An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners

2. The election also is changed, so that he chooses another way. Psal. 119. 30. He pitches upon God as his blessedness, and upon Christ as the principal, and holiness as the subordinate means, to bring him to God. John 14. 6. Rom. 2. 7. He chooses Jesus for his Lord. Col. 2. 6. He is not merely forced into Christ by the storm, nor doth he take Christ for bare necessity, as the man begged from the Gallows, when he takes the wife, rather than the halter: but he comes off freely in the choice, This match is not made in a fright, as with the terrified conscience, or dying sinner, that will seemingly do any thing for Christ, but doth only take Christ, rather than hell: but he deliberately resolves, that Christ is his best choice, Phil. 1. 23. and would rather have him to choose, than all the good of this world, might he enjoy it while he would. Again he takes holiness for his path. He doth ⟨p. 31⟩not out of mere necessity submit to it: but he likes and loves it. I have chosen the way of thy Precepts. Psal. 119. 173. He takes Gods testimonies not as his bondage, but his heritage, yea his heritage for ever: v. 111. he counts them not his burden, but his bliss; not his cords, but his cordials. 1 John 5. 3. Psal. 119. 14, 16, 47. He doth not only bear, but take up Christs yoke. He takes not holiness, as the stomach doth the loathed potion, (which it will down with rather than dye) but as the hungry doth his beloved food. No time passes so sweetly with him (when he is himself) as that he spends in the exercises of holiness; these are both his aliment, and his element, the desire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart.