The Mystical Match Between Christ and His Church, Title page 1 – Title page 2

The Mystical Match Between Christ and His Church · Title page 1 – Title page 2

THE MYSTICALL MATCH BETWEEN Christ and his Church.

BY The late learned and reverend Divine.

JOHN PRESTON, Docter in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne.

The leading Sermon to that Treatise of his called The Churches Marriage.

CANT. 63.

I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine.

LONDON, Printed for Francis Eaglesfield, and are to be sold at the Marigold in S. Pauls Church-yard. 1648.

To the Christian Reader.

WHen the Sermons of this reverend Divine intituled the Churches Marriage, were first published, this Sermon was not come to the hands of those who were instrumentall in setting forth the work: who yet were willing rather to send it so abroad, then that so many excellent truths should be lost. This Sermon since, coming to my hands, taken by a skilfull scribe from the Authors mouth, I thought fit to adde it to the rest, lest the work should seem a body without a head. My pains is saved for speaking any thing concerning the worthy Author, or his Works, it is sufficiently done by those reverend Divines that have been the publishers of them, therefore commending this to thee, and thy self to Gods blessing, I rest

Thine in any Christian office T S.

p. 1THE CHVRCHES MARRIAGE.

EPHES. 5. 32.

This is a great mystery, but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church.

THE poynt out of these words is this, that, There is a match between Doct. There is a match betweene Christ and the ChurchChrist and the Church: and consequently, betweene Christ and every particular man that is a member of the true body of Christ; this is the great Mystery the Apostle tells us of in this place. To open which, let us consider wherein this match It consisteth in five things.consisteth, what similitude it hath with the ordinary marriage which is betweene a man and his wife here upon earth, it consisteth in these five things.

p. 2First, as in marriage there must bee consent of 1 Consent of Parents.the parents, so here, the Father hath given his Sonne to us, and likewise hee hath given us to the Sonne; wherein wee are to consider the great mercy of God, that hee would bestow his owne Sonne upon us, which is the reason why the Apostle saith in Ephes. 1. Blessed be God, even the Father Ephes. 1.Eph 1of our Lord Iesus Christ, that hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ, that is, that hath given us his owne Sonne, and with him all things else, and Him likewise for us, when we were cast away men. That thus he should give us to his Son, and match us with him, that is the first thing.

The second thing in marriage, is the mutuall consent of the parties themselves that are to match 2 Consent of parties.together, wherein wee are in the first place to consider, the consent of the Sonne, the Husband, because wee know that the man is the suitor, hee begins, and if hee had not, who could have knowne the minde of the LORD IESUS, that he would match so lowe, that hee would match with sinfull dust and ashes, except himselfe had declared it, his Church seekes not first to him, not because modesty forbids it, but because shee knew no such thing, that there was such an Husband for her; shee indeed had most neede to seeke, because shee stood in neede of such an Husband, Christ matches with her, not for any neede he had of a wife, but onelyonly for the neede his wife had of him. Now his Father from eternity had ordained this Wife for his Sonne, and therefore hee must have her, p. 3and he could have no other. Therefore, first see if 1 Christs consent.the Sonne bee willing, for this hee hath declared it plainely in his Word. Wee are Ambassadors, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. beseeching you in Christs stead, 2 Cor. 5. Matth. 22.2 Cor 5Matt 22to bee reconciled to God, and in Matth. 22. you see all were invited to the Marriage, and all those speeches; Goe preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven, and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden: and that in Revel. 22. Let whosoever will Revel. 22.Rev 22come; this I say, declares the consent of the Sonne that he is willing.

Now, secondly for our consent, wee have that 2 Our consent wrought. 1 By discovering our danger.wrought by the holy Ghost, by a double worke.

One is a worke of the holy Ghost, discovering to us the thraldome, and bondage, the death and danger wherein wee are, and also discovering to us our owne sinfulnesse, which is necessary, because a man is ready to bee conceited of himselfe, and so is somewhat coy, and unwilling to yeeld to the suit of Christ, but when the holy Ghost hath shewed a man what hee is, that he is such a one as hee never thought himselfe to be, he then begins to think, that hee is unworthy that the Lord should vouchsafe him so much favour; he is ready to say as Abigail said to David, when she was spoken to, to bee his wife, Lord what am I, that thou shouldest so far respect mee? Let thy handmaid wash the feete of my Lords servants, I am worthy of no better office; I say, this is one worke of the holy Ghost, thus to prepare us to this match.

The other is to present Christ unto us, and to 2 Presenting Christ.fit him above all the world for us in our apprehensions, p. 4which is done by the work of the holy Ghost manifesting Christ, and his beauty; when Christ comes to joyne our love, hee is faine to use his skill to joyne us: and all that wee can doe to set him at, is nothing, except the holy Ghost shew you Iesus Christ, and except withall, hee make a secret impression upon the heart, except there bee a secret instinct wrought in us, causing us to long after Christ, we shall never bring our hearts to consent to this Marriage. Now therefore, as there goes a secret vertue from the Load-stone, that makes a secret impression upon the iron, and when that is done, the iron rests not, but drawes neare to the Loade-stone, so the holy Ghost that is sent from the Father, makes an impression upon our spirits, that wee have no rest till wee obtaine Christ. This is called in Scripture, a Drawing to Christ; None comes to me except the Father draw him, that is, except the Father worke powerfully upon him, and make him willing to come: for that is the meaning of drawing, when the Lord turnes as it were the will of a Lion, makes him a Lamb, when he gives another will.

This consent must not bee mentall onelyonly, kept 3 What consent it must bee,within the breast, but there must bee an expression of this consent, and it is in a mutuall covenant; so then the third thing is the Covenant betweene Christ and us, which is an everlasting covenant on both sides, an everlasting covenant on Christs part to bee ours, to bestow himselfe on us and all that is his, whether salvation, remission of sinnes, sanctification, glory, his death, obedience, all p. 5hee did or is, all is ours: and againe, a covenant on our part, to give up our selves to him, and this for ever, and all that is ours: as our sinnes are made his, so all the good wee receive from him, wee promise to imploy to his service. Now, this is but as the Espousals.

The fourth is that union that followes upon this, 4 Vnyon.and the solemne celebration of the Marriage which is done in Baptisme, when you were asked this question, even as it is in ordinary marriage, Will you have this man to your wedded husband, will you take him for better and for worse, will you bee content to renounce all others and to bee alone to him, to serve and obey him? so in Baptisme it was ask't: Will you bee content to deny ungodlinesse, and worldly lusts, to renounce the world, the flesh and the Devill? &c. When men were of riper yeeres and converted, this was answered to by word of mouth from the party himselfe, and now when you are baptized young, it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are under-age, which when they come to age they use not to disavow, but are obliged to confirme it: of that force is Baptisme unto us. This I say, is the solemnizing as it were of the nuptials betweene Christ and us, when we are baptized into his Name, when wee leave the former name that wee had before; as a wife doth, wee forsake father and mother and cleave to him, so that a man is no more sui juris, but is given up to this Husband, to live after his will, to bee subject to him in all things, and take him even as hee taketh us; hee takes us to p. 6keepe us in sickenesse and in health, not to cast us off, notwithstanding our insirmities, but to keepe to us and communicate himselfe alone to us, and not to reprobate men cast off; so we take him with all crosses and afflictions, that attend the profession of him, to follow him through thicke and thinne, as well in adversity as in prosperity, to keepe the soule chaste to him, and not to prostitute it to any lust or any creature.

The last, is the consequents of this Marriage and union, wee have part in his goods, whatsoever 5 Consequents of it.is his, is ours, and ours is made his, our debts are made his, and againe, all his honours and riches, and priviledges are made ours, there is an union betweene the parties, My beloved is mine, and I am his, and then we have interest in all that is his.

Wee come now to apply this, and make some use of it.

First, if there be such a match, betweene Christ and every beleever, so that no man is partaker of Vse 1. To see that wee have Christ himselfe ere we apply his benefits.any thing that is Christs, except hee hath him first; then take heede of applying the benefits of Christ preposterously to thy selfe, for except thou have him first, it is but a vaine conceit to thinke any thing of his belongs to thee, to thinke of remission of sinnes and adoption, and all the priviledges, and to apply them to thy selfe, and to thinke when thou art but once perswaded of it, to thinke so, that they are presently thine, I say, this is but a meare dreame and conceit, except thou bee married to Christ, that thou have the Lord himselfe, thou hast nothing to doe with any p. 7thing that is his, Hee that hath the Sonne hath life, and all things pertaining to life and Godlinesse, but hee that hath not the Sonne, hath nothing, neither life, nor any thing else. Therefore that you bee not deceived, you must looke on this as the ground of all your comfort: am I married to Christ? Is the match made betweene me and him? if it bee not, know that whatsoever thou thinkest of forgivenesse of sinnes, of any blessing, spirituall or temporall that it is thine, thou dost but deceive thy selfe therein with vaine words, it is not thy perswasion, that makes the match, this is a poynt of great weight, therefore examine thy selfe strictly herein.

You will say, how shall I know it?Quest. Answ. How to know wee are matched to Christ.

I answer, you shall know it by this.

First, consider whether thou have the consent of the Sonne: for that is the first thing, as was said, thou must consider, whether the Sonne have given his consent our no: Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his consent, but doest thou beleeve 1 By Christs consent which is accompanied.that? hast thou applied this word to thy selfe? there are two things which beare record with the Sonne that he is willing to match with us, and that is the Word and the Spirit: and consider if both have come home to thy heart yea or no, to testifie this.

First, I say, Christ hee hath declared his will to match with us in his Word: for though there be 1 With the Word.no particular promise to Iohn or Thomas, or to any particular man, to say Christ is willing to marry p. 8thee, yet there is the generall that includes the particular, as wee finde the substance of this generall, All that receive him shall bee saved; then sayes the Soule, but I am one that am contained under this generall, this generall speakes to mee as well, and that as surely and as certainely, as if a Messenger were sent from heaven to assure me that the Son is willing to match with mee, for thou must looke what ground thy faith hath had, whether thou didst finde such a word as this, and whether thou canst apply it to thy selfe, and hast laid hold upon it, and by resting on it, hast put thy seale to it, that God is true in such a speech as this: For you must know my beloved, that Faith must have a word, that is the proper object of Faith, for if Faith had nothing else for its object but a perswasion, or fancy of our owne, faith were but a weake thing, for it would alter according to the object and ground upon which it is pitched: now a mans owne opinion it is changeable, and mutable, but therfore we are said to be rooted and grounded in faith because it hath a sure foundation, there is a rocke for faith to bee built on, which the gates of Hell cannot prevaile against: now the rock upon which faith is built, it is the Word of God, so that that faith, whereby thou beleevest thou art justified, that thou art grafted into Christ, that thou art matched with him, that he is become thy Husband, I say even that faith of thine must have a Word of God to be grounded upon, thou must finde something in the Word that must testifie to thee that Christ is willing to match with thee, for you know there is p. 9no match without mutuall consent, and therefore the first thing when thou commest to bee married to him, is to know that there is such a match, and that the Sonne is willing to match with thee.

Now how should any man in the world know that, except he declare himselfe? and how canst thou know hee hath declared it, but from some word, from somewhat that he hath revealed in the Scripture, to which all those places that I named before doe serve, Goe preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven, and Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavy laden, &c. and wee are Ambassadors Mat. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19.Matt 112 Cor 5:19beseeching you to bee reconciled. These and the like are the sure Word of God upon which thy faith must bee grounded, so that thou commest to say thus to thy selfe, well, whatsoever come of it, I am sure there is a corner stone, on which whosoever is built, shall not be ashamed nor deceived, I am sure of it from a word that the Lord hath confirmed with a seale, and with an oath, and therefore I rest upon it. And it is not a bare word, that Christ hath given to assure us of this, which is a signe it is a hard thing for us to beleeve it, it is no easie thing, for there is added to the word a seale, and it is confirmed with an oath, so then that is the first thing thou art to consider, whether thy faith hath beene pitcht upon som such word, and whether thou hast applied that word to thy selfe or no.

