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is directed to put on, Ifa. lii. 1. (For unto her it was granted that the fhould be arrayed in fine Linen, clean and white, which is the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, Rev. xix. 8. And in this Drefs worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holinefs, Pfal.. xxix. 2.) God the Father, the King of Glory, now viewing his Daughter, his Son's Bride, all glorious within, and her Clothing, being fine Linen wrought in Gold, fixeth his Love on her, and invites her to take a Tour, and view her immense Kingdom, by walking about Sion, and going round about her, telling the Towers therecf. She is defired to mark well her Bulwarks (or Places of Defence) and confider her Palaces. Alfo God the Father would not have her be ignorant of her Privilege, which the hath gained by her late Marriage to his Son. He orders her to rejoice with the Church, and be glad because of God's Judgments on her Enemies; telling of her glorious Match to fucceeding Generations, viz. that this Faithful God will be her Guide unto Death, Pfal. xlviii. 11, 12, 13, 14. And what is it to walk round about Sion? but to walk by Faith, and view all the precious Promifes God has made to his Church or Bride, from the Beginning of Genefis to the End of Revelations. These are the ftately Towers, built by the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity, for the Safety and Comfort of his Son's Bride. Tell her Towers, faith God, number them, for they are all to Believers in Chrift, Yea, and Amen; that is, fure and everlasting to the Glory of the unchangeable God the Father, 2 Cor. i. 20. All Privileges, Gifts, and Graces belong to the Bride," whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Things prefent, or Things to come; all are yours, and ye are Chrift's, and Chrift is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23. God, having convinced her of his Faithfulness

fulness to her Soul; orders the Bride to fing a new Song of Triumph, in Praise to his glorious Name: and be telling of his Salvation (by Chrift) from Day to Day. And declare his Honour unto the Unconverted; viz. That faithful is he that hath promised, and that he will bring fafe to Glory, every Soul who is enabled through Grace, and made willing to be married to Chrift, Pfal. xcvi. 1, 2, 3. And that he might fee herself fafe in the Marriage Covenant, God gives his Word, his Oath, and Honour, as a Pledge for her Safety : For, faith God, "I will be as a Wall of Fire round about her, and will be the Glory in the Midst of her," Zech. ii. 5. And all Believers having experienced the Truth boldly reply, "God forbid that I fhould glory, fave in the Merits of my Lord Jefus Chrift," Gal. vi. 14. For all Believers are crucified to the World, and dead to the Law, according to the Measure of their Faith: therefore they adopt the Language of the Apostle, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord," 2 Cor. x. 17. and subscribe to the Words of the Prophet, "Let not the wife Man glory in his Wisdom, let not the mighty Man glory in his Might, nor let the rich Man glory in his Riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, (viz.) that through my Grace he understandeth and knoweth me, faith the Lord," fer. ix. 23, 24. For I delight to fhew Kindness to my Son's Bride: and it is my good Pleasure to give her the Kingdom, Luke xii. 32. She is alfo defired to mark well Sion's Bulwarks, viz. God's eternal Decrees, for now her Faith is increased, fhe might venture to read them. "For the Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will fhew them his Covenant," Pfal. Which Covenant is made with Chrift, whom God hath given the Church to perform (in

XXV. 14.

her

her Stead) all the good Pleasure of his Will, Ifa. xlii. 6. And for his Sake alone, God hath predeftinated and adopted the Bride into his Family, that the might praife the Glory of his Grace, which hath made her accepted in the Beloved, Eph. i.5, 6. For it is a Covenant of everlasting Peace, that never shall be removed to all Eternity, Ifa. liv. 10. And as David faid, fo might every Believer say, Although Senfe might lofe at Times the Prefence of God, yet he hath made with me (in Chrift before Time began) an everlasting Covenant, well ordered in all Things, and fure. Which Covenant I truft in for all my Salvation, and defire no other, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Great Reafon had David then to truft in this. Covenant, when God had fworn by his Holinefs, that he would not fail or lie unto him, Pfal. lxxxix. 34. The fame Reafon hath every Believer to apply God's Oath to himself, which is evident from God's Word, as follows, viz. "Incline your Ear and come unto me, hear and your Soul fhall live, and I will make an everlafting Covenant with you, even the fure Mercies of David," Ifa. lv. 3. And again," I the Lord have called thee (viz. Chrift) in Righteoufnefs, and will hold thy Hand, and will keep thee, and will give thee for a Covenant of the People, for a Light of the Gentiles: To open their blind Eyes, to bring out the Prifoners from their Prison house of Sin and Unbelief; that they who fat in Darkness, might fee a great Light (through believing) That they might glorify my Name, for giving them my Son, to redeem their precious immortal Souls. For my Glory will I not give to another, neither my Praife to Men's graven Image-Righteoufnefs," Ifa. xlii. 6, 7, 8. "Now unto us (the Church) a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the Government fhall be on his Shoulder; and his Name fhall be called, Wonderful,

Wonderful, Counfellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the Increase of his Government there fhall be no End, to establish it with Judgment and Juftice, from hence forth even for ever. The Zeal of the Lord of Hofts will perform this," Ifa. ix. 6, 7. And this Child, God hath made Sin (or a Sin-offering) for us, who knew no Sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. v. 21. "For he was wounded for our Tranfgreffions, he was bruised for our Iniquities, the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him, and with his Stripes we are healed. All we, like Sheep, have gone aftray; we have turned every one to his own Way; and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all. He was oppreffed, and afflicted, and brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and opened not his Mouth. He was taken from Prifon, and from Judgment, condemned without Fault, and then cut off out of the Land of the Living, for the Tranfgreffions of his People. For it pleafed the Lord to make his Soul an Offering for Sin, that his Seed might be juftified (viz. true Believers) and the Pleasure of the Lord profper in his Hands. And Chrift himfelf forefaw the Agony of his Soul, yet was fatisfied to die, to juftify many: He laid down his Life for his Sheep, and bare their Iniquities; and interceded for the Tranfgreffors, Ifa. liii. 5, 6, 7, 8, 10,

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Lord our God, grant that we might efteem the invaluable Blood which was fhed by our adorable Redeemer in his laft Combat with the Powers of Darkness, and daily view him in his Agony and bloody Sweat, under the Wine-Prefs of God's Wrath. Also when he fuffered the cruel Scourging in Pilate's Hall, when he gave bis Back to the Smiters, and at last his Life a

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Ranfom for our Sins on the Crofs. May our Lord's Sufferings by gaining the Bloody Victory, excite all his faithful Followers to renounce all finful Pleafures bere below, and count them but Drofs for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrift. May all who are become the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, afpire after higher Enjoyments, fuch as eating the delicious hidden Manna, the Confolation of the White Stone, and the Honour of fitting with Chrift in his Throne, even as he is fat down with his Father in his Throne, Rev. iii. 21,

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VII.

God's everlasting Love to the Church. His Covenant of Grace with CHRIST in her Behalf. And his eternal Decree to fave her before the Foundation of the World.

Ehold! now I fhall endeavour to fet forth the

Covenant ordained betwixt the Father and the Son, no Doubt before Time began; as appears from the Words fpoken under the Character of Wisdom, "The Lord poffeffed me in the Beginning of his Way, before his Works of old. I was fet up from Everlasting, from the Beginning, or ever the Earth was. While as yet he had not made the Earth. Then was I by him, as one brought up with him, and was daily his Delight, rejoicing, always before him. Rejoicing in the habitable Part of his Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons: of Men," Prov. viii. 22 - 31. God calleth thofe Things that are not, as though they were,

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