of a Christian if death were not were it not the most miserable of all other for if there were no death there should be no Resurrection therefore death must needs bee a very great advantage it is that that makes way for us to deliver us out of all the miseries of this life and to give us possession of that everlasting Kingdome that is provided for us Whether they bee things present or things to come that is all that belong to this present life and not onely those but those that belong to the life to come all those are yours this is that we have by Christ. And lastly consider how faire a life you shall live with him in what plenty that there is nothing that your heart can desire but you shall have it In that security that you neede feare no enemy whereas other men have a thousand feares a Christian hath this benefit hee makes the Lord his dread that hee need feare nothing but he is delivered from the hands of all his enemies Consider with what contentment thou shalt live that thou hast such a husband that is an adequate object that I may so say that shall fill thy soule that when thou hast him thou needest not thirst after any thing besides That is the great benefit that is promised that thou shalt Thirst no more that is when a man is married to the Lord Iesus hee is so filled and satisfied with contenment that hee lets all other things goe if hee have them so it is if he want them it is no great matter hee hath one that is contentment enough to him hee hath one that is instead of all But you will say if I have this husband I must live in subjection to him our wills must bee subject to his will our liberty must bee taken from us My beloved what if it bee you must consider what kinde of subjection it is it is such a subjection as whereby the members are subject to the head now doe you thinke it any burthen for the members to bee subject and to bee ruled by the head it is a naturall subjection that is such a subjection as is convenient for you therefore if you complaine you have lost your liberty know it is quite contrary when you have matched with Christ now you are delivered from bondage and set at liberty I but you will say it is a pleasant thing for a man to doe what he will liberty is a sweet thing and to part with this and now to live under a husband it is a hard case For this my beloved I beseech you consider that it is true for a man to live as hee will if his will bee right it is a great benefit but for a Franticke man to doe what hee will for a man whose will is set upon things hurtfull to himselfe for such a man to have his will it were better hee were restrained and this is the case of every man till hee bee matched with the Lord Iesus therefore that you may know what this liberty is wee will put you but this case you must know that every man is marryed to one of these two husbands either hee is subject to the law of righteousnesse or to the law of sinne either hee is in bondage to the flesh or to the spirit either hee is subject to Christ or else he is subject to Sathan Now consider which of these two thou wouldest choose whether to bee subject to the law of sin or to Christ and that you may know which to choose I will expresse it to you by this It is as when a sicke man lyes betweene the Physician and the disease hee must needes bee subject to one of them the disease counsells him to doe one thing the Physician another now consider which of these two thou wouldest obey You will say I would doe what I list I would doe as my disease suggests to mee and would have me doe that seemes easie for the present but will not this increase thy bondage and pay thee with death in the end on the other side if thou bee content to be subject to the Physitian and have thy will subject to his doth not this draw to liberty and restore health and bring thee to life therefore consider what a small objection that is and consider withal what you will choose for I say every man must be subject to one husband and that you may see the difference of these husbands consider that in Romans 7. you shall finde there that whosoever is not married to Christ is subject to another husband that is the Law Know you not brethren that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth for the woman that is subject to a man is bound by the Law to the man while he liveth and if she take another man she shall be called an adulteresse but if the man be dead shee is freed from the Law so that shee is not an adulteresse though she take another man This is but the similitude but the meaning is before ever a man bee marryed to Christ he is marryed to the Law and he cannot be marryed to Christ Iesus till hee be dead to the Law and when he is dead once to that then he may be marryed to him Now you shall see the reddition of this similitude so you brethren are dead to the Law by the body of Christ that you might be marryed to another to him that was raised from the dead that you might bring forth fruit unto God For when you were in the flesh the motions of sinne that are by the Law had force in your members to bring forth fruit unto death c. The meaning is this that till a man be matched to Iesus Christ the Law of God the morall Law that is written in every mans conscience it rules there like an hard husband a severe cruell husband that sets an hard taske to doe and gives no strength at all to doe it and therefore it brings forth death for when the Law commands a man to doe a thing he hath no ability to performe it and withall it doth signifie unto him that if he doe not performe it he shall bee cursed this is to bee subject to the Law and so a man lives in bondage all his time so that whosoever is not marryed to Christ he is all the while subject to an evill conscience to the Law that suggests what hee should doe with threatning him if not and when conscience tells him that he hath not performed it it is a continuall vexation a burthen and a griefe to him but now when he is marryed to Christ then he serves in newnesse of spirit not in the oldnesse of the letter as it followes there that is hee doth every thing freely hee doth it out of choice he doth that which his owne spirit caries him to looke what commandement he hath he hath some ability to performe
