The Parable of the Prodigal, Part 9

The Parable of the Prodigal · Part 9

p. 204But the Father ſaid to his ſervants, Bring forth the beſt Robe, and put it on him, and put a Ring on his hand, and Shoes on his feet.

Theſe words are a Liſt of the ſpecial favours which were conferred The ſpecial favours conferred upon the Penitential Prodigal.upon the penitential Prodigal; where you have, 1. The Number of them, 1. The R…be, 2. The Ring, 3. The Shoes; a ſuit large enough from top to toe. We need a compleate furniture, and God here beſtows it. 2. The Quality of them; 1. The Robe is the beſt; and 2. The Ring is precious; and 3. The Shoes are proper, and fit, and the beſt. God gives unto his people what is moſt excellent, and what is moſt uſeful. 3. The Order of them; firſt the Robe, and then the Ring; becauſe if the Alluſion be to a Marriage, the Wedding Garment is ever put on before the Wedding Ring. Or elſe becauſe the Garment (which is the Robe) is alwayes more neceſſary then the Ornament (which is the Ring.) Or which is choiceſt, becauſe Intereſt in Chriſt, precedeth our Benefits by Chriſt. Again, as the Robe before the Ring, ſo the Ring before the Shoes; not becauſe the Hands are more eſtimable then the Feet, but becauſe our Feet can never tread well with Shoes of Patience, untill we firſt finger the Ring of Faith; we can never go well, nor bear well, unleſs firſt we believe well.

I begin with the firſt of theſe, the prime Favour beſtowed on The prime favour beſtowed upon the Prodigal. The matter of it. The Author of it.the Prodigal; in which you have obſervable, 1. The matter of that favour, called a Robe, and the Beſt Robe. What this Robe is, and why called the Beſt, whether for Order, or for Dignity, or for Neceſſity, or all, we ſhall preſently diſcuſs. 2. The Author of this favour The Father ſaid▪ Why that phraſe, the Father? why not, God ſaid? Surely becauſe our mercies, choicer mercies, come out of the hand of a reconciled God; they come from the Father of mercies, who is alſo the God of all grace. And why no more then, The Father ſaid? &c. becauſe ſaying from God is enough, it is as good as doing: his Imperative ſaying, is a Cauſative ſaying; if he ſpeaks the word, we are made whole; and we, though naked, are cloathed. The manner of conferring it.3. The manner of conferring it, [He ſaid to his ſervants, Bring it p. 205forth, and put it … think the ſervants here are the Angels; Others … them to be the Miniſters of the Goſpel. But why, ſaith he, to his ſervants, bring it forth, and put it on? is he not able to do it himſelf? True, God alone is able; but he who for power is able alone to confer any grace, being Lord of all, in wiſdome thinks fit to confer and diſpence Grace by the Miniſtry of ſervants, that ſo the uſe of means ſhould alwayes accompany the dependance on his power: But why, ſaith he not, let the Prodigal put it on himſelf? I conjecture, becauſe, as God only hath Grace, ſo he only can inveſt us with it; we can no more dreſs our ſelves with ſpiritual abilities, then the child that is newly born: God finds the Garment, and he alſo finds the hands to put it on; gives Chriſt, and an hand of Faith to put him on; gives grace, and a will alſo to receive it. If the Prodigal had been naturally able, as the Pelagians clamour it, it had been enough that the Ga…ment had been brought forth, and ſhewed unto him as the beſt, and then he could have of himſelf put it on, but there is no ſuch matter; the Prodigal wanted not only a Robe to wear, but ſtrength alſo to put it on, and therefore the Robe is by his Fathers will, both repreſented to him, and he inveſted with it by a Forinſecal Induition. So that you have at this time, 1. The gift and the excellency of it. 2. The Author, or cauſe of it. 3. The means, or manner of Application of it. Touching the firſt, two queſtions crave our reſolution:

1. What this Robe or Garment is, which is here beſtowed on What this Robe or Garment is.the returning Prodigal? Sol. There is, you know, a forefold Garment. 1. Natural: Our Skin is the Garment that ſwathes our fleſh and body. Job ſeemeth to inſinuate this, to be as a motheaten Garment, c. 13. 28. and a changeable ſuit, c. 30. 18. The Text ſpeaks not of it. 2. Civil: Such as we, wear for uſe and diſtinction; nor of this doth the Text ſpeak. 3. Evil: The Apoſtle calls it a Garment ſpotted with the fleſh, Jude v. 23. and the Prophet ſtiles it a menſtruous cloath, and S. Paul adviſeth us to put it wholly off, Eph. 4. 4. Spiritual: Which is of that regardand concernment The Spiritual Robe.to the Soul, as a civil Garment is to the body; this is the garment of which the Text doth ſpeak. This again is twofold, either 1. Imputed righteouſneſs. 2. Or Inherent righteouſneſs, both of theſe are in Scripture expreſſed as Garments, and we are often called p. 206to put them on, as Rom. 13. Eph. 4. and … in the Revelation is ſaid to be cloathed with the Sun.

