The Best Match, Chapter 8

The Best Match · Chapter 8

p. 86CHAP. VIII. Which ſhews what great things Chriſt does for all his Spouſes.

TRue, may ſome ſay, Chriſt's Perſon is deſirable; but what will he do for his Spouſes? What may our Souls expect from him, in caſe we ſhould cloſe up with him in a Marriage-Covenant? What will he do? What will he not do for you? Surely he acts like himſelf, and does great things for all his Spouſes: And oh happy, happy they that are indeed eſpouſed unto him! I ſhall, for the more effectual drawing of poor Souls to him, ſhew you what he does for his Spouſes in theſe following Particulars.

I. He payes all their Debts.

II. He ſupplies all their Wants.

III. He heals all their Maladies.

IV. He bears all their Burthens.

V. He ſweetens all their Afflictions.

VI. He ſubdues all their Enemies.

VII. He minds and manages all their Concerns.

VIII. He enjoynters them in eternal Life and Glory.

I. He payes all their Debts, fully diſcharging p. 87their Souls from all Sin and Guilt. No ſooner is a Woman married to an Huſband, but preſently all her Debts become his; he payes all, at leaſt is lyable ſo to do; In like manner, no ſooner is a Soul eſpouſed to Chriſt, but all his Debts to Law and Juſtice become Chriſts, and he pays all: And O how great a thing is this! Friends, we are all in debt, deeply in debt to the Law and Juſtice of God: We owe each one of us more than our ten thouſand Talents, Matth. 18.24. We lie under whole Mountains of Sin and Guilt: The truth is, our firſt Father left us and all his Poſterity in debt; we brought Sin and Guilt into the World with us, and the firſt day we were born, Divine Juſtice might have arreſted us, and have caſt us into the diſmal Priſon of utter darkneſs.De Parentjbus illis venio, qui me ante fecerunt damnatum quam natum: peccatores peccatorem in peccato ſuo gen…erunt. Bern. de amore Dei. I came of thoſe Parents (ſayes one of the Ancients) who made me damned before I was born; they ſinners begot me a ſinner in their ſin. And to the ſame purpoſe another of them ſpeaks,Nemo mundus a peccato coram, te Domine, nec Infans cujus eſt unus dici vita ſuper terram. Aug. in Conf. No man is free from ſin (ſayes he) in the ſight of God, no not an Infant of a day old. And to give you a greater authority than theſe, the Holy Apoſtle aſſerts the ſame thing, Rom. 5.12. By one man ſin entered into the World, and death by ſin; and death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. Adam ſinned, and we all ſinned in him, p. 88we all being in him, as in a common Head; and the guilt of the act of his ſin is as truly ours, as if we had each one of us acted it in our own perſons; and we all ſtand juſtly condemned for it. Hence alſo, verſ. 18. he tells us, That by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Beſides, we have all contracted a vaſt Debt upon our ſelves, and do lie under much actual guilt, and that of a ſcarlet-dye and crimſon-tincture: Alas, we have done little but ſin'd ever ſince we came into the World; and indeed, as long as we are out of Chriſt, either all we do is ſin, or at leaſt we ſin in all we do: We are every day running upon new Scores, adding ſin to ſin, and guilt to guilt: And O how great then muſt our Debts to Law and Juſtice needs be? You look upon that man to be deeply in debt indeed, whoſe Debts are ſo many and great, as that he can neither know nor count them: And thus it is with us, ſo many and ſo great are our Sins, and conſequently our Debts to Law and Juſtice, that we can neither know nor count them. David, though an holy Man, cries out, Who can underſtand his errors? Pſal. 19.12. Alas, who of us can count the ſins of one day? they paſs our knowledge: And which is worſe ſtill, we are under a neceſſity, whilſt in our natural ſtate, of encreaſing our ſin and guilt every day and hour. Now how ſhall all this Debt be paid, this Sin and Guilt be expiated and done away? Why only by Chriſt, cloſe with p. 89him in a Marriage-Covenant, and your Souls are diſcharged from all. Juſtice, that ſtands upon Satisfaction, it calls for full payment; its language is, Pay, or periſh; pay, or be damned; and nothing have we of our own to pay the leaſt of all our Debts, nor can we poſſibly right God for the wrong we have done him by the leaſt fin; and, which adds to our miſery, we are every day in danger of Arreſts, nor know we how ſoon Juſtice will by the hand of that grim Sergeant, Death, clap an Arreſt upon us, and caſt us into Priſon, whence there is no redemption, until we have paid the utmoſt farthing, which can never be, Matth. 5.26. Now ſinner wouldſt thou have thy Debts paid, thy Sins Pardoned, and thy Soul freed from the danger of thoſe Arreſts? then give up thy ſelf to Chriſt in a Marriage-Covenant: O this is the only way to diſcharge all. Chriſt ſayes to Juſtice concerning all his Spouſcs, as Paul ſometimes did to Philemon concerning Oneſimus; If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee any thing, put that upon my account: So ſayes Chriſt to God concerning thee immediately upon thy cloſe with him; Father, if this Soul hath wronged thee, and oweth thee any thing, place it on my account, I have taken all his Debts upon me, I'le be reſponſible to thee for all: Father, this Soul I bled and dyed for, this Soul I was made ſin and a curſe for, whereby thy Juſtice is fully ſatisfied; let him therefore be diſcharged. O Soul, how ſhould this draw thee to Chriſt? p. 90Canſt thou be content to lie under ſo great a Debt? And is it a ſmall thing to thee to be in danger of ſo terrible an Arreſt as that of Juſtice, which we have ſpoken of, is? Suppoſe a man owed ten thouſand pounds, and had nothing wherewith to pay, and he ſaw himſelf in danger every moment of being caſt into Priſon; how ſad wouldſt thou look upon his caſe to be? and how gladly, thinkeſt thou, would he embrace an offer from any to diſcharge him from all? Soul, thy caſe is ten thouſand times more ſad, and how gladly ſhouldſt thou embrace the Lord Jeſus, who would, and who alone can diſcharge all for thee: In ſhort, we read of Spirits already in Priſon, 1 Pet. 3.19. Juſtice has already clapt its Arreſt upon thouſands and ten thouſands, and lodg'd them in the Priſon of eternal darkneſs; and what canſt thou expect from it, but to be dealt with in the like manner ſpeedily, unleſs thou cloſeſt with Chriſt, as thy Righteouſneſs, to make ſatisfaction for thee? His Righteouſneſs is ſuch, as makes a full ſatisfaction, and is every way anſwerable to the ſtricteſt demands of Law and Juſtice; and by it, he being cloſed withal by thee, all thy Debts are paid at once.

