borne it he himselfe enjoynes it (e) Is dat quimandat qui jubet illo juvat and hee himselfe supports his spouse in bearing of it this yoke of Christ doth his spouse willingly beare in performing universall cheerefull sincere and constant obedience to all Christs commands in full purpose and desire of the heart in the earnest endeavour of the whole man which Evangelicall obedience Christ accepts and accounts as perfect obedience for his owne sake The fourth consequent of this spirituall marriage of Christ and his Spouse is that mutuall adhaering and cleaving to one another in ardency of (f) Quam quaeris aliam inter sponsos necessitudinem vel connexionem praeten amari amare Bern. Ser. 31. in Cant. affection and dearest love First for the love of Christ to a beleever it is transcendent and differing from a Christians love to Christ First in time secondly in degree thirdly as a cause differs from an effect First in time Christs love is the preventing love and this magnifies the love of Christ it is a chiefe porperty of great love when it is (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. preventing and therefore the Apostle Iohn calls it love indeede that Christ loved us first Secondly Christs love differs and exceedes the love of his Spouse in degree he being the fountaine of love and the love of a Christian but a streame flowing from that fountaine hee the Sonne of Righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 From whom the beames of mercies flow dayly upon the hearts of his beloved ones their love being but a beame comming from that Sonne therefore God is sayd to bee love it selfe in the abstract in regard of the transcendencie of his love surpassing the love of all Thirdly Christs love differs from a Christians love as the cause differs from the effect for the love of a Christian to Christ is nothing but an heavenly sparke kindled by the fire of Gods Spirit and the fervencie of his affection to a Christian the heate that is in the inferiour region of the ayre is nothing but an effect of the reverberation of the beames of the Sunne upon the earth the heate of a Christians heart that burnes within him with a love and zeale to the Lord Jesus is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sunne beames of Christs mercies shed abroad in the heart of a beleever Our cloathes in the morning receive heate first from our bodies but being heated by our bodies they keepe our bodies warme all the day following A Christians heart must first be cloathed with the sunne of righteousnesse and so warmed with his beames being but once throughly warmed it ever after glowes within towards Christ in love againe now as Christ beares a love to a Christian farre exceeding the love of the fondest Bridsgrome to his endeared Spouse so there is a retaliating affection in every beleeving soule towards Christ We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heate as to imagine Christs love bestowed upon a soule without this affection in the heart to whom Christ hath made his love knowne by betrothing himselfe (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4. Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved againe And againe in another place affirmes that to bee true friendship where love is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. magni moral c. 11. reciprocall if then love amongst friends be mutuall much more betwixt (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconomie c. 2. man and wife betwixt Christ and his Spouse the very name of Bridsgroome calls for love (l) Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio It is the observation of a Father sometimes God calls himselfe by the name of a Father sometimes by the name of a Master sometimes by the name of a Bridsgrome when he would produce a filiall feare in the hearts of his children hee calls himselfe by the name of a Father If I be a Father where is my feare when he would produce homage and service in his servants hee calls himselfe by the name of a Lord. If I bee your Master and Lord where is me honour and service When hee would beget love and affection in them hee stiles himselfe a Bridsgroome If I bee a Bridsgroome where is my love Now this love that a Christian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ hath severall distinct properties whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ First it is such a love that will drive the soule to sicknesse in case the thing loved bee delayed Conticles cap. 1. vers 5. I am sicke of love saith the Church concerning Christ her Bridsgrome this sickenesse of the soule for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for desire of Christ whom the soule loveth this the wise man expresseth Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke now the soule hoping for those soule-transporting pleasures to bee found in the apprehension of Christs favour and sense of his presence and yet obtaines