The Robe, though as I conjecture in this place, is, that of imputed righteouſneſs, namely, the active and paſſive obedience of Of imputed Righteouſneſs. Put on by Faith. Compared to a Robe. For Neceſſity.Jeſus Chriſt, which we then put on, when by faith we receive Jeſus Chriſt; and it is well compared to a Robe or Garment. 1. For neceſſity; though all ſorts of Garments be not neceſſary, yet ſome are, partly, to cover our ſhame and nakedneſs, and defects, that they appear not: before the fall of Adam, nakedneſs was a badg of innocency, but after it, a reproach and ſhame; and therefore God made our firſt paren…s Garments to cover their ſhame: In like manner, if we would have our ſinful, naked Souls, which are ſhameful in the eyes of God and man, covered from the revenging eye of his juſtice, that our nakedneſs appear not, Rev. 3. 18. Of neceſſity, we muſt be cloathed with the Robe of Chriſts righteouſneſs: Partly, To protect us from injuries of extreme cold in the Winter, and violent heat in the Summer, &c. Of the ſame virtue, is the Robe of Chriſts righteouſneſs to ſecure the Soul from the ſcorch…g flames of divine wrath, and the piercing terrours of a guilty and accuſing conſcience; by the ſhadow of it, we enjoy peace unſpeakable, and moſt delightful tranquillity: To preſerve and cheriſh natural heat and life; our Garments are the warm Bed we walk in, and ſomewhat anſwerable to food for preſervation: …uch is Jeſus Chriſt, in reſpect of juſtifying righteouſneſs, a very quickning ſpirit, our life, and the ſtay thereof, and the ſpring of our ſweeteſt comforts, and refreſhings in conſcience; for what is juſtification but life from the dead, mercy at the bar, pardon to a condemned perſon, God at one with us, and we eſtated into his favour and happineſs? 2. For For Ornament.Ornament, Therefore you read of coſtly Apparel, of Purple, and ſoft Raiment, of Cloathing of wrought Gold, and Raiment of needle work, all which are beautiful adornings, and ſet us out in a kind of Majeſty and State. Doth not the righteouſneſs of Chriſt do ſo? it is our comely and glorious Ornament, which for the glory of it, is called the cloathing of the Sun, and beautiful Ornaments; …uch as make us altogether comely, and lovely, without ſpot or wrinkle, and very pleaſant and precious: It is the choiceſt Jewel which the Chriſtian can wear. 3. For diſtinction: For Diſtinction.Nations you know, are diſtinguiſhed by their habits; and ſo p. 207amongſt us, the orders of Callings are, or ſhould be differenced by variety of Garments. Thus our profeſſion of, and reliance only on the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, doth diſtinguiſh us from all In…idels, Jews, Papiſts, who either deny the thing, or elſe rely on ſomething elſe.

2. But why is this Garment called the beſt Robe? Some think To the beſt Robe.it is called Beſt, by reaſon of its antiquity; and therefore they expound foreign, Stotam primum, the firſt Robe, as if Adam had wore this Garment before his Fall; but how he ſhould get Chriſts Garment (who in that eſtate neither had, nor did need his perſon) I cannot yet conceive: Others interpret the Beſtneſs of this Robe, not ſo much by the antiquity, as by the excellency; For excellency.for it is a garment more excellent then any other in all the world: To ſhew its precedency, in reſpect of our ordinary Garments, is a meer idle and vain labour; for indeed there is no compariſon twixt them, becauſe of different kinds, and of vaſt diſproportion. But frame the compariſon with Garments, which have ſome excellency in them, yet, as Solomon ſpake of the daughter, ſhe ſurmounted them all; ſo here, &c.

Firſt, Compare it with that Garment which Adam had in Inn… cency, yet this of Chriſts is better: Better if you conſider the Compared wiih that of Adam in innocency.ſubjects, Chriſt and Adam; or the duration, for ſtability, or vigour, for our benefit: The firſt Adam was a perfect man, but the ſecond Adam was perfect God as well as man; the righteouſneſs in the one, though it was perfect pro ſtatu, yet it was both mutable, and incommunicable: Adam might, and did loſe it, nor did he derive it in the virtue and benefit of it to another, or in the matter it ſelf: But Chriſts righteouſneſs is immutable, and alſo communicable; it is a Garment for the head, and for the members, and not in our keeping, but in his own; and therefore not a changeable Suit, but a Garmēnt which ſhall never wax old. Secondly, Compare it with the Garments which the high Prieſt did wear, it is far more excellent then any of them. The Ephod, Compared with the Garments of the high Prieſt.which the high Prieſt was to wear, was made of white Linnen, and it was large, and ſet with many precious ſtones; and ſo alſo was the Breſt-plate of judgmentvery precious, and the Robe of the Ephod, which had the Pomgranats, and the Bells of Gold; as alſo the Embroidered Coat which was curiouſly wrought of moſt precious matter, and cunning workmanſhip. But far inferiour p. 208to this Garment of Chriſts righteouſneſs, of which all thoſe Garments were but types and ſhadowes, but a Ceremonial adumbration of his ſubſtantial perfection, ſuggeſting that more admirable perfection, and excellency which was to be believed, and found in Chriſt and his righteouſneſs. Or thirdly, Compare it with that holineſs which we call inherent, becauſe exiſting in us; Or with inherent holineſs.though this be a rare and diſtinguiſhing, and excellent Garment; yet it is not comparable to that of Chriſts righteouſneſs: Becauſe 1. It wants much of perfection: It is not the Sun, but a twinkling Star; there be many holes to be pickt in this Coat, it falls ſhort for length and breadth; much corrup ion clings about it; we know, and believe, and love, and obey, but in part. 2. It wants exceedingly in reſpect of dignity and merit; we cannot get the bleſſing for its ſake; though it be via yet it is not cauſa. But the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, it is a moſt abſolute and compleat thing, and alſo eminently meritorious; it is a full price, and deſerves Heaven it ſelf for us; we ſtand perfect, recti in curia, before God in it; it covers all our defects, and repreſents us altogether acceptable before the judgment-ſeat. In a word, to ſum up all concerning this Garment: It is the beſt in reſpect, Of Divine Deſignation; It is beſt in reſpect. Of Divine deſignation. Of Divine acceptation. Of Compariſon. Of our condition.the wiſdome of God appoints it as the choiceſt and chiefeſt: Of Divine acceptation; He looks upon it with more favour then any other righteouſneſs: Of Compariſon, with all others, as I have ſhewed: And of our Condition, there is not ſo proper, and ſo uſeful, and ſo meritorious a Garment for any Chriſtian to put on, as this.

Thus briefly of the excellency of the Gift. Now I proceed to the ſecond Branch, which contains the Author or Giver thereof, [The Father ſaid, Bring forth] as alſo the manner of Application of it. [He ſaid to his ſervants, Put on.]

