Several Works, Work 2 (3 of 3)

Several Works · Work 2 (3 of 3)

p. 695. Another Ʋſe then ſhall be tending to the wooing of ſome poor Ʋſe 5.ſouls, this day to accept of the Son of God, the Lord Jeſus, and of his love, and to make up the match with him, this is our work indeed. And O that it might proſper in the hand of a poor unworthy ſervant and friend of the Bridegroom, this day; you have heard Who he is, and What he is; you have heard already the glorious priviledges which ariſe from a cloſure with him; yea how often have you heard theſe things, and yet you are coy, and hang back. I am come this day brethren to tell you, the ſum of the meſſage is, that the Lord Jeſus is willing to have you, if you be willing to have him. How long ſhall the Lord Jeſus follow you with theſe mercies, the price of his moſt precious blood; and yet you ſlight him. What can you deſire, that is not to be had in Jeſus Chriſt. If you would have beauty, he is the chief of ten thouſand. If you would have riches, you ſhall have all things with Cant. 5. 10. Rom. 8. 27.Song 5:10Rom 8:27Chriſt, how ſhall he not with him give us all things? Would you be honourable, thoſe are truely honourable that God honours? now he will honour them that will honour him and honour his Son. And wherein is he and his Son honoured, but in this, if we believe in his name, give him the glory of his mercy and faithfulneſs, …at I were able to ſpeak of him, ſo as that you might ſome of you fall in love with him this day, Shall I a little ſtir you up to this!

Firſt, If you have him not, you are like to live and dye under that cruel husband, the Law and Sin, the Law as it is the ſtrength of ſin which is the cruelleſt bondage in the world, the Law 1. It commands a moſt abſolute obedience and conformity to it ſelf, there muſt not be the leaſt turning aſide to the right hand, or to the left, not a lota be miſſed, all things obeyed, and continued in, and that upon pain of an eternal curſe, curſed is every one that continueth not in every thing which is written to do it, it is a moſt rigorous exacter p. 70of obedience to its cominands, there is no pitying, no ſparing, as Mal. 3. 17.Mal 3:17there is now in Jeſus Chriſt, he pityeth and ſpa…eth, as a father his ſon, as a husband his ſpouſe. If a man could from his youth up keep all, and but miſs it in a word, in a vain thought all his life time, there is no pity, no ſparing, it condemneth to the lowermoſt …ell. O what a condition are you in, ſinners, upon whom all your breaches of this Law doth lye! 2. It is a cruel bondage; becauſe it giveth no ſtrength, if it did impoſe never ſo much, if it did give any ſtrength, it were ſomething. It is true we had ſtrength which God gave us at the firſt, until we wantonly fell, and broke our bones, & ſo brought weakneſs upon our ſelves, but now in this condition, yet, we are under the Law as a husband, which will command peremptorily, but giveth us no power, like the the Egyptians task-maſters, they would have them make bricks, and yet give them no ſtraw; and yet the Law is holy juſt and good. Now the Lord Jeſus, what he commandeth, he giveth ſtrength to perform. 3. It admitteth of noſurety, we muſt do it our ſelves obey to the utmoſt our ſelves, or elſe be ruined to the utmoſt, periſh to the utmoſt, curſed is every one that continueth not in every thing, one man, cannot be accepted for another, the ſoul that ſinneth it ſhall dye. And 4. Yea more then all this, It provokes us as we are corrupt to break it, as a bank againſt a ſtrong ſtream Col. 3. 10.Col 3:10it maketh it ſwell and rage, the motions of ſin which were by the Law, this is by the Law, but not from the Law, but from our corrupt hearts, but ſin takes occaſion by the commandment, nitimur in vetitum cupimuſque negata like wild Aſſes Colts, when the law Rom. 7, 5.Rom 7:5cometh to yoak us, and hamper us, we break the y…ak, and the bands, as the Prophet ſpeaks, will not endure to be held. Now is not this a ſad condition, to be under ſuch a hus…d as this; and yet how many of us are in this caſe, and contented ſo to be? Well, remember brethren, the end of theſe things will be bitterneſs and death, that is the wages.

2. Another Motive, may be this, he is ready to cloſe with you, if ye be ready to cloſe with him, be you what you will, never ſo vile in your own eyes, for it may be this is the diſcouragement of many; they would rather then their lives, have the Lord Jeſus for a husband; but alas, there is no beauty in them; he is the chief of ten thouſand, and they are the vileſt of ten thouſand, the chief of ſinners, he altogether lovely, they altogether loathſom; p. 71He is white and ruddy, they are black and bloody; lying in their blood and filthineſs, caſt out to the loathing of their perſons, and what hope can they have that he will accept of them? very great hopes brethren, for this is the tenour of the Goſpel to be preached to every Creature, without exception or Limitation, and every one that believeth in him, cometh to him, he will in no wiſe caſt out, if he would, what had become of Paul or Manaſſeh, ſay not then, Alas I am poor and miſerable, and naked, yea Leprous and filthy, and therefore it is not for for ſuch a one as I, to think on Chriſt; indeed, thou canſt not think of him, until he, firſt think of…hee, nor work towards him, until his heart hath been working towards thee, and is not that demonſtrate that he is willing to receive thee, to make a match with thee, though we be worms, and no men, have cauſe to cry out, if we were never ſo holy, Lord, what is man that thou art ſo mindful of him, as to viſit him with ſuch ſalvation, make him ſo near thy ſelf in thy ſon. Yea ſurely he is willing, he would not have moved towards thee elſe, he doth not uſe to mock poor Creatures to make them believe his heart is towards them, and when their heart echo again and ſay thy face Lord will we ſeek, then to ſhut up his bowels, and ſhut out their deſires. Brethren, take heed of too much being alive to the Law, for that ſeemeth to be the ſavour of our ſpirit, while unworthineſs is the obſtruction to our coming to Jeſus Chriſt: we muſt be dead, brethren, to the Law and the righteouſneſs thereof, all our performances and beſt duties, elſe we cannot live to Jeſus Chriſt: The Lord Jeſus never matched with a Creature becauſe it was worthy of him, of ſo near an union with him, for alas, what creature, being but a creature, can be wotthy of ſuch an union with the Lord of life and glory. Mal. 3. 2.Mal 3:2No, no he …akes an Ethiopian and waſheth her clean from her filthineſs before he hath done with her, nothing but that fullers ſope will fetch out the ſpots. Yea I will ſay one thing more, that the Lord Jeſus never▪ Matched with any that thought themſelves worthy of him, there is an encouragement to ſuch poor drooping ſo…l…, did Paul think himſelf worthy of Chriſt? nothing leſs nor any of the Saints. He that will not have Chriſt freely, is never like to have him, I will love them freely ſaith he; No, ſaith many a proud ſinner, thou ſhalt not love us freely, we hope to approve our ſelves worthy of thy love, I tell you brethren ſuch a ſoul hath not known what the meaning of grace is to this day, Well, p. 72then remember, be you as unworthy as you can, in your own apprehenſion, all the mercies of God, purchaſed by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt they are freely offered and tendered to you this day, to thee man, to thee woman, that art viler then the earth in thine own eyes, yea to hard hearted ſinners, that ſee not themſelves, they are tendered to melt them down, and if this will not do it, nothing will do it. O that I could ſpeak of theſe bowels, with ſuch bowels as ſome of your hearts might be ſtirred, and moved this day, but ſo much for this ſecond!

3. Motive, the Lord Jeſus is not only willing thus to communicate himſelf to poor ſinners, but it is his delight ſo to do, It is the ſatisfaction of the ſoul of Jeſus Chriſt, when he beholdeth the precious mercies purchaſed by his blood accepted of by poor ſinners Iſa. 53. 11. Iohn 3. 15.Isa 53:11John 3:15and to work mightily in them and to them. He ſhall ſee his Seed and ſhall be ſatisfied; the father is ſatisfied, and the ſon is ſatisfied, when they behold this, this is all that they expect, the father for his love, ſuch a love, as the world cannot paralel, a Sic without a Siout, God ſo loved the world, It is all he expecteth that thoſe mercies which he hath purchaſed ſhould be freely be beſtowed upon, and freely accepted of by poor ſinners, and it is the ſatisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt alſo, it is all he expecteth of us, I ſay the continual ſtreaming of that fountain opened for ſin and for uncleaneſs they are as if he had ſaid, I have enough for all my pains, my ſweat, my agony, my eclipſing, for the pangs of hell in my ſoul, for my death, and blood and burial, all the contempts powred out upon me, and the ſorrow …endured, though there was never grief like mine, yet this is enough ſaith he, he ſhall be ſatisfied, if he do but ſee poor ſinners to receive him, and ſo become his Seed, cloſe with him and ſo become his spouſe, for it is the ſame thing, though clothed with a diverſe Metaphor. Brethren, i… may be, you would ſatisfie Chriſt another way, you would do this and that for him, Labour as abundantly as you can, be as holy as you can, perform your duties in as lively a manner as you can: but when you have done all, if you hang your peace and comfort upon this, and not in your free acceptance of Chriſt: and with Chriſt, you ſeem yet to be marryed to the Law, and not to Chriſt, or at leaſt you turn aſide to your former Husband, a Covenant of works, this is a diſſatisfactiou to Jeſus Chriſt: as if there were not riches of grace in him to ſwallow up all your unworthineſs. p. 73O Brethren that the Lord would perſwade your hearts this day, what a delight and ſatisfaction it is to him to ſee poor ſinners come and lye at his foot and willing to receive him, to match with him, notwithſtanding their unworthineſs!

