He liveth, by whom they are ransom'd who are travelling to heaven, and in the way thither, tho' fools in the world's account, they shall not finally err, Ifa. xxxv. 8--10. In lesser things they may be led aside, but in foundation truths they shall be immoveably fix'd, and by the word given them, escape the path of the destroyer. The deceived and deceiver are both the Lord's, Job. xii. 16. the one to preferve, the other to restrain; so that his ransom'd ones shall come to Sion with fongs, and everlasting joy upon their heads, and jorrow and fighing shall flee away.

9. Under perfecution or fuffering for the sake of Chrift and devotedness to him.

This his followers have been used to, and is what christians walking fuitably to their character, are bid in common to expect, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. And if they are called to refift unto blood, striving against fin, they are not to think strange concerning the fiery trial, as though Some strange thing had happened unto them, I Pet. iv. 12. being plainly told that they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. But in whatever kind or degree appointed to this, knowing their Redeemer liveth, may carry them through with comfort.

He liveth, and in all their afflictions of this kind, hath taken care to let them and their enemies know, he is most nearly concerned; thus calling down from his throne to one that was breathing out laughter against his difciples, Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ? Acts ix. 4.

There

There is an everlasting enmity between the feed of the ferpent and the feed of the woman; hence every Abel has his Cain, and it may be many of them; they that are after the flesh persecuting them that are after the spirit, Gal. iv. 29. But he liveth, who has told his disciples that the quarrel is common to him and them; If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you, John xv. and in that hatred perfecuted him to death, but the comfort is, it could not keep him from rifing and living again, and afcending to reign for ever on high; and as from his fuffering they may learn, that the world's hatred is not new, and so that they are not to look for exemption from it, as the fervant is not greater than the Lord; so from his triumph they may be affured, that to whatever length that hatred proceed, it shall be impotent to their ruin, and no bar to their blessedness. The ground of the world's hatred to the faints, carries this cordial with it, that it speaks them the objects of the Redeemer's love; their relation to him evidenc'd by his likeness, he lets them know is at the bottom of their enemies rage, If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chofen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you : And how calmly may they truft their cause, and themselves in his hand, under hardships brought upon them, as call'd into his kingdom?

He liveth, and tells his fuffering fervants of the care he has taken, that in him they might have peace; and though he tells them likewife, In the world ye shall have tribulation, he immediately adds,

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adds, but be of good chear, I have overcome the world, John xvi. 33.

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He liveth, who went himself from the cross to the throne, and has the greatest happiness to bestow as the purchase of his blood, and that there may be no fear of being a lofer by him, he thus holds it up to my faith under whatever he calls me to fuffer, To him that overcometh will I grant to fit with me in my throne, even as 1 also overcame and am fet down with my Father in his throne, Rev. iii. 21. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life, Rev, ii. 10.

He liveth, and well remembers himself what he deliver'd for the encouragement of his fervants, at the close of his fermon on the mount, Bleffed are they that are perfecuted for righteousness fake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Mat. v. and the greater their present fufferings, the more glorious may be their crown to over-ballance all. The light affliction, which is but for a moment, working for them a far more excecding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. This our Lord repeats again, and leaves upon record, as an everlafting cordial, under the saddest instances of fuffering from an evil world; Blessed are ye when men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fay all manner of evil against you falsly for my jake: rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

He liveth, who hath the government of the world on his shoulders now, and whom God hath ordain'd to be its final judge, whereof he hath given affsurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead, Acts xvii. 31. And though he is at present out of fight, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his faints, to execute judgment upon all; and to convinceall that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, and of all their hard speeches againfthim, Jude xiv. When he will at once prove, that the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, 2 Pet. ii. 9. And that it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to the troublers of his people, and to them that are troubled, everlasting rest, 2 Thef. i. 6, 7.

10. The Redeemer's living is the believer's fecurity against the dread and danger of apoftacy.

Tho' fuch a one looking to himself, may have his fears of perishing by what he may meet with before he get to heaven; or that there will come a day in which he shall not be able to stand, yet looking by faith to Jesus on whom his help is laid, and reading his interest in him, he has reafon to fing, The Lord liveth, and bleffed be my rock; and let the God of my falvation, be exalted, Pfal. xviii. 46.

He liveth, who not only knows his sheep, with unchangeable affection, but being fenfible how prone they are to droop, speaks full their fatisfaction, I give unto them eternal life, and they Shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand, John x. 28, 30. And in regard of a joint concern for the prefervation of fuch, as well as in other respects, he adds, I and my Father are One..

He

He liveth, and in him all the promises of God are yea, and in him amen, 2 Cor. i. 10. partiticularly these, As thy days are, so shall thy Strength be, Deut. xxxiii. 25. God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it, I Cor. x. 13. Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, If. xli. 10.

He liveth, who to all the kind things recorded in the bible, is the faithful and true witness, Rev. i. 5. the mediator and messenger of the covenant, who wears all the perfections that make up the name of God, to make good his word; Mal. iii. 1. and as all that the Father has drawn to him, have an interest in both, the apostle puts the challenge in common, Who shall feparate us from the love of Christ? Rom. viii. 35, 39. He does not say, they may not be tried with what is most terrible to flesh and blood: Tribulation and distress, perfecution and famine, nakedness, peril and fword; but the mention of these serves only to raise his triumph, while looking unto Jesus, Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors thro' him that loved us; for I am perfuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This he elsewhere brings home to himself, and knowing whom he had believed, in a sense of his