• How justly does he, when his work is done • Poffefs the centre of his Father's throne? • How justly does his awful throne before,

Seraphic armies proftrate him adore; • That's both by nature and donation crown'd, . With all the grandeur of the Godhead round?

· But wilt thou, Lord, in very deed come dwell With me, that was a burning brand of hell? • With me fo juftly reckon'd worse and less « Than infect, mite, or atom can express ? · Wilt thou debase thy high imperial form, « To match with such a mortal, crawling worm?

Yea, sure thine errand to our earthly coast, • Was in deep love to seek and save the loftt;

And since thou deign‘it the like of me to wed, • O come and make my heart thy marriage-bed. • Fair Jesus, wilt thou marry filthy me? * Amen, Amen, Amen; so let it be.

CHAP. III. The Fruits of the Believer's Marriage with

CHRIST, particularly gospel holiness and obedience to the law as a rule,

SECT. 1. The fucet folemnity of the marriage now over, and the sad effects of ibe remains of a legal fpirit. " HE match is made, with little din 'tis done,

But with great power, unequal prizes won. The Lamb has fairly wop his worthless bride; She her great Lord, and all his store beside. He made the pooreft bargain, tho' most wife; And fhe, the tool, has won the worthy prizę.

+ Luke xix. IO.

THE

Deep floods of everlasting love and graee, That under ground ran an eternal space, Now rife aloft 'bove banks of fin and hell, And o'er the tops of mafly mountains swell. In streams of blood are tow'rs of guilt o'erflown, Down with the rapid purple current thrown.

The bride now as her all can Jesus own, And proftrate at his footstool caft her crown, Disclaiming all her former groundless hope, While in the dark her soul did weary grope. Down tumble all the hills of self-conceit, In him alone fhe sees herself complete; Does his fair person with fond arms embrace, And all her hopes on his full merit place; Discard her former mate, and henceforth draw No hope, no expectation from the law.

Though thus her new created nature foars, And lives aloft on Jesus' heav'nly stores ; Yet apt to stray, her old adult'rous heart Oft takes her old renounced husband's part: A legal cov’nant is so deep ingrain’d, Upon the human nature laps'd and stain’d, That, till her spirit mount the purest clime, She's never totally divorc'd in time. Hid in her corrupt part's proud bosom lurks Some hope of life stilt by the law of works.

Hence flow the following evils more or less; Preferring oft her partial holy dress, Before her Husband's perfect righteousness.

Hence joying more in grace already giv'n Than in her Head and stock that's all in heay'n. Hence grieving more the want of frames and Than of himself the spring of all solace. (grace,

Hence guilt her soul imprisons, lusts prevail, While to the law her rents insolvent fail, [bail. And yet her faithless heart rejects her Husband's

Hence foul disorders rise, and racking fears, While doubtful of his clearing past arrears; Vain dreaming, fince her own obedience fails, His likewise little for her help avails.

Hençe duties are a task, while all in view Is heavy yokes of laws, or old or new : Whereas, were once her legal bias broke, She'd find her Lord's commands an easy yoke. No galling precepts on her neck he lays, Nor any debt demands, save what he pays By promis'd aid; but, lo! the grievous law, Demanding brick, won't aid her with a straw.

Hence alfo fretful, grudging, discontent, Crav’d by the law, finding her treasure fpent, And doubting if her Lord will pay the rent.

Hence pride of duties too does often swell, Presuming fhe perforni'd fo very well.

Hence pride of graces and inherent worth Springs from her corrupt legal bias forth; And boasting more a present with’ring frame, Than her exalted Lord's unfading name.

Hence many falls and plunges in the mire, As many new conversions do require: Because her faithless heart fad follies breed, Much lewd departure from her living Head, : Who, to reprove her aggravated crimes, Leaves her abandon'd to herself at times; That, falling into f;ightful deeps, she may From fad experience learn more strofs to lay, Not on her native efforts, but at length On Christ alone, her righteousnefs and strength:

Conscious, while in her works she seeks repose, Her legal spirit breeds her many woes.

THE

SECT. II. Faith's victories over fin and Satan, through neto

and farther discoveries of Christ, making believers more fruitful in holiness than all other pretenders to works. HE gospel-path leads heav'n-ward; hence

the fray, Hell pow'rs still push the bride the legal way. So hot the war, her life's a troubled flood, A field of battle, and a scene of blood. But he that once commenc'd the work in her, Whose working fingers drop the sweetest myrrh, Will still advance it by alluring force, [vorce: And, from her ancient mate, more clean dia Since 'tis her antiquated spouse the law, The strength of fin and hell did on her draw. Piece-meal she finds hell's mighty force abate, By new recruits from her almighty Mate. Fresh armour sent from grace's magazine, Makes her proclaim eternal war with fin. The shield of faith, dipt in the Surety's blood, Drowns fiery darts, as in a crimson flood. The Captain's ruddy banner, lifted high, Makes hell retire, and all the furies fly. Yea, of his glory every recent glance Makes fin decay, and holiness advance. In kindnefs therefore does her heav'nly Lord Renew'd discoy'ries of his love afford, That her enamour'd soul may with the view Be cast into his holy mould anew :

For when he manifests his glorious grace,
The charming favour of his smiling face,
Into his image fair transforms her foul*,
And wafts her upward to the heav'nly pole,
From glory unto glory by degrees,
Till vision and fruition shall fuffice.
And thus in holy beauty Jesus' bride
Shines far beyond the painted fons of pride,
Vain merit-vouchers, and their subtile apes,
In all their moft refin'd, delusive shapes.
No lawful child is ere the marriage born;
Though therefore virtues feign'd their life adorn.
The fruit they bear is but a spurious brood,
Before this happy marriage be made good.
And 'tis not strange; for, from a corrupt tree
No fruit divinely good produc'd can be t.
But, lo! the bride, graft in the living Root,
Brings forth most precious aromatic fruit.
When her new heart and hernew Husband meet,
Her fruitful womb is like a heap of wheat,
Beset with fragments lilies round about 1,
All divine graces, in a comely root,
Burning within, and shining bright without.
And thus the bride, as facred scripture faith,
When dead unto the law through Jejus' death,
And match'd with him, bears to her God and Lord
Accepted fruit, with incense pure decor'd.
Freed from law-debt, and bleft with gospel ease,
Her work is now her deareft Lord to please,
By living on him as her ample stock,
And leaning to him as her potent rock.
The fruit, that each law-wedded mortal brings
To self accrefces, as from self it springs.
2 Cor. ii. 18.

† Matt. vii. 17, 18. I Cant. vii. 2.

♡ Rom. vii. 4.