run parallel in their duration and continuance: "His feed fhall endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven." The perpetuity of his kingdom fecures the duration of his feed, fo that the world may as well imagine to overturn his throne, as to raze his feed in the world; while he is a King, he will have fubjects; and bleffed be his name, "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and of his dominion there is no end."

66

8. They are in this world a fcattered feed; when the angels are fent to gather them together at the laft day, they will be fent unto the four winds, or airths, of the world. They are fcattered in refpect of place or fituation; If. xxiv. 16. From the uttermoft wings of the earth have we heard fongs, even glory to the righteous." They are many times fcattered by perfecution; when a clufter of them gets together, commonly the ftorms of perfecution, arising from the malice of hell, fcatter them abroad, as we read in the Acts, chap.

viii.

9. They are a holy feed. But this leads me to,

III. The third thing propofed, which was, to inquire by God's remnant are not only called a feed," but an holy feed? I anfwer in these three.. They are called a holy feed, in refpect of feparation. 2. In refpect of purification. 3. In refpect of participation of divine holiness.

Firt, I fay, the church of believers are called an holy feed, in refpect of feparation from the reft of the profane world. Any thing that is fequeftrate from a common ufe, and dedicate to the fervice of God, is called holy. Thus the temple, the tabernacle, and the utenfils of both, they are called holy, becaufe dedicate unto God, to his fervice. So the whole body of the children of Ifrael, they are called an holy nation ; because they were feparate from the rest of the world, as the peculiar people of God. In this refpect the feed of Chrift are an holy feed because God has fet them apart for himself, and they have fet themfelves apart for him. He has feparate them from the rest of the world, the common mass of mankind, by an eternal decree of election, by a donation or grant that he made of them unto Chrift: "Thine they were, and thou gavest them me," John xvii. 6. By a peculiar purchase, having "redeemed them from their vain converfation, not with filver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without fpot." By an effectual calling of them by the power of his grace, whereby they are delivered from the power of darknefs, and tranflated into the kingdom of his dear Son," By a voluntary furrender

of

of themselves unto the Lord, under the influence of his own grace, they have prefented themselves a holy, living, and acceptable facrifice unto him, which is their reafonable fervice." Thus they are holy in refpect of feparation.

Secondly, They are a holy feed, in refpect of their purifica tion from filth and pollution. At the fame moment that the guilt of fin is pardoned in juftification, at the fame moment the purifying work of the Spirit is begun; and that which takes away the guilt of fin in juftification, doth alfo purify the foul from the filth of fin, whereby its Ethiopian hue is changed. Now, this cleafing and purifying work of the Spirit may be viewed, either in its beginning, progrefs, or confummation.

1..Inchoate or begun in regeneration. Hence the apostle, Tit. iii. 5. fays, "We are faved by the washing of regenera tion, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft." The holy Spirit of God takes the foul, defiled by lying among the pots of fin, and bathes it in the "fountain opened to the house of David, and inhabitants of Jerufalem," whereby its fin and uncleanness is purged away.

2. It is to be viewed in its progrefs, as it is carried on by the renewed actings of faith, which more and more " purifies the heart," Acts xv. 9. Every new act of faith, on the blood and righteousness of Jefus Chrift, carries on the work of fanc tification in the foul a degree higher. As Naaman, by the prophet's direction, went down feven times into the waters of Jordan, till he was wholly purified from his bodily leprofy; fỡ the foul finding, while in this world, fomething of the filth of fin cleaving to it, it is ay, by faith, dipping itself in the Jor dan of a Redeemer's blood, til at death, it come forth, "without fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing." Hence, 2 Cor. vii. 1. believers are faid to "cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord."

3. This purifying work may be viewed in its confummation at death, when every fpot or wrinkle of fin is wholly removed. Believers in this life, they are but fair like the moon, which has black fpots in her; but then they are clear like the fun, "They fhall fhine forth like the fun, in the kingdom of their Father." As the foul, in the moment of its union with the body, becomes finful; fo in the moment of its difunion, it becomes perfectly holy, and free of all the spots of fin: fin brought death into the world, and God, in a way of holy refentment, makes ufe of death to put an end to the very being of fin in his faints. Thus you fee, that they are holy in refpe& of purification.

Thirdly, They are called a holy feed, in refpect of a pofitive

communication

communication of divine holinefs; for we are faid to be renewed after the image of God, which was loft by the fall of the first Adam. The priests under the law, when to minifter in the holy place, were not only to purify and wash themselves, but to put on their priestly attire and ornaments, which were exceeding beautiful: fo believers are a royal priesthood; they must not only be washed from the filth of fin, but like the King's daughter, they must be made all glorious within; they must not only have the robe of imputed righteoufnefs put upon them, but the beautifying grace of the holy Spirit implanted in them; which is fometimes called a partaking of the divine nature; fometimes, the beauty of the Lord," Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us ;" fometimes called, the new heart, the new fpirit, the image of God, the life of Godin the foul. And this pofitive work of fanctification, it gets various names and defignations, juft according to the different actings of the principle of fpiritual life. As it takes in the revelation of the mind of God in the word read or preached, it is called knowledge; as it depends on the Lord Chrift, by virtue of the new covenant and promife, it is called faith; as it delights itself in the Lord, it is called love; as it mourns or grieves for fin, whereby it has offended the Lord, it is called repentance; as it ftands in awe of God, as a Father, it is called fear; as it fweetens the mind, and compofes it, it is called meekness; as it falls in with the perceptive or commanding will of God in heart and life, it is called obedience; as it renounces the law, and all confidence in the flesh, it is called felf-denial; as it bears afflictions, it is called patience. All thefe, I fay, are nothing else but the different actings of that principle of holiness implanted in the heart by the Spirit of the Lord. Thus you fee why they are called a holy feed.

