Section 6

SECT VI.

It is now time that we make a due application of these faithful sayings. And there is a double exhortation which I have to manage.

The first exhortation, is,

Let us all resolve to engage ourselves in the service of God.

To quicken you to it;

Consider seriously, who your fellow-servants are, when once you serve the Almighty God. O come in, and serve God, for shame; lest in the whole world, you have none but devils to bear you company: and will you be of their side, of their sort? Rebellion truly is as the sin of witchcraft, for this piece of madness in it. All other beings make a surrender of themselves to the service of God; and it is said of them in (Psalms 119:91), All are your servants. O do not you stand out. Hearken, you immortal souls; you have the call of Christians to entice you into this happy service. All the eminent believers of the by-past ages, the men of whom the world was not worthy, all these do with one voice, and a loud one, urge this upon you; Come and serve our God, as we have done before you. Even James himself, the kinsman of the Lord, is ambitious rather of this denomination: the servant of the Lord. And puissant emperors before now have gladly espoused such a title as that, the vassals of the Lord. More than this, you have the call of angels to incite you thereunto. Those bright morning stars ask this of you, Will you come and move in our sphere? They all are the servants of the Lord, and they do his pleasure. At his beck they clap their silver wings, and they do his commandments. An angel said once to John the Apostle, I am your fellow-servant. That angel is yet alive; and he makes the motion to every one of us, Will you be my fellow-servant before the Lord? Yes, the Son of God himself gives you this call. Of him says our God, in (Isaiah 42:1), Behold my servant! Shall God say thus of Christ, and shall he not say it of you? O do not scorn to be the servant of that God, who has for a servant him whom all the third heaven is with endless raptures adoring of.

Consider, yet again, what your service is, while you serve the Almighty God. No service was ever so delightsome as this — it is all peace, and perfect peace. No service was ever so profitable; it brings in those things the gain whereof is better than fine gold; you shall be sure to experiment the truth of that maxim, God is a rewarder. No service was ever so honorable. It prefers us to be favorites of a greater monarch than he that had a hundred and twenty-seven provinces under him. A service do we count it? No, it is a freedom. We are lords when we are the Lord's; then, as he said, sumus Domini, is true, not only in genitivo singulari, but in nominativo plurali. It is a freedom — yes, it is a kingdom. It gives us to sing, Lord, you have made us kings and priests. It has been well said, Deo servire est regnare. We have crowns on our heads all the while we are in the service of God; but how massy, how weighty will they be grown when our pay-day comes! Every servant of God may now say, as in (2 Timothy 4:8), Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. But then, then, we shall ascend those glittering and glorious thrones which eye has not seen; on them we shall be ever with the Lord.

Consider, finally (and let me warn you faithfully), if you do not resolve to serve God, it had been good for you that you never had been born. All that forsake the service of God are employed in another service, which every soul may tremble at the description of; it is a service to those hellish tigers in (Ephesians 2:2), the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and the lust of the flesh. You cast off the service of one; but you incur a bondage to three: let horror seize you, O man, and let your ears tingle at the intimations of it. The world, the flesh, and the devil are your lords, if God has not service from you. All the galleys in the Mediterranean Sea cannot show a more dismal vassalage! And what will the issue of that service be? Truly, the wages — is death. God will not save you, if you do not serve him. You that now grind for the Philistines of hell every day must one day be requited with only coals and wounds for all your fatal drudgeries; and though you then roar, Lord, pity me! he will reply with a furious rebuke, Depart, I know you not.

Let me then address you in the words of Joshua; choose now whom you will serve. Come, speak up; come to some resolution. Say, will you serve the cursed and cruel enemies of your souls? Or will you serve the God whom it is good for you to draw near to? O make this return, Lord, we come to you, for you are the Lord our God.