[1.] Temporally, upon persons, kingdoms, nations, and countries, (a type whereof you have, Isa. Ixiii. 1—6) ; as he did it upon the old Roman Avorld, Rev. vi. 15, 16. And this also he doth two ways: —
\st. By calling out here and there an eminent opposer, and making him an example to all the world. So he dealt with Pharaoh : " For this cause have I raised thee up," Exod. ix. 16. So he doth to this day; he lays his hand upon eminent adversaries, — fills one with fury, another with folly, blasts a third, and makes another ■s\'ither, or destroys them utterly and terribly. As a provoked lion, he lies not down without his prey.
^dly. In general, in the vials of his wrath which he will in these latter days pour out upon the antichristian world, and all that par- take with them in their thoughts of vengeance and persecution. He will miserably destroy them, and make such work with them in the issue, that whosoever hears, both his ears shall tingle.
[2.] In eternal vengeance will he plead with the adversaries of his beloved. Matt. xxv. 41-46; 2 Thess. i. 6; Jude 15. It is hence evident that Christ abounds in pity and compassion towards his be- loved. Instances might be multiplied, but these things are obvious, and occur to the thoughts of all.
In answer to this, I place in the saints chastity unto Christ, in every state and condition. That this might be the state of the church of Corinth, the apostle made it his endeavour. 2 Cor. xi. 2, 8, " I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." And so is it said of the fol- lowers of the Lamb, on mount Sion, Rev. xiv. 4, " These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins." What defilement that was tliey were fi'ee from, shall bo aftenvard declared.
Now, there are three things wherein this chastity consists: —
1. The not taking any thing into their affections and esteem for those ends and purposes for which they have received Jesus Christ. Here the Galatians failed in their conjugal affection to Christ; they ' Amos vi. 3-C; Hcv. xi. 10.
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preserved not themselves chaste to him. They had received Christ for life, and justification, and him only; but being after a while over- come with^ charms, or bewitched, they took into the same place with him the righteousness of the law. How Paul deals with them here- upon is kno-svn. How sorely, how pathetically doth he admonish them, how severely reprove them, how clearly convince them of their mad- ness and folly ! This, then, is the first chaste affection believers bear in their heart to Christ : — having received him for their righteousness and salvation before God, for the fountain, spring, and well-head of all their supplies, they will not now receive any other thing into his room and in his stead. As to instance, in one particular: — "We re- ceive him for our^ acceptance with God. All that here can stand in competition with him for our affections, must be our own endeavours for a ^ righteousness to commend us to God. Now, this must be either before we receive him, or after. [As] for all duties and endeavours, of what sort soever, for the pleasing of God before our receiving of Christ, you know what was the apostle's frame, Phil. iii. 8-10. All endeavours, all advantages, all privileges, he rejects with indignation, as loss, — with abomination, as dung ; and winds up all his aims and desires in Christ alone and his righteousness, for those ends and pur- poses. But the works we do after we have received Christ are of an- other consideration. Indeed, they are acceptable to God ; it pleaseth him that we should walk in them. But as to that end for which we receive Christ, [they are] of no other account than the former, Eph. ii. 8-10. Even the works we do after behoving, — those which we are created unto in Christ Jesus, those that God hath ordained that be- Hevers "should walk in them," — as to justification and acceptance with God, (here called salvation), are excluded. It will one day appear that Christ abhors the janglings of men about the place of their own works and obedience, in the business of their acceptation with God ; nor will the saints find any peace in adulterous thoughts of that kind. The chastity we owe unto him requires another frame. The necessity, usefulness, and excellency of gospel obedience shall be after- ward declared. It is marvellous to see how hard it is to keep some professors to any faithfulness with Christ in this thing ; — how many disputes have been managed,* hoAV many distinctions invented, how many shifts and evasions studied, to keep up something, in some place or other, to some purpose or other, that they may dally withal. Those that love him indeed are otherwise minded.
Herein, then, of all things, do the saints endeavour to keep their affections chaste and loyal to Jesus Christ. He is made unto them of God " righteousness;" and they will own nothing else to that pur-