4. Conſider but how little a thing will do the deed, and eſpouſe thee to the Lord Jeſus, Alas you will ſay, you find it a hard thing to believe, as hard a thing as to keep the Law. It is ſo, in reſpect of our ſtrength, but many they miſtake, and think except they have ſuch and ſuch a ſtrength of faith they have none at all, nor do not cloſe with him nor he with them. If they could ſay with Thomas my Lord and my God, or with the Iſa. 45. 22.Isa 45:22ſpouſe, my beloved is mine and I am his, then there were ſome encouragement indeed. Brethren if it be but as a grain of Muſtardſeed, it will do the deed, look upon me all ye ends of the earth and be ye ſaved; A look upon a woman to luſt after her is Adultery in heart, it is a heart union of two to one fleſh, for it is yet the heart, the mind that ſeeth more then the eye; the eye may look upon many things, and diſcern nothing diſtinctly if the mind be upon another thing, ſo here; why ſhould not a look after Jeſus Chriſt to deſire him, when the ſoul hath a ſight of him paſsing by in his Glory. O that he were my Husband! O that I were Marryed to him! that he would accept of me! O happy ſouls that enjoy ſeeking communion with him! This, Brethren at the firſt, is enough to make a Match between us. As the Lord Jeſus is willing to have thee, art thou willing poor trembling ſoul to have him? have him thou ſhalt, yea thou haſt him already though this ſaith muſt grow up to a greater meaſure, happily, before thou caſt diſcern it or have the comfort of it.

Only leſt any ſhould be miſtaken, I will here give a word or Direction or Caution.

Firſt; take heed of thinking thou art willing when thou art not, for as there are many poor drooping ſouls who think they are not willing to have Chriſt when it is that their ſouls do ever break for longing after, ſo on the other hand there are many will ſay, If this be all, it is an eaſie matter, we are all willing to have Chriſt, O that you were brethren! if you were willing to have him, ſure you would make more after him then you do, many of you, he may go whither he will, you never miſs him, never troubled for want of him. Believe it, you are not willing to have him, p. 74there goeth more to a willingneſs in ſincerity, then you are aware of. And then on the other hand, thoſe which are willing are ready to think▪ Alas, they cannot finde their hearts willing, they are afraid they may deceive themſelves; But what is it man that maketh thee walk ſo heavily, ſo carefully, ſo droopingly? is it not the want of Jeſus Chriſt? what is it that thy ſoul cryeth out for to God, early and late? ſo that heaven and earth is full of thy ſighs, and groans, and tears: is it no… for Jeſus Chriſt? What is the reaſon that thy ſoul followeth ſo hard after God? if thou be not willing to have him. What is the reaſon elſe, that all comforts wherewith thou aboundeſt yield thee no ſatisfaction, they are nothing to thee? No, thou muſt have Chriſt or elſe thou dyeſt, and yet thinkeſt thou are not willing to have him. O ſurely brethren, here is a willingneſs, take him, take him then poor ſoul, Behold his arms are open to embrace thee, his heart is open to receive thee! O embrace him, cloſe with him, and take the comfort of it that thou maiſt walk cheerfully before him for ever!

2. Again, Be ſure Brethren that you chooſe Chriſt: and not ſomewhat elſe inſtead of him, Choice is an act of the reaſon, and judgement, and ſo muſt we proceed upon judgement, mature conſideration of things, elſe it will never hold, we ſhall miſtake the object, take ſomewhat elſe for Chriſt. Or elſe if we pitch upon the Object it will be ſo ſlightly, as not to make a Marriagecloſure: The Apoſtle ſaith the Love of Chriſt conſtraineth us becauſe 2 Cor. 5. 1…. H…ſ. 2. 19.2 Cor 5:1we thus Judge, if Chriſt dyed for all, then were all dead, there is an object of Judgement going before the conſtraining of that love of Chriſt, ſo ſome underſtand that, I will eſpouſe, or betroth thee to my ſelf in Judgement, not only on his part, but on our part, it ſhall be in Judgement, uſually the Affections, or paſſions theſe are violent, like a Land-flood, yet having not a ſpring to feed them, they are quickly dryed up.

1. Then, Be ſure you chooſe not the proſperity you expect to accompany Chriſt inſtead of him. How many followed him for Iohn 6. 26.John 6:26the loa…es, they were not in love with Chriſt, but the loaves, they loved their own bellies, and not the Lord Jeſus as the Apoſtle Luke 3. 58.Luke 3:58ſpeaks. And therefore our Saviour deals plainly with men? At the firſt, you dream of outward felicity if you have me, you are deceived ſaith our Saviour, the Foxes have holes, the birds of the p. 75Air neſts, &c. If that men did certainly know they muſt ſuffer perſecution for the name of God, the name of Chriſt, as all that will live godly in this world, muſt do it more or leſs: I doubt this would quench thoſe wiſhes and velleities that ſometimes they have towards Jeſus Chriſt. Do not miſtake if you have him, you In Rom. ….muſt expect trouble with him, troubles within, and troubles without, ſuch as you never likely met with before: and if you cannot be willing to take him with his reproaches, his poverty, his nakedneſs, his impriſonments, you are not worthy of him.

2. Be ſure you chooſe not his graces, or any thing but himſelf primarily, many would have him, but what is it they mind or eye? that they might have peace, and comfort, and pardon of ſin, and this and that priviledge; but they do not pitch upon Chriſt himſelf primarily as the fountain. Well then labour to fall in love with his perſon, to ſee ſome excellency in Chriſt, that you apprehend not before; O! when the ſoul hath his beauty, lovelineſs to know him, that the fulneſs of the Godhead is in him, that he is the expreſs image or Character of his Fathers Perſon, Heb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3then to chuſe him upon ſuch grounds and deliberates is likely to hold. This is the rooting, Brethren, which the word of grace hath in the heart; the depth of earth whereupon a well poyſed judgement we chooſe the Lhrd Jeſus; that we ſee ſo much in him of worth, that we are now ſatisfied; come life, come death, come poverty, come perſecution, come what can come, there is enough in him to make up all: until we come to this, Brethren explicitly or implicitly, it will hardly hold. O therefore Brethren labour to ſtudy Chriſt and his excellency, whereby he is the chief of ten thouſand, Beg of him to manifeſt himſelf to you, that you may judiciouſly chooſe him.

Uſe 6. Shall be for exhortation to the people of God, ſuch as the Lord hath given …ower to believe in the Lord Jeſus and Ʋſe 6.cloſe with him▪ he hath made you willing to have him, and upon his own terms you ſhould be exhorted in that.

1. To labour to make it… ſure that you have the match made up between Chriſt and your ſouls; for he loſeth much of his honour, and your ſouls the comfort of your condition in a great part, becauſe you are not ſure it is ſo. Surely he is willing to ſeal it up p. 76to you with the privy ſeal, the ſeal of his Spirit witneſſing, to your ſpirits that you are his: Yea, and he hath promiſed too in that place, where he betrotheth his people to himſelf; I will ſay to Hoſ. 2. 23.Hos 2:23them, you are my people, and ye ſhall ſay, thou art my God. Thou canſt not ſay he is thy beloved, or thy beloved is thine▪ and thou art his: but obſerve, he hath promiſed that he▪ will ſpeak firſt to thy ſoul, and ſay thou art mine, and then the ſoul ſhall ſay, thou art mine, my husband, my God; for the thing expreſſed by both is the ſame. There are many othe promiſes of the like ki…d, why do not we let them lye dormant, and do not put them in ſuit more earneſtly in the Court of heaven? were we not much wanting to our ſelves herein, it would be much more comfortable for us then it is?

2. Yea though thou haſt not thus far aſſurance that it is ſo, and the match made up between thee, and the Lord Jeſus, yet take heed of a iealous heart of him, as if he were unwilling to match with thee, or as if he were off and on, and did but mock thee, becauſe thou findeſt it not in ſo full a meaſure as thou wouldeſt, what will more grieve him then this? what could he have done more then he hath done, to manifeſt his willingneſs to receive all that come to him, that are made willing through grace to receive him? You have his promiſe, which uſually among honeſt men, is as good as their Bond and we build upon it: And what do you make of Jeſus Chriſt? is he not upright, and juſt, and true? hath he ſaid it, and will he not make it good? hath he not ſaid, as many as come to him, he will in no wiſe caſt out, and is …is word worth Ioh. 5. 37.John 5:37nothing? indeeed if a man fail once in his word, we will hardly truſt him the ſecond time, and if ever ſinners or Satan can come forth and ſay, that the Lord Jeſus made a promiſe, and was not as good as his word, then you may indeed have a jealouſie of him … Ioh. 5. Epheſ 4. 30.John 5Eph 4:30but they cannot, they cannot, the Devil will tell you, his promiſe of the ſeed of the woman breaking the Serpents head, he hath felt to his wounding: and his promiſe of Satans falling down like lightning, and there is not a ſinner in hell can charge the Lord Jeſus with breach of promiſe. But it may be this is not enough to poor unbelieving ſouls, therefore you ſhall have it written, and ſealed, and witneſſed, there are witneſſes in heaven and upon Earth, and ſeals: the Sacraments, the broad ſeal, and privy ſeal of the ſpirit, yea there is an oath alſo to make it good, what would p. 77you have more? what can you deſire more then this? would you ſee the work done, why is not the giving up of Jeſus Chriſt to the death for ſinners, the greateſt part of the work? Sure if ever, he would have baulkt there, and yet you ſee it ſtuck not: O therefore be not jealous of him, who hath ſo freely and ſo largely Luke 1. 75.Luke 1:75laid out himſelf for ſinners.

3. Now then ye that are Saints indeed love the Lord Jeſus. O love the Lord ye his Saints: None have ſuch reaſon to love him, as they that have taſted of his love; if there be any ingenuity in Pſal. 31. 23. Pſal▪ 91. …4.Ps 31:23Ps 91:4us, love will beget love as one flame begets another; becauſe he hath ſet his love upon me, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, therefore I will deliver him: if we could love the Lord Jeſus more, we ſhould be delivered more from thoſe evils we mourn under: How lamentable a thing is it, how much love have we for Creatures, and how little love for Jeſus Chriſt? did Husband or Wife die for us? ranſom us from the pit and hell? I hope there are ſome of his people (believe it) that have more affection for Jeſus Chriſt, then ever they had for the Creature. Ah bleſſed ſouls! how infinitely are you engaged to him, for ſo fully ſeizing upon your hearts! O who are you, that you ſhould be able, thus entirely to love the Lord Jeſus, and admitted to it! but thus it is, and magnifie his Name. But alas, for the moſt part, the complaint of the people of God is, they cannot love him. O labour to Deu. 30 6.Deut 30:6get thoſe carnal affections mortified, the fore-skins of our heart taken away, and our heart circumciſed, and then we ſhall love him: you have a promiſe, improve it for that end. If we could but ſpare time to ſet our ſelves to it, to ſtudy his heart towards us, and ours towards him, his excellency and lovelineſs, we could not but love him. O beg the ſpreading abroad of his love, ſheding Rom. 5. 5.Rom 5:5it abroad, not only upon our underſtandings but our affections; for no further then he ſheds it, will it ſpread; it will ſtay in the brain, in the underſtanding; if the paſſages between head and heart be not opened by him, we ſhall never be affected and warmed by it.

Alas you will ſay, our diſtances are ſo great that kils our love: No brethren, that cannot be, the diſtances are not ſo great now: for the relation between Chriſt and thy ſoul, if thou believeſt, is the neareſt relation: he is one Spirit with thee, and therefore there is not ſuch a diſtance; and though in reſpect of dignity and p. 78worth there be a diſtance, yet remember, now we are … part of himſelf, and partake with him of his dignities alſo: but however love knoweth not that over-much aw and reſpect as to kill it, but it will be working towards the perſon beloved; Mary Magdalen loving him holds him by the feet and weeps over him. If a Prince will marry a begger, ſurely he will take it well, and expecteth it, to be loved of her, and he would not be pleaſed with ſuch a dejection in reſpect of her own vileneſs as to quaſh her love, yea brethren, me thinks the meaner we ſee our ſelves, the more we ſhould love him; for what can we do elſe but love him, we have nothing elſe lovely or deſirable but our love, our hearts: therefore Oh love him, and abundantly love him O ye Saints of his, whom he hath ſo loved.

Alas, But our love is little in compariſon of his love to us, and this diſcourageth us. It is true, What proportion between the drop of a Bucket and the ocean, Some there is, but there is none between the largeneſs of Chriſt his heart toward us, and ours towards him. But ſhall our love periſh and dry up, becauſe there is not as much in the little limbeck, as in the fountain, in the river, as in the ſea. He is love it ſelf brethren, and therefore we muſt be contented to fall infinitely below in love: but let us love him according to our meaſure. Again, if there be the whole heart to love the Lord Jeſus, it is as much proportionably for us, if we could reach it, as it is for him to love us with his whole heart, as he is pleaſed to expreſs it. The Creature is infinitely leſs then Chriſt, and therefore muſt needs have infinitely leſs love to him, then he hath to us, but yet there is nothing wanting where there is Totum: therefore rather it ſhould provoke us. He hath loved us firſt, a…d loved us more abundantly then we can love him: therefore labour to get our hearts as much enlarged as we can in love towards him, though we fall ſhort of what we might attain to: he will make up imperfections, there is love enough in him, and there is the advantage of his love being above ours, that he can cover thoſe imperfections in our love to him, which if he had not more abundantly, then he could not do.

What ſhall I ſay more, Love is that which commandeth all, it draweth all the affections along with it which way ever it turns, thither the deſires are bent, there is the hope fixed, there the p. 79delights are qu… amat, amat, & nihil aliud novit. She that loveth, loveth, and knoweth nothing elſe. O how ſhall we not be able to do any thing againſt ſin for Chriſt? if we loved him ſo entirely then our hearts would be in Heaven, we could not grufle as many of us do then, we ſhould be more tender of his name, and of his honour, then now we are? but alas! I am not able to preſs theſe things home, the Lord ſet them home: You muſt love him brethren, elſe you will have little joy of your communion with him which is to endure to eternity.

Again, Labour to rejoyce in him and in his love, rejoyce in Pſal. 33. 1.Ps 33:1the Lord O ye righteous ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Rejoyce in the Lord, ſaith the Apoſtle, and again I ſay rejoyce, it is a duty of that moment, he cannot leave it, he goeth over and over with it, do not think I am miſtaken when I bid you rejoyce, becauſe happily your condition may be afflicted other ways, again I ſay rejoyce, I am ſtill of the ſame mind. The Lord Jeſus rejoyceth over you, as ſad thoughts as you have concerning your ſelves: he rejoyceth, over you, he is glad to communicate his love, and ſhall not we rejoyce then in the receiving of it? Can the Children of the Bride-chamber mourn while the bridegroom is with them ſaith our Saviour? it is not ſutable to their condition, when he ſhall be taken away, then they ſhall mourn: I deny not Brethren: but if the Lord do withdraw himſelf; we ſhould lament after him, and ſeek him ſorrowing, as Mary the Mother of Jeſus did, and the Luke 2. 48.Luke 2:48more love we have received, if we grieve him, this will be the more grief of heart: but if you that have his preſence in a ſweet manner, and yet hang the head, and droop, as if our joyning to the Lord had been the undoing of our ſouls; So penſively and ſadly we many of us walk, that indeed we are a ſhame and diſhonour to the Lord Jeſus. If you ſhould ſee a Virgin eſpouſed to a man, and ſhould from that day forwad never hold up her head, but walk heavily, what would you think? ſure ſhe apprehends ſhe hath made an ill choice, her expectations are fruſtrated: therefore Brethren look to it, that we rejoyce; if the Children of the Bride-chamder cannot mourn, but rejoyce to hear the voice of the Bridegroom much more then the Bride. The Lords takes pleaſure in the proſperity of thy ſoul, and why ſhouldſt not thou Pro… 23. 37….Prov 23:37…ake pleaſure in the proſperity of thy own ſoul, being made one with Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 805. Look to it that you be faithful to the Lord Jeſus as a Bride when once eſpouſed, if ſhe turned aſide to another, it was death, they were looked upon as in a marryed ſtate and condition, indeed the truth is, when the Lord hath truly eſpouſed his ſoul to himſelf, he hath done it in faithfulneſs, and maketh the ſoul faithful to him, that in the great Article of the Covenant they Pſal. 44. 17.Ps 44:17never deal falſly with Jeſus Chriſt, that is to ſay, they chooſe not another Saviour; another Lord, under whoſe dominion to put themſelves conſtantly; yet there may be ſometimes to Jeſus Chriſt, even in his own people. If that once it cometh to this, that we imbrace ſin and conſent to it, and take any delight in it, this is to play the harlot with Jeſus Chriſt, O take heed of this brethren indeed the heart is all that he looks at, how we ſtand affected to thoſe evils which yet remain! if Paul have a body of death, yet he delights not in it, but groans being burtheued, this he accounts not unfaithfulneſs; but when a mans heart beginneth to ſit looſe from the Lord Jeſus, to be almoſt indifferent, he could ſometimes in a fit of wretched carnality be content to have another Lord to rule over him, to be free from Chriſt. O! this the Lord looks at, and he will ſearch out, this will move him to jealouſie; therefore take heed of this, a woman may do as much ſervice and ſeemingly as readily to her husband as before, but yet her heart be gone, and ſhe could be contented to be looſe, this is heart-Adultery, this the Lord Jeſus in us brethren, looks at as ſuch; if we ſerve him, and do duties but in ſuch a manner that we could even be contented to be at liberty, it is not right; take heed of provoking the Lord Jeſus, leſt it prove in the end that he never knew us indeed. Labour to be faithful then in this, in the main.

Again, In managing all he puts into our hands, be faithful. The heart of her husband doth ſafely truſt in her. It is the commendation of a woman of a thouſand in the Proverbs, ſhe will be improving. It may be you have not ſo much to turn as others have, Prov. 31. 11.Prov 31:11others have ten times more parts, and opportunities to do good, let them look to it, they have ten times as much to anſwer for, and muſt do ten times as much; but thou mayſt be as faithful in a little as they in a great deal. One ſervant is a Steward in the family, hath all under his hand; and another he is a poor under-ſervant, hath ſome mean ſervice committed to him, why now he may be as faithful in his place, as the other in p. 81Numb, 12.his: Moſes was faithful in all the houſe of God, he had a great command; Caleb might be as faithful for what was committed to him following God fully as the Text hath it, ſay not then, If I were a Magiſtrate, a Miniſter, a publike perſon, had ſuch opportunities to do good I might do much, but I am an obſcure perſon: Well, be Pro. 10. …. 20Prov 10thy condition what it will be, thou mayſt do good, and be faithful in thy place according to what thou haſt received, thy lips may drop like a hony-comb, and feed many, and like choice ſilver, and inrich many, though thou be never ſo mean, and ſo for the Family, and up and down, where ever thou comeſt, look that thou be faithful to do all from Jeſus Chriſt, and to do all to him, that thou rob him not of the glory of what he hath done for thee, and by thee, for then thou art not faithful.

6. Another Exhortation ſhall be then to deſire the coming of the Ʋſe. 6. Rev. 21. 2, 9.Rev 21:2Rev 21:9Bridegroom, the Spirit and the Bride ſay come, the ſpirit in the bride breathing in her, as it is in the Revelation, they ſay come, We looke upon the day of death, as if it were the day of divorce from the Lord Jeſus for the moſt part, truly for them that are out of Chriſt, it is no marvel if it be a King of terrors to them, but to the Saints me thinketh, who look for the appearing of the Lord Jeſus to conſummate the marriage between them, it ſhould not be ſo terrible as it ſeemeth to be to the moſt of us, and to this end take ye here brethren, at the marriage feaſt he turns our water into wine, but in heaven our wine into ſpirits, and ſetteth them a flaming, our love flaming to all eternity.