II. He ſupplies all their Wants, and makes bleſſed proviſion for them: 'Tis the part of an Husband to ſupply the wants of his Wife, and to make proviſion for her: And this Chriſt does for all his Spouſes; he ſupplies all their needs according to his riches in glory: p. 91They have Wants, and he has Fulneſs; they have Needs, and he has Riches; and he brings his Fuineſs to their Wants, and freely communicates of the one to the other: Truly we are full of Wants of all ſorts, Wants in the Soul, and Wants in the Body, We are poor, and miſerable, and blind, and naked, Rev. 3.17. Yea, our Wants are ſuch, and ſo prinching upon us, that with the Prodigal, we are even periſhing with hunger. Luke 15.17. Even the Saints themſelves are a poor and needy people, full of wants, Iſa. 40.17. Now how ſhall theſe Wants be ſupplyed? Only by Chriſt, and do but cloſe with him, and he will ſupply all plentifully: Liet it be but a day of Eſpouſals between Chriſt and you, and all your Wants are ſupplyed for ever. The truth is, Chriſt is all; He is the great All, (as one calls him) Heaven, and Earth, Time and Eternity, Grace and Colory are all in one Chriſt: He ſupplies the Spiritual Wants of his Sp…ſes: Do you want Life? He that hath the Son, bath Life, 1 Joh. 5.12. Do you want Gr…oe? Cloſe with Chriſt and he will give you Grace, abundance of Grace, John 1.16. Do you want Peace? Cloſe with C…wiſti and he will give you Peace, John 14.27. Do you want Strength and Righteouſneſs, Rightteouſneſs for Juſtification, and Strength for Sanctification and Obedience? Cloſe with Chriſt and he will ſupply you with abundance of both, Iſa. 45.24. Do you want Joy and Conſolation? Cloſe with Chriſt, and he will in due ſeaſon p. 92fill you with joy and conſolation, he will comfort your hearts, 1 Theſ. 2.16, 17. He ſupplies all the outward Wants alſo of his Spouſes, and that ſo as that they want no good thing, Pſal. 34.10. They want no outward good thing; but what the want thereof is better for them, than the enjoyment of it would be: True, they may, and often have but a little of outward Comforts; but yet then they have much in a little, much Love, much Bleſſing, much of Chriſt and the Covenant: And therefore a little which they have, is ſaid to be better than the riches of many wicked, Pſalm 37.16. Beſides, wherein they are cut ſhort in Temporals, Chriſt often makes it up to them in Spirituals: They are poor in this World, but rich in Faith, Jam. 2.5. They have not much of the Streams, it may be, but they have the more of the Fountain; more love, and the ſweeter communion with Chriſt: In a word, what-ever either Heaven or Earth affords, ſo far as they need it, they ſhall have it: The Lord will give Grace and Glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84.9. O who would not cloſe with this Chriſt? Soul, why ſtandeſt thou off from him? Is there any can ſupply thy Wants but he? Is there any can give thee Life, and Peace, and Pardon, and Righteouſneſs, and Salvation, but he? Or hadſt thou rather die in thy Wants, than come to this Fountain to be ſupplyed? Hadſt thou rather p. 93periſh in thine own poverty, than come to this Treaſury to be enriched?

