudent and generous Master will bestow upon a faithful and willing servant. But more particularly, you may expect assistance and protection in your work. He is not like task-masters, who require brick without straw. No; Christ's yoke