The Best Match, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Which opens a little the heart of Chriſt, and ſhews how much he is Jet upon an Eſpouſal with Sinners.
SUrely Chriſt is the beſt Husband, and none can do ſuch great things as he for his Spouſes, which renders an Eſpouſal to him very deſirable: but will he take ſuch as we are into ſo near a Relation with him? has he any mind, any heart to the buſineſs? any mind, any heart? his heart is ſet upon nothing more, then an Eſpouſal with Sinners; he is not only content to admit Sinners coming to him, but his Soul longs after them: never did the moſt paſſionate Lover more long for an Eſpouſal between him and his Beloved, than Chriſt does for an Eſpouſal between himſelf and Sinners; and becauſe Love is the Loadſtone of Love, and the moſt powerful attractive; in order to the more effectual drawing and alluring of your Souls to Chriſt, I ſhall a little in a few particulars open my ſweet Lords heart to you in this buſineſs: And O that the reports of his Love to you, and his willingneſs to Eſpouſe you to himſelf, might draw your hearts out a little in Love to him, and work you into a willingneſs to be Eſpouſed.
1. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with Sinners, that he willingly became incarnate, bled, and dyed in order hereunto; and oh, how ſhould this draw us to him? Should you ſee a Man do ſome great Act of ſelf-denyal and abaſement, and withal freely venture his Life in order to his obtaining ſuch or ſuch an one to his Wife, you would eaſily conclude, that his heart was much ſet upon an Eſpouſal with her: Lo then! Chriſt has greatly denyed and abated himſelf, he became incarnate, and not only freely ventured, but laid down his Life in order to an Eſpouſal between himſelf and Sinners; and how much then muſt his heart be in the buſineſs?
1. He became incarnate in order hereunto; had not Chriſt been incarnate we could never poſſibly have been Eſpouſed unto him, nor have enjoyed conjugal Communion with him: but that we might be capable of, and arrive unto ſuch an happineſs, he who in himſelf was the Eternal Son, freely became incarnate, aſſumed humane Nature into Union with his Divine Perſon: hence 'tis ſaid, that the Word was made fleſh: Verhum caro factum, non Divinae Naturae converſione, ſed humanae aſſumptione. Beza.Joh. 1.14. not that there was a tranſmutation of God into Fleſh; but the Word, that is, God the Son, the Second Perſon in Trinity,Voce foreign non converſio divinitatis, quae eſt invariabilis non commixtio naturarum divinae & humanae, ſed unio deſignatur. Cartw, in loc. aſſumed Fleſh, humane Nature into Union with himſelf; and ſo near is that Union into which the humane Nature is aſſumed with the Perſon of the Son of God,uſus eſt verba foreign ut ſignificet arceiſſimam & indiſſolubilem unionem verbi cum carne. ut non alia ſcilicet ſed una & eadem jam ſit perſona Verbi & carnis, aſſumptae. Chemni: — as that that Nature hath no ſubſiſtence but what it has in his Divine Perſon, and for that end, umong others (as a Learned Divine hath obſerved) its ſo expreſt; the Word was made Fleſh, namely, to note the infinite nearneſs of that Union which our Nature is taken into with the Divine Perſon, it being ſo near, as that it hath no ſubſiſtence of its own, but is, as it were, wholly melted into the Perſonality of the Son of God: hence alſo he is ſaid to partake of Fleſh and Blood, to be manifeſted in the Fleſh, and the like: and oh! what an Act of ſelf-denyal and abaſement was this! and how great was Chriſt's condeſcention herein? in Phil. 2.6, 7. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of it as the greateſt abaſement he could-ſtoop unto: who (ſayes he, ſpeaking of Chriſt) being in the form of God, thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, but made himſelf of no Reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeneſs of Men: pray, mark, he was in the form of God; that is, he was truly and really God, as the Father was; and he thought it no Robbery to be equal with God; i. e. he had all thoſe Divine Excellencies and perfections in him, which the Father had in him; and yet (ſayes he) he took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeneſs of Men: that is, he became incarnate, he became Man: Well, and what does this argue? Even infini…e condeſcention; therefore he tells us, that herein he became of no Beputation, or,foreign. Se c…acuavit omm gl…rria. i.e. Chriſtas gloriam illam & majeſtatem, in qua c…at apud patram. ita ab diderit in forma ſervi ut ea…ſ ſe penitus eva…ſſ… viſiſſit. Zanch. in Loc. Fallus quod non crat. matens quode…at. Her. as the Greek is, he emptied himſelf, to wit, of his glory; his glory was veiled and clouded hereby; the glory of his God-head was Eclipſed; 'tis true indeed, his Godhead was not hereby loſt, or laid aſide; no, he was as much, and as truly God after his Incarnation, as he was before: he did not ceaſe to be God, by becoming Man; but (as one of the Ancients expreſſes it) he was made that which he was not; and yet remained that which he was: he was made Man, yet ſo as that he ſtill remained to be God: but though his God-head was not loſt, or laid aſide hereby;Carnis humilitas ſait inſtar veli, quo Divina majeſtas tegebatur Calo. yet hereby was the glory of it veiled and loſt for a time, and he was not content to have it ſo; oh! how great a condeſcention was this? oh! for him that was God, God equal with the Father, to become Man, to cover himſelf with the courſe Veil of our Fleſh, and be content for ſo long a time to loſe the glory of his Deity which was infinitely dear to him; and all this to make way for an Eſpouſal between himſelf and poor Sinners; what ſelf-abaſement was this? and how ſhould it encourage Souls to look after an Eſpouſal to him!
