ten thousand times ten thousand of his Holy Ones even thousands of Angels Dan. 7.10 Glorious in his way of Rule full of Grace and sweetness towards his People full of terror and majesty towards his Enemies his Arrows being sharp in their hearts Psal 45.5 And as he governs all now so he will judge all at last and all must stand or fall live or die be saved or damned for ever according to what Sentence he shall pass upon them Acts 17.31 Rom. 14.10 O how great is this Lord and how worthy to be imbraced by us O Sirs will you deny so great so glorious a Person when he makes love to you Should you see some great Prince wooing a Beggar in Rags upon the Dunghil you would wonder to see her slight him and make him wait time after time upon her Why there is an infinitely greater Person than the greatest of Kings that wooes you and sollicites you for your love And will you yet be shie of him and make him wait Will you refuse him Then wonder at your own sordid ingratitude II. Are you for Riches and Treasures This swayes with most for this none like Christ he has Riches as well as Greatness to recommend him to you Riches and Honour are with me Prov. 8.18 Yea and his Riches are the best sort his are Spiritual Riches Treasures in Heaven Matth. 6.20 Riches of Life and Love Peace and Pardon Grace and Glory Righteousness and Salvation Riches of Glory and Riches in Glory And O what poor things are the Riches of this World to these His are true Riches Luke 16.11 The riches of this World are but painted riches his are substantial Riches I will cause them that love me to inherit Substance Prov. 8.21 The riches of this World are vain they are not Prov. 23.5 But the Riches of Christ have a reality in them His are lasting and durable Riches Riches and Honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness Prov. 8.18 Worldly riches are perishing and uncertain things 1 Tim. 6.17 Now we enjoy them but all of a suddain they are gone and disappear but Christs are eternal Riches for an eternal Soul And as his Riches are thus of the best sort so he has great abundance of them his Riches are boundless and unsearchable To me sayes Paul it is given to preach the unsearchable Riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 He is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 All the Treasures of Heaven and Earth are his He has all fulness dwelling in him Col. 1.19 even all the fulness of the God-head whole God dwells in him He has enough to supply all our wants and to answer all our desires Do we want Grace He is full of Grace John 1.14 Do we want Life With him is the Fountain of Life Psal 36.9 Do we want Redemption redemption from Sin from Death from Hell from Wrath With him is plenteous Redemption Psal 130.7 Do we want Peace He gives peace My Peace I give unto you Joh. 14.27 Do we want Righteousness He has fulfilled all Righteousness he is become the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 Now will you reject this rich Lord You are poor and miserable and naked and will you not embrace this Christ tendering himself with all these Riches to you O how justly then will you perish for ever O that there were some covetous Soul here this day that would be taken with the Riches of Christ III. Are you for Bounty for a noble and generous Spirit That 's desirable in such a Relation and takes much with many for this also none like Christ He is a bountiful Lord of a noble and generous Spirit as well as Rich Many a Man has riches enough but has a base narrow covetous Spirit and so his Wife has little of them but Christ has a noble generous bountiful heart He is not only rich but he is also willing to lay out all his Riches Treasures upon his Spouses All the Treasures of his Love and Grace all the Treasures of his Righteousness and Consolation He would have them abundantly filled abundantly comforted abundantly enriched for ever What a generous Spirit towards them does he express Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends Drink yea drink abundantly O Beloved As if he should say I have enough infinitely enough for you and I would have you to have enough I would have you to have your Souls full of all Good He would have them to have full Graces full Joyes full Comforts and full Happiness for ever These things speak I unto you sayes he that your joy may be full John 15.11 And again Ask that you may receive that your joy may be full John 16.24 He wills them like happiness with himself Like love and embraces in the Fathers Bosom Joh. 17.24 26. Like Grace and Holiness John 17.22 O what a noble generous bountiful heart has this sweet Lord towards his Spouse Soul shall it not draw and allure thee to him Nothing will satisfie him less than their participating with him in his own blessedness Soul if thou rejectest this bountiful Lord know that he has Treasures of Wrath and Vengeance also which he will plentifully pour out upon thee for ever IV. Are you for Wisdom and Knowledge Wisdom and Knowledge render a person lovely and desirable 't is indeed one of a persons highest excellencies and perfections for this also none like Christ He is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The infinite Wisdom of the Eternal God does shine forth in him and through him Yea in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 Which may be understood Actively as well as Passively he knowing all as well as having all that is worth knowing in him He is the only wise God Jude 25. There is no true wisdom but in him and there is no true wisdom to be had but by him and from him he is often in Scripture called Wisdom to note that infinite wisdom that is in him He knows all Persons and all Things he knows the Father and that as he is known of him Joh. 10.15 He knows the Mind and Will of the Father hence said to be in his Bosom which is the place of Secrets as well as Love Joh. 1.18 He knows all his Fathers Counsels and Decrees which have been of old touching the Salvation and Damnation of Man Hence we read of the Lambs Book of Life and Names written therein Rev. 13.8 He knows all the Works of God the Father The Father loveth the Son and sheweth him whatsoever he doth John 5.20 He knows the Attributes and Perfections of God and he only Matth. 11.27 John 4.56 He knows the whole Word of God being himself the Word Joh. 1.1 'T is observed by one that the Angels themselves do not know all the Word of God but Christ does And as he thus knows God and the Things of God so he also knows Man and the Things of Man He knows all men and what
Self-Interest that is to say you must be at a parting point with all you must be willing to forgo all your outward interests and concerns for Christ when he calls you to it thinking nothing too much or too good for him this Christ is express in Matth. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me And he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me And again Luke 14.33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple In a word the meaning is not that all that come to Christ must actually forsake all those things and deny themselves as to the enjoyment of them but the meaning is first that we must have a very diminutive love for these in comparison of Christ And secondly that we must be at a parting point with all for Christ's sake and at Christ's call And truly 't is but reason we should be so he that actually parted with so much for us does highly deserve that we should be in a readiness to part with our little All for him Thus we must wholly quit and renounce our selves if we would indeed believe and have union with Christ II. Would you pitch your Faith aright upon Christ and be indeed espoused to him then labour to get a right notion and apprehension of him as the great object of Faith One great reason why many fail and miscarry in their Faith and so fall short of Christ is their ignorance of him they have not a right notion and apprehension of Christ as the great object of Faith and indeed unless Christ be rightly known and apprehended by us we are never like to pitch our Faith aright upon him How shall they believe sayes the Apostle in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe i. e. Men cannot believe aright on one that has not been reveal'd and made known to them a blind ignorant Faith is never like to reach union and communion with Christ and my Beloved if we would believe aright on Christ we must know him aright and apprehend him aright Dei cognitio eadem est cum Fide quâ insiti in Christi Corpus divinae adoptionis consortes Caelorum haeredes essicimur Calv. in loc Faith in Scripture is sometimes exprest by knowledge John 17.3 Not that knowledge alone is all that is requisite to Faith but it notes thus much to us that the knowledge of Christ is such a requisite to believing that there can be no true believing without it Hence also Christ speaks of seeing the Son and believing on him seeing before believing and seeing in order to believing This is the will of him that sent me That * Quisquis videt Filium credit in eum Hac verba ostendunt fidem ex Christi notitia fluere non quod praeter sunplex Dei Verbum quicquani desideret sed quia si Christo fidamus qualis sit quid nobis offâ—rat senstire nos oportet Caiv. whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life John 6.40 By seeing the Son here we are to understand the true Knowledge of Christ Hence also they that come to Christ and believe savingly on him are said in order thereunto to be taught of God and to have heard and learn't of the Father John 6.45 And pray what have they been taught of God what have they learn't of him but the knowledge of Christ as the great object of Faith at least this is one great lesson which all that believe do and must learn As ever therefore you would pitch your Faith aright upon Christ labour to know and apprehend him aright labour to know and apprehend him as he is revealed and offered in the Gospel Particularly 1. View and apprehend him in his Godhead and Divine Nature The Gospel reveals him in his Divinity it propounds him to our Faith as God the true God the great God the mighty God God over all and thus should Faith eye and apprehend him Fatetur Thomas Christum esse Dominum suum deende altius conscendit ac Deum quoque nominat fides ejus evehitur ad aeternam Christs divinitatem Calv. in loc Thus Thomas his Faith apprehended him when he said My Lord and my God John 20.28 And indeed nothing but a God-head an infinite eternal unchangable God-head is a Foundation strong enough for Faith to build upon 2. View and apprehend him in his Personal-Relation not only as God but also as God the Son and so as distinguish 't from the Father Thus the Gospel reveals and propounds him to our Faith and thus also should our Faith view and apprehend him Thus Peter's Faith with the rest in whose name he spake did eye and apprehend him John 6.69 We believe and are sure said he that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God There is a distinct honour due to every Person in the Sacred Trinity and the more distinctly our Faith eyes and apprehends Christ in his Personal Relation as Son the more compleat it is and the more it gives him the honour of that Relation 3. View and apprehend him in his Humanity or as the Son of God incarnate The Gospel reveals and propounds Christ as the object of Faith to us not simply as God and as God the Son but as God the Son incarnate as the Word made Flesh John 1.14 or as God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 As having taken humane nature into personal union with himself and so is both God and Man in one person and thus also should Faith eye and apprehend him You believe in God sayes he believe also in me Joh. 1.14 Hence also he speaks so often of eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood and of giving his Flesh for the life of the World and withall tells us Tune vitam in Christo invenies sivitae materiam quaeras in ejus carne Nam sicut aeternus Dei Sermo fons vitae est ita caro ejus veluti canalis vitam quae intrinseca ut loquuntur in Divinitate residet ad nes dissundit Calv. that his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood Drink indeed Joh. 6.51 53 54 55 56. By all which he signifies to us that our Faith must respect and apprehend him as Man as well as God as the Son incamate and indeed thus he is the next and most immediate object of Faith The God-head or Divinity is the ultimate object of Faith but Christ the Son incarnate is the next and most immediate object of Faith Hence we are faid by him to believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 * A Christo homine nos deducimur ad Christum Deum Faith first eyes Christ as Man or the Son incarnate and by him comes ultimately to object it self upon God The humanity is janua ad Divinitatem as one speaks of it a Gate to the Divinity that by which our
