The Best Match, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Which ſhews what manner of Husband Chriſt is, and how qualified for the endearing of him to Souls, and rendering him deſirable in a Conjugal-Relation.
WHat is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, that thou doſt ſo charge us? So the Daughters of Jeruſalem ſpake unto the Spouſe, Cant. 5.9. In like manner may ſome ſay to me; Who, or what is this Chriſt, that you do ſo preſs us to an eſpouſal with him? What is there in him to render him deſirable to us? Who, or what is he? Truly I can't tell, nor could I, had I the tongue of Men and Angels; and I am almoſt afraid to ſpeak of him, leſt I ſhould darken his Glory inſtead of diſplaying it: This I am ſure of, He is (as one ſpeaks of him) Earths Wonder, and Heavens Wonder both; and has all that in him, and that in infinite eminency and perfection, that ſhould render him grateful and deſirable to Souls in a Conjugal-Relation: Look therefore upon him, and view him a little, and ſee if there be any thing you can deſire in ſuch a Relation, that is wanting in him. I'le lay this more fully before you in theſe following Particulars.
1. Are you for Dignity and Greatneſs? This goes far among men, and makes many a Match: for this, none like Chriſt, none ſo great, ſo glorious, ſo honourable as he: pray view him a little: As to his deſcent, He came forth from God, viz. by eternal Generation, and is the eternal Son of the Eternal Father, John 16.28. View him in his Perſon, and there you will ſee nothing but greatneſs; for he is no other than God-Man, and has all the excellencies of both Natures in one Perſon: He is Emmanuel, God with us, God in our Nature, Mat. 1.23. He is God, Heb. 1.8. The true God, John 5.20. The great God, Titus 2.13. The mighty God, Iſa. 9.6. God over all, or the moſt high God, Rom. 9.5. God equal with the Father, having the ſame Divine Eſſence,Qui in his Verbis clare aſſert aeternam Chriſts divinitatem non videl, prorſus caecus eſt. Calv. in …cum. and Eſſential Perfections in him, that the Father hath in him, Phil. 2.6. He is the brightneſs of his Fathers Glory, and the expreſs Character of his Perſon; one, in whom the whole Majeſty, Luſter, and Glory of the Father ſhines forth; one, on whom the Father has engraven all his eterval Excellencies, Heb. 1.3. Some ſmall Beams and Rayes of God's Glory do ſhine forth in the Saints and Angels;Pater totam ſuam eſſentiam & majeſtatem filio a ſe ab aeterno genito, intimè quaſi inſculpſerit, & ſeipſum in filio quaſi effigiârit, ut ſit ſubſtantialis imago ejus. Glaſ. Rh. Sac. but in Chriſt the Fulneſs, Luſtre, and Brightneſs of it appears. View him in his Office and Relation, with the Dignity that even here he is advanced unto: He is a King, a great King, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19.6. King of Saints, Rev. 15.3. King of Nations, Jer. 10.7. King of Glory, Pſal. 24.7. He is the head of all Principalities and Powers; and 'tis their glory that they have ſuch an Head, Col. 2.10. He is the Fellow of the Lord of Hoſts, Zech. 13.7. He is the firſtborn of God, higher than the Kings of the Earth, Pſal. 89.27. He is ſet down at Gods own right hand in heavenly places, far above all Principalities, and Powers, and Might, and Dominion, Epheſ. 1.20. He is made higher than the Heavens, Heb. 7.26. Among all Perſons, and in all Things, whether in Heaven or Earth, he has the preheminence, Col. 1.18. Such is his greatneſs, that the whole Creation is bound to perform Homage and Worſhip to him, the Angels themſelves not excepted: Let all the Angels of God worſhip him, ſays the Father, Heb. 1.6. & Phil. 2.9, 10. God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name above every Name, that at the Name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow, of things in Heaven, and things on Earth, and things under the Earth; i. e. Angels as well as Men muſt perform worſhip to him: And indeed, a refuſal ſo to do, would turn Angels into Devils: He is to be loved, feared, believed on, obeyed, prayed unto, praiſed, admired, and delighted in by all: He is to have equal honour from all with the Father; All muſt honour the Son, as they honour the Father, Joh. 5.23. What ſhall I ſay? He has the ſovereign Lordſhip and diſpoſal both of Grace and Glory in his hand; The Son quickeneth whom he will, John 5.21. He ſayes unto one, Live, and he lives; and to another, Live, and he lives, and the reſt of the dead live not: He has the Keys of Death and Hell, Rev. 1.18. He has the Government of the whole World in his hand; His Kingdom ruleth over all, Pſalm. 