Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

2. Though they have outward troubles, yet they have inward, joys and comforts; as they have peace with God, so they have peace in and with themselves; and their joy is such that no man can take it from them; their outward enjoyments and their lives they may take from them, but their comfort and their joy they cannot take from them, Joh. 16.22. the testimony of their Conscience makes them rejoice, 2 Cor. 1.12. they are filled with such inward consolations that they can triumph and sing in their outward tribulations, Rom. 5.3. when cast and bound in prison, Act. 16.23, 24, 25. when beaten and scourged. Act. 5.40, 41. and the sweetness of their inward comforts doth much abate and take away, the bitterness of their outward sorrow. Their troubles you see, their afflictions you see, but their comforts you are strangers to; else you would not be so much prejudiced against the way of holiness for the outward evils that befall them that walk therein.

3. The troubles and the sufferings of God's redeemed ones are but short, but for a little, little while; but the sufferings of the Devil's captives are long and lasting, for a long, a long, a long Eternity. Compare ⟨p. 63⟩their sufferings here, with the eternal joys they shall hereafter have, and they are short; or with the eternal torments that the slaves of Sin shall hereafter feel, and so they are for a moment; at the longest their sufferings shall last, no longer than their life on Earth shall last, and that will be but for a while; after a few more years or months or weeks, and all their sorrow shall be over past and gone; and in as short a time, your joy and ease will pass away and return no more for ever, their sufferings will shortly end, and their rest and ease and joy begin, but never end, and your ease will shortly end, and your sufferings and sorrows will begin, but never end, never end. What think you now? is it not better be in trouble for a while, and afterwards be lodged in a place of everlasting rest, and love and joy, than live at ease a while in sin, and afterwards roll and tumble in a restless Lake of burning Brimstone to all eternity. If you are not of this mind now, it will not be long before you will.