1. The Author of this Righteouſneſs (which is the beſt Robe) God is the Author of it.is God, and therefore it is frequently called the Gift of righteouſneſs, Rom. 5. 17. and the righteouſneſs of God, Phil. 3. 9. Becauſe it is a righteouſneſs of his giving. God is the cauſe of it, By giving of Chriſt to be our righteouſneſs, who is expreſly ſaid, of God to be made unto us wiſedome and righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 30. By giving unto us the means by which that righteouſneſs is communicated, viz. Word and Sacraments: By bleſſing theſe means to work in us Faith to receive Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo become partakers p. 209of his righteouſneſs; by imputing that righteouſneſs of Chriſt unto us, upon our believing, and ſo accepting of us to eternal life.

2. The manner of Application: Put it on him, ſaith the Text. The manner of Application.There is a threefold Application of this Robe of righteouſneſs unto ſinners: One, ex parte donantis, which is God, the prime cauſe, who applies it to us by Imputation, as you may evidently ſee in Ro. 4. R…. 5. A ſecond, ex parte miniſtrantis, which are the means, through which the righteouſneſs of God is revealed, and likewiſe (by the effectual concomitancy of the Spirit) applied unto us: The Ordinances of God are the Orb which carry the Sun of righteouſneſs. A third is, ex parte recipientis: and the Application, or putting on of this robe of righteouſneſs on our part, is partly Sacramental, when we are baptized into Chriſt, and profeſs publickly to receive him: partly Spiritual, which belongs to that faith (which God alone implants) inabling us to put on Chriſt, as the Scripture often expreſſeth it.

I will now bring down all this to our ſelves, in ſome uſeful Applications: Ʋſe.All that I will in…iſt on at this time, ſhall be reduced unto two heads. 1. For Examination; whether this beſt Robe be put upon us, yea or no. 2. For Direction. 1. How to get it, 2. How to uſe For Examination.and wear it. Examine your ſelves what Wardrobe you have? You have, I perceive, many faſſions, many habits; we know not how to Have you put on this Robe or no?call them, whether civil, or uncivil, you ſhift ſo often: there is ſuch a vanity in man, that diſpoſeth his fancy to alterations; and beſides that, there is an extream pride in perſons, they muſt be in brave cloathing, and miſtake their conditions, and abilities: though they loſe their Reputation and their Eſtate for it, They will wear after the beſt. Wel, if you have ſuch a mind to rich Garments, what ſay you to the beſt Robe that ever any ſinful perſon did wear? what ſay you to the righteouſneſs of Chriſt? have you put it on, yea or no? Conſider

1. It is ſuch a Garment, that of all other thou needeſt moſt: Our It is a Garment that of all others we need moſt.beſt Garments are many times ſuperfluous, we need them not, we can attire our ſelves, well enough without them; but this beſt Robe is the moſt needful; thou canſt not live without it, nor mayſt thou dye without it: How naked art thou with thy filthineſs, before the eyes of a pure God? And how at once may his wrath pour out it ſelf like fire, and conſume thee, having no covering at all to ſhelter thee? Friend (ſaid he) to that intruder in the Goſpel, How cameſt thou in here without p. 210thy Wedding Garment? When thou goeſt to Prayer, or ſteps to the Sacrament, or art giving up thy Soul into the hands of God, and haſt no covering for any of thy ſins; may not God in the ſame way of judgment ſay unto thee, and beſpeak thee: How doſt thou preſent thy ſelf before me with all this ſinfulneſs? thou knoweſt that I am a God of purer eyes then to behold ſin, and there is no communion twixt light and darkneſs: I tell thee, that there is, No acceptance of thy perſon without this Robe; the Lord cannot abide the ſight of thee without it, for thou canſt not but provoke him, as oft as thou appears before him in thy nakedneſs and vileneſs: No reſpect unto thy ſervices; not that the Lord do…h diſlike any duty, but that the perſon muſt be firſt covered with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, if he would have his offering to be accepted. 2. By nature we are born naked, utterly deſtitute of this By nature we are born naked.precious Robe. As for the nativity (ſaid God to Jeruſalem) in the day that thou waſt born, thy Navel was not cut, neither waſt thou waſhed in Water to ſupple thee, neither waſt thou ſalted at all, nor ſwadled at all. Ezek. 16. 4. Or as Chriſt to the Church of Laodica, Thou art wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blind, and naked: So we by nature, cloathed only with raggs of corruption (with filthy raggs, Iſa. 64. 6.) and, as Joſhua in Zach. 3. 3. Cloathed with filthy Garments, deſtitute of God, of Chriſt, of all righteouſneſs: as if you ſhould ſee a naked child, born with Sores, and Boils, and Plagues, and Leproſies, running and ſpreading from top to toe. 3. You are of We are of no excellency without this Robe.no excellency without this Robe: Then only we come to excellent Ornaments when this is put on. All the Robes you get on you, are but the ſhrouds of dead men, or like Velvet caſt over an Herſe. As Solomon ſaid of beauty in a fooliſh woman, it is but as a Jewel in a ſwines ſnout: So we ſay of all other Garments, they are Ornaments put on a baſe dead and loathſomeſoul. 4. The Robe of There is none like it.Chriſts righteouſneſs, there is none like it, for thy good and benefit: For 1. It is an Ornament as well as a Garment: All our acceptance It is an Ornament as well as a Garment.before God is as we are cloathed with it, then are we cloathed with the Sun, now are we precious in his eyes; it makes us beautiful and lovely, and accepted in the eyes of God. 2. It is armour as An Armor as well as an Ornament.well as Ornament: For the preciouſneſs of it, it is a veſture of pure Gold; and for the ſtrength of it, it is as a Coat of Mail: Let us put on the Armor of Light, Rom. 13. 12. We may by it, keep off the ſtrongeſt accuſations of Satan, and ſtand even before the judgmentſeat. p. 211I am black but comely, ſaith the Church, Cant. 1. 5. though in her ſelf black, yet in this righteouſneſs comely. It can anſwer all our own imperfections, and all that Satan can object againſt us, or the Law, or our own fearful hearts: Sins and imperfections, and defects, cannot anſwer God; but a perfect righteouſneſs can. 3. It is a Garment for warmth as well as for ſight: When we look on our ſelves and our own righteouſneſs, our ſpirits may dye within It is a Garment for warmth as wel… as for ſight.us; but peace and comfort …low from the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, it was perfect, and meritorious, and accepted; and this will chear the heart above all, if we be found in Chriſt having his righteouſneſs. There goes wonderful virtue from the hem of this Garment, both to ſatisfie God, and to pacifie the conſcience; as Jacob got the bleſſing with the elder Sons Garment, ſo do we get all our mercies, and comforts, and bleſſings, by being cloathed with the Robe of Chriſts righteouſneſs.

