The Marriage of the Lamb, Title page – Dedication
THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMBE. OR A Treatiſe concerning the ſpirituall eſpouſing of Chriſt, to a beleeving Soule, wherein the ſubject is fully handled in the nature of it, in the effects, priviledges, ſymptomes, with the comforts that ariſe to a beleever from this relation, wherein alſo the excellencie of Chriſt, and many other ſpirituall truths flowing from the ſubject are by way diſcovered.
By BENIAMIN KING, Miniſter of Gods Word at Flamſteed in Hartford-ſhire.
Revel. 21.9. Come hither, I will ſhew thee the Bride, the Lambes Wife.
LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes, for R.H. 1640.
TO The Right Worſhipfull, truly Worthy, and very much honoured Knight and Baronet, St Thomas Barrington, and to his truely vertuous Lady, Grace, Mercy, and Peace from the Fountaine.
Right Worſhipfull
MAny are thoſe Relations that Chriſt the Prince of Peace ſtands in towards beleevers, He a Father, they his children, he a Sheapheard, they his ſheepe, he an head, they his members, he a King, they his Subjects, he a Lord, they his Servants, he a generall, they his Souldiers, he an huſband, they his ſpouſe; and amongſt all theſe relations, not one enricheth the beleeving heart with more heavenly conſolation than this, of being a husband to his Church, for by this the beleever becomes aſſured of all things his heart can deſire, of Communion with Chriſt, of protection, preſervation, maintenance, ſpirituall and temporall, yea of heaven it ſelfe Chriſts ſpouſes joynture: of this moſt comfortable ſubject I have publiſhed this ſmall treatiſe, and the cauſe inforcing mee to the publication thereof, was the earneſt requeſt of ſome speciall and neere friends, whoſe affections were much moved with the Subject handled in the Pulpit: to ſatisfie their deſire (being no leſſe to me than a command) and for the comfort and Edification of Gods Church, I have endeavoured to publiſh the notes ſomewhat more fully handled than in the Pulpit, hoping that none will deſpiſe Timothie for his Youth, conſidering that out of the mouth of Babes the praiſe of God is perfected. Although I want not ſome private respects to inforce me to dedicate this my labour unto your Worſhips, as that I may give ſome open teſtification of my gratefull minde to you both, for thoſe perſonall favoure received, yet the chiefeſt reaſon was becauſe this Treatiſe ſeemes to be due to you both, who are joyned together not onelyonly in the common bonds of Matrimony, but as Aquila and Priſcylla, Zacharie and Elizabeth married together in the Lord and to the Lord Jeſus, as to one Husband: this relation to Jeſus Chriſt appeares by that high reſpect you ſhew to the ſpokeſmen and faithfull miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, by your Pietie and Zeale for the honour of the Lord Ieſus. Let Caeſar and Pompey contend for ſuperiority in fading and vaniſhing greatneſse. Let your Worſhips contend with an holy ambition for the obtaining and retaining of Gods favour, and an humble acquaintance and communion with his heavenly highneſſe, by keeping Faith and a pure Conſcience.
Let the men of this world, whoſe ſole portion is in this life, glory that they are crowned with a concurrance of preſent felicities. Let your Worſhips glory be, that together with a confluence of worldly contentments, the God of heaven hath crowned you with his Mercy and Grace in Chriſt, and eſteeme it your chiefeſt Honour that God hath made you Honourable with the Bereans for your love to the truth; with Iabez for your Piety and Devotion, and that he hath made you Noble with Theophilus for your love to God, his People, his Lawes, his Cauſe, which love of truth, piety, and devotion; love to God and his cauſe, ſhall give a luster to all your other greatneſse, and ſhall be able in the day of tryall and account, to make you ſtand like an unmoveable Rocke with triumphing confidence before the terrour of the last day, when all other worldly greatnes without the former ſhall ſhrinke in the wetting, and ſhall wiſh it ſelfe ſo little it could not be ſeene; in that ſhall call to the Mountaines to fall upon it and to cover it. The great God of heaven and earth, repleniſh your Noble hearts with a dayly increaſe of heavenly hords of Grace, and treaſures of Comforts in the practiſe of Holineſſe, and perſeverance in well doing, which may give you an earnest of thoſe inexhauſtable treaſures of joy and happineſſe, reſerved in the highest heavens for all that love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, this ſhall be the dayly prayer of him who humbly deſires to bee accounted
Your Worſhips trueſt friend and ſervant for the good of your Soules: BENIAMIN KING.