Book IV. T1m<' CHURCH coMPARED To AN IN N. 665 METAPHOR. I!. In an Inn is a Haft, who is to take care of Strangers or Travel– lers that come thither, and to help them to whatfoever they need. Ill. An Inn is a Pbcc of Re– freOtment fur T iavellers, where they meet wirh convenien t Food, and fweet Repofe in their Journey. A Man may have in fame Inns what Food he pkafeth, either Milk or (lrong Meat, choice of Diet. IV. An Inn fometimes lodgerh, unknown to the H o!l, evtl Per– fans, Thieves, and Deceivers. V. An Inn is a very defirable Place to Men in their Journey. VI. An Inn is not a Place to abide long in; rhe Traveller rakes up his Abode i·n it bm a Night or two, and he is gone. METAPHOR. I. IN an Inn there is li:tle to be had without Money ; if a Man have not Money or Credit, he is no Gue(l: for them. PARALLEL. !I. In the Church are Pa(l:nrs, or faithful Minifl:ers, \\-ho wait ro receive all poor Sinners, who come to take up t-heir Lodging there, and make them very welcome. Ill. So the Church is a Place of SouJ.re!'relh. ment ro all fpiri Lual Travellers and Pilgrims. There is both the lincere M ilk of the Word, and llrong Mrat, all Things ready the Soul needs, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2 . Some arc for one fort of Diet, fome f r anotber. In the Church alfo is f"'eet Repo:e, there Chrill giveth Reil to rhe Weary. IV. So th" Chorch, notwithilanding all the Care that is ,Jken by her Officers, doth lom<– timcs rtc(·i \'e or take in falfe Profdfors, fuch as are unlound at Heart, Hypocrites, and deceitful Workc:is. V. So is the Church of God; hence ])avid long– ed aftertheCourrsof God'sHGufe, PJa!. lxxxiv. •· VI. So the Church Militant is no long abiding Place; Chrini,ms 1\ay in it but for ,a lhurt.Time; it is a Place of Refrrfhment, as it were, for a Night. Here we have no continuing City, we are Strangers, as all our Fathers were; when we come to Heaven, we lhall abide with the Church Triumphant for ever, Pfa/. xxx. 5· Iieb. xiii. 14. D I S PAR IT Y. I. THE Church is a Place for the Poor, for ' fuch as have no Money, they are wel– come thither, The Doors of 1his Inn are always open to all Gncere Souls, whether they be poor or rich. IL A Man Ihat ,comes to lodge IL But he that comes to take up his Lodging in an Inn, though he have ever in the Church, or fpiritu.\l Inn, if he be Gncere, fo good Entertainment, yet he is defireth not to go out from thence any more ; he not contented to ftay there, he deureth to dwell therein as long as he liveth: makes ready in the Morning to go Though our abiding in this World is but cam– forward in his Jomney, pared to a .Night. One 'lhing ha"e I dejired of the Lord, m1d that will I feek after, that 1 may dwell in the Houfe of the Lord all the Da)'S of my Life, Pfal. xxvii. 4· IlL An Inn may be fo full of lll. The Church was never yet fo full, but Gueils, that a wc2.ry Traveller, that there was Room for all thofe that were weary efpec>ally if he come late, can and heavy-laden. All that ever truly travelle.! have no Entcrr.ainmem, but is towards Sion, huve found Entertainment there; forced to leek it elfewhere: '!here nay, though the Servants of the Lord have been was 110 Room for them in the Inn, fent into the Streets and Lanes, to fetch in the Luke ii. 8. Poor, ar.d the Maimed, and the Halt, and the Blind, and they do accordingly, yet there is Room, Matt. xxii. 3-14. As there can be no want of any Accommodation, of fpiritual 'Food, fo there is no want of Room. All that have been called by the Word and Spirit, and compelled by Grace to come in, in all Ages, have had blelfed Entertain– ment; and as God hath enlarged and increafed Converts, fo he hath enlaro-ed and increafed the Church, by three Thoufand at a Time, Afls ii. 40. 0 . IV. Commonly thofe that lodge IV. But the Saints that are in the fpiritual Inn, '1n. an Inn are Strangers and Fothe Church, are Jto more Strangers and Foreigners, ,re1gners, and ftaymg but a Ntght, Epb. ii. '9· but therein make their Abode; for or a very lhort Ttme, have no acthough it be faid, it is but for a Night, or a Day, quat~tance wtth any that dwell &c. yet it is ~s long as they live; and they get very therem. great Acquamtance with thofe that dwell therein. 8 G INFERENCES.
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