III. He heals all their Wounds, and cures all their Maladies: He is a Phyſician to his Spouſes, and ſuch a Phyſician; as that though the Wound be never ſo deep, and the Diſeaſe never ſo deſperate, yet he never fails to work the Cure for them: O how ſhould this allure us to him? We, my Beloved, have our Wounds as well as our Wants; we are full of Maladies and Diſeaſes of Soul: The truth is, from the ſole of the foot to the crown of the head, there is no ſoundneſs in us, Iſa. 1.6. The Saints themſelves have their Wounds, yea wounds many times, that ſtink, and are corrupt, (as David ſpeaks) Pſal. 38.5. Indeed, they are apt to get freſh Wounds every day, Wounds in their Grace, and Wounds in their Peace; Wounds in their Comforts, and Wounds in their Conſciences; Wounds that ſmart ſorely, and which many times bleed, as if they ſhould bleed to death of them: Well, but Chriſt heals all their Wounds, and do but cloſe with him in a Marriage-Covenant, and he will heal all thine too, who ever thou art: He is that good Samaritan that has Oyl and Wine, his Blood and Spirit to pour into the Wounds of his People for the healing of them: By his ſtripes we are healed, Iſa. 53.5. His Blood and Spirit are a ſovereign Balm, which can heal the deepeſt Wounds and deadlieſt Diſcaſes: His Spouſes find it ſo, He reſtoreth my p. 94Soul, ſayes David, Pſal. 23.3. His Soul was ſubject to many ails and infirmities; but Chriſt reſtored him under all: Need we ſay, Is there no Balm in Gilead? is there no Phyſician there? Surely there is. Indeed there is none but Chriſt and his Blood that can heal our Wounds. O Soul, why ſhouldeſt thou not cloſe with him that thou mayeſt be healed? Do not thy Wounds ſtink? and are they not ready to rankle and gangreen? And unleſs Chriſt heals them for thee, muſt thou not unavoidably die of them and periſh for ever? Muſt thou not ſuffer a cutting off, a cutting off from God, a cutting off from Chriſt, a cutting off from Heaven and all happineſs for ever? and wilt thou ſuffer ſuch a cutting off? Wilt thou be content to die and periſh eternally, rather than come to Chriſt for healing?

IV. He bears all their Burthens: We are commanded to bear one anothers Burthens; eſpecially Husbands ſhould bear the burthens of their Wives: And this Chriſt does, he bears all the Burthens of his Spouſes. Sirs, we all have our Burthens, many and great Burthens, which we labour under, Burthens within, and Burthens without; Burthens in the Fleſh, and Burthens in the Spirit; Burthens that make us groan under them: Being burthened, we groan, ſayes the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.4. Burthens that are too heavy for us to bear, as David complained his were, Pſal. 38.4. Burthens ſometimes that p. 95make us a burthen to our ſelves, as Job complains of himſelf, Job 7.20. Yea, Burthens that make our very lives a burthen to us: My Soul is weary of my life, ſayes Job, chap. 10.1. Now how ſhall all theſe Burthens be born? Why Chriſt will bear them all, he bears all the Burthens of all his Spouſes; and if we will cloſe with him in a Marriage-Covenant, there ſhall not that Burthen lie upon us, that he will not bear for us. He bears all his Peoples Burthens two wayes.

1. In a way of Sympathy and Compaſſion: He weeps with all their tears, and ſighs with all their groans: If they are troubled, he grieves; if they are wounded, he bleeds: in all things he bears the other end of the burthen; In all their afflictions he is afflicted, Iſa. 63.9. He does foreign, ſuffer together with us; or (as the Apoſtle renders it) he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4.15. He is deeply ſenſible of all our Burthens, all our Sorrows: Such ſometimes is the caſe with the Saints, that among men they have none to pitty them, and ſympathize with them under their Burthens; as was David's Caſe, Pſal. 69.20. But even then Chriſt bears the other end of the Burthen, he pitties them, and ſympathizes with them, and that according to the weight of their Burthen. And O how ſweet is that? No matter, ſayes an Holy Man, how heavy the burthen be, ſo long as Chriſt bears the other end of it.