all his Attributes and how that the Lord himselfe will become thine consider the infinite wisedome of Christ his Almighty power consider his eternity consider whatsoever is in him and thinke with thy selfe that all this is in Him who offers himselfe to bee my husband and all this shall be mine all this is for my use and advantage this is a great motive to winne us to match with him as you know in earthly marriages the excellency of a husband the parts that are in him those that are inherent in his very person is the greatest motive of all other thinke therfore of all Christs excellencies draw to your selves some Idea of him and thinke all these are mine for my use as his wisedome to give me direction his power and strength for my protection upon all occasions whatsoever is in him is mine hee himselfe is become my portion this is a great motive to us Besides this consider that thou hast not onely the person of Christ alone with all his Attributes but how much comes with him which adde to this as the immunity thou hast by matching with Christ that when thou art once matched with him thou art under covert thy debts are paid thou art out of all danger My beloved if it were but to bee freed from those injuries and wrongs that a woman is subject unto from potent enemies that are able to hurt her upon all occasions you know it is a great motive to move her to match Now Iesus Christ frees us from all those great enemies of our salvation as it is Luke 1. 74. That being delivered from the hands of all our enemies wee might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the days of our lives This wee have by him that when Satan shall come to us and arrest us wee may say to him I am now under covert thou must goe to my husband hee is bound to pay my debts My beloved we consider not what a benefit this is what it is to have Iesus Christ at such a time when you come to dye when you shall be arrested by death now to have the Lord Iesus to undertake all your debts now to bee under covert it is a great matter as you know to expresse it to you a little what it is Iudas when hee had committed that great sinne he was indited and arrested hee had none to flee to Peter when he had committed a sinne hee had a covert to goe to and you all know the difference that was betweene their conditions in the events upon both Saul and David if you looke on them in their distresse David had a covert to goe to when he was in distresse for I speake not now of the debt of sinne but of all calamities in which you shall have a husband to bee a refuge for you I say David when hee was in distresse upon any occasion when his Citty was burned and his Wives taken hee had a covert to fly to but when Saul was in distresse hee had none hee went to the Lord but he had no answer I say it is a great matter to consider this that we have a covert that when the Lord shall raine downe fire and brimstone upon us when there is no rock to shelter us now for Iesus Christ to bee a covert to us We know the Aegyptians when they were in that deadly storme of haile the Israelites were in their houses under covert and look't out and saw the danger they were in and they then knew the benefit what it was to bee under shelter such is the condition of all those that are in Christ. Besides this immunity consider all those great priviledges that doe come by him for this is not all but when you have matched with him hee will make you rich hee will make you heires of all things all the precious promises belong to you which it may be you reckon a small matter but the promises of God are most precious and will make one rich as you know a man that hath nothing but bills and bonds and evidences may bee very rich though he have not a penny by him so to have all the promises belong to us now as soone as we were in Christ there is not a promise in all the booke of God but it belongs to us that is the misery of another man that is not in Christ there is not one promise his Therefore till thou have him thou hast nothing And besides the hope of the promises consider what you have for the present what dowry hee brings with him in 1 Cor. 3. Wherefore let no man rejoyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world c. all is yours and you are Christs Marke here is the expression of that dowry that Christ brings with him an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian saith he when once you are matched to Christ all that is his belongs to you Paul or Apollos or Cephas all his servants all are bestowed on you to wait upon the Spouse as it were hee hath given all to you all those gifts are bestowed on them for your sakes besides the world is yours that is as farre as it is good for you the world and all things in the world are so a Christians though hee have but little of it yet indeed the world is his other men are the worlds if wee speake properly the world is not said to bee any mans but onely a Christians for his use he is the master of it Indeed whilest a man is in his minority you know the heire doth not possesse his goods because it is the time of his education so it may bee thou hast not full possession It is dispensed to thee as the Lord sees meete because it is the time of thy nurture and education thou art in thy minority but yet the world is thine Then he goes on life or death that is all this life is bestowed on a Christian for his advantage to another man it is not so the longer hee lives it is the worse for him hee hath the further reckoning it doth but make his sinne ripe and but lay up a treasure of wrath for him so that all a mans life long hee doth but gather stickes to make a fire to consume him at the last day But now in the portion of a Christian this is one thing that Iesus Christ bestows upon him that all his life is for his advantage all the good workes he doth all those shall bee remembred all those shall goe along with him and bring a sure reward and then not onely life is his but death is also My beloved it is a strange thing that this should be reckoned among the dowries and commodities and priviledges that Christ bestowes on his Spouse to bring death with him yet this is a great priviledge that hee bestowes death on us for what were the condition
preached that there was so many offers made and yet thou wouldest none of him Therefore consider this and say not nay alas such conditions are required on my part as I cannot performe them for beloved there is nothing required on thy part but sincerity Indeed that is required thou must not thinke when thou art matched to thy husband to live as if thou wert a maid still thou must not thinke to match with thy husband and to live as thou list thou must not thinke to sweare still and follow the lust of uncleanenesse still and to follow thy drunkennesse and good fellowship still thou must not thinke to match with the Lord Iesus and breake the Sabbath and neglect holy duties and violate thy conscience thou must know that all thy old cloathing as I said before must be put off and not onely so but thy nailes must be pared that is those thoughts that thou reckonest lesse sinnes vaine thoughts idle thoughts negligent performance of holy duties or whatsoever is of that nature these nailes must be pared there must be a sincere heart to resolve to doe all this But so much for those second sort of men that will not beleeve there is such a pardon that yet cannot think the Lord Iesus is willing to match with them and to passe by the great sinnes that they have committed But now for the third sort which is indeed of the greatest company of men for wee finde not so many men doubt whether they shall be forgiven or no but though they know there is a pardon and that the Lord will match with them yet they are willing to live as they did they are not willing to come under his subjection to live by his Lawes Now besides consider what is the cause of this what keepes men off from this First you shall find one great generall cause is Inconfideration this is the fault of young men that have a thousand vanities in their