ever This added to the rest is desirable and for this none like Christ Yea none but Christ he and he alone is a never-dying Husband the best Husband here below is mortal and may leave you in a moment but Christ is immortal he is the King immortal eternal 1 Tim. 1.17 and he only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 He and he onely lives for evermore Behold I live for evermore sayes he Rev. 1.18 He will never leave you in the desolate state of Widdow-hood yea not onely does he live for ever himself but moreover he makes all his Spouses to live for ever too So you find John 11.25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life sayes he he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Oh what an Husband is this an Husband that lives for ever himself and that makes his Spouses live for ever too he gives all his Spouses such a life as never dies an immortal life In a word close with him and as he will live for ever as thy Husband so thou shalt live for ever as his Spouse Oh who would not accept of such a Person Soul if thou receivest him know he lives for ever to love thee to comfort thee to delight thee to make thee happy in and with himself but if thou rejectest him know that he lives for ever to punish thee to inflict wrath and vengance upon thee and to make thee compleatly miserable but oh reject him not Thus I have shewn you a little what an Husbund Christ is to his Spouses and upon the whole I would say to you as the Spouse did to the Daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5.16 This is my Beloved and this is my Friend this is he that offers himself to your embraces surely he is no mean no despicable Person but one infinitely desireable Now what do you say will you have him or will you not possibly this is the last tender he will ever make of himself to you possibly the Match must be made now or never therefore now close with him accept him upon his own terms who surely is worthy of all acceptation CHAP. VIII Which shews what great things Christ does for all his Spouses TRue may some say Christ's Person is desirable but what will he do for his Spouses What may our Souls expect from him in case we should close up with him in a Marriage-Covenant What will he do What will he not do for you Surely he acts like himself and does great things for all his Spouses And oh happy happy they that are indeed espoused unto him I shall for the more effectual drawing of poor Souls to him shew you what he does for his Spouses in these following Particulars I. He payes all their Debts II. He supplies all their Wants III. He heals all their Maladies IV. He bears all their Burthens V. He sweetens all their Afflictions VI. He subdues all their Enemies VII He minds and manages all their Concerns VIII He enjoynters them in eternal Life and Glory I. He payes all their Debts fully discharging their Souls from all Sin and Guilt No sooner is a Woman married to an Husband but presently all her Debts become his he payes all at least is lyable so to do In like manner no sooner is a Soul espoused to Christ but all his Debts to Law and Justice become Christs and he pays all And O how great a thing is this Friends we are all in debt deeply in debt to the Law and Justice of God We owe each one of us more than our ten thousand Talents Matth. 18.24 We lie under whole Mountains of Sin and Guilt The truth is our first Father left us and all his Posterity in debt we brought Sin and Guilt into the World with us and the first day we were born Divine Justice might have arrested us and have cast us into the dismal Prison of utter darkness De Parentjbus illis venio qui me ante fecerunt damnatum quam natum peccatores peccatorem in peccato suo genâ—erunt Bern. de amore Dei I came of those Parents sayes one of the Ancients who made me damned before I was born they sinners begot me a sinner in their sin And to the same purpose another of them speaks Nemo mundus a peccato coram te Domine nec Infans cujus est unus dici vita super terram Aug. in Conf. No man is free from sin sayes he in the sight of God no not an Infant of a day old And to give you a greater authority than these the Holy Apostle asserts the same thing Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entered into the World and death by sin and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Adam sinned and we all sinned in him we all being in him as in a common Head and the guilt of the act of his sin is as truly ours as if we had each one of us acted it in our own persons and we all stand justly condemned for it Hence also vers 18. he tells us That by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation Besides we have all contracted a vast Debt upon our selves and do lie under much actual guilt and that of a scarlet-dye and crimson-tincture Alas we have done little but sin'd ever since we came into the World and indeed as long as we are out of Christ either all we do is sin or at least we sin in all we do We are every day running upon new Scores adding sin to sin and guilt to guilt And O how great then must our Debts to Law and Justice needs be You look upon that man to be deeply in debt indeed whose Debts