not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soule upon this the heart begins to faint and languish and to bee sicke of love the desire of a Christian towards Christ is not any faint and remisse desire but a longing desire such a desire that stretcheth the affection to the highest straine and therefore expressed in Scripture by the metaphors of thirsting gasping panting now as experience teacheth in some cases longing brings danger when the thing longed for is not obtained whereas an ordinary desire will not hurt in the deniall of the thing desired as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed as fainting sownding languishing it is so in spirituall longing for Christ the soule thirsting for Christ and finding him not falls a sownding fainting and grows to a kinde of Sprituall sicknesse for love and desire of Christ This love is a kinde of doting love that carries the soule to a spirituall distraction this we may see in Peter who in the transfigration was so transported with affection so ravished with the love of Christ that like a man spiritually distracted he knew not what hee sayd saith the text Marke 9.6 So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven he speakes like a man besides himselfe for the present 2 Corinth 12.2.3 and 5. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth verse 5. Of such an one will I glory of my selfe I will not glory here wee see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kinde of spirituall distraction in love to Christ and heaven whereunto hee
Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons and the reason is because the houre is not yet come when Christ useth to give the soule such plenty but he reserves that plenty for heaven when he fills the soule with the wine of inconceivable pleasure and joy in his presence when hee will turne all the waters of afflictions into the wine of consolation and the soule shall have accesse to Christ the fountaine of all comforts there to fill and satisfie it selfe with what the heart is capable of there being then a more intimate communion betwixt Christ and a beleever in heaven than upon earth a more intimate fellowship and a fuller participation of that unspeakeable content that the soule takes in Christ the soule cannot but (w) Quemadmodum Iacobus magna cum alacritate migravit in Egyptum ut ibi videret gloriam Iosephi Gen. 45.18 sic nos ad caelum properemus ut ibi videamus gloriam Christi Chem. Harm Evang. p. 1679. long for and desire with Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ with Iacob it cannot but waite for the Salvation of God with Simeon it cannot but desire to depart in peace where it may see Christ face to face and never lose that beatificall vision of him againe Hence was it that good (x) Quid hic faciemus cur non ocyus migramus cur non hinc avolamus Monica the mother of Augustine cryed what doe we here why depart we not swifter why flye we not away from hence Hence was it that her sonne (y) Mori desidero ut videam Christum salutare meum vivere renuo ut cum Christo vivam Chem. haâ—m Evang. p. 1675. Augustine sayd I desire to dye that I may see Christ my Saviour I refuse to live that I may live with Christ It is with a beleeving soule in this life as with a man in a journey in a strange Country who though at his Inne where he lodgeth he hath a warme Chamber good fire wholesome victualls a soft and refreshing bed yet he is ever and then thinking on home his thoughts and meditations ever and then speaking thus within him true it is I have a good lodging kinde entertainement wholesome victualls but what are all these to my fare at home my bed at home to the society of my wife and children at home home though homely is ever in his minde ever in his desires so it is with a Christian espoused to Christ though he enjoyes a confluence of all outward comforts though hee takes great delight in this life and as it were swimmes in all worldly contentments having a loving wife dutifull children faithfull servants his barnes stuft with graine his pastures stockt abundantly with Oxen and sheepe his coffers replenished with the most precious of metalls so that hee lackes nothing that can give an honest heart content yet he cannot but bee ever and then thinking within himselfe I have wife children lands livings but what are these to the society with my sweetest Saviour and most delightfull Bridegroome desiring to leave all to bee with Christ which is best of all Examine thy heart O soule by this property Is there any thing in the world so deare unto thee be it wise sonne or daughter land or house yea life it selfe that thou art not content to leave that thou mayst have that intimate communion with Christ in heaven Thou mayst justly feare thou never wast espoused to Christ neither ever hadst any acquaintance with him for if thou hadst the best of worldly excellencies could not retaine thy soule from a desire to bee with Christ in heaven In the third place 3. Symptome