In the next place beside this word, there is a witnesse from the spirit, there is a wondrous worke 2 The spiritof the Holy Ghost, which saith to a mans heart, bee of good comfort, feare not, I am thy salvation. If you p. 10say to me what needs the witnesse of the spirit? is not the Word enough? if Christ declare himselfe so farre that in plaine tearmes he is willing to match with us, what need the speciall witnesse of the Holy Ghost?

I answer, there is very great neede of it, because Answ. Necessity of the witnesse of the spirit.the Word of it selfe is not able to comfort, and quicken and releeve us, it is not able to beget in us peace, and joy, and righteousnesse, but it is even like a dead letter, it is a cold dead thing, able to doe nothing with the heart of man without the Spirit, this we finde by experience, the clearest arguments, and the most comfortable that the Scripture useth to comfort a man in distresse that hath his Conscience troubled with the apprehension of his sin, and of Gods wrath, they are all nothing till it please God to send his owne Spirit to beare witnes to a mans spirit.

You will say, what is this witnesse of the Spirit?Quest.

I answer, it is a certaine divine expression of Christ to the soule, whereby a man is secretly assured Answ. Witnesses of the spirit what.without any argument or reason, that hee is his salvation: for you must know, that there are indeede two things besides that confirme this truth to us, that is, the ground wee have in the Word, and the effects and fruits of sanctification, but both these doe it by way of argument; for when a man argueth thus, I see this generall proposition, All that believe shall bee saved, but I am one that believe, therefore I am one that am contained under the generall pardon; this I say, p. 11is by way of argument. So againe, I finde in my selfe the fruits and effects of sanctification, and I am sure none are sanctified, but they are also justified, and they have received the Spirit of Christ, therefore I know I am one that belongs to him, all this is but the witnesse of our owne spirits, for these are but collections, that our owne spirits gather as a conclusion from the premisses; but now the witnesse of the Spirit, the witnesse of the holy Ghost, it is a distinct thing from this, therefore Rom. 8. 16. it is said, to witnesse Rom. 8. 16.Rom 8:16together with our spirits, and therefore is a distinct witnesse from our spirits, that indeede witnesseth the same things, but the witnesse is distinct from that of our owne spirit, and that is without any argument or reason at all, being a secret manifestation made to the soule, whereby wee are comforted and assured, that our sinnes are forgiven, and that Christ is willing to match with us. Now consider if thou wouldest know whether thou bee one that is matched with Iesus Christ, whether thou have this double witnesse or no, of the Word and of the Spirit.

You will say, hath every one this secret testimony?Quest.

I answer, that every one hath it in some degree, Answ. Every one hath it in some degree Rom. 8. 16.Rom 8:16more or lesse, for that same in Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits, is a generall proposition, it concernes all beleevers, even with every mans spirit, the Holy Ghost beares witnesse, but then wee must take the words in the right sense; It is true, in some the Spirit speakes more evidently and audibly, p. 12with joy unspeakeable and glorious, the flashes of comfort are much more bright and glorious to some then to others, and such speciall witnesses of the HOLY GHOST are very rare, and dispensed to us for some speciall purposes, commonly after some great humilitation or prayer, or to prepare us for some great enterprize, or some speciall conflict, they are even as the apparitions to Abraham, and Iacob, and Paul, were, Acts 23. 11. Be of good courage Paul, thou must beare witnesse of mee at Rome, &c. so when he was at Corinth, Acts 23. 11Acts 23:11Paul bee of good comfort; I am with thee. Acts 18. 9. All these were on speciall occasions: so I say there are some speciall witnesses of the HOLY Acts 18. 9.Acts 18:9GHOST, when the HOLY GHOST speakes evidently, and these are dispensed to us according to the good pleasure of God, and commonly it is added for some speciall purpose: now I say, not that every one hath this kinde of testimony, but every one hath so much witnesse from the HOLY GHOST as doth uphold his spirit, that Christ is willing to match with him, that hee hath or may have interest in him, and in all the priviledges of his death; this I say, every one hath more or lesse, although those speciall degrees of the evident speaking of the Holy Ghost, are dispensed but to some, and to those that have it, but for a speciall time: this is the first thing.

The second thing thou art to enquire into (if thou wovldest know if there bee any such match, 2 By our owne consent.betweene Christ Iesus and thee,) what thy owne consent hath beene and is, which herein is not in p. 13words onelyonly, but is given then, when they heart and affections doe, or can make this answer, that thou art willing to match with the Lord Iesus, and this I give as a signe to examine thy heart by; for it is not in the power of any man living to bring his heart to this consent, nor is any creature able to doe it, you may as well bring fire and water to agree together, as to bring the heart of a naturall man to be willing to match with the Lord, but it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost that must mould the spirit a new, and breake all in pieces, and cast thee into a new frame, that must make thee willing to come into so neare a Communion with the LORD IESUS, for our spirits are quite contrary to it.

OnelyOnly concerning this, take this caution, that it is not so much what thou art willing to say in Caution.any case or condition, for it may bee a man may bee willing sometimes to match out of feare, or hope, or out of some by respect, I say, he may be willing to doe any thing; and to bee married to Iesus Christ, but it is another thing when a man can say, that it is the inward bent of his will, to have it done, it is the bent of his inward affection, the streame of them runnes that way; this must bee wrought by the Holy Ghost. And take Our consent must not be.heede thou bee not deceived in it, for there are many unsound and false conceits, some there are that are willing to match with Iesus Christ, when they are in extremity, when they are on their 1 OnelyOnly in extremity.death-bed, when they know not how to shift for themselves, but alas, such a consent is farre off p. 14from being a right consent, there is no freedome in this consent, that contract that is made thorow threatning, it is but a compelled and constrained consent, this is not that which thou canst ground on, and yet this is a frequent thing, when men are in straits, that they know not what to doe, then they are willing to match with Christ. Besides it may bee a man is willing to match with Iesus Christ for a time, to serve him for a fit, for 2 Not for a fit.a monethmonth or a yeere, but art thou willing to make an everlasting covenant with him? you know that such a covenant is required in Marriage, that women give up themselves to their husbands so long as they live together. Now ordinarily when a man considers this seriously, What, must I forsake my pleasure for ever? must I live to Iesus Christ, and no more to my selfe? must I bestow all my time upon him, and have no more liberty? here a man makes a stand, hee is not willing to make such a covenant with him, such an everlasting Covenant; therefore consider whether thy consent be for perpetuity. Moreover, it may bee thou art willing to match with him in some good mood, when thou art in a good fit, but that 3 In good moodes.may bee but a flash. There are many that for a fit in some good mood, when their hearts are wrought on, by some powerfull preaching of the Word, or some transient action of the holy Ghost, they are willing to match with Iesus Christ, but this holds not.

Besides againe, many are willing to match with Christ hereafter, but they are not content to doe p. 154 hereafter.it for the present, but you know it is essentiall to the Marriage Covenant, that it be in verbis de praesenti, for the present, that is, I doe take this man for my wedded husband, &c. not that I promise I will, but that I am willing at this time, to give up my selfe to him, this present resigning of ones selfe; this is the consent that makes the Marriage. But Errours in mens consent.that wee may shew all these false consents, I will runne thorow them briefely.

First, there is in some an errour concerning the person, when men are ready to take Iesus Christ, 1 In the person.and yet do not conceive aright of him. Whereas the Lord hath dealt plainely with us, as if he meant not to circumvent us, and tells every man aforehand, that if he will match with him, he must make account to take up his Crosse, and deny himselfe, he must make account to bee wholly to him. Now, when a man lookes on Christ, and conceives him under another notion, and thinks he shall live another kinde of life more free and loose, and thinkes this strictnesse is not required at his hands by Christ, now there is an errour in the person, and that makes the Marriage frustrate; therefore take heede you bee not deceived in this, for thou must know this, that when thou art once married to the Lord, then thy will must bee subject to his will, thou must bee content to obey him in all things, thou must bee content to forgoe all, and resisine up thy selfe to him, and live no longer to thy selfe, but to him.

Yet, there is another errour, that commonly 2 VVhen we take not the Lord alone.runnes along with mens consent when it is not p. 16right, which is, when a man is not willing to take the Lord alone, but joynes others with him, when a man will so match with Iesus Christ, that hee seekes other things too, when hee will seeke honours with him, and seeke wealth, and seeke the pleasures of this world. Now, if thou match with Christ, know this, that thou must be content with him alone, thou must not joyne pleasures, and Christ together, thou must not joyne covetousnesse, and him together, thou must not seeke praise with men, and think to match with Iesus Christ, thou must bee content to bee divorced from all other things and be to him alone, and take heede, that this deceive thee not.

And lastly consider, whether this consent that 3 Imperfect consent.thou give, be a perfect consent; for there is a certaine imperfect consent that deceives many, when a man hath (as I may so speake) a kinde of wambling that way, but it doth not boyle up to that full height of resolution, when a man makes some kinde of offer, he makes well toward it, but he doth not fully resolve to match with the Lord Iesus, and this is that, that excludes many from this match, that, though they have a kinde of willingnesse and velleity, yet it doth not come to a fixed, solid, peremptory resolution. Now, you must know this, that whosoever matcheth with Iesus Christ, must be so fully resolved, that he must bee shooke off againe with nothing: this resolution when it is imperfect and by halves, when thou doubtest whether thou shouldest doe it or no, this is a consent that is not accepted, all p. 17this while there is an errour on thy part, this is the second thing to bee considered, as thou must consider whether thou beleevest the consent of Iesus Christ, so I say in the second place, if thou wouldest know whether there bee a match betweene Iesus Christ and thee, consider what thy owne consent is, and take heed thou bee not deceived in it.

Thirdly, to know whether there bee a match 3 Way to know wee are matched to Christ by our union.betweene the Lord and thee, consider whether there bee an union made betweene you and him: now, this union with Christ, it is not meerely a relative union, such as is betweene husbands and wives, but besides this, there is a reall union, when CHRIST sends his Spirit into the heart; therefore thou must consider, whether thou have the Spirit of thy Husband dwelling in thee or no, for except thou have the holy Ghost to dwell in thy heart, it is impossible that there should bee any match, for there will bee alwayes jarres and dissentions betweene you, when thou hast the same Spirit, then there is the same will, the same desires, you love and hate the same things; therefore in considering, whether there be a match or no, this is a great thing, it will not deceive you, By the Spirit.consider whether thou have the Spirit of thy husband. I finde that the Apostle in all his Epistles, hee takes this as the sure argument to perswade himselfe and others, that they were grafted into Christ, that they had received the earnest of the Spirit, I neede not name to you particular places, they are so exceeding frequent. If p. 18any man have not the Spirit of Christ, hee is not his. Rom. 8. but if you have the Spirit, you are sure you have the Sonne. Consider therefore, whether Rom. 8.Rom 8you have this Spirit in you or no, whether thou walke according to the Spirit or the flesh, guided and led by the Spirit of Christ in all, for that is the way to know if thou have the Spirit. A man may walke after the vanity of his owne heart, A man may walke after the vanity of his owne mind, when yet he hath some good motions and good desires; so that if thou wouldest try thy selfe, whether thou hast the Holy Ghost, the spirit of thy Husband, thou shalt find it by thy constant course, as you have it, Gal. 5. If you have the spirit, live in the Spirit, that is, consider what thine ordinary course is, whether thou be guided by the Gal, 5.Holy Ghost or no.

To know whether this spirit dwell in us or no, wee must not take it upon conceit and fancy, but The worke of the Spirit in us.you shall finde it by reall and sure effects. If you have the Spirit, he will be as fire in you, I will Baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, that is, the Holy Ghost shall be as fire; now the nature of fire is, to discover it selfe where it is. If the Spirit be in thee, hee will bee as the Pilot in the ship, hee will direct thy course, and build up the Kingdome of Christ in thy heart, that is the third thing, consider whether thou have the Spirit of the Sonne.

