ally polluted, deformed, uncomely, and black as hell! and that he fhould feek her through a fea of blood, through the pains of death, the horrors of the grave, and torments of hell! And after many flights and refufals, that he should follow her in her wanderings through the wilderness of fin, with his charming invitations, and alluring offers in the gofpel, prefenting her with the rings and bracelets of his precious promifes and Spirit's confolations; and all to win her heart and gain her confent to him. How aftonishing is it to fee this glorious perfon coming over all objections from the blackness, guilt, poverty, and unworthiness of the bride, faying, Though fhe be black, I'll make her comely through my comelinefs put upon her! Though she be mean, I'll make her noble! Though a flave, I'll make her free! Though a fool, I'll make her wife! Though bankrupt, I'll pay all her debt! Come here, law, juftice, and all her creditors, here's full fatisfaction for all that is due to you, take it, and write her difcharge: Now, who can lay any thing to the charge of God's elect, Chrift's bride: Behold God difplaying his free love here to the utmoft! He never difplayed his other attributes to the utmost, infinite wisdom could have contrived ten thousand worlds more beautiful than this, and infinite power could have produced them. But here infinite love and mercy hath gone to the utmost : a greater demonftration of his love Chrift could not give, than by leaving heaven, affuming a body, and giving his life for the bride, nay wading through hell for her, and in face of all difcouragements courting and betrothing her to himself for ever!

After many meetings, treaties, and broken tryfts with fome, the bridegroom is come again to court a bride, and has fent his friend in his name to demand her confent, faying, as they did to Rebekah, Gen. xxiv. 58. Wilt thou go with this man? Poor woman, lad, lafs, wilt thou yield to this glorious Emmanuel, many former treaties have been broken off by the devil, the world, unbelief, and an ill heart! Oh, will not the

long spoken of match hold at length! Minifters, the bridegroom's friends, are doing their best to draw on another meeting between parties. Chrift, I fee, is content to hold another, and it may be the last tryft he will fet with many. To fhew his earneftnefs, he hath convened his friends, angels, faints, and ambassadors, to witness the fincerity of the parties: he hath put on his fcarlet robes, his garments dipt in blood, to win finner's hearts; he hath brought the marriage contract, and fpread it before them, faying, "What think ye of its "articles and terms? Are ye pleased with them? Are "ye content to break with fin and all my enemies? "to renounce the world, felf-righteousness, and all oth"er lovers? to fall in with the felf denying way of fal"vation through a borrowed righteoufnefs? to accept "of me in all my offices? to live wholly upon your "husband, borrow all from him, and be an eternal "debtor to him? to make a furrender of your foul "and body to him, and feal a covenant with him at * his table? Are you refolved to be faithful to your ❝ husband, cleave to him all the days of your life, and "be oft looking out for his fecond coming? And " in the mean time to be oft commemorating his fuf"ferings, conflicts, conquefts, and achievements, and " for that end to be frequently looking on his picture "in the facrament with a believing, penitent, and "thankful heart? Now, what is your anfwer? Lay #6 your hand to your heart.”

Lord, unworthy as I am, I defire to go forward through all difficulties, impediments, and difcouragements, and fay with Rebekah, when called to answer, I will go with the man : And with Efther, I will go in to the king: Though I be not worthy of him, yet he is worthy to be obeyed that calls me: Though he hath no need of me, yet I have great need of him: Though my distance be great, he allows me to creep nearer to him: Though I cannot move of myfelf, yet he is able to draw me, be my clogs never fo great: Though my motion be small, yet I will not turn back,

but keep my face towards him, and fix my eye on him. As a look hath brought healing, fo a look hath brought ftrength; yea, though he fhould feem to frown on me, and chide me away from him, yet like Jonah, I will look again towards his holy temple: Though I have no worthinefs in myfelf, yet he hath worthiness enough for me: Though I be a black and uncomely bride, my glorious husband can beautify me with his perfect comelinefs put upon me. Therefore I do, with all my heart, accept of him as my lord and husband: Lord, I make choice of thee, and all that is thine; for richer, for poorer; for better, for worfe; for well, for woe; for profperity, for adverfity: I make choice of thee for all times and conditions, to love, honour, and obey thee above all. I renounce all other lords and lovers, and will have none but Christ: I renounce my own will, and take thy will for my law. I efteem thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and will hate every falfe way I fubmit to all thy providences and dealings with me, and am content to take up my cross and follow thee, whitherfoever thou goeft: I take thy Spirit for my guide, thy word for my rule, thy glory for my fcope, thy teftimonies for my counfellors, thy promifes for my encouragement, thy Sabbaths for my. delight, thy people for my companions: Lord Jefus, I take thee for my life, holinefs for my way, and heaven for my home. And, as I accept of thee, and all that is thine; fo I give up myfelf to thee, and all that is mine, foul and body, with all my faculties and affections, fenfes, and members, to be thy agents and inftruments; with all my enjoyments to be employed for thy ufe and fervice.