this Spirituall marriage is discovered by the affection of love (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aust l. 2. Oeconom c. ultima A soule married to Christ loveth all that have any alliance with Christ A wife that truely loves her husband loves her husbands kindred and friends in like manner are the friends of Christ deare unto his Spouse now who they be that have alliance and friendship with him Christ himselfe declares First that those are his brethren Marke 3.35 who doe the will of God whose Father is his Father whose God is his God and for his friends Christ shewes who they be Iohn 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you as it was betwixt Iehosaphat and Ahab 2 King 3.7 when they agreed together to goe against Moab to battell Iehosaphat sayd I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses so is it with all the members of Christ that are espoused to him Christs cause is their common cause Christs friends their friends embracing Christ with the dearest affection and mutually one another for Christs sake By this mayest thou examine thy self whether thou beest espoused to Christ or not to wit by thy love to all those that stand in the same relation to Christ as thou dost seest thou a poore member of Christ in the wrinckles of whose face as in so many lines thou mayest read Lectures of miserie and want here is a friend of Christ if thou beest the Spouse of Christ thou canst not but have some pitty love and compassion on this his friend seest thou any eminent for grace holy in life frequent in duty zealous for piety and purity of heart this is a friend of Christ standing in the same relation to Christ as thou doest if thou beest espoused to him and therefore thou canst not but love him for the image of Christ thou seest in him In the third place the consideration Vse 3 of this point serves for consolation to Christs Spouse in many particulars First against the clamour of the guilt of sinne Christ being an husband to the Soule undertakes all its debts the Widdow of the Prophet 2 Kings 4.1.2 complaines that the Creditour was come to take her sonnes captives but the Spouse of Christ needes feare no such arrest of any creditour the soule hath many creditours that out of Christ it is subject and lyable to satisfie the Law arrests the soule with a cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Againe Conscience arrests the soule and seconds the Law with this assumption that the soule hath not continued in the Law but broken it the Devill will arrest the soule with many accusations Death and Hell have their arrests too but Christ being the husband of the soule becomes the undertaker for all these arrests and debts by sinne Sathan Conscience Death or Hell when the Law shall urge its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rigorous exaction of perfect obedience then may the beleeving soule answere my husband Christ hath payd it for me when the Law calls for penalty upon the violation of it selfe the beleever may answere Christ my husband hath payd it for me who is made unto me wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption as
was caught This love in the third place is a (m) Amat profecto castè quae ipsum quem amat quaerit non aliud quid praeter ipsum Bern. Serm. 7. in Cantiâ— Sponsa non petit libertatem non mercedem non haereditatem sed osculum more planè castissimae sponsae ac sacrum spirantis amorem nec â—omnino valen t is flammam dissimulare quam patitur osculetur inquit me osculo oris sui quasi dicat quid mihi est in coelo a te quid volui super terram Bern. ibid. free love whereby the beleeving soule cleaves unto Christ for himselfe and those glorious excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ this property distinguisheth it from that (n) Cave anima ne quod absit meretrix dicaris si munera dantis plus quam amantis affectum diligis Aug. medit l. 2. c. 4. meretritious and mercenary love in worldlings that follow Christ as Christ upbraided some of the same stampe for the fishes and bread wherewith hee fed them Iohn 6.26 This hired love the (o) Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium si quaerit singere quod non est ut in Iob. quanto magis objicere quod est Aug. de temp Serm. 234. Devils objected against Iobs sincerity Doth Iob feare God for nought but Iob cleaving to God upon the dunghill and in the lowest condition proved the Devill in that particular as hee was from the beginning to be a lyar The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroome of his soule is that it is a strong and peremptory love it will carry a Christian through all (p) Amemus nos Christum ejusque semper quaeramus amplexus facile videbitur omne difficile brevia putabimus universa quae longa sunt jaculo illius vulnerati perhorarum momenta dicemus Heus me quia pereginatio mea prolongata est Hier. scribeus ad Eustochium difficulties and straights to Christ The love of Rachel carried Iacob through 14. yeares