p. 962. In a way of Succour and Corroboration: He does not onelyonly bear with them, but alſo he gives them ſtrength to bear, and ſtand up under the burthen: He puts his everlaſting arms underneath them, Deut. 33.27. And with the promiſe of this he encourages them to caſt their Burthens upon him; Caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, and be ſhall ſuſtain thee; ſuccour, and ſupport thee, Pſal. 55.22. He ſtrengthens and ſuccours them, and that anſwerable to the weight of their Burthen: He gives them great ſtrength for great Burthens, great ſuccours for great Temptations, and ſo makes good his Promiſe to them, not to ſuffer them to be tempted above what they are enabled to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. The poor Soul many times cries out, Oh, I ſhall ſink under the Burthen, 'tis too heavy for me to bear: But, Soul, though it be too heavy for thee; yet 'tis not too heavy for Chriſt to bear, and he bears with thee and for thee: yea, he does not only bear, but in due time he bears away all their Burthens for them: There is not that burthen lies upon any of his Spouſes, but he ſo bears it, as at laſt to bear it utterly away for them, ſo as they ſhall never need to groan under it more. He has already born the heavieſt burthen of all for them, even the guilt and puniſhment of their ſins; He bare our ſins in his body upon the Tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. And again, He bare the ſin of many, Iſa. 53.12. And 'tis well for us that he hath born this Burthen; for otherwiſe it muſt neceſſarily have ſunk p. 97and cruſht us for ever: We could never have ſtood under it, and as he has born this, ſo he bears, and in due time will bear away all for them: Are their ſins, the iniquities of their holy Things, a burthen to them? Theſe he bears away for them, Exod. 28.38. Are the reinainders of original Corruption a burthen to them? Theſe make them groan indeed; theſe in due time he bears away for them, Rom. 7.24, 25. Are their conflicts and temptations a burthen to them? Theſe lie heavy upon ſome; in due time he bears theſe away alſo: He turns their Conflicts into Triumphs: Oh how ſhould this comfort the hearts of Saints? And how ſhould it draw and allure ſinners to him? O, Sirs, will you ſink under your burthens, rather than have Chriſt to bear them for you? Oh be not ſo cruel to your own Souls!

V. He ſweetens all their Afflictions for them: Afflictions they may, and often do meet withal, many and great Afflictions. Chriſt tells us, That in the World we ſhall have tribulation, John 16.33. But he ſweetens all for them; he turns their Wormwood into Wine, and therefore at the ſame time, with the ſame breath he ſayes, In me ye ſhall have peace: As if he ſhould ſay, I will ſweeten all your tribulations to you. Chriſt ſweetens his Peoples Afflictions to them two wayes.

1. By his preſence with them, and the communications of his love to them under their Afflictions: Chriſt has promiſed to be with his People, and to miniſter comforts to p. 98them in their afflictions, Iſa. 43.2. When thou paſſeſt through the Waters, I'l be with thee; and through the Fire, it ſhall not burn thee: that is, I'le be with thee in all the ſharpeſt Afflictions thou meeteſt withal: They meet with many Afflictions, Sickneſs, Poverty, Reproach, Perſecution, and the like; but Chriſt is with them in all, and ſhews them his love; and this ſweetens all to them. The truth is, Chriſt is never more with his People, and he uſually never communicates more of his Love and Conſolations to them than when in Affliction: Then uſually 'tis that they have the ſweeteſt embraces of his Boſom, then they have the cleareſt ſights, the fulleſt taſts, the choiceſt and moſt ominent ſealings of his love to them: Then he leads them into his Banqueting-houſe, and diſplayes the Banner of his Love over them; he ſtayes them with Flaggons, and comforts them with Apples: his leſt hand is under their h…al, and his right hand doth embrace them, Cant. 2.4, 5, 6. Then he miniſters his ſtrongeſt Conſolations to them, comforting them in all their tribulations, 2 Cor. 1.4, 5. The truth is, their ſharpeſt Afflictions are but to prepare them for his ſweeteſt Conſolations; and indeed he therefore oftentimes afflicts them, that he may manifeſt his Love, and miniſter Conſolations to them; according to that of Hoſea 2.14. I will allure her into the Wilderneſs, and there will I ſpeak comfortably to her: and indeed, as ſtrong Conſolations often times prepare for great Afflictions; ſo great Afflictions p. 99uſually make way for ſtrong Conſolations. Afflictions (ſayes a worthy Divine) is the Air, in which Chriſts love eſpecially breaths; and Chriſt and the Croſs (ſayes he) are ſweet company: This, viz. Chriſts love and preſence with his People in their Afflictions, is what turns their night into day, their darkneſs into light, their pains into eaſe, their ſorrows into joys, their loſſes into gains; yea, and Death it ſelf into Life: Though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, yet will I fear no evil, becauſe thou art with me, Pſal. 23.4. It turns a Priſon into a pleaſant Pallace; yea, it turns a fiery Furnace into a delightful Walk; as in the caſe of the three Children, and this experienced Souls find: O how ſweet are Afflictions when Chriſt and his love come with them!