heads and never thinke of matching with Christ and of their spirituall estate And not of them onely but of others too who as they are held off by pleasures so others by businesse as appeares in those invited to the marriage one went about his merchandize another to his Oxen and never considered they never tooke to heart this their inviting to the marriage consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When Moses had made an exhortation that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people but come into covenant and be marryed to him for that is the scope of the Chapter threatning withall that when they should provoke him to jealousy he would provoke them saith he Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end as if he should say this is the cause that you come not in and keep not close to the Lord Oh that you were wise to consider for it is a mans wisedome to consider this for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rocke and so he lookes round about him and sees all events before they come whereas a foole is taken unawares by death he is arrested and judgement comes upon him on the sudden as a snare therefore I say thou must consider And yet this is the usuall case of men they go on in a secure sleepe in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them which by consideration might be prevented Therfore if you aske me what you must consider I say consider if this bee not thy case as it is of many men many owe more then they are worth more then they know how to pay now if they would but consider their case and but cast up their accounts it may be they might seeke out for a match to discharge all but they neglect it and are secure an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison and now it is too late Therfore I say to every man of you consider thy debts thy sinnes yea consider those sinnes thou thinkest are past so many yeares since that ly still and thou hearest no more of them I say consider them and bring them to mind and consider what a sleping sinne is You may see it in the case of Ioab when hee had committed those foule murthers of Abner and Amasa the Lord let it sleepe for a time and Ioab was secure but you see in due season he having not sued out his pardon the arrest came upon him and Solomon slew him And such was the case of the sin of Shemei that he committed against David it lay a sleepe for a time Such was the case of Iosephs brethren in that they did against Ioseph many yeares together it lay quiet when it awakened they saw what it was with anguish Therefore consider what a sleeping sinne is the forgetfulnesse of which maketh men secure Men commit sins and they are in health and forget them and so not considering their debts they regard not this match and goe not about it There is another part of security wherewith men are involved and that is they thinke they have matched already with Iesus Christ they thinke they are in an estate good enough and to come now to make a change of it they think strict precisenesse and more then needs And this one thing keepes many thousands off from matching that they thinke their debts are paid that they are in good estate and they thinke that they are under covert But to answer it in a word I wish thee to consider those plaine places of Scripture Gal. 5. 24. Whosoever is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and that in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature old things are passed away all things are become new and that Iam. 2. 10. If a man faile but in one point willingly and constantly hee is guilty of the breach of the whole law in Ezech. 18. 10 c. The new translation doth not so well expresse it as the old If hee beget a Sonne if hee doe any of these things though not all if hee beget a Sonne that is atheife or a shedder of bloud if hee doe one of these things if not all but either hee eate upon the mountaines or have defiled his neighbours wife or have oppressed the poore c. if he have done but one of these hee shall dye the death his bloud shall be upon his head Not to name more I say out of this I gather that he that allowes himselfe in the least sin he that respects not all the Commandements and the least small particle in them that man is not yet matched with the Lord Iesus and therefore doe not deceive your selves with vaine words to thinke that these excluding signes and markes and rules that wee give are inventions of our owne that wee are too strict beyond our Commission Beloved this plaine Word by which you shall bee judged at the last
without the body so nor Christ without his Church and yet least this might be thought too much to be spoken of the body that it should be the fulnesse of Christ therefore withall he shewes that it is Christ which fils the Church It is the fulnesse of him who fils all in all emptying out his fulnesse into them filling all with all the excellencies that are in himselfe No excellency is in him but he stamps it upon the body for he received it for their sakes As the common Conduit receives not water for it selfe but for others so is he the common Conduit of Grace a head which communicates the same life to his members he hath in himselfe which was the third thing But ah you will say I have no need of all this nor of being subject to him yes but thou hast for thou canst not live without him for as the Husband is said to be the guide of the Wife Hee is the guide of thy Youth as the Scripture speakes so is he to thee and without him we are in this world like men in the wide sea without a guide if left alone wee shall fall upon some rocks or sands or other and so perish He is thy guide and there is reason to be subject to a guide a folly to leave thy guide in a wood and step out of the way from him Nay he is a guide that doth guide thy feete in the wayes of peace the wayes he will lead thee in lead into prosperity and peace The second reason in the text is Hee is the Saviour of his Church he hath saved them already from the guilt and power of their sinnes and hee is so continually and thy safety consists in being obedient to him looke how many acts of disobedience so many steps from under thy shelter into the storme from out of the shade into the scorching Sun-shine All the commandements wee have from him are things by which our lives are maintained as fishes live in the water so wee in the commandements for they are our elements so as withdrawing thy selfe from the commandements and going out of them tends to destruction and it is as if a man should see a fish going out of the water every such motion tends to death If therefore a man would consider when he is about to commit a sin that this act tends to death and that to be subject to the commandement is my safety hee would certainly keepe within compasse if the commandements tended to destruction we ought to doe them for what are we but Gods vassals he hath bought us As they in the old Law might doe what they would with their servants they had bought with their money so might God but when every commandement shall tend to thy good so as thou canst not devise a better way for thy selfe than