put forth thy Power in drawing of me and then and not till then shall I come nearer to thee Yea my Beloved the espousing of Souls to Christ is not only the Act or Work of Divine Grace and the power of it But 't is the Act or Work of the mighty Power of that Grace 't is not an ordinary power that is and must be put forth therein but even the greatness of the power of that Grace a power no less than that which was put forth in raising Christ form the dead So the Apostle tells us Ephes 1.18 19 20. That you may know sayes he what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead So then here is power mighty power the mighty power of God the greatness of the mighty power of God the exceeding greatness of the mighty power of God the same exceeding greatness of the mighty power of God which raised Christ from the dead and all put forth to enable us to believe and so to close with Christ in a Marriage-Covenant Thus this Work is every way from Divine Grace But here more particularly the enquiry will be What those Acts or Works of Divine Grace are by which poor sinners come to be espoused to Christ I shall reduce them all to two Heads they are either first more remote being Acts of Divine Grace put forth for us and towards us or secondly more near being Acts of Divine Grace put forth in us and upon us In the first the Father and Jesus Christ work more immediately by and from themselves In the second they work by the influence and ministry of the Blessed Spirit I 'le speak a little of each CHAP. IV. Wherein are contained the more remote Acts of Divine Grace put forth more immediately by the Father and Jesus Christ for us and towards us in order to the accomplishment of the Espousal between Christ and us THere are some more remote Acts of Grace Acts of Grace put forth more immediately by the Father and Jesus Christ for us and towards us in order to the making up of this Espousal or Marriage-relation between Christ and us and of these I shall mention five all which do necessarily concur and have their influence into this business and indeed there is much of the Mystery of God in them They are those I. God the Father marries and espouses our Nature to the Person of his Son and thereby sits and prepares him to be an Husband for us this God has done once for all and the influence thereof concurs unto the accomplishment of the Espousal between Christ and every Believer I shall illustrate this unto you from that Parable Matth. 22. beg where we read of a King who made a marriage for his Son by which King we are to understand God the Father and by his Son Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of that Eternal Father He who proceeded from him by eternal generation God the Father then is here said to make a marriage for his Son But pray who is the Spouse 't is observed by Divines that the Spouse is not here mentioned Who or what then is she 't is answered Christ has a two-fold Spouse our Nature and the persons of Believers Both which may be intended here though the first chiefly and principally and so by the Marriage here we are to understand the Personal Marriage the Marriage between the Person of the Son of God and our Nature Per nuptias intelligitur verbum in carnatum Calvin and so Calvin and others expound it This primarily but secondarily by consequence the Spiritual Marriage the Marriage between Christ and Believers and we are to look on the one as laying a foundation and making way for the other So that the whole resolves into this that God the Father hath married and espoused our Nature to the Person of his Son in the hypostatical union and thereby has fitted and prepared him to be an Husband for us and made way for the marriage of our persons to his Person in the Spiritual Union And indeed unless our Nature had been first married to him in the one our persons could never possibly have been married to him in the other for pray observe the glory of Christ considered as the Eternal Son and so as God is too bright and the distance between him and us too great for us to come to him and he made one with him in a Marriage-relation Christ considered in his own naked glory as God is too bright an Object for us to look upon much more to have so near an union to and communion with one sight of him thus considered is enough to swallow us up and even to overwhelm our Spirits We cannot thus see him and live But now our Nature being married and espoused to his Divine Person that is to say he having assumed our Nature into union with himself as the eternal Son which the Evangelist calls his being made flesh John 1.14 And the Apostle his partaking of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 Hereby the overwhelming brightness of his Glory is vailed and the dreadful terror of his greatness together with the affrighting distance between him and us is taken away Yea hereby his glory is brought down as one hath it to our eye to our beholding Hereby he has marvellously sweetned and endeared himself to us and made way for us for a free access to him and the nearest union and communion with him Hence Divines give this as one reason of Christs incarnation that he might thereby become a fit Husband for his People and they might be capable of union and communion with him * Hac de causâ Filius Dei factus est homo ut posset verus esse sponsus Ecclesiae Therefore as a Learned Man has observed was the Son of God made Man that he might be a true a fit Bridegroom for the Church and 't is rightly observed by Divines that in strict propriety of speech neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit but the Son the second Person in Trinity is the Churches Bridegroom and they give this reason for it because he only was made Man he only was incarnate O had not the Son of God been incarnate had he not as Austin's expression is married our Nature to himself in the Womb of the Virgin none of us had ever been capable of such a priviledge such an happiness as a conjugal-union and communion with him That therefore is the first Act of Grace in this business II. God the Father gives Christ unto the Soul and the Soul to Christ he gives Christ for an Head and Husband to the Soul and he gives the Soul for a Bride or Spouse to Christ First He gives Christ for an Head and Husband to the Soul in John 4.10 Christ is called the Gift of God And how the Gift of God two wayes
1st in that he gave him for us he gave him to be incarnate to suffer to bleed to dye to be made sin and a curse for us he gave him as an Offering and a Sacrifice for us and secondly in that he gives him also to us he gives him to be an Head and Husband to us Hence 't is said That he gave him to be Head to the Church and such an Head as has the command and dispose of all things He gave him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 both in the Counsel of his Will from Eternity and also in the Act or Worlt of his Grace here in Time he thus gives Christ to us And O how richly and gloriously doth his Grace shine forth herein In giving Christ to us he gives his best and his dearest for he has nothing better nothing dearer to him than his Christ as afterwards may be shewn Secondly He gives the Soul for a Bride or Spouse to Christ Believers you know are often said to be given by the Father to Jesus Christ My Father which gave them me sayes Christ concerning Believers is greater than all Joh. 10.29 And thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17.6 with many other places which might be mentioned God gives all the Elect to Christ to be his Spouse he gives them to him first in the eternal purpose and counsel of his Grace in the day of everlasting love when God first set his heart upon his chosen onâ—s then gave he them to his Son and will'd their union to him in a Marriage-Covenant and he gives them to him also secondly in the work of Vocation which makes way for the working of Faith in Christ in the Soul Fater hanc 〈…〉 The Father sayes one hath given this Spouse to his Son speaking of his Church and joyns her to him by his Spirit And my Beloved without this Act of Grace put forth by God towards us the Match would never be made between Christ and any poor Soul for this indeed is that which brings the Soul to Christ So much Christ himself tells us John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Mark 't is the Fathers giving us to Christ that brings us to him and were we not by the Father given to him we should never come to him by believing and if we never came to him by believing there could never be a Marriage-union and relation between him and us III. Christ readily approves and accepts of the Fathers Gift being willing yea longingly desirous to espouse them unto himself whom his Father gives him in order thereunto In the making up of a Marriage 't is not enough that the Father gives such or such an one to his Son and his Son to her but there must also be the consent of the Son he must approve and accept of the Fathers Gift and so does Christ here he approves and accepts of the Fathers Gift the Father wills his taking such and such poor sinners to Wife and accordingly gives him to them and them to him and the Will of Christ falls in with and is conformed to the Will of the Father herein and so the Match goes on this you have clearly held forth John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me cometh unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Mark Here are among others two things 1. Here is the Fathers giving of poor sinners to Christ and therein his will and consent that they should be espoused to him that in these words All that the Father hath given me 2. Here is Christs approbation and acceptation of this Gist of the Father with his will and consent to espouse them to himself that in these words And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out that is I will assuredly receive him and accept of him I will take him into a conjugal union and relation to my self Christ here plainly declares his acceptance of the Father's Gift giving poor sinners to him to be his Spouses 'T is a great Saying and sutable to this I am speaking which I have read in a great Divine Praecedit aeterna Dei voluntas Christus vero sponus non potest non velle quod vult Pater ideo nos â—ccipit ut sponsam suam The eternal will and good pleasure of God precedes sayes he but Christ the Bridegroom cannot but will the same thing which the Father wills his Will is conformed to the Fathers and therefore does he accept us as his Spouse In a word in this Act of Grace Christ's Language is such as this Father dost thou give such and such poor sinners to me and is it thy Will that they should be espoused to me Content I do freely accept of them and am willing to espouse them to my self for ever 't is true they are poor worthless Creatures altogether unsutable to my dignity and greatness but Father they are thy Gift and I accept of them as such true there is no beauty in them that I should desire them but they are thy Gift and I will marry them and make them beautiful and Oh what Grace is this IV. The Lord Jesus Christ not onely approves and accepts of the Fathers Gift but moreover he redeems them thus given to him with the price of his own Blood he ransoms them from Sin and Death and Hell whereunto in themselves they were all in bondage which also necessarily concurs to the accomplishment of the espousal between him and them 'T is observed by some that in the Eastern Countries it was the manner for men to buy their Wives and indeed so much seems to be intimated in that Message of Saul to David 1 Sam. 18.25 where when he would perswade David to marry his Daughter in pretence at least he sends him word that he desired not any Dowry but so and so It seems then that it was usual to expect a Dowry The same also appears by the practice of Shechem Gen. 34.11 12. where being in love with Dinah Jacobs Daughter he profered to give a Dowry for her Give me sayes he but thy Damosel to Wife and ask me never so much Dowry and Gift and I will give it thee To be sure so 't is here Christ buyes all his Spouses and gives a vast Gift for them Christ indeed is in love with poor sinners given him by the Father and desires to marry them to himself but he must buy them if he means to have them and buy them he does and at a dear rate he gives a great Dowry for them even his Life his Blood his Glory and all for a time Hence he is said to give himself for us Ephes 5.25 and to purchase us by his Blood Acts 20.28 Hâ—nâ—e we are said to be bought by him with a price with a great price a price of inestimable value even his own most precious Blood 1 Cor. 6.20 The case lies thus the
Elect as well as others were all gone into captivity sold under sin and Satan in bondage to Death and Hell and Wrath which is the condition of all by Nature and if Christ will have them as his Spouse he must ransom and redeem them from all which accordingly he does he bleeds he dies he gives himself a ransom for them in order to the marrying of them to himself He had indeed a mind to a Spouse among the Children of Men and was in love with them from all eternity as he himself tells us Prov. 8.31 and so in love with them as that he does in effect say unto the Father as Schechem did to Jacob Ask me never so much Dowry and I will give it Why my Son sayes the Father if thou wilt have them and marry them to thy self thou must give thy Blood thy Life for them thou must redeem them from Sin and Death and Hell whereunto they are in bondage which can't be done by less than thy giving thy self a ransom for them all which Christ assents unto and complies with and that with delight freely giving himself for them And oh what Grace is this Oh to give such a price for such a Spouse a price so great for a Spouse so black and unworthy this is glorious Grace indeed V. Christ makes love to them tenders himself unto their embraces and withal wooeth them for their acceptance of him and that with the greatest and most affectionate importunity How much soever it has cost Christ to redeem poor sinners and how great a Dowry soever he has given for them yet they are unwilling to close with him they have no mind no heart Christward and so the Match is not like to be made up unless something further be done therefore after all Christ as one phrases it comes a wooing to them he makes love offering himself to them and earnestly follicites them for their love and acceptance he importunes them and that in such a way as if he were resolved to take no denyal in Ezek. 16.8 we read of a time of love a time that is of Christ's making love to sinners lying in their blood and gore And indeed Christ has his times of love times when he makes love and offers himself with all his Riches and Treasures to poor sinners when his language to them is Behold me behold me Isa 65.1 and look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth Isa 45.22 Now he comes and tells over the stories of his love to them how much he has done and suffered for them how much his desire is towards them what great things he will bellow upon them and instate them into and all to win and allure them to himself to gain their love and consent to accept of him and to be his in a Marriage Covenant Time was when Christ came and did this himself in person when he stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink John 7.37 Time was when in his own Person he importuned poor sinners from day to day he made love to them time after time as he did you know to Jerusalem Matth. 