103.19. He is in full poſſeſſion of a Kingdom over the whole Creation, all Judgment being committed to him, John 5.22. And O how glorious is he in the whole of it! Glorious in his Throne, which is at the right hand of God, Heb. 1.3. Glorious in his Commiſſion, which is all power in Heaven and Earth, Matth. 28.18. Glorious in his Scepter, which is a Scepter of Righteouſneſs, Pſal. 45.6. Glorious in his Attendants, ten thouſand times ten thouſand of his Holy Ones, even thouſands of Angels, Dan. 7.10. Glorious in his way of Rule, full of Grace and ſweetneſs towards his People, full of terror and majeſty towards his Enemies, his Arrows being ſharp in their hearts, Pſal. 45.5. And as he governs all now, ſo he will judge all at laſt; and all muſt ſtand or fall, live or die, be ſaved or damned for ever, according to what Sentence he ſhall paſs upon them, Acts 17.31. Rom. 14.10. O how great is this Lord! and how worthy to be imbraced by us! O Sirs, will you deny ſo great, ſo glorious a Perſon, when he makes love to you? Should you ſee ſome great Prince wooing a Beggar in Rags upon the Dunghil, you would wonder to ſee her ſlight him, and make him wait time after time upon her: Why there is an infinitely greater Perſon than the greateſt of Kings, that wooes you and ſollicites you for your love: And will you yet be ſhie of him, and make him wait? Will you refuſe him? Then wonder at your own ſordid ingratitude.
II. Are you for Riches and Treaſures? This ſwayes with moſt: for this none like Chriſt, he has Riches as well as Greatneſs to recommend him to you; Riches and Honour are with me, Prov. 8.18. Yea, and his Riches are the beſt ſort; his are Spiritual Riches, Treaſures in Heaven, Matth. 6.20. Riches of Life and Love, Peace and Pardon, Grace and Glory, Righteouſneſs and Salvation, Riches of Glory, and Riches in Glory: And O what poor things are the Riches of this World to theſe? His are true Riches, Luke 16.11. The riches of this World are but painted riches, his are ſubſtantial Riches; I will cauſe them that love me, to inherit Subſtance, Prov. 8.21. The riches of this World are vain, they are not, Prov. 23.5. But the Riches of Chriſt have a reality in them; His are laſting and durable Riches; Riches and Honour are with me, yea durable Riches and Righteouſneſs, Prov. 8.18. Worldly riches are periſhing and uncertain things, 1 Tim. 6.17. Now we enjoy them, but all of a ſuddain they are gone and diſappear; but Chriſts are eternal Riches for an eternal Soul: And as his Riches are thus of the beſt ſort, ſo he has great abundance of them; his Riches are boundleſs and unſearchable: To me (ſayes Paul) it is given to preach the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt, Epheſ. 3.8. He is Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. All the Treaſures of Heaven and Earth are his: He has all fulneſs dwelling in him, Col. 1.19 even all the fulneſs of the God-head, whole God dwells in him; He has enough to ſupply all our wants, and to anſwer all our deſires: Do we want Grace? He is full of Grace, John 1.14. Do we want Life? With him is the Fountain of Life, Pſal. 36.9. Do we want Redemption, redemption from Sin, from Death, from Hell, from Wrath? With him is plenteous Redemption, Pſal. 130.7. Do we want Peace? He gives peace; My Peace I give unto you, Joh. 14.27. Do we want Righteouſneſs; He has fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, he is become the Lord our Righteouſneſs, Jer. 23.6. Now will you reject this rich Lord? You are poor, and miſerable, and naked; and will you not embrace this Chriſt, tendering himſelf with all theſe Riches to you? O how juſtly then will you periſh for ever! O that there were ſome covetous Soul here this day, that would be taken with the Riches of Chriſt.