2. He not only became Incarnate, but alſo freely bled, and dyed in order hereunto, which is a further diſcovery of his heart herein, being (ſayes the Apoſtle) found in faſhion as a Man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Croſs, i. e. to the moſt formidable Death, a Death of pain, a Death of ſhame, an accurſed Death, P…il. 2.8. Hence alſo 'tis ſaid, that he gave himſelf an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for us, Eph. 5. 2. Yea, not only did he bleed, and ſuffer, and dye; but he did all freely, and with much readineſs, and enlargedneſs of Soul: hence he is ſaid to have powred out his Soul unto Death, Iſa. 53.12.Voluntariè ſcipſum in mortem tradidit. Muſc. in Loc. He ſeemed in an holy manner prodigal of his Life in the caſe; he thought neither Blood, nor Life, nor any thing too much for them: Oh! how much does this argue his heart to be upon the buſineſs? It ſpake Jacob's heart to be much ſet upon Rachel to have her to Wife, that he could be content to undergo ſo much hard Service for her as he did, even ſeven years Service. Jacob ('tis ſaid) ſerved ſeven years for Rachel, yea, and they ſeemed unto him but a few days, for the Love he had to her, Gen. 29.20. So ſurely it argues Chriſts heart to be much ſet upon an Eſpouſal with Sinners, that he was content, not only to ſerve, but even bleed, and dye for them in order hereunto. Oh, Sirs, behold, and wonder; Chriſt comes from Heaven, quits his Throne, leaves the boſome of his Father, in which he had with inſinite delight lain from Eternity! behold and wonder, the Lord of Life dyes, the God of Bleſſing was made a Curſe. The infinitely beloved Son treads the Wine-preſs of the Father's wrath, Heaven deſcends into Hell, glory veils and Eclipſes it ſelf under ſhame and ignominy, the infinitely holy one is made ſin; and all this to redeem, and redeeming, Eſpouſe poor Sinners to himſelf! and is not his heart upon the buſineſs think you? And has he not Love for them? Oh, be not ſaithleſs, but believing.
2. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with Sinners, that he condeſcends ſweetly to woo them, and ſolicit them for their Love and acceptance of him: Should you ſee a Man with all carneſtneſs and importunity wooing a Virgin; and making Love to her, following her from day to day with renewed offers and ſollicitations, you would conclude his heart was much ſet upon an Eſpouſal with her: And is it not thus with the Lord Jeſus towards poor Sinners? Does he not woo them, and make Love to them, and that with all earneſtneſs and preſſing importunity, following them with renewed offers and ſollicitations from day to day? Now he meets them in this Ordinance, and there he woos them, and makes Love to them; anon he meets them in that Ordinance, and there woos them, and makes Love to them: now he ſends his Miniſters, and by them woos them, and makes Love to them; anon he ſends his Spirit: and by him woos them, and makes Love to them: thus he is every way, and upon all occaſions wooing them, and in his wooing of them.
How earneſtly does he call, and invite them to himſelf; 'tis not a cold offer or a ſlight motion onelyonly, that he makes to them, but he moves, and offers, calls, and invites with all earneſtneſs and importunity: Hoe, every one, that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, come ye, yea, come, Iſa. 55: 1. and again, the Spirit and the Bride ſay, come; and let him, that is a thirſt, come, Rev. 22.17.
How vigorouſly does he plead and expoſtulate the buſineſs with them? Chriſt does not onelyonly call, and invite; but he alſo pleades, and expoſtulates with ſinners in the caſe; and that in the moſt winning way, and with the moſt weighty arguments, that poſſibly may be: H…e… every one that thirſteth, come unto the waters, wherefore do you ſpend your Money for that which is not bread, And your labour for that which ſatiſſieth not? incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your ſouls ſhall live, and I will make with you an everlaſting Covenant, even the ſure mercies of David, Iſa. 55.2, 3. And again, turn ye, turn ye, wh… will ye d…, O houſe of …ſrael; Ezek. 33.11. I have no pleaſure in your damnation; but had rather, that you would come unto me, and live: why will you dye? is not liſe better then death? is not Heaven better then Hell? is not my love better then a Luſt? are not the Pleaſures of any Preſence, and at my right hand, which are for evermore, better then the pleaſures of ſin, which are but for a ſeaſor, a ſhort ſeaſon? why will you dye? is there …o…b … in Gil…ed, is there no Phyſſitian there? am not I able to ſave you to the uttermoſt? and are not my Arms wide open to receive you? have not I dyed for that very end, that you might live? look, here's my Blood, here are my Wounds; behold me in the Garden, and ſee me bleeding there for you: behold me upon the Croſs, and ſee me bleeding, yea, bleeding to death there for you; and then ſee, if you can find in your hearts to refuſe me any longer? In ſhort, would you not loſe all your coſt and all your labour? would you enjoy good, the beſt good, the moſt ſat is ſying good? have you any mind to life and would you have your ſouls live for ever? have you any mind to my Covenant, and all the riches and treaſures of that? then accept of me and my love, in whom you ſhall have all.
How ſweetly do he melt, and how tenderly do his Bowels yearn towards them, and over them? he comes to them not onelyonly with invitations in his Lips, but alſo with tears in his eyes, and tender compaſſions in his heart, ſtrongly working towards them: now he weeps, and then he groans; now he drops a ſigh, and then a tear; and all to melt their hard and unbelieving hearts, to draw, and allure them to himſelf. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem (ſays he) how often would I have gathered thee? Math. 23.37.Repetitis nominis foreign in dicat amoris & commiſerationis. Pare 9 in Loc. the repetition of the name ſhews the depth of his love and commiſeration towards them: And indeed, methinks I ſee how the tender heart of my dear Lord melts, and even bleeds over this unbelieving City, and in them all unbelieving ſinners to whom he offers himſelf; he is melted into tears towards them: ſo you have it, Lukt 19.41, 42. in Mat. he groans only, but in Luke he both Weeps and Groans: loe then! here is ſweet Jeſus weeping and groaning: here's the joy of the whole Earth weeping and groaning; and that over Jeruſalem, a bloody City, a City embroiled in the blood of his Saints, and a City thirſty of his own blood, a City full of wickedneſs, full of the contempt of his Goſpel, his Grace, his Salvation.