But how may we know that we have put on this beſt Robe? How may we know that we have put it on. Have we put off our own Rags.Sol. I will inſtance but in three particulars to diſcover this. 1. If we have put on Chriſts Robe, we have put off our own Rags; (we have put them off, 1. Affectu. 2. Conatu.) As it was with Joſhua, Zach. 3. 4. His filthy Rags were taken away, and then he was cloathed with change of Raiment: So here, no man can aſſure himſelf that he is cloathed with Chriſts righteouſneſs, unleſs he doth diſmantle himſelf of his own unrighteouſneſs. Eph. 4. 21. If ye have been taught as the truth is in Jeſus; v. 22. Put off concerning the former converſation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful luſts. v. 23. And put on that new man, &c. Rom. 13. 12. Caſt off the Works of Darkneſs, and put on the Armor of light: For a man to imagine that he hath the Robe of Chriſts righteouſneſs, and yet to walk in the paths of unrighteouſneſs, in chambering and want…nneſs, in ſtrife and envying, in all voluptuouſneſs, and beaſtlineſs, &c. No man, ſaith Chriſt, ſoweth a piece of new Cl…ath to an old Garment, Mark 2. 21. 'Tis true, that none but ſinners are cloathed with this Robe; but then it is as true, that no ſinners are cloathed with it, but ſtrive with all their might, to put off their ſinful rags by hearty contrition, and confeſſion, and converſion. 2. Only …aith puts on this Robe; Only faith, puts on this Robe.And therefore, as this Robe is called the righteouſneſs of God, both for deſignation, imputation, and acceptation; So it is alſo called the righteouſneſs of Faith: Not that Faith in a formal p. 212ſenſe is our righteouſneſs: For Faith did not dye for us, no… can Faith of it ſelf merit for us; nor is Faith of it ſelf compleat, but imperfect: but becauſe it is the inſtrument which apprehends Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, and by which we put on Chriſt with his righteouſneſs. Have you Faith, or have you not? Nay, but deceive not your ſelves, The Faith which puts on this righteouſneſs, muſt be able, 1. To deny our own righteouſneſs, to take of all confidence in the fleſh; Faith cannot put on Chriſts righteouſneſs, until it hath put off your own. 2. To ſee a need of this righteouſneſs; and to prize and deſire to be found in it, above and before all other; the Laodiceans muſt ſee that they are naked, and then buy Raiment, Rev. 3. 3. To unite us to Jeſus Chriſt: It muſt work in us, both eſtimation (for our judgments) and acceptation (for our wills;) ſo that it muſt make us one with Chriſt, and ſo we come to be cloathed with the Garment of Chriſt: But perhaps you can reſt upon your own good meanings, works, innocency. You are rich, and need not to borrow any Garment; you are united to your luſts, and will not part with them for Chriſt, nor for all his Ornament. 3. This Robe This Robe, and that of holineſs are inſeparable.of righteouſneſs, and that other of holineſs are inſeparable: It is granted, that inherent holineſs is not formally the ſame with imputed righteouſneſs; it is granted, that the one is in Chriſt, the other is in us; that the one is perfect, the other is imperfect; that the one is meritorious, the other though it be precious, yet it is not meritorious: Yet as the light, and heat of the Sun, though the one be not the other, yer they go together; ſo the Robe of righteouſneſs, and the Robe of holineſs go together; the new Garment is only to be ſeen upon the new man. Therefore you read, that Chriſt is made not only Righteouſneſs, but alſo Sanctification: Righteouſneſs, this is a grace without us, whereby we are advanced; Sanctification, this is a grace wrought within us, by which we advance and glorifie God; that reſpects the State, this the nature of the perſon: As Grace muſt reign through righteouſneſs to eternal life, Ro. 5. 21. So alſo holineſs muſt reign to everlaſting life, Ro. 6. 22. The one as a cauſe, the other as a means. Now then, as if thou canſt diſcern any light in the morning, thou concludeſt that the Sun is riſen, ſo if thou canſt diſcover any true holineſs in thy heart, thou maiſt conclude that the Sun of righteouſneſs is riſen: the appearing of holineſs is a ſign of the riſing of righteouſneſs. p. 213Yea, the Prophet ſpeaking of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, ſaith, He ſhall ariſe with healing in his wings, Mal. 4. 2. to intimate, That where righteouſneſs comes, there holineſs comes. Ah! doſt thou find no change in thy Nature, in thy Judgment, in thy Mind, in thy Will, in thy Affections? why (as ſure as the Lord lives) thou haſt not yet put on this Robe of righteouſneſs. Doth Chriſt preſent thy perſon unſpotted before God? and doth he (thinkſt thou) leave thy heart with all its ſpots and filthineſs?

[And put a Ring on his Hand.]