7. Exhortation, which is to look to our Ornaments, to get them Ʋſe 7.ready, why do we hang back, but becauſe we are not ready, we have ſomewhat or another unready, ſtill, our work is not done, can a maid forget her Ornaments, or a Bride her attire, yet my people have forgotten me? As a Bride adorneth her ſelf with her Jewels, Ier. 2. 32. Iſa. 61. 10.Jer 2:32Isa 61:10ſo he hath cloathed me with the garments of ſalvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteouſneſs. Eleazer put jewels upon Rebecca before ſhe came to Iſaac; and therefore the ſpouſe is called Callah in the Original, becauſe of her perfect adorning, therefore look to this brethren, that you be adorned, O every day put on your Ornaments and make ready for his appearing, for while your hearts are out of order, your Spirits out of frame you are not fit to meet the p. 86Lord Jeſus; and therefore you will hang back; but ſo much of this Exhortation.

The laſt Application will be a word of comfort to ſuch as through grace have yielded up themſelves to the Lord Jeſus, or are Ʋſe 8.deſirous or do ſo, to be eſpouſed to him according to the ſeveral conditions of ſuch creatures, there may from hence be a various and ſtrong conſolation adminiſtred from this Doctrine.

Firſt, Then alas! you will ſay withal your ſouls you cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt, there is nothing you more gladly undertake, but you know he is a righteous God, moſt juſt and moſt pure of eys, and therefore he will ſurely be diſpleaſed with you, and you ſhall have little comſort, yea you do finde that your fruitleſneſs of walking doth provoke him; and therefore you are afraid ſooner or later, he will caſt you off, before you come to enter with him into the marriage, O I ſhall one day fall by the hand of this Pride, of this uncleanneſs, of this luſt or the other. For Anſwer to this remember. 1. That the Lord when he doth betroth, he betretheth forev…r, and he doth it in faithfulneſs, ſo that if the ſaithfulneſs of Jeſus Chriſt could fail who hath eſpouſed thee: thou mighteſt miſcarry. Men indeed after eſpouſals if they diſcover any deformity which they knew not before, may be apt to change their minds, yea ſometimes where there is no cauſe at all but their own fickleneſs and changableneſs; but there is no variableneſs, nor ſhadow of turning with him, hath he ſpoken it, and will he not perform it? I will never leave thee, ſaith he to Jacob until I have performed all the good which I have ſpoken concerning thee. But a little more fully to open it.Gen. 28. 15.Gen 28:15

1. I ſay, by way of Conceſſion, he may ſometimes be angry with his ſpouſe, or at leaſt withdraw himſelf, properly he is not angry at all, nor ſubject to any paſſion, but he may behold that in his people, for which he may ſometimes put them to a little grief, and make them believe that he will caſt them off, as you have it in many of the Pſalms, he may frown, and hide his face from his people, but as on their part, every withdrawing from him is not a breach of the marriage-Covenant: ſo neither is every withdrawing of his refreſhing preſence, a breach of his Covenant, yet when he doth ſo withdraw brethren, alas his heart works towards his people as to Iſa. 30. 18.Isa 30:18Ephraim, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill, he may give his people p. 87ſharp words ſometimes, which will be a cutting to the ſouls that are deeply in love with him, but they go to his own heart as well as they do to theirs; here is the difference brethren, between our withdrawings from him, and his withdrawings from us that are his people, our hearts are many times gone in a great part to ſit looſe from him, though not altogether for the Church when ſhe ſlept, her heart waked, but now with him it is otherwiſe, his heart is never gone in the leaſt from his people, onelyonly he may ſpeak ſometimes a bitter word to them, but all this while his heart is full of ſweetneſs and love to them, this is one.

2. Remember this alſo as a pillar of the former, that he hath builded and founded this eſpouſal and union between him and his people ſo ſure, as that it can never be ſhaken; upon the freeneſs of his grace; and therefore it cannot be moved. Upon his full knowledge of what we would be, indeed, if the Lord Jeſus had not known what fruitleſs froward creatures we would prove, how unthankful, how unkind, it had been ſomething, for a poor doubting ſoul to have fed his fears with: but he knew long before brethren and if he had ſeen that he had not had bowels enough to ſwallow up all our unworthineſs, he would never have made love to us, for he is God, and his work is perfect, he would never have begun except he had been able to lay the top-ſtone: Again the ſatisfaction of the Juſtice of God is to the full, this is that which amazeth, and alrighteth many a poor ſoul; they forget themſelves and look upon their failings, as thoſe which expoſe them to divine vindicative juſtice, which is a great miſtake, for that was once fully ſatisfyed in Jeſus Chriſt, and he is well pleaſed in him with all that can bring him in their arms, if we can but come to God with Jeſus Chriſt in our arms, he hath no more to ſay to us, all is made even in Chriſt, there was never ſuch a declaration of the Juſtice of God, as in giving his own ſon, to be a ranſom, a ſacrifice once for all, and the Apoſtle ſaith it was to declare the righteouſneſs of God; therefore he was given to be a propitiation for the remiſſion of ſins, there God appeared righteous indeed, that the flames of hell muſt kindle upon his ſon, yea and burn to the lowermoſt hell in a ſort, that he might be ſatisfyed, that juſtice might for ever lye ſtill and be ſilenced, as to his people, it is more that Chriſt ſuffered, then if thou and ten thouſand ſuch as we are, ſhould ſuffer to eternity, we Rom. 3. 25Rom 3:25could never have paid the utmoſt farthing, which he paid to the uttermoſt, elſe he could not have ſaved us foreign beſides, page missing p. 84we ſhould have been long paying that we payd, he at once payd Heb. 7. 25.Heb 7:25all, and therefore this Marriage is ſo founded brethren upon this ſatisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt, that it cannot be ſhaken. Yea

3. As to that of afflicting his people, and frowning upon them, he is not forward to it, he is not ſtrict to mark what is done amiſs, to take notice of every ſlip and failing, if he were we ſhould never Pſal. 130. 3.Ps 130:3have comfortable moment; no, he is rather ſtrict to mark what is good in us, what beauty there is in us, if there be but one beauty or fair place in the midſt of many ſpots, his eye and his heart is rather upon that, as ſome obſerve in that of Sarah, there is but one good word in her ſpeech calling Abraham Lord, all the reſt ſavours of unbelief, and yet the Holy Ghoſt takes notice of that. So Rahab Joſ. 2. 4, 5. Heb. 11. 31. Alas what miſerable mangled Services do we offer up, to our own eys there is not any thing deſirable that is ought. Well, if there be but one ſigh, one groan, in ſincerity, he is more ready to take notice of that then of all your failings; and therefore is not forward to put his ſpouſe and people to grief, O he is full of kindneſs and tenderneſs to us.

Yea 4. It is obſervable that he is ſaid to rejoyce over his people continually as a Bridegroom over a Bride, not onelyonly his heart is conſtant to them, but it is conſtant in the ſame fervor of affection towards them, a Bridegroom rejoyceth exceedingly over his Bride, though happily afterward he is not ſo much affected, for it is our natures the imperfection of them, that new things affect us more then old, now with God there is nothing new nor old, but his heart is the ſame, and ſo is Jeſus Chriſt his heart; he rejoyceth over his people continually as a Bridegroom over his Bride, not as a man over his wife, but as a Bridegroom over his Bride, now ſurely if a man do afterwards cool in his affections towards his wife and could be content to be ſeparated from her, yet upon the day of eſpouſal or Marriage, he will not be induced to it, he rejoyceth over his Bride: Why ſuch is Gods heart and Chriſt his heart continually to his people. But ſo much for this:

Therefore the Lord help us to conclude, from thoſe promiſes, however it be, however he may ſpeak againſt us, ſometimes, and act ſo, as it ſeemeth to us to be againſt us, as Jacob ſaith, all theſe things are againſt me, yet he will not part with any ſoul, he hath eſpouſed to himſelf: Ahaſhuerus may put away the Queen upon a ſeeming ſcorn, or contempt, refuſing to come at his command when he was in is cups; but brethren, though it may be thou p. 85haſt and thou doſt many times ſlight the call of Jeſus Chriſt, thou wilt not come, nor follow him when he would have thee; thou ſhalt follow him in darkneſs, and lament after him, when he is withdrawn; but he will not put away. It is ſaid in that of Mal. the Lord hates putting away, it is true, it is firſtly intended there of mens putting away their wives, but ſurely if he hate it in us, he will not admit it in himſelf, though it is true, he is above all Law given to us, yet he hath ſet forth this myſtery of his union with his Church, by the Marriage-union, I ſhew you a myſtery ſaith the Apoſtle, but I ſpeak concerning Chriſt and his Church. And as it holds in love, and cheriſhing, and nouriſhing, and not hating; ſo why not in this, that he hates putting away, the Lord cannot admit of ſuch a thought of putting away ſuch a ſoul, if Satan would move for it, the Lord hates it, and hates him for it. Be of good chear therefore thou poor drooping ſoul that haſt received him, accepted of his love, cloſed with his wooing and intreating thee to be reconciled and given up thy ſelf to him, aſſure thy ſelf he will never put away any poor ſoul.

