such married persons as believe and know the truth not to dwell together with their relations as persons of knowledge in the â—ight and instructions of the truth known by them and so the wife being in subjection to her own husband as it is fit in Lord therein also cheerfully submitting to and bearing that fruit of sin remaining upon her in this married condition for the Lord's sake and that with thankfulness to him that hath turned our water into wine our curses into blessings into sanctified instruments of good that so if any obey not the Word yet they also may be won by the conversation of the wives while they behold their chaste conversation coupled with fear c. And the husband giving honour to the wife as unto the weaker vessel so tendring and cheririshing And she being also a believer in Christ with him giving honour to her also as an heir together with him of the grace of life that is in Christ Jesus An heir of the same inheritance and having the same title and on the same account for in Christ Jesus is neither male nor female but ye are all one in him all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus for as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and as such the Grace known leads to give honour to her a peculiar kinde of honour in the Lord together with that in the flesh forementioned As likewise it teacheth husbands to love their wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might wash and sanctifie it c. and not to be bitter against them 1 Pet. 3. 1-7 with Eph. 5. 22-25 with Col. 3. 22 c. I shall not inlarge this discourse by further explication of these particular instructions and commandments given by the Lord Jesus unto believers onely say in general that it is shameful and dishonourable in them not to be found so demeaning themselves in the light of the Lord in which they have known and may further know these things and the blessing met with in doing them And be that knows his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes I might also here fitly place the discovery of another abuse of marriage and dishonourable demeanour in it which is found in another extream namely that of excess and insobriety or intemperance and inordinate affection for in all these things there is excess and then doth a man or woman exceed when their affection to and rejoycing in the present and worldly or natural injoyment of one another and use of the comforts refreshings and contentments of this life are not kept under and in subordination and subserviency to their love to him and glorifying his name by whom they have any comfortable enjoyment of those things and to the promoting the things of his Kingdom in them and by them Much more then when in stead of letting the moderation of our minde be known unto all men we love father mother wife or children more then Christ and that appears when we prefer their love and the injoyment of them before his love and injoyment of him and fellowship with him and the pleasing them before the pleasing and glorifying him and when we suffer ourselves to be swallowed up of and carried away after the delights pleasures and contentments of this life as in the injoyment of one another or in any creature-contentments And surfeit or fill ourselves with them that the heart is over-charged and the body unfitted for seeking or serving him or receiving and drinking in from him in the things of his Kingdom Or also so set our mindes and affections upon them that we cannot freely part with them for his sake or yeild them up to be at his dispose This great instruction contained in the first branch of this Text namely that Marriage is honourable in all considering how and by what means it becomes so and to what great end it is so made Teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. And so in this particular that we should every of us learn to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour and not in the lusts of concupiscence as others that know not God but so as devoted and consecrated vessels to the use and honour of him by whom all things which by sin were polluted and filled with shame are made clean and honourable to us 1 Thess 4. 3-5 And so not onely in this but in all things this instruction as well admonisheth to a sober and comely use of every creature not to live to ourselves our own lusts or the lusts of men in the injoyment and use of them but to him that dyed for us and rose again as remembring and considering that we could have had no mercy in meat drink cloaths or in any thing pertaining to this life but by the sacrifice of the Son of God made perfect through his personal sufferings by which peace was made nor any continuance of it after iniquities and abuses of grace committed by us but by his intercession who is our peace which clearly shews wonderful goodness and a gracious and glorious end of the Almighty towards us therein All which powerfully instructs us to aim at that as our great end in all our use of them that God in all things may be glorified and the things of his kingdom promoted 1 Cor. 10. 31 32. 2 Cor. 5. 15. with 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. But for this I refer the Reader to what is spoken afterwards more largely of sobriety in teaching in temptation 4. In the last place This whole consideration may be of further usefulness unto us to instruct and teach us by and upon occasion of earthly Marriages and in our seeking enjoyment and use of them and behaviour in them to be exercised in minding and considering the heavenly as in a resemblance and similitude appointed of God to that purpose That being in the first consideration of it the bottom ground and reason of this being clean and honourable to us and in the second and third considerations of it the end of this and all other creature-enjoyments being made so to us is first and chiefly to be looked to and minded by us in the beginning and whole proceed of our conversation for wisdom counsel and strength to order it aright and to be aimed at as the end of our conversation in all things For some helpfulness therefore herein I shall here put to minde some Instructions concerning that heavenly and spiritual Marriage especially as in the second Consideration of it which is that chiefly resembled by the earthly Marriage as they are set before us in this whole Consideration of the earthly Marriage which is honourable in all as by way of resemblance or similitude The Instructions I shall mention may be ranked under three Heads They are