Fourthly, if thou wouldest know whether Christ have matched with thee, then be sure of this, that 4 VVay by sanctification.he hath washed thee from thy filthinesse, looke to that as another marke whereby thou maist discerne p. 19it: For though IESUS CHRIST marry thee when thou art in thy bloud, yet when thou art married once, he suffers thee not to continue so, but hee will clense and wash thee from it, as we see in this Chapter, the Apostle exhorts Husbands to love their Wives, as Christ loved the Church, and gave himselfe for it, that hee might sanctifie, and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word, that he might presentit to himselfe a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinckle, or any such thing, but that it should bee holy without blemish; marke it, when Christ hath married thee, his end is, to present thee pure, to wash thee. Now consider whether thou find thy selfe cleansed from thy filthinesse, and from all filthinesse, for when hee washeth any, hee washeth them from top to toe, though not fully in respect of degrees, yet he suffers not any spot or wrinckle, to remaine constantly upon them. For the meaning is, not that this wishing is perfected suddainly, when wee come to heaven, there shall not bee the least wrinckle at all: but notwithstanding he so washeth them here, that there is no spot remaines, How far the Saints are washed.that is, they allow not themselves in any sinne, that they wallow not in any puddle, hee so clenseth them from every sinne, that it doth not abide there, a beleever is still purifying himselfe, though he be still defiled; therefore consider with thy selfe, whether Christ have thus clensed thee from all pollution of flesh and spirit. Beside in this washing, hee doth not onelyonly clense thee from all outward defilements, but he will wash thee from thy filthy nature, not onelyonly from the outward p. 20staynes, but from that swynish nature: for though a swine be washed cleane, if she retuaine her nature, shee will be ready to fall into the next puddle shee meetes with; but now when Christ washeth his Church, hee washeth them from the filthinesse of their nature, even every man whom hee washeth: Therefore consider if thou finde this purifying of the Holy Ghost or no; for whosoever is washed by Christ, there is a certaine simplicity and plainnesse of heart, that though he fall into sinne, yet his heart is upright with Christ, as wee see in 2. Cor. 11. 3. 4. I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I have prepared you for one husband, to present 2 Cor. 11. 3, 4.2 Cor 11:32 Cor 11:4you a pure Virgin to Christ, I feare least as the Serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should bee corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Marke, the Apostle speakes of the Church, as it is in this life, my endeavour is to present you as a Virgin, what is that? that you bee not corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, but that you may have a plaine heart, that hath no deceit, that there be not a double minde. Christ so farre cleanseth, that the heart is upright in every thing, therefore by that thou shalt know whether thou be washed or no, for though Iesus Christ marry us when we are Ethiopians, yet when he hath married us, he puts a beauty upon us. Consider whether this beauty be put on thee or no, whether thou bee so washed from thy filthinesse, that there doth a new beauty appeare, that that naturall blacknesse of thine bee removed throughout: indeed it is removed but in part for degrees, but yet there is a generall, throughout removing of it all over.

p. 21Lastly, if thou wouldest know whether thou be matched or no with him, consider whether thou 5 The wedding garment. Matth. 22.Matt 22have the wedding garment. In Mat. 22. and Luke 14. you shall finde the parable of the King inviting men to the marriage of his sonne, and there are many that come, but one of them wanted a wedding garment: What is the meaning of that? many men come to the wedding for cheare, many for the benefit they might receive, or such by respects, because they would doe as others doe, because they might escape censure; many motives there might be to bring men to this marriage feast: but now to have the wedding garment, that is the tryall.

Now what is the wedding garment?

It is a wedding affection, it is to love the Bridegroome Wedding garment what▪himselfe, his person, for we are not onelyonly guests, wee are not so to understand it, but such guests as withall are married to the Son. Now he that comes to this wedding without a conjugall wedding affection, he comes without the wedding garment; therfore consider with thy selfe whether thou have that affection or no.

You will say, what is this marriage affection?Quest. Ans. 1. Marriage affection what? 1 To prefer Christ.

I answer, it is such an affection whereby a man pitches on Christ, hee chuseth him before all others, as his Husband: the wedding affection, is such an affection, as when one prefers her husband before all others: Consider whether there be such an affection, that thou canst preferre Iesus Christ, before all things in the world besides.

Againe consider, whether thy affection bee fixed p. 222 To looke to his person.on his person: for the affection of an harlot may be towards her husbands goods, and toward the commodities and benefits by him; but art thou able to love the person of Iesus Christ, so as to delight in him, and desire his presence, and seekest him, so that thou carest not for any thing so thou maist have him? this is to have a wedding conjugall affection: but this is not all that makes the marriage garment.

Consider besides what boldnesse thou hast in his presence, for perfect love casts out feare: now by 3 Boldnesse.perfect love, is not meant onelyonly love in the perféction, that is growne to a height, (such wee shall not have, till wee come to heaven) but by perfect love is to bee understood sincere love: therefore if thou wouldest know if thou have the wedding garment, whether this conjugal affection be wrought, thou shalt know it by the boldnes thou hast with thy husband: wilt thou say, thou art married to him, and yet darest not speake to him, but lookest on him, as on a Iudge, as a hard Master, or a stranger? that thou darest not aske any thing of, or if thou dost, thou knowest not whether thou shalt obtaine it? there is a certaine boldnesse and familiarity goes along with this, is there such a disposition put into thy heart?

Besides this is not all, there doe withall accompany this all spirituall graces, that cloathe thy 4 Spirituall graces.soule, that doe alter the habit of it, for there is something understood in the similitude of a garment, as importing the very cloathing that the soule weares, when it hath another habit than it p. 23had before. Now this cloathing is a party-coloured garment made of all the graces of the Spirit; therefore if thou wouldest know whether thou have this wedding garment or no, thou must looke to every grace, for the Image of God is nothing else, but the bundle and heape of all graces: as the olde man, the image of Satan, and the first Adam is the heap of all corruptions; so this wedding garment, this Image of the new Adam, it is that which consists of all the graces, these must cloath thy soule.

And now beloved, when this is done, the second thing that we are to doe after this examination, is,

To perswade every man to bee content to take Vse 2. To perswade, men to take Christ.Iesus Christ for his Husband. If already you be in Christ, wee have no more to doe, but to exhort you, but to continue and intend that desire, and affection, and love to your Husband; but if upon this examination you finde you are yet strangers, I say the next use we are to make of it, is to bring your hearts to a willingnesse to match with him. Now to perswade you to this, I will pitch briefly on these three particulars.Motives. I Our necessity of him.

First, consider whether thou bee able to live without a husband or alone? The truth is, thou must marry of necessity, or thou art undone; for it is the case of every man which is said of the Captive woman in Deut. 21. when they had overcame a City, if there were a woman among them Deut. 21.Deut 21to whom they had a favour, they might marry her if they would, if shee consented, shee saved her p. 24life by it. I say, that is the case of every man living, that when wee were all exposed to death, Iesus Christ had a favour to us, and we must marry him or we dye for it. Now therefore when he shall be a suitor to thee, consider what thou hast to say, art thou able to live without him? art thou able to pay thy ransome? certainely thou art not able, and is it not then a madnesse in thee to refuse? Consider what is thy debt, and consider thou 1 Our debtart bound to pay the utmost farthing which the Lord requires at thy hands: when a man considers seriously of this, that every idle word, every sinne of omission, or that is committed, is a debt, and stands upon his owne score, and that himselfe is not able to pay, this will make a man begin to looke about him. My beloved, all the afflictions, that wee have in this life, they are but a paying the use money required for the debt, the maine debt remaines intire, that must bee Simile.payd at that day, the day of wrath, at the day of declaration of the just Iudgement of God; therefore consider first thy debt, and withall consider thy poverty. 'Tis true, though thou wert in debt, if a Poverty.thou hadst somewhat to pay it, it were another matter. And indeed, many men are puffed up with a conceit, and thinke they have something to pay, and this is the case of all hypocrites, that thinke they have some good workes, they have done many good things, they come to Church duely, &c. But you must know that all this will not pay your debt, as it is Revel. 3. I counsell thee to buy of me gold, that thou maiest be rich. p. 25Revel. 3.Rev 3Till a man hath a husband, till he have Iesus Christ, all the workes he doth are little worth.

I, but though a man bee in debt, and have not Object.a penny to pay his debt, yet there is usually a time given, a man is not cast presently into prison.

I answer, though thou bee not, yet thou art in Answ. Though a man in debt be not imprisoned, hee is in feare.danger all the time; and it is a miserable thing to live in another mans danger, to bee in danger of an enemy, when a man shall have many writs out against him, and knowes not when the Serjeant will seize upon him; I say, put the case hee be not arrested, yet he is in continuall feare; this is thy case before thou bee under this covert, before thou be matched to this thy husband Christ: when thou hast him, thou art safe, but in the meane time thou art in continuall feare. As Heb. 2. 14. Heb. 2. 14:Heb 2:14it is given as a reason, Why Christ tooke part with the children, that he might deliver them, that for feare of death, were all their life long subject to bondage; So that though a man bee not cast into prison, hee is all his life time subject to bondage. Now if it were but to be delivered from this feare, and bondage that every other man is in, it were a great motive to move us to this. I, but is there not Quest.some bayle, may not a man flee from this arrest?

I answer no, every man without Christ is like Answ. No baile or escape from this danger.a woman that is friendlesse, that hath none to stand for her, that is destitute of wisedome, that hath no counsell to direct her. Wee are destitute of righteonsnesse, we have none to speake for us, p. 26we are destitute of sanctification, wee have none to cleanse us, from our leprosie; wee are destitute of redemption; therefore you know it is said, Iesus Christ is made Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, and Redemption: which implies thus much, that 1 Cor. 1. 30.1 Cor 1:30till wee bee married to him, wee have neither wisedome, wee have no righteousnesse to speake for us, wee have none to cleanse us, wee have none to redeeme us; this is the first thing to move thee to it.

Secondly, when thou hast well pondered this 2 Motive. The excelency of Christ.first motive, that thou art not able to live alone without a husband, I say, consider secondly the excellency of thy husband, who it is that is a suitor to thee. And here first looke on Christ himselfe, with all his Attributes, and how that the Lord himselfe will become thine; consider 1 Himselfe and his attributes.the infinite wisedome of Christ, his Almighty power, consider his eternity; consider whatsoever is in him, and thinke with thy selfe, that all this is in Him, who offers himselfe to bee my husband, and all this shall be mine, all this is for my use, and advantage; this is a great motive to winne us to match with him, as you know in earthly marriages, the excellency of a husband, the parts that are in him, those that are inherent in his very person, is the greatest motive of all other: thinke therfore of all Christs excellencies, draw to your selves some Idea of him, and thinke all these are mine, for my use, as his wisedome to give me direction, his power and strength for my protection upon all occasions, whatsoever is in p. 27him is mine, hee himselfe is become my portion; this is a great motive to us.