are so many and great as that he can neither know nor count them And thus it is with us so many and so great are our Sins and consequently our Debts to Law and Justice that we can neither know nor count them David though an holy Man cries out Who can understand his errors Psal 19.12 Alas who of us can count the sins of one day they pass our knowledge And which is worse still we are under a necessity whilst in our natural state of encreasing our sin and guilt every day and hour Now how shall all this Debt be paid this Sin and Guilt be expiated and done away Why only by Christ close with him in a Marriage-Covenant and your Souls are discharged from all Justice that stands upon Satisfaction it calls for full payment its language is Pay or perish pay or be damned and nothing have we of our own to pay the least of all our Debts nor can we possibly right God for the wrong we have done him by the least fin and which adds to our misery we are every day in danger of Arrests nor know we how soon Justice will by the hand of that grim Sergeant Death clap an Arrest upon us and cast us
under the Law the immediate cause of mens perishing was sin in general But under the Gospel the onely immediate cause of mens perishing is the rejection of Christ and his Grace through unbelief So much Christ himself tells us in that known place Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on the Son is not condemned Meritum damnationis juxta Evangelium non est peccatum sed preseverantia finalis in peccato infidelitatis Twis vind gra but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the onely begotten Son of God He that believeth on Christ is not condemned And why so Is it because he has no sins to condemn him No but because believing on Christ all his sins are done away But he that believeth not on him is condemn'd already And why Is it because he is a sinner in general or because his sins are many and great sins No but because he hath not believed on the name of the onely begotten Son of God The sum of all is this The immediate cause of mens condemnation is not this sin or that sin but their refusing of Christ by unbelief Hence you have it so frequently up and down the Gospel He that believeth shall be saved He that believeth not shall be damned and the like Well then if our vefusing of Christ be the rejecting of the onely remedy of sinful Souls if it be what bindes all a mans sins fast upon him and if none of all a mans other sins though many and great should or could ever damn him were not this sin of refusing Christ added to them then certainly this is that sin which does most directly and immediatly murder the Soul O how great a sin then does this speak it to be Murder is a great sin an iniquity to be punished by the judge nor do we look upon a murderee fit to live But no murder like to Soul-murder nor should we suffer this Soul-murderer to live one moment 4. Consider that the neglect and refusal of Christ is a sin which argues you to be really in Love with your sins which truly and indeed chooses Death rather then Life loves Darkness more then Light and which leaves you without the least colour of excuse or room of appeal for ever And O what a black and horrid sin must this then be A little of each 1. This sin of neglecting and refusing Christ is what really argues you to be in Love with your sins and to have slight thoughts of them For men to act sin is bad but to have slight thoughts of sin and to be in Love with it is much worse sin being against an infinite good even infinitly contrary to the blessed God has in a sort an infinite evil in it and to be in love with that which has an infinite evil in it O how dreadful a thing is this Yet this your refusal of Christ carries in it For pray mark had you not slight thoughts of sin you would not refuse the pardon of sin when offer'd you but would account it worthy of all acceptation and were you not in Love with your sins yea greatly in Love with them you would not choose and desire to continue in your sins much less would you refuse and reject so great a good as Christ is for the sake of your sins Should a condemn'd Malefactor refuse the Kings free pardon would not this argue him to have slight thoughts of Death yea to be in Love with it and to prefer it before life As clearly does your refusing of Christ argue you to have slight thoughts of sin and to be in Love with it O were you not in Love with your sins you would be glad of a discharge and deliverance from them and would withall readiness and joyfulness embrace it when freely offer'd to you as in Christ it is 2. This sin of refusing Christ is what truly and indeed speaks you to love darkness more then light and to chose death rather then life 'T is what prefers sin and death before Christ and life and Grace O what a black sin then must it be This Christ himself asserts concerning it and that as an high aggravation of it and what makes it doubly damning Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men love darkness rather then light Christ and the good things of Christ are here call'd light on the other hand sin and death sin and the miseries that attend it are call'd darkness Now