to obey them wilt not thou much rather bee subject 10. Deut. 13. In the former verses he had showne that God had done great things for them and therefore might doe as other masters that command their servants that which is for their owne advantage and not for their servants and so God might do and thou oughtest to be subject to him but sayes hee in the thirteenth verse what doth the Lord require of thee but to keepe the commandements of the Lord which hee commands thee for thy good Thou maist thinke that to sanctifie the Sabboth is not for thy good but now thou maist thinke happily by thy travell on that day and plotting thy businesse to further thy wealth or suppose that God bid thee be bold for him and stand out for the profession of the truth thou thinkest it may be thereby thou shalt loose much and that by stepping out of his way thou maist take in some convenience or balke some crosse which for doing his will would befall thee but thou art deceived thou shalt find that this shall be for thy ruine and though thou canst not see how this should be for thy good yet shut thine eyes beleeve it for it will be so The use is to exhort you to be willing to come to Christ You see this great objection taken away that men are loth to be subject to him I will further shew what it is to bee subject and so adde motives If you would know what subjection is Subjection is when an inferiour willingly submits to a superiour there are two things in it It must be between an inferiour and a superiour for if a superiour doth it it is not subjection but yeelding if an equall doth it it is an agreement compact not a subjection It must be willingly or else it is not said to bee subjection to bee caryed captive is not to bee made subject but when a man sub mits out of an inward inclination of his Will then it is said to bee obedience and subjection The second thing is what we must be subject to and they are three things first the counsell of Christ. Secondly the Commandements of Christ. Thirdly his providence to be willing to be disposed of by him And these three doe answer to all that is in a man For 1. there is his mind or understanding now to that answers counsell Secondly there is his will to that answers commandement Thirdly affections they answer to his providence First wee must be subject to the Counsell of Christ that is to thinke his wayes and what hee commands to be the wisest and the best way And this is one thing a Wife owes to her Hasband to be subject to his opinion and Paul when hee would expresse his obedience sayes I consulted not with flesh and bloud that is with my owne reason but I brought my mind into subjection to Christs mind I was willing to thinke his way the best in 2 Cor. 10. 5. This is called Subjection namely the bringing of every thought into subjection The originall of disobedience is refractorinesse of thoughts whereby a man thinkes his way better then God's way and therefore chooseth it for every man doth what hee thinkes best and therefore in Pro. 23. 4. Salomon counselling men not to labour to be rich because a man would say in his owne thoughts why it is good to be rich therefore sayes he Cease from thine owne Wisdome that is submit thy wisdome to Gods hee knowes what is better for thee walke in thy calling without seeking inordinately to be rich and if God cast riches upon thee so it is And so likewise a man that thinkes credit in regard of gifts learning parts a goodly thing cease from thine owne wisedome it being but as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an empty thing a thińg blowne up by mens breathes seeke not after it follow his counsell And thirdly so for pleasure thou thinkest this or that thing to be most pleasant cease from thy own wisedome abstaine from it and thou shalt have it some other way The second
thing are his commands if thou seest he hath commanded a thing which thou seest no reason for nay thou seest a reason against it yet doe not question it The will of man is still objecting See this now in Adam and Saul In the commandement given to Adam there is nothing but a meere command 't is likely hee saw no reason for it yet see how God chargeth him hast thou eaten of that I commanded thee thou shouldst not eate Saul thought he had good reason on his side to spare the kine for sacrifice but did not I command thee the contrary The servant is not to examine his masters ground but to doe his will Lastly wee must be subject to his providence and all the passages of it Looke what variety of conditions of sickenesse and health good report and ill report thou goest through God requires that all thy affections should be subject without murmuring if he will have thee lye under an ill report without cause a long time it is his providence submit and wereas men will say if I were thus or thus in such a condition first then I would be content what is this but to make his will Regulam regulatam The third thing are motives to be subject From the nature of subjection which is as it was defined that the inferiour ought to be subject to the superiour so as there is reason for this if thou be an inferiour to him and when a man sees reason he will not be stubborne Now that there is reason for this looke through the whole universe That which is most base is lowest and if there should not be such a subordination what confusion would there be as if the waters should over-flow the earth or the fire possesse the place of the ayre As in the body of nature so politicall if servants should not be subject to their masters inferiours to superiours what confusion would it breed Eccles. 10. 5. 6. for the servant to be on horse-backe and the master on foot this is an evill and a folly So in the body of man for the humours to be predominant it brings sicknesse and death so in the soule for reason to be below and the affections above what disorder is it So that there is reason that in all things the inferiour should be subject to the superiour Consider who it is you are to be subject to It is to him that is able to doe you much good and one that is willing to recompence thee to the utmost Why are men so willing to be subject to Kings and doe them service because they are able to advance them and therefore men will doe any base offices for them even violate their consciences but in being subject to God thou shalt not be subject to base but honourable services and thou shalt get much by it also As Balak said to Balaam Am I not able to preferre thee so may I say of God and of others even of Kings as Saul said of David Can David give you Vineyards c Can Kings give you what God can give you why is there such seeking to the Court but that men are perswaded of getting profit and honour And is it not God that sets up whom he will pulls downe whom he will doth whatsoever he will in the earth and in the sea which if considered men would be ambitious of serving him Secondly hee is able to doe you much hurt and that is another reason of our subjection to Princes and therefore 1. Pet. 5. 