Besides this, consider that thou hast not onelyonly 2 What we have by him.the person of Christ alone, with all his Attributes, but how much comes with him, which adde to this; as the immunity thou hast by matching with Christ, that when thou art once matched with him, thou art under covert, thy 1 Our immunity.debts are paid, thou art out of all danger. My beloved, if it were but to bee freed from those injuries, and wrongs that a woman is subject unto, from potent enemies that are able to hurt her upon all occasions, you know it is a great motive to move her to match. Now Iesus Christ frees us from all those great enemies of our salvation, as it is Luke 1. 74. That being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, wee might serve him in holinesse Luke 1. 74.Luke 1:74and righteousnesse all the days of our lives. This wee have by him, that when Satan shall come to us, and arrest us, wee may say to him, I am now under covert, thou must goe to my husband, hee is bound to pay my debts. My beloved, we consider not what a benefit this is, what it is to have Iesus Christ at such a time, when you come to dye, when you shall be arrested by death; now to have the Lord Iesus to undertake all your debts, now to bee under covert it is a great matter; as you know (to expresse it to you a little what it is,) Iudas when hee had committed that great sinne, he was indited and arrested, hee had none to flee to; Peter when he had committed a sinne, hee had a covert to goe to, and you all know the difference p. 28that was betweene their conditions in the events upon both; Saul and David if you looke on them in their distresse, David had a covert to goe to when he was in distresse, (for I speake not now of the debt of sinne, but of all calamities in which you shall have a husband to bee a refuge for you,) I say, David when hee was in distresse upon any occasion, when his Citty was burned and his Wives taken, hee had a covert to fly to; but when Saul was in distresse, hee had none, hee went to the Lord, but he had no answer. I say, it is a great matter to consider this, that we have a covert, that when the Lord shall raine downe fire and brimstone upon us, when there is no rock to shelter us, now for Iesus Christ to bee a covert to us. We know the Aegyptians when they were in that deadly storme of haile, the Israelites were in their houses under covert, and look't out, and saw the danger they were in, and they then knew the benefit what it was to bee under shelter: such is the condition of all those that are in Christ.

Besides this immunity, consider all those great priviledges that doe come by him, for this 2 Priviledges and riches.is not all; but when you have matched with him, hee will make you rich, hee will make you heires of all things, all the precious promises belong to 1 In promise.you, which it may be you reckon a small matter; but the promises of God are most precious, and will make one rich, as you know a man that hath nothing but bills and bonds, and evidences, may bee very rich, though he have not a penny by him; so to have all the promises belong to us: now as p. 29soone as we were in Christ, there is not a promise in all the booke of God, but it belongs to us; that is the misery of another man that is not in Christ, there is not one promise his. Therefore till thou have him, thou hast nothing.

And besides the hope of the promises, consider 2 In possession.what you have for the present, what dowry hee brings with him, in 1 Cor. 3. Wherefore let no 1 Cor. 3. ult.1 Cor 3man rejoyce in men; for all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, &c. all is yours, and you are Christs. Marke, here is the expression of that dowry, that Christ brings with him an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian, saith he, when once you are matched to Christ, all that is his belongs to you; Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all his servants, all are bestowed on you, to wait upon the Spouse, as it were; hee hath given all to you, all those gifts are bestowed on them for your sakes: besides, the world is yours, that is, as farre as it is good for you, the world and all things in the world are so a Christians; though hee have but little of it, yet indeed the world is his; other men are the worlds: if wee speake properly, the world is not said to bee any mans, but onelyonly a Christians; for his use, he is the master of it. Indeed, whilest a man is in his minority, (you know the heire doth not possesse his goods, because it is the time of his education, so) it may bee thou hast not full possession: It is dispensed to thee as the Lord sees meete, because it is the time of thy nurture and education, thou art in thy minority, but yet the world is thine. Then he goes on, life or p. 30death, that is, all this life is bestowed on a Christian for his advantage: to another man it is not so; the longer hee lives, it is the worse for him, hee hath the further reckoning; it doth but make his sinne ripe, and but lay up a treasure of wrath for him; so that all a mans life long, hee doth but gather stickes to make a fire to consume him at the last day. But now in the portion of a Christian, this is one thing, that Iesus Christ bestows upon him, that all his life is for his advantage; all the good workes he doth, all those shall bee remembred, all those shall goe along with him and bring a sure reward; and then not onelyonly life is his, but death is also. My beloved, it is a strange thing, that this should be reckoned among the dowries, and commodities, and priviledges that Christ bestowes on his Spouse, to bring death with him; yet this is a great priviledge, that hee bestowes death on us; for what were the condition of a Christian if death were not? were it not the most miserable of all other? for if there were no death, there should be no Resurrection: therefore death must needs bee a very great advantage: it is that, that makes way for us, to deliver us out of all the miseries of this life, and to give us possession of that everlasting Kingdome that is provided for us. Whether they bee things present, or things to come, that is, all that belong to this present life, and not onelyonly those, but those that belong to the life to come, all those are yours: this is that we have by Christ.3 The life we shall leade with him.

And lastly consider, how faire a life you shall p. 31live with him, in what plenty; that there is nothing that your heart can desire, but you shall have it; In that security, that you neede feare no enemy; whereas other men have a thousand feares, a Christian hath this benefit, hee makes the Lord his dread, that hee need feare nothing; but he is delivered from the hands of all his enemies. Consider with what contentment thou shalt live, that thou hast such a husband that is an adequate object (that I may so say) that shall fill thy soule, that when thou hast him, thou needest not thirst after any thing besides. That is the great benefit that is promised, that thou shalt Thirst no more, that is, when a man is married to the Lord Iesus, hee is so filled and satisfied with contenment, that hee lets all other things goe: if hee have them so it is; if he want them, it is no great matter: hee hath one that is contentment enough to him, hee hath one that is instead of all.

But you will say, if I have this husband, I Object.must live in subjection to him; our wills must bee subject to his will; our liberty must bee taken from us.

My beloved, what if it bee? you must consider Answ. VVhat kind of subjection we are in to Christ.what kinde of subjection it is, it is such a subjection as whereby the members are subject to the head: now doe you thinke it any burthen, for the members to bee subject, and to bee ruled by the head? it is a naturall subjection, that is, such a subjection as is convenient for you; therefore if you complaine, you have lost your liberty, know it is quite contrary when you have matched p. 32with Christ, now you are delivered from bondage and set at liberty.

I, but you will say, it is a pleasant thing for a Object.man to doe what he will; liberty is a sweet thing, and to part with this, and now to live under a husband, it is a hard case.

For this my beloved I beseech you consider, that it is true, for a man to live as hee will, if his Answ. Liberty in evill hurtfull.will bee right, it is a great benefit; but for a Franticke man to doe what hee will, for a man whose will is set upon things hurtfull to himselfe, for such a man to have his will, it were better hee were restrained: and this is the case of every man till hee bee matched with the Lord Iesus: therefore that you may know what this liberty is, wee will put you but this case; you must know that every man is marryed to one of these two husbands, either hee is subject to the law of righteousnesse, or to the law of sinne; either hee is in bondage to the flesh or to the spirit, either hee is subject to Christ, or else he is subject to Sathan. Now consider which of these two thou wouldest choose, whether to bee subject to the law of sin, or to Christ: and that you may know which to choose, I will expresse it to you by this; It is as when a sicke man lyes betweene the Physician and the disease, hee must needes bee subject to one of Simile.them: the disease counsells him to doe one thing, the Physician another: now consider which of these two thou wouldest obey.

You will say, I would doe what I list, I would doe as my disease suggests to mee, and would p. 33have me doe: that seemes easie for the present, but will not this increase thy bondage, and pay thee with death in the end? on the other side, if thou bee content to be subject to the Physitian, and have thy will subject to his, doth not this draw to liberty and restore health, and bring thee to life? therefore consider what a small objection that is, and consider withal, what you will choose; for I say, every man must be subject to one husband; and that you may see the difference of these husbands, consider that in Romans, 7. you Rom. 7.Rom 7shall finde there, that whosoever is not married to Christ, is subject to another husband, that is, the Law. Know you not brethren, that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? for the woman that is subject to a man is bound by the Law to the man while he liveth, and if she take another man, she shall be called an adulteresse: but if the man be dead, shee is freed from the Law, so that shee is not an adulteresse, though she take another man. This is but the similitude: but the meaning is, before ever a man bee marryed to Christ, he is marryed to the Law, and he cannot be marryed to Christ Iesus, till hee be dead to the Law; and when he is dead once to that, then he may be marryed to him. Now you shall see the reddition of this similitude: so you brethren are dead to the Law by the body of Christ, that you might be marryed to another, to him that was raised from the dead, that you might bring forth fruit unto God. For when you were in the flesh, the motions of sinne that are by the Law had force in your members to bring forth fruit unto death, &c. The meaning is p. 34this, that till a man be matched to Iesus Christ, the Law of God, the morall Law that is written in every mans conscience, it rules there like an hard husband, a severe cruell husband, that sets an hard taske to doe, and gives no strength at all to doe it, and therefore it brings forth death: for when the Law commands a man to doe a thing, he hath no ability to performe it: and withall it doth signifie unto him, that if he doe not performe it, he shall bee cursed; this is to bee subject to the Law: and so a man lives in bondage all his time; so that whosoever is not marryed to Christ, he is all the while subject to an evill conscience, to the Law that suggests what hee should doe, with threatning him if not; and when conscience tells him, that he hath not performed it, it is a continuall vexation, a burthen and a griefe to him: but now when he is marryed to Christ, then he serves in newnesse of spirit, not in the oldnesse of the letter, as it followes there, that is, hee doth every thing freely, hee doth it out of choice, he doth that which his owne spirit caries him to; looke what commandement he hath, he hath some ability to performe it.

Againe, hee serves a kind husband, that takes every thing in good part, that will not pay him with death, as his first husband doth. I say consider this, and let it be the second motive.

The third thing I will conclude with, is, the danger of refusing him, wherein I thought to have bin 3 Motive, the danger of refusing.large, but I can but touch it. I say consider this, that if thou refuse, it is the greatest sin that thou p. 35canst commit: for thou must know this, that when the Lord Iesus Christ shall become a suter to Refusing Christ, the greatest sin.thee, for thee then to refuse, thou provokest him to anger. I dare say, it goes beyond all the sins thou hast committed; for know this, hee is not a bare suter, but a suter that hath paid deare for his wife; hee hath purchased thee at a deare price, with the shedding of his owne blood: so that if thou wilt not heare his sute, hee looseth not only his labour in suing, but the price that he paid for thee, for the very blood of Iesus Christ shall bee put upon thy score. To have the Lord as suing to thee thus despised, you know, Rom. 2. 4. 6. Despising Rom. 2. 4. 6.Rom 2:4Rom 2:6the patience of God, treasures up wrath against the day of wrath. Now despising kindnesse is greater, and the contempt of it, doth more incense the Lord to anger. Now therefore when the Lord shall be a suter to us, one would thinke we should rather be suters to him: but when he shall condescend to be a suter to us, and be refused, think what a provocation it is; I will give you but one instance, that you may know what it is to refuse this sute. The Iewes when Christ came in the flesh, it is said, He came to his owne, he made offer of himselfe, but his owne received him not, but refused him, they would none of him. Iohn, 1. He came to his owne, but Ioh. 1.John 1his owne received him not, you see how Christ tooke this at their hand, you see, For this the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost. Compare now all the The greatest sin of the Iewes, and had the greatest punishment.sins of the Iewes, and all the punishments that were upon them before this time, they were nothing to this.

p. 36For first you see, that for sixteene hundred yeares 1 The wrath of God hath beene on them longest for it.welnigh, the wrath of God hath layne on them; take the times of the Lords wrath formerly upon that nation, it may be for seventy yeares, or for forty yeares, as in the time of the Iudges, and in the captivity of Babylon, what was that to this wrath?

Secondly, in those times, though they were in captivity, and were hardly used, yet the nation 2 Their Nation is dispersed.was still kept together, and restored againe; now they are scattered to all nations of the earth, so that this very sinne of the Iewes in refusing Iesus Christ, you see how the Lord was offended with it, as the Apostle expresseth it, the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost: marke it, for it is your owne case, that when we preach the Gospell, and offer Christ, we are the friends of the Bridegroom: our businesse is, to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ, and when you will not heare, but refuse when we beseech you to be reconciled, you commit the same sin that the Iewes did, when they would not receive Christ: this is the case of every man that refuseth, you know those that were bid to the wedding; the text saith, The King was exceeding angry, and pronounced this, that not one that was bid should taste of the Supper: thus for a man to refuse, we know not what God will doe to that man: we cannot distinguish of the time: secret times belong to him: but for a man to refuse at any time, when hee is invited to come to Christ Iesus, either by the preaching of the Word, or by the secret motions of the Spirit, it is a dangerous p. 37thing. Who knowes whether ever thou shalt bee invited more? as you see when they refused, the Lord did not send the second time, but pronounced this peremptory conclusion, and sentence upon them, Not a man that was invited should come.