sayes Christ men by unbelief and refusing of me do declare that they love this darkness before this Light Men by refusing of me do in effect love choose prefer sin and death and darkness before me and my Grace me and that eternal life which I would give them O what a sin is this Christ may truly say to Sinners as Moses to them of old Deut. 30.19 I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I have set before you Life and Death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that ye may live Now for them to choose death and reject life to choose the curse and reject the blessing This is a dreadful sin indeed and the more dreadful On the one hand because the light is so lovely and amiable and on the other hand the darkness is so odious terrible as also because the obligations which lie upon us to love choose and prefer the light before darkness are so weighty and forcible For Christ earnestly desires it he graciously counsells it he strictly commands it and no less then a whole eternity of Glorious and unspeakable happiness depends upon it O think of these things 3. This sin of refusing Christ is a sin which leaves you without the least colour of excuse or room of appeal for ever which must argue it to be a great sin indeed First it leaves you without the least colour of excuse without the least coulour of excuse for sin and without the least colour of excuse why you should not die for sin This Christ himself is express in Joh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin but now they have no Cloak for their sin If I had not come and spoken to them viz. in the Gospel revealing my Father's will and offering my self and my Grace to them They had not had sin i. e. Not so great sin But now they have no Cloak no excuse for their sin Now they have no pretence to make nothing wherewith to colour or extenuate their sin The neglect and refusal of Christ leaves men altogether inexcusable and it will do so to be sure in the last day O when God in the day of his righteous judgment shall demand of men that have liv'd under the Gospel why they sin'd and having sin'd why they are found in their sins and being found in their sins why they should not die for ever what will they have to say by way
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
indeed this is that which gives all the rest an advantage against them but even this greatest Enemy Christ has conquered for them Hence he is said to have condemned sin in the flesh he for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 i. e. He by being made a Sacrifice for Sin hath killed and subdued Sin past a sentence of Death and Condemnation upon Sin for ever Hence also our old Man is said to be crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 Hence also he is said to destroy sin to take away sin and the like And how Why as to the Reign and Power as well as the Guilt and Curse of it And this Paul acted by the Spirit of Faith could triumph in even whilst he was in the sharpest conflicts with sin Rom. 7.23 24 25. I thank God through Christ sayes he For what why for victory over and deliverance from that Law of Sin he was now conflicting with 2. He has conquered Self for them Self as well as Sin is our deadly Enemy This indeed is a near close Enemy and most difficult to be slain This is an Enemy that we are too too loth many times to have destroyed and yet an Enemy which makes woful spoyl upon us and our happiness I often think of the Speech of an Holy and Learned Divine Oh sayes he if I could be Master of that House-Idol my Self my own my own Will Wit Credit and case how blessed were I O but we have need sayes he to be redeemed from our selves rather than from the Devil and the World And presently again he cries out O wretched Idol my Self When shall I see the wholly decourted and Christ wholly put in thy room And who that have any acquaintance with themselves do not find cause to cry out in like manner Oh this Self this wretched Self how great an Enemy is it Well but this Christ hath conquered and closing with him thou shalt by degrees find it to die and fall under thee Paul did so I am crucified with Christ sayes he nevertheless I live yet not I Gal. 2.20 He had an I a Self which ruled in him but by Christ 't was crucified and slain for him and he was a conquerer over it 3. He has conquered the World for them Take the World in what notion you will and 't is in one respect or other an Enemy to the Saints the Men of the World the Things of the World the Frowns of the World the Flatteries of the World they all one way or other fight against them and are Enemies to them The World as well as Sin and Self is a mortal Enemy to them But this Enemy also Christ has subdued and conquered for them and he has told them so much for their comfort under the oppositions they meet with from it Job 16.23 Be of good chear I have overcome the World sayes he q. d. the World is your Enemy but 't is a conquered Enemy 't will moless and oppose you but it shall not be able to hurt you for have conquered it for you And as he has conquered it for us so he will enable us closing with him by Faith to conquer it so 1 John 5.4 This is the victory