ten Virgins Openedand Applied. CHAP. IV. Sher:rethth{ltthe Soul thatr:riU enjoy Communi,. on r:rith Chri.fl, m~fi be di"Porced from aUother Lords,particularly from Lufls, andfrom the Lar:r.The manner ofits Efpoufalsunto Chrift. SECT. I. N Ow therefore to come to the Thitd thing; the perf~ns that ma~e this prepara rion are fet forth , I. In whan they all. agree m, and that IS, ~rll: in that rhey are all Virgins; What are thefe? . .An[. To omit the Pop11h Interpretation of their Nuns, ctnd mock-Virgins; I !hall rather m0ke ufe of Scripture to give light to interpret this ,place: for operung of it, know, the whole Church may be called the Spoufe of Chri!t , and take every member alone, a Virgin attending on' this Spoufe, Pfal, 45· nay the Apo· file,2 Cor. I I. 2. calls the whole Cht1rch a Virgin, fo that by Virgins are meant whole particular Chtlrche; ofChri!t, together with the feveral Members thereof. Now Virgins are fuch as are fir for marriage, and no~ defiled with any man , as it's ~aid of Rebecca: fo by Virgins are meant thofe that are not polluted wirhin, orWlthoutwirh the evils of theworld, Rev. 14. 4· but more-is to be underfiood here, 2 Cor. I r. 2. when once marriage is come, they ceafe to be Vir~ins,and are Wives.; yet when efpoufed to Chrifr, now they are fpiritua!ly Virgms ; hen_ce thefe here are only like to Virgins : fo that the meaning of Virgins is this; by Virgins is meant fuch Churche;, or members of Churches as are divorced from aU orher Lovers, andmarcht only to Jefus Chri!t: thefe only look for the coming of Chrill, and communion wirh him, thefe only are received into commtinion, ----------------------------------------------- li VVH•ever look__ for everlafting Communion with the 'Bridegroom ofthe Church, Ob[. 1 Jefus Chrift, mufl be Virgins Div•rced from all others, and Efpoufed on!; to ' ' JefusChrift. . Here were indeed foolilh ohes among thefe, yet as foolilh and blind as they were, they faw rhatthis was theway, m be like thewife , to be Virgins as well as they,Pj~tl. 45· Io, II, Jer. 3· 19, 20, as aWifedeparts,fo ye; but how /hall I put thee amo~g the Children, &c. you fhalt c~tll me my Father, i.e. one inllead of all other rhmgs, and fl:all not turn ajidefrom me, Hof. 2. 2 3. there is their communion; Hence the Lord will, I, take away the names of 'JJaalim; 2. Betroth them to himfelf. SECT. III. vvHat is it to be divorced from all other Lover~? ~eft. I. Idolatry is called Whoredomin Scripture, and this is one thing , the .Anfw. C 2 Soul
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