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Entrance into the Marriage. But wo to them, who, making Light of the Greatest thing in the World, Stop their Ears to the Scripture Calls, Put out their Lamps, Fall afleep; are for ever Shut out: And then in vain, Cry Lord, Lord, Open to us.

པ་ཤ

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CHAP. VII.

Of the Prize.

After the Parables, there remain now

to be explicated but Two Terms,.

One of the Prize, and the other of the Crown. The former we have, I Cor. 9. 24. They that Run in a Race, Run all; But One receiveth the Prize: So Run, that ye may ob tain. And that the Apoftle here means the Heavenly Blifs, we may learn from Phil. 3. 13, 14. Forgetting those things that are bebind, and reaching forth to the things that are before, I press towards the Mark, for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Chrift Jesus.

Tho' the Prize which the Princes of this World ufually do offer is no great mater; yet that in Heaven cannot chufe but be every way the moft Rich and Splendid; whether we look upon the God that gives it, who is the King of infinite Power and

Magni

Magnificence, that has fet up bis Glory above the Heavens. Pfal. 8. 1. Or whether we look upon the Champions, to whom it is propofed, even his own Sons, and Chrift's Brethren; whom their Father, be fure, would never Invite to the Race, If there were not a Prize worth the Defires, and the Ambition even of the Children of the moft High.

But that which moft concerns us here, is to fee what it is to Run to this Prize; And how we fhall Run, fo that we may Obtain. Our Running to the Prize, is to keep in the way of God's Commands. For the Course here is the Law of the Lord. Pfal. 119. 2. Bleed are the Undefiled in the Way, that walk in the Law of the Lord. And Ver. 32. I will Run the way of thy Commands, when thou shalt Enlarge my heart. Now thus to Run, that we may Win, Three things are requifite; That we should keep clofe to the Course, That we should Haft and Perfevere in it, And that we fhould go out and Proceed in the Strength of our Lord.

I. We muft not ftrike out of the Courfe For they that Wander from it, may Lof all, Tho' they go never fo fwift; Because it is at Rovers and Uncetainty. Whereas the Apostle, by his Practice, 1 Cor. 9. 26, Ifo Run, not as Uncertainly; Teaches us to

keep

ifications for it. No; but to Take it so as God Ne Gives it; i. e. To them who acquit themselves faithfully, in the difcharge of their Duty. For ur Lord gives Eternal Life; It's true: But to whom? See, Joh. 10. 28. To them that ear his Voice, and Follow him. As for be Unrighteous, They fhall not Inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6. 9. And without Holinefs no man fhall fee the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. Heaven is no Afylum nor Reprache for the Unclean creatures, that were ever Wafhed, Sanctified, Juftified in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit cf our God.. I Cor. 6.. 12. No: We cannot Beholds his Face, but in Righteoufnefs: Nor fhall we be fatisfied, If we awake not with his Likenefs. Pfal. 17. 15. Into the New Jerufalem fhall in no wife enter any thing that defiles, or works Abomination. hev. 21. 27. Unrenewed Sinners have no manner of Fitness for that Holy Place, any More than the filthy Swine to fit at Board, or e in the richest Bed.

But fhall I then madly go and forfeit all the toy and Glory everlasting, only to efcape the Trouble of a prefent Scowring; and never be Happy, because I will fill be Filthy? God bid I should fo ruin all my Hopes of Heaen's Blifs, and be fuch an Unclean Vessel, fiting up for Deftruction. Tho' I would not cue up the Terms to fuch a height and Rigor, should render Performance Impracticable, N

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to Difhearten and binder all my own and others Endeavour; Yet here too much Latitude and Smoothness of the way, may well raise my Fealousy and diftruft, that I am bound for no Safe and good End. Where Heaven then is in my Eye, never let me fhrink at some rugged Paffages on the way: But rather learn to grow in that Love, which will not only Reconcile me to my Duty, but take off even the whole Difficulty, and help to make all that is done for the Beloved, fweet and Eafy. When 'tis to Follow my best and dearest Lord, and to be ever with him whom my Soul, above all, does Love; At what then fhall I fik? Or will I ever complain? No: For Love furmounts all the Barrs, and will not fo be stopp'd.

We fee it in frequent inftances, (tho fome but very forry ones;) How will men Tagg for the World, which their Hearts are fet upon? Yea, and Delight even in the Drudgery, when 'tis the Jweer Saveur of Lucre, that draws 'em on with fuch Pleasure? And what pins will even the Lewd Rakes and fcanda Lus Sors be at ? what wre ched Shifts will the m. ke, and through wh. filthy Difgraces will they Scamper; only for the sake of their odiou Uncleanefs, and their worse thun Brutal Ex c.ffs? Now, Shall I be Out done by the fill Levers of cheating Vanity; Or by the defperat Levers of curfed Iniquity, who make the fad deft Bargain for themselves, and are at it with

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both Hands, to work out their own Undoing? When I bave that in my Eye, which is better than a thousand Worlds, and that which will ftay by me World without end? No, my Soul; Did the Lord call me, not only to the strict ft Self-denial, and the bardeft Labour, but to Suffering alfo, even unto Death; Tet would Heaven make infinite Amends for all. And twere not only worth while, but the richest Gain, to prefs towards the Mark, for that glorious Prize; Tho' I went thro' Fire, and thro' Water, to fuch a wealthy Place. But when he be requires of es of me only to do Juftly, to Love Mercy, to walk Humbly with my God, to Mortify exorbitant Lufts, to deny an unreasonable Self, to Live above the Love of a Vain Perishing World, and to keep my felf in the Love of God, Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift to eternal Life (Things that make for my prefent Eafe and Happiness, Tho' I had no Eye upon the unSpeakable Recompence of Reward; fhall I think it much, or ever Murmur at the Terms? No; I will Admire, I will Adore, and Magnify the God of all Grace, who will be pleased to to Employ me here, that be may Glorify me bereafter; and order me to wit upon him but a little while, that I may Reign with him for ever; and fo to manage this tranfient Flash of Life, that as foon as 'tis Extinct, I may enter upon the bleed Life Immortal.