which overcometh the World even our Faith The World shall not alwayes annoy and infest the Saints 4. He has conquered the Devil yea all the Devils in Hell for them The Devil is the Enemy of the Saints and indeed he is a formidable one an Adversary that goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 He is a subtil a potent a malicious a cruel and an indefatigable Enemy But so formidable an Enemy as he is Christ hath conquered him for them hence he is said to have destroyed the Devil he partook of flesh and blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 and to have spoiled Principalities and Powers and to have made a shew of them openly on his Cross tryumphing over them Col. 2.15 dragging them at his Charriot-Wheels as was the manner sometimes for Conquerers to deal by their vanquished Enemies The sum is that he hath made a compleat and glorious conquest over all the Devils in Hell for Believers He has conquered them even to triumph Christ has conquered the Devil for his Spouses as to his ruling reigning and commanding power and he will and does conquer him at last yea speedily as to his tempting vexing and seducing power The God of Peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16.20 Shortly Soul the Devil shall vex thee no more molest thee no more infest and annoy thee by his temptations no more 5. He has conquered Death for them Death is an Enemy and 't is the last Enemy that is to be destroyed so the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 15.26 and in it self considered a terrible Enemy 't is 't is the King of terrors Job 18.14 But this Enemy hath Christ conquered for all his He has taken away all its killing power its sting and curse in so much that they may holily triumph over it and rejoyce in its approach the Apostle did so 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. Death sayes he is swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ O what a triumph does he here act over Death through the conquest Christ has gotten over it for him Truly this Enemy is so far conquered by him for them that 't is become indeed a friend to them and they can when in a right spirit embrace it as such and long for it as such Christ by Death has unstung Death and in a sort undeatht it Thus Christ has conquered all his Peoples Enemies and they being made one with him in a Marriage-Covenant all his Victories are theirs and his Conquests theirs and they are conquerers over all in him and oh how sweet how incouraging is this and how should it win Souls to a close with him poor Soul thou seest thy self environed with Enemies thou art hard beset on all hands legions of Lusts and Devils attended with Self Death and the World oppose themselves against thee and thou art often crying out as David in another case 2 Sam. 3.19 I am weak and these men the Sons of Zerviah are too strong for me yea thou art ready to say of them as he sometimes in his unbelief did of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul Alas I am a weak nothing-Creature and am unable to grapple with the least of all mine Enemies and how then shall I stand up against them all surely I shall perish by them at last Well Soul but know for thy encouragement that all thine Enemies are conquered by Christ and though
thou seest thy self inwardly Black and deformed thou lyest in thy Blood and gore wallowing in thy sin and Filth neither is there any worth any Beauty in thee for which Christ should desire thee and therefore sayest thou surely Christ will have nothing to do with me nor so much as cast an eye or look of love upon me but soul this shall not stand between Christ and thee neither but if thou hast a mind to him he will Marry thee to himself notwithstanding For indeed Christ Marries not any for their Beauty but those whom he Marries he Marries to make them Beautiful He Marries them not for any worth of theirs but to put a worth upon them indeed there are none that he Espouses to himself but he finds them Black and deformed in their Blood and Gore as well as thee and so they are till he puts his Beauty upon them how sweet is that word Ezek 16.6 7 8. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy Blood i. e. in thy sin and filth I said unto thee live I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live yea when thou wast in thy Blood live Mark three times he mentions it in thy Blood in thy Blood in thy Blood To note the depth of that defilement we are all under well and what then will Christ have any thing to do with such yes he makes love to them Behold thy time was the time of love he Marries them to himself in an Everlasting Covenant I spread my Skirt over thee sayes he and covered thy makedness yea I swear unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Yea not only so but he puts a Beauty yea his own Beauty and comliness upon them hou art come to Excellent Ornaments and art comely through my comliness which I have put upon thee as Verse 14. O soul be not discouraged Christ will turn thy blackness into Beauty and not cast thee off because of it 3. Is it the greatness and Hainousness of thy sin and guilt O my sins my sins sayes the poor foul they are