How freely and openly does he reveal and offer himſelf to them? The offer Chriſt makes is not a Limited offer; but general and extenſive to all; nor is it an offer made upon hard and ſevere terms; but upon terms of Grace & Love: Look unto me, and be ſaved, all ye ends of the Earth, Iſa. 45.22. Hot, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat, yea, come buy Wine, and Milk without money, and without price, Iſa. 55.1. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you reſt; Mat. 11.28. Whoever is a thirſt, let him come unto me, and drink, Joh. 7.37. Behold, I ſtand at the door, and knock, if any Man will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in, Rev. 3.20. And again, Whoever will, let him come, and take of the Water of Life freely, Rev. 22.17. Mark, all, every one, whoever will, though never ſo vile, and ſinful; never ſo black, and deform'd, though he has been never ſo deſperate an Enemy to me and my glory: Surely, were not his heart much in the buſineſs, he would not thus freely, and unlimitedly offer himſelf.
How affectionately does he beſeech, and intreat them? The tender trembling Child cannot more affectionately intreat and beſeech his offended Father to ſpare him, and be reconciled unto him, then Chriſt does intreat and beſeech offending Sinners to be Eſpouſed to him, and be made happy by him for ever: Now then, we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt (ſayes the Apoſtle) as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſt's ſtead, be ye reconciled to God: 2 Cor. 5.20. Pray mark, here is praying, and beſeeching; the Lord of Glory, as it were, upon his knees to poor Sinners, begging them to accept of him, and his Love: We pray you in Chriſt's ſtead: h. e. 'tis not we, but Chriſt by us, that prays, and beſeeches you: O, what condeſcenſion is this! once more.
How ſweetly does he draw and allure them? draw me (ſayes the Spouſe) and we will run after thee, Cant. 1.4. And indeed he does draw and allure Souls, and that with admirable ſweetneſs: I drew them with Cords of Love, with the bands of a man (ſayes he) Hoſ. 11.4. Now he ſets his Beauty, Riches, and Glory before them, thereby to draw and allure them, anon he drops a little Myrrhe upon the handle of the Lock; he gives them ſome little taſte and feeling of his Grace and Love, thereby to draw and allure them: Now he ſweetly inſinuates his Love to them; he tells them, how much his heart is upon them, what great things he has done and ſuffered for them, and how that he has no deſign upon them, but to make them happy for ever: anon he lets them ſee how infinitely happy a Marriage-Union and Communion with him would make them; he lets in ſome ſmall glimpſes of Heaven and Glory upon them; he opens the Treaſures of his Covenant and Kingdome to them: And all this to draw and allure them to himſelf; and over, and above all this, he ever and anon comes, and, as it were, takes the Soul aſide, and by the ſtill voyce of his Spirit, makes love to him: Come, poor Soul (ſays he) look upon thy bleeding, dying Saviour; come, ſee, what I have done, and ſee what I have prepared for thee, ſee what Treaſures of Life, and Love, of Grace, and Glory there are in me: look, here is my Love, taſte and ſee, if it be not better than Wine: here is my Boſome, make thy Bed in it, and ſee if it be not a warm Boſome: Come, Soul, though thou haſt no Love for me, yet I have Love for thee, and would fain have thee happy for ever: why therefore ſhould'ſt thou ſtand at ſuch a diſtance from me? Thus he ſweetly woos and ſollicits them for their Love and acceptance of him: Now, Soul, does he thus woo thee? And wilt thou refuſe him? If ſo, know, that the time of Love will not alwayes laſt: yea, and the time will come, when, though thou calleſt, and cryeſt, yet he will not hear: let me therefore ſay to thee, as Paul to his Corinthians: Receive not the Grace of God in vain; for behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation.
3. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with Sinners, that he not only thus woos them, but alſo waits long upon them, often renews the offers of his Love to them, and puts up many horrid affronts and provocations at their hands; if at laſt he may prevail with them. Suppoſe a Man ſhould not only make Love to a Perſon, but he ſhould alſo wait long upon her in the tenders of his Love, and that though he met with many affronts and unkindneſſes from her; this you would ſay, would argue his heart to be much ſet upon her: and is it not thus with Chriſt towards poor Sinners? O, how long does he wait upon them? how often does he renew the offers of his Love to them? And what affronts, indignities, and unkindneſſes does he bear with at their hands? Behold, I ſtand at the door and knock (ſayes he) Rev. 3.20. ſtanding is a waiting poſture: Chriſt does not give a call or a knock at the door of the Sinners heart, and away; no, he ſtands knocking: he gives call after call, and knock after knock, being ever ready to enter, if the Soul will at all open to him: ſo again, all the day long have I ſtretched out my hands to a diſobedient and gain-ſaying People; a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face, Iſa. 65.2, 3. Rom. 10.21.Fidem & reſipiſcentiam ces in vitavi. Scult. in Loc. all the day Ion…; Chriſt waits day after day, and week after week, and monethmonth after monethmonth, and year after year upon Sinners: yea, and many affronts and indignities does he put up, and paſs by from them; all the day long have I ſtretched forth my hands, opened the Arms and Boſome of my Love, and that to a gain-ſaying and rebellious People, an oppoſing, refuſing, reſiſting People, a people that provoketh me to my face continnally every day; a People that are daily loading me with their ſins and provocations, a People that will not let me go one day without affronting me, and that to my face; a People that are every day daring me to damn them: O, what patience is this? So, Mat. 23.37. O, Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldeſt not? How often? not once, or twice, or ten times; but very often: it notes, that he waited long upon them, and ſtrove long with them, and that after many and often repeated affronts and refuſals on their part; he ſtill tender'd himſelf and his love to them, and thus he deals by Sinners ſtill, he tenders himſelf and his Love to them, but they will have none of him; he renews his offers, and they renew their refuſals: they ſpurn at his Love, yet he makes love ſtill: he tells them, what great preparations he has made, and how all things are ready, and how welcome they ſhall be to the Marriage-Feaſt; but they make light of all, preferring a Worldly intereſt before him and it, Mat. 22. beginning. Well, however he leaves them not, but ſends again, and calls again, notwithſtanding all. They do in effect tell him, they deſire neither him nor his Grace, that they had rather enjoy their Luſts, then his Love: they abuſe his Grace, they deſpiſe his corrections, they ſlight his calls, they reſiſt his Spirit: O, what affronts are theſe! And after all this, it may be, he renews his ſuit, laying himſelf and his Love at their feet, if yet he may win them to him: Oh, how much muſt his heart be upon an Eſpouſal with them? Soul, let it melt thee into Love to him: Oh, who would withſtand ſuch a Lord, ſuch a Lover, What, woo, and wait ſo long too, put up ſuch, and ſo many affronts, and ſtill make Love! Was ever Love like this, and patience like this?
4. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with ſinners; as that he has laid himſelf under Bonds to receive them, and accept of them, in caſe they are willing to be Eſpouſed to him; and what greater Diſcovery of his heart then this? Should a young man lay himſelf under Bonds to Marry ſuch or ſuch a Woman, though as yet ſhe hated him, and were utterly averſe from him; you would ſurely conclude, that his heart was much ſet upon a Match with her: and truly this is no more then Chriſt the Lord of Glory hath done: he is become bound to Marry poor Sinners to himſelf, yea though at preſent they hate him, and are altogether averſe from him; yet in caſe they ſhall at laſt be willing to cloſe with him, he is become bound to receive them: he is become bound both to the Father, & to them.
1. He is bound to the Father to receive Sinners & Eſpouſe them to himſelf, in caſe they come to him, ſo much is held forth in Jo. 6.27: Labour not for the Meat that periſheth, but for that which endures unto Everlaſting life, which the Son of man ſhall, [mark] ſhall give unto you; for him hath God the Father Sealed: That is, God the Father hath ordained and appointed Chriſt, he has laid a Law upon him to give Eternal Life; and therefore himſelf, to Sinners, coming to him; and we may therefore reſt aſſured that he will do it: yea, Chriſt looks upon himſelf as under a law from the Father to do it, and therefore Sayes, …h. Law is within my heart; …al. 40.8. thy Law: what Law? why, the Law of his Mediatorſhip, which commands him as to dy for Sinners, ſo to accept of Sinners when they come unto him, and ſurely he that ſo freely fulfilled it in the one, will not be diſobedient to it in the other: in a word, in that Covenant (by Divines called the Covenant of Redemption) which paſt between the Father and Jeſus Chriſt from Eternity concerning the Salvation of Sinners, Chriſt became bound to the Father to receive all that ſhould come to him, and he will be faithful.
2. He is bound to Sinners themſelves in the caſe: he has indeed given them his Bond, he has given them his promiſe, which is his Bond, and a ſtrong one too, an invincible obligation, and the ſoul may look on it as ſuch: but where is his promiſe? truly the whole Goſpel is but as it were one general promiſe made by him to this purpoſe: but take one for all the reſt, Jo. 6.36. All that the Father giveth me ſhall come unto me, and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out; i.e. I will moſt aſſuredly receive him, and beſtow my ſelf and eternal life upon him; and how often has he renewed this Bond of his? yea, and that it might be Firm and valid to our Faith as well as in it ſelf, he hath hereunto added his Seal, and that ſuch a Seal as renders it altogether unqueſtionable: for 'tis the Seal of his own Blood: Hence the Goſpel is called the new Teſtament in his Blood, that is, Seal'd and ratiſied in his Blood, L…ke. 22.20. And his Blood is caled the Blood of the Covenant; becauſe the Covenant and promiſes thereof are Seal'd with that Blood, …el. 9. Latter end. Yea, more yet, if his promiſe and his Seal be not enough, they ſhall have more, for to both theſe he has added his Oath for their further ſecurity in the caſe; Verily, verily (ſayes he) he that believe… on me; hath everlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, and again, verily, ve…il, he hour coweth, and now is, when the Dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that bear ſhall live, Joh 5.24, 25. As I live, was the form of God's Oath in the oll Teſtament, & he there Swears he hath no pleaſure in the death of Sinners, but had rather they would … and live, Ezek. 33.11. and verily, verily is the form of Chriſts Oath in the new Teſtament, and he there (you ſee) Swears that Souls ſhall live coming to him.O faelic…s nos! quorum cauſa deus jurat! O inſid…les nos. Si jura…ti non credanus. Tertul. Lib. de paenit. O happr we (as one of the Antients Cryes out) for whoſe ſakes God doth Swear, but O unbelieving we, if we do not believe him ſwearing. Thus Chriſt hath given us his Bond, his promiſe, and that feal'd with his Blood, and to all added his Oath for the further incouragement of our Faith; and what can we deſire more? If you have a mans promiſe to you for the performance of this or that, you think you are well: you judging him to be both able and Faithful: but if you have his Seal added to his promiſe, then you look upon your ſelves ſecure of the buſineſs indeed: but if to both theſe you have his Oath added, then you look on the buſineſs paſt all doubt, and you dare not queſtion it: why lo! Chriſt has given poor Sinners all this to aſſure them that he will imbrace and accept them coming to him; and Oh how firm may their Faith ſtand upon all this? and what horred wickedneſs muſt it be ſo much as once to queſtion it? true neither his ſeal nor his Oath addes any thing to the truth and certainty of the promiſe in it ſelf;1a dco tam dicere, quam jurace, immntabile est. ſed en quam indulgenter ut o…timum pa…em decet, ſe deus accommodet noſtrae tarditati, qtoia nos videt ſimplici ſuo ſermoni non acquieſcore, ut cum plenius ſanciat in cordibus noſtris. addit jusjuraudum. Cal. in Locum. but to our ſenſe and apprehenſion it does; and meerly out of indulgence to us & our