The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

1. Separation; as the Israelites in the Wilderness were separated from the residue of the World, and the pleasures thereof, the people dwelling alone, being not reckoned with the Nations, having nothing to do with them. So God separateth them to the love of the Gospel, from their carnal contentments, and all the satisfactions which before they received in their Lusts, until they say to them, Get you hence, what have we to do with you any more? They are separated from the practice of them, and made willing to bid them everlastingly farewell. They see their Egyptian Lusts •ye slain, or dead, or at least dying by the cross of Christ, and desire to see them no more.

1. Separation; as the Israelites in the Wildernesse were separated from the residue of the World, and the pleasures thereof, the people dwelling alone, being not reckoned with the Nations, having nothing to doe with them. So God separateth them to the love of the Gospell, from their carnall contentments, and all the satisfactions which before they received in their Lusts, untill they say to them, Get you hence, what have we to doe with you any more? They are separated from the practice of them, and made willing to bid them everlastingly farewell. They see their Aegyptian Lusts •ye slaine, or dead, or at least dying by the crosse of Christ, and desire to see them no more.

2. Entanglement; as the Israelites were in the Wilderness, they knew not what to do, nor which way to take one step, but only as God went before them: as he took them by the hand, and taught them to go; God bringeth them into a lost condition: they know not what to do, nor which way to take, nor what course to pitch upon: and yet in this Wilderness state, God doth commonly stir up such gracious dispositions of soul in them, as himself is exceedingly delighted withal: hence he doth peculiarly call this time, a Time of Love, which he remembereth with much delight. All the time of the Saints walking with him, he taketh not greater delight in a soul, when it cometh to its highest peace and fullest assurance, then when it is seeking after him in its Wilderness Entanglement. So he expresseth it Jerem: 2. 2. Thus saith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the Love of thine Espousals, when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness, in a land that was not sown. And what he here affirmeth, holds proportion therewithal. The Time of their being in the Wilderness, was the Time of their Espousals; and so it is here, the Time of the Lords Betrothing the Soul to himself: the Wooing words whereby he doth it, being intimated in the next verse. For,