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
hath chosen and refined him in it and whether it be in this or in the other World that he shall please to bring him forth they who have most intimate converse with him are perswaded he will come forth as Gold The Lord grant that the same presence of Divine Grace which attended these Sermons in the Preaching of them may accompany them in the Publication that many more Souls may be enamoured and drawn to the love of that fairest of ten thousand the Lord Jesus that so knowing him and adhering to him they may be saved eternally by him by whom all that have been are or shall be saved are brought to Life and Glory So prayes The unworthiest of Christ's Servants John Rowe The best Match OR The Souls Espousal to Christ From 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you a chast Virgin unto Christ CHAP. I. Wherein an Introduction is made into our intended Discourse the Foundation thereof laid and the Matters to be inquired into in our procedure therein proposed ANew Covenant-relation to Christ is certainly a concern of the greatest weight and highest importance to the Sons of Men of any in the World 't is what lies at the foundation of all true happiness both in Time and Eternity without it as a Learned Divine hath well observed * A Christ si sejung aâ—â—ur non suâ—â—us Christiani sed cadavera tanturn Chrisi morum Davenant we are not Christians we are only the carkasses of Christiants nor may we expect any saving advantage by any thing that Christ hath either done or suffered for poor sinners And this relation of so much weight and importance to us the Scripture represents under various Notions and Expressions to us 't is represented to us sometimes under the notion of a King and Subjects hence Christ is called King of Saints Sometimes under the notion of a Father and his Children hence he is called the Everlasting Father and they are his own words unto God the Father Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me Sometimes under the notion of Head and Members hence Christ is said to be the Head of the Body the Church and on the other hand Believers are said to be the Body of Christ and Members one of another And to mention no more sometimes as in my Text and frequently elsewhere 't is represented to us under the notion of Husband and Wife Bridegroom and Bride or the Souls espousal to Christ as its one and only Husband and under this notion I shall God assisting speak a little of it and but a little no more than to make way for a practical Design I have in my eye which is to woo and allure poor Souls into an espousal or Marriage-Covenant with this Blessed Husband the Lord Jesus Christ That then which is before us to be treated of is the Marriage or Espousal between Christ and Believers and the better to make way hereunto you may observe that there is a three-fold Marriage as relating to Christ and us 1. There is the Personal Marriage and that is between the Person of the Son of God the Second Person in the Trinity and our Nature This Calvin calls Verbum Incarnatum the Incarnate Word or as the Evangelist expresses it the Word made Flesh John 1.14 this we generally call the Hypostatical Union 2. There is the Mystical Marriage and that is between the Person of Christ God-Man and the Person of Believers as Militant here on Earth whole Christ and the whole Believer being made one this the Apostle calls A being joyned to the Lord and being one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 and this we usually call the Spiritual Union 3. There is the Heavenly Marriage and that is between Christ and the Church Triumphant above which indeed is the consummation of the two former and this I would call the Glorious Union and what that is I can't tell but do hope am going to see In the first of these lies the foundation of all our happiness by the second we are brought into an initial participation of it by the third we are put into the full possession and enjoyment thereof for ever Now 't is neither the first nor last but second of these that the Apostle here speaks of when he saith I have espoused you to one Husband even to Christ Which accordingly I shall make the Subject of my ensuing Discourse which as also the sum of the Apostles intendment you may take in this short Position viz. That there is a blessed Espousal or Marriage-relation between Christ and Believers or that Believers are married or espoused to Christ as their only Husband I have espoused you sayes the Apostle to one Husband not to many but to one and who is that why Christ God-man So the next words declare I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ The same is also hâ—ld forth in other Scriptures John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom saith John Baptist concerning Christ and his Church And again Rev. 21.9 Come hither sayes the Angel to John and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife That is the Church which is the Wife and Spouse of Christ but I forbear What this Espousal or Marriage-relation between Christ and Believers is as also how 't is made up and accomplisht are the principal things to be enquired into for the clearing of what lies before us which therefore I shall address my self unto CHAP. II The Espousal or Marriage-Relation between Christ and Believers opened and the import thereof laid down in sive things BUt what is this Espousal or Marriage-relation between Christ and Believers The Apostle speaking of it calls it a great Mystery This saith he is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church Ephes 5.32 I speak of that Spiritual Marriage that is between Christ and his People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat rem occultam per se arcanam non simpliciter sed rengiosam quae ab humana ratione abscondita est non potest percipi sine Revelatione Divinâ Spiritus Sancti lumine Zanch. in locum which indeed is a great Mystery that is an hidden secret Thing a thing hid from humane reason and not to be understood but by Divine Revelation and the Light of the Holy Spirit So far as we apprehend it you may take this short account in general of it 'T is that spiritual conjunction or relation that is between Christ and Bellevers between the Person of Christ and the Person of Believers arising from his inhabitation in them by his Spirit and their close with him by Faith Much might be said for the opening of this general Conclusion but I shall wave it and give you the true nature of the thing under consideration more particularly as carrying these five things in it viz. I. Free and cordial Donation II. Near and intimate
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