2. By ſanctifying their Afflictions to them, and working good to their Souls out of all: Sanctifyed Afflictions are ſweet Afflictions; they meet with Afflictions, but Chriſt gives them the ſweet Fruit, and a bleſſed iſſue of them; makes them all work together for good to them, according to that great Oracle, Rom. 8.23. All things ſhall work together for good to them that love God. By theſe he proves their Graces, and improves their Experiences; he makes them all to be, as the Gibeonites ſometimes were to the Congregation of God, as ſo many hewers of Wood and drawers of Water to their Faith, to their Comforts, to their Holineſs on Earth, and Happineſs in Heaven: The Faith of this p. 100ſweetned all Jobs great and heavy Afflictions to him: When I am tryed, (ſayes he) I ſhall come forth as Gold, Job 23.10. Hereby he tryes their Faith, which is better than Gold, 1 Pet. 1.7. Hereby he refines them, and purges away their droſs from them, Behold, I have refined thee, but not with Silver; I have choſen thee in the Furnace of Affliction: Or, as you may read it, I have made a choice one of thee in the Furnace of Affliction, Iſa. 48.10. Hereby he makes them partakers of his holineſs, Heb. 12.10. By this he purgeth away their iniquity, and taketh away their ſin, Iſa. 27.9. In ſhort, hereby he humbles them, and ſeals inſtruction to them; hereby he weans them from the World, draws them nearer to himſelf, quickens their hearts in his good wayes, and raiſes them up to higher ſtrains of Grace and pitches in Holineſs, then they were got up to before: Yea, hereby he increaſes their Revenue of Glory, and adds to their Crown in Eternity. Our light Afflictions, which are but for a moment, (ſayes the Apoſtle) work out for us a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Thus he ſanctiſies all; and O how doth this ſweeten all? Here is a Croſs, 'tis true, may the Soul ſay, but by this Croſs Chriſt does crucifie me to Sin and the World, he weans me from the Creature, ſets me a longing after Heaven; and ſo long welcome Croſs, how heavy ſoever: Here is an Affliction, 'tis true, and 'tis an heavy one, but by it Chriſt proves and brightens my Graces, and that ſweetens p. 101all: O what owe I (ſayes Rutherford) to the File and Hammer of my ſweet Lord Jeſus? He hath taught me more (ſayes he) by my ſix months impriſonment, then ever I learnt in my nine years paſt Miniſtry. Luther was wont to ſay, three things made a good Miniſter; Temptation, Affliction, Supplication: The ſame alſo conduce much to the making of a good Chriſtian: And indeed, 'tis ſeldom that ever a Soul comes to any eminency in Grace, until he has been exerciſed with ſanctified Afflictions and Temptations: And doubtleſs, there is many a Soul who may and muſt ſay, That next to Chriſt, his Afflictions have, through his Grace and Bleſſing, been his beſt Mercies. O how ſhould this draw Souls to Chriſt, and allure them into a Marriage-Covenant with him? Poor Soul, it may be that which keeps thee from Chriſt, is the fear of what Afflictions thou mayeſt meet with in his wayes: But know, (1.) thou mayeſt meet with Affliction, yea, firſt or laſt thou wilt aſſuredly meet with Affliction, though thou never cloſeſt with Chriſt: Alas, wicked men and unbelievers meet with Troubles and Afflictions, and that even in this World ofttimes: However, to be ſure at laſt, they will have a full Cup, yea, the very dregs of God's Wrath ponred out unto them: They will meet with, and fall under ſoret and more dreadful Afflictions, then any thou canſt meet withal in the way, and for the ſake of Chriſt; for pray conſider, is there any Trouble, any Affliction thou canſt meet withal for Chriſt p. 102like to this, for a man to die in his ſins, to be ſeparated from God for ever, to have infiniteneſs and eternity combined againſt thee? Is there any Trouble or Affliction like to the torments of the Infernal Pit, and being the object of infinite Wrath for ever? and yet this will be the lot at laſt of all that cloſe not with Chriſt in a Marriage-relation. (2.) What ever Afflictions thou mayeſt meet withal in the way of Chriſt, cloſing with him, he ſweetens all for thee; and that ſo as that thou wouldeſt not have been without them for a World: Oh ſcare not at the Croſs, but cloſe in with Chriſt.

VI. He ſubdues all their enemies for them: True, the poor Saints and Spouſes of Chriſt are beſet with Enemies on all hands; they have many Enemies, and mighty Enemies, Enemies within, and Enemies without, and all in a confederacy againſt them to deſtroy them, to deſtroy their Lives, to deſtroy their Graces, to deſtroy their Peace and Comforts, to deſtroy their Souls and Happineſs for ever; all like ſo many roaring Lyons ſeeking to devour them: Well, but Chriſt, who is their Captain as well as their Husband, ſubdues and conquers all for them; and, firſt or laſt, makes them to ſet their feet upon their necks, and triumph over them: He makes them Conquerors, yea more than Conquerors over all, Rom. 8.37. He makes them ſo to conquer them, as ſooner or later to gain by all their conflicts and oppoſitions: Indeed Chriſt has p. 103already conquered all his Peoples Enemies for them. The Saints have five great Enemies, Sin, Self, the World, the Devil, and Death; and Chriſt has long ſince conquered them all for them, and by degrees brings them into the joyful triumph of that conqueſt.