to the precious bloud of Christ as declared in the Gospel or as the grace in him through it is discovered to them or have not submitted to the washing efficacie thereof not so received the love of the truth as to save them to baptize or wash them into Christ for righteousness and strength For these are still under the guilt of their former sins and so still reputed as such with God though from some other cause or reason they may have ceased from their former course of acting or walking in them or through decay of nature and so of the fleshly strength and lust their former sins may have left them yet the wrath of God abides on them even for those sins of their youth because they have not believed on the Name of the onely begotten Son of God And if still they abide in wilful ignorance and unbelief of that truth through the knowledge of which the Son makes free they are not free indeed for the soul being without this knowledge of God in Christ cannot be good not reconciled to God and so not washed from its sins and therefore so remaining till the day of Gods grace and patience pass away from them they shall die in their sins For if ye ye to whom that hath been testified in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit believe not saith our Saviour that I am he if with the heart ye embrace not or close not with the Testimony of Jesus The Christ in those manifestations of it brought to you to save you from your sins ye shall die in your sins Joh. 3. 18 36. 8. 24. with Prov. 19. 2. This description of Whoremongers and Adulterers that are so repuced of God according to his rule of judging men by Jesus Christ and the grounds of it may be further demonstrated from the Testimony of Jesus as to say 1. That they are children of disobedience to the grace of God that is by and through Christ and such onely that do abide under the guilt and imputation of sin from God so as to remain under his wrath for sin this or any other This is thus demonstrated The guilt of the disobedience of the first man Adam in which we have all sinned and of our natural uncleanness or filthiness of the flesh as meerly and necessarily from thence derived to us in which we are by nature altogether filthy sinners enemies to God full of all ungodliness unrighteousness fornication c. These being by imputation laid upon Christ or caused to meet together upon him and he having been made sin and a curse for them he hath thereby made peace and atonement with God for them and by himself purged them away from before the Father so that he hath redeemed us all mankinde of the Father from under the curse of the Law to himself The Father hath released us into his hands and judgeth no man otherwise then by Jesus Christ unto whom as our surety he hath remitted and released the old debt and first judgement he had against us and hath committed all judgement unto him so that in this his judging by Jesus Christ he holds no man under wrath or at a distance from his Majestie merely because they have a sinful Nature full of enmity to God and inclined to all that is contrary to his Law nor for such sinful actions as merely break forth through natural infirmity or violence of temptations nor shall there be any occasion for that Proverb in the eternal judgement of all men by Jesus Christ The fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge And though now men do bear some fruit of that first sin and natural sinfulness as thence derived in mortalities and death now reigning upon them yet is that death abolished the sting taken out of it and no man shall perish in it but be raised out of it and brought before the Judgement-seat of Christ For as by man came death so by man the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive from this death And now while they live here though in mortal state yet are they not by these fruits of sin remaining upon them nor for this filthiness of the flesh held out from God or under his wrath Col. 1. 20. Heb. 1. 3. Gal. 3. 13. Joh. 5. 22. Rom. 5. 18. Ezek. 18. 1. with 2 Tim. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. But this is the condemnation that when light is come into the world men love and chuse darkness rather and for this the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who withhold or smother the truth of God in unrighteousness and would not so receive it as to save them from their ungodliness and unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God was manifested in them and they liked not to retain God in their knowledge John 3. 19. Rom. 1. 18 29. Yet also II. That all that consent to sin so as to yeild up their members to commit or serve it or voluntarily follow after its sinful and unclean lusts and make provision for them to fulfill them that they are guiley before God and under wrath as sinning against that grace that brings salvation to all men this we learn from that branch of the testimony of Jesus that declares him in the vertue of his ransom for all a faithful testimony of Gods goodness to men in due time and therewith warning of the danger of hiding retaining and following the sins of the youth shewing the necessity of being washed from them and leading to repentance even so soon as there is any capacity in the soul to know any thing and strength to act voluntarily after their own choice so soon doth he prevent every man with his goodness that they are not left under a necessity of committing or serving sin nor are their sins and iniquities so left upon them that they may not by the grace of God deny and resist them for though they be naturally dead in sins and trespasses yet the dead are made to hear the voice of the Son of God that in hearing or adhering to what they are made to hear by his preventing grace they might live Though the spirit of a man be as a candle out that cannot light it self nor be lighted by a meer blowing upon it yet the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding that true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world is as we have said a testimony in due time a faithful witness therefore whoever sinneth he is of the Devil and hath voluntarily refused to see know or take notice of Gods goodness which bringeth salvation to all men in due season and therewith teacheth that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world 1 Tim. 2. 6. John 16. 8. Rom. 2. 4. Ezek. 33. 10. Joh. 5. 25. Job 32. 8.