III. Are you for Bounty, for a noble and generous Spirit? That's deſirable in ſuch a Relation, and takes much with many, for this alſo, none like Chriſt: He is a bountiful Lord, of a noble and generous Spirit, as well as Rich: Many a Man has riches enough, but has a baſe, narrow, covetous Spirit; and ſo his Wife has little of them; but Chriſt has a noble, generous, bountiful heart: He is not only rich, but he is alſo willing to lay out all his Riches & Treaſures upon his Spouſes: All the Treaſures of his Love and Grace, all the Treaſures of his Righteouſneſs and Conſolation: He would have them abundantly filled, abundantly comforted, abundantly enriched for ever: What a generous Spirit towards them does he expreſs, Cant. 5.1. Eat, O Friends; Drink, yea drink abundantly, O Beloved: As if he ſhould ſay, I have enough, infinitely enough for you, and I would have you to have enough, I would have you to have your Souls full of all Good: He would have them to have full Graces, full Joyes, full Comforts, and full Happineſs for ever; Theſe things ſpeak I unto you, (ſayes he) that your joy may be full, John 15.11. And again, Ask, that you may receive, that your joy may be full, John 16.24. He wills them like happineſs with himſelf: Like love and embraces in the Fathers Boſom, Joh. 17.24, 26. Like Grace and Holineſs, John 17.22. O what a noble, generous, bountiful heart has this ſweet Lord towards his Spouſe! Soul, ſhall it not draw and allure thee to him? Nothing will ſatisfie him leſs than their participating with him in his own bleſſedneſs: Soul, if thou rejecteſt this bountiful Lord, know, that he has Treaſures of Wrath and Vengeance alſo, which he will plentifully pour out upon thee for ever.
IV. Are you for Wiſdom and Knowledge? Wiſdom and Knowledge render a perſon lovely and deſirable; 'tis indeed one of a perſons higheſt excellencies and perfections: for this alſo none like Chriſt; He is the Wiſdom of God, and the Power of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. The infinite Wiſdom of the Eternal God does ſhine forth in him and through him: Yea, in him are hid all the Treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge, Col. 2.3. Which may be underſtood Actively as well as Paſſively, he knowing all, as well as having all that is worth knowing in him; He is the only wiſe God, Jude 25. There is no true wiſdom but in him, and there is no true wiſdom to be had but by him and from him; he is often in Scripture called Wiſdom, to note that infinite wiſdom that is in him: He knows all Perſons and all Things; he knows the Father, and that, as he is known of him, Joh. 10.15. He knows the Mind and Will of the Father; hence ſaid to be in his Boſom, which is the place of Secrets, as well as Love, Joh. 1.18. He knows all his Fathers Counſels and Decrees, which have been of old touching the Salvation and Damnation of Man: Hence we read of the Lambs Book of Life, and Names written therein, Rev. 13.8. He knows all the Works of God the Father; The Father loveth the Son, and ſheweth him whatſoever he doth, John 5.20. He knows the Attributes and Perfections of God, and he only, Matth. 11.27. John 4.56. He knows the whole Word of God, being himſelf the Word, Joh. 1.1. 'Tis obſerved by one, that the Angels themſelves do not know all the Word of God, but Chriſt does: And as he thus knows God, and the Things of God, ſo he alſo knows Man, and the Things of Man; He knows all men, and what is in them, John 2.24, 25. He knows the State, the Spirits, the Frames, the Thoughts, the Ends, the Counſels, the Wayes, the Wants, the Burthens, the Temptations of all: In a word, he is infinite in Wiſdom and Counſel, and he knows perfectly, as how to promote his own Glory, ſo how to defend, ſave, and comfort his Spouſes, and carry on their happineſs in the beſt way: O who would not have ſuch an Husband! Soul, if thou reject him, know, that his Wiſdom will fight againſt thee; and he does know how to damn and deſtroy for ever.
