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 and as ready as the Lamb's wife is for her marriage? Yet, says the soul, the warrant is not sure, it is hell and utter darkness to come to the marriage supper of the Lamb without a wedding-garment, and so unprepared as I am, Matth. xxii. 12. Answ. That man cared not how he came; he took no care of a wedding-garment. he had not so much as a hungring for Christ, the beggar's warrant as you have heard. But let us reason thus, If that ye grant, ye are unprepared, and that ye want much that ye should have; ye think it is death to go to Christ: I say, it is death to hide away, and the greatest death of the two. A man chased by his enemies on death and life has but two ways to flee to, either to the fire or to the water: if he be wise, he will take himself to the water, where he may swim, and not to the fire; the water may cast him out. The water is the little death, fire is the meikle death. To abide still in sin, and never to come to Christ, is fire, chuse it not. To come to Christ with a hungering heart, is the little death. There is hope of mercy in dying in the presuming hand upon the point of Christ's sword. When ye come to Christ, it is life, if ye long for him. When the devil and the law challenges you, then show Christ's blood, that is God's great seal, against which to speak is treason. If they say, ye believe not, answer ye then. I despair not.

Verse 8. To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen. Wherefrom comes this preparation? It is God's free gift in Christ, when all is on Christ's charges and expences. The fine linen is Christ's righteousness imputed so saints, a web of Christ's own making,