An objection may bee made, which I will an Object. The consideration of the benefits by Christ, serve.swer, and so proceede: which is concerning these motives I have given, & that is, whether we may use such to our hearts, to move us to take Christ, as to consider the priviledges and liberty we shall have with him; for wil some say, we are bound to match with Christ meerely out of love to his person: how shall these bee used as motives then?

These motives serve notwithstanding to two Ans.ends.

First they are a good introduction to lead us to 1 To leade us to match with him.the match: for when we make a tender of Christ, men will not hearken to us; as many a woman will not heare of such a suter; but when shee is told, that he hath such an estate, that he will bring her to such an house, thus and thus furnished, that she shall have these and these commodities by him, it may be that will winne her thus farre as now to see him, shee is content now that he should come, and be a suter, she is content to conferre with him; so I say, this is that that brings every man first to looke after Christ Iesus, to admit him as it were, to be content to see his person, to give him leave to conferre with them; therefore that is one use to be made of them.2 To make us more willing.

The second use of such motives is, when a man p. 38hath resolved on the match, it is a great helpe to make him the more willing. When a man or a woman hath resolved on this match, and withall considered these and these additions, I say they add, they helpe well to his resolution: so that when respect to his person, hath once set the compasse, these considerations of punishment and reward, they are good to fill the sayles, and to cary the ship along, and to drive it to the Haven; although still the principall motive be a meere respect unto his person. I say that use these have, to bringe us to looke to Christ. But when once they have brought us to the knowledge of Christ, to be acquainted inwardly with him, now the heart of every man is to be content with him alone, though there be nothing beside, and indeed it is that which makes the match, onelyonly these helpes are good additions, these draw us on to make our consent and choyce, and willingnesse the more full, and perfect: but this but by the way, onelyonly to answer that objection.

Now to come to the maine impediments that 3 impediments that hinder from Christ.hinder men from Christ, it is worth all our considerations, to see what it is that keepes men off, which is not onelyonly profitable to bring them in, that are yet strangers, but also to confirme those that are already entred into covenant with the Lord Iesus, and you shall finde one of these three things keepe men off.

Some there are that never heard of the Lord Iesus, some there are that heare of such an offer, but 3 Sorts of men. 1cannot beleeve it, some againe that doe beleeve it, p. 39yet are not willing to live under him, but would live according to their liberty, they are not willing to change their condition, even as sometimes there is a Proclamation out for pardoning of Pirats, it may be there are many Pirates that never heard of this Proclamation, these cannot come in, they know it not, and this is the case of those to whom the Lord Iesus is not preached or remaine ignorant of him.

Secondly, there are some other Pirats, that 2.heare of it, but they beleeve it not, they thinke it is but a trap to get them in, they cannot beleeve that those great rebellions that they have committed can be forgiven. There is a third sort that beleeve 3.it, that make no question but they shall be pardoned if they come, but they thinke it a better course to live by piracy still, rather than to come in under the law to live in subjection, they thinke they shall live a poorer life and be more restrained, they are not willing to change their condition. Now for the first of these, wee have nothing to doe with 1them, for we speake to none but those that have heard of the Proclamation, that know wel enough there is such an offer made, therefore our businesse is with the two second.

First I will begin with those that will not beleeve, that there is such a pardon; that cannot 2 Those that will not beleeve pardon.thinke that the Lord Iesus is willing to match with them, this is a common case, many a man when he lookes on his rebellions, is ready to say, why; is it possible that I may bee admitted to match with the Lord Iesus? I that have an heart so p. 40hard, such lusts? I that have committed such rebellions against him. Yes, whosoever thou art, I am bold to say to thee, (and thou must thinke it as true, as if Christ himself should speak from heaven) that if thou dost come in, thou shalt be received.

Oh! but is it possible that such a wretch as I am Quest.may be advanced & raised to such a degree of honor

Yes, it is most possible, the Lord Iesus may Answ. Christ willing to receive great sinners. Deut. 21.Deut 21have a favour to thee, it is our message to come and tell thee so much, onelyonly thou must doe as the captive woman in Deut. 21. when any had a favour to a woman that was taken captive, she must put off her old clothes, she must put on new apparell, shee must be washed and purified, and pare her nailes, and so she must become his wife; so I say to thee, the Lord is willing to match with thee, onelyonly thou must change thy rayment, thou must wash thee and pare thy nailes, &c. Therefore beloved, let none in this case be discouraged, as indeed we are exceeding apt to bee, and ready to doe in this case, as Gideon, when the Angell appeared to him, and told him he should doe great matters, that hee should judge Israel, that he should deliver them out of the hands of the Midianites, what saith Gideon? Lord (saith he) What am I and my father? hee is one of the poorest in Manasses Tribe, and I am the least in my fathers family, and is it possible that I should be raised to such honour? yes saith the Lord, it shall bee done, I will confirme it, thou hast my word, and I will confirme it by miracle, as you know he did by the burning of the Sacrifice, and by the dew p. 41on the Fleece, when all the earth was drie. I say, the same is our case, when we heare such a thing as this, that we shall be made Queenes, that wee shall match with Christ, when a man is little in his owne eyes, he wonders at it; I say, the Lord will make it good to thee, thou shalt have a word and a miracle to confirme it, for indeed beloved, it is a thing that needs a miracle, that the Sonne of God, the Lord Iesus, should come, and match with such wretches as we are.1

You will say, where is this word?

You shall find it in Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly, He hath given his word for it. Rom. 4. 5.Rom 4:5I will take but that place onelyonly, Abraham beleeved in him that justifieth the ungodly, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousnes, that is though thou be an ungodly man, though thou be a Pirate, a Rebell, it is no matter, the Lord will match with thee notwithstanding, and pay all thy debts and justifie thee; indeed after that, he will sanctifie thee, and change thy heart; but yet this is thy comfort, that though at present thou be ungodly, yet notwithstanding he will match with thee. Beloved, this is a sure word, and this is our great consolation, that though we be in our blood, yet then the Lord makes the match: indeed afterwards hee washeth and cleanseth us: therefore say not, I am blacke, and therefore the Lord can have no delight in me, and what can he see in me, to marry with me? for hee will marry with thee even then. OnelyOnly when he hath marryed thee, then he will change thy nature, he will change the skin of the Blacke-more, then he will p. 42put a new beauty on thee, this is thy comfort, that there is this difference, betweene the marriage of Christ, and the marriage among men, when wee come to match, wee must find beauty, first some amiable thing in the party; but the Lord lookes on us, when we are the most lothsome creatures in the world, and then hee makes the match, and after hee puts that beauty on us, that may cause him to delight in us.

You will say, here is the Word, but where is the 2 Confirmed it by miracle.miracle to confirme this?

I answere, this very word hath a miracle going along with it, and you shal see them put together in Matth. 4. 23. where you shall see the Lord Iesus Mat. 4. 23.Matt 4:23when He came to His owne, to make a tender of Himselfe, in what manner Hee comes, sayth the Text, Hee went about preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome, that is, to tell men this good newes, that if they would match with Him, they should have a Kingdome: Here is the Word, and see the Miracle followes, Hee went about preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome, and healing sicknesses, and diseases, there is the miracle, that seeing it would bee a wondrous thing that the Lord should match with dust and ashes, that Hee should bestowe Himselfe thus freely on us, saith the Lord, if you will not beleeve mee for the words sake, yet for the Miracles sake, you see what I doe, I that preach this.

But you will say, these Miracles were wrought long agoe, if they were done now, it were another thing.

p. 43Beloved, it is all one, for know that this word and miracle went then together, the word is as ancient as the miracle, therefore you must make the same use of them now, as you would have done then; indeed if the word were now delivered, and the miracle wrought long agoe, it were another case, but when he that sayd the word, at the same time confirmed it with these miracles, this may worke beleefe.

You will say, this miracle confirmes it in generall, if the Lord should speak personally to me, and say, I will be thy Husband, this were to purpose.

Beloved, consider, it is all one, because you have this generall, He bids the Gospell be preached to every Creature; therefore, thou art sure thou art in that number: consider that the word of promise also, which word you all know, that Whosoever beleives shall be saved, that is, whosoever will take his pardon Pardon offered to all.shall be saved, and nothing keepes men from salvation, but the refusing it; therefore say not, he that commits such and such sinnes, shall bee damned, but he that takes not the pardon shall be damned: Beloved, this is a matter of great consolation, this is that that is our Freehold, we have a sure word, and this is the Gospell that wee have to preach, that whatsoever the rebels bee, and whatsoever the sinnes are, yet they may come in, and be received.

I, but my sinnes are great, as red as skarlet?Object. Answ.

What if they be? they shall be as snow.

But I have often committed them.No sinne excepted.

What if thou have? He that sayd to thee, thou p. 44shalt forgive thy brother to seaventy times seaven times, sure He is able to forgive to seaventy thousand times seaven times.

But my sinnes are exceeding great as the mighty mountaines. They shal be drowned in the bottome Ob. Answ.of the Sea, that is as able to drowne mountaines, as the least hill.

Oh! but they are exceeding many; I am guilty of all variety of sinnes, there is scarce any grosse sinne, but I have committed it.

There is as great variety and multitudes of merciemercy, to cover and swallow them.

You will say, This is possible if my heart were soft, able to repent; but I have a hard obdurate heart.

If thy heart be hard, he can take away that stonie heart, God can soften the heart.and give thee a fleshy heart; this hee hath promised: Why now what hast thou to doe? even to lay fast hold on this word, as they did on the hornes of the Altar, and even goe and say to the Lord, Lord I will hold me here. Lord, it is thy word, thou canst not deny it, Lord, if thou wilt kill mee, here I will dye, I will not let my hold goe: I say, if thou doe but take hold of this word, That He justifieth the ungodly, and whosoever will beleeve shall be saved: if thou take this hold, I assure thee, my life for thine, it is impossible, but the Lord should in the end give thee this answere, Be of good comfort, thy faith hath saved thee I deny not, but that the Lord may hold off for a while, for a time he may keepe off, and give thee hard words, and say as he did to the woman of p. 45Canaan, that hee is not sent to such a dog as thou art; but if thou persist as she did, and keepe close to this word of promise, then after thou shalt receive the same answer that shee did, Thy faith hath saved thee, be of good comfort.

But you will say, if it be thus, this seemeth to be a very easie thing. Is there no more to doe?

I answer, yes: and thou must marke diligently, that thou runne not away with a false conceit He that comes in to Christ mustnow.

First, thou must take out this pardon. You 1 Take out his pardon.know a pardon in Law though the Prince give it, if it be not taken and sued out, it will doe a man no good.

Againe, this pardon hath certaine conditions, thou must remember the conditions; if thou wilt have the pardon, thou must observe the covenants and conditions.

Lastly, know that this pardon may be for a certaine time, after which the pardon may be out of date.

For the first of these, you will say, what is it to take out the pardon?

Beloved, it is this, when a man hath seene his To take out the pardon what.sinnes and knowes his need, and his rebellions (for that is first required) as you know whosoever pleads a pardon, must know himselfe guilty, and then seeketh a pardon, prayeth earnestly day and night and giveth not over, beseecheth the Lord to forgive his sinnes, and also if he stay long (as sometimes he doth, as we see in that Parable of the man that was in bed with his children, and p. 46loth to rise) yet thou must continue knocking, and not give over till he give thee.

What is it, he will give me (you will say?)