This is the ſecond favour conferred on the penitent Prodigal by his Father. A Ring is ſuch a piece of ſubſtance which is put on the finger, partly for Ornament, and partly to teſtifie Nuptial union and conjunction. S. Chryſoſtom doth conjecture, that the Ring in this place is, Nuptiarum inſigne quibus Chriſtus Eccleſiam Sponſat, an embleme of the Eſpouſals twixt Chriſt and his Church. So that then we have this Propoſition to inſiſt on:

That God gives unto the penitent perſon a precious Faith, by Doct. 2. G…d gives the penitent perſon Faith by which he is married to Chriſt.which he is Eſpouſed or Married unto Chriſt. There are three things, which being explained, will give up unto us the full ſenſe of this Aſſertion: 1. What it is to be married unto Chriſt. 2. That Faith doth Eſpouſe and Marry a perſon unto Chriſt; and what faith that is, and in what reſpect. 3. That the penitent perſon hath this faith.

Queſt. 1. For the firſt of theſe; What it is to be Eſpouſed or What it is to …e married unto Chriſt.Married unto Chriſt? (which is here ſignified by putting on the Ring.) Sol. They who write of Marriage do conjecture that theſe ſix things concur unto it, 1. Mutuus Conſenſus, a mutual Conſenting. 2. Mutuus Contractus, a mutual Contracting; 3. Mutua Obligatio, a mutual Obliging; 4. Mutua Conjunctio, a mutual Union and Conjunction; 5. Mutua Poteſtas, a mutual faculty or Right; 6. Mutua Societas, a mutual uſe or Society. Tranſlate this from a Civil to a Spiritual conſideration, and then to be married to Chriſt implyes, 1. A Conſent to take or accept of Chriſt: Though knowledg of perſons be neceſſary and …it, yet it is not ſufficient to marriage It implyes, A Conſent.without con…ent; for marriage ought to be a voluntary tranſaction of perſons, and in it we do, in a ſort, give away our ſelves; but then this is not without our ſelves; yea, and therein we do elect & make choice for our ſelves, and therefore conſent is a neceſſary concurrence p. 214to marriage. Now this conſent is nothing elſe but a free and plain act of the will, accepting of Jeſus Chriſt, before all other, to be its Head and Lord. Chriſt offers himſelf in the Goſpel unto a perſon, I am the only Saviour of ſinners, and Lord of all, deſigned to be Prieſt, Prophet and King; art thou willing to accept of me? canſt thou like of me before all others? doſt thou ſo? doſt thou make choice of me for thy Saviour and Lord? 2. A Contracting of the Soul with Chriſt: Contractus is nothing A mutual Contract.elſe but conſenſus explicatus, a contract is a conſent expreſſed in words; but then they muſt be words proper to make Marriage. They muſt not be verba dubia, dubious words; as, I will marry none but you; but verba clara & affirmativa, affirmative, I will marry you: for the Rule of the Caſuiſts is good, Conſenſus non datur per meram negationem. And as they muſt not be verba dubia, but affirmativa, ſo they muſt not be verba futura & conditionata, hereafter, or upon ſuch a condition, but verba de preſenti, I now accept or take, &c. Then a man is Married unto Chriſt, when he doth freely, and abſolutely, and preſently receive the Lord Jeſus. Not, I would have Chriſt if it did not prejudice my worldly eſtate, eaſe, friends, &c. Or, hereafter I will accept of him, when I come to dye, and be in diſtreſs; but now when Salvation is offered, now while Chriſt tenders himſelf, I now yield up my heart and life unto him. 3. An obliging of the Soul to Chriſt; for, ex contractu oritur vinculum; A mutual Obligation.ſome call this traditio, or, reſig…atio: and therefore Marriage is a Knot or Tye, wherein perſons are mutually limitted and bound each to other in a way of Conjugal ſeparation from all others; and this in Scripture is called a Covenant. So when any one Marries Chriſt, he doth therein diſcharge himſelf in affection and ſubjection from all that is contrary to Chriſt; and ſolemnly Covenants and binds himſelf to Chriſt alone: He will have no Saviour and no Lord but Chriſt, and to him will he cleave for ever; Simpliciter & indiſſolubiliter, & perſona, & ſtatu, & tempore: It is not every apprehenſion, nor every tranſcient approbation, but the Will muſt come to an obligation, binding it ſelf in a perpetual Covenant to Chriſt alone. 4. An Union or Conjunction A Mutual Conjunctionwith Chriſt: Before Marriage the perſons were diſtinct, and had no other relation but what was common to Nature; but upon Marriage two are made one fleſh, 1 Cor. 6. 16. This p. 215is bone of my bone, and fleſh of my fleſh, ſaid Adam of his Wife, Gen. 2. So when the ſoul is married unto Chriſt, not only in reſpect of affection (for love unites) but likewiſe in reſpect of nature; he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 6. 17. That Nature which is in Chriſt, it is participated of by him that is married unto Chriſt; ſo that there doth ariſe, upon this marriage, the neareſt and deareſt relation of union that is in all the world. 5. A faculty of right or intereſt: Indeed Chriſts faculty over us is, facultas Dominii, & facultas Influ…ntiae; A mutual Right.a faculty of Dominion (he hath a right to rule and guide us) and a faculty of Influence, he hath a right to teach and heal us: Such a faculty of Soveraignty we have not over Chriſt; yet we have …acultatem Juris, a faculty of Right or Intereſt, which they call Jus in re, or as others, a faculty of propriety. Though the Wife hath not a power of authority over her Husband, yet ſhe hath a power of propriety in her Husband; that as he can ſay, This is my Wife, ſo ſhe can ſay, This is my Husband. In like manner, whoſoever is marryed unto Chriſt, he hath an intereſt in the perſon, in the condition of Chriſt; there hath paſſed ſuch an intire, and proper, and peculiar, and mutual reſignation, that he may ſay as the Church in the Canticles, My Beloved is mine, and I am his: The married unto Chriſt gives up the right of his ſoul and body unto Chriſt; O Lord Jeſus, all that I am, all that I have, all that I can do, is thine and for thee. 6. Laſtly, A mutual Society.There is Society and …ſe: As marriage infers with it Co-habitation and Co-intereſt, they dwell together, and make uſe of either, both perſons and eſtates. Thus is it when any perſon is married unto Chriſt, there is a holy ſociety and fellowſhip of him with Chriſt; Chriſt dwels in him, and he dwels in Chriſt; Chriſt delights in him, and he delights in Chriſt; Chriſt makes uſe of him, and he makes uſe of Chriſt: If he wants grace, or mercy, or ſtrength, or peace, or comfort, why, ſaith Chriſt, I am thine, I have them for thee, make uſe of me: And if Chriſt would uſe him in any ſervice, Lord, ſaith the ſoul that is married to Chriſt, If thou wilt have me to ſpeak for thee, I will ſpeak for thee; If thou wilt have me to do for thee, I will do for thee; if thou wilt have me to ſuffer for thee, I will ſuffer for thee; if thou wilt have me to dye for thee; I will dye for the Name of Chriſt, ſaid Paul. So that you ſee p. 216what the Ring in the Text may import, namely, the marriage of the ſoul unto Chriſt, and what that is.