6. hee bids us humble our selves under his mighty hand that is God hath a mighty hand able to bring you into subjection and therefore doe it willingly Humble your selves Doe you provoke him to anger are you stronger then he is hee not able to bring you downe In Ezechiel there be foure Emblemes of his power God compares their great men to Eagles the masters of all birds to Cedars that over-shadow all the trees of Eden to Dragons that doe live in the water and doe drinke it up as a river and to an excellent Cherub now God to shew his power sayes that hee will deplume that Eagle loppe the boughes of that Cedar uncover that Cherub put a hooke into the nosthrils of that Dragon so that God is able to doe the greatest men in the world hurt Thirdly God is exceeding munificent his goodnesse is great If one hath a father that is full of goodnesse an ingenuous sonne would not disobey him because hee would not grieve him now God will spare thee as a father spares his sonne that serves him hee will keepe thee still in the house notwithstanding all thy rebellions Last motive is taken from our selves It is for thy good to be subject to him which if men throughly apprehend they would not sticke though it were a thinge burthensome to them If a Physician prescribes thee an hard dyet to which thou hast no good will in it selfe yet if thou be told it is for thy good then thou art willing and thus it is with the Commandements But say is not liberty an excellent thing is it not better to live as a man lists Indeed if the mind of a man were framed as it ought to be it were so but seeing thy heart is possessed with errours c. it is not best for thee to be at liberty for one that is well in his wits it is good to be at liberty but not for one in a frensie againe for thee to follow thine owne will is to subject thy selfe more to the disease but when thou dost what God commands thee thou dost follow the prescript of the Physician For every man lyes as it were Inter morbum medicum if thou subject thy selfe to God thou growest out of bondage to the disease to further life and liberty but when thou obeyest thy selfe thou art brought in bondage to sinne which is the disease of thy soule Now bondage properly is this when one is subject to one that is not our proper Commander or when it is to our hurts and therefore now to bee subject to a Father is not bondage so not to God hee being our naturall and proper Commander Now one of these two you must be subject to either the law of sinne or of righteousnesse Consider now which of these is bondage which liberty Every creature hath a certaine rule given it and so long as it keepes close to that rule so long it is well with it and so it is with men whilst they are subject to the Law which is their proper rule to be subject to the contrary rule that is bondage But thou wilt say I finde it a pleasant life to bee subject to my lusts But what is the reason of that because it is agreeable to the present disposition of thy soule but yet know this that thou hast another radicall disposition in thee in which thou wert created to which the
from Christ to his members that workes upon their hearts and wils as the head doth on the members There is a force that infinuates it selfe from Christ unto them that moves them to obedience Members they are not moved by argumentation by reasons and arguments but by a certaine force that comes from the head and from a propensnesse that is in them so those that are Christs are not moved by reasons simply to obedience My meaning is not that reasons are excluded for they have motives and arguments to move them as well as others but that is not all there is a proclivitive planted in them that makes them obedient to their Head CHRIST IESUS Consider those words Rom. 6. 13. Wherefore give up your members as weapons of Righteousnesse unto God that is so soone as a man is dead to sinne and made alive to Christ consider now you are made members of another body have another head and therfore as the members are obedient to the Head and ready to doe what ever that will have them do so be you ready to doe what ever Christ commands As when the Head would have a thing done the members do it willingly without any reluctancy consider whether thy obedience be of that nature other men are drawne to it by outward motives from the force of Arguments and Reasons but they want this inward propensnesse to bee guided by Christ as the members are guided by the Head Lastly consider whether thou seek thy selfe or the good and advantage of others For look what being a man hath what state or condition in the Church what frame of spirit within such are his desires So long as a man is not a member but alone so long he seekes the perfection of himselfe as alone but being a member he seekes his good as he is a fellow member with the rest his condition is altered there comes another spirit into him that gives him the disposition of a member and the well-being of a member is not to be alone but to be knit to the other members and to be knit together with them to the Head The Characters of a member are first to be sociable it is not the property of a member to bee alone if thou bee knit unto Christ thou canst not want fellowship with Christians with the members of Christ. As a member of the body if there be any disjoynture made it seekes to be knit again so every one that is a member cannot endure to want the fellowship of Christ if a cloud come betwixt Christ and him hee cannot rest till hee be made one with him againe or of the rest of the Saints which are his fellow members Secondly another disposition of a member is to be usefull and serviceable to the body and the rest of the members as the hand the eye and the eare in its place So it is with every one that is a member of this body whereas before he sought himselfe and considered what did redound to himselfe what profit or credit now the case is altered and his thoughts are How shall I doe any thing which may glorifie my Head and advantage my fellow members How shall I bee usefull to God and man Lastly a member is compassionate hath a fellow-feeling of what befales any of the rest of the members it weepes with them that weepe c that is it useth to bee affected with the good or with the evill that concernes the body of the Church or any member of it and this is a natular disposition that followes the nature of all members and the spirit that is in them As Saint Paul sayes who is offended and I burne not with griefe and sorrow for it I feele twinges when others are hurt Consider how thou art affected with the case of the Church whether thou finde bowels of compassion in thee and art able to take their cause to heart and is thy heart stirred in thee accordingly as thou seest it goe well or ill with the Church If so thou hast the dispositions of a member and then Christ is thy head and all the promises made to the body of Christ the Church belong to thee otherwise thou hast no interest in him FINIS THE TABLE A Acquaintance ACquaintance with God how it is gotten part 1 page 179. Affections Affections moderated by humiliation 1 91 Affections what 1 120 Affections shew what is our utmost end 1. 