of hard service the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Labans service had in it Cant. 8.6.7 It is sayd to be as strong as death that conquers the greatest gyant and the mightiest Monarch zeale that is love inflamed is as inexorable as hell it selfe it is sayd to have fiery coales that pierce the heart which fiery coales of love all the waters be it a deluge and inundation of miseries and calamities persecutions and temptations are not able to quench Love is of that strength that it facilitates the greatest difficulties This we see in the ordinary bodily recreations many men take a pleasure in a toyle as in hunting running leaping ringing wrastling and the like and all out of love to these recreations much more is the love of Christ able to sweeten the hardest duty that Christ imposeth upon his Spouse What was it that made the fiery faggots to those blessed witnesses of the truth to seeme as beds of Roses but love What made the Disciples to forsake all but Christ and that love they beare to him What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison and the Apostles to returne from the Councill rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ but love to Christ What made the renowned Champion Stephen valiant in the midst of death but the sight of the Sonne of God standing at the right hand of his father and I am perswaded that if it had beene offered to Stephen that hee should have beene delivered from his present paine upon condition he should have beene deprived of his present vision of Christ by the opening of the heavens the love of Christ would not have suffered Stephen to have accepted of deliverance upon such condition so we reade of those strong ones in faith though weake in sexe they would not accept of deliverance in the middest of their torturings that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 To conclude this Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peeres of hell it selfe Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as if he had sayd shall this or that if there be any more put them all into the scale and weigh but the love of Christ against them all and they shall bee found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus The fifth property the love of Christs Spouse is a bountifull love this the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.4 makes a property of true Charity that it is bountifull (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. l. 8. c. 13. bounty is the fruite of love and it is exercised towards any thing according to love if a man love his body nothing is thought too dainty to feede it too gorgeous to cloath it if a man love his pleasure nothing is counted too deare to maintaine it so where there is any true conjugal affection in a Christian heart that heart will rellish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ it will downe with frequent prayer humble and dayly confession of sinne zealous and Godly walking with God sincere universall and constant obedience to Christ though it be with the parting of the most dearely beloved sinnes that soule will thinke no teares of repentance no hearing reading singing no duties publicke or private too much whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced and its love to Christ better expressed Luke 7.47 Mary Magdalen is sayd to love much and this her great love was expressed to Christ by her bounty in washing his feete in anointing his head in wiping his feete with the haires of her head and Christ himselfe accepts of her washing anointing kissing and all other of her acts of bounty as Characters of her great inward affection The sixth property of this love is that it is intire as Moses his serpent devoured all other serpents because his serpent was from God so the love of God being from God eates and consumes the love of all things besides as it is sayd of Ioseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court and in the land of Aegypt than himselfe the like may be sayd of Christ in a beleeving heart there is none greater than Christ he is the Pilot that governes the ship the King that governes the whole man the Master and Lord that keepes the house of a sanctified heart to whom as King and Lord all the powers of the whole man submit all doe homage all performe respect feare and love and if there be love bestowed upon any other thing besides Christ as upon our selves and our neighbours yet it is for Christs sake and in subordination to him whom to love in due measure is to love without measure The seventh property of a Christians soules love to Christ is that it is a constant love it is no great matter to professe love
THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMBE OR A Treatise concerning the spirituall espousing of Christ to a beleeving Soule wherein the subject is fully handled in the nature of it in the effects priviledges symptomes with the comforts that arise to a beleever from this relation wherein also the excellencie of Christ and many other spirituall truths flowing from the subject are by way discovered By BENIAMIN KING Minister of Gods Word at Flamsteed in Hartford-shire Revel 21.9 Come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes Wife LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes for R.H. 1640. TO The Right Worshipfull truly Worthy and very much honoured Knight and Baronet St Thomas Barrington and to his truely vertuous Lady Grace Mercy and Peace from the Fountaine Right Worshipfull MAny are those Relations that Christ the Prince of Peace stands in towards beleevers He a Father they his children he a Sheapheard they his sheepe he an head they his members he a King they his Subjects he a Lord they his Servants he a generall they his Souldiers he an husband they his spouse and amongst all these relations not one enricheth the beleeving heart with more heavenly consolation than this of being a husband to his Church for by this the beleever becomes assured of all things his heart can desire of Communion with Christ of protection preservation maintenance spirituall and temporall yea of heaven it selfe Christs spouses joynture of this most comfortable subject I have published this small treatise and the cause inforcing mee to the publication thereof was the earnest request of some speciall and neere friends whose affections were much moved with the Subject handled in the Pulpit to satisfie their desire being no lesse to me than a command and for the comfort and Edification of Gods Church I have endeavoured to publish the notes somewhat more fully handled than in the Pulpit hoping that none will despise Timothie for his Youth considering that out of the mouth of Babes the praise of God is perfected Although I want not some private respects to inforce me to dedicate this my labour unto your Worships as that I may give some open testification of my gratefull minde to you both for those personall favoure received yet the chiefest reason was because this Treatise seemes to be due to you both who are joyned together not onely in the common bonds of Matrimony but as Aquila and Priscylla Zacharie and Elizabeth married together in the Lord and to the Lord Jesus as to one Husband this relation to Jesus Christ appeares by that high respect you shew to the spokesmen and faithfull ministers of Jesus Christ by your Pietie and Zeale for the honour of the Lord Iesus Let Caesar and Pompey contend for superiority in fading and vanishing greatnesse Let your Worships contend with an holy ambition for the obtaining and retaining of Gods favour and an humble acquaintance and communion with his heavenly highnesse by keeping Faith and a pure Conscience Let the men of this world whose sole portion is in this life glory that they are crowned with a concurrance of present felicities Let your Worships glory be that together with a confluence of worldly contentments the God of heaven hath crowned you with his Mercy and Grace in Christ and esteeme it your chiefest Honour that God hath made you Honourable with the Bereans for your love to the truth with Iabez for your Piety and Devotion and that he hath made you Noble with Theophilus for your love to God his People his Lawes his Cause which love of truth piety and devotion love to God and his cause shall give a luster to all your other greatnesse and shall be able in the day of tryall and account to make you stand like an unmoveable Rocke with triumphing confidence before the terrour of the last day when all other worldly greatnes without the former shall shrinke in the wetting and shall wish it selfe so little it could not be seene in that shall call to the Mountaines to fall upon it and to cover it The great God of heaven and earth replenish your Noble hearts with a dayly increase of heavenly hords of Grace and treasures of Comforts in the practise of Holinesse and perseverance in well doing which may give you an earnest of those inexhaustable treasures of joy and happinesse reserved in the highest heavens for all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity this shall be the dayly prayer of him who humbly desires to bee accounted Your Worships truest friend and servant for the good of your Soules BENIAMIN KING THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMBE Hosea 2.20 I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse THe sweetest musique consists of discords It is so with the Harmonie of Gods Word in generall and with this Chapter in particular In the former part to the 12. verse God stands as it were upon Mount Eball pronouncing his curses from the 12. verse to the end he stands as it were upon Mount Gerizim proclaiming his mercies in the former as upon Mount Sinai thundring in his Judgement in the latter part as upon Mount Sion alluring in many sweete and Evangelicall promises of which his text is the summary and Epitome of the rest I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse The matter included in this text is this That there is a spirituall betrothing of Christ unto every truely beleeving soule which will more fully appeare if we consider these three particulars First the precedent of this spirituall Marriage Secondly the nature and essence of it or the particulars wherein it consisteth 3. The Consequents of it The precedent of this spirituall Marriage which is this that before Christ vouchsafeth to espouse himself to any soule there must be a separation betwixt that soule and every beloved sinne as the woman must bury her former husband before shee can be marryed to another so the Soule must bury all former beloved sinnes that it may be betrothed to Christ Every Christian before the act of this spirituall betrothing is wedded to one sinne or another which walkes with him in the day sleepes with him in the night that lyes in his bosome and is as deare to him as his wife but before Christ espouseth himselfe unto that soule there must be a bill of divorcement drawne betwixt it and all other darling sinnes and endeared corruptions to give entertainement to Christ alone The Harlot could be content the living childe should be divided 1 King 3.26 whereas the true mother of the childe had rather part with all the childe than to have the childe divided The Devill like the Harlot can be content to have halfe the heart because hee knowes if hee hath halfe the heart by this meanes hee shall enjoy the whole but Christ like the true mother of the Childe will have all or none though a broken heart be his delight yet a divided heart is odious unto him hence is it that Christ before he vouchsafeth this favour of espousing himselfe to any soule requires there
acquaintance had Moses with God Ioshua 20.12 Exod. 17.11 by the holding up of whose hand Israel prevailed such an acquaintance had Ioshuah who by his prayer caused the Sunne to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Ajelon and such an acquaintance and intimatenesse hath the Spouse of Christ with Christ that upon all occasions if any thing perplexe and molest the soule it can goe unto Christ and make its case knowne unto him with a full perswasion that he will relieve and comfort it neither hath the soule acquaintance onely with Christ but by Christ with the Father and the blessed Spirit as Isaac taking Rebecca to be his wise brought her into his mothers tent Gen. 24.67 So Christ marrying a beleeving soule brings that soule into his Fathers presence to have acquaintance with him this the Apostle sweetely expresseth Ephes 3.12 Ephes 3.12 opened In whom we have boldnesse and accesse the word boldnesse in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifieth boldnesse of face in speaking shewing that a beleever by Christ hath boldnesse to goe to God by prayer againe the Apostle saith in him that is Christ we have not onely boldnesse but accesse in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such an accesse which is by manuduction as Isaac took Rebecca so Christ takes the soule espoused to him by the hand and leads it into his Fathers presence and into acquaintance with him so that the soule which before this spirituall marriage was a stranger to God and God an angry God with the soule through sinne now apprehends God in Christ reconciled and an indulgent Father and last of all the Apostle sheweth how the beleever hath this boldnesse of speech this accesse and this confidence it is by faith of him faith is the eye of the soule by which the soule lookes upon God reconciled Now as to the bodily sight there is required not onely a well disposed Organ but a (h) Arist l. 2. de Anima c. 7. perspicuous medium a lightsome ayre or the like through which the species of the visible object must be received into the Organ of the eye so in the spirituall sight of the soule which it hath of God there is required a diaphanous and perspicuous medium which is Christ the mediator through whom the soule by faith sees him that is invisible it is Christ that drawes neere unto God for his friends Iohn 20.17 and they draw neere to God by Christ Heb. 10.19.22 The application of this subject The application of this point is fourefold the first is for instruction in two particulars First it teacheth the dignity of the Saints Secondly the duty of the Saints First their (i) Vnde tibi ô humana anima unde tibi hoc unde tam in aestimabilis gloria ut ejus sponsa merearis esse in quem desideâ—ant Angeli prospicere unde tibi hoc ut ipse fit sponsus tuus cujus pulcritudinem Sol Luna mirantur ad cujus nutum universa mutantur Bern. Ser. 2. Dom 1. post Epist 1. dignity David thought it a great dignity to match into the stocke of Saul that was King of Israel 1 Sam. 18.18 Who am I c. greater honour and dignity it is to match into the stocke of God even unto his onely begotten sonne and so to be called the Kings daughter Psal 45. The Kings Spouse and beloved well may the soule enter into an holy admiration of