weakneſs is the one and the other added, ſo the Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 6.17, 18. God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe, the immutability of his Councell confirmed it by an Oath, that by two immutable things wherein it was impoſſible for God to lye, we might have ſtrong conſolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope ſet before us. Mark, 'twas not to confirm, or add any thing to the truth and certainty of God's councell or Covenant, that his Oath was added; but 'twas to confirm, and incourage our Faith: Thus you ſee Chriſt is under Bonds to receive and accept of ſinners, if they come to him, and are willing of an Eſpouſal with him: and how much does this argue his heart to be in the buſineſs? O let none ever ſay, will Chriſt accept and receive me coming to him? for indeed Bonds bind him ſo to do: The truth is, were he under no bonds, we need not queſtion it; for his bowels would conſtrain him, and had he no Bowels, we need not to doubt it; for Bonds would bind him to it. Chriſt muſt deny his Word, Promiſe, Seal, Oath and all; if he refuſe any ſoul that indeed comes to him, and deſires to cloſe in a Marriage-Covenant with him: Oh what encouragement is this?
5. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with ſinners; as that he has given them a full and unqueſtionable aſſurance that nothing what ever ſhall ſtand between him and them, nor prejudice their acceptance with him, in care they be willing to be Eſpouſed unto him: ſhould a man not onelyonly make love to a perſon, wait long upon her in the tenders thereof, and the like, but alſo given full aſſurance that nothing ſhall ſtand between him and her to hinder the Match; in caſe ſhe be willing to accept of him, this would argue his heart to be much upon het indeed: Now his alſo Chriſt hath done. He hath given ſinners a full and firm a urance that nothing ſhall prejudice their acceptance with him, nor hinder the Match between him & their ſouls in caſe they be willing of it: and is not his heart then much upon the buſineſs? this is no other then what he himſelf declares, J…l. 6.37. And certainly he doth not delude ſouls with vain words. Him that cometh an …, (Sa… he) i.e. He that believe…h on me he that is willing to be mine, him I will i… no wiſe coſt out: in no wiſe, or by no means, upon no accounts whatever: Nothing ſhall obſtruct his acceptance with me; but I will receive him with a notwithſtanding; notwithſtanding all his Vileneſs, all his unworthineſs, all his un…indneſs, all his unſuitableneſs: Notwithſtanding all that, either Men, or Devils, Law, or Conſcience can charge upon him, yea, or that unbelief its ſelf can pre…end or alledge; be it what it will, notwithſtanding all I'le receive him into the Boſome of my love. Chriſt language to poor ſinners in this promiſe of his, and many more of like import is ſuch as this: come, poor ſouls, be not afraid of me, what ever your condition be, and how ever things ſtand, and are ſtated with you, yet if you have a mind to me, and an Eſpouſal with me, aſſure your ſelves, that nothing ſhall obſtruct your acceptance with me, nothing ſhall ſhut up my Boſome againſt you; but I will betroth you …o my ſelf for ever. Oh, what encouragement is here? Come to Chriſt, and cloſe with Chriſt in a Marriage-Covenant, who would not do that, may ſome ſay? but alas there are a thouſand things that will hinder the Match, and ſtand between him and me, ſhould I go to him: poor ſoul, this is apparently the plea and Language of unbelief, and let it be ſilenced for ever, Chriſt having (as thou ſeeſt) fully aſſured us of the contrary: But beſides, what is it that thou feareſt, (or that any ſoul can fear) will ſtand between Chriſt and thee, to hinder an Eſpouſal with him? Bring forth thy ſtrong pleas, and ſee if they will bear any weight in the Sanctuary-ballance.
1. Is it outward meanneſs and baſeneſs? poſſibly thou art low and mean, and baſe in the World; thou art a poor, forlorn, deſpicable Creature; and this thou thinkeſt will ſtand between Chriſt and thee; ſurely (ſayeſt thou) Chriſt will never take ſuch a Contemptible Worm, as I am, into ſuch a Relation with himſelf: But ſinner, this ſhall not hinder in the leaſt; for Chriſt is no reſpecter of Perſons; High, and Low, Rich, and Poor, Bond and free, are all one in Chriſt, and to Chriſt, Gal. 3.28. Yea, does not the word tell us, that he chooſes the poor of this World, Heires of the Kingdom, and rich in Faith? Jam. 2.5. And again, ye ſee your calling, Brethren (Says the Apoſtle) how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many Noble are called; but God chooſes Fooliſh, and weak, and baſeone…, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28. As greatneſs is no furtherance, ſo meanneſs and baſeneſs is no hinderance in this caſe: Men indeed mind Honour and greatneſs, they will have ſuch as are ſutable to themſelves: But 'tis otherwiſe with Chriſt: Poor ſinner, though thou beeſt never ſo low, and mean, and baſe in the World; though thou ſhouldſt be cloathed with Rags; yet if thou haſt a mind to Chriſt, he will accept thee, and Marry thee to himſelf; yea, and thy ſoul will be as dear to him, and as precious in his ſight, as the ſoul of the greateſt Prince or Monarch in the World.