Queſt. 2. The next thing to be diſcuſſed is, What that is What it is which marrieth us unto Chriſt, viz. Faith.which marryeth us unto Chriſt? and that I told you was Faith: The principal cauſe of this match is the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, but the internally inſtrumental cauſe is Faith. I know you know the ſeveral acceptations of the word Faith; I take it in the Habitual ſenſe, not in the Doctrinal, and there too in the choice and eminent part; I mean, as reſtrained to Juſtifying and Saving: of all other Graces in man, this is it which makes How Faith doth it.the match and draws up the marriage twixt the Soul and Chriſt. And the manner how it doth effect it, I conceive may be thus:

1. By diſcovering the preheminent excellencies of Chriſt: For By Diſcovering the excellencies of Chriſt.till the ſoul can diſcern a better excellency in Chriſt then in any other thing, it will never yield to match it ſelf unto him. Now Faith hath two Virtues; One is, to make the mind rightly to judge all ſinful and worldly things as baſe and vile, dr…ſs and dung (Phil. 3.) in compariſon of Chriſt. Another is, to repreſent unto the ſoul the real and ſurpaſſing excellencies of Chriſt. It is the Jacobs Staff which makes us to take the heigth, and depth, and breadth of the excellency of Chriſt; that there is no Beloved like Chriſt; he is the Choiceſt of ten thouſand; ſuch a one in whom the God-Head dwels bodily; full of Grace; the holy One of God; the brightneſs of the Fathers Image; the Lord of Life; the Prince of Glory; the moſt excellent in himſelf, and moſt complete and abſolute for the Redemption and Salvation of a ſinner.

2. By ſubjecting the Judgment to the aſſent and approbation of By ſubjecting the Judgment to the Approbation of his excellency.this excellent truth, That none is like Chriſt for a ſinner; That he is the only Saviour and Redeemer; and that ſuch an offer of Jeſus Chriſt unto a ſinner, is worthy of all acceptation; the ſinner is made for ever if he can get Chriſt, and he periſhes for ever if he enjoyes him not. As a woman in a diſpoſition to Marriage, ſhe conſiders of the perſon, and his qualities, and condition, and thinks often, This man hath choice parts in him, a good eſtate, I cannot better my ſelf if I refuſe him, I ſee I may do very well if I match unto him. Anſwerable effects doth Faith work in the ſoul, it doth make the minde of a man p. 217to ſee the ſuperlative excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, and to fall in liking of him and them. Come, I need a Saviour; Chriſt is he, and none elſe; he is the Prince of my peace, the Lord of my life; his Nature is excellent, Redemption ſufficient and proper, Laws righteous and good; it is my wiſdome, it is my ſafety, it is my ſalvation to accept of him, and to beſtow my ſoul on him.

3. By inclining the will to conſent and embrace the Lord Jeſus: For true Faith is not a meer notion, but an operating grace; it By inclining the will to embrace him.is as light in the mind, and as heat in the will; there it is a ſingular repreſentation, and here it is an effectual inclination. It is granted, that to embrace, or to be willing, or to conſent, are the acts of the will; but to embrace Chriſt with a conjugal conſent, to be willing to beſtow our ſelves on him, this comes from faith enabling the Will ſo to will. Not by way of coaction, for the Will cannot be compelled; nor doth Faith work in a violent way, though it works in an effectual way, enabling the Will to a free election of Chriſt before all others, (i.) predominant cauſes in Chriſt, to accept of him, and to reſign up to him, rather than to ſin, or world, or any thing elſe; and when the Will is wrought upon, ſo as to accept of Chriſt in his Perſon, and Offices, and Eſtates, the ſoul is now matched or married to Chriſt by Faith. It beſtows it ſelf, and gives Chriſt all the right, and cleaves unto him in an indiſſoluble bond of affection and ſervice.

Queſt. 3. The third reſolveable is, concerning the Subject of this The ſubject of this faith.faith, who hath it? The Text reſolves that, by telling us, that the Ring was put on the returning Prodigals finger, ſo that the penitent perſon is he who wears the Ring, (i.) who is an eſpouſed The penitent perſon is onelyonly married unto Chriſt.or married perſon by Faith unto Chriſt: You may be married to your Luſts, and to the World, though you be impenitent; yet none but Penitents are married unto Chriſt by Faith. Not that Repentance goes before Faith in Chriſt, (for no Grace habitually conſidered, is in time before another, though in operation it be:) Nor that Repentance is the cauſe of Faith; for it is a moſt improper Aſſertion, to make one Grace to be the cauſe of another Grace, when as every Grace doth come onelyonly from the Spirit of Reaſons.Chriſt as the cauſe. But becauſe, 1. The penitent perſon is only the The penitent perſon onelyonly hath faith.ſubject of Faith which doth marry us to Chriſt; no perſon is a believer, who is not a penitent perſon: The Prodigal, while onelyonly a Prodigal, he hath neither Garment nor Ring; but when he is a returning p. 218Prodigal, then he hath both, and not till then. 2. OnelyOnly penitent perſons can evidence their faith and eſpouſal unto OnelyOnly penitent perſons can evidence their faith.Chriſt: Another, who is impenitent, can no more evidence his intereſt or title to Chriſt, then an Alien that never heard of this Land, can evidence or conclude his title and right to any Goods or Chattels of yours. The title to Chriſt is proper onelyonly to the Penitent; for them he lived, and for them onelyonly he died.