That is, till he give thee a secret assurance, till hee send His Spirit from Heaven, to say to thy soule in thee, I am thy salvation, till hee give thee some secret comfort, when thou hast that once, then thou hast taken out thy pardon. But till there be some calming of thy conscience, some secret answere of the Spirit, though there bee a pardon contained in the Word, thou hast not taken it out; for thou takest it not out, till the Lord gives it out: and when thou once gettest this secret hint, thou hast thy pardon sued out. Now let Satan and thine enemies come, thou mayst be bold to plead thou hast thy pardon, and it shall never bee taken from thee; that is the first thing, To take out thy pardon.

The second is, there is a condition required after taking it: there is this condition in it, you 2 He must be no longer a rebell.must bee no longer rebels, you must come in, and be subjects, and serve and obey your King. I say, you must remember this, therefore thou must goe to the Lord, and say, I know well there is such a condition in the pardon, I am content to enter into covenant with thee; so that that which is past may bee cleared, I resolve for the time to come to serve thee, and feare thee, and obey thee; I say, if thou canst bring thy heart to this purpose and resolution, thou hast kept the condition.

But you will say, How shall we doe to keepe p. 47Quest.it? it is one thing to purpose, but to keepe it is hard.

I will be bold to say, take no care for that, Answ. If the purpose be sincere God will give ability.if thy purpose be sincere; I say this to any, let his purpose be sincere, and his resolution without deceit and pretences to serve the Lord, to cleave to Him as an Husband; then, I say, the Lord hath undertaken to give thee a new heart still, and hee will enable thee to keepe it: bring thou a well bottomed new resolution, so as to say, I will give up my selfe in obedience; and the LORD hath promised, it is one part of the Covenant, wherein hee hath promised not onelyonly to forgive, but in Ezech. 36. He will give a new heart, and a new spirit: Ezech. 36.Ezek 36bee thou but willing to take him, and thou shalt bee able to doe that which thou hast undertaken.

Well, the last thing is the time of the pardon, 3 The time of the pardon.there may bee a time when the pardon is out of date.

You will say, what is that time?Quest. Ans. 1 The time of life.

Know that there is a double time, one is the time that is revealed to us, that are the Ministers of the Gospell, that is, the time of this life, for wee can say nothing else to any man but this, At what time soever, while thou livest, thou repentest, thou shalt be saved.

But then you must know, there is another time 2 The time of the offer.besides this, a time that is not revealed to us, but knowne onelyonly to the Lord Himselfe, which may be thy time, and is that distance of time, which is betweene the first and the last offer.

p. 48It is indeed the very offer it selfe, the very opportunity that God gives to thee, the very time of the tender of Christ to thy soule. Now this is onelyonly knowne of the Lord himselfe, what that distance of time is betweene the first offer and the last that ever he will make to thee, and after this time this pardon is out of date to thee, though not to another, it is too late for thee to come in.

You will say, what ground is there for this, Quest. A time only knowne to the Lord. Answ.that there is such another time, that is onelyonly knowne to the Lord?

My beloved, it is a point worth the considering, therefore you shall see a ground for it, 2 Cor. 6. 2. when the Apostle had exhorted them 2 Cor 6. 2.2 Cor 6:2there, Not to take the Grace of God in vaine, saith he, This is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation, implying, that all time is not the accepted time, for then there needed no distinction; but when he saith, This is the accepted time, there is a secret intimation, that when salvation is offering for ought thou knowest, this is so the accepted time, as that when that is past, there is no more opportunity. So in Hebr. 3. When it is called to day, that is, when the offer is making, that is the Heb. 3.Heb 3time.

Now to give you some instances of this, as well as we give you grounds from the Word, in Instances of some that lost this time Gen. 4. Caine.Gen 4Gen. 4. God saith to Cain, If thou doe well, shalt thou not be accepted? but now after that time Cain was accursed and a brand set on him, the Lord gives him over, hee was excluded from the presence of the Lord for ever; there was a secret p. 49time after, which the Lord made the offer no more. That was the case of Saul, there was a Saul.time, I say, Gods time, with Saul, was the time betweene the first offer and the last, when he bid Samuel pray no more for him, and he told Samuel resolutely and peremptorily, I have rejected him, and now there was no more hope. And this was the case of the Iewes, when he bade Ieremiah not to pray for them, saith he, I have resolved to destroy The Iewesthem, the time now is past. And this was the case of Ierusalem, If thou hadest knowne the things that belong to thy peace, in that thy day! if you aske what that day was? I say you shall find the very period of it, Acts 13. 40. you Act. 13. 40Acts 13:40shall see there, when the offer was made fully (that was the Lords great mercy to them, hee doth not give over a man, till hee have made the clearly and fully) in Ver. It was necessary we should speake the word first to you; but since you put it from you, and judge your selves unworthy of eternall life, wee turn to the Gentiles; you may see their refusing before. The Iewes they were full of envie, and spake against the things that He spake; after this time the Lord made no more offer: this I say, was there case, and it is resembled in the Parable of them that were invited and refused; the inviters were sent forth no more unto them. It was the case of Capernaum, and those Cities to whom the seaventy were sent; if they would not receive Capernaumthem, they were to shake the dust of their feet against them.

Beloved, I beseech you consider this, for it p. 50is a matter of very much moment to thinke with To take heed of neglecting this time.your selves, what know I whether this be the very time when the Lord makes the last offer, and that how ever, it will not last ever. So you see S. Paul to the Hebr ends Chap. 3. when hee had Heb. 3.Heb 3said, there is a certaine day, he brings his proofe, saith hee, did not the Lord doe so with your fathers in the Wildernesse? Now you shall see with those in the Wildernesse, the Lord tooke tenne refusals at their hands, These tenne times you have rebelled against me, and then he would endure no longer. So the Lord deales at other times: it may be hee will take but five refusals at another, it may be twenty at another, it may be but one or two at a third mans hand. I say, you must bee exceeding carefull and wary, for the end of this Doctrine is to teach you to take heed of refusing Christ Iesus, of letting the opportunity slip, … heed of refusing the time of the offer of Christ, the accetped time, when the Lord offers Christ in the Word, and by his Spirit accompanying it, it is dangerous to refuse. To conclude this poynt, consider, when the Lord himselfe shall be a suter; beloved, wee should be suters to him, but hee is pleased to be a suter to us. And consider, that wheras other women use to bring portions to their husbands, hee is pleased to buy us, and to give us portions, and can you find in your heart to refuse?

You will say; if I were sure the Lord would Object.take me.

Beloved, you shall see how farre hee goes, p. 51Answ.that wee may put you out of all doubt.

First, he hath made a very cleare declaration That God is ready to receive sinners.of his good will: he saith, Whosoever will come, shall be saved, he shall be taken in, whosoever will come. This is not all, but he goes further then that, he 1. He hath declared it.hath not onelyonly set up such a Quicunque vult, but he sends home to us, hee calls and invites us, goe, call and invite them to the marriage. This is not 2. He intreats it.all, but he goes yet further, he beseecheth us, hee becomes a downeright suter, 2 Cor. 5. Wee are 2 Cor. 5. 19.2 Cor 5:19Embassadours in Christs stead, to beseech you to be reconciled. Nay beloved, more then this, hee is not a cold, but an importunate earnest suter, Goe, compell them to come in, saith he, that is, with the strongest arguments you can use: he doth not rest here, here is as much as hee can doe by faire meanes: but then he tryes the other, to see what he can doe by foule meanes, then he layes a command upon men, 1 Iohn 1. 3. This is the Commandement, 3. Commands it.that wee beleeve in his Sonne; hee commands all men living to come in, and take Christ, and receive the pardon. And it is not a bare command, but hee adds a threatning; if they will not 1 Ioh. 1. 3. 4. Threatens if we come not in1 John 1:31 John 1:4take him, they shall bee damned: which is the greatest threanings that can be. Consider, wilt thou refuse now? I will say but this in a word, if thou wilt for all this, it shall be the greatest matter against thee at the day of Iudgment: take all sinnes, the grossest Idolatry, and adultery, and whatsoever else: they shall not be so much laid to thy charge when thou commest to lye on thy death-bead, as this; that Christ was preached, that p. 52there was so many offers made, and yet thou wouldest none of him. Therefore consider this, and say not nay, alas, such conditions are required on my part, as I cannot performe them; for beloved, there is nothing required on thy part but sincerity. Indeed that is required: thou must Nothing required but sincerity.not thinke when thou art matched to thy husband, to live as if thou wert a maid still; thou must not thinke to match with thy husband, and to live as thou list, thou must not thinke to sweare still, and follow the lust of uncleanenesse still, and to follow thy drunkennesse and good fellowship still, thou must not thinke to match with the Lord Iesus, and breake the Sabbath and neglect holy duties, and violate thy conscience, thou must know, that all thy old cloathing, as I said before, must be put off, and not onelyonly so, but thy nailes must be pared, that is, those thoughts that thou reckonest lesse sinnes, vaine thoughts, idle thoughts, negligent performance of holy duties, or whatsoever is of that nature, these nailes must be pared, there must be a sincere heart, to resolve to doe all this. But so much for those second sort of men, that will not beleeve there is such a pardon, that yet cannot think the Lord Iesus is willing to match with them; and to passe by the great sinnes that they have committed.

But now for the third sort, which is indeed of 3 Those that beleive but will not come in.the greatest company of men; for wee finde not so many men doubt, whether they shall be forgiven or no, but though they know there is a p. 53pardon, and that the Lord will match with them, yet they are willing to live as they did, they are not willing to come under his subjection to live by his Lawes. Now besides consider, what is the cause of this, what keepes men off from this.

First, you shall find one great generall cause is Inconfideration: this is the fault of young men, I Hinderance inconsideration.that have a thousand vanities in their heads, and never thinke of matching with Christ, and of their spirituall estate: And not of them onelyonly, but of others too, who as they are held off by pleasures, so others by businesse, as appeares in those invited to the marriage: one went about his merchandize, another to his Oxen, and never considered, they never tooke to heart this their inviting to the marriage: consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When Deut. 32. 27Deut 32:27Moses had made an exhortation, that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people, but come into covenant and be marryed to him (for that is the scope of the Chapter) threatning withall, that when they should provoke him to jealousy, he would provoke them; saith he, Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end, as if he should say; this is the cause that you come not in, and keep not close to the Lord, Oh that you were wise to consider; for it is a mans wisedome to consider this, for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rocke, and so he lookes round about him, and sees all events before they come, whereas a foole is taken unawares by death, he is arrested, and judgement comes upon him on the sudden p. 54as a snare: therefore I say, thou must consider. And yet this is the usuall case of men, they go on in a secure sleepe in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them, which by consideration might be prevented. Therfore if you aske me what you must consider, I say, consider if this bee not thy case, as it is of many men, many owe more then they are worth, more then they know how to pay: now if they would but consider their case, and but cast up their accounts, it may be they might seeke out for a match to discharge all, but they neglect it, and are secure, & an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison, and now it is too late. Therfore I say to every man of you, consider thy debts, thy sinnes, yea, consider those sinnes thou thinkest are past so many yeares since, that ly still, and thou hearest no more of them, I say, consider them, and bring them to mind, and consider what a sleping sinne is. You may see it in the case of Ioab, when hee had committed those foule murthers of Abner and Amasa, the Lord let it sleepe for a time, and Ioab was secure; but you see in due season, he having not sued out his pardon, the arrest came upon him, and Solomon slew him. And such was the case of the sin of Shemei that he committed against David, it lay a sleepe for a time. Such was the case of Iosephs brethren, in that they did against Ioseph, many yeares together it lay quiet, when it awakened, they saw what it was with anguish. Therefore consider what a sleeping sinne is, the forgetfulnesse of which maketh men secure. Men commit sins, and they are in health, p. 55and forget them, and so not considering their debts, they regard not this match, and goe not about it.