2. Is it inward Blackneſs and deſormity? perhaps, ſinner, if thou art not outwardly mean and baſe; yet thou ſeeſt thy ſelf inwardly Black and deformed; thou lyeſt in thy Blood and gore, wallowing in thy ſin and Filth; neither is there any worth, any Beauty in thee for which Chriſt ſhould deſire thee; and therefore ſayeſt thou, ſurely Chriſt will have nothing to do with me, nor ſo much as caſt an eye or look of love upon me; but, ſoul, this ſhall not ſtand between Chriſt and thee neither; but if thou haſt a mind to him he will Marry thee to himſelf notwithſtanding: For indeed Chriſt Marries not any for their Beauty; but thoſe whom he Marries, he Marries to make them Beautiful: He Marries them not for any worth of theirs; but to put a worth upon them, & indeed there are none that he Eſpouſes to himſelf, but he finds them Black and deformed, in their Blood and Gore, as well as thee; and ſo they are, till he puts his Beauty upon them; how ſweet is that word Ezek, 16.6, 7, 8. When I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thy Blood, i. e. in thy ſin and filth. I ſaid unto thee, live, I ſaid unto thee, when thou waſt in thy Blood, live, yea, when thou waſt in thy Blood, live, Mark, three times he mentions it, in thy Blood, in thy Blood, in thy Blood. To note the depth of that defilement we are all under; well, and what then? will Chriſt have any thing to do with ſuch? yes, he makes love to them: Behold thy time was the time of love, he Marries them to himſelf in an Everlaſting Covenant, I ſpread my Skirt over thee (ſayes he) and covered thy makedneſs, yea, I ſwear unto thee, and entred into Covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine: Yea, not only ſo, but he puts a Beauty, yea, his own Beauty and comlineſs upon them, hou art come to Excellent Ornaments, and art comely through my comlineſs which I have put upon thee, as Verſe 14. O ſoul, be not diſcouraged, Chriſt will turn thy blackneſs into Beauty, and not caſt thee off becauſe of it.
3. Is it the greatneſs and Hainouſneſs of thy ſin and guilt? O my ſins, my ſins (ſayes the poor foul) they are exceeding many, and exceeding great, they are many and great in themſelves and they are cloathed with many and great aggravations: Few in the World ever ſinned at that rate that I have done; therefore I fear, that Chriſt will never own me ſo as to take me into ſuch a Relation with himſelf: Well, be it ſo, yet know; that this ſhall not ſtand between Chriſt, and thee, if thou art willing to be Eſpouſed to him: He has promiſed to pardon great ſins, and to accept notwithſtanding great ſins, in caſe the ſoul be but willing … non (ſays he) And let us Reaſon together, though your ſins are as Scar…e…, … ſhall he white as Snow; though they are red like Crimſon, they ſhall he as Hool, Iſa. 1.18.Pecata v…ſtra ſicut nix albeſcont, &c. Uoc eſt, vos a peccatis … i…mibas, mundati, … ni…is, & pu…i eritis, …lais. G…ar. S…c. Though your Sins are as Scarlet. and as Crimſ…, i. e. Though they are great, foul, enormous Sins; Sins of a hainous and crying nature, and cloathed with the greateſt aggravations, yet they ſhall be White as Snow and Wool: i. e. They ſhall be fully done away and pardon'd; ſo fully done away and pardon'd, as if they had never been: So again, Iſa 43.24, 25. in the 24 v. He ſpeaks to ſome, who had made him to ſerve with their Sins, and wearied him with their iniquities: Theſe ſurely were great Sinners, and their ſins of a hainous crying nature, and yet at the 25 v. what a full promiſe of pardon does he make to them? I even 1, am he that blotteth out thy Tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and will not remember thy Sins. Poor Soul, what ſhall I ſay? Haſt thou abundantly ſinned? Haſt thou multiplied ſins? He has promiſed abandantly to pardon, and to nothing p…dons, Iſa. 55.7. Art thou guilty of all manner of ſins, and to thy other ſins haſt thou added Blaſphemy? He has promiſed, that all manner of ſin and Bl…phemy ſhall be for given, except that againſt the holy Ghost, (which thy complaining of the greatneſs of thy ſins argues thou art not guilty of) Mat. 12.31. O Soul, be not diſcouraged becauſe of the greatneſs of thy ſins: Chriſt marries ſouls, not becauſe they are not ſinners, great ſinners; but he Marries them to take away their ſins, and to diſcharge them from them for even: And the greater thy ſins are, the greater will be the Glory of Chriſt's grace (which is what he Aims at) in receiving of thee into ſo near and Glorious a Relation with himſelf, as this is: Beſides, what wilt thou do with thy great ſins, unleſs thou goeſt with them to Chriſt? Great ſins argue a great need of Chriſt, and call for great haſtening unto Chriſt.