Now if any ſhould yet further demand, Why the Lord ſhould Why will the Lord give this to penitent perſons. To convince the world, there is no lo…s in leaving ſin. To ſupport the ſoul of the heavy laden.give unto penitent perſons a precious faith to eſpouſe them to Chriſt? I conjecture, briefly, that theſe may be the Grounds or Reaſons. 1. To convince all the world, that there is no loſs in leaving of ſin. Abjice tectum & tolle coelum, ſaid one. The repentant perſon forſakes his ſins, but preſently finds a Saviour; he is divorced from that which would damn him, and by faith is eſpouſed unto one that will ſave him. 2. To ſupport the ſoul of the penitent, which of all other is moſt ſick and heavy laden: It is moſt ſenſible of ſin, and guilt, and Gods diſpleaſure, on all which it cannot long look alone. If the penitent perſon had not faith to ſee a Mediatour, he would not long have an eye to look upon his tranſgreſſions. It is a truth, that Repentance could never act it ſelf, unleſs the penitent perſon had faith to act it ſelf too. The ſorrow in Repentance would infinitely ſink into deſpair, and the forſaking of ſin would turn into a forſaking of God, if Faith ſaw not a Mediatour for Tranſgreſſions, and a mercifull God through him. 3. Laſtly; The Lord intends ſingular mercy to the penitent God intends ſingular mercies to the Penitent.perſons; to perform many precious promiſes of pardon and grace and comfort unto them, and therefore gives them Faith, unto which all the Promiſes are made. The promiſes may be conſidered two ways; either in reſpect, 1. of Intention, ſo they look unto the Penitent; of Application, ſo onelyonly Faith is the Hand in the Penitent which actively applies the Promiſes. Again, you know that the Promiſes of God are Yea, and Amen in Chriſt, (i.) they are all ſealed by him, and made good unto us by him; ſo that firſt we muſt have Chriſt, before the Promiſes made good unto us by Chriſt: And therefore God gives unto the penitent perſon the Grace of Faith to eſpouſe him unto Chriſt, that ſo he may ſettle upon him all the Dowry (upon the Marriage) of the rich mercy and good in his precious Promiſes.

p. 219The main Uſe which I will make of this aſſertion, is, To try our ſelves, whether we have this precious Ring of Faith, (a Ring Ʋſe. Try our ſelves whether we have this precious faith. A neceſſary trial, if we conſider, The paucity of true believers.more precious than that of Gold,) put on our fingers, yea, or no. It is as neceſſary a demur as ever you were put unto all your dayes, whether you conſider, 1. The paucity of true believers. All men have not faith, ſaith the Apoſtle: All men? nay, very few; Who hath believed our report? ſaid the Prophet: We preach, we offer Chriſt unto you, we beſeech you to accept of the Lord of Life, to give up your hearts and lives unto him; but who believes our report? We tell you that Chriſt is better than all the world, his bloud is better than ſin, it's better to love and ſerve him than world or ſin; but who believes our report? Men care not to know the excellencies of Chriſt, they prize him not, they care not to hear him ſpeak in his Ordinances, they will in no wiſe conſent and yield to his terms and conditions. 2. The Ʋtility The utility of it.of it. To the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, if we come without our Wedding-Ring, it will be as ſad a day to us, as to him who came without his Wedding Garment. We do not onelyonly receive no good at the Sacrament; for we have neither hand nor mouth to take and eat, if we have not Faith; not title at all to the intrinſecal benefits by Chriſt, if we have not faith in him. Nay, we occaſion much evil and Judgment upon our ſelves, we adventure to eat and drink our own damnation, not diſcerning the 1 Cor. 11.1 Cor 11Lords body: And righteouſly may the Lord judge us for coming to his Sacrament without Faith, for as much as in ſo doing, we do not onelyonly preſume againſt an expreſs prohibition that we ſhould hold off, but alſo we do (at the leaſt interpretatively) aſſay to make God a Liar, and a favourer of all villany, as if he would put his Seal of Pardon and mercy, and for all the good of his Covenant in Chriſt, to a wicked, impenitent, and unbelieving ſinner. 3. The Hypocriſie of our hearts, ſo apt to deceive themſelves with ſhadows in ſtead of ſubſtances, not The hypocrifie of our hearts.conſidering, that Satan can delude a man with the ſhew of any grace. Every Ring is not a Ring of Gold; nor is every Faith a precious and unfeigned Faith: There is a thing called Preſumption, which is bold enough, but it is not Faith; and there is Knowledge of Chriſt, as revealed in the Word, which a man may have, and utter too, and yet not have Faith; there is Profeſſion of Faith, for the truth againſt errours, and yet the Grace p. 220of Faith is another thing. A man may have ſo much faith as to believe that there is a Chriſt, and to confeſs his excellencies, and in ſome ſort to ſee his own neceſſities of Chriſt, yea, he may begin to article and capitulate as the Young-man, and yet break off, and be far enough from a Faith which doth indeed eſpouſe and marry his ſoul unto Chriſt. 4. Laſtly, The miſery and danger: Suppoſe The miſery and danger.you do deceive your ſelves, and in the event it appears that you are not eſpouſed to Jeſus Chriſt by Faith, that you never gave your hearts unto him, that there never was any conjugal Union and Bond twixt you; if thou indeed ſhouldſt live Chriſtleſs, and die Chriſtleſs, what helpleſs, hopeleſs, happyleſs perſon art thou?