165 Affections of Gods children resist sin 1 216 Affections subiect to Christ 2 117 Afflict Afflictions God Afflicts his owne people 1 3 Afflictions doe not alway follow sin 1 6 Examples of Gods Afflicting his people 1 8 Not to thinke strange th t God afflicts his children 1. 19 God slow to afflict 1 21 God sustaines his people in affliction Ibid God brings his people thorow affliction 1 25 Afflictions needfull 1 29 Difference of men in Affliction 1 31 Afflictions why sent of God Ibid. Afflictions removed in due time 1 34 Humiliation wrought by afflictions 1 80 To bee humble in afflictions 1 123 To iudge of our state by the issue of afflictions 1 288 In what case God afflicts his people 1 290 Apostacy Apostacie the ground of it 1 90 Ashamed Men ashamed of the power of religion 1 60 Assurance Assurance not to bee weakned by daily failings 1 122 269 Avoid Afflictions sent not to be avoided 1 33 B. Benefits COnsideration of the benefits by Christ what they serve for 2 37 Best Subjection to Christ best for us 2 115 Blaspheme God afflicts his people that his name bee not blasphemed 1 4 Boldnesse Boldnesse to got to Christ 2 22 C. Calling DIligence in our calling a meanes to humble us 1 130 Christ. Humiliation makes us cleave to Christ 1 88 99 The Church married to Christ 2 1 Motives to take Christ 2 23 Benefits by Christ. 2 27 Impediments that keepe from Christ 2 38 Church Comfort concerning the afflictions of the Church 1 63 Choose Choosing Choosing God the way to happinesse 1 42 Motives to choose God 1 43 God chooseth his people 1 48 See God Compassion God hath Compassion of his people in affliction 1 20 Confession Confession of sin required in fasting 1 38 Conscience Conscience of good men fight against sinne 1 215 Consent Difference in mens consent 1 210 Consent in our marriage to Christ 2 2 12 Consent how it is wrought 2 3 Consent what it is 2 4 Caution concerning our consent 2 13 Errour in mens consent 2 15 Constancy Constancy caused by humiliation 1 73 Constancy in good duties 1 129 Constancy in fighting against sin 1 218 Contempt Want of feare a signe of contempt 1 14 Content Contentment wrought by humiliation 1 92 Covenant Covenant renewed in fasting 1. 39 Freenesse of Gods covenant 1 263 D Death SInne at the last brings forth death 1 285 Deferre Dangerous to deferre comming to Christ 2 67 Discourage Ground not to bee discouraged in afflictions 1 32 Difficulty
THE MYSTICALL MATCH BETWEEN Christ and his Church BY The late learned and reverend Divine JOHN PRESTON Docter in Divinity Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne The leading Sermon to that Treatise of his called The Churches Marriage CANT 63. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine LONDON Printed for Francis Eaglesfield and are to be sold at the Marigold in S. Pauls Church-yard 1648. To the Christian Reader WHen the Sermons of this reverend Divine intituled the Churches Marriage were first published this Sermon was not come to the hands of those who were instrumentall in setting forth the work who yet were willing rather to send it so abroad then that so many excellent truths should be lost This Sermon since coming to my hands taken by a skilfull scribe from the Authors mouth I thought fit to adde it to the rest lest the work should seem a body without a head My pains is saved for speaking any thing concerning the worthy Author or his Works it is sufficiently done by those reverend Divines that have been the publishers of them therefore commending this to thee and thy self to Gods blessing I rest Thine in any Christian office T S. THE CHVRCHES MARRIAGE EPHES. 5. 32. This is a great mystery but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church THE poynt out of these words is this that There is a match between Christ and the Church and consequently betweene Christ and every particular man that is a member of the true body of Christ this is the great Mystery the Apostle tells us of in this place To open which let us consider wherein this match consisteth what similitude it hath with the ordinary marriage which is betweene a man and his wife here upon earth it consisteth in these five things First as in marriage there must bee consent of the parents so here the Father hath given his Sonne to us and likewise hee hath given us to the Sonne wherein wee are to consider the great mercy of God that hee would bestow his owne Sonne upon us which is the reason why the Apostle saith in Ephes. 1. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ that is that hath given us his owne Sonne and with him all things else and Him likewise for us when we were cast away men That thus he should give us to his Son and match us with him that is the first thing The second thing in marriage is the mutuall consent of the parties themselves that are to match together wherein wee are in the first place to consider the consent of the Sonne the Husband because wee know that the man is the suitor hee begins and if hee had not who could have knowne the minde of the LORD IESUS that he would match so lowe that hee would match with sinfull dust and ashes except himselfe had declared it his Church seekes not first to him not because modesty forbids it but because shee knew no such thing that there was such an Husband for her shee indeed had most neede to seeke because shee stood in neede of such an Husband Christ matches with her not for any neede he had of a wife but onely for the neede his wife had of him Now his Father from eternity had ordained this Wife for his Sonne and therefore hee must have her and he could have no other Therefore first see if the Sonne bee willing for this hee hath declared it plainely in his Word Wee are Ambassadors saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. beseeching you in Christs stead to bee reconciled to God and in Matth. 22. you see all were invited to the Marriage and all those speeches Goe preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and that in Revel 22. Let whosoever will come this I say declares the consent of the Sonne that he is willing Now secondly for our consent wee have that wrought by the holy Ghost by a double worke One is a worke of the holy Ghost discovering to us the thraldome and bondage the death and danger wherein wee are and also discovering to us our owne sinfulnesse which is necessary because a man is ready to bee conceited of himselfe and so is somewhat coy and unwilling to yeeld to the suit of Christ but when the holy Ghost hath shewed a man what hee is that he is such a one as hee never thought himselfe to be he then begins to think that hee is unworthy that the Lord should vouchsafe him so much favour he is ready to say as Abigail said to David when she was spoken to to bee his wife Lord what am I that thou shouldest so far respect mee Let thy handmaid wash the feete of my Lords servants I am worthy of no better office I say this is one worke of the holy Ghost thus to prepare us to this match The other is to present Christ unto us and to fit him above all the world for us in our apprehensions which is done by the work of the holy Ghost manifesting Christ and his beauty when Christ comes to joyne our love hee is faine to use his skill to joyne us and all that