1. He has conquered Sin for them: He by being made Sin, hath obtained an eternal victory over Sin for all his People: Sin is the Saints great Enemy; 'tis that which wars againſt their Souls, Rom. 7.23. 1 Pet. 2.11. And indeed this is that which gives all the reſt an advantage againſt them; but even this greateſt Enemy Chriſt has conquered for them: Hence he is ſaid to have condemned ſin in the fleſh; he for ſin, condemned ſin in the fleſh, Rom. 8.3. i. e. He by being made a Sacrifice for Sin, hath killed and ſubdued Sin, paſt a ſentence of Death and Condemnation upon Sin for ever: Hence alſo our old Man is ſaid to be crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, Rom. 6.6. Hence alſo he is ſaid to deſtroy ſin, to take away ſin, and the like: And how? Why as to the Reign and Power, as well as the Guilt and Curſe of it: And this Paul, acted by the Spirit of Faith, could triumph in, even whilſt he was in the ſharpeſt conflicts with ſin, Rom. 7.23, 24, 25. I thank God through Chriſt, (ſayes he); For what? why, for victory over, and deliverance from that Law of Sin he was now conflicting with.

2. He has conquered Self for them: Self, as well as Sin, is our deadly Enemy: This p. 104indeed is a near cloſe Enemy, and moſt difficult to be ſlain; This is an Enemy that we are too too loth many times to have deſtroyed, and yet an Enemy which makes woful ſpoyl upon us and our happineſs: I often think of the Speech of an Holy and Learned Divine; Oh, ſayes he, if I could be Maſter of that Houſe-Idol, my Self, my own, my own Will, Wit, Credit, and caſe, how bleſſed were I! O but we have need, ſayes he, to be redeemed from our ſelves, rather than from the Devil and the World! And preſently again he cries out, O wretched Idol, my Self! When ſhall I ſee the wholly decourted, and Chriſt wholly put in thy room? And who that have any acquaintance with themſelves, do not find cauſe to cry out in like manner? Oh this Self, this wretched Self, how great an Enemy is it! Well, but this Chriſt hath conquered, and cloſing with him, thou ſhalt by degrees find it to die and fall under thee. Paul did ſo, I am crucified with Chriſt, ſayes he, nevertheleſs I live, yet not I, Gal. 2.20. He had an I, a Self which ruled in him; but by Chriſt 'twas crucified and ſlain for him, and he was a conquerer over it.

3. He has conquered the World for them: Take the World in what notion you will, and 'tis in one reſpect or other an Enemy to the Saints; the Men of the World, the Things of the World, the Frowns of the World, the Flatteries of the World, they all one way or other fight againſt them, and are Enemies to them. The World, as well as Sin and Self, p. 105is a mortal Enemy to them: But this Enemy alſo Chriſt has ſubdued and conquered for them, and he has told them ſo much for their comfort, under the oppoſitions they meet with from it; Job. 16.23. Be of good chear, I have overcome the World, (ſayes he) q. d. the World is your Enemy, but 'tis a conquered Enemy; 'twill moleſſ and oppoſe you, but it ſhall not be able to hurt you, for, have conquered it for you. And as he has conquered it for us, ſo he will enable us, cloſing with him, by Faith to conquer it: ſo 1 John 5.4. This is the victory which overcometh the World, even our Faith: The World ſhall not alwayes annoy and infeſt the Saints.

4. He has conquered the Devil, yea all the Devils in Hell for them: The Devil is the Enemy of the Saints, and indeed he is a formidable one; an Adverſary that goes about like a roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. He is a ſubtil, a potent, a malicious, a cruel, and an indefatigable Enemy: But ſo formidable an Enemy as he is, Chriſt hath conquered him for them; hence he is ſaid to have deſtroyed the Devil; he partook of fleſh and blood, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death; that is, the Devil, Heb. 2.14. and to have ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, and to have made a ſhew of them openly on his Croſs, tryumphing over them, Col. 2.15. dragging them at his Charriot-Wheels; as was the manner ſometimes for Conquerers to deal by their p. 106vanquiſhed Enemies: The ſum is, that he hath made a compleat and glorious conqueſt over all the Devils in Hell for Believers: He has conquered them even to triumph: Chriſt has conquered the Devil for his Spouſes, as to his ruling, reigning, and commanding power, and he will, and does conquer him at laſt, yea ſpeedily, as to his tempting, vexing, and ſeducing power; The God of Peace ſhall tread Satan under your feet ſhortly, Rom. 16.20. Shortly, Soul, the Devil ſhall vex thee no more, moleſt thee no more, infeſt and annoy thee by his temptations no more.