exceeding many and exceeding great they are many and great in themselves and they are cloathed with many and great aggravations Few in the World ever sinned at that rate that I have done therefore I fear that Christ will never own me so as to take me into such a Relation with himself Well be it so yet know that this shall not stand between Christ and thee if thou art willing to be Espoused to him He has promised to pardon great sins and to accept notwithstanding great sins in case the soul be but willing 〈◊〉 non says he And let us Reason together though your sins are as Scarâ—e◠〈◊〉 shall he white as Snow though they are red like Crimson they shall he as Hool Isa 1.18 Pecata vâ—stra sicut nix albescont c. Uoc est vos a peccatis 〈◊〉 iâ—â—mibas mundati 〈◊〉 niâ—is puâ—i eritis â—lais Gâ—ar Sâ—c Though your Sins are as Scarlet and as Crimsâ—â— i. e. Though they are great foul enormous Sins Sins of a hainous and crying nature and cloathed with the greatest aggravations yet they shall be White as Snow and Wool i. e. They shall be fully done away and pardon'd so fully done away and pardon'd as if they had never been So again Isa 43.24 25. in the 24 v. He speaks to some who had made him to serve with their Sins and wearied him with their iniquities These surely were great Sinners and their sins of a hainous crying nature and yet at the 25 v. what a full promise of pardon does he make to them I even 1 am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy Sins Poor Soul what shall I say Hast thou abundantly sinned Hast thou multiplied sins He has promised abandantly to pardon and to nothing pâ—â—dons Isa 55.7 Art thou guilty of all manner of sins and to thy other sins hast thou added Blasphemy He has promised that all manner of sin and Blâ—â—phemy shall be for given except that against the holy Ghost which thy complaining of the greatness of thy sins argues thou art not guilty of Mat. 12.31 O Soul be not discouraged because of the greatness of thy sins Christ marries souls not because they are not sinners great sinners but he Marries them to take away their sins and to discharge them from them for even And the greater thy sins are the greater will be the Glory of Christ's grace which is what he Aims at in receiving of thee into so near and Glorious a Relation with himself as this is Besides what wilt thou do with thy great sins unless thou goest with them to Christ Great sins argue a great need of Christ and call for great hastening unto Christ 4. Is it any former neglects or refusals of thine Possibly not onely are thy sins many and great but there is this added to all the rest long and frequent refusals of Christ and his love He has often called but thou hast given gim no answer he has long woo'd thee but thou hast not complied with him O the many sweet calls Gracious offers loving tenders which he has made to thee and thou hast Despised And this makes thee fear that he will now have nothing to do with thee And truly soul this is sad very sad hereby Christ has lost much Glory which thou mightest have brought him hereby thou hast lost much sweet communion which thou might est have enjoyed hereby Christ's heart has been much grieved which might have been prevented and hereby the work is made much more difficult then at first it was thy heart being grown more hard and Corruptions more strong Thus 't is every way very sad that thou hast thus neglected and refused Christ but yet neither shall this stand between him and thee in case thou art willing to be Espoused to him For this see Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. Wisdom Cryeth without she uttereth her voice in the Streets she cryeth in the chief place of concourse in the openings of the gates in the City she uttereth her words saying How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity And the Sconners delight in their Scorning and Fools hate Knowledge Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Pray observe Christ had offered himself and his love to them but they had refused him and it yea they had refused long and refused with much contempt How long ye Simple ones will ye love Simplicity c. They scorn'd the offers of Christ and his Love and yet here he renewes those offers to them wherein he tells them that none of all their refusals should prejudice their acceptance with him in case they are willing to be his Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit c. And soul do not the most
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