wee can doe to set him at is nothing except the holy Ghost shew you Iesus Christ and except withall hee make a secret impression upon the heart except there bee a secret instinct wrought in us causing us to long after Christ we shall never bring our hearts to consent to this Marriage Now therefore as there goes a secret vertue from the Load-stone that makes a secret impression upon the iron and when that is done the iron rests not but drawes neare to the Loade-stone so the holy Ghost that is sent from the Father makes an impression upon our spirits that wee have no rest till wee obtaine Christ. This is called in Scripture a Drawing to Christ None comes to me except the Father draw him that is except the Father worke powerfully upon him and make him willing to come for that is the meaning of drawing when the Lord turnes as it were the will of a Lion makes him a Lamb when he gives another will This consent must not bee mentall onely kept within the breast but there must bee an expression of this consent and it is in a mutuall covenant so then the third thing is the Covenant betweene Christ and us which is an everlasting covenant on both sides an everlasting covenant on Christs part to bee ours to bestow himselfe on us and all that is his whether salvation remission of sinnes sanctification glory his death obedience all hee did or is all is ours and againe a covenant on our part to give up our selves to him and this for ever and all that is ours as our
sinnes are made his so all the good wee receive from him wee promise to imploy to his service Now this is but as the Espousals The fourth is that union that followes upon this and the solemne celebration of the Marriage which is done in Baptisme when you were asked this question even as it is in ordinary marriage Will you have this man to your wedded husband will you take him for better and for worse will you bee content to renounce all others and to bee alone to him to serve and obey him so in Baptisme it was ask't Will you bee content to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts to renounce the world the flesh and the Devill c. When men were of riper yeeres and converted this was answered to by word of mouth from the party himselfe and now when you are baptized young it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are under-age which when they come to age they use not to disavow but are obliged to confirme it of that force is Baptisme unto us This I say is the solemnizing as it were of the nuptials betweene Christ and us when we are baptized into his Name when wee leave the former name that wee had before as a wife doth wee forsake father and mother and cleave to him so that a man is no more sui juris but is given up to this Husband to live after his will to bee subject to him in all things and take him even as hee taketh us hee takes us to keepe us in sickenesse and in health not to cast us off notwithstanding our insirmities but to keepe to us and communicate himselfe alone to us and not to reprobate men cast off so we take him with all crosses and afflictions that attend the profession of him to follow him through thicke and thinne as well in adversity as in prosperity to keepe the soule chaste to him and not to prostitute it to any lust or any creature The last is the consequents of this Marriage and union wee have part in his goods whatsoever is his is ours and ours is made his our debts are made his and againe all his honours and riches and priviledges are made ours there is an union betweene the parties My beloved is mine and I am his and then we have interest in all that is his Wee come now to apply this and make some use of it First if there be such a match betweene Christ and every beleever so that no man is partaker of any thing that is Christs except hee hath him first then take heede of applying the benefits of Christ preposterously to thy selfe for except thou have him first it is but a vaine conceit to thinke any thing of his belongs to thee to thinke of remission of sinnes and adoption and all the priviledges and to apply them to thy selfe and to thinke when thou art but once perswaded of it to thinke so that they are presently thine I say this is but a meare dreame and conceit except thou bee married to Christ that thou have the Lord himselfe thou hast nothing to doe with any thing that is his Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and all things pertaining to life and Godlinesse but hee that hath not the Sonne hath nothing neither life nor any thing else Therefore that you bee not deceived you must looke on this as the ground of all your comfort am I married to Christ Is the match made betweene me and him if it bee not know that whatsoever thou thinkest of forgivenesse of sinnes of any blessing spirituall or temporall that it is thine thou dost but deceive thy selfe therein with vaine words it is not thy perswasion that makes the match this is a poynt of great weight therefore examine thy selfe strictly herein You will say how shall I know it I answer you shall know it by this First consider whether thou have the consent of the Sonne for that is the first thing as was said thou must consider whether the Sonne have given his consent our no Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his consent but doest thou beleeve that hast thou applied this word to thy selfe there are two things which beare record with the Sonne that he is willing to match with us and that is the Word and the Spirit and consider if both have come home to thy heart yea or no to testifie this First I say Christ hee hath declared his will to match with us in his Word for though there be no particular promise to Iohn or Thomas or to any particular man to say Christ is willing to marry thee yet there is the generall that includes the particular as wee finde the substance of this generall All that receive him shall bee saved then sayes the Soule but I am one that am contained under this generall this generall speakes to mee as well and that as surely and as certainely as if a Messenger were sent from heaven to assure me that the Son is willing to match with mee for thou must looke what ground thy faith hath had whether thou didst finde such a word as this and whether thou canst apply it to thy selfe and hast laid hold upon it and by resting on it hast put thy seale to it that God is true in such a speech as this For you must know my beloved that Faith must have a word that is the proper object of Faith for if Faith had nothing else for its object but a perswasion or fancy of our owne faith were but a weake thing for it would alter according to the object and ground upon which it is pitched now a mans owne opinion it is changeable and mutable but therfore we are said to be rooted and grounded in faith because it hath a sure foundation there is a rocke for faith to bee built on which the gates of Hell cannot prevaile against now the rock upon which faith is built it is the Word of God so that that faith whereby thou beleevest thou art justified that thou art grafted into Christ that thou art matched with him that he is become thy Husband I say even that faith of thine must have a Word of God to be grounded upon thou must finde something in the Word that must testifie to thee that Christ is willing to match with thee for you know there is no match without mutuall consent and therefore the first thing when thou commest to bee married to him is to know that there is such a match and that the Sonne is willing to match with thee Now how should any man in the world know that except he declare himselfe and how canst thou know hee hath declared it but from some word from somewhat that he hath revealed in the Scripture to which all those places that I named before doe serve Goe preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven and Come unto mee all yee that are weary