Ob. Alas! but you will ſay, this is little comfort, though he be thus unchangeable, yet I may change and break the Marriage-Covenant with him, or I have done it, I fear; and therefore in ſuch a caſe he may put me away, and yet not change, for the change is in me. For this brethren remember, It is not the back-ſlidings of his people, that can undo the match made between him and them, did not Iſrael go a whoring after other Gods, and is not that the breach of the Marriage-Covenant, he ſpeaks there of that Church, a man will not receive his wife again, likely in ſuch a caſe, yet return again to me, ſaith the Lord, and I will receive you. If that the Lord had not foreſeen thoſe back-ſlidings in his people, it had been ſomewhat, if Chriſt had not fully ſatisfyed the father for them as well as for other ſins, it had been ſomething, if upon this account, there were not forgiveneſs, laid up in ſtore enough with God for theſe things it were ſomwhat indeed. And it is very obſervable brethren (I ſpeak the more, becauſe I know that poor creatures in this condition they are full of jealouſies and fears, and all that can be ſaid is little enough to quiet and comfort) [firſt▪ obſerve that the Lord ſpeaks over and over, and over again, Iſrael had back-ſliden in that Propheſie of Hoſea, as appears ch. 14. 4. I will heal their back-ſlidings. Well, now they could hardly believe that God p. 86would receive them again, they were ſo confounded they had nothing to ſay; therefore he puts words into their mouths in that chapter, teacheth them what to ſay, but obſerve in the ſecond chapter, I will betroth them, ſaith God, I will, I will. you have it no leſs then three or four times, which ſpeaks the certainty and ardency of affection in doing the thing in anſwer to their doubtings, I will do it, ſaith the Lord. Alas ſaith the poor ſoul, it will not ſink with me, that after ſuch Apoſtacy and backſlidings he will receive it: I will do it, ſaith the Lord again. O! I cannot believe it ſaith the ſoul; I will do it ſaith he again. Yea 2. Obſerve there that he will do it, and eſpouſe them, betroth them again; as one very well hoteth, he ſaith not, he will receive them, as a man may recive his Adulterous wife again, but I will betroth them, ſaith the Lord, as if they were virgins,, pure, and unſpotted, the Lord will receive them, not upbraiding them with their going a whoring from him, ſo the virgin daughter of Sion, you have heard they are called upon their repentance, as if they never polluted themſelves, ſo that if the 2 King. 19. 212 Kgs 19:21Lord give thee but a repenting heart, thy back-ſlidings will be as if thou hadſt never ſtarted from him, and from final departing, he will keep them, I ſay, he will keep them; here is the difference between this eſpouſal, and thoſe between men and women, there, if the mans heart continue faithful, happily hers may fall off, and never cloſe again, and there is an end of the matter, but here the Lord Jeſus, his heart is not onelyonly toward his people, but he keepeth their hearts with him, that they ſhall not depart, It is the very tenor of the Covenant of Grace, I will put my fear into their hearts, and they ſhall not depart from me, as long as God is faithful, and the Covenant of Grace ſtands, they ſhall not depart, let Satan, Ier. 32. 4….Jer 32:4and ſophiſters ſay what they will.

Then in the next place this being made good, there is a ſpring of comfort ariſeth from this, and that is in reſpect of troubles and croſſes, afflictions and loſſes, the fading vanities of the world. Thou mayeſt loſe thy dear husband, that is as dear as thy life, But thy Maker is thy husband, if thou believe, and thou canſt not loſe him, nor he will not loſe thee. Thy dear children, they are but fading flowers, that even wither in the hand and periſh in the uſing, as all theſe outward comforts do, but here is a comfort, never fades, thou mayſt be afflicted happily with the cooling of the affections of dear relations to thee; why the Lord Jeſus his heart is p. 87at the ſame paſs alway to thee, it is alway, a day of eſpouſal with him, he rejoyceth continually as a Bridegroom over his Bride. Methinketh brethren, whatever your troubles are, inward, or outward, here you may relieve your ſelves; by having recourſe to your intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt your Redeemer and your husband, if you believe in him. But I will not ſtand any longer upon this Doctrine.

I had now thought to have gone on, with what is ſpoken concerning Jeſus Chriſt, according to the firſt propoſal of a method. But it may happily be as well, if not better to many underſtandings to take things as they lye in the Text, and therefore I ſhall ſo do.

Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, Ʋſe 1.which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom.

For the Adverb of Time, Then I ſhall happily ſpeak ſomewhat afterward. The Kingdom of Heaven, that is to ſay, the viſible Church I might in…iſt upon it and ſhew you, that the Church viſible is a Kingdom, and that Chriſt is the head of this Church, the King of the Saints, and not onelyonly ruleth the Saints which really believe, by his word and ſpirit which abide, and dwell in them: but alſo he ruleth his Church viſible by his word and ſpirit, and Ordinances, all the Adminiſtrations of the Kingdom. But that Kingdom hath been lately ſpoken to by a brother, therefore I will wave that.

I might alſo ſpeak ſomething to the heavenlineſs of the Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven, and ſhew you how it is heavenly in its Original in divine Laws, Inſtitutions, and many other ways; But you had it held forth largely, by a better hand; therefore I will not trouble you again with theſe things ſo ſoon.

It ſhall be likened to ten virgins. There is another Note which floweth clearly (I think) from the words, and that is this.

The viſible Church for the matter, is made up of viſible Saints: Doct.that this is ſo, will appear from the very Text it ſelf. Firſt, It ſhall be compared to ten virgins, he ſaith not to a mixed multitude, or to 10 women, five wherof are virgins, and 5 harlots or ſtrumpets, but to 10 virgins, and what that word doth import, I believe you remember ſince the words were opened to you, ſuch are 1 Theſſ. 1. 9.1 Thess 1:9turned from Idols to the living God, as he ſpeaks of the converſion p. 88of the Theſſalonians, according to the judgement of Charity, for elſe ſo far as a profeſſed ſubjection to Jeſus Chriſt, and renouncing 2▪ Pet. 2. …0.2 Pet 2them reacheth, he ſpake according to a judgement of verity, for that they did profeſs, and ſo eſcaping the pollutions of the world, forſaking groſs and looſe courſes, and profeſſedly ſubject themſelves to the rule of the government of Jeſus Chriſt. To ſuch the Church viſible is here compared, and the moſt the Lord ſpeaks of his relation to his people, it is after the manner of men, under ſuch ſimilitudes as we can conceive of, and as we may be led by, as by a clew into the underſtanding of the deep myſteries of faith and ſalvation.

But if any will think or ſay this is not a ſure bottom to build ſuch a truth, or point upon: becauſe the virgins, here are not conſidered as virgins; but as perſons accompanying the Bride, going forth to meet the Bridegroom: I ſhall firſt ſay,

That as they are not onelyonly conſidered as virgins, ſo neither is the conſideration of their virginity to be waved, for as in the ſimilitude uſually, they were thoſe virgins which did accompany the Bride, ſo I ſuppoſe in the Apodoſis now of the compariſon, we are to look for ſomewhat which may anſwer that virginity, And you finde it in Scripture to be anſwered by thoſe things I have propoſed, that is to ſay, their forſaking Idolatry, turning to the true God, and their renouncing their former prophane converſation. And then ſecondly, I ſay this is not the only bottom in the Text, whereupon it is builded.

For in the ſecond place beſides that they are called Virgins, or compared to virgins, they are alſo ſaid to take their Lamps, and ſurely if we muſt expound what is meant by the Lamps: we can underſtand and nothing leſs by it then a viſibility of Saintſhip. But if this will not carry it neither, methinketh the

Third ſhould be undenyable, they went forth to meet the Bride-groom, that is to ſay, they went forth from home, and forlook their fathers houſe and mothers they ſet upon their journey heavenward, Zion-ward to meet Jeſus Chriſt who is the Bridegroom, who will ere long come to take the Bride unto himſelf. There are many Iſa. 35. 8. Izek. 44. 9.Isa 35:8Scriptures will ſpeak fully to the proof of this. Some propheſies there are, as that in the Prophet Iſaiah; there he ſpeaks of a high-way ſhal be caſt up, and the unclean ſhal not paſs over it; Again none uncircumciſed in heart or fleſh ſhall enter into his Sanctuary; p. 89this applyed, not only to the times of their returning from Babylon, but to the Goſpel-times; What can it ſpeak leſs then this Brethren? that no viſible, unclean creature, ſhall ever enter into the Church of Chriſt? It ſhould conſiſt of viſible Saints, This is plain by the tares and the wheat, which, while in the blade are are ſo like, they hardly diſcernable in thoſe Countries as Jerom ſaith, And ſo by the Apoſtles, wherefore elſe do they call them holy to the Saints which are at Corinth, at Epheſus, &c, but either Mat. 13. 25.Matt 13:25they were all ſuch viſibly, and in the judgement of charity, or elſe ought to have been ſuch? Miſtake not, I ſay, not that none ſhould be a member of a Church, but he that is a real Saint and ſhall be ſaved, for then there could be no Church wherein we could walk or adminiſter, or receive any ordinance de fide, becauſe we know not who are ſuch, nor cannot know, as I conceive, nor have any rule to make an infallible judgement of any man, but only probably to conclude concerning the ſtate and conditions of men, that which is inviſible to us, it is true, its viſible to God and that which is viſible to him, is inviſible to us. But viſible Saints ſurely they ought to be.

Now for the further opening of this, what I mean by viſible Saints, and Saint-ſhip, I ſhall endeavour to lay it down in theſe particulars, as plainly as I can to your underſtandings.

Firſt, Then it is requiſite to Saint-ſhip, that there be a ſeparation to God from the world; that is holineſs whether in things or in perſons when they are ſeparated to God for any ſpecial uſe Acts 10. 14. & 15.Acts 10:14Acts 10:15of his, they are called holy, Common and unclean, are convertible tearms, as you have in it in the Acts; and as appears by the ſanctifying of the Vineyards and Orchards; when the Lord had had the firſt-fruits of them, then they themſelves, and others had the free uſe of them; the word in the original is they polluted, or Deut. 20. 6. Lev. 19. 23.Deut 20:6Lev 19:23prophaned them, the common uſe of them is diſtinguiſhed thereby from the holy uſe whereby they were ſeparated before from them to the Lord: whether perſons ſeparated to themſelves to the Lord; acti agimus; the Lord turns them and they are turned; or whether they be altogether paſsive (as in the firſt work of God we all are) if it be a ſeparation to God; this is a Holineſs, a Saint-ſhip; he writeth to the Saints in the Church in ſuch a place, ſuch as he hath eſpouſed to Chriſt, they were ſet apart to p. 90him: ſo the Congregation of Iſrael are ſaid to be a holy people to Exod. 19 5. Numb 24 9. Iohn 15 19.Exod 19:5Num 24:9John 15:19the Lord their God, becauſe God had ſeparated them to himſelf above all other people, this is ſo notably known, that it were to waſte time to prove it. So I have called you out of the world ſaith our Saviour, It is equivalent to that of the Apoſtle, called to be Saints, or Saints by calling. But if this firſt be defective and reach not happily every ſcruple that may ariſe concerning this. Suſpend your judgements until you hear the reſt which will help to clear it.

