FIFTH, and last proposition, which was to speak a few words on the concluding passage of the text, where the Lord commanded his disciples, saying, "there make ready for us."

This is the work he hath likewise given us to do; and as the Lord and his angels are mutually and constantly attendant upon man without the walls, till we let them in, therefore it is absolutely necessary for us to make ready before they can come in, sit down, and communicate with us at one table; and we are all furnished with the means of so doing; for every one of us, high or low, rich, or poor, learned, or unlearned, have the large upper room I have been speaking of, for the Lord's reception; and he gives us all the means of procuring the necessary furniture, agreably to the Apostle's doctrine in the epistle to the Hebrews, in illustration of the text, our Lord send his disciples, angels, or ministering spirits before his face; for these are thus instrumentally concerned in our regeneration; and as they receive their commission immediately from the Lord, so the minister of the gospel receives mediately his il

lumination for the benefit of his people. In consequence of this, I am enabled to shew you where the place is, which is suitable and indispensible for the Lord's presence in you, that the external ordinance may be salutary and effectual.

The Lord, it is said, previous to the text, and in other cases, sent forth two of his disciples, because his divine love and wisdom were about to be symbolically represented and dispensed, and also because the will and understanding must both be engaged in making ready for the Lord, who hath made all things ready for us. The above two divine principles or qualities he sends forth before his face, as he did the ark, to find out a resting place. But this cannot be accomplished without we exercise our voluntary affections and intellectual thoughts, that we may also be prepared, as a bride adorned for her husband. This preparation consisteth in an humble and willing mind to receive the Lord, similar to that which the father of the child, demonstrated in the gospel, before the Lord healed it, when he said,. Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Or to that, which the centurion manifested, when he said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof." Therefore, --In conclusion,--Let me apply this subject home to your hearts, in a short Recapitulation.

The guest chamber we find, to be that large upper room designed for the Lord to dwell in, and to fully dispense the manifestations of his truth and love, called the mind of man. It also signifies heaven, to which our present state is preparatory and introductory. External things are

only so far useful as they represent, and lead to, spiritual ones. We must here give the Lord the largest upper room we have, or he cannot dwell with us, make us such as he would have us to be, and finally raise us up into his eternal kingdom. We must love him above all things, live to him alone, and dedicate every principle and faculty of our souls to his glory and service. The divine order and end of our creation must be accomplished, and the Lord must dwell as in his own house. "He hath done all things well" for us. We have nothing but what we have received from

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him; he only wants us to make a proper use of our talents and possessions, that he may impart more, and give us that eternal heaven of delights which his presence alone can bestow. But he cannot force his love upon us, without our concurrence; he requires a voluntary, free admission; he gives us all the means of furnishing the house for his abode; he only wants us to provide and prepare for his coming, in the best manner we can; yea he is with us now, with all his divine love and wisdom. We only want eyes to see him, and hearts to love and adore him. And though many a useless log, a false friend, a desperate enemy, an impediment of opposition, and an instrument of usurpation, we may have taken into our house, which should be also his, so that it is almost become a den of thieves, or desolate of proper furniture, or inhabitants,--yet he is ready, he is willing to pass by and excuse all this, if we will "only acknowledge our iniquities," be sorry for our sins, be desirous to be delivered from them, and be sincerely willing to render unto the Lord, the things that be his due, for the time to come. Therefore

let not any thing that I have said, or shall ever say, keep back a single soul from the altar of the Lord Jesus, or from making ready for him, so simply, easily, efficaciously, and delightfully as he requires. Do nothing rashly, but deliberately; but linger not too long in a business which is of the highest importance, which is within your power, and which ought to be done as soon as possible.

Let us therefore reflect on these things, make up our minds on the subject, and from henceforth resolve to admit none but the Lord alone into the upper room, or inner chamber of our minds, that we may partake of his life, holiness, and blessedness, be nourished and established in our souls, be associated with his holy angels, and finally enter into that happy, blessed, and glorious habitation, that large upper room in our father's house above, which he is gone to prepare for us.