V. Are you for Beauty? That takes with moſt; for this none like Chriſt: For Beauty and Comelineſs, he infinitely ſurpaſſes both Men and Angels. We read of Moſes, that he was exceeding fair; and of David, that he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance; and Joſephus reports of the one of them, that all that ſaw him, were amazed at, and enamoured on his beauty. O but what was their beauty to Chriſts? Were their beauty, and with theirs, the beauty of Men and Angels put together, it would all be nothing to the Beauty of Chriſt: Not ſo much as the light of a Farthing-Candle is to the light of the Sun at noon-day: He is Beautiful and Glorious, Iſa. 4.2. Was Moſes fair? Chriſt is infinitely more fair: He is fairer than the Children of Men, Pſal. 45.2. And had you an eye to behold his Beauty, you could not but be amazed at it, and enamoured on it: Was David ruddy, and of a beautiful Countenance? See what the Spouſe ſays of Chriſt, Cant. 5.10. My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand: which notes the perfection of his Beauty; and therefore ſhe concludes all with this, (having ſpoken of the Beauty of his ſeveral parts) He is altogether lovely, verſ. 16. or he is all lovelineſs: as if ſhe ſhould ſay, What do I do? there is no end of his beauty and amiableneſs; there is nothing in him but what is lovely, and there is nothing lovely but what is in him; neither is there any thing in the whole Creation, that has beauty and amiableneſs enough in it to be a ſhadow and reſemblance of his beauty and amiableneſs. O fair Sun (ſayes Rutherford) and fair Moon, and fair Stars, and fair Flowers, and fair Roſes, and fair Lillies; but O ten thouſand thouſand times fairer Lord Jeſus! Alas, I have wronged him (ſayes he) in making the compariſon this way: O black Sun and Moon! but O fair Lord Jeſus! O black Flowers, and black Lillies and Roſes! but O fair, fair, ever fair Lord Jeſus! O black Heaven! but O fair Chriſt! O black Angels! but O ſurpaſſingly fair Lord Jeſus! In ſhort, Divines obſerve that there is ſomewhat in Chriſt more amiable than Salvation; and indeed there are thoſe Heart-indearing Beauties, thoſe Soul-raviſhing excellencies in the perſon of this Beloved, that are unſpeakably beyond Salvation it ſelf: He is the brightneſs, the luſtre, the ſhining forth of his Fathers Glory, Heb. 1.2. O who would not be raviſhed with, and enamoured on his Beauty? A ſmall ſight and report thereof ſet the Daughters of Jeruſalem a ſeeking after him, Cant. 6.1. And ſhall it have no influence upon you to draw and allure you to him? Does one ſo fair and beautiful make love to ſuch black and deformed Creatures as you and I are, and ſhall we refuſe him? Shall we reject this lovely Lord? O that his Beauty might enamour us!
VI. Are you for Love, as well as Lovelineſs? for a ſweet, kind, loving Diſpoſition? This is deſirable to all, for this alſo none like Chriſt: He is of a moſt ſweet, loving, tender, affable Diſpoſition: He indeed is love it ſelf, kindneſs it ſelf,Deus eſt totus amor, totus amabilis, et totus amans noſtri. Dix. tenderneſs and compaſſion it ſelf: God is love, 1 Joh. 4.16. His love to his Spouſes has all dimenſions, heights, breadths, depths, lengths in it; Yea, it paſſes Knowledg, Menſuratione iſthac, dilectionis illius immenſurabilitatem & immenſitatem indicat Apoſtolus. Glaſ. Rhet. Sac.Epheſ. 3.18, 19. which ſhews the immenſity and unmeaſurableneſs of his love; as if he ſhould ſay of it, 'tis higher than Heaven, and deeper than the Sea; 'tis broader than the Orb of the Earth, and longer than all Time, during throughout Eternity; yea, and it paſſes Knowledge. There are two things which exceed our knowledge; our Sins, and Chriſts Love; the one is almoſt, the other is altogether boundleſs, and bottomleſs. Though a man has never ſo many accompliſhments to commend him, yet if he be of a rough, crabbed, ſoure diſpoſition, this renders him unacceptable for ſuch a Relation: But to all his other perfections, Chriſt has this added, That he is infinitely loving as well as lovely, and of a moſt kind, tender diſpoſition to his Spouſes. Hence we read in Scripture of his Love, his Kindneſs, his Meekneſs, his Gentleneſs, and the like; all noting the admirable ſweetneſs and amiableneſs of his Diſpoſition: he wept over his very enemies, even them that finally refuſed him, Luk. 19.41, 42. Yea, he had a kindneſs for his Murtherers, and prayed for them, and that whilſt they were murthering of him; yea, and his Prayer carried many of them to Heaven, Luke 23.34. O what love, what kindneſs their muſt he have for his Spouſes? He that has love for Enemies, and ſuch love, what muſt he have for his Friends? 