1

on to intimacy; for two intimate friends may be at a distance one from another. The Lord's people, while in the body, are faid to be absent from the Lord: But then they shall be at home; he and they shall dwell together through eternity, in the mansions of glory, the house not made with hands. So much Christ tells his disciples, John xii. 26. Where I am, there shall also my fervants be. And, John xiv. at the beginning, I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Sixthly, It implies that they shall be privileged with the fight of Chrift; for two cannot well walk together without feeing one another; then they shall fee the man Christ, exalted at his Father's right hand, far above all principalities and powers, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. This is a privilege ensured unto the little remnant by Christ's own prayer, John xvii. 24. Father, I will, that these whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. O how ravishing a fight will this be, to behold the glory of Christ in heaven! When he was transfigured upon mount Tabor, his face did shine as the fun, and bis raiment was white as the light: What will he be on mount Zion above, when he shall be seen with all his robes of glory, and all his heavenly retinue attending him? Seventhly, They shall walk with me: It implies full pleasure, fatisfaction, and complacency; for walking is an act of recreation, hea ven is a place of joy and pleasure, Pfal. xvi. 11. In thy prefence there is fulness of joy, &c. Then the joy of the Lord shall not only enter into them, but they shall enter into the joy of their Lord. The ranfomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with fongs, and everlafting joy upon their heads.

Se

Secondly, What is imported in walking with him in white? Answer, (1.) That then all their black and beggarly garments shall be laid afide, a body of fin and death shall not then moleft them; they shall not any more complain of the errors of their hearts, or the iniquity of their heels; no, they shall be prefented without Spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. (2.) White is a badge of purity and innocency; they shall walk with me in white; that is, they shall not only lay afide their beggarly garments, but they shall be clothed with change of raiment; perfect holiness shall then be their ornament; they shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work; and, like the king's daughter, they shall be all glorious within; they who had lien among the pots, shall become like the wings of a dove, covered with filver, and her feathers with yellow gold; yea, they shall shine forth like the fun in the kingdom of their Father. (3.) White is a badge of victory, as we told you in the explication of the words. Rev. vii. 9. The triumphant company there, of all nations, tongues and kindreds, they stand before the throne and before the lamb cloathed with white robes and palms in their bands, as a sign of their complete victory over all their enemies, whether outward or inward. Sin is an enemy that the believer has many a hot conflict with, while here; but, in heaven, the inhabitants are all forgiven their iniquities, their is no more fin, Rev. xxii. As for Satan, that grand enemy, that went about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour them, they shall then tread him under their feet; know ye not that Saints shall judge angels? faith the apostle: And, as for the world, they shall never any more be ensnared, either with its frowns or flatteries. (4.) White is a badge of honour; the RoVOL. II.

mans cloathed their nobility in white, as ye heard. O what honour is referved for the faints of God, his little remnant! They shall be honoured with a place among them that stand by in the new ferufalem; yea, they shall be honoured with the white ftone, and the new name; they shall sit with Chrift upon his throne, Rev. iii. 22. They shall be honoured with a crown of burnish'd glory: When the chief shepherd shall appear, we shall receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away. They shall be honoured with a kingdom; I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father bath appointed unto me. They shall be honoured to be affessors with Chrift at the last judgment, Know ye not that the faints shall judge the world? They'll applaud the Judge in all his proceedings, and cry, True and righteous are thy judgments, Lord God Almighty: Then that paffage will be fully accomplished, Pfal. cxlix. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Let the faints be joyful in glory: let them fing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged fword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: This honour have all his Saints. Praise ye the Lord. (5.) White was a garment appointed for the priests under the law, when they were to minifter about holy things; the saints of God are all priests, Rev. i. 5. Unto him that loved us, and bath made us kings and priests to God; and, as priests in the heavenly temple, their continual work shall be to offer up eternal sacrifices of praise unto God and the Lamb. There every bird in every bush shall fing, and say, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, and bath redeemed us unto God

by

by bis blood; falvation unto our God that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever. (6.) We find the angels frequently appearing in white, Acts i. 10. While the disciples are looking towards heaven after their exalted Lord, behold two men, that is, two angels in the form of men, stood by them in white apparel: So the faints, they shall walk with Christ in white; they shall be like the angels of heaven, Matt. xxii. 30. In the refurrection they are as the angels of God in heaven. The original word fignifies, they shall be equal to angels, or angels mates. Like angels, they shall not be liable to hunger, thirst, weariness, or such like bodily infirmities. The angels are said to behold the face of God in heaven; so shall ye who are God's little remnant: Now ye fee darkly as through a glass, but then ye hall fee face to face. The angels serve God with the greatest voluntariness and freedom, with the greatest activity and nimbleness, for he maketh his angels fpirits, and his ministers a flame of fire; fo shall the faints in glory, they shall do the will of God, as it is done by the angels in heaven. (7.) We find Christ sometimes appearing in white, particularly at his transfiguration, bis countenance did shine as the fun, and his raiment was white as the light; and fo it may import this much, they shall walk with me in white, that is, there shall be a blessed conformity between them and me in glory, Rev. xix. 11. Chrift is there represented as mounted upon a white horse, and the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean: Christ and all his redeemed company, shall be clothed with the fame livery, 1 John iii. 2. When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall fee him as he is: Their fouls shall resemble him in righteousness

C2

ousness and true holiness; yea, their vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body. (8.) White has a great reflection of light with it, when the fun shines upon it; O how bright and dazzling will the glory of the faints be in that day, when the fun of righteousness shall shine upon them with a meridian splendor ! Christ will then be admired in his faints, for they shall shine forth like the fun, and like the brightness of the firmament; the beauty of the Lord their God will then be upon them, and such beauty as shall eternally aftonish and confound the wicked, who contemned them upon earth, and did not reckon them worthy to fit with the dogs of their flock. And thus much for the fourth thing.

The Fifth thing was, to enquire into the connection between the duty and the privilege, between keeping the garments clean, and walking with Chrift in white. (1.) Then, negatively, you should know that there is no connection of merit, as if our keeping of clean garments did deserve that we should walk with Christ in white; no, no: Let every mouth be Stopped, for all the world is guilty before God, and therefore can merit nothing but wrath and vengeance at the hand of God; By the works of the law shall no flesh living be justified, or faved; it is by the merits of Chrift, his doing and dying, as the furety of the little remnant, that they are brought to walk with him in white: But, though there be no connection of merit, yet, (1.) There is a connection of decree, or purpose in this matter; God, by an unalterable decree, has ordained, that they who are holy shall be happy, that they who keep their garments clean shall walk with him in white, 2 Theff. ii. 13. God bath from the beginning chofen us to falvation, through fanctification of the spirit, and belief of

the