2, The means of this ſeparation and holineſs to God, it's a Covenant of grace, it is true there were many things ſeparated to VVhichWhich Covenant is the Goſpel preached.God among the Jews by a Ceremonial inſtitution, thoſe Carnal ordinances and commandments as the Apoſtle cals them, and from among them ſome perſons were more ſpecially ſeparated to God as His in a more near ſpecial manner for that ſervice he had appointed them to, ſo the firſt-born you know were ſeparated to God from among all the children of Iſrael, they were holy to him, not as if they were really more ſanctified then the reſt, but ſeparated to a nearer ſervice and uſe, and ſo the Levites inſtead of them afterward, and the Prieſts they were ſeparated in a ſpecial manner to miniſter before the Lord, wherefore Aaron is called the Pſal. 116. 6.Ps 116:6Saint of the Lord, not as if there were not men as holy as he, as Moſes, and Caleb, and Joſhua but he was ſpecially ſeparated to that ſervice of drawing near to God, and this is by a kind of Covenant, the Covenant of the Prieſthood, ſo Nehemiah in his imprecation Neh. 13. 29. Numb. 25. 13.Neh 13:29Num 25:13againſt thoſe Prieſts which had married ſtrange wives. Manaſſeh the brother of Jadduah, the ſon of Abjada, the ſon of Eliſhib Marryed, the ſon in Law of Sanballat, Remember thou, O my God (ſaith he) becauſe they have defiled the Prieſthood and Ezek 16. 8. Numb. 24. 9. Amos 3. 2.Ezek 16:8Num 24:9Amos 3:2the Covenant of the Prieſthood, which Covenant you have in that of Numbers, he ſhall have it, that is to ſay the Prieſthood, and his ſeed after him, even-the Covenant of an everlaſting Prieſthood. But this is not that ſeparation we ſpeak of, but that Covenant whereby God takes a people to be his, a peculiar people to himſelf which he doth by Covenant, he enters into Covenant with them, and they become His ſeparated to him. And therefore Iſrael was ſeparated from all the Nations round about by vertue of this Covenant, and made to dwell alone, you only, have I known ſaith the Lord, and abundance of ſuch expreſſions there are:

p. 913. Then as here is a twofold being in Covenant with God, ſo there is a twofold ſeparation to God and a twofold Saint-ſhip, Firſt that which is inviſible and ſaving, When the Lord giveth to poor ſouls really to embrace Jeſus Chriſt in the Covenant of grace that 1 Iohn. 5. 6. Levit. 14. 5.1 John 5:6Lev 14:5maketh good the abſolute part of the Covenant to them, the Lord Jeſus the great undertaker, both on his fathers part and on our part thoſe are ſuch as are ſprinkled with the blood of the Covenant, from all their guilt, and the water mixed with the blood, as Chriſt came by water and blood, ſo they are cleanſed from all their uncleaneſſes, elſe no entring into heaven. Nothing that defileth cometh thither, Now that ſuch as theſe are Saints, can be no queſtion, this is Gods ſetting apart him that is Godly for himſelf, Pſal. 4. 3. foreign or as ſome read wonderfully ſet apart, him that is Godly for himſelf, for there is no ſuch wonder, or myſterie in the world as this; now theſe are the Saints indeed, that already have things which accompany their own ſalvation, But ſecondly, there are others that are only externally and viſibly in Covenant, that is to ſay, they are ſo far intereſted in the Covenant of grace as that thereby they are taken by the Lord to belong to his family, his houſe-hold, to partake of the priviledges thereof, to ſhare in his proviſion for his family; the fat things of his houſe, in his Protection in a ſpecial manner, and his guidance, yea and the life eternal alſo is conditionally promiſed to them, if they believe and repent, if they will but conſent, and cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt, the Mediator of that Covenant. Thus every profeſſor, though but formal, is ſeparated in a ſort co-incident, for thoſe that are really and inviſibly ſeparated to God, they are viſibly ſo alſo but not vice verſa univerſally. So grace is diſtinguiſhed into grace freely given, and grace which maketh acceptable, which are partly co-incident, for all grace which maketh acceptable: for common gifts and graces are freely given, ſo it is here. Now thoſe are they (brethren) that I here intend, whether grown perſons which profeſs this Covenant, or infants of ſuch, who are within the compaſs of the Covenant for this purpoſe, whom I underſtand by viſible Saints, or perſons viſibly holy, or viſibly ſeparated or ſet apart to God, that is to ſay ſuch perſons concerning whom we have Scripture grounds to Judge according to Charity and to hope that they are Gods, becauſe Deut. 29.Deut 29ſeparated to him, by vertue of his Covenant.

p. 92That they are thus holy, It is plain from many Scriptures. Paul in his Epiſtles to the viſible Churches of Corinthians; Galatians, Epheſians, and the reſt, to the Saints at ſuch a place, Saints by caſting, Saints by a viſible ſeparation to God from the world; otherwiſe we cannot believe, but there were many of them that were never really ſanctified. And ſo, that Children of ſuch are Saints in ſuch a ſence, mind but that one place, Elſe were your Children unclean, but now they are holy. Not Legitimate, for then the Apoſtle ſpeaks not truth: for they are lawfully begotten, … Cor 7. 14.though the father and mother, be not ſanctified one to another, as if both be unbelievers. Nor yet holy to appearance, that is to ſay, they might have an holy uſe of them; for I find not holy taken alone, without reſpect to the perſon to whom they are ſaid to be holy. As for inſtance, To the believer all things are pure; to ſay all things are pure, without meationing the perſon to whom they are ſo, is not the Scripture-manner of expreſſion; and ſince it is ſo many hundred times taken alone, not in connexion, ſometimes with reſpect to God expreſly for perſons ſo ſeparated to him, why we ſhould not ſo underſtand it here, for my part I ſee not. For Application of this,

Firſt, Then they are too blame ſurely Brethren: If the viſible Church do conſiſt of viſible Saints, viſibly ſeparated Ʋſe 1.to God, that is to ſay, ſo as there is ground for us to believe and hope well of their eternal ſtate, I ſay they are too blame, that ſo carry the affairs of the Church of Chriſt wherein▪ they are, as to make no difference between the precious and the vile, no difference between the Church and the world, between the Sheep of Chriſt, and dogs and ſwine. Is it nothing to have the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt openly proſtituted to ſuch as though indeed they have the name of Chriſtians, yet their lives, to every one that knoweth them, deny that they have any thing to do with Chriſt; No purging out the old Leven, and therefore no likelihood to be a new lump, O that we … Cor. 5. 7.were ſenſible what a guilt is contracted every where by this means! Alas! Let the people of God take the greateſt pains with their hearts to draw near to ſuch an ordinance as the Lords Supper, and they ſhall have cauſe to pray with Nehemiah, p. 93The Lord ſpare us according to the multitude of tender mercies. And with Hezekiah, The Lord be merciful to every one that hath Neh. 13. 22. 2 Chron. 30. 18. & 19.Neh 13:222 Chr 30:182 Chr 30:19prepared his heart to ſeek the Lord, though he be not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary; but when without any care, it ſhal be promiſcuouſly given to Drunkards, Swearers, openly prophane wicked wretches to the bane of their ſouls, to the provoking God to bring▪ waſting judgements upon the place and people where ſuch things are done. Surely it is time to look about us, O! that we (who can do no more but mourn for theſe things) had ſuch a ſenſe of the diſhonour of the Lord Jeſus, and abuſe of his love and grace upon our hearts, as to mourn! And O that ſuch of us as have power in our hands to command a Reformation in this kind, the Lord would perſwade the heart, that there is ſuch a power! Hezekiah and J…ſiah not only commanded the true worſhip to be ſet up, and turned the people from their Idols to the trne God, but they commanded the purifying the Temple, a type of the Church of Chriſt, and purifying of the Prieſts and People, that they ſhould not pollute the Ordinances of God, And this example of theirs is commended, and ſurely it was done as they were types of Chriſt, except they were types of Chriſt as they were Magiſtrates, and if ſo, it would follow we ſhould have no Magiſtrates at all; For Chriſt the ſubſtance being come the thing typified, what ſhould we do with the ſhadows any more.

2. Then on the other hand, they are to be blamed alſo, who are ſtricter then the Lord Jeſus would have them, in their admiſſions to Chriſts fellowſhip and communion; All viſible Saints he would have admitted to communion and fellowſhip with his people in their ſeveral ſocieties; that is to ſay, they ſeeking to joyn themſelves to them. Now here indeed there is a difference of apprehenſions, and I purpoſe not to enter into diſquiſition of ſuch things at this time and in this place; Mens charity may do ſomething indeed to moderate them, but its not that which is to be the judge, but the Scriptures; what rules are there laid down according to which we ought to own perſons, as belonging to Chriſt his viſible kingdom, that is to ſay ſuch as profeſs and contradict not their profeſſion. But ſurely it is blame-worthy, if that upon niceties and trifles in compariſon we ſhall diſ-own ſuch as truly fear the Lord, ſo far as we can judge of them. And truly Brethren, p. 94I deſire to ſpeak it with a ſpirit of tenderneſs to them, they are injurious in this reſpect, who do deny Infants of Believers any room in the boſom of the Church: for they are holy, they are external Saints, and ſeparated to God, and it is apparent, that once they were members of the Church of Chriſt, a…d by vertue of a Covenant of grace, I will be thy God and the God of thy ſeed, which he that denyeth any more to be comprehended in then a temporal bleſsing, when God ſaith he will be their God; I would pity them, and pray for them that they might come to themſelves again: for then ſure they would judge otherwiſe. Now if they were ſuch, once members of that Church with which we are one now: for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle plainly, the Gentiles are made one Epheſ. 2. 14.Eph 2:14with the Commonwealth of Iſrael, we are graffed in among the branches; how cometh it to paſs, they ſhould be all caſt off, and cut off from the Olive, and not a ſyllable of it mentioning any ſuch thing in Scriptures, no account given to the world of it, and that it ſhould be in ſuch a time, when the fulneſs of grace was revealed in Jeſus Chriſt: for grace came by him, and now there ſhould be leſs grace come by him, and narrower priviledges to the Church, will hardly be underſtood, I think.