5. He has conquered Death for them: Death is an Enemy. and 'tis the laſt Enemy that is to be deſtroyed, ſo the Apoſtle tells us, 1 Cor. 15.26. and in it ſelf conſidered, a terrible Enemy 'tis, 'tis the King of terrors, Job 18.14. But this Enemy hath Chriſt conquered for all his; He has taken away all its killing power, its ſting and curſe, in ſo much that they may holily triumph over it, and rejoyce in its approach; the Apoſtle did ſo, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. Death (ſayes he) is ſwallowed up in victory, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? The ſting of Death is Sin, the ſtrength of Sin is the Law, but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. O what a triumph does he here act over Death through the conqueſt Chriſt has gotten over it for him? Truly, this Enemy is ſo far conquered by him for them, that 'tis become indeed a friend to them; and they can, when p. 107in a right ſpirit, embrace it as ſuch, and long for it as ſuch: Chriſt by Death has unſtung Death, and in a ſort undeatht it: Thus Chriſt has conquered all his Peoples Enemies, and they being made one with him in a Marriage-Covenant, all his Victories are theirs, and his Conqueſts theirs, and they are conquerers over all in him; and oh how ſweet, how incouraging is this! and how ſhould it win Souls to a cloſe with him! poor Soul, thou ſeeſt thy ſelf environed with Enemies, thou art hard beſet on all hands, legions of Luſts and Devils, attended with Self, Death, and the World, oppoſe themſelves againſt thee; and thou art often crying out as David in another caſe, 2 Sam. 3.19. I am weak, and theſe men, the Sons of Zerviah, are too ſtrong for me: yea, thou art ready to ſay of them, as he ſometimes in his unbelief did of Saul, 1 Sam. 27.1. I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul: Alas, I am a weak, nothing-Creature, and am unable to grapple with the leaſt of all mine Enemies; and how then ſhall I ſtand up againſt them all? ſurely I ſhall periſh by them at laſt: Well Soul, but know for thy encouragement, that all thine Enemies are conquered by Chriſt, and though they are too ſtrong for thee, yet they are not too ſtrong for Chriſt to grapple with, and make thee a conquerer over. When the Prophets Servant ſaw what a great and formidable Hoſt compaſſed the City, he cryed out, Alas! my Maſter, what ſhall we do? And what did his Maſter anſwer him? Fear not (ſaid he) for they p. 108that be with us, be more than they that be with them, 2 King. 6.15, 16. So poor Soul, when thou conſidereſt what great and formidable Enemies do compaſs thee about, thou cryeſt out to one and another; Alas, Sir, what ſhall I do? But I would ſay to thee as the Prophet to his Servant; Fear not, there is more with thee than with them; thou haſt Chriſt with thee, to ſight and overcome all for thee; therefore chear up, give up thy ſelf unto him; and the victory over Sin, Self, World, Death, Devil, and all is thine for ever. Oh, who would not have ſuch an Husband?

VII. He minds and manages all their Concerns for them: 'Tis the part of an Huſband to mind and manage the Concerns of his Wife, and to have a natural care both of her and them: And thus 'tis with Chriſt, He manages all his Peoples Concerns, and that in Heaven, on Earth, and in their own Souls.

1. He minds and manages all their Concerns in Heaven for them: Their Affairs lie much in Heaven, their Buſineſs there is great; and Chriſt their Husband minds all, and tranſacts all for them, and that faithfully; Indeed he went thither on purpoſe to tranſact their Affairs for them: Hence he is ſaid to have entered not into the holy place made with hands, but into Heaven it-ſelf, there to appear in the preſence of God for them, Heb. 9.24. Hence alſo he is ſaid to be an Advocate with the Father for them, 1 Joh. 2.1. He pleads with the Father for them: Have they a Petition p. 109to preſent to the Father for this or the other Mercy? He preſents and prefers it for them: He takes all their Prayers, and ſprinkles them with his own Blood perſumes them with the odours of his own incenſe, and then tenders them to the Father with his own hand, Rev. 8. beg. We pray very brokenly, but he mends our Prayers; yea oftentimes, when we can't pray, when we can't ſpeak for our ſelves, he ſpeaks for us, and prefers our Petitions for us: Are there Charges and Accuſations brought in againſt them, either by Satan the Accuſer of the Brethren on the one hand, or by the Law and Juſtice of God, which are daily wronged and violated on the other hand? Why Chriſt interpoſes for them, he anſwers all, and invalidates all, he rebukes Satan, Zach. 3.2. In the firſt verſe we find Joſhua ſtanding before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan ſtanding at his right hand to reſiſt (or accuſe) him; and in the ſecond verſe we have Chriſt ſharply rebuking Satan for his accuſation; The Lord ſaid unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath choſen Jeruſalem rebuke thee: And as he rebukes Satan, ſo he ſatisfies the Law and Juſtice of the Father: Hence he is ſaid to make interceſſion for them, and that to the overthrowing of all thoſe counterpleas, which Law or Juſtice can put in againſt them, Rom. 8.33, 34. Have they ſinned, and do they need a new pardon, need to have things ſet right and even between God and them afreſh? This alſo Chriſt does for them; If any man p. 110ſin, we have an advocate with the Father, Chriſt Jeſus the Righteous, and he is the propitiation for our ſins, 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. While they through weakneſs and temptation are ſinning on Earth, he out of his Grace and Love is pleading with the Father for them in Heaven: Thus he minds all their Concerns in Heaven for them.