perfectly what manner of one thou wouldst be and how thou wouldst carry it towards him and yet all could not hinder him from shewing this favour to thee Why then shouldst thou think it will cause him to break with thee now The Soul may be apt to say Did Christ think I would be such a Wretch that I would so grieve him so offend him that I would carry it so unworthily towards him under all his love as I do Yea Soul Christ thought it yea he knew it perfectly before-hand in Deut. 31.21 't is said That God knew what Israel would do before-hand So Christ knew before-hand how thou wouldst fleight his Love grieve his Spirit violate his Laws he knew how thou wouldst offend and affront him by a proud vain wanton behaviour before him He knew how thou wouldst backflide and go a whoring from him and had he not seen and known that he had love enough and bowels enough to cover and pass by all he would never have made love to thee Hence when he betroths he is said to do it in judgment Hos 2.19 Christ knew what he did and what an one he married when he married thee to himself And as all could not hinder his love at first so neither shall it take off his love from thee now 3. Consider that thou mayest have many failings and miscarriages be guilty of many breakings with Christ and departures from him and yet the Marriage-Covenant between him and thee not be broken A Woman may be guilty of many failings and miscarriages many defects and misdemeanors and yet all not break the Marriage-Covenant between her Husband and her And so here O how sweet is that Scripture Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their iniqui-quities with a rod and their transgressions with stripes And what sollows Nevertheless sayes he my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Pray mark Christ's People may sin and sin greatly and he may sharply chastise them for their sins yea he may seem to take away his loving kindness from them and may really for a time suspend the influences and manifestations thereof but his Covenant-love and faithfulness to them that remains firm and stedfast to them for ever notwithstanding all So again Jer. 3.1 14. Though thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Turn O back-sliding Children for I am married unto you Mark though they had backsliden though they had played the Harlot though they had played the Harlot with many lovers yet Christ owns his Covenant-Relation to them and with them yea and he sends as it were his Covenant after them and by that fetches them home to himself O! whatever thy miscarriages are whatever thy breakings with Christ and departures from him have been yet being once married to him the Marriage-Union and Relation between him and thee remains firm and stedfast for ever notwithstanding all O but sayes the Soul my heart is still bent to backsliding from Christ and I am afraid I shall at last totally and finally depart from him and then farewel all I answer That Christ stands engaged to keep thee from true notwithstanding any thing in and of thy self if left by Christ thou wouldst be apt totally and finally to depart from him but Christ himself stands engaged to keep thee to him 'T is the very tenure of his Covenant with thee Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good and I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from me O Sirs not only is Christ's heart towards his People but he is engaged by Covenant to keep their hearts close to him and faithful with him at least so far as that they shall not totally depart from him and so their faithfulness to him does depend upon his faithfulness to them I 'le close this consideration with that known and great Scripture Rom. 8. latter end Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth and lest all these things should not reach the case of every Soul he adds nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. III. Consider that 't is not long e're the Lord Jesus thy dear Husband will come and consummate the Marriage between him and thy Soul And O how sweet will this be The Match here is but as it were begun between Christ and thee but Christ will shortly come and consummate it Behold the Bridegroom cometh Mat. 25.6 And again they that were ready went into the Marriage ver 10. and the Marriage of the Lamb is come Rev. 19.7 There is a time then when Christ will come to consummate the Marriage between him and Souls When he comes as to the World he comes as a Judge to condemn them to avenge the quarrel of his Gospel the quarrel of his Covenant the quarrel of his Blood all which they have rejected he comes to pass Sentence upon them for resisting his Spirit for contemning his Grace for breaking his Laws for neglecting his Salvation And O how dark will the day of his coming be to them But now to his own Spouses when he comes he comes as a Bridegroom And O how sweet will this coming of his be to them 1. Then he will turn all your Water into Wine Joh. 2. beg we read That Christ being at a Marriage he there turned Water into Wine And truly Soul when he shall come to consummate the Marriage between him and thee he will turn all thy Waters of Affliction into the Wine of sweet Consolation to thee He will turn thy Night into Day thy Darkness into Light thy Sorrows into Joys thy Mourning into Dancing thy Troubles into Rest thy Conflicts into Triumphs thy Labours into Reward thy mournful Lamentations into joyful Halelujahs Then will he fulfil that Scripture to thee Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more Death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Poor Soul now thine eyes are full of tears with holy David Thou goest weeping and mourning it may be all the day long but then all tears shall be wiped off thine eyes Now thou art in deaths often as the holy Apostle was but then there shall be no more death Now