23.37 for some years together he wooâ—d them and offered himself and his grace to them in his own person and though he does not now come in person yet as David sent his Servants to Abigail to commune with her and to acquaint her with his purpose and desire to take her to Wife 1 Sam. 25.39 so Christ sends us his Servants his Ministers to poor sinners to commune with them and to declare the love and purposes of his heart towards them and to woo them for him yea and as Ambassadors for Christ we do woo poor Souls and as in Christ's stead beseech them to be reconciled to God to give up their Names and Souls to Christ in a Marriage-Covenant 2 Cor. 5.20 And because we can prevail nothing by and of our selves upon the spirits of men in this great Matter Christ over and above sends his own blessed Spirit to woo them and gain upon them making them willing in the day of his power Psal 110.3 And this leads me to the consideration of those other Acts of Grace in this business wherein the Father and Jesus Christ work by the Spirit in us and upon us for the making up of the Match between Christ and us Only by the way let us still see and admire the Grace of Jesus Christ to poor sinners O that he should woo such poor vile Creatures as we are and make love to us Should you see a King a great King wooing a Begger coming now himself in person and then sending his Servants to her to sollicite and importune her love you would look on this to be great Grace but oh this is nothing to the Grace of Christ in condescending to woo such as we are sinners lying in our Blood CHAP. V. Which gives an account of those which I call more near Acts of Grace which the Father and Jesus Christ by the Spirit do put forth in us and upon us for the effecting of the Espousals between Christ and us DIvine Grace has not yet done its work no there are other Acts which it does and must put forth if ever the Marriage be made up between Christ and us and these I call more near because they are wrought in us and upon us and do more immediately conduce to the tying of the Marriage-Knot between Christ and the Soul And as in the former the Father and Jesus Christ wrought more immediately of and by themselves so in these the blessed Spirits influence comes in and his Grace shews its self they in these acting by him and the truth is the Match is all this while but half made but now God comes and by his Spirit working in and upon the Soul carries on and compleats it which he does by these five Acts of Grace I. The Soul is by the Spirit of God divorced from its old Husband the Law and thereby is fitted and prepared for an espousal to Christ Naturally we are all married to another Husband even to the Law and we must be divorced from that or we can never be married and espoused to Christ So much the Apostle clearly holds forth Rom. 7.4 Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Pray mark marryed to another the Law then was their Husband to which they were married and that they must be dead to and divorced from if ever they would be married to Jesus Christ Look sayes he for 't is his own Argument and Allusion in vers 2 and 3 as a Woman can't be the Wife of two Husbands at once but her present Husband must be dead before she can be married to another so neither can a Soul be espoused to these two Husbands
at once the Law and Christ but he must be dead to or divorced from the one e're ho can be married to the other Observe ye are dead to the Law What is it to be dead to the Law or divorced from the Law To be dead to the Law is to have no hope no expectation of Life and Righteousness by the Law 't is to be sensible that the Law cannot save us yea there is more in it than so To be dead to the Law is to see our selves dead by the Law 't is to see our selves lost and condemned by the Law for sin as the transgression thereof and thus we must all be dead to the Law or divorced from the Law or we cannot be married to Christ Now this the Spirit of God effects by a work of the Law upon the Conscience He divorces the Soul from the Law by the Law i. e. by bringing home the Law to the Conscience This the Apostle felt in his own Soul I through the Law sayes he that is the Spirit of God bringing home the Law to my Conscience am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 So again Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed I was alive without the Law once that is I thought my self to be alive I apprehended my state to be good and happy but this was without the Law i. e. before the Spirit of God by the ministry of the Law convinced me of my sin and misery therefore it follows when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed i. e. when the Law came in its convincing power through the Spirit upon my Soul then I saw my sinful dead and miserable state thus was he himself divorced from the Law that he might be married to Christ the sum is this the Spirit of God comes and shews the Soul the strictness and holiness the purity and spirituality of the Law and makes him sensible how large the Duty is that it requires how impossible it is for him to keep it and how many wayes he has broken it he withal lets him see the dreadfulness of that curse and condemnation it has justly laid him under for the breach thereof and thus he is divorced from it and this is all one with the Spirits convincing us of sin and our lost and miserable condition by reason thereof which is you know his first work in order to Faith and so to our espousing to Christ John 16.8 Thus by the Spirit of God the Soul is divorced from the Law he is taken off from all expectations of life and happiness by that and is made to see his own sinfulness and so his infinite need of Christ whereby he is fitted for this other and better Husband II. The Soul being thus divorced from the Law and so fitted and prepared for Christ then the Spirit of God reveals and offers the Lord Jesus Christ in the promise of the Gospel as a better Husband to him Now the blessed Spirit comes and does as Abrahants Servant did who was sent to take a Wife for Isaac he told Rebecca of his Masters Greatness of his Flocks and his Herds his Silver and his Gold his men servants and his maid-servants and withal that he had given all to Isaac Gen. 24.35 36. So the Spirit of God now sets before the Soul the riches and the greatness the beauty and the excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ he tells him what a full what a sweet what a rich what an amiable one he is and withal tenders him to his embraces he reveals and offers him to him as one full of Grace and Truth as one that has all fulness dwelling in him all fulness of Life and Peace or Righteousness and Salvation as one every way able to save him to the very utmost which is that which Christ calls his convincing the World of Righteousness John 16.9 he reveals and offers him to him in the transcendent Beauty Excellency and Amiableness of his Person on the one hand as also in the glorious fulness largeness sufficiency of his Grace and Righteousness on the other hand Thus I say he reveals and offers Christ unto the Soul and withal opens his Glory and causes it to shine forth before him so that now the Soul sees that in Christ that fulness that beauty that love that amiableness that sweetness which he never saw before Christ is now another thing in the Souls eye than ever before he was Now the Soul as those John 1.14 Beholds his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son full of grace and truth Yea not only does he thus reveal Christ unto the Soul but withal fixes the Souls eye upon him He makes him to pore and gaze upon Christ as the most excellent and amiable Object and as one infinitely needful for him and this is called a seeing of the Son and that in order to believing whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him shall have everlasting life Joh. 6.40 The blessed Spirit deals by the Soul herein as God by the Angels did with Hagar Gen. 21.19 where 't is said He opened her eyes and she saw a Well of Water for her relief She was in a very distressed condition as you may see vers 15 16. full of bitterness she and her Child both in a perishing condition being in the Wilderness and her Water in the Bottle being spent Now God shews her a Well of Wate whence she fetches a full supply So here the poor Soul having been under the convincing power of the Law sees himself in a woful miserable distessed condition whereupon he is full of bitterness crying out with Hagar How shall I see the Child die How can I bear it to perish eternally But now the Spirit of God comes and opens his eyes and shews him Christ and Christ as infinitely sutable to him Look sayes the Spirit to the Soul being now desolate and undone look here is a Saviour for thee a Husband for thee another and a better Husband than the Law could ever have been even the Lord Jesus Christ who is infinitely able to pay all thy Debts to supply all thy Wants to heal all thy Wounds to relive all thy Distresses to pardon all thy Sins to satisfie all thy Desires to answer all thy Love and to give thee perfect happiness and satisfaction in and with himself for ever Look here he is here he is in the Promise here he is in the Covenant here he is in the Tender Invitation of the Gospel here he is at the very door of thy heart knocking and calling for admission thereunto Rev. 3.20 Here he is with his Arms wide open to receive and embrace thee and that notwithstanding all thy vileness finfulness and unworthiness Look therefore to him and be saved III. With this Tender and Revelation of Christ unto the Soul the Spirit of God comes and works a secret love and longing in the Soul after Christ he
or do not close in with Christ in a Marriage-Union and Relation here Why then should you stand off from him Yea why should not this be the day of espousals between him and you Oh be not shie be not coy to Christ but embrace his love surely his Arms are wide open to receive you his Heart is upon you and his desire is towards you Lift up therefore the everlasting Doors and let this King of Glory in Give up your Names and Souls unto him for ever Some of you are young and have your Affections green and fresh Oh that you would now go with me to sweet Jesus and become his Spouse you cannot love him nor be married to him too soon Oh let him have your hearts before this World hath defiled and debauched them Others of you are older and have outstood the Calls and Offers of Christ long yet loe he once more tenders himself to you Oh now close with him and all will be well yet But for the better succeeding of this Treaty I shall in the managing of it speak to three things 1. I 'le shew you what manner of Husband the Lord Jesus Christ is and how he is qualified to render him desirable in that Relation 2. I 'le shew you what great things he does for all his Spouses 3. I 'le shew you how much his heart is upon a Match with you And now as Abraham's Servant when he was to get a Wife for Isaac Prayed saying O Lord God of my Master Abraham send me good speed this day Gen. 2.12 So would I upon the bended knees of my Soul pray O Lord God the God and Father of my Royal Master Jesus Christ send me good speed this day that I may win through thy Grace a Spouse for him CHAP. VII Which shews what manner of Husband Christ is and how qualified for the endearing of him to Souls and rendering him desirable in a Conjugal-Relation WHat is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us So the Daughters of Jerusalem spake unto the Spouse Cant. 5.9 In like manner may some say to me Who or what is this Christ that you do so press us to an espousal with him What is there in him to render him desirable to us Who or what is he Truly I can't tell nor could I had I the tongue of Men and Angels and I am almost afraid to speak of him lest I should darken his Glory instead of displaying it This I am sure of He is as one speaks of him Earths Wonder and Heavens Wonder both and has all that in him and that in infinite eminency and perfection that should render him grateful and desirable to Souls in a Conjugal-Relation Look therefore upon him and view him a little and see if there be any thing you can desire in such a Relation that is wanting in him I 'le lay this more fully before you in these following Particulars 1. Are you for Dignity and Greatness This goes far among men and makes many a Match for this none like Christ none so great so glorious so honourable as he pray view him a little As to his descent He came forth from God viz. by eternal Generation and is the eternal Son of the Eternal Father John 16.28 View him in his Person and there you will see nothing but greatness for he is no other than God-Man and has all the excellencies of both Natures in one Person He is Emmanuel God with us God in our Nature Mat. 1.23 He is God Heb. 1.8 The true God John 5.20 The great God Titus 2.13 The mighty God Isa 9.6 God over all or the most high God Rom. 9.5 God equal with the Father having the same Divine Essence Qui in his Verbis clare assert aeternam Christs divinitatem non videl prorsus caecus est Calv. in â—â—cum and Essential Perfections in him that the Father hath in him Phil. 2.6 He is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Character of his Person one in whom the whole Majesty Luster and Glory of the Father shines forth one on whom the Father has engraven all his eterval Excellencies Heb. 1.3 Some small Beams and Rayes of God's Glory do shine forth in the Saints and Angels Pater totam suam essentiam majestatem filio a se ab aeterno genito intimè quasi insculpserit seipsum in filio quasi effigiârit ut sit substantialis imago ejus Glas Rh. Sac. but in Christ the Fulness Lustre and Brightness of it appears View him in his Office and Relation with the Dignity that even here he is advanced unto He is a King a great King King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.6 King of Saints Rev. 15.3 King of Nations Jer. 10.7 King of Glory Psal 24.7 He is the head of all Principalities and Powers and 't is their glory that they have such an Head Col. 2.10 He is the Fellow of the Lord of Hosts Zech. 13.7 He is the first-born of God higher than the Kings of the Earth Psal 89.27 He is set down at Gods own right hand in heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion Ephes 1.20 He is made higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 Among all Persons and in all Things whether in Heaven or Earth he has the preheminence Col. 1.18 Such is his greatness that the whole Creation is bound to perform Homage and Worship to him the Angels themselves not excepted Let all the Angels of God worship him says the Father Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.9 10. God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth i. e. Angels as well as Men must perform worship to him And indeed a refusal so to do would turn Angels into Devils He is to be loved feared believed on obeyed prayed unto praised admired and delighted in by all He is to have equal honour from all with the Father All must honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.23 What shall I say He has the sovereign Lordship and disposal both of Grace and Glory in his hand The Son quickeneth whom he will John 5.21 He sayes unto one Live and he lives and to another Live and he lives and the rest of the dead live not He has the Keys of Death and Hell Rev. 1.18 He has the Government of the whole World in his hand His Kingdom ruleth over all Psalm 103.19 He is in full possession of a Kingdom over the whole Creation all Judgment being committed to him John 5.22 And O how glorious is he in the whole of it Glorious in his Throne which is at the right hand of God Heb. 1.3 Glorious in his Commission which is all power in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 Glorious in his Scepter which is a Scepter of Righteousness Psal 45.6 Glorious in his Attendants