this favour and cry out with the Psalmist Lord what is man or the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him and hast crowned him with so great a favour as to bee called the Spouse of Christ who as Abigail sayd to David offering marriage I am not worthy to wash the feete of the Lords Servants It was a great dignity for Ruth to bee espoused to Boaz but a greater honour and favour for a poore soule to be married to Christ whose nature is goodnesse whose greatnesse is infinitenesse whose power is omnipotencie whose worke is mercy whose anger is justice whose throne is sublimity whose will is equity whose life is felicity and whose age is eternity Let the heavens stand amazed at this honour and favour without comparison Secondly this point teacheth the duty of the Saints that seeing they are the Spouse of Christ First then they must adorne themselves that Christ may take delight in them all delight proceedes from some correspondencie in comelinesse affection and action The Heathen (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 1. Oec c. â— Philosopher could say that dissimilitude of manners and diversity of carriage is not apt either to beget or preserve love and delight so that Christ may take content and delight in his Saints espoused unto himselfe they must adorne themselves whereby they may become like unto him hee is cloathed with holinesse and righteousnesse as with a garment he is full of beauty and enamouring comelinesse that like then may rejoyce in like the soule must bee adorned that Christ may say of the soule as Sampson did of Dalilah Iudg. 14.3 She pleaseth me well this the Psalmist sweetly expresseth Psal 45.14 The Kings daughter shall bee brought unto the King in a rayment of needle worke so shall the King that is Christ take pleasure in her beauty if it be asked what this needleworke of divers colours is I answere not any outward ornament mentioned Esay 3.18.19.20 not that strange apparell condemned by the Prophet Zephan 1.8 (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconom c. 1. These outward ornaments are not the ornaments wherewith Christs Spouse must be cloathed that Christ may take delight in her these make the soule many times more deformed in the sight of Christ these are the worlds Livery which the servants of the world for the most part are cloathed withall therefore the Psalmist Psal 45.13 expresseth what the ornaments of Christs Spouse are The Kings daughter is all glorious within the (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagints read the words thus All the glory of the Kings daughter is within A beleever in outward appearance hath little glory therefore the Church complaines Cant. 1.5 I am blacke but comely blacke in the opinion of the world not seeing my beauty which is inward blacke through persecution and the scorching flames thereof but comely in the eyes of Christ who lookes on my inward beauty that cannot be seene by the world so then the inward (n) In sola anima pulchritudo turpitudo apparent ideo is solus verè puicher est qui est virtute praeditus Clem. Aleâ—an Padog l. 2. c. 12. Illis ampla satis forma pudicitia Tibullus Elig l. 1. Eleg. 2. Palchritudo tua fit bona vita stude itaque placere Christo non pretiosis vestibus sed bonis â—oribus non pulchritudine carmò sed pulchritudine mentis Beru de modo bene vivendâ— Sor. 9. Ezek. 16.8.9.10
Christian to accept of Christs offer and willing to match with him but yet fearing and secretly saying within it selfe I am afraide that Jesus Christ will not match himselfe with me who have nothing in mee that may move Christ to love me and I finde so much deformity in my soule by sinne so much filthinesse in my inward man that Christ I feare will turne away his eyes from me as an unfit object of his love To this I answere what saw God in his people that might move him to love them Ezek. 16.5.6 They lay tumbling in their blood in their filthinesse and abominations and then was the time of love when God pittied them and entred into covenant with them and they became his owne It is not with Christ as with a man in choosing a Spouse man lookes after proportion and portion but Christ regards not the soule for any thing in it selfe for he hath riches and beauty enough for himselfe and the soule his Spouse too If the soule hath any riches or righteousnesse of its owne Christ will not marry himselfe unto it and therefore the Apostle affirmes that the Israelites going about to establish their owne righteousnesse did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God which is the righteousnesse of Christ layd hold on by faith Rom. 10.3.4 As therefore Abraham sayd Gen. 14.23 unto the King of Sodom that he would not take from him so much as a thread lest the King of Sodom should say I have made Abraham rich so Christ when he Marries himselfe to any soule he will not have with it the least righteousnesse of his owne lest the soule should boast of it selfe or that it