4. How much comfort and encouragement can be drawn from this
our firstborn, or offer thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil, or suffer in hell for a finite number of years. No impossible or harsh penances are required, only "Do whatsoever I command you," and those who have tried them know that his commands are not burdensome, 1 John 5:3. How unreasonable it is not to exchange dung for gold, rags for robes, misery for happiness, hell for heaven, and sin for Christ! Anyone who refuses to become a prince's favourite by performing an easy task deserves to be spurned out of the court without pity. What excuse can there be for someone who will not exchange slavery to the devil for friendship with the Redeemer? Can anyone blame Christ for refusing to have any relation to them and ordering them to depart from him when they refused his friendship and wanted nothing to do with him?
4. How much comfort and encouragement can be drawn from this under all reproaches. Who would care about the barking of dogs when pursuing something with an excellent honour attached to it?
The devil doesn't care about people's opinions of him; he doesn't consider their curses as a loss because he is of a higher nature and continues with his business. Should we, with a divine nature, be discouraged from obeying God because of reproaches? Shall reproaches discourage us from obedience which is attended with such great honour? What is it to be reproached and scorned for a little time here while we have the favour of God, and then after a few nights' sleep be raised out of the dust to glory, to enjoy his friendship forever, and to be in glory where he is? This would be a support when the bullets fly fast around us. It is impossible to be faint-hearted with lively thoughts of such great honour. Weigh this honour seriously and then weigh the obstructions, and see whether the latter is not outweighed by the former. Would a glorified saint, incarnated again in the world, decline the practice of obedience upon such a gallant encouragement, because of reproaches? People might as well