is in them John 2.24 25. He knows the State the Spirits the Frames the Thoughts the Ends the Counsels the Wayes the Wants the Burthens the Temptations of all In a word he is infinite in Wisdom and Counsel and he knows perfectly as how to promote his own Glory so how to defend save and comfort his Spouses and carry on their happiness in the best way O who would not have such an Husband Soul if thou reject him know that his Wisdom will fight against thee and he does know how to damn and destroy for ever V. Are you for Beauty That takes with most for this none like Christ For Beauty and Comeliness he infinitely surpasses both Men and Angels We read of Moses that he was exceeding fair and of David that he was ruddy and of a beautiful countenance and Josephus reports of the one of them that all that saw him were amazed at and enamoured on his beauty O but what was their beauty to Christs Were their beauty and with theirs the beauty of Men and Angels put together it would all be nothing to the Beauty of Christ Not so much as the light of a Farthing-Candle is to the light of the Sun at noon-day He is Beautiful and Glorious Isa 4.2 Was Moses fair Christ is infinitely more fair He is fairer than the Children of Men Psal 45.2 And had you an eye to behold his Beauty you could not but be amazed at it and enamoured on it Was David ruddy and of a beautiful Countenance See what the Spouse says of Christ Cant. 5.10 My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand which notes the perfection of his Beauty and therefore she concludes all with this having spoken of the Beauty of his several parts He is altogether lovely vers 16. or he is all loveliness as if she should say What do I do there is no end of his beauty and amiableness there is nothing in him but what is lovely and there is nothing lovely but what is in him neither is there any thing in the whole Creation that has beauty and amiableness enough in it to be a shadow and resemblance of his beauty and amiableness O fair Sun sayes Rutherford and fair Moon and fair Stars and fair Flowers and fair Roses and fair Lillies but O ten thousand thousand times fairer Lord Jesus Alas I have wronged him sayes he in making the comparison this way O black Sun and Moon but O fair Lord Jesus O black Flowers and black Lillies and Roses but O fair fair ever fair Lord Jesus O black Heaven but O fair Christ O black Angels but O surpassingly fair Lord Jesus In short Divines observe that there is somewhat in Christ more amiable than Salvation and indeed there are those Heart-indearing Beauties those Soul-ravishing excellencies in the person of this Beloved that are unspeakably beyond Salvation it self He is the brightness the lustre the shining forth of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1.2 O who would not be ravished with and enamoured on his Beauty A small sight and report thereof set the Daughters of Jerusalem a seeking after him Cant. 6.1 And shall it have no influence upon you to draw and allure you to him Does one so fair and beautiful make love to such black and deformed Creatures as you and I are and shall we refuse him Shall we reject this lovely Lord O that his Beauty might enamour us VI. Are you for Love as well as Loveliness for a sweet kind loving Disposition This is desirable to all for this also none like Christ He is of a most sweet loving tender affable Disposition He indeed is love it self kindness it self Deus est totus amor totus amabilis et totus amans nostri Dix tenderness and compassion it self God is love 1 Joh. 4.16 His love to his Spouses has all dimensions heights breadths depths lengths in it Yea it passes Knowledg Mensuratione isthac dilectionis illius immensurabilitatem immensitatem indicat Apostolus Glas Rhet. Sac. Ephes 3.18 19. which shews the immensity and unmeasurableness of his love as if he should say of it 't is higher than Heaven and deeper than the Sea 't is broader than the Orb of the Earth and longer than all Time during throughout Eternity yea and it passes Knowledge There are two things which exceed our knowledge our Sins and Christs Love the one is almost the other is altogether boundless and bottomless Though a man has never so many accomplishments to commend him yet if he be of a rough crabbed soure disposition this renders him unacceptable for such a Relation But to all his other perfections Christ has this added That he is infinitely loving as well as lovely and of a most kind tender disposition to his Spouses Hence we read in Scripture of his Love his Kindness his Meekness his Gentleness and the like all noting the admirable sweetness and amiableness of his Disposition he wept over his very enemies even them that finally refused him Luk. 19.41 42. Yea he had a kindness for his Murtherers and prayed for them and that whilst they were murthering of him yea and his Prayer carried many of them to Heaven Luke 23.34 O what love what kindness their must he have for his Spouses He that has love for Enemies and such love what must he have for his Friends 'T is a sweet gloss which one of the Ancients has upon the place last quoted Pater ignosce illis O Verbum summi Patris Verbo conveniens orat non solum pro persequentibus calumniantibus sed etiam pro occidentibus sed Pater inquit q. d. Per dilectionem Paternam qua unum sumus supplico tibi ut exaudtas me pro his occisoribus meis ignoscendo agnosce Filii tui amicitiam ut inimicis ignoscas Bern. de pass Dom. Father forgive them they know not what they do This sayes he is a Word becoming the eternal Word the Word of the eternal Father he prayes not onely for his Persecutors and Reproachers but even for his Murtherers improving all his interest in his Father for them saying in effect Father I intreat thee by that fatherly love thou hast for me and by which we are one hear me for these my Murtherers in forgiving of them own the love of thy Son that thou mayest pardon his enemies O what kindness does this argue In a word his love is as an Ocean which has neither brim nor bottom neither can he but be kind to his The Law indeed of kindness as 't is said of the good Wife Prov. 31.26 is in his lips yea and in his heart and carriages too all being full of love Oh! that his love might draw you Surely no love like his love none so full none so free none so sweet none so fruitful none so ravishing none so lasting his love where he loves never fails nor can it ever be broken off Who shall separate us sayes the Apostle from the love of
Christ That is nothing can separate us from his love Neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Heighth nor Depth nor any thing else can do it Rom. 8. 35 38 39. And I think sayes an Holy Man his unchangable love hath said unto me I defie thee to break me or change me Oh sirs experienced Souls will tell you how sweet and good and rich Christ's love is They will tell you one sight one taste of it makes Heaven in the Soul that 't is better than Wine Cant. 1.2 And will you reject him and his love too Will you pour contempt upon so much kindness O how justly then will you perish under his wrath He has wrath in him as well as love wrath for Enemies as well as love for his Spouses and his wrath is as hot and terrible as his love is sweet and comfortable yea his love will if rejected by you turn into wrath and no wrath like that that is the result of abused love Oh therefore close close with Christ this day VII Are you for a Person of esteem one that is much valued and beloved An ingenious Soul would desire this and for this none like Christ As there is none so kind and loving as he so there is none so much valued and beloved as he He is beloved by all whose love is worth the having He is highly valued and beloved by all the Saints both in Heaven and Earth the Saints in Heaven they admire and adore him 't is a part of their happiness to love him and delight in him for ever and the Saints on Earth they love and value him above all others whatever he is the dearly Beloved of their Souls How often does the Spouse call him her Beloved and her Well-Beloved And once and again she declares her self sick of love to him she is enamoured on him he is indeed the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 That is to say He whom all the faithful in all Nations do love desire and delight in Hence also that of the Apostle to you that believe he is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 The Saints love and value Christ above all their Natural or Creature-Enjoyments above Father and Mother Husband and Wife and Children and Houses and Lands and the like So much is intimated Mat. 10.37 19.29 they love and value him above all their Spiritual Attainments accounting them but Dung for Christ Phil. 3.8 They love and value him above their lives being ready to die for him Acts 21.13 Rev. 12.11 Oh how dear is Christ to Saints He is also highly valued and beloved by all the Holy Angels He is the great object of their Love and Admiration Hence he is said to be seen of Angels that is to be beloved and delighted in by Angels 1 Tim. 3.16 The blessed Angels do see that in Christ which does enamour them on him and fill them with love to him and delight in him yea which does fill them with perpetual admirings and adorings of him Rev. 5.12 Yea which is more than all this He is infinitely valued and beloved by God the Father also The blessed God sees that in Christ that renders him infinitely amiable and desireable in his Eye and to his Soul both as Son and also as Mediator he is even infinitely dear and precious to the Father As he is the Son of God the Son of the Father as the Apostles expression is so is he the Darling and Delight of the Fathers Soul and was so from all eternity so much he himself tells us Prov. 8.30 So he is the infinite and eternal Favorite of the infinite and eternal Father so he is one in essence with the Father and accordingly must be infinitely dear to the Father Hence he is said to be in the Fathers bosom Tilius in sinu Patris est 1. In aeterna generatione 2. In arctissima unitate 3. In ardentissima dilectione 4. In secretissimorum communicatione Glass Rhet. Sac. and as Son he was so from eternity John 1.18 Now the Bosom is the seat of Love and his being in his Fathers Bosom notes that strong ardent intimate love which the Father has for him yea even as Mediator the Father loves him John 3.35 Yea he loves him with a choice a signal and an eminent love with a love of the highest strain the choicest excellency the sweetest influence a love that has a stamp of special glory upon it Hence he is called the Beloved Ephes 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. in Filio sibi gratissimo dilectissimo Zanch. that is in Christ who is most dear to God Hence God calls him his beloved Son This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3.17 Filius dilectionis i.e. Filius dilectissimus Daven in loc Yea he is called the Son of his Love he hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son the Greek is the Son of his Love Col. 1.13 Yea the Father proclaims him to be the delight of his Soul Behold saith he my Servant whom I have chosen mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth Isa 42.1 What shall I say God loves himself infinitely Omnia diligit Deus quae fecit inter ea magis diligit creaturas rationales in illis eas amplius quae sunt membra unigenitisui multo magis ipsum suum unigenitum Aug. and next to himself he loves Christ and delights in him 't is true he loves all the works of his hands as such especially rational Creatures and among them he has a peculiar love for his Saints and the Holy Angels but he loves Christ unspeakably more than all He indeed is first Beloved and most Beloved and best Beloved by him of all others Naturam humanam assumptam a Dei Verbo in Persona Christi Deus plus amat quam omnes Angelos Aqui. God as the School-men observe does love the very flesh or Humane Nature of Christ more than all the Angels In a word he loves him so as that he is even ravished with him and he can't but love all that are in him or related by Covenant to him and that though altogether unlovely in themselves Now Sirs will you not love and embrace this beloved one one that is thus valued and beloved by Saints by Angels and by God the Father And let me say one that is hated and despised by none but Devils and devilish ones Soul if thou reject him whom all the Saints and Angels love admire and adore then never expect to live with them in the fruition of him But reckon upon living with Devils and damned spirits in Hell for ever If thou reject him whom the Father loves and delights in then expect to be rejected both by him and the Father for ever but Soul rather be prevailed with to love him too VIII Are you for Immortality for one that lives for
