A notable direction to all forts of men how to behave themselves, when they come into the House of God; namely, not to reft on any natural gift, whatfoever it be, Wifdom, Learning, Wit, Memory, &c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. For the Wisdom of the Flesh is enmity with God. But to go out of our felves, and to feek the Lord with humility, and felf-denial, and then the Lord will give us a difcerning Spirit, that we fhall not be deceived. If any man (faith Chrift) will do my Fathers Will, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God. John 7. 17. And again, Christ promiseth his Disciples, being now to leave them, and go to his Father, that the spirit of truth fhall lead them into all

truth.

And the reafons are

First, We are blind, and by Nature can hardly fee into the truth, unless God direct us by his Spirit; for fo faith Solomon, Prov. 14. 12. The ways that feem right unto us, the iffues thereof are the ways of Death. It is a part of our mifery, that we are turned every one to his own way.

Secondly, When we know it, alas we are of ourfelves fo weak, and flesh and blood will. be fo unwilling to fuffer for Chrifts fake, that unless the Lord do affift us, we thall not be able to undergo the leaft temptation that hill be laid upon us.

And laftly, The Enemies of Gods Truth, are in their Generation fo wife and fubtil, com

ing

ing to us in fheeps cloathing to deceive us, that of our felves we fhall eafily be drawn away to believe lies. In all these refpects we may Lafely conclude, that it is impoffible for us to hold out in the day of Tryal, unless we he affifted by the Lords holy Spirit.

Ufe 1. This fheweth, that if Tryals do come, and Perfecution fhall arife for Chrift and the Gofpel fike; that alas, it is to be feared moft men would yield to Popery, Idolatry, Superftition, to the Flocks of his Companions, to the Church of Rome, to flat Idolatry: For alas, those that know not the truth, they are not taught of God; they are blind and ignorant, and will eafily believe and embrace any Reli gion.

Ufe 2. This may ftir up every true Chriftian man and woman to pray to Chrift, as the Church doth here, that he would teach us by his Spirit, that he would open our eyes, that we may fee the truth, and that he would give us hearts to believe it, to love it, and to live and die in it; that he would give us the Spirit of difcern ing, to try the Spirits whether they be of God, that fo we may difcern truth from fallhood: Yea, we muft fo labour to be grounded in the truth, that no afflictions of any kind may re nove us that we be fure to lay a good foun dation, that we dig deep into our hearts and build on the Rock Jefus Chrift.

Though the Papifts fay, they are the true Church, and the Communion of Chrift, yet they re the Synagogue of Satan; The main points

of

of their Religion, being clean contrary unto the Word of God; as their Doctrine of Merits, Invocation of Saints, worthipping of Images, Praying for the Dead, Secrifice of the Mafs, that fo we may for ever ftand out against the Doctrine of the Church of Rome: Yea, let us intreat the Lord that he would never fuffer it to get a head again in this Land, notwithftanding we have deferved as great a Judgment; but especially that he keep us that we may never joyn with them in that bloody Religion.

Ufe 3. It condemns all who are ready, either for fear of Perfecution, or by blindness or ignorance to embrace any Religion, or joyn with any Church, who to keep their Livings hold their Lands to enjoy their Honours and Pleafures, would turn as doth the Wind, and embrace any Religion; joyn with Papifts, Jew, Turk, yea, the Devil himself for advamage.

Oh, the true Church of Chrift fear themfelves and their weakness, that they fhould be drawn away, and feduced to embrace a falfe Religion: And therefore they doubting the worft, and fearing the corruption that is in their own hearts, pray Chrift that they may not be left unto themfelves, but that they may find ftrength from him to withstand it.

CANT.

CANT. 8

E have heard before of the earnest re

Wqueft and petition of the Church to

Chrift, that he would in mercy fhew them where he feeds his Flock, and where he provideth comfort for them in time of trouble. Here is the most kind, loving and gracious An fwer of Chrift Jetus to the request of the Church: In which note three things.

1. His exceeding love and kindness, in that he calls her, The faireft among Women.

2. His gentle reproot of her. If tho know not, quoth he: This is very ftrange, that thou which art the true Church, fhould not know where Chrift feeds his theep.

3. His direct answer to her request, wherein he anfwers her to the full: If you would know where I feed my Sheep, and would feed with them, and find conflation to thy Soul Then you must go in the Heps of the Flock: You must embrace the Faith, Religion, Worship and Service of God, which my ancient Church from the beginning have embraced; the Faith, Reli gion, Worship and Service of God, which my ancient Servants, Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob have done, and tread in their Steps. Secondly, Thou must plant thy Tents where the Shepherds have done, the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apoftles of Chrift, and their doctrine taught before. This is the fum and fubftance of Chrift's Anfwer to his Church.

Firft, Obferve here how Chrift defcribes his true Church and Spoufe, giving her a most kind and loving Name, expreffing his kind and fingular Love unto her, O thou fairest among Wo

men.

Queft. But this may feem ftrange; for the Church confeffeth before, that the was black and Sun-burnt, deformed, &c. How then can Chrift call her, Fairest among Women?

Anfw. The Church and every true Believer, are black and deformed in themfelves, vile and deformed by Nature, and they can fee no beauty in themselves, but are blemished; yea, and ftain'd with Sins Original and Actual. But as they are fan&ified by his Spirit, washed wi h his Blood, and cloathed in his Righteoufnels, they are Fair and Beautiful in the fight of God, becaufe Chrift hath washed them from all their fins in his Blood; and covered them with the pure Robes of his own Righteoufness.

Here mark the endless love of Chrift Jefus to his poor Church and People, that efteemeth fo highly of them, as if they had no fpot of fin and uncleannefs, though they in themfelves be black, deformed, and polluted; yet all thofe who truly repent,embrace Jefus Chrift, and believe in him, that are wash.d from their fins, Sanctified by his Spirit, and obey his Will, all these are Fair: yea, moft Beautiful in his Eyes. This is confeffed by wicked Balaam, when he faw no policy nor device could take any place against the Church of God. Hereunto come the titles and commendations given to

the