4. Is it any former neglects or refuſals of thine? Poſſibly not onelyonly are thy ſins many and great, but there is this added to all the reſt, long and frequent refuſals of Chriſt and his love: He has often called, but thou haſt given gim no anſwer, he has long woo'd thee, but thou haſt not complied with him: O the many ſweet calls, Gracious offers, loving tenders, which he has made to thee, and thou haſt Deſpiſed? And this makes thee fear, that he will now have nothing to do with thee: And truly ſoul, this is ſad, very ſad, hereby Chriſt has loſt much Glory, which thou mighteſt have brought him; hereby thou haſt loſt much ſweet communion, which thou might. eſt have enjoyed; hereby Chriſt's heart has been much grieved, which might have been prevented; and hereby the work is made much more difficult, then at firſt it was, thy heart being grown more hard, and Corruptions more ſtrong: Thus 'tis every way very ſad, that thou haſt thus neglected and refuſed Chriſt, but yet neither ſhall this ſtand between him and thee in caſe thou art willing to be Eſpouſed to him: For this ſee, Prov. 1.20, 21, 22, 23. Wiſdom Cryeth without, ſhe uttereth her voice in the Streets, ſhe cryeth in the chief place of concourſe, in the openings of the gates, in the City ſhe uttereth her words, ſaying: How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity? And the Sconners delight in their Scorning, and Fools hate Knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Pray obſerve, Chriſt had offered himſelf, and his love to them, but they had refuſed him and it, yea, they had refuſed long, and refuſed with much contempt: How long ye Simple ones will ye love Simplicity? &c. They ſcorn'd the offers of Chriſt and, his Love, and yet here he renewes thoſe offers to them, wherein he tells them, that none of all their refuſals ſhould prejudice their acceptance with him, in caſe they are willing to be his: Turn ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my Spirit, &c. And ſoul, do not the moſt refuſe long; and ſtand it out long againſt the offers of Chriſt and his grace, e're they cloſe with him, who yet are received & embraced by him? Be not therefore diſcouraged, poor ſoul, becauſe of thy former neglects and refuſals of Chriſt, but throw thy ſelf into the Arms of his love, which thou wilt certainly find wide open to receive, and Embrace thee.
5. Is it any revolting or Back-ſli…ing of thine from him: Poſſibly thou haſt ſouretimes been on thy way towards Chriſt, thou haſt had ſome workings, ſome good Reſolutions and affections within thee for him, I, and thou haſt made ſome profeſſion of him, thou haſt ſometimes been even upon the turning point, the point of cloſeing with Chriſt, and the Match has been near made up between him and thee: And yet after all this, thou haſt revolted and Back-ſliden from him, Playing the Harlot with many lovers, which makes thee fear, that he will now reject thee, ſhouldeſt thou goe to him: And the truth is, this alſo is very ſad: For hereby Chriſt has been eminently Diſhonoured, and thy Soul has been eminently endangered: But yet be not diſcouraged; for this ſhall not ſtand between Chriſt and thee, if yet thou art but willing to be Eſpouſed to him: Chriſt offers himſelf and his grace to ſuch, as theſe; he promiſes to heal Back-ſlidings, Jer. 3.1. Though thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers; yet return unto me, ſaith the Lord and …. 12. Return thou Backſliding Iſrael, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you: For I am merciful, ſo Hoſ. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea, I will betroth thee unto me: Thee, who? Why as revolting and Backſliding a People, as ever were in the World; ſo you will find in the beginning of the Chap. There is hope then (you ſee) for revolters and Backſliders; therefore be not diſcouraged, but go to him, and he will not caſt thee out: Well ſoul, Here's encouragement enough for thee notwithſtanding all thy Vileneſs, Sinfulneſs, and unworthineſs; and to add to thy encouragment, yet, know, Chriſt has received multitudes that were every way as vile, ſinful, and unworthy as thou art: What doſt thou think of Manaſſeth, who was a Sorcerer, and an Idolater? What doſt thou think of Paul, who was a Perſecuter and a Blaſphemer? What doſt thou think of Mary Magdalen, who had ſeven Devils in her? What doſt thou think of Rahab, who was an Harlot? What doſt thou think of multitudes of thoſe, who Crucified Chriſt, but afterwards believed? Theſe were all great Sinners, and yet Chriſt received them into the Arms of his Love: What doſt thou think of the black Liſt and Catalogue of Sinners among the Corinthians, mentioned, 1 Cor. 6.9. & 10. who were Drunkards, Thieves, Murderers, Adulterers, Idolaters, abuſers of themſelves with Mankind, and the like? What doſt thou think of them? Titus 3.3. who were Fooliſh, Diſobedient, Living in Envy, Hateful, and h…eing one another, ſerving divers Luſts and pleaſures? Surely theſe were as vile, as ſinful, as worthleſs as thou art, and had as much to ſtand between Chriſt and them; and yet they found grace in Chriſt's ſight upon their looking to him. Indeed there is never a Soul now in Heaven, but was by Nature every way as vile, ſinful, and unworthy of Chriſt, as thou: they lay under the ſame pollution, they wallowed in the ſame Blood, they were filled with the ſame Spirit of oppoſition againſt God and his wayes, that thou doſt, and art; yea, and multitudes of them were as vile and ſinful by practice alſo, as thou; they Acted out the ſin and enmity of their Natures as highly againſt God and Chriſt, as thou haſt done; and yet theſe Chriſt received, elſe they had not been in Heaven. In a word, Heaven (as one obſerves) is an Houſe full of the Miracles of Chriſt's free Grace: There's Idolatrous Maniſſeth among the true Worſhippers of God: There's oppreſſing Zacheus among the Spirits of Juſt Men made perfect: There's Blaſphemous Paul among the Hoſt of Angels, Lauding, Praiſing, and ſinging Halelujahs to God and the Lamb; and there is Mary Magdalen, that had ſeven Devils among the Saints of the moſt High, who are filled even to overflowing with the ſeven Spirits of God. O, who then would be diſcouraged? Yea, Soul, all thy vileneſs, ſinfulneſs, and unworthineſs does, but as it were, qualifie thee for Chriſt and his free Grace: My ſinful wants and unworthineſs (ſayes Rutherford) have qualified me for Chriſt and his grace: Caſt thy ſelf therefore fully upon him notwithſtanding all, not doubting thine acceptance with him.