became of no Beputation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Se câ—acuavit omm glâ—rria i.e. Christas gloriam illam majestatem in qua câ—at apud patram ita ab diderit in forma servi ut eaâ—s se penitus evaâ—â—ssâ— visissit Zanch. in Loc. Fallus quod non crat matens quodeâ—at Her as the Greek is he emptied himself to wit of his glory his glory was veiled and clouded hereby the glory of his God-head was Eclipsed 't is true indeed his Godhead was not hereby lost or laid aside no he was as much and as truly God after his Incarnation as he was before he did not cease to be God by becoming Man but as one of the Ancients expresses it he was made that which he was not and yet remained that which he was he was made Man yet so as that he still remained to be God but though his God-head was not lost or laid aside hereby Carnis humilitas sait instar veli quo Divina majestas tegebatur Calo. yet hereby was the glory of it veiled and lost for a time and he was not content to have it so oh how great a condescention was this oh for him that was God God equal with the Father to become Man to cover himself with the course Veil of our Flesh and be content for so long a time to lose the glory of his Deity which was infinitely dear to him and all this to make way for an Espousal between himself and poor Sinners what self-abasement was this and how should it encourage Souls to look after an Espousal to him 2. He not only became Incarnate but also freely bled and dyed in order hereunto which is a further discovery of his heart herein being sayes the Apostle found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross i. e. to the most formidable Death a Death of pain a Death of shame an accursed Death Pâ—il 2.8 Hence also 't is said that he gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for us Eph. 5. 2. Yea not only did he bleed and suffer and dye but he did all freely and with much readiness and enlargedness of Soul hence he is said to have powred out his Soul unto Death Isa 53.12 Voluntariè scipsum in mortem tradidit Musc in Loc. He seemed in an holy manner prodigal of his Life in the case he thought neither Blood nor Life nor any thing too much for them Oh! how much does this argue his heart to be upon the business It spake Jacob's heart to be much set upon Rachel to have her to Wife that he could be content to undergo so much hard Service for her as he did even seven years Service Jacob 't is said served seven years for Rachel yea and they seemed unto him but a few days for the Love he had to her Gen. 29.20 So surely it argues Christs heart to be much set upon an Espousal with Sinners that he was content not only to serve but even bleed and dye for them in order hereunto Oh Sirs behold and wonder Christ comes from Heaven quits his Throne leaves the bosome of his Father in which he had with insinite delight lain from Eternity behold and wonder the Lord of Life dyes the God of Blessing was made a Curse The infinitely beloved Son treads the Wine-press of the Father's wrath Heaven descends into Hell glory veils and Eclipses it self under shame and ignominy the infinitely holy one is made sin and all this to redeem and redeeming Espouse poor Sinners to himself and is not his heart upon the business think you And has he not Love for them Oh be not saithless but believing 2. Such is the heart of Christ and so set upon an Espousal with Sinners that he condescends sweetly to woo them and solicit them for their Love and acceptance of him Should you see a Man with all carnestness and importunity wooing a Virgin and making Love to her following her from day to day with renewed offers and sollicitations you would conclude his heart was much set upon an Espousal with her And is it not thus with the Lord Jesus towards poor Sinners Does he not woo them and make Love to them and that with all earnestness and pressing importunity following them with renewed offers and sollicitations from day to day Now he meets them in this Ordinance and there he woos them and makes Love to them anon he meets them in that Ordinance and there woos them and makes Love to them now he sends his Ministers and by them woos them and makes Love to them anon he sends his Spirit and by him woos them and makes Love to them thus he is every way and upon all occasions wooing them and in his wooing of them How earnestly does he call and invite them to himself 't is not a cold offer or a slight motion onely that he makes to them but he moves and offers calls and invites with all earnestness and importunity Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters come ye yea come Isa 55 1. and again the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that is a thirst come Rev. 22.17 How vigorously does he plead and expostulate the business with them Christ does not onely call and invite but he also pleades and expostulates with sinners in the case and that in the most winning way and with the most weighty arguments that possibly may be Hâ—eâ— every one that thirsteth come unto the waters wherefore do you spend your Money for that which is not bread And your labour for that which satissieth not incline your ear and come unto me hear and your souls shall live and I will make with you an everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David Isa 55.2 3. And again turn ye turn ye whâ— will ye dâ—â— O house of â—srael Ezek. 33.11 I have no pleasure in your damnation but had rather that you would come unto me and live why will you dye is not lise better then death is not Heaven better then Hell is not my love better then a Lust are not the Pleasures of any Presence and at my right hand which are for evermore better then the pleasures of sin which are but for a seasor a short season why will you dye is there â—oâ—b 〈◊〉 in Gilâ—ed is there no Physsitian there am not I able to save you to the uttermost and are not my Arms wide open to receive you have not I dyed for that very end that you might live look here 's my Blood here are my Wounds behold me in the Garden and see me bleeding there for you behold me upon the Cross and see me bleeding yea bleeding to death there for you and then see if you can find in your hearts to refuse me any longer In short would you not lose all your cost and all your labour would you enjoy good the best good the most sat is
enter if the Soul will at all open to him so again all the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying People a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face Isa 65.2 3. Rom. 10.21 Fidem resipiscentiam ces in vitavi Scult in Loc. all the day Ionâ— Christ waits day after day and week after week and moneth after moneth and year after year upon Sinners yea and many affronts and indignities does he put up and pass by from them all the day long have I stretched forth my hands opened the Arms and Bosome of my Love and that to a gain-saying and rebellious People an opposing refusing resisting People a people that provoketh me to my face continnally every day a People that are daily loading me with their sins and provocations a People that will not let me go one day without affronting me and that to my face a People that are every day daring me to damn them O what patience is this So Mat. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not How often not once or twice or ten times but very often it notes that he waited long upon them and strove long with them and that after many and often repeated affronts and refusals on their part he still tender'd himself and his love to them and thus he deals by Sinners still he tenders himself and his Love to them but they will have none of him he renews his offers and they renew their refusals they spurn at his Love yet he makes love still he tells them what great preparations he has made and how all things are ready and how welcome they shall be to the Marriage-Feast but they make light of all preferring a Worldly interest before him and it Mat. 22. beginning Well however he leaves them not but sends again and calls again notwithstanding all They do in effect tell him they desire neither him nor his Grace that they had rather enjoy their Lusts then his Love they abuse his Grace they despise his corrections they slight his calls they resist his Spirit O what affronts are these And after all this it may be he renews his suit laying himself and his Love at their feet if yet he may win them to him Oh how much must his heart be upon an Espousal with them Soul let it melt thee into Love to him Oh who would withstand such a Lord such a Lover What woo and wait so long too put up such and so many affronts and still make Love Was ever Love like this and patience like this 4. Such is the heart of Christ and so set upon an Espousal with sinners as that he has laid himself under Bonds to receive them and accept of them in case they are willing to be Espoused to him and what greater Discovery of his heart then this Should a young man lay himself under Bonds to Marry such or such a Woman though as yet she hated him and were utterly averse from him you would surely conclude that his heart was much set upon a Match with her and truly this is no more then Christ the Lord of Glory hath done he is become bound to Marry poor Sinners to himself yea though at present they hate him and are altogether averse from him yet in case they shall at last be willing to close with him he is become bound to receive them he is become bound both to the Father to them 1. He is bound to the Father to receive Sinners Espouse them to himself in case they come to him so much is held forth in Jo. 6.27 Labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for that which endures unto Everlasting life which the Son of man shall mark shall give unto you for him hath God the Father Sealed That is God the Father hath ordained and appointed Christ he has laid a Law upon him to give Eternal Life and therefore himself to Sinners coming to him and we may therefore rest assured that he will do it yea Christ looks upon himself as under a law from the Father to do it and therefore Sayes â—h Law is within my heart â—â—al 40.8 thy Law what Law why the Law of his Mediatorship which commands him as to dy for Sinners so to accept of Sinners when they come unto him and surely he that so freely fulfilled it in the one will not be disobedient to it in the other in a word in that Covenant by Divines called the Covenant of Redemption which past between the Father and Jesus Christ from Eternity concerning the Salvation of Sinners Christ became bound to the Father to receive all that should come to him and he will be faithful 2. He is bound to Sinners themselves in the case he has indeed given them his Bond he has given them his promise which is his Bond and a strong one too an invincible obligation and the soul may look on it as such but where is his promise truly the whole Gospel is but as it were one general promise made by him to this purpose but take one for all the rest Jo. 6.36 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out i.e. I will most assuredly receive him and bestow my self and eternal life upon him and how often has he renewed this Bond of his yea and that it might be Firm and valid to our Faith as well as in it self he hath hereunto added his Seal and that such a Seal as renders it altogether unquestionable for 't is the Seal of his own Blood Hence the Gospel is called the new Testament in his Blood that is Seal'd and ratisied in his Blood Lâ—ke 22.20 And his Blood is caled the Blood of the Covenant because the Covenant and promises thereof are Seal'd with that Blood â—el 9. Latter end Yea more yet if his promise and his Seal be not enough they shall have more for to both these he has added his Oath for their further security in the case Verily verily sayes he he that believeâ—â— on me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation and again verily veâ—il he hour coweth and now is when the Dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that bear shall live Joh 5.24 25. As I live was the form of God's Oath in the oll Testament he there Swears he hath no pleasure in the death of Sinners but had rather they would 〈◊〉 and live Ezek. 33.11 and verily verily is the form of Christs Oath in the new Testament and he there you see Swears that Souls shall live coming to him O faelicâ—s nos quorum causa deus jurat O insidâ—les nos Si juraâ—ti non credanus Tertul. Lib. de paenit O happr we as one of the Antients Cryes out for whose sakes God doth Swear but O unbelieving we if we do not believe him swearing Thus