The third Doctrinal from the words, will be this; In the viſible Doctrine 3.Church there are ſome good, ſome bad: Ordinarily they were not all wiſe virgins that the kingdom of heaven is compared to, but five wiſe, five fooliſh: All within the viſible Church are not wiſe to ſalvation, Five of them were wiſe, five were fooliſh. The proportion of the wiſe to the fooliſh, five to five, in the Parable, is not concluding that there are as many good as bad in the Church: there may poſsibly be a viſible Church where there are none bad, but I doubt there is none ſuch found: there were but twelve Diſciples, and one was a Devil, and all the parables whereour Saviour holdeth out the nature and ſtate of the viſible Church to us, is, we find there is a mixture: So in the Parable of the Sower, there are four ſorts of ground to which the kingdom Mat. 3. 19.Matt 3:19of heaven is compared, and but one of them brought forth fruit to perfection; the ſtony Ground it was quickly ſcorched; from the ſandy ground ſprings up quickly, and withers as ſoon; the thorny ground holds out longer, and endures happily the ſcorching p. 95of the Sun, the Perſecution, and yet is choakt, when all is done. And ſo the Parable of the tares ſown in the field, they grow up Ve. 24. & 25.with the Corn, and it ſeemeth by the ancient report even, Jerom, are ſo like it while in the blade, that they can be hardly diſcerned from it; but there they grow, and partake of the juice of the earth, and fatneſs of the ſoyl, and are green and flouriſh, and yet at laſt are ſingled out for fire. And ſo the Barn-floor, there is wheat, and there is Chaff lying together, until he whoſe fan is in his hand ſhall throughly purge it, and then the ſeparation being made, Mat 3. 12. Mat. 23. 47. Rom. 9. 6.Matt 3:12Matt 23:47Rom 9:6Woe to the Chaff, but at preſent, &c. And ſo the draw-net, though it gather together ſomewhat naught which is to be caſt away, yet while under water, it is hidden. And ſo the Apoſtle, All are not Iſrael that are of Iſrael: Some are Iſrael that are of Iſrael, but all are not: Some are of Iſrael, though they be not the Iſrael of God, that ſhall inherit the heavenly Canaan. I hope it is needleſs to waſte more time in heaping up of Scriptures to make it good.

The ground may be becauſe the Church here below, the viſible Reaſon▪Church which admitteth of members, hath not an infallible ſpirit to diſcern the deep hypocriſie that is in mens hearts: or if they had, do I think they were to uſe it, but ſerve Gods holy ends in following Chriſt his example, who ſuffered a Devil, though Iohn 6. 70.John 6:70a white one, he was indeed in the likenes of an Angel of light, yet he did ſuffer him in his family until it broke out into ſcandal! There is much in this one reaſon, 1. What deep hypocriſie may lurk in the hearts of men, under a plauſible profeſsion: ſo that men can ſuſpect nothing many times, as you ſee Ananias and Saphira, Simon Acts 5. 8.Acts 5:8Magus and others: Judas carried it ſo cunningly, and ſeemed ſo zealous and full of charity: O why was this waſte, &c. when the Spirit of Chriſt went with his ſpirit, and ſaw his fetches Ioh. 11. 6.John 11:6and deep ends, he ſaid it becauſe he had the bag, and was a thief, the more he had to row in, the more bold he might make with it, and it would the leſs be miſt, but his paint was ſo exact, and ſo near the life, that the Diſciples took him to be as real as themſelves any of them, rather ſuſpecting themſelves then him, his heart was too deep, for them to fathom, Becauſe 2. They had not ſuch an infallible ſpirit given, nor have any of the Churches now ſuch a ſpirit given whereby to know the ſecrets of mens p. 96heart, nor do I find that the Apoſtles had ſuch a ſpirit given them, now and then indeed they had ſome ſecret things and actions revealed to them, but not that incommunicable property of God to ſearch the heart, I the Lord ſearch the heart and try the reins. Peter indeed, had that private action and falſhood of Ananias revealed Acts 5.Acts 5to him, and from thence he concluded, Sathan had filled his heart in that he lyed againſt the Holy ghoſt: but what is this to the ſearching of the heart? and this that was revealed, was but for an act now and then, in Acts 10. He knew not that there were men ſent for him from Cornelius, until the Spirit of God told him, and revealed it to him: ſo that he had not that knowledge which he had of ſecret things, not made known in an ordinary way by ſenſe, he had it not habitually but by ſeveral acts; Or if they had ſuch a ſpirit, which none can prove, they did not act by it in admitting perſons, for then ſuch as thoſe would never have been admitted. Yea, 3. If the Church had ſuch a ſpirit, it is very likely ſhe were not to act by it in admiſſion: For our Saviour himſelf though he knew whom he …ad choſen, and knew from the beginning who ſhould betray him, yet he did admit him that he knew would prove a Devil; and therefore he acted therein according to his humanity, and to leave us a pattern, that though we may ſuſpect happily ſuch or ſuch a perſon, and not ſavour them according to that diſcerning which God hath given us of the ſpirits of men, yet if not ſcandalous not to reject them, making ſuch a profeſsion of Chriſt as according to charity and Scripture-rules we ought to hope well of. And methinks there is ſomewhat in that Parable of the tares, though while in the blade they were ſcarce diſcernable from the wheat, yet it ſeemeth by the Parable, that now they were come to ſuch a growth, as they did diſcern them, therefore came with that Queſtion, whether they ſhould pluck them up, and yet he would not have if ſo: they were not thorns and thiſtles, and ſuch as would altogether choak the Corn, though they might hinder it: if only Hypocrites though diſcovered, if they can be diſcovered without prophaneſs and ſcandal, they are not to be pluckt up from among the good Corn, and hence it is that there are good and bad in the viſible Church though the bad ſeem to be good all are Virgins, but all are not wiſe virgins.

p. 97For the Application of this, We may hence take notice of the great indulgence of God, and the largeneſs of his grace, and the riches of his patience and long-ſuffering to poor Creatures, in that he takes many as his own, within the verge and comprehenſion of this his Covenant, that never really partake of the ſaving benefits of the Covenant. So you know it was with Iſrael, though they were as the ſand of the ſea, yet a remnant ſhould be ſaved. All are not Iſrael that are of Iſrael, that is true: and Rom. 9. 27.Rom 9:27yet they are of Iſrael though they be not Iſrael, that is as true; Rom 9. 6.Rom 9:6Now that the Lord ſhould admit of ſuch to be of Iſrael, that never were nor are like to be Iſrael, this is largeneſs of bounty. Alas! how many wild Olives are graffed in among the branches Rom. 11. 17.Rom 11:17which remain and partake of the fatneſs of the Olive, the priviledges, and ordinances, and gifts of God beſtowed on his Church for edification, and yet ſhall be caſt out, as branches broken off dryed and withered, ſhall be taken away as barren, and unprofitable, Rom. 11. 22.Rom 11:22and burn for ever; if thou continue not in this goodneſs thou ſhalt be cut off. It is not the manner of men to plant ſuch in their vine yards as they know will bring forth nothing but leaves, no fruits but ſowr, the grapes of Sodom, and yet this the manner Deut. 32. 32. & 34.Deut 32:32Deut 32:34of God to ſuch as ſhall be caſt out into utter darkneſs, yet ſhould be admitted to be the children of the kingdom.

2. That he owneth many as ſeparated to himſelf in ſuch a way before they come to own him, and though they dwell under his ſhadow and ſhine, and in droppings, and dew of heaven, yet a long time bring forth nothing, do nothing but abuſe his grace, and this riches of his goodneſs, and yet at laſt notwithſtanding all he ſhould go on to ſeparate them to a nearer holineſs to himſelf, ſeize upon their hearts, put another principle and ſeed into them, whereby they ſhould be fruitful for the time to come. Ordinary experience teacheth us this, how many years many a poor formal Profeſſor hath walkt under the means of grace and paſſed for a Saint, and yet hath been in the gall of bitterneſs: but the Lord out of his infinit mercy and rich grace hath healed him afterward; It is no queſtion it is the caſe of ſome, that that very grace which they have ſo long hypocritically pretended to and abuſed, was that at laſt which ſeized upon them.

Why but you will ſay this is no priviledge nor mercy to be members of Chriſt his viſible Church, if we therein enjoy not Chriſt, p. 98and for our Children to be owned as thoſe ſeparated to Chriſt, and yet though Children of the kingdom, and be caſt out, for none Mat. 8. 12.Matt 8:12are like to ſink ſo low into hell as thoſe which are caſt out of the kingdom, ſuch as ſo often abuſe mercies and Goſpel-grace tendered to them?

