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the Church fo often in this most excellent Book of the Canticles: She is the Rofe of the Field,the Lilly of the Valley, the faireft among Women, an Orchard of Pomegranates, a Well of Springing Waters; the Spouse and Sifter of Chrift,the Beauty of the Earth, the Glory of the World, a Lilly among Thorns &c.Thefe aud the like Titles ferve to confirm the everlafting truth of this Doctrine unto us, how dear and precious the Church is in Chrift's fight,that of all Societies and Affemblies of men in the World, none are more excellent and worthy, more amiable and lovely, none more beautiful and precious, than the Church of God, the Spouse of Chrift.

And the Reafon of the Doctrine is apparent. Man was first caft out of Paradice for fin, nei ther is there any thing that doth hinder his return, but only fin; for it is fin that separates and hinders all good things from us. For fo long as fin remains, it's a weighty burden to prefs down a finner into Hell, and the wages of it is Eternal Death. Therefore if fin be pardoned, as it is to all the elect, what fhould hinder their happiness? God hath against them no difpleafure, the Obedience of Jefus Chrift being imputed unto them, Heaven cannot be denied them, but they must needs be faved.

Secondly, Chrift Jefus doth efteem highly of his Church, and the Church is moft excellent in her felf, becaufe in it alone Salvation is to be found, and no where elfe. When the Lord brought the great and general deluge o

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ver the Face of the whole Earth, what place was there left more excellent than the Ark, in which Noah and his Family was faved, and the whole World befides perished? What was the Ark but a type and figure of Chrift's Church, wherein Salvation is to be found, and out of which is no Salvation to be looked for: Seeing therefore, that no Remiffion of Sins is proper only to Chrifts Church, and that therein is Salvation and Eternal Life to be found, we may fafely conclude, that the Eftate of Christ's Church, and every Member thereof, is moft Excellent and Bleffed.

Ufe 1. The Ufe of this Do&rine is Excellent, as the Nature of the Church is.

First then, feeing that Chrift will pass by the Sins of his Children, and judge them Fair without any fpot or blemish of Sin, if they truly Repent, and embrace him and his Righteoufnefs by Faith: Here is matter of endlefs comfort to every poor Child of God.

1 Doft thou Repent of thy Sins, and art truly humbled for them? Doft thou embrace Chrift Jefus for the Pardon of them? Hath God San&tified thy Heart by the Spirit, fo that thou hateft every wicked way, and defireft and endeavoureft to obey God's Will in all his Commandments? Then comfort thy felf, and chear up thy Soul, Chrift Jefus will cover all thy Sins; they hall never be laid to thy charge, but he will cloath thee with his own Righteonfnefs, whereby thou shalt appear Fair and

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beautiful in his fight. Indeed many a poor Child of God looking upon their own Infitmities, and manifold corruptions, fee themfelves to be black indeed, deformed and stained with fin; it grieveth them that they hang. down their heads and go drooping all their days, ftriving and ftruggling with their re bellious Hearts, and vile corruptions, thinking that Chrift Jefus cares not for them, cannot love them being fo defil'd with fin.

But be not difcouraged; for if thou repert of them, believe in Chrift, hate thy fins, and prayeft often to God, to give thee power to withstand them, ufing all Godly means fo to do, Chrift Jefus will cover, and pass by them all, as he dealt with David, Peter, &c. Oh then! what care ought all men daily to take to be members of this Society, that they may have a part in all thefe excellent Prerogatives? And then though the World efteem them not, but count them miferable, grinning, and nodding at them with their Head, and every way contumelioufly reproach. ing them, yet are they moft dear and precious n the fight of Chrift, who hath redeemed them with the Ranfom of his own Blood.

Ufe 2. Let us learn by Chrift's Example here, that if we fee any good thing in a Child of God, to commend it, and embrace it: And if we fee any blemish, or infirmity, that we wink at it, and cover the fame with the cloak of Love; and not as the manner

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of Wicked and ungodly men is, who, though they fee many good Gifts, and Graces in God's Children, as Obedience, Faith, Pati ence, and Love, pass by all that; and if they efpy but one blemish and weaknefs, they blaze it abroad with open mouth; blast their Reputation, calling them Puritans, Hypocrites, and the like, reviling them in a moft odious manner, like the Horfe Fly, pass by many Flowers and fweet Herbs, and lights upon fome noifom Weed: Thefe are not like to Chrift, but to the Devil.

Thus much of the exceeding Love and Kindness of Chrift Jefus to his Church, in that he calls her by this kind Appellation, The Fairest among Women.

Secondly, His gentle Reproof of her, If thou know not (quoth he:) This feemeth trange thou fhouldft be ignorant where I feed my Sheep, where my Truth and Gofpel is purely preached, and foundly profeffed, but if thou know not, I will direct, and fhew thee how to find it out.

Hence we are taught, that the Church of God and true Believers, may fometimes be fo blind, and left to themfelves, that they are at a ftand, and hardly know which is the true Religion, Where Chrift doth feed his Flock, where the Word is faithfully preached, and profeffed; for we are all ready to err by Nature. How apt are we in matters that concern our Souls, to be mifta

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keh through our carelefnefs in not fearching of the Truth, and trying of the Spirits: { And alfo by the fubtil policy of the Devil who ape's the Almighty in many things, as that it is hard to difcern his flights and falfehoods; wicked Men, falfe Teachers and lying Prophets, fet fuch a face and fhew on their Errors, and bear them out with such a countenance and Authority; and the truth is fo neglected, plain and fimple men trodden under foot, that it is hard for a man, yea, the true Church of God fometimes to difcern where Chrift feedeth his Flock.

When Elijah was left alone, and Baal had five Hundred and Fifty Prophets, who could almost difcern the true Worship of God from Idolatry, when all was corrupted? So when Micaiah told the Truth, and Abab had four Hundred falfe Prophets, it was hard to difcern the Truth of God, from the lying of Satan.

In Chrift's time, how did the Scribes and Pharifees confound Religion, dim and dazle the Truth? for the which, our Saviour him. felf did often reprove them? And in our times how many did labour to obfcure Religion? how boldly and impudently do they defend their own Traditions and Conftituti ons, Mat. 15. 9? →

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How fhould this ftir up every Christian Man and Woman, to ftudy the Scriptures, that fo knowing the Truth, and believing the Doctrine of God, we may be able to dif

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