refuse long and stand it out long against the offers of Christ and his grace e're they close with him who yet are received embraced by him Be not therefore discouraged poor soul because of thy former neglects and refusals of Christ but throw thy self into the Arms of his love which thou wilt certainly find wide open to receive and Embrace thee 5. Is it any revolting or Back-sliâ—ing of thine from him Possibly thou hast souretimes been on thy way towards Christ thou hast had some workings some good Resolutions and affections within thee for him I and thou hast made some profession of him thou hast sometimes been even upon the turning point the point of closeing with Christ and the Match has been near made up between him and thee And yet after all this thou hast revolted and Back-sliden from him Playing the Harlot with many lovers which makes thee fear that he will now reject thee shouldest thou goe to him And the truth is this also is very sad For hereby Christ has been eminently Dishonoured and thy Soul has been eminently endangered But yet be not discouraged for this shall not stand between Christ and thee if yet thou art but willing to be Espoused to him Christ offers himself and his grace to such as these he promises to heal Back-slidings Jer. 3.1 Though thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord and â— 12. Return thou Backsliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you For I am merciful so Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me Thee who Why as revolting and Backsliding a People as ever were in the World so you will find in the beginning of the Chap. There is hope then you see for revolters and Backsliders therefore be not discouraged but go to him and he will not cast thee out Well soul Here 's encouragement enough for thee notwithstanding all thy Vileness Sinfulness and unworthiness and to add to thy encouragment yet know Christ has received multitudes that were every way as vile sinful and unworthy as thou art What dost thou think of Manasseth who was a Sorcerer and an Idolater What dost thou think of Paul who was a Persecuter and a Blasphemer What dost thou think of Mary Magdalen who had seven Devils in her What dost thou think of Rahab who was an Harlot What dost thou think of multitudes of those who Crucified Christ but afterwards believed These were all great Sinners and yet Christ received them into the Arms of his Love What dost thou think of the black List and Catalogue of Sinners among the Corinthians mentioned 1 Cor. 6.9 10. who were Drunkards Thieves Murderers Adulterers Idolaters abusers of themselves with Mankind and the like What dost thou think of them Titus 3.3 who were Foolish Disobedient Living in Envy Hateful and hâ—â—eing one another serving divers Lusts and pleasures Surely these were as vile as sinful as worthless as thou art and had as much to stand between Christ and them and yet they found grace in Christ's sight upon their looking to him Indeed there is never a Soul now in Heaven but was by Nature every way as vile sinful and unworthy of Christ as thou they lay under the same pollution they wallowed in the same Blood they were filled with the same Spirit of opposition against God and his wayes that thou dost and art yea and multitudes of them were as vile and sinful by practice also as thou they Acted out the sin and enmity of their Natures as highly against God and Christ as thou hast done and yet these Christ received else they had not been in Heaven In a word Heaven as one observes is an House full of the Miracles of Christ's free Grace There 's Idolatrous Manisseth among the true Worshippers of God There 's oppressing Zacheus among the Spirits of Just Men made perfect There 's Blasphemous Paul among the Host of Angels Lauding Praising and singing Halelujahs to God and the Lamb and there is Mary Magdalen that had seven Devils among the Saints of the most High who are filled even to overflowing with the seven Spirits of God O who then would be discouraged Yea Soul all thy vileness sinfulness and unworthiness does but as it were qualifie thee for Christ and his free Grace My sinful wants and unworthiness sayes Rutherford have qualified me for Christ and his grace Cast thy self therefore fully upon him notwithstanding all not doubting thine acceptance with him 6. Such is the heart of Christ and so set upon an Espousal with sinners as that he delights and rejoyces in nothing more hardly then in the Nuptials between him and them and oh how should this draw and allure us to him Should you see a Young Man rejoycing in the sense of an Espousal between himself and such or such an one whom he Loved you might well conclude that his heart was much upon her and is it not thus here Christ rejoyces in the sight and sense of an Espousal between himself and sinners and how much does this Argue his heart to be in the business This I will give you in three propositions 1. This is what he rejoyced and delighted himself in the thoughts of from all Eternity thus much he himself tells us Proâ— 8.30 31. Then namely from Everlasting was I by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men These are Christ's words and in them he tells you where he was and what he had been doing from Eternity he was with the Father and rejoyced before him but what did he rejoyce in truly next to his Father and himself his rejoycing was in the habitable parts of the Earth and his delights were with the Sons of Men He delighted himself in the thoughts of saving poor sinners and Espousing them unto himself in order thereunto Oh how much does this Argue his heart to be in the business 2. As he thus delighted and rejoyced in the thoughts of it before hand so when at any time a poor Soul is Actually Espoused to him then he rejoyces afresh and is delighted afresh Hence the day of Espousals is called the day of the gladness of his heart Cant. 3.11 the day of Espousals between Christ and a poor Sinner is a day of gladness and rejoyceing to the Father a day of gladness and rejoycing to the blessed Spirit a day of gladness and rejoycing to the Holy Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect For there is joy in Heaver at this 〈◊〉 15.7 But 't is especially a day of gladness and rejoycing to Christ the Bridegroom O to see poor Sinners come in and give up themselves to him in a Marriage-Covenant this is the joy the rest the sat is faction of his soul Hence ' its said he shall see of
more worth in his merits to pardon and justifie thee then there is evil in thy sins to damn destroy thee True I have a Fountain of sin and guilt and death in me But here 's a deeper Fountain of Grace and life righteousness in him see O my Soul see how vast and large his treasures of Grace and Glory are and bear up thy self upon them O did Sinners dwell more in the view of the Glorious fulness of Christ they would be more in love with him and hereby would counter-work and undermine unbelief in one of its greatest artifices whereby it keeps souls from him I shall here for thy encouragement onely subjoyn the saying of a worthy Divine Christ sayes he can and it becometh him well to give more then my narrow soul can receive If there were ten thousand thousand millions of worlds and as many heavens full of men and Angels Christ would not be pinched to supply all their wants and to fill them all Christ is a Well of Life but who knoweth how deep it is to the bottom 2. The second Gospel-principle or encouragement of Faith which thou should'st bear up thy soul upon and be frequent in the contemplation of is this That as there is such a Glorious and in-exhaustible fulness in Christ so this fulness is in him not for himself but to be dispensed and communicated to poor Souls coming to him True may the Soul say here 's fulness enough riches and treasures enough of all good in Christ but what 's this to me or wherein does it concern me Wherein does it concern thee Why 't is wholly thy concern and the concern of such as thou art For what ever fulness he has in him 't is treasur'd up in him for Souls for Sinners yea for the worst of Sinners How sweet is that word Psa 68.18 where speaking of Christ the holy Ghost tells us that he hath received gifts for men He hath received gifts i. e. He has a fulness of all good in his hand and at his dispose and this for men I but I am a devil sayes the soul a rebel what 's this to me observe what follows and thou wilt find it concerns thee yea thee especially He hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also Hence also 't is that he is said to be made Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.22 He has all fulness dwelling in him but 't is as an head and so 't is all for the use and service of the body for every poor soul that comes to him And therefore 't is added Head over all things to the Church i e. For the Churches use and service of which he is Head Take a view of all that fulness that is in Christ and 't is all as much and as really for the use and service of such as come to him and are made members of his body as the treasures and endowments of the natural head are for the use and service of the natural body and the members thereof And O what an encouragement is this to Faith 'T is the observation of a learned man upon the place last quoted Lest sayes he we should think this great glory of Christ to be a thing that does not concern us Ne summam illam Christi gloriam putemus aliquid a nobis alienum esse testatur illum esse a Deo patre totius Ecclesiae Beza he is here declar'd to be constituted and appointed by the Father to be Head of the whole Church Well then soul bear up thy self upon this encouragement Say look O my soul look unto sweet Jesus who hath received Gifts for men View him as one that has received a fulness of all Grace from the Father on purpose to be dispens'd and communicated to thee and to such as thou art He has life in him and he has it for thee he has peace and pardon in him and he has it for thee He has wisdom and righteousness Grace and Glory in him and he has it for thee and for such as thou art and therefore go to him expect all from him cast all upon him 3. The third Gospel-principle or encouragement of Faith which thou shouldst bear up thy soul upon and dwell much in the contemplation of is this that there is a perfect freedom and willingness in Christ yea 't is even genuine and naturall to him to bestow himself with all his Glorious riches and fulness upon poor souls coming to him Christ as you heard has all this fulness in him as an head so you have it expresly Col. 1.18 19. Now as 't is genuine and naturall to the head to minister influence to the members So 't is even genuine and naturall to Christ to communicate his Grace to poor souls Besides all that fulness that is in Christ 't is in him not as God onely but as man 'T is deposited and treasured up in his human nature It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 In him i. e. as a learned man expounds it in the man Christ or in that human nature in which he dyed and transacted the business of our Salvation In co i. e. In homine Christo vel in humana illa natura in qua obivit administravit negotium salutis nostrae Daven 'T is true the God-head or Divine nature is the first spring or Fountain of all Graee but the human nature of Christ is as it were a second spring and Fountain of Grace That is as a treasury or Store-house wherein all Grace is laid up for us Hence 't is said that as the Father hath life in himself so he hath given to the Son to have life in himself because he is the Son of man Joh 5.26 27. Christ as God hath life i.e. all Grace originally and independently in him as the Father hath Indeed as God he is the same infinite and independent Fountain of Life and Grace with the Father but 't is as man that he is said to have Life and Grace given to him The sum then is That that Glorious fulness of Grace that is in Christ for Sinners is Fountain'd up in his human nature and being Fountain'd up in his human nature it will and can't but slow yea overflow to and upon poor souls that cast themselves upon him The truth is 'T is to charge Christ with unkindness and unsaithfulness both at once to suppose him unwilling to communicate himself and his fulness to Sinners coming to him and soul canst thou find in thy heart to lay so blacka charge upon so sweet and good a Christ 'T is the way and work of the devil and unbelief to perswade Souls that Christ will not receive them nor communicate his Grace and fulness to them though they should come to him which they endeavour to do from the consideration of his greatness and holiness together with their vileness and sinfulness Christ say they is choice
endearing 't is the worth and excellency of his Person that gives Authority to all the commands of Faith and does aw the heart to obedience and 't is the worth and excellency of his Person that is one of the most powerful attractives to draw and allure the hearts of the sons of men to him if therefore his Person be undervalued if the dignity and glory of that be not seen we are never like to enter into a Marriage-Covenant with him Therefore soul if ever thou would'st be Espous'd to this Christ always maintain honorable thoughts of his Person Behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father and beg him more and more to reveal his Personal worth and excellencies to thee 2. Be sure always to maintain good thoughts of his ways Kingdom and Government Admit not of one jealousie of Christ as if he were an hard severe Husband as if he carried it with rigour and severity towards his spouses If the Devil and unbelief fail in their other attempts then they endeavour to prejudice souls against Christ perswading them that he is an hard Master an austere Husband that rules with intolerable rigour and severity I know sayes he in the Gospel that thou wast an austere man Mat. 25.24 And hereby the soul is seared off from Christ But soul as ever thou would'st be Espous'd to him take heed of any such jealousie of him or prejudice against him keeping up good thoughts of him and his ways him and his government and be much in contemplating the sweetness both of him and his wayes Is he severe Pray where lies his severity Does he call you to bear his Yoak He does but 't is an easie yoak Does he enjoin you to bear his Burthen He does but 't is a light Burthen My yoak is easie and my Burthen is light Mat. 11.29.30 Does he expect you should take up the Crosse He does but 't is a sweet Cross a gainful Crosse an honorable Crosse a Crosse that is inlaid with love and overlaid with Divine sweetness a Cross that has a Crown annext to it even a â—rown of Life Rev. 2.10 A Cross that is a Crown here for 't is an honour to suffer for Christ Asts 5.41 And a Cross that will greaten and brighten your Crown hereafter Mat. 5.11 12. blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you for great is your reward in Heaven Does he call you to perform such and such services He does but withall he gives you strength to perform them hetping your infirmities by his good Spirit Rom. 8.26 and in case you sail and come short in and of what he calls for what then Why then he pities and spares you and Father doth his Son that serveth him he over-looks your failings and defects 〈◊〉 3.17 Can you do nothing onely you have a mind to serve him Why then he accepts of that willing mind according to what you have and not according to what you have not 2 Cor. 8.12 when you can't pour out a prayer a sigh a groan is accepted by him Will he have the throne in you and rule in your souls He will but his way of rule is most sweet for he rules with love and he rewards with life and he gives a throne for a throne a throne in glory for a throne in your souls What shall I say his wayes are all wayes of pleasantness and his pathes are all peace Prov. 3.17 and O what pleasure what delight what solace and satisfaction of soul is there to be found in walking in them In a word his whole service is perfect freedom and there is no true sreedom but in his wayes and service Quis regnare nolit Vis regnare faliciter Servi benigno Jesu regnabis quia ills servire regnare est Bern. 