There is another part of security, wherewith men are involved, and that is, they thinke they 2 Me thinke their estate good enough.have matched already with Iesus Christ, they thinke they are in an estate good enough, and to come now to make a change of it, they think strict precisenesse, and more then needs.

And this one thing keepes many thousands off from matching, that they thinke their debts are paid, that they are in good estate, and they thinke that they are under covert. But to answer it in a word, I wish thee to consider those plaine places of Scripture, Gal. 5. 24. Whosoever is in Christ, hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts: and that in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whosoever is in Christ Gal. 5. 24Gal 5:24is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things 2. Cor. 5. 17.2 Cor 5:17are become new: and that Iam. 2. 10. If a man faile Iam. 2. 10Jas 2:10but in one point, (willingly and constantly) hee is guilty of the breach of the whole law: in Ezech. 18. Ezek. 18. 10Ezek 18:1010, &c. The new translation doth not so well expresse it as the old; If hee beget a Sonne, if hee doe any of these things, though not all, if hee beget a Sonne that is atheife, or a shedder of bloud, if hee doe one of these things, if not all, but either hee eate upon the mountaines, or have defiled his neighbours wife, or have oppressed the poore, &c. if he have done but one of these, hee shall dye the death, his bloud shall be upon his head. Not to name more; I say, out of this I gather, He that allowes himselfe in the least sin, is not matched to Christthat he that allowes himselfe in the least sin, he that respects not all the Commandements, and p. 56the least small particle in them, that man is not yet matched with the Lord Iesus, and therefore doe not deceive your selves with vaine words, to thinke that these excluding signes, and markes, and rules that wee give, are inventions of our owne, that wee are too strict beyond our Commission. Beloved, this plaine Word by which you shall bee judged at the last day, makes it plaine to you, that except there be such a generall reformation, except you be new in all poynts, except all your lusts be crucified, except you respect all the Commandements, and every particle thereof, unlesse that there be a generall sincerity, certainely you are excluded. Therefore I say, take all these together, that though thou be quiet for a while, and free from the arrest, that yet thou art not out of danger, thy sinne is but laid asleep, &c. I say, if a man doe but seriously consider with himselfe, if hee sit downe, but one halfe houre, and consider what the shortnesse of his life is, what his danger is, and think there is another place that he must live in, for eternity, and then consider this, I may be surprized on the suddaine, as the foolish Virgins; the Bridegroome came when they did not looke for him; and if he doe, what is thy case? know this, that it is too late to be matched at that time; as when the destroying Angell came, it was too late to sprinkle the doore-postes with the bloud of the Lambe; but the time of it, is the time of the Passe-over; he will come at midnight, when thou lookest not for him; and if it were to be done at p. 57that instant, no man should be damned; know this, that it must be done before; therefore consider seriously, and loose not your soules by inconsideration. But to proceed a little further to another impediment: for when a man hath considered the match, he begins to make objections against it, as,

First, he lookes upon his husband, and he sees Object.he must live in a poore and meane condition, he 3 Impediment, the crosses that follow.must take up his Crosse, and be despised, and contemned, and trampled upon, and when he begins to thinke of this, he is unwilling to match: for saith he, I am not willing to live after this fashion.

To this I may answer in a word; for the Lord Answ.himselfe gives a very direct and quicke answer to this; saith he, I will deceive none of you, I will Those that have Christ must be content to suffer.deale plainely with you, if you match with me, I say, your condition will be very base, and meane, and Blessed is he that is not offended with that meane condition. I confesse, if you match with me, you must take up your crosse, you must be persecuted, and despised, and hated of all men; therefore saith he, choose you, I leave it to you to make your owne choice; if you will not match, you may choose. But sayes he, he that is not willing to loose his life, and part with father and mother, and let lands, and credit, and liberty, and all goe, hee is not worthy of me. Wherein he implies, that the Lord is worthy to be matched with, notwithstanding all this base condition, and that thou art unworthy of him, that stickest at it. And if thou p. 58didst know who he was, thou wouldest notwithstanding match with him to choose. If the Bridegroome, the Lord Iesus, should come in glory with his Bridegroomes apparell, if he should come decked with ornaments, with thousands of his Angels about him, every man would be willing to match with him; but here is the tryall what thou wilt doe at this time, it appeares not yet what he is, and what he will doe, while he is now covered with a base out-side, now he is hid. But yet he deales plainely you see with us. I remember a Story of Crates, the Philosopher, when a virgin desired to match with him, he takes this course, he goes to her, and tells her, and shewes her his crooked-back, his staffe, and his satchell, and saith this to her, this is thy husband, and thy portion, wilt thou be content to take such an one as I? she persisted: but when she had him, she knew she had another manner of husband then she looked for. I use it but for a resemblance; for after this manner doth the Lord Iesus deale with us. You must suffer the crosse, and goe out of the Camp; this is your husband, this is your portion, the crosse is your joynture. Now thou maist choose, if thou wilt match with him, so it is. I say now to every man that is willing, that persists for all this; thou shalt have the King of heaven for thy husband, thou matchest with such an one, as shall make thee happy for ever, this is thy happinesse, thou shalt have thy worst first, the best is reserved for afterward: with the world it is quite otherwise; there you have the best first, p. 59and the worst followes after: Therefore here is the tryall; all the matter is to love Christ, in a base and meane estate, and I say this to thee, thou shalt have the same answer from Christ one day, that if thou be not content to match with him in a meane condition, if thou wilt not take him for worse, thou shalt never have him for better; if thou wilt not have him in a low condition, thou shalt not have him in a glorious. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 17Rom 8:1717. hee saith, those that suffer with him, shall also be glorified with him: and so on the contrary, hee that doth not suffer with him, that is, hee that is not content to take him with sufferings, and with the Crosse, he shall never raigne, and be glorified in heaven with him.

But yet men will still say, are not these hard Object.conditions that goes with this match? if otherwise, I should much desire it. And every man is content to have the kernell, but hee would not trouble his teeth with the hardnesse of the shell.

And indeed, there are in appearance hard conditions. For he must be taken for a Lord, and an husband; and for this cause many will not take him, this keepes many off.

And who would not be religious, if he thought it an easie thing to be religious? Men thinke they shall be tyred and strait-laced, and never be able to endure the yoke.

But yet I say to every man that thinkes so, hee Ans. These seaming hard conditions are easie.shall not finde it so, these conditions thathou thinkest so hard, are easie.

p. 60First, the Lord hath said in plaine tearmes; if thou wilt beleeve his Word, that His yoke is easie, and his burthen light: I will make it plaine to thee, thou shalt not deny it. There are but two things that make the burthen of Christ, that is his Law, to be hard, and that is either.2 Things make the law of Christ hard.

The contrariety, or, The disproportion.

For, there is nothing makes a thing hard, but one of these two.

One is the contrariety betweene our wills; the reluctancy betweene our wills and Gods. Christ 1 Contrarietywill have one thing, and wee another: hence comes the difficulty. If our wills were the same, then there were no difficulty, then a man lives as he would, as he list. But beloved, if thou match with him, he will give thee another will; he will take away that reluctancy and renitency, he will take away thy old nature, thou shalt have a new nature, and a new will, and so then they are easie.

The other is from disproportion: if a man have a great burthen, and a little strength, the burthen 2 Disproportion.proves heauy, why? not because the burthen is in it selfe heauy, but because there is but little strength. Now know, that Christ is such a husband, as that what he gives in charge, hee will give strength to doe it; this I touched the last time, in comparing the two husbands, Rom. 7. see there our first husband, the Law, to which Rom. 7.Rom 7every man is married, till he be matched to Christ; that is an hard yoke, he commands much p. 61and gives no strength to performe it, it commands all things exactly. But the other husband requires but Evangelicall obedience, hee commands, but that is possible, and gives strength to doe it. When againe thou servest him in newnesse of spirit; hee will raise up thy strength, and make a fitnesse, and sutablenesse, and proportion betweene thy strength and it; therefore thou shalt find no such difficulty in the thing, if thou resolve on the match once, so as thou shouldest never feare the hardnesse of the burthen, that thou shouldest not bee able to obey thy husband.

In setting out the other impediments that keepe men off from being willing to match with Christ, wee will keepe still the same order, and to the similitude here, as wee have done hitherto.Ob.

The next impediment is, that wee shall not 4 Impediment, we have little for the present.have any great dowry for the present: ther is much promised, but we shall enjoy but little of it yet; though we shall have much hereafter, yet we have it not now; this is a great impediment, and keeps off many men. It is the case of many; they think with themselves: if I match now with Christ, I have much promised, that I shall have heaven, and many things to come hereafter; but for the present, I must forsake my pleasure, my profit, my delights. Now answer this, and all is done. But beloved, it must be Christ himselfe, that Ans.must answer it: though wee be the instruments, and the meanes, yet except he speake with us, it p. 62will doe no good; the Lord himselfe must be his owne spokesman; yet I answer, it is true indeed, the great dowry is to come, ye must wait for it; this time is a time of serving, as Iacob, hee served foureteene yeares for Rachel before he had her, and because he loved her, he thought the time short, he was willing to serve so long. Now if thou love Christ, if thou prize him above all; then thou wilt be willing to stay for him; and those that will not stay, it is a signe they doe not love Christ, and therefore thou art not worthy of Why Christ makes us stay.him. You must know, that Christ makes us thus to stay a time, to know and trye his Spouse before he match with her, (indeed the match is now, but I speake of that glorious match with the Lambe at his second comming, when wee shall receive the full dowry) which the Apostle speakes of, Iam. 1. 12. verse, Blessed is hee that endureth Iames 1. 12Jas 1:12temptation; for when hee is tryed, hee shall receive a Crowne of life, which he hath promised to those that love him, and waite for his appearing. Beloved, ye must be content to beleeve for a time, enjoying is not yet come. Christ will trye our patience, our faith, he will trye whether his Spouse will take his word or no, whether she will rest upon him, whether she will beleeve him: this is that, I say, that holds off many men, because they shall have nothing here, But therein they doe not looke upon the whole life of man; wee looke but upon part; wee onelyonly care to provide for a short time here, and not for the whole life of man, which is eternall: and this is that which makes us to erre; p. 63as the cause of all errour in all the actions of men, is because they looke upon some part of a businesse, Cause of all error.and not upon all. When a man lookes upon some part of a case, and not upon every part, this makes them judge amisse: so in this spirituall case wee erre, because wee doe not looke upon the whole life of man, to provide for our good hereafter, as well as the present. The reason is, because as the Apostle sayth, 2 Pet. 1. and 9. Ver. 2 Pet. 1. 5.2 Pet 1:5Wee are pur-blind, and cannot see a farre off. Indeed, this is the case of all that match with Christ, they have the worst for the present, the best is reserved. Indeed worldlings they have the best for the present, and the worst is reserved. Consider of it which is best, an heire that is in his minority is content to serve and doe as a servant doth, because hee knowes, notwithstanding there is a difference betweene him and a servant, he shall, hee knowes, when he comes to age, enjoy his lands, and therefore hee is contented, though as yet hee is used as a servant. Indeed, if he knew he should not live to enjoy his lands; but dye before he comes to age, then it were somewhat, if hee were discontented to live so: but wee shall be sure to live unto them, wee shall enjoy them; as in that 2. Epistle to the Corinth. 4. 17. 18. For the momentany lightnesse of 2. Cor. 4. 17. 18.2 Cor 4:172 Cor 4:18our tribulation prepareth for us an eternall weight of Glorie: while we looke not upon things that are seene, but upon things that are not seene; for the things that are seene are temporall, but the things that are not seene are eternall. The time that we are to be here is short, if we consider it with eternity; and beloved, if we p. 64did but seriously thinke of the time we are to be here, and eternity hereafter, wee should not soe much sticke upon these earthly things as wee doe.