Difficulty of leaving sin what it should teach us 1 229 Difficulty of a Christian course 1 230 Disobedience Disobedience to all others to obey Christ 1 112 E. End AFfliction of Gods people turned to good in the end 1 26 End of actions double 1 158 To make God our chiefe end Ibid. How to know wee make God our end 1 62 Enmity Enmity double 2 69 Errour Errour the cause of it 2 63 Excellency Excellency of Christ a motive to take him 1 26 F. Fase HVmiliation makes us seeke Gods face 1 87 To seeke Gods face what 1 132 How to know wee seeke Gods face 1 155 Benefit of seeking Gods face 1 183 Faith Faith growes from humiliation 1 101 Faith what 1 102 Impediments to faith 1 268 Fast. Double performance of a fast 1 38 Feare Feare the nature of it 1 7 Feare the want of it provokes God 1 13 Feare of the creature a snare 1 15 Feare of God how to bring our hearts to it 1 16 Feare the object of it 1 138 Feare in those that are out of Christ 2 25 Fellowship Fellowship of the Saints 2 97 Forgivenesse Means of conveighing forgivenesse 1 260. Who excluded from the promise of forgivenesse 1 263. Promise of forgivenesse brings men to God 1 273. How to be perswaded of God's readinesse to forgive sins 1 274 Danger of refusing the promises of forgivenesse 1 277 G Garment VVEdding garment what 2 21 Glory The wife the glory of the husband how 2 53 Humble men give God glory 1 113 Christians how they are the glory of Christ 1 33 God To choose the Lord for our God 1 41 Grace Grace to be stirred up 1 248 To stirre up grace what Ibid. Guide Christ a guide 2 80 How Christ guides those that are his 2 119 Necessity of Christ to bee our guide 2 122 We are unable to guide our selves 2 126 Guiding double 2 129 H. Hard. TWo things make the law of Christ hard 2 60 Hatred Hatred of sin 1 195 Hatred of sin what 1 196 Head Christ the Head of his Church 2 78 To choose Christ for our Head 2 93 Heart God fashions the heart of his people in afflictions 1 23 Heart to bee kept in good temper 1 40 Hardnesse of heart the cause of it 1 56 Searching the heart a meanes to humble us 1 128 Turning to God with the whole heart 1 191 A Christian fights against sin with his whole heart 1 215 God softeneth the heart 2 44 Helpe Promises of Gods helpe 1 57 Holinesse Holinesse what 1 150 Nature of holinesse 1 151 Double holinesse required 1 152 Humble Humiliation To humble our selves after wee have sinned 1. 53 Humiliation double Ibid. 134 Way to humiliation 1 55 Humiliation wrought by the Spirit 1 58 Without humiliation no mercy 1. 66 Necessity of humiliation 1 67 69. 75 Humiliation what 1. 77 78 116. 121 Ingredients in humiliation 1. 82 Difference of humiliation 1 84 Two things accompanying humiliation 1 89 Ends of humiliation 1 99 Meanes of humiliation 1 103 The Lord is mercifull to the humble 1 112 Meanes to humble the heart 1 128 How to know wee are humbled 1 131 God reveales his secrets to the humble 1. 136 God leaves sin in men to humble them 1. 240 All sins forgiven to the humble 1 254 I Iealousie Iealousie what 1 4 Idlenesse Idlenesse a sin 1. 198 Illumination Illumination in turning to God 1 192 Indeavour Indeavour accepted of God 1 56 Inconsideration Inconsideration hinders men from comming to Christ. 2 53 Influence To draw influence from Christ. 2 95 Ioy. Ioy what 1 43 Iudgement Iudgements caused by the sinnes of the Saints 1. 11 Iudgements of God of three sorts 1 279 Calamities removed in Iudgement 1 287 Iustice. Iustice of God in forgiving sinne 1 259 L Law Humiliation wrought by the Law 1 79 Law what ibid. Vse of preaching the Law 1. 254 Liberty Liberty in sin hurtfull 2 32 Loose We loose nothing by subjection to Christ. 2 94 Lord. When our obedience is to the Lord. 2 110 Love God afflicts his people because he loves them 1 4 Love makes a man humble 1 54 Humiliation makes us love God 1 91 Love increased by humiliation 1 102 Lusting Lusting against sin in the regenerate 1 211 M. Marriage Consequents of our marriage with Christ. 2. 6 How to know we are married to Christ. 2 7 Measure To be afflicted in measure what 1 22 Meanes Meanes limitted by the end 1 163 Members How to know wee are Christs members 2 137 Law of the members what 1 226 Characters of Members of Christ. 2 140 Mercy Humiliation makes men seeke Mercy 1 70 Humiliation makes men give God the praise of his mercy 1 74 Not to forget God in the middest of his mercies 1 172 Might To doe Gods worke with all our might 1 166 Minde Law of the minde what 1 209 Miracle The offers of mercy confirmed by miracle 2 42 Moderate God Moderates the afflictions of his people 1 22 Mourning Mourning for sinne when it is effectuall 1 118 N. Name The Lords Name called upon his people 1 47 Not to pollute Gods Name 1 59 Nature Sin agreeable to our nature 1 225 Nearenesse Our nearenesse to God 1 51 Necessity Necessity we have of Christ. 2 23 Neede God afflicts us no more then Needs 2 29 Negligently To doe Gods worke negligently what 1 167 O Obedience Exhortation to obedience 1 49 Obedience from humiliation 1 76 114 Faith and obedience goe together 2 100 Triall of our estate from our obedience 2 103 Obedience universall required 2 107 Obedience constant 2 129 Obedience to Christ the manner of it 2 139 Observation Observation of the manner of sins fighting 1 250 Offend Wee must come to God though we have offended him 1 35 Omission Sins of Omission 1 202 Ordinances The end of Gods Ordinances 1 221 Opinion What opinion to have of our selves 1 155. 156 P. Pardon Who beleeve not the offer of pardon 2 39 Pardon offered to all 2 43 Pardon taken out what 2 45 The time of offering pardon 2 47 Peace Subjection to Christ brings peace 2 89 92 Persecution God a refuge in persecution 1 184 Person Person of Christ must first be looked to 2 21 Pleasant Sinne hard to be left because it is pleasant 1 224 Subjection to Christ pleasant 2 88 Prayer Prayer a meanes to get the feare of God 1 16 God fits his people to prayer 1 23 Humiliation makes a man pray 1 87 Want of prayer causeth want of assurance 1 270 Priests Humiliation makes us Priests to God 1 76 Present Presenting sins past a meanes to humble men 1 104 130 God present with them that seeke his face 1 183 Men thinke their present condition unalterable 1 292 Want of present comforts keepe men from Christ. 2 61 What Christians enjoy by Christ for the present 2 64 Pride Pride cause of disobedience 1 72 Profession Outward profession required 1 62 Promise Promise of mercy