'T is a great saying which I have read in one of the Antionts who sayes he would not reign But wot last thou reign happily Serve kind Jesus and thou shalt reign because to serve him is true reigning Thus you see there is no just reason for hard thoughts of Christ in this respect but rather the contrary Accordingly answer and throw off all those black reproaches which the devil and unbelief cast upon this good Lord and be sure to maintain good thoughts of him and his wayes which will not a little conduce to the promoting of an Espousal between him and thee 5. Would'st thou indeed be Espoused to Christ Then study and contemplate much how infinitly grateful and acceptable Christ is Sinners know not or if they know they consider not who or what Christ is they mind not how acceptable a good he is to souls and therefore they slight him Had'st thou known sayes Christ to the woman the gift of God and who it is that speaketh â—o thee thou would have askt of him and he would have given thee living waters Jo. 4.10 Truly did men know Christ and his infinite aceptableness they would run to him and close with him in a Marriage-Covenant Study therefore and contemplate this much thereby possessing thy soul with a deep sense of it The Apostle speaking but of one truth concerning Christ tells us 't is worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.16 And if so what acceptation must Christ himself yea Christ withall his truths and all his treasures both be worthy of And how should our souls cleave to him take him into our embraces There are among others five things which speak a good to be eminently grateful and acceptable worth and excellency usefulness and serviceableness sutableness and conveniency Sweetness and delight Durableness and unchangableness in all all which are sound in Christ who tenders himself and his Love to us 1. There is worth and excellency in Christ yea incomparable worth and excellency The Apostle speaks of an excelling excellency that there is in the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Now the knowledge of Christ is so excellent because Christ is excellent Christ indeed is all worth all excellency He is an infinite Ocean of Beauty and glory he is the chiefest among ten Thousand and all together lovely Cant. 5.10 16. All excellencies dwell in him as in their proper Fountain and they all meet and are united in him as lines in their proper center Some beauty some excellencies you find scatter'd up and down among the creatures the Saints and Angels the Sun Moon and Starrs and the like But alas T is scatter'd and 't is scatter'd but here and there a drop but in Christ you have all Beauty all worth all excellency in a blessed Union and conjunction You have all in one and that unchangeably O what a portion is Christ sayes one O that the Saints would dig deeper into the treasures of his wisdom and excellencies Truly 't is sweet digging there and there in some sort there will be room for digging to all eternity for even through eternity new wonders of glory will arise new Beauties and excellencies will appear
and shine forth in Christ What shall I say He has in him all the excellencies of both worlds and is indeed deservedly the wonder of both In him there is a confluence of all the lovely properties the drawing attributes the ravishing Beauties the Bright-shining and glorious perfections of the infinitely blessed Deity Hence sayes he all that the Father hath is mine which may be understood of his Divine perfections Joh. 16.15 Hence also he is said to be equal with God Quicquid perfectionis in patre erat est totum illud est in filio in to tota patris pesona tota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tota etiam facies expressa est Zanch. in Loc. Phil. 2.6 i e. Look what ever Divine perfections there are in God the Father they all are found in Christ in him is exprest the whole Person of the Father the whole Essence Being and Feauty of the Father And as a Learned man has observed Christ the Son is in all things like the Father this only excepted that he is not the person of the Father Filius per omnia similis est patri hoc excepto quod non est ipsa patris Persona Davenant Hence also he is said to be the brightness of his Father's Glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1.3 All the Fathers glories and excellencies do shine forth in him and he perfectly represents the Father to us Thus Christ is a person of excellency and so most acceptable And O who would not accept and embrace such a Christ And how great a wickedness is it to reject him I can't but here take up the complaint of an holy man O pity pity for evermore sayes he that there should be such an one as Christ Jesus so boundless so bottomless so incomparable so infinite in excellency and sweetness and so few that will take him they miserably lose their love sayes he who will not bestow it upon this lovely one 2. There is usefulness and serviceableness in Christ As Christ is a person of the highest excellency so of the greatest and most absolute need use and service to poor souls Indeed he is the one needful good Lu. 10.42 Christ is so much needed by and of so much use and service to poor souls that they can't possibly do well and be happy without him Pray consider we provoke God and he is angry with us and by Christ alone 't is that we receive the attonement Rom. 5.11 We sin and load our selves with guilt and by Christ alone 't is that we are or can be discharged from it In him have we redemption through his Blood even the for giveness of sins Eph. 1.7 We have an hard and impenitent heart an heart that cannot repent and by Christ and Christ alone 't is that we can obtain repentance he being exalted to give repentance unto Isratl as well as remission of sins Act. 5.31 We are at a dreadsul distance from God afar off as the Scripture speaks and by Christ and him alone 't is that we are made nigh What shall I say The best of Saints as well as the worst of Sinners have an absolute need of Christ and he is of daily use and service to them neither can they live one day or one hour without him Indeed he is their life and without him therefore they are dead and undone as well as others without him they can do nothing Jo. 15.5 Without him every duty will be too hard every burthen will be too heavy every temptation will be too strong every lust will be too mighty for them without him they would yet sall short of the eternal rest and would make ship-wrack of Faith souls and all for ever Without him neither Saints nor Sinners can have any access to God any intercourse or communion with him in which notwithstanding the whole of our happiness both in time and eternity lies I am the way says he and no man cometh to the Father but by m Jo. 14.6 And through him says the Apostle we have access unto the Father by one Spirit Eph 2.18 Without him we could have no peace with God for he alone is our peace Eph. 2.14 And having peace with God without him we could not maintain our peace one hour it being he alone that is our advocate and propitiation with the Father 1 Jo. 2.1 2. Thus he is every way most needful and most useful to eternal souls O how grateful how acceptable then is he or ought he to be to us 3 There is sutableness and conveniency also in Christ to the souls of men The sutableness and conveniency of any good renders it acceptable to us How acceptable is bread to an hungry man because a good sutable to him How acceptable is drink to a thirsty man because a good suitable to him Now there is an admirable sutableness and conveniency in Christ to the souls of men and that in all the cases of them Why then should he not be acceptable to them One I remember represents the sutableness of Christ to the souls and wants of Sinners thus the whole person nature and offices of Christ sayes he are so suited and proportioned to all the varity of needs in us that they are as a key for a lock there is ward for ward every thing done in the key sutable to the lock and indeed so 't is here Christ and his fulness being exactly suited to us and our wants We are sick and sick to death and Christ is a Physitian Mat. 9.12 And what more sutable to the sick then a Physitian We are sinful and sinful to damnation we are lost Sinners and Christ is a Saviour and who or what more sutable to lost Sinners then a Saviour We are poor captives the captives of sin and Sathan in bondage to death and the curse and Christ is a Redeemer and who or what more sutable to Captives then a Redeemer Weare under the Tyranny and Usurpation of many mighty powerful Lusts Lusts that are imposing upon us every hour and we are no way able to deal with them But Christ is a great and puissant King who can subdue all and whose Arrows shall be sharp in the hearts of all his and our Enemies and what more sutable to Persons in such a circumstance then such a King We are dead and Christ is Life and what more sutable for the Dead then Life We are poor and miserable and Christ is gold to enrich us Are we naked Chirst is Cloathing for us Are we blind He is Eye-salve for us Are we in Prison He is Liberty Are we Hungry He is Bread Are we Thirsty He is the Water of Life which those that drink of shall never thirst Are we troubled He is Rest Are we drooping and desponding He is the consolation of Israel Are we bewilder'd He is a Guide Are we born down in our spiritual conflicts He is the Captain of our Salvation who will
Faith passes to the God-head Neque ad Christum Deum unquam perveniet qui heminem negligit And as a great Divine speaks he that comes not to Christ as man shall never come to him as God The truth is Faith cannot deal with God immediately but as God cloath'd with our nature 4. View and apprehend him in his office of Mediatorship The Gospel reveals and propounds Christ to our Faith in his Office it propounds and reveals him as Christ as the true Messiah and Saviour of the World as one seal'd sent and anointed by the Father for the redemption of lost Souls and thus also should Faith eye and apprehend him So also did Peter's Faith apprehend him Thou art Christ sayes he the Son of the living God Mat. 16.16 Hence we read of believing that Jesus is the Christ 1 John 5.1 Hence also Christ tells the Jews If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8.24 If ye believe not that I am he i. e. that I am the Messiah the Christ the Saviour that was promised O! Faith is short of that notion it should have of Christ unless it thus eyes him in his Office 5. View and apprehend him in his infinite ability and sufficiency for the discharge of his Office The Gospel reveals and propounds him to our Faith as one able to save to the very uttermost and accordingly should our Faith eye and apprehend him Heb. 7.25 It reveals him indeed both as an onely and alsufficient Saviour as an onely Saviour Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is none besides me Isa 45.22 Neither is there Salvation in any other nor is there any other Name given under Heaven wherby we may be saved but his only Acts 4.12 And as an alsufficient Saviour My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed sayes he and he that eateth me even he shall live by me John 6.55 57. It reveals him in the infinite vertue of his Blood the inexhaustible fulness of his Grace the compleatness of his Obedience the excellency of his Righteousness the perfection of his Satisfaction and the like and thus should our Faith eye and apprehend him O labour for such a notion and apprehension of Christ as this is as ever you would believe aright and be indeed espoused to Christ labour for a found clear distinct knowledge of him as the great object of Faith Pray much for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that was the Apostles prayer for the Ephesians in this case Ephes 1.7 and let it be yours for your selves III. Would you pitch your Faith aright upon Christ and be indeed espoused to him Then be sure to make a right choice or election of him being thus known and apprehended To have a right notion and apprehension of Christ is good and necessary in order to union with him by believing but 't is not enough no Christ being known and apprehended must also be chosen and embraced by us and that as he is revealed and offered in the Gospel To know and apprehend Christ is an act of the Mind or Understanding but to chuse and embrace Christ is an act of the Will and Affections and though Faith has its rise and inchoation in the mind yet its complement and perfection it has in the Will and Affections these liking chusing and embracing of him and that in a way sutable to what the mind sees and apprehends concerning him and this must be added to the former or there is no right believing and so no conjugal union and communion with Christ Observemus fidei sedem non in cerebro esse sed in corde quoniam cordis nomen pro serio et sincero affectu fere capitur dice firmam esse efficacem fiduciam non nudam tantum notionem Calv. Hence that of the Apostle With the heart Man believeth unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 True believing then is with the Heart now by the Heart here as also generally elsewhere in Scripture is meant the Will and Assections accordingly to believe with the Heart is for the Will and Affections to chuse and embrace Christ as he is revealed and offered in the Gospel this is called a receiving of Christ John 1.12 We receive Christ into our Wills when we chuse him and adhere to him for Life and Salvation and we receive him into our affections when we love him desire him and delight in him and this is believing To believe sayes Calvin is nothing else but to chuse and embrace Christ with a sincere affection of mind as he is reveal'd and offer'd in the Gospel And this indeed is the great vital act of Faith and that whereby our Conjugal-Union and Communion with Christ is more especially brought about This is that which makes Christ ours and puts us into the possession of him Mary sayes Christ has chosen the better part which shall never be taken from her Luke 10.42 She had chosen Christ and her choice of him had made him her own and so her own as that she could never lose him never be deprived of him Indeed a right choice of Christ makes him ours it unites us to him and interests us in him for ever A little further to help you in this business know that a right choice of Christ is accomplish't by these three steps 1. The Soul apprehending Christ as before likes him and approves of him as the best and most sutable Saviour the most lovely and desirable object in Heaven or Earth The Soul sayes of Christ as they did of the Land of Canaan Numb 14.7 The Land say they is an exceeding good Land So this Christ sayes the Soul is an exceeding good Christ this Saviour is an exceeding good Saviour there 's none like him there 's no beauty like his Beauty no blood like his Blood no fulness like his Fulness no love like his Love 2. The Soul desires him and longs after him and that with a strong ardent and vigorous affection This is call'd hungring and thirsting after Christ Matth. 5.6 The Soul seeing Christ and approving of him longingly cries out O a Christ a Christ O that this good Christ were mine 3. The Soul is by Grace sweetly and powerfully determined upon Christ so as actually to make a solemn and deliberate choice of him singling him out from all other things in Heaven and Earth as the best and most desirable good and most worthy of his dearest and most intimate embraces The Soul now pitches his choice upon Christ to be his Head and Husband his Lord and Saviour his rest his treasure his happiness his all for ever Now by these steps see that you come up to make a right choice of Christ be sure that you like him and approve of him as the best and most desirable object in Heaven or Earth Truly if you view him aright you can't but like him and
