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He will fort the good feed and the tares which grew in his field, by his permiffion, and patience till harvest; receiving his grain into his barn and remitting the tares to be burnt, Matt. xiii. 30.

He will take cognizance of his guests, rejecting those who trust themselves in, not having a wedding garment; entertaining those that are fitted, and suitably clothed: Matt. xxii. 13, 4.

He will admit the wife virgins with their trimmed lamps; and shut the door against the foolish, then found unprovided, and to feek, as we have it, Matt. xxv. 10, 12.

He will reckon with the trustees of his talents, and receive good and faithful fervants to the joy of their Lord, but caft the unprofitable into utter darknefs, Matt. xxv. 23, 30.

He will make difference, by everlasting punishment and eternal life, upon the account of neglect, and fervice, Matt. xxv. 46.

In all which variety of reprefentations, we have an uniform relation both of ground and proportion: which doth fettle, and afcertain the reference of time to eternity, and of the state of the one refpectively to the other. For we may observe, that he ftill goes upon what was before, and according to the difference of the fubject. Which also in fcripture not clothed with allegory, is clearly declared. 2 Cor. v. 10. We must all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether good, or bad, 2 Theff. i. 8. The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming

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flaming fire; taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Chrift, who fhall be punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his faints, and to be admired in all them that believe. And this to do, is faid to be a righteous thing on God's part, and a worthy and fitting thing to be done on man's part, v. 5, 6, 11. For the state of the fubject, the reason of the things, ground and proportion are indifferently observed. Which being fo, we may have a fore-fight of things future, from what we now are, and feel; whereas, of things perfectly new and never before, or altogether arbitrary and fubject to will, there can be no fore-knowledge arifing from ought of the things themselves.

4. Then let us have faith and patience to go through the world withal; for the day draws on apace, for the stating and rectifying of things; the proportioning of recompence and reward to action, and the compleating and confummating what is weak and imperfect for the prefent.

He is unreasonably impatient, and hafty, who will not stay and expect the feafon of the year, and what that brings; but mutters and complains of injury, and hard measures, because he cannot have harveft in feed-time.

Tho' an inheritance fall to a perfon not at years, or a parent will by benevolence to his child, antevert his own deceafe, and prepofterously make him heir per voluntatem before-hand, who is to be per naturam in fucceffion (as Charles the V. king of Spain

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and the Netherlands, distinguish'd in his fpeech to his fon Philip, when he furrendered his kingdoms to him, having before furrendered his empire of Germany to his brother Ferdinand) yet the general law which in common looks at particulars, and only aims at minors advantage and fecurity, admits not an undoubted heir at law, the power, or liberty of difpofe in his incomplete state, left thro' immaturity, or inexperience, he consent to what after-wisdom would choose to have otherwife. Neither is this remora, or detention efteemed matter of tyranny, or a grievance, but meets with equal compliance, being a provision of fecurity.

Scriptures and experience of ages fhew us, that ingentia dei opera magnam patiuntur moram. God takes a large compass to bring about his great works. Shall not we acknowledge God's priviledge, and yield to his pleasure, by being content to stay till the time appointed of our heavenly father, Gal. iv. 2.

He deals very unequally with God, from whofe goodness and bounty we expect all things of faith and hope, for matter and fubftance; who will not permit to his liberty, circumstances of time and place. We are wont to fay, to perfons who gratify us, take your own time and we ftay with patience, and receive with kind acceptance.

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I doubt not, but as God in the world of nature, hath fitted one thing to another, as the wife man obferves, Eccl. vii. 14. whereby vanity, deformity and ineptitude to the end are excluded, which might extend to the maker's reproach, as failing in skill, or goodness; fo will he alfo in the intellectual world

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of fouls and spirits, finally proportion capacities and ftates (for the other world will be admirable for congruities) and fit moral actions and difpofitions with recompence and reward, that no challenge may befal his fuperintendency, and government.

DISCOURSE XXI,

The Neceffary REPENTANCE of a

SINNER.

IS A IH i. 16.

Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings, &c.

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Wo things are neceffarily to be acknowledged and fuppofed to encourage motion in religion, endeavours after piety, and application to God.

First, To know and be affured, that God will not be wanting to afford the affiftance of his grace and fpirit.

Secondly, That by this affiftance of God's grace and spirit, we are enabled to do our duty. That God doth afford his aid and affiftance; and that by this we are enabled to do our duty, and that which God requires of us; these two things are neceffary for us to believe and understand, to

strengthen

ftrengthen our hands in our work, and so encourage us in good endeavour, and to make application to God, or else we shall fall into one of these two inconveniencies.

First, We fhall be ready to say or think, that God doth reproach us when he doth seem to exhort us, and that he doth as it were but mock at us, in our misery and neceffity, when he speaks most kindly to us; than which, nothing is more unworthy the divine goodness. This is to do something like that which St. James doth reprove, James ii. 16. for one to fay to a brother or a sister, that is naked and deftitute of food, be ye warmed and filled, but gives them not those things that are neceffary for the body. Now I ask, can we think that God will do that himself, which he finds fault with in others? Is there not quite another reprefentation made of God, Pfal. ciii. 13. That God pities them that fear him, as a father doth his children: because that he knoweth their frame, and remembers that they are but flesh.

By which the prophet would teach us, that God doth make allowance for our advantage, and that he is full of compaffion, and that it is far from him to make a fhew of that, which he doth not mean this being a thing fo horrid, that no person among us of any fairness, candour, or ingenuity, is guilty of; and when any one is found out, to speak that which he did not mean, and intend to perform; he is the more difrelished and avoided. Or else,

Secondly, That the exhortations that are in fcripture are to no purpose, and fhall take no effect ;

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