IV. The fourth thing in the method was, to inquire what may be imported in their being called, the fubftance thereof: The holy feed fhall be the fubftance thereof. I anfwer it takes in the following particulars.

1. That the wicked of a land are but a heap of lumber in God's reckoning, whatever be their ftation, quality, or estate: though they have the gold-ring and the gay clothing, and may caft a great dath in the eyes of men; yet, I fay, before God, and before them that have the Spirit, and fpiritual difcerning of things and perfons, they are but fo much lumber and trash. Hence is that of David, Pfal. cxix. 119. "Thou putteft away all the wicked of the earth like drófs." Hence alfo, they are

likened

likened unto chaff and tares, briers and thorns, that are "nigh unto a curfe, whofe end is to be burned."

2. It imports, that the faints, the truly godly in a land, are excellent and valuable perfons; for the fubftance of a land lies in the things that are most valuable and excellent in it. This was David's verdict and character of the faints, Pfal. xvi. 3. "My delight is with the faints, the excellent ones of the earth." And his fon Solomon was of the fame judgement, Prov. xii. 26. "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour." Yea, we have the testimony of one wifer than Solomon, even Chrift, the effential Wifdom of the Father, Rev. iii. 4. "Thou haft a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they fhall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." Yea, fo worthy and excellent, that it is declared, Heb. xi. 38. that "the world was not worthy of them."

3. The holy feed fhall be the fubftance thereof, it implies, that the faints of God they are his inheritance and portion in a land: "The Lord's portion is his people: Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." He has a peculiar right and property in them beyond the rest of mankind: they are fo much his, that they are not their own; and therefore have not power to dispose of themselves, but for his glory: "Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your fpirit, which are God's."

4. It implies, that as they are his portion and property; fo he has a great deal of pleasure in them, even as a man takes a delight and pleasure in that which is his fubftance. Such pleasure he has in them, that he dwells and walks in them; they are his pleafant garden, his crown, his diadem, his bride, his love, his dove, his undefiled, his Hephzibah, and Beulah: and as fuch, he has a great deal of care about them; for "his eyes run to and fro through the earth, to fhew himself strong in their behalf." As a man's eye and heart is upon his fubftance; fo the Lord's heart and eye is upon his people, his holy feed; such a high value and efteem hath he for them..

5. It implies, that there is fomething in and about the godly that is not to be found among other men. The wicked, when laid in God's balance, like Belshazzar, they are found wanting folidity; hence God's verdict of them is," Mean men are vanity, and great men are a lie; when laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity;" but the holy feed are the fubftance, they bear weight; and no wonder, for they are the living, while others are "dead in trefpaffes and fins;" they are the only feeing perfons, while others are blind: "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of B b them

VOL. II.

them which believe not." They are wife, but the reft of the world are fools; they have oil in their veffels, but others are empty.

6. It implies, that the remnant of truly godly in a land are the riches thereof; for a man's riches is his fubftance. "The precious fons of Zion" are compared unto fine gold : and though the world do not fee it, yet their " clothing is of wrought gold; and the grace of God in them, and about them, is "gold tried in the fire," gold, better than the gold of Ophir. On the fame account they are called jewels: Mal. iii. 17. "They fhall be mine, faith the Lord of hofts, in that day when I make up my jewels." Whatever be the outward poverty of a house, a church, or land; yet it is really rich, if there be any of God's jewels there. Alas! they are but thin fown in our day; though, bleffed be God, there is a remnant.

7. It implies, that the truly godly are the stay and support of the land where they live. But this leads me to,

V. The fifth thing in the method, in what respect are the truly godly the stay, strength, and fupport of a land or church? for fo fome read the words; being, as I faid, an allusion unto the trees that grew on either fide of the way to the temple, whereby the earth of the caft-up-way was supported from mouldering away; and with allusion to this, it is faid, the holy feed fhall be the fupport or strength thereof. Now, in anfwer to this, how the godly are the support of a land, or church? I answer in the few particulars following.

It is for the fake of the holy feed, the godly remnant in a land, that ruining judgements are deferred or removed: If. i. 9. "Except the Lord of hofts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." Had there been but ten righteous perfons in Sodom, it had been fpared; and when God has a mind to let loofe his hand against a finful people, he first pulls down these pillars, removes them out of the way, and then goes on to judgement; for he can do nothing till they be out of the way, Gen. xix. 22. If. lvii. 1. "The righteous are taken away from the evil to come."

2. It is for the fake of the holy feed, that both temporal and spiritual mercies are conferred upon a finful people. For Jacob's fake Laban's flock increases, and for Jofeph's fake, à bleffing falls upon Potiphar's house and fubftance. And for the fake of the holy feed that are to be raised in a place, the gofpel is fent to, or continued among, a people; it is upon their account that the Lord keeps his vineyard, and waters it every moment. And when once the holy feed is gather

ed