'Tis a ſweet gloſs which one of the Ancients has upon the place laſt quoted,Pater ignoſce illis. O Verbum ſummi Patris Verbo conveniens! orat non ſolum pro perſequentibus & calumniantibus; ſed etiam pro occidentibus: ſed & Pater inquit, q. d. Per dilectionem Paternam qua unum ſumus, ſupplico tibi, ut exaudtas me pro his occiſoribus meis, ignoſcendo; agnoſce Filii tui amicitiam ut inimicis ignoſcas. Bern. de paſſ. Dom. Father forgive them, they know not what they do: This (ſayes he) is a Word becoming the eternal Word, the Word of the eternal Father; he prayes not onelyonly for his Perſecutors and Reproachers, but even for his Murtherers, improving all his intereſt in his Father for them; ſaying, in effect, Father I intreat thee, by that fatherly love thou haſt for me, and by which we are one, hear me for theſe my Murtherers in forgiving of them, own the love of thy Son, that thou mayeſt pardon his enemies. O what kindneſs does this argue? In a word, his love is as an Ocean, which has neither brim nor bottom; neither can he but be kind to his: The Law, indeed, of kindneſs (as 'tis ſaid of the good Wife, Prov. 31.26.) is in his lips; yea, and in his heart and carriages too, all being full of love: Oh! that his love might draw you: Surely no love like his love, none ſo full, none ſo free, none ſo ſweet, none ſo fruitful, none ſo raviſhing, none ſo laſting; his love, where he loves, never fails, nor can it ever be broken off; Who ſhall ſeparate us (ſayes the Apoſtle) from the love of Chriſt? That is, nothing can ſeparate us from his love, Neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things preſent, nor Things to come, nor Heighth, nor Depth, nor any thing elſe can do it, Rom. 8. 35, 38, 39. And I think, ſayes an Holy Man, his unchangable love hath ſaid unto me, I defie thee to break me or change me: Oh ſirs, experienced Souls will tell you, how ſweet, and good, and rich Chriſt's love is: They will tell you, one ſight, one taſte of it, makes Heaven in the Soul; that 'tis better than Wine, Cant. 1.2. And will you reject him and his love too? Will you pour contempt upon ſo much kindneſs? O how juſtly then will you periſh under his wrath? He has wrath in him, as well as love; wrath for Enemies, as well as love for his Spouſes; and his wrath is as hot and terrible, as his love is ſweet and comfortable; yea, his love will, if rejected by you, turn into wrath, and no wrath like that that is the reſult of abuſed love: Oh therefore cloſe, cloſe with Chriſt this day.
VII. Are you for a Perſon of eſteem, one that is much valued and beloved? An ingenious Soul would deſire this: and for this none like Chriſt: As there is none ſo kind and loving as he, ſo there is none ſo much valued and beloved as he: He is beloved by all whoſe love is worth the having; He is highly valued and beloved by all the Saints both in Heaven and Earth; the Saints in Heaven they admire and adore him; 'tis a part of their happineſs to love him, and delight in him for ever: and the Saints on Earth, they love and value him above all others whatever; he is the dearly Beloved of their Souls: How often does the Spouſe call him her Beloved, and her Well-Beloved? And once and again, ſhe declares her ſelf ſick of love to him; ſhe is enamoured on him; he is indeed the deſire of all Nations, Hag. 2.7. That is to ſay, He whom all the faithful in all Nations do love, deſire, and delight in: Hence alſo that of the Apoſtle, to you that believe he is precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. The Saints love and value Chriſt above all their Natural or Creature-Enjoyments, above Father, and Mother, Husband, and Wife, and Children, and Houſes, and Lands, and the like: So much is intimated Mat. 10.37. & 19.29. they love and value him above all their Spiritual Attainments, accounting them but Dung for Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. They love and value him above their lives, being ready to die for him, Acts 21.13. Rev. 12.11. Oh how dear is Chriſt to Saints? He is alſo highly valued and beloved by all the Holy Angels: He is the great object of their Love and Admiration: Hence he is ſaid to be ſeen of Angels, that is, to be beloved and delighted in by Angels, 1 Tim. 3.16. The bleſſed Angels do ſee that in Chriſt, which does enamour them on him, and fill them with love to him, and delight in him; yea, which does fill them with perpetual admirings and adorings of him, Rev. 5.12. Yea, which is more than all this, He is infinitely valued and beloved by God the Father alſo: The bleſſed God ſees that in Chriſt that renders him infinitely amiable and deſireable in his Eye, and to his Soul; both as Son, and alſo as Mediator, he is even infinitely dear and precious to the Father: As he is the Son of God, the Son of the Father, as the Apoſtles expreſſion is, ſo is he the Darling and Delight of the Fathers Soul, and was ſo from all eternity; ſo much he himſelf tells us, Prov. 8.30. So he is the infinite and eternal Favorite of the infinite and eternal Father; ſo he is one in eſſence with the Father, and accordingly muſt be infinitely dear to the Father: Hence he is ſaid to be in the Fathers boſom, Tilius in ſinu Patris eſt. 1. In aeterna generatione. 