2. He minds and manages all their Concerns on Earth for them: The Saints have their Aſſairs and Concerns on Earth among men, as well as in Heaven with the Father, and Chriſt their Husband minds and tranſacts all theſe likewiſe for them. Indeed he is ever mindful of them, and at work for them, viz. to do them good, and to promote their intereſt: Hence, ſayes he, the Father worketh hitherto, and I work, Joh. 5.17. I am alwayes at work for your good. Are they wronged and oppreſſed by Enemies? He avenges all their wrongs: Hence he is ſaid to reprove Kings for their ſakes, Pſal. 105.14. and elſewhere, to plead their cauſe againſt their Enemies, and the like. Do they need deliverance and ſalvation out of troubles and diſtreſſes? He brings ſalvation to them, Iſa. 63.9. Do they need conduct and guidance through their diſſiculties and temptations in the Wilderneſs of the World? He leads and guides them, He leads Joſeph, like a flock, Pſal. 80.1. and elſewhere, I will guide thee with mine eye: He carries them through all their ſtraits, and all their difficulties, and even when he ſeems moſt to forget them, even then p. 111he is ever mindful of them, and of their concerns: For he hath graven th… upon the palms of his hands, and their walls are continually before him; and though they often ſay, The Lord hath forſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me; yet he never forſakes or forgets them, nor can he, No, a Woman may ſooner forget her ſucking Child, and not have compaſſion upon the Son of her Womb, then he can forget his people, Iſa. 49.14, 15, 16.

3. He minds and manages all their concerns for them in their own Souls: The Saints have many and great Concerns to be minded within them, concerns of great moment and importance; and, were they to be minded and managed onelyonly by themſelves, they would make but poor work: O! but Chriſt their Husband minds and manages all theſe likewiſe for them; and to be ſure they can't miſcarry in his hand: He gives them his Spirit to work all their works in them and for them: He obſerves what Grace, what Strength, what Counſel, what Comfort they ſtand in need of, and by his Spirit Miniſters all to them: Hence he is ſaid to give them Grace and Mercy to help in a time of need, ſeaſonable ſupplies, Heb. 4.16. and to be both the Author and Finiſher of their Faith, Heb. 12.2. He minds and obſerves, how the great Work goes on in their Souls, and he takes care for the proſpering and perſecting of it: O how ſhould this draw us to Chriſt, and encourage us to accept of the offers of hs love?

VIII. He injoynters them in eternal Life and Glory: Husbands uſe to make Joynters to their Wives, they entitle them to ſuch or ſuch Lands and Inheritances: So Chriſt injoynters all his Spouſes in no leſs than eternal Life and Bleſſedneſs: He makes over a great Joynter to them, Glory, a weight of Glory, an exceeding and an eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. An Inheritance in Light, Col. 1.12. An Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1.4. A Kingdom, an everlaſting Kingdom, an everlaſting Kingdom prepared for them before the foundation of the World, Matth. 25.34. A Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. A Crown of Righteouſneſs, 2 Tim. 4.8. A Crown of Glory, which never fades, never, withers, p. 1121 Pet. 5.4. The truth is, he endows them with all his Riches, with all his Treaſures, with all his Dignities, with all the Priviledges of …s Houſe, with all the Purchaſes of his Blood, with all the Bleſſings of his Love, with all the Treaſures of Heaven, with all the Glories of Eternity: Look, whatever is in the Promiſe, whatever is in the Covenant, whatever is in the glorious Counſel of Election: Look, whatever the Preſence of God; the Face of God, the Boſom of God can afford: Look, whatever the heart of God could give, the Wiſdom of God contrive, the Power of God produce, or the Blood of God purchaſe; that, all that does Chriſt injoynter his People in. O Sirs, how ſhould this draw and allure us to Chriſt! Is Heaven and eternal Life worth nothing? Are all the Glories of Eternity of no value? O who are you, that Chriſt ſhould be willing to inſtate you into all this? In your ſelves you are lying in the lap and boſom of Hell, Heirs of Wrath and Condemnation, in danger every moment of ſinking into the infernal Pit: But loe! Chriſt comes and makes love to you, and if you will accept of him, he will entitle you unto Life and Bleſſedneſs, to ſuch things as eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of, 1 Cor. 2.9. Take him therefore, I beſeech you, into your moſt intimate embraces. Thus you ſee in part, what great things Chriſt does for his Spouſes: Now will you accept of him, or will you not? May I not ſay to you, as Saul ſometimes did to his Servants? Hear now, will the Son of Jeſſe give to every one of you Fields and Vineyards, and make you Captains of thouſands? 1 Sam. 22.7. So will Sin, or the World, or the Law, to which you are naturally wedded, do ſuch great things for you as Chriſt will? Will theſe pay your Debts for you, ſupply your Wants for you, heal your Wounds for you, and the like? Will theſe ſecure your eternal Intereſt for you, and make you happy in the other World as Chriſt would? Alas! they can do none of all this: O cloſe, cloſe there for … with Chriſt, who can and will do all.