But you will reply, We truſt that we are truly penitent perſons, and that God hath given unto us ſuch a Faith, whereby we are really married unto Chriſt. Sol. Well; if that be ſo, you have great cauſe to bleſs the Lord: And that you may not be deceived therein, I will deliver unto you, ſome proper effects which that Faith produceth in every ſoul that is indeed married unto Qualities produced by an eſpouſing faith.Chriſt. There are four Qualities produced by an eſpouſing Faith. 1. Eſtimation: Let the Wife ſee that ſhe reverence her Husband, ſaith the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5. She muſt both acknowledg Eſtimation.him as a Head, and honour him as a Lord, ju…e and eſteem of him (in a relative conſideration) above all other. The like effect doth Faith produce, if it eſpouſeth us to Chriſt, it ſets up Chriſt above all, accounts of him as moſt excellent, judgeth of all other things but as droſs and dung in compariſon of him, will part with all for to get Chriſt: The beauties of Chriſt are glorious in the eyes of every believer; Chriſt doth not ſeem a mean thing, an ordinary or common thing; but he is the Pearl, the Sun of Righteouſneſs: My Lord, and my God, ſaith Thomas. In a word, Faith (if right) exalts the Excellency of Chriſt, and the Authority of Chriſt; the Excellencies of his Perſon, and the Authority of his Will and Laws. 2. Election: Election.We make choice of Chriſt before all other. Though ſins, though the pleaſures and profits of the world, proffer themſelves, yet, as the Martyr at the ſtake, None but Chriſt: Or as Paul, I deſire to know nothing but Chriſt cruciſied: So the true believer, Give me Chriſt, I have enough, I have that which is beſt of all; he is the the Optimum and the Ʋnicum to Faith. 3. Affection: Conjugal Affection.Faith ever produceth conjugal Love. It were a monſtrous evil, p. 221for a woman to marry a man, and no… love him; and it were an adulterous thing, for her to love any more then her own Husband. Marriage doth, by way of Duty, infer and draw with it two qualities of Love; one is excluſive, and it is an unity of Love; the other is intenſive, and it is a redundancy of Love: Thus is it with us; if Faith hath eſpouſed us unto Chriſt, it do…h kindle in us a love unto Chriſt; not a divided love, a love to Chriſt, and a love to ſin; a love to Chriſt, and a love to the world; but an united love; none is by us eſteemed and loved as our Lord, but Chriſt: Nor doth it ſatisfie it ſelf with a remiſs and diminutive love, which may ſerve any inferiour object; but as Chriſt is in himſelf the moſt excellent object, ſo Faith produceth ſuch a degree of love which bears ſome proportion with that object, viz. a ſuperlative love, a love of Chriſt above all, and more then all; more ſet on Chriſt than on any other object, which yet may lawfully be loved more than our father, or mother, or wife, or children. Do we find this love in our hearts to Chriſt, againſt all, and above all? Nay again, True conjugal love infers with it a Love, 1. of Complacency, to delight in the thing loved; 2. of Society, to be with the perſon loved: Is it ſo with us? what delght have we in Chriſt? in his perſon, in his excellencies, in his works, in his ord…ances? Is it our beſt joy to hear him, to ſee him, to ſpeak with him. 4. Subjection: I confeſs that marriage doth not make the Subjection.woman a ſlave, yet by vertue thereof ſhe is bound to ſubmiſſion or ſubjection; ſhe doth in a ſort give away her ſelf unto the diſpoſal of another in the Lord: Thy deſire, ſaith God, Gen. 3. 16. ſhall be to thy husband, and he ſhall rule over thee. If thou haſt a Faith which doth eſpouſe thee unto Chriſt, that Faith brings thy heart into the obedience and ſubjection of Chriſt. It ſubjects thy will to Chriſts will, and thy judgment to his truths, and thy deſire to his rule, and thy works to his laws. If Chriſt would have thee be and do one thing, and thou wilt be and do another, that thy will is ſtill contradicting of Chriſts will, and thy way is ſtill contrary to his way: Though a man may be married to ſuch a ſtubborn and perverſe piece, yet Chriſt is not; for all that are married unto him by Faith, have in ſome meaſure wrought in them, an obediential ſpirit, deſirous to know the mind of the Lord, and willing to live godly in Chriſt Jeſus. Now this ſubjection which is the effect of an eſpouſing Faith, hath theſe properties in it, viz. 1. Ʋniverſality; the wife is ſubject in all things: 2. Diligence; p. 222we muſt take care to pleaſe him: 3. Delightfulne…; it muſt be no burthen: 4. Conſtancy; as long as we live, we muſt be ſubject to the will of our Lord.

The laſt Uſe ſhall be for Exhortatiou, That in caſe you find Ʋſe 2. Exhortation.this Ring of Faith, by which you are eſpouſed unto Chriſt, given unto you, then be very carefull to wear it, and to bring it along with you to this next Sacrament. We uſually put on our Robes and our Rings, when we come to any ſolemn Feaſts: The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a Feaſt of good things, there is Chriſt, and mercy, and redemption, and ſanctification, and what not for the ſoul; but bring your Ring with you; Chriſt looks that you ſhould come with it, and you can do no good at the Sacrament, if you have not the Ring on your hand: Though you put forth your hand, yet if the Ring be not on it, the hand may take the bread, but the Ring is it which onelyonly can take Chriſt; therefore bring Faith with you to the Sacrament. Joſephs Brethren muſt bring Benjamin with them, or elſe they muſt not ſee his face, nor ſhould get food. And let your faith work upon Chriſt all along; on the love of Chriſt, on the ſufferings of Chriſt, of the Covenant of God with you in Chriſt, of the offer of Chriſt unto you, (now under ſeal that he is yours;) ſeal with your Ring, put your Seal to the Covenant and Deed of Chriſt and God; and feed on him, believe on him, draw from him; This is my Lord, this is my Saviour, this bloud was ſhed for me, my Chriſt will do me good, I ſhall be ſaved by his bloud, reconciled by his bloud, healed and preſerved by his Spirit.