I anſwer, It is true, the name of the Lord our God is great and Deut. 28. 58.Deut 28:58fearful, as in that place of Deuteronomy, And the nearer a people have been drawn to Chriſt within the compaſs of this Covenant of Grace, and afterward periſh, the deeper will they ſ…nk: thoſe will burn with a witneſs, that are cut off from the Vine. the viſible Church of the Olive, as unprofitable, dead and barren branches: Yet it is a priviledge, and a great act of grace to be of the Olive, Is it nothing to be one of Gods houſhold or family, to be under his proviſion, his protection, and guidance in a ſpecial manner, to be in the ſtate of ſeparation to God of old; and ſealed up therein to God by Circumciſion? It was profitable much every way the Apoſtle ſaid. Yea I will ſay more, That the greater force a thing hath to aggravate the condemnation of poor Creatures, the greater the mercy is. Shall we ſay the Preaching of the Goſpel is not a mercy? becauſe this is the condemnation indeed, that light is come into the world.Ioh. 3 19.John 3:19

The ſecond uſe may be to help the people of God over a ſtumbling Ʋſe 2.block, which may be an offence to them happily in ſome Churches of Chriſt: either ſuch as themſelves walk with, or others, It may be there are ſome, in ſuch or ſuch a Church, whoſe ſpirits thou canſt not ſavour, thou haſt them in ſuſpition, and therefore thou canſt not be free to have fellowſhip with them; Or if thou be in Fellowſhip, thou art ready to withdraw upon ſuch an account: Firſt, be ſure to take heed of making breaches in thy love: It thinketh no evil, hopeth all things that are hopeable, And doſt thou know how much ſmoke there may be with ſome fire: how much corruption and aſhes there may be, and yet ſome fire? Therefore take heed of judging the ſtate and Condition of men, where they are not in the courſe of their lives prophane and ſcandalous. 2. Much more take heed of that dividing and ſeparating upon ſuch an occaſion as this: for did not our Saviour walk with his diſciples, though he knew Judas a devil, and doubtleſs it was more a grief to him, then it can be to us, the leſs holineſs, the p. 99leſs evil will grieve, and a man is more tender; there muſt needs be all tenderneſs where there is no ſin to harden it. O then let us arm our ſelves with the ſame minde. There were great abuſes in the Church of Corinth and yet he ſtirreth not them up to diviſion, but love rather.

Why but you will ſay when they become ſcandalous, what ſhould we do then? Why then the Church ought to deal with them judiciouſly, to enquire into them, admoniſh them, cenſure and caſt them out, if the other preparative means, with waiting upon God in 1 Cor. 5. 11.1 Cor 5:11them will not do it, That is clear in the inceſtuous perſon, and again, If any that is called a brother be a drunkard or a rayler, &c. with ſuch a one no not to eat, it is clear, whether they might ſo withdraw from him, before the Church had cenſured him under tryal, I think not, for then, he was to be as a heathen, in reſpect of communion, and yet not accounted an enemy, but eſteemed as a brother, now, truly if the Church be ſo over-run with this hem…k, for want of weeding like the ſlothful mans vineyard over-grown with thorns and thiſtles. Through the ſloth of the Church and officers, the ordinance of excommunication ſo neglected, that now they are grown ſo corrupt, as there is no way lef… according to the rule of Chriſt to purge them; what other means is left in ſuch a caſe but withdrawing, I do not underſtand.

3. It may teach us notwithſtanding the ſad condition of ſuch Ʋſe 3.as continuing members of the viſible Church, yet remain in an unregenerate ſtate, happily we all look upon our ſelves to be members of the Church of Chriſt; but have we this grace in our hearts, this oyl in our Lamps, we have a name and profeſſion, but can we ſay that Chriſt is in us the hope of glory? If not brethren, our Ma…. 23. 27.condition is ſad▪ indeed we are a people that happily the world can lay nothing to our charge, we may put the beſt ſide outward like painted ſepulchers, but what is within? what is within? but rottenneſs remember, that, though men cannot judge your hearts, but hope the beſt of you brethren, yet there is one which ſearcheth the heart, and judgeth the heart, and of you according to your hearts, though his Diſciples cannot finde out Judas, yet our Saviour would finde him Rev. 15. & 2. 18.Rev 15out at laſt, h…s eys are like a flaming fire. Let your hypocriſie be as deep as it may, it ſhall not be hid from the light, nor from the ſcorching heat thereof

p. 100Yea conſider ſeriouſly brethren, that thoſe things you glory moſt in, and pillar up your ſelves with, they will be your ruine if you remain in this condition, and that is the Ordinances, you have the Covenant preached, and ſealed to you, from time to time, and communion with the Saints, you think this is enough, you cannot Mat. 8. 31.Matt 8:31miſcarry, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, you truſt in lying words, for they will deceive you, may you not be children of the Kingdom, and yet caſt out, yet, will not this be the thing which will ſink you, that you have been children of the kingdom, and yet fall ſhort of the kingdom. You come to the feaſt, for the…e is a wedding feaſt, the Goſpel and the Ordinances are, whereof, ſee pag. 106. which you are to underſtand all the adminiſtrations Iſa 25.Isa 25of the grace in the Kingdom, the Goſpel-Ordinances this is the feaſt of fat things, the fat things of heaven, you may be admitted to this feaſt, to all the Ordinances, not a diſh upon the table, but you may eat of it, But alas! brethren, if you be yet in the gall of bitter…ſs, though you go for ſweet Chriſtians, all turns to gall and poyſon to your ſouls. It is impoſſible for ſuch a man or ſuch a woman, ever to come worthily to partake of the Ordinances, a child of God hath much ado with his heart to bring it into frame, to get the ſpirit fixed, to ſing and give praiſe, to prepare his heart, and much pains many times, and the work done but in a little part yet there is mercy to accept, where we do our beſt, there is habitual Pſal. 57. 7.Ps 57:7preparation, there are the graces of the ſpirit, and there is Chriſt put on by faith for righteouſneſs and holineſs, but the graces are not ſo lovely, ſo ſtirred up, and much ado, to blow away the aſhes, and they flye about our ears ſometimes, that we even loſe our ſelves in the work. But yet God will be mercifull, and cover our ſhortneſs if we reach but this, the ſenſe of our unpreparation, and be …u…bled for it. But now thou that art a hypocrite, and an unregenerate man, 2 Cor. 2. 16.2 Cor 2:16thou canſt never be prepared to come to hear, to receive the Supper, and ſo they prove the ſavour of death to death, thou haſt no promiſe thou canſt build upon, but that they will be thy bane, Alas poor ſoul! how many times haſt thou drunk the cup of the Lord, and it hath been a cup of deadly wine to thy ſoul, thou haſt eaten and drunken thy judgement and condemnation ſo often, that thou art even ſtupifyed and paſt feeling it is to be feared, 1 Cor. 11 31.1 Cor 11:31it not onelyonly argues a deſperately hard heart to come and look upon Chriſt crucifyed, held out in thoſe Ordinances, as our meat and p. 101drink to nouriſh us, and not to relent; but it hardens us ſo much the more. Thou mayſt yet come oft ento receive the Supper of the Lord, but as often as thou doſt it, thou doſt but more deeply poyſon and fill thy ſoul. O! Brethren, that the Lord would let us ſee this day whether this be our condition, and we have rotten hearts covered over with a glorious profeſſion, that we might not dare to draw near, for we cannot have a Wedding-garment upon us brethren: if we have not the habits of grace, if we have not Chriſt for righteouſneſs and holineſs, how can we act that grace which we have not? Thou art fit for any thing elſe, but for the worſhip of God, thou art fit for thine own occaſions, and fit to ſerve the Devil, to be at his beck, but not to worſhip God in thoſe Ordinances, remember, remember brethren, though you may have ſomewhat now to anſwer us, when we preach this word, and to anſwer your own conſciences, and can make a ſhift to ſilence them when they tell you though you have a profeſſion and name, and are reckoned among the Saints, yet you never were born again, never did put on Chriſt indeed, you cannot have a wedding garment, though you may brethren deceive your ſelves and us, and take this and that, for a wedding-garment, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall come, and ask you how comeſt thou in hither without a wedding garment, Mat. 20. 12, 13.Matt 20:12Matt 20:13thou hadſt not a dram of grace, thou never putteſt me on for righteouſneſs in believing, how cameſt thou hither, how durſt thou be ſo bold as to draw nigh to my table, to meddle with my precious blood and body broken for ſinners, when thou haddeſt not a wedding garment on: you ſhall then be ſpeechleſs, it ſhall be ſo evident, O take him bind him hand and foot, hang theſe Ordinances and priviledges which he hath ſo long abuſed, my blood and body which he hath eaten and drunk that is to ſay Sacramentally, the ſigns of them, as thoſe in 1 Cor. 10. they did all eat the ſame ſpiritual meat, 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4.1 Cor 10:31 Cor 10:4&c. and yet moſt of them periſhed, ſink him, ſink him, he hath trampled my blood under his foot, counted it an unholy thing, elſe he would never have cared to have come with an unholy heart to it, therefore now, I will trample his ſoul in my fury unto the lowermoſt hell, O! how this will ſharpen the teeth of the gnawing worm, to eternity; O how this will inrage the flames of thoſe everlaſting burnings; therefore conſider this your ſad condition, let it be a terrible word to you, the Lord give you hearts to tremble at it.

p. 102And in the laſt place, Let us take heed how we reſt and lean upon a profeſſion and a name. Methinks there needs no more Arguments to move us, then what hath been ſpoken already; What folly is it for a man to hang his weight upon that which he is told will break, and then he falls into an irrecoverable gulf, O! that we had that alway ſounding in our ears! in the ſeventh of Mat. Lord, Lord, open to us, we have done this and that, heard thee preach, done wonderful works; they were viſible Saints ſurely at leaſt, and yet he calls them workers of iniquity, which they might ver, 22.do in ſecret acts with pretences for God, but intending themſelves. What if Simon Magus had had that power to give the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, and had done it, and repleniſhed his purſe by it, for likely he that would have bought it, would have been as ready to have ſold it again; he might have paſt for a Saint, but what would his end have been? O Brethren conſider your latter end, the Lord teach you that one point of wiſdom, that ſo in time … may flee from that wrath to come. But ſo much for this Doctrine alſo.