2. In arctiſſima unitate. 3. In ardentiſſima dilectione. 4. In ſecretiſſimorum communicatione. Glaſſ. Rhet. Sac.and as Son, he was ſo from eternity, John 1.18. Now the Boſom is the ſeat of Love, and his being in his Fathers Boſom, notes that ſtrong, ardent, intimate love which the Father has for him; yea, even as Mediator the Father loves him, John 3.35. Yea, he loves him with a choice, a ſignal, and an eminent love, with a love of the higheſt ſtrain, the choiceſt excellency, the ſweeteſt influence; a love that has a ſtamp of ſpecial glory upon it: Hence he is called the Beloved, Epheſ. 1.6. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, foreign: i.e. in Filio ſibi gratiſſimo & dilectiſſimo. Zanch.that is, in Chriſt, who is moſt dear to God: Hence God calls him his beloved Son, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, Mat. 3.17.Filius dilectionis, i.e. Filius dilectiſſimus. Daven in loc. Yea, he is called the Son of his Love; he hath tranſlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, the Greek is the Son of his Love, Col. 1.13. Yea, the Father proclaims him to be the delight of his Soul: Behold (ſaith he) my Servant whom I have choſen, mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth, Iſa. 42.1. What ſhall I ſay? God loves himſelf infinitely,Omnia diligit Deus quae fecit, & inter ea magis diligit creaturas rationales, & in illis eas amplius quae ſunt membra unigenitiſui, & multo magis ipſum ſuum unigenitum. Aug. and next to himſelf he loves Chriſt and delights in him: 'tis true, he loves all the works of his hands as ſuch, eſpecially rational Creatures; and among them, he has a peculiar love for his Saints and the Holy Angels, but he loves Chriſt unſpeakably more than all: He indeed is firſt Beloved, and moſt Beloved, and beſt Beloved by him of all others.Naturam humanam aſſumptam a Dei Verbo in Perſona Chriſti, Deus plus amat quam omnes Angelos. Aqui. God, as the School-men obſerve, does love the very fleſh or Humane Nature of Chriſt more than all the Angels: In a word, he loves him ſo, as that he is even raviſhed with him, and he can't but love all that are in him, or related by Covenant to him; and that though altogether unlovely in themſelves. Now, Sirs, will you not love and embrace this beloved one, one that is thus valued and beloved by Saints, by Angels, and by God the Father? And let me ſay, one that is hated and deſpiſed by none but Devils and deviliſh ones: Soul, if thou reject him, whom all the Saints and Angels love, admire, and adore; then never expect to live with them in the fruition of him, But reckon upon living with Devils and damned ſpirits in Hell for ever: If thou reject him whom the Father loves and delights in, then expect to be rejected both by him and the Father for ever; but, Soul, rather be prevailed with to love him too.
VIII. Are you for Immortality, for one that lives for ever? This added to the reſt is deſirable; and for this none like Chriſt: Yea, none but Chriſt, he and he alone is a never-dying Husband; the beſt Husband here below is mortal, and may leave you in a moment; but Chriſt is immortal, he is the King immortal, eternal, 1 Tim. 1.17. and he only hath immortality, 1 Tim. 6.16. He, and he onelyonly lives for evermore: Behold! I live for evermore, (ſayes he) Rev. 1.18. He will never leave you in the deſolate ſtate of Widdow-hood; yea, not onelyonly does he live for ever himſelf, but moreover he makes all his Spouſes to live for ever too: So you find John 11.25, 26. I am the Reſurrection and the Life, (ſayes he) he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live; and whoſoever liveth, and believeth in me, ſhall never die. Oh what an Husband is this! an Huſband that lives for ever himſelf, and that makes his Spouſes live for ever too; he gives all his Spouſes ſuch a life as never dies, an immortal life. In a word, cloſe with him, and as he will live for ever, as thy Husband, ſo thou ſhalt live for ever as his Spouſe: Oh who would not accept of ſuch a Perſon? Soul, if thou receiveſt him, know, he lives for ever, to love thee, to comfort thee, to delight thee, to make thee happy in and with himſelf; but if thou rejecteſt him, know, that he lives for ever to puniſh thee, to inflict wrath and vengance upon thee, and to make thee compleatly miſerable; but oh reject him not. Thus I have ſhewn you a little what an Husbund Chriſt is to his Spouſes; and upon the whole, I would ſay to you as the Spouſe did to the Daughters of Jeruſalem, Cant. 5.16. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend; this is he that offers himſelf to your embraces, ſurely he is no mean, no deſpicable Perſon, but one infinitely deſireable. Now, what do you ſay? will you have him, or will you not? poſſibly this is the laſt tender he will ever make of himſelf to you; poſſibly the Match muſt be made now or never; therefore now cloſe with him, accept him upon his own terms, who ſurely is worthy of all acceptation.