close with Christ no longer it has been thy sin let it be thy shame and sorrow that thou hast neglected and refused Christ so long Serò te amavâ— pulchritudo tam antiqua tam nova serò te amavi Aug. saying with Austin I have loved thee too late O thou so ancient and yet so new a beauty I have loved thee too late And for thy encouragement I would say to thee as the Servant did to his Lord upon such an occasion as this Luke 14.22 Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is room Though many sinners and great sinners have been received to mercy yet still there is room for thee and for all that have a mind to Christ There is room in Christ's Heart there is room in Christ's Arms there is room in his Covenant there is room in his Kingdom there is room upon his Throne with his Father for thee But if yet any shall reject this offer of Love and persist so to do such will at last find that there is room in Hell room in the infernal Pit room in the place of torment for them Therefore as Life and Death are once more set before you so I beseech you to chuse Life and not Death that you may live for ever CHAP. XI Being a contemplation of the infinite Love and Condescention of Christ to Souls and the unspeakable Comfort and Happiness of Believers in this sweet Espousal IN the view of all that has been hitherto declared we may well take up an admiring contemplation of Christ's Love and Condescention and Believers Comfort and Happiness the one and the other being exceeding great and glorious O! for Christ to marry poor Souls to himself and for poor Souls to be married to Christ how great is the Love of the one and the happiness of the other herein 1. How great is the Love and Condescention of Christ in marrying Souls to himself Next to his becoming Man and dying for them Wherein can he testifie greater Love and Condescention to them than in this There are among many others that might be mentioned that will argue his Love and Condescention herein to be wonderful and glorious two things One is the infinite disparity and disproportion between the Parties Him and Them the other is the unspeakable nearness and gloriousness of that Union and Relation which he takes them into with himself Both which I desire you to contemplate 1. Contemplate the infinite disparity and disproportion between him and them What proportion is there between a King and a Beggar What proportion is there between an Ant and an Angel yea between the smallest Worm and all the Angels in Heaven Infinitely less proportion is there between Christ and sinners and yet he espouses them to himself What shall I say He is both High and Great we are base and vile He is Blessed and Glorious we are wretched and despicable He is a Great King we are poor slaves and vassals yea the worst of slaves and vassals being the slaves and vassals of Sin and Satan And to sum up all in a few words He is God and we are Creatures yea he is an infinitely pure and holy God and we are unspeakably impure and unholy Creatures O how great is the disproportion and yet he marries us to himself What proportion is there between God and the Creature The Creature at best is but a small drop of Beeing but God is Mare essendi a Sea a Fountain an Ocean of Beeing The Creature is and has but a little good but Deus est Bonum insinitissime infinitum as Bradwardin speaks of him God is a most infinitely infinite Good The Creature is a depending thing the Beeing of the Creature is a depending Beeing the very nature of the Creature lies much in dependance but God is an absolute and independent Beeing Esse creaturae est esse dependâ—ns he being of himself and from himself indeed all other things are of him and from him and to him as the Scripture speaks Now for God to marry the Creature and espouse the Creature to himself O what love what condescention is this and yet greater love than this does Christ shew For what proportion is there between an infinitely Holy God and universally sinful defiled and polluted Creatures The distance between God and us as we are Creatures is great but the distance between the infinitely Holy God and us as sinners is in some sort unspeakably greater 'T is our duty and should be our joy to know and keep our Creature-distance with God we should rejoyce to think that God is so infinitely above us but 't is our misery and we should tremble to think of our sinful distance from God that distance I mean that sin is and has caused between God and us Now for an Holy God to espouse sinful Creatures to himself yea for a God so infinitely Holy to espouse Souls who are so utterly sinful to himself as the best of us all by nature are this is greater love and condescention still O wonderful commerce O verè admirable commercium tradit se Rex pro Servo Deus pro Homine Creator pro Creatura innocens pro nocente Bern. de pass Dom. sayes one of the Ancients speaking of Christ's dying for his People the King dies for the Servant God for Man the Creator for the Creature the innocent for the nocent The like may I say here O wonderful condescention The King marries a Slave God the Creature the pure and holy One polluted and defiled sinners True indeed he makes them Saints by and upon his marrying of them but he finds them sinners when he first makes it a time of love to them O adore this Love this Condescention 2. Contemplate the unspeakable nearness and gloriousness of that Union and Relation which he takes them into with himself as the distance and disproportion between the Parties is infinitely great so the Union and Relation he takes them into is very near and glorious The Union between the Vine and Branches is near the Union and Relation between the Head and Members is near the Union and Relation between the Husband and Wife is near but all these are but shadows and representations of that Union and Relation which Christ takes Behevers into with himself which must therefore be nearer and greater than all 'T is indeed as upon occasion has been before declared next for intimacy and glory to the essential and personal Union yea it comes so near the highest Union of all the Union that is between the Father and the Son as that it is set forth in Scripture by the same expressions that that Union is viz. By being and dwelling in each other Yea Christ himself seems to bring it so near that great Union as that he makes that the pattern of it and accordingly prayes for it for his People Joh. 17.21 Neither pray I for these alone but them also which shall believe on me
thou art full of sorrows thy dayes are spent in grief and thy years in sighing but then there shall be no more sorrow sorrow and sighing both shall flie away for ever Now thou art full of pains yea as the holy Prophet of old complained Thou art pained at thy very heart in the sense of thy own Afflictions and in the sense of the Churches Afflictions in the sense of thine own sins and in the sense of the Worlds sins thou art pained at the very heart but then there shall be no more pain Now thou sowest in tears but then thou shalt reap in joy Now thou goest forth weeping yet bearing precious Seed then thou shalt return rejoycing bringing thy sheaves with thee Now thou art in a storm a storm of Affliction a storm of Temptation a storm of Persecution thou art afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted it may be as the Church sometimes was Isa 54.11 But then he will make thy storm a calm and so bring thee into the desired Haven to allude to that Psal 107.30 Now the Devil and his messengers are buffetting of thee and will give thee no rest then they shall be all troden under foot and thy Soul shall act one eternal triumph over them saying as she of old in her Song did O my Soul thou hast trodden down strength 2. Then Christ will turn all thy blackness into beauty all thy sinful deformity into perfect purity and holiness for ever and this is much more sweet than the former Alas sayes the Soul turn my Water into Wine true that is sweet but there is that which lies heavier upon me than all the troubles and afflictions in the World and that is my sinful blackness and deformity O this stained polluted defiled nature of mine this fountain of sin and enmity against God that is within this is that which is the burthen too heavy for me to bear Well for thy comfort know that thy Husband sweet Jesus will come and when he comes he will turn thy blackness into beauty thy sin into holiness then he will sanctifie thee and cleanse thee that he may present thee to himself a glorious Spouse Ecclesiam esse gloriosam non habentem maculam nequâ— rugam est ultimus finis ad quem perducimur per passionem Christi â—unde hoc erit in statu patriae non autem in statu via Aqui. not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephes 5.26 27. Poor Soul thou hast now many stains many spots and those such as thou art apt sometimes to think are not the spots of Gods Children but then all these spots shall be wiped out and thou shalt be without spot yea thou shalt not onely be without spot but without wrinkle too There may be wrinkles where there may be no spots and these are blemishes Significat nullum planè peccatum velminimum futurum in corpore Ecclesiae nullumque veteris Adaemi vestigium sed futuram eam totam gloriosam Zanch. in loc O but then thou shalt have neither spot nor wrinkle thou shalt be perfectly freed from lesser as well as greater sins yea thou shalt have neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing nothing that looks like sin nothing that thou canst suppose to be in the least a blemish or defect there shall not be the least print or foot-step of the old Adam as one speaks upon the place left in thee or upon thee but thou shalt be altogether holy and without blemish Christ will then perfectly fill thee with his own Spirit beautifie thee with his own Image deck thee with his own Ornaments enamel and irradiate thee with his own Glory for then he will make thee like himself both in holiness and happiness 1 Joh. 3.2 Poor Soul now thou art groaning under a body of Sin and Death under the unclean motions of sin the impure lustings of the flesh the cursed imposings of a base vile unbelieving heart that is imposing upon thee in every Duty in every Condition in every Relation Now thou art pestered with the springings buddings blossomings and ebullitions of lust and corruption within thee but when sweet Jesus comes there shall be an end of all this Christ he overlooks all this now but then he will do it all away and thou shalt shine with the perfection of beauty 3. Then Christ will solemnly present thee to his Father as his Spouse in the presence of all his holy Angels And O how glorious and joyful will this be In Gen. 24. lat we read that Isaac took Rebekah and brought her into his Mothers Tent So when dear Jesus comes to consummate the Marriage between him and thee he will being attended with all his holy Angels bring thee into his Fathers House and will there present thee to him as his Spouse saying Father here is my Spouse here is one whom in the day of everlasting love thou gavest unto me one whom I have redeem'd to my self by my Blood and married to my self by my Spirit in the Gospel this is he that I was made sin and a curse for and though he was in his blood and gore when I first made love to him yet loe now here he is spotless and faultless before thee Father own him as thy Sons Spouse and delight in him for ever O how sweet how glorious will this be Suppose some great Prince were married and upon his Marriage should take his Spouse in his hand and lead her into the Presence-Chamber of the King his Father and there present her to him to the end he might take notice of her as his Sons Spouse and shew sutable respect and favour to her what a sweet thing would this be But alas what is this to the presentation Christ will make of thee to his Father at his coming Who will then present thee faultless into the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude v. 24. When David and the Elders of Israel brought up the Ark from the House of Obed-Edom 't was with great joy and shouting 1 Chron. 15.25 28. But O when Christ attended with all his holy Angels shall bring and present thee into the presence of his Father what joy and shoutings will there then be surely there will be great rejoycing on all hands God the Father will greatly rejoyce Christ the Son will greatly rejoyce God the Holy Ghost will greatly rejoyce the Angels will greatly rejoyce thy Soul also will greatly rejoyce God the Father will greatly rejoyce to see his Sons Spouse come home to him so richly deck't and adorn'd Christ the Son will greatly rejoyce that he has gotten his Spouse into his Arms and Bosom never to part with hen more the Holy Ghost will greatly rejoyce to see his work in tying the Marriage-Knot between Christ and the Soul compleated the Angels will greatly rejoyce as being Friends both of the Bridegroom and Bride and as partaking with them in the Marriage-Supper and thou thy self wilt greatly rejoyce in that