I will go with the man, though I fee him all over wounded, mangled and bleeding and his vifage marred with the wounds, ftripes, and blows which he got from men and devils. Nay, I fee him even in this mangled condition, to be fairer than all the fons of men, and all the fons of God too; for I fee him, wounded for my tranfgreffions, and bruifed for my iniquities, that by his ftripes

I might be healed; I fee him a match every way suitable for me, that can fupply all my needs: I am a poor dying worm, but he is a living head that can make me live for ever: I am a needy creature all made up of wants, but in him doth all manner of fulness dwell: I want grace, but he hath all fulness of grace suitable for me: I want grace to believe, but he is the author of faith: I want grace to repent, but he is a Prince and Saviour exalted to give repentance: I want grace to pray, to hear, to communicate, to mortify fin, bear the crofs, refift temptation, &c. but my husband hath all grace to beftow. O let me be ftrong in the grace that is in Chrift Jefus.

O that I had the true marks of those who are divorced from the law, and married to Chrift as their husband; that I could fay, I look upon all my doings in point of acceptance with God as old rags; I live wholly and freely upon my husband, and take all I want from him for nothing; I clothe myfelf with his righteousness, and effay the performance of every duty in his ftrength; I defire to live entirely upon his coftI have a heart love to my husband, and every thing that belongs to him, and a heart hatred to fin, and averfion to every thing that is injurious to him: I am defirous to please him in all things; and out of regard to his dying command, I go to his table to remember his dying love, and renew my marriage vows: I delight in my husband's company, and prefs for communion with him in all ordinances. His honour is always dear to me, and I am eafy about my own honour and intereft in refpect of his; "let me decreafe, but let him increafe." And in regard the devil reigns here, fin abounds, error and corruption prevail; I am well pleafed with the thoughts of Chrift's fecond coming to pull down Satan's kingdom, and to confummate the marriage with me, and all that are efpoufed to him, and fay, Why tarry the wheels of his chariot ? Make hafte my beloved; even fo, come Lord Jefus. O that all the world would love him, exalt him, and fubmit to him. Many

in different places admire him, and fee matchless charms in him; his name to them is as ointment poured forth, his garments fmell of aloes, myrrh, and caffia, they have beheld his ftately goings in the fanctuary: O that all the world might so admire him, and submit të him also.

MEDITATION XXIV.

From ISAIAH hii. 8. For the transgressions of my people was be

stricken.

OUR fins and tranfgreffions are great and various, and therefore our furety's fufferings for them were heavy and manifold; he endured many wounds, bruifes, chastisements, and ftripes, which should still endear him the more to us; for he was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruised for onr iniquities; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with his ftripes we were healed, ver. 5. O who can think on that verfe without forrow, or peak of it without tears! He was wounded and bruised to death, to fave us from deadly wounds and bruifes: And when dying, he left us his portraiture, with the marks of his wounds, that we might look upon it at his table, and mourn for our fins which gave him these wounds. Oh, can I see my dear Saviour all wounded and mangled by my fins, and not be deeply affected for the tranfgreffions for which my dear Jesus was ftricken! Stricken he was many ways, by many hands, by many rods, by many ftripes: He was ftricken by the hand of God, by the hand of men, by the hand of devils: Stricken by the rod of Mofes, the rod of justice, the rod of the Jews, &c. O how early was he ftricken by the ill ufage he met with from men, being thruft out, to be born in a foul stable, and laid in a manger; and foon after was he ftricken by the rod of perfecution and banishment, being made to flee his native country for fafety from Herod. All this he fuffer