6. Such is the heart of Chriſt, and ſo ſet upon an Eſpouſal with ſinners, as that, he delights and rejoyces in nothing more hardly, then in the Nuptials between him and them; and oh, how ſhould this draw and allure us to him? Should you ſee a Young Man rejoycing in the ſenſe of an Eſpouſal between himſelf, and ſuch, or ſuch an one whom he Loved, you might well conclude, that his heart was much upon her: and is it not thus here? Chriſt rejoyces in the ſight and ſenſe of an Eſpouſal between himſelf and ſinners, and how much does this Argue his heart to be in the buſineſs? This I will give you in three propoſitions.
1. This is what he rejoyced and delighted himſelf in the thoughts of from all Eternity: thus much he himſelf tells us, Pro…. 8.30, 31. Then, namely, from Everlaſting, was I by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoycing alwayes before him, rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth, and my delights were with the Sons of Men: Theſe are Chriſt's words, and in them he tells you where he was, and what he had been doing from Eternity, he was with the Father, and rejoyced before him; but what did he rejoyce in? truly, next to his Father and himſelf, his rejoycing was in the habitable parts of the Earth, and his delights were with the Sons of Men: He delighted himſelf in the thoughts of ſaving poor ſinners, and Eſpouſing them unto himſelf in order thereunto: Oh, how much does this Argue his heart to be in the buſineſs?
2. As he thus delighted and rejoyced in the thoughts of it before hand; ſo when at any time a poor Soul is Actually Eſpouſed to him, then he rejoyces afreſh, and is delighted afreſh: Hence the day of Eſpouſals is called the day of the gladneſs of his heart, Cant. 3.11. the day of Eſpouſals between Chriſt and a poor Sinner, is a day of gladneſs and rejoyceing to the Father, a day of gladneſs and rejoycing to the bleſſed Spirit, a day of gladneſs and rejoycing to the Holy Angels, and Spirits of juſt men made perfect: For there is joy in Heaver, at this, …. 15.7. But 'tis eſpecially a day of gladneſs and rejoycing to Chriſt the Bridegroom: O to ſee poor Sinners come in and give up themſelves to him in a Marriage-Covenant; this is the joy, the reſt, the ſat is faction of his ſoul: Hence 'its ſaid, he ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, …nd be ſarisfied, Iſa. 53.11. 'Tis a great grief and trouble to Chriſt, that which wounds his very ſoul, when having wooed poor Sinners, and time after time made Love to them, they notwithſtanding are Shy of him, and will not cloſe with them in a Marriage-Covenant: Hence he complains, as he doe; Jo. 5.41. You will not come to me that you might have life, and Mat. 23.37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldſt not: He ſpeaks complainingly, & as one grieved at heart, at their neglects of him, yea this was that which made him Weep as he did over Jeruſalem …uks. 19.41, 42. Behold the joy of the whole Earth weeping! And why? Becauſe of their refuſals of him, and his Grace, and the woful Deſtructions that for theſe refuſals were coming upon them: Indeed this is what reflects great Diſhonour upon his name, poures great contempt upon his Grace, and is directly contrary to the whole deſign of his undertakings, as mediator, and ſo cannot but be grievous to him: So on the contrary, when ſouls come freely in, and give up themſelves in a Marriage-Relation to him, this glads and rejoyces his heart; Oh how ſhould this draw ſouls to him? Sinner, why may not this day be made the day of the gladneſs of Chriſt's heart, by being a day of Eſpouſals between him and thee? He has ſeen many a day of grief of heart, and trouble of heart, becauſe of thy ſtanding out againſt him, and refuſing the offers of his Love: Oh now let him ſee one day of joy of heart and gladneſs of heart by thy cloſing up with him in a Marriage-Covenant!
3. As Chriſt delights and rejoyces when ſouls are Eſpouſed to him; ſo being Eſpouſed to him, he delights and rejoyces in this Eſpouſal for ever: Men Marry ſuch or ſuch, and they rejoyce therein at preſent, but their joy does not laſt: 'Tis otherwiſe with Chriſt, he did rejoyce in the thoughts of it from all Eternity, he does rejoyce in the being and accompliſhment of it here in time, and he will rejoyce in the conſummation of it in Heaven for ever; the truth is, his joy is not compleat, till the Marriage be compleat; nor will his joy ever end, till that end, which will never be (as in its place may be ſhewn) Thus you ſee a little what Chriſt's lieart is, and how much ſet upon this Buſineſs; as well as what manner of Husband he is, and what great things he does for all his Eſpouſes; and now after all what do you ſay? Art thou for Chriſt or no? Shall the nuptiall go on between him and your ſouls, or ſhall it not? Soul, what anſwer muſt I give my Lord and Maſter that ſent me to thee? 'Tis but a little while and he will call both thee and me to an account concerning theſe things, and I muſt ſay, Lord, I woo'd that ſoul for thee; I beſought him to be Eſpouſed unto thee; and ſo far as I was able I diſplayed thy Beauty, thy Riches, thy Glory before him; I opened thine heart to him, ſhewed him thy Love and thy willingneſs to be Eſpouſed to him, hoping that the cords of thy Love would draw him, and with my whole ſtrength entreated him to give up himſelf in a Marriage Covenant to thee: Well, and what was the Iſſue? Lord thou knoweſt: But, ſoul, what anſwer muſt I return. Muſt I be put to ſay? Lord, I laboured in vain, and ſpent my ſtrength in vain, for he made light of all, and would have none either of thee or thy Love: O put me not to make this Diſmal anſwer; rather let me have cauſe to ſay; Behold, I and the Children which God hath given me, Behold, this ſoul, and that ſoul, and many ſouls were won over to thee. Amen.