had any riches but what it got by its Marriage with Christ Therefore in that thou sayest thou art poore base blinde naked miserable and wretched and if withall thou art truely sensible of this thy poverty thy filthinesse and wretchednesse touched also with a deepe apprehension of thine own unworthines to be joyned in Marriage to Christ thou hast spoke a word ere thou wert aware that may give thee comfort and hope that thou art such a one to whom Christ will espouse himselfe wert thou rich in thine owne conceite as the Church of Laodicea (f) Non habet quo intret gratia ubi meritum occupavit Bern. in Cantie Serm. 67. Christ would despise thee but being vile in thine owne eyes he will sooner regard thee who useth to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away to resist the proud but to give grace to the humble there is nothing that winnes respect more from God than for the soule to bee truely humble To him will I looke even to him that is of a contrite and humble spirit Isaiah 57.15 I dwell in the humble heart though God dwells in the highest heavens yet withall in the lowest heart and therefore saith Mary Luk. 1.48 He had respect to the low estate of his hand-maide Excellent is the expression of Holy (g) Altus est Deus humilis est Christianus Si vult ut altus Deus v. cinetur illi ille humilis sit magna mysteria fratres Deus super omnia est Erigris te non illum tangis humilias te ipse ad te descendit Aug. in Psal 34. Augustine to this purpose God is high saith he a Christian is low if he desires that the high God should come neare him let him be lowly A great mystery brethren saith he God is above all thou liftest up thy self and yet touchest him not thou humblest thy selfe and he descends unto thee so then as Abigails speech to David desiring Marriage of her that she was not worthy to wash the feete of Davids servants allayed not Davids affection neither hindred her preferment neither will thy poverty if thou beest truly sensible of it hinder thy espousing to Christ who as the (h) Nullum eligit dignum sed eligendo efficit dignum Aug. cont Iuli. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. Father notes chooseth none worthy of himself but by choosing them maketh the worthy To conclud this it was a good policie in the Gibeonites Iosh 9.4 5 6. that they might move Ioshuah to enter into covenant with them they workt wittily taking old sackes upon their Asses and wine bottles old and rent old shooes and garments It would be as good a policie for a poore soule in moving Christ to enter into league and covenant with it to come unto Christ with an abased naked and ragged heart rent in peeces with deepe contrition and sense of Gods wrath for this is the most ready way for the soule to finde favour in the eyes of Christ whose order is first to deject then to erect and raise up first to wound by the sense of misery and then to heale by the sense of Mercy first to make the soule apprehensive of its owne misery and then to bestow himselfe upon the soule to enrich it But in the second place some poore soule may object Object 2 I am content to be married to Christ but loath I am to part with such a sinne that affords me so much honour credit dignity and riches To this I answere he that truely accepts of Christ must take him on his own tearmes to be the Lord and chiefe Commander of his soule and the soule must give a bill of divorcement to every sinne to give entertainement to Christ alone whereas then the soule pretends a willingnesse to accept of Christ and yet withall an unwillingnesse to part with some darling sinne the reason is because the soule consults with flesh and blood with corrupt nature that alwayes as Ahab sayd of Michaiah in another case prophesieth evill to the soule opposing it selfe against the eternall welfare thereof Accept of me saith Christ to be the Bridegroome of thy soule the soule askes counsell of flesh and blood whether it should obey in accepting of Christ refuse saith flesh and blood wilt thou forsake thy former delights thy Dalilahs in whose lap thou hast tooke so many a contentfull sleepe wilt thou forsake such a way of gaine which hath beene the maintenance of thy selfe and family Hereupon the soule resolves upon a plaine deniall or if not so yet of an accepting but not on his owne termes yet Christ indeede shall be called the husband of the soule but withall resolves to retaine its sinnes still which in truth is aequivalent to a plaine refusall would the soule then accept of Christ in his owne way the best direction that can be given to the soule in such a case is that it should not consult with flesh and blood and corrupt nature in this case but to doe as Paul did Gal. 1.16 Who upon Gods call and the Revelation of his Sonne in him immediately obeyed and consulted not with flesh and blood The (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist â—â—eter l. 1. c. 9. Philosopher tells us it is absurd to consult about things that must