of the world their bread shall be plentious and their waters sure Cloath and adorn them with the robe of his own righteousness in which he will make them acceptable before God and fill them with the fruits of it to manward which shall appear to praise at the day of Christ when he will beautifie the meek with salvation Guide them with his counsels and lead them into all truth and shew them things to come and direct their way and work in truth yea he will dwell in them and walk in them and have such spiritual fellowship with them as shall make them fruitful to the increase of the body and to the edifying it self in love and will own their children as his and be the God of them and their Seed and they shall be his sons and daughters And as a faithful Apostle and High Priest of their profession will manage them in it and be with them where-ever he lead them to uphold and strengthen them deliver them from all evil make all things work together for good to them plead their cause fight their battels perfect what concerns them and make their spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God before whom he will also confess their names and in due time receive them to glory 2. The subjection faithfulness and chastity of the Church to Christ unto which she is infinitely obliged by all this grace holiness and faithfulness of her Lord and husband is such as is resembled by that of the wife to her husband And surely it is such as in which she be holy as he is holy chastly devoted and set apart to him and for him as he for her sake hath sanctified himself that she might be sanctified through his truth and so partaker of his holiness that she be onely for him and for no other thing or person in his place that forgetting her own kindred and Fathers house she reverence and worship him as her onely Lord and husband and be subject to him in all things 1. Owning and acknowledging with thankfulness his name as put upon her and counting it her glory and honour to be known and called by it and bear the reproach of it and therefore confessing and not being ashamed of it before men yea commending it as the onely worthy name and not mentioning her own name or suffering her self to be known or called by that or by the name of any other person ordinance work or thing 2. Sitting down under his shaddow to rest satisfied with his fruit to rejoyce in him rest and stay upon him and that grace in him as a sufficient signe and witness of Gods love ground and foundation of faith and hope in God fountain of wisdom righteousness strength and of all things pertaining to life and goldliness for us and so as a sufficient and good rest and refreshing for us considering and feeding upon his flesh which he gave for the life of the world and drinking down his blood that was shed for the remission of our sins and for obtaining all fulness of Spirit and of grace and truth into him for us that so of his fulness we may receive and in such believing view and mindfulness of him and as his words are found discovering him in these things of him eating them and keeping them in our hearts so staying upon him and seeking rest and refreshing to our souls relinquishing for it all other signes witnesses or ways of seeking rest and so all confidence and rejoycing in the flesh and not following any desire of meat for our lust And so putting on and wearing his garments in seeking so to know him that through the knowledge of him we may be found in him our hearts and mindes stayed there and we cloathed with his righteousness before God to give us boldness and render us acceptable in his presence relinquishing for it that of our own and filled with the fruits of it to manward that may be to his praise and the adorning his Name and Doctrine and putting off for it the fruits and works of our own wisdom and desires the deeds of the old man 3. With purpose of heart cleaving and adhering to him as the onely Father of our spirits Lord and Master of our faith fear and worship towards God chief Bishop and Shepherd of our souls our Judge our Law-giver and our King to save us who onely is able to save and to destroy and having our eyes and hearts to him in his Testimony for all wisdom understanding counsel and strength and for all commandments and directions for walking before him and in his house and resting on his Name and the authority of his Testimonies for all O Lord other lords have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make mention of thy Name and so being subject to him in all things 4. To acquaint ourselves with him seeking and entertaining fellowship with him by an exercise of faith in his Testimony of what he hath done is doing and will do that thence we may prove the effectual working of it in our own spirits reconciling and conforming to him according to the greatness of his power which worketh in them that believe that therein also it may be fitted to our lips and we constrained and directed by him to such an holding it forth in word and conversation as in which we may have his presence and fellowship of his Spirit making us fruitful even in the bringing forth children by him and for him 5. To give him our loves not onely in the yeelding up souls and bodies by his mercies as a living sacrifice to be employed by him and at his dispose whose we are and not our own being double bought or bought in a double or twofold sense yea twice bought with one price his precious bloud and so the sacrifice of his own body made perfect through it with that in presenting and offering it to God the Father in heaven he redeemed and bought us of him from under the curse of the Law to be at his dispose and so he hath bought even them that deny him having given himself a ransom for all And with the same price in his presenting it spiritually by the Gospel to our hearts he hath redeemed or bought us off ourselves and out of or from this present world and our vain conversation therein unto himself that we should be a peculiar people to him c. Therefore we are not our own but by these mercies infinitely obliged to yeeld up to his use and dispose both souls and bodies which are his And not onely so to give him our loves but in the return of all again to him that we have received from him both in the praise and glory of it Not unto us not unto us but to thy Name and to thy grace in Christ for of thy goodness and bounty and of the sufficiencie of that grace have we all our sufficiencie and also in the improvement of it using it to him employing it