An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Now whether God teacheth us by his Word, or by his Rod (which is the teaching of this context) O how readily should we obey and serve him! To serve him is not only the design of our being made free, that is, we were not only made free to serve him, but to serve him is our freedom (as was touched before) yea, to serve him is not only to be free, but to serve him is to reign and rule. They that serve God to purpose reign over the lusts of the evil World without, and over their own lusts within; nor can any reign over the lusts of the world without, or their own within, but only they who serve him, and only so far as they serve him. Every gracious act of service to God is the subjugation or bringing under of some lust or other in man.

Now whether God teacheth us by his Word, or by his Rod (which is the teaching of this context) O how readily should we obey and serve him! To serve him is not only the design of our being made free, that is, we were not onely made free to serve him, but to serve him is our freedom (as was touch't before) yea, to serve him is not onely to be free, but to serve him is to reign and rule. They that serve God to purpose reign over the lusts of the evil World without, and over their own lusts within; nor can any reign over the lusts of the world without, or their own within, but only they who serve him, and only so far as they serve him. Every gracious act of service to God is the subjugation or bringing under of some lust or other in man.

Now if any should say, surely this is a very sad Life, to be always serving, or to lead only the life of a servant.

Now if any should say, surely this is a very sad Life, to be alwayes serving, or to lead only the life of a servant.

I answer, To serve God, or the service of God is sweet, pleasant and easy in a twofold respect. Fist, comparatively, to the service of sin and the world, of lust and the devil; that's a weariness indeed as well as a baseness. Secondly, It is easy also if we consider the help we have in it. The people of God serve him in a Covenant of Grace, which, as it calls them to work, so it gives them help to work. The New Covenant doth not call us (as Pharaoh did the children of Israel) to make brick and deny us straw; yea, under that Covenant, we have not only straw afforded us to make our brick, but we have strength afforded us to make our brick; that is, the very power by which we serve our Master is given in by our Master. The Masters of this world set us a work, but they give us no strength, but what work soever God sets his Covenant-servants about, he gives them strength to do it. Then, O how sweet is it to serve him, and how readily should our hearts come off in his service! Let me add one thing more (which brings us to the next words) serve him, for his is not a lean service, not an unprofitable service, there is a