But to come neerer, and answer it to purpose; if thou accept of this match, thou shalt have Christians enjoy more then Worldlings for the present. Mar. 10. 29. 30.Mark 10:29Mark 10:30more, even for the present, then the full vintage of the men of this world, as in that 10. Chapter of Marke, 29. 30. There is no man that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, for my sake and the Gospels, but hee shall receive now in this time an hundred fold; houses, brethren, sisters, fathers, mothers, and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come life everlasting: even with persecutions a man shall receive an hundred fold. If you aske how can that be, that a man with persecution shall receive an hundred fold in this life? for answer, we must compare this place with the 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowfull, yet alway rejoycing; as poore, and 2 Cor. 6. 10.2 Cor 6:10yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things: though they have a sorrowfull time outwardly, yet they have abundance of inward joy, which they have in the grace and favour of God. This is your usuall Proverb, Hee is rich whom God loves. Though a man loose credit with the world, and praise with men, and estimation, which keepes many men off; yet thou shalt have joy in God, peace of conscience, which is an hundred times better. But you will say, what if they be put into prison? shall they then have Object. Answ.an hundred fold in this life? yes, for their imprisonment p. 65is better then worldly mens liberty. It is said, that when Ioseph was put into prison, that the Lord went in with him, and was with him, and therefore it was no prison: for what is it that makes it a prison? The Lords absence, a man hath more joy in a prison wherein God is, then in a Palace without God; as you may see in Saul; when the Lord was departed from him, his Palace was but a prison to him. Brethren, if you beleeve this, that you shall have more for the present, if ye will accept of this match, you will not any longer stand out. But if you will not beleeve, for all that I have said, we have no more to say to you in briefe, but this: thou shalt have thy portion in this life, as the Prodigall sonne, he would have his portion presently: well, if you will have your portion, ye shall have it, as in that 17. Psal. 14. The men of this world, who have their Psa. 17. 14.Ps 17:14portions in this life. You shall have your portions in this life, thou shalt have thy belly filled with treasures: but remember that terrible sentence, Thou hast thy reward. Therefore it is no marvell, that worldlings live so contentedly, with so much outward ease; it is no marvell, I say, for their Father hath given them their portion.

Another impediment is; when parents have provided a fit match for their children, and come and 5. Imped. The heart is set to match with others.propound it to their children, then they are promised to another, their hearts are set upon others: and this is a great impediment in this, and it is common. Now the Lord comes to propound this match to thee; but thou canst not forsake p. 66those things that thy affections are set upon, thou hast made another choise, thy heart is set upon these outward things, thou hast promised thy love and delight to them, and thou must now refuse the sute of the Kings Sonne. This one day will lye heauy upon thy conscience, when as this Christ that thou hast now rejected, shall come to Iudgement, and shall sit upon his glorious Throne, and shall pronounce that heauy sentence, Depart from me ye cursed; and then thy conscience shall tell thee, oh he was once a suter to mee, but I had made another choice, a worse choise; which then thou findest, though it seemed pleasant for the time, yet indeed his service would have beene more pleasant and profitable, for he would have thee live but according to the rule, in temperance, sobriety, in diligence, in thy calling, and such like, which would have kept thy body in health, and preserved thy estate; and now thou hast wasted thy body in fornication, and uncleanenesse, and hast wasted thy goods in drunkennesse and good-fellowship, and all riotous living: and so if we should stand to compare every particular service of each husband, we should find that our obedience to our right husband, is more pleasant then that we have now chosen; nay, wee Comfort in Christs service.should find that the worst actions that Christ commands, are farre more pleasant then the best of the other; as take sorrow for sinne, that wee count the worst and the hardest duty, yet even in that there goes along with it a secret sweetnesse, p. 67and comfort; those that have any experience in it, know it to be true: but when as thou yeeldest obedience to thy other husband, even in the midst of thy carnall delights, thy heart is sad, there is a kinde of perplexity goes along with it: this wee shall finde in all the actions wee doe to this wrong husband, a secret griping and stinging of conscience; and besides this, wee shall at length be paid with death.

But in our obedience to our right husband, Reward of it.more-over and above our comfort in his service, he will give us wages and rewards, eternall life, and all the comforts appertaining thereunto. But in briefe, if you will not yeeld, if you will not be ruled, God will doe with you as parents doe with rebellious children, if they are stubborne, and match against their will; when as neither promises, nor perswasions will doe any good, what will they doe? Why, they will disinherit them. So if ye will be stubborne, and neither perswasions nor promises will doe no good with you, but notwithstanding all this, you will not remove your affections from off your choice; your Father shall disinherit you, you shall loose your Kingdome, you shall be damned; if you will not cut off your right hands, and cut out your right eyes that offend you, ye shall keepe them, but ye shall goe to hell with them. If you will not beleeve us, we have no more to say to you, ye shall loose your birth-right.

Another impediment, if so be we find we stand in 6 Imped. We will not match yet.need of an husband to pay our debts, yet we are not p. 68disposed to marry yet. But know, if thou wilt not take the time before the time be past, thou shalt sit long enough without suters. Christ he is a suter by his Spirit, and we are his friends to perswade you to match with him. Now consider how that He onelyonly must perswade: we may perswade long enough; if no other doe perswade you, you will never be wonne: but there is another, the Lord himselfe, he is his owne spokseman, and must be, or else you will never be won. And therefore, take heede of deferring when thou findest the Holy Ghost a suter to thee, and that Christ speakes to thy heart, take heede of refusing, his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man: if he knocke but once, open to him, perhaps he will knocke no more. Take heed of delayes and puttings off, bidding Christ come another time; for we commonly say, delayes are dangerous. If thou dost, thou maist loose thy suter, and Christ may let thee sit all thy life time, and never be a suter to thee againe. There is indeed a time, when all would match with Christ in their extremity at their deaths, as the foolish Virgins, they came when it proved too late, the doores were shut. When the arrest comes upon us, then we would match with Christ, but then it is too late, then Christ will not match with thee; then we may fly to the hornes of the Altar, as Ioab did, but then Christ will say, as Solomon did of Ioab, Goe fall upon him, and kill him, even there. There is a refuge in the City, but thou must be a Citizen there, before the avenger of bloud comes. Then p. 67is not a time to marry with Christ, then is a time to call to mountaines to fall upon you and cover you, and furthermore whereas thou sayest, thou wilt hereafter match with Christ, but not yet, what knowest thou but that thy soule may presently be taken from thee? and therefore you see what a deale of folly men shew in their puttings off.

Another impediment is. When the parties are 7 Impediment. men doe nor like Christ.brought together, to see one another; many times they doe not like one another: and this is a common case: and so it is in this spirituall match; when men come to looke upon the Lord, they doe not like the Lord: well, if this be thy case, if it be thus with thee, the Lord will not be so much as a suter to thee, hee counts thee an enemy. There is an antipathy betweene the Lord Enmitie. double.and many, there is an enmity; but you must know, in this there is a two-fold enmity; one out of ignorance, as Paul, sayes he, I was a Blasphemer, and a persecutor, but now I am received to mercy, because I did it ignorantly through unbeleife. If hee had knowne the Lord, hee would not have persecuted him. But secondly, there is also a wilfull enmity against the Lord: they know the Lord, and yet they doe not like him. But these men will deny this, and say, this is not the cause they come not in, whatsoever is the cause. Well, doe not deceive thy selfe; if thou love the Lord, thou wilt love his Image, thou wilt love his children which are his Image. If thou hatest those that beare his Image, thou hatest the Lord himselfe. p. 68And therefore doe not deceive thy selfe: if thou bearest a secret hatred and dislike of that strictnesse and holinesse, that is in the Saints; if thou hast an inward grudge to that which is Gods Image, thou hatest God himselfe.

But perhaps thou wilt say, I hate him because he is an hypocrite; if hee were the child of God I would love him, but I hate his hypocrisie.

But take heede, that when thou strikest an hypocrite, a Saint lyes not a bleeding; so also when a man lyeth under a sharp and powerfull Ministery, and thou bearest hatred and dislike of it, thou hatest the Lord himselfe, whose ordinance it is. This was the case of the Iewes, when the Apostles had shewed them the Lord Iesus, and they saw all was rejected, what followed? we have no more to say to you, Christ would no longer be a suter to them. Seing ye reject us, and will not receive this word of salvation, loe now we turne to the Gentiles, and those that will receive us. And therefore brethren, take heed of disliking the Lord, when he comes a suter to you, doe not lay false aspersions upon him, and his wayes, and children, doe not beleeve false aspersions laid upon him by others; as those that were sent to spye Canaan, they brought up evill reports of that Land; what followed? not onelyonly they were excluded out of the Land, but also all those that beleeved them.

Now thus we have shewed you the match, and given you some tryals to know, whether you are matched with Christ or no, as also what may p. 69stirre you up to accept this match, if yee finde upon examination, that ye are not matched with him, also the impediments that keepe men off from the match: that if any of them be your case, ye may remove it. But brethren, all this can doe nothing to procure this match; this will not worke upon you, except the Lord be his owne spokse-man to winne your love, hee it is that must winne you. Men are like dead men when wee speake to them; but if Christ speake not by his Spirit, they are dead still; it is hee that must shew you your debt and your danger, and the beauty and excellency of your husband, and must remove the impediments.

And seeing that now you are to receive Christ digression to the Sacrament.offered in the Sacrament, this point may be a great helpe to strengthen your faith. When a man promises to match with one, this helpes well forward to the match: but when the man is in the Church, and offers himselfe to match with thee, then wee cannot choose but beleeve it: Hee that eateth and drinketh this unworthily, he is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord: therefore doe not take it hand over head, but examine whether thou standest in need of Christ, canst thou set a price upon him, as the cheifest thing thou wantest? The great match is made in Baptisme: this is but the renewing of the Nuptials, and new Actes of taking and receiving Christ. Consider then, if thou have matcht with Christ before, else if thou comest hither, this is a great provocation to the Lord: for that p. 70which is required of thee now, is, that thou take Christ with more willingnesse, still that thou come with more desires and longing after the Lord Iesus, or else thou dost receive unworthily. Consider every time thou comest, of what need thou standest in of Christ, and in this thing thou must take some paines with thy heart, every time thou comest, to see more need thou standest in of Christ, and also examine strictly what thou hast done amisse, and worke thy heart to unfained sorrow, and make up all breaches before thou comest, as thou dost with men, which is a very commendable thing, and if thou have any request to put up to him, this is a speciall day of hearing. Whatsoever jewell thou wouldst have to beautifie thy selfe, that is, whatsoever graces thou wantest to beautifie thy soule, what change of rayment thou wouldst weare to adorne thy conversation, what temptation hath long haunted thee, thou canst not be rid of, aske of thy husband now upon this day; this is the marriage day; this is a faire opportunity to aske any thing of thy husband: aske thy husband now, he will not deny thee, nay whatsoever thou wantest for this life, for thy body, aske it now, for all is thine; whatsoever thou desirest, any gift for soule or body, whatsoever it be that thou wouldest have him to take from thee, that hurts thee, or whatsoever thou wouldest have him give thee, to doe thee good, aske it: I dare be bold to say, he will not deny thee; for if Herod because of his oath, would not deny the daugh p. 71ter of Herodias, even to the halfe of the Kingdome, dost thou thinke that thy husband will deny thee any thing, that hath given himselfe to thee? hath he given thee the great? and dost thou thinke that he will deny thee the lesse, if it be good for thee? if he doe deny thee, it is because it is not convenient; or else, thou dost not aske it in due time, or else he will give thee a better thing.

THE CHURCHES CARIAGE, OR DVTY.

DELIVERED IN SUNDRY Sermons at Lincolnes Inne.

By the late learned and Reverend Divine, IOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne.

Published by …, Thomas Ball, B^• in Divinity.

EPHES. 5. 33.

Let the wife see that she reverence her husband.

2 COR. 11. 2.

For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chast virgin to Christ.

LONDON, Printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne, at the Royall Exchange, and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head-Alley, in Pater noster-Row.