Five Sermons, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
CHRIST the Believer's Huſband.
ISAIAH liv. 5.
For thy Maker is thy Huſband.
ALTHOUGH Believers by Nature are far from God, and Children of Wrath, even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to him again by the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt—Eye hath not ſeen, or Ear heard, neither hath it entered into the Heart of any Man living fully to conceive, the Nearneſs and Dearneſs of that Relation, in which they ſtand to their common Head—He is not aſhamed to call them Brethren—Behold, ſays the bleſſed Jeſus in the Days of his Fle…h, my Mother and my Brethren—And again after his Reſurrection, Go tell my Brethren.—Nay ſometimes he is pleaſed to term Believers his Friends—Henceforth call I you no longer Servants, but Friends—Our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth—And what is a Friend? Why "there is a Friend that is nearer than a Brother," nay, as near as one's own Soul—And thy Friend, ſays God in the Book of Deuteronomy, which is as thy own Soul.—Kind and endearing Appellations theſe, that undoubtedly beſpeak a very near and ineffably intimate Union between the Lord Jeſus, and the true living Members to his myſtical Body! But, methinks, the Words of our Text point out to us a Relation, which not only comprehends, but in reſpect to Nearneſs and Dearneſs, exceeds all other Relations whatſoever—I mean that of a Huſband—For thy Maker is thy Huſband—The Lord of Hoſts is his Name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Iſrael, the God of the whole Earth ſhall he be called.—
Theſe Words were originally ſpoken to the People of the Jews, conſidered collectively as a peculiar People, whom our Lord had betroth'd and married to himſelf; and they ſeem to be ſpoken when Religion was upon the Decline among their Churches; when they had, in a great Meaſure, loſt that Life and Power, which they once experienced; and their Enemies began to inſult them with a Where is now your God? Such a State of Things muſt undoubtedly be very afflicting to the true Mourners in Zion; and, no doubt, put them upon crying unto the Lord, in this their deep Diſtreſs—He hears their Prayer—His Bowels yearn towards them; and, in the preceding Verſe, he aſſures them, that tho' the Enemy had broken in upon them like a Flood, yet their Extremity ſhould be his Opportunity to lift up a Standard againſt him—Fear not, ſays the great Head and King of his Church, for thou ſhalt not be aſhamed, that is, finally or totally; neither be thou confounded, i. e. diſſipated, or dejected, giving up all for gone, as though thou never ſhouldſt ſee better Days, or another Revival of Religion; for thou ſhalt not entirely be put to Shame, tho' for a while, for thy Humiliation, and the greater Confuſion of thy Adverſaries, I ſuffer them to triumph over thee: For, ſays the Lord, thou ſhalt forget the Shame of thy Youth, and ſhalt not remember the Reproach of thy Widow-hood any more; i. e. I will vouchſafe you ſuch another glorious Gale of my bleſſed Spirit, that you ſhall quite forget your former troubled Widow-ſtate, and give your Enemies no more Occaſion to inſult you, on Account of your …nt-condition, but rather to envy you, and gnaſh their Teeth, and melt away at the Sight of your unthought-of Glory and Proſperity.—And why will the infinitely great and condeſcending Jeſus deal thus with his People? Becauſe the Church is his Spouſe—For, ſays he, in the Words juſt now read to you, thy Maker is thy Husband, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Iſrael; and therefore he loves thee too well, to let thy Enemies always trample thee under Foot—The Lord of Hoſts is his Name, the God of the whole Earth ſhall he be called; and therefore he is armed with ſufficient Power to relieve his oppreſſed People, and overcome and avenge himſelf of all their haughty and inſulting Foes.—
This ſeems to be the prime and genuine Interpretation of the Text and Context, eſpecially if we add, that they may have a further View to the latter-day Glory, and that bleſſed State of the Church, which the People of God have been looking for in all Ages, and the ſpeedy Approach of which, we undoubtedly pray for, when we put up that Petition of our Lord's, viz. Thy Kingdom come.—
But, tho' the Words were originally ſpoken to the Jews, yet they are undoubtedly applicable to all Believers in all Ages, and, when inlarged on in a proper Manner, will afford us ſuitable Matter of Diſcourſe both for Sinners and for Saints; for ſuch as know God, as well as ſuch who know him not; and likewiſe for thoſe, who once walked in the Light of his bleſſed Countenance, but are now backſlidden from him; have their Harps hung upon the Willows, and are afraid that their Beloved is gone, and will return to their Souls no more.—Accordingly, without prefacing this Diſcourſe any farther, as I ſuppoſe a mix'd Multitude of Saints, unconverted Sinners, and Backſliders, are preſent here this Day, I ſhall endeavour ſo to ſpeak from the Words of the Text, that each may have a proper Portion, and none be ſent empty away.—
In proſecuting this Deſign, I will
I. Endeavour to ſhew, what muſt paſs between Jeſus Chriſt and our Souls before we can ſay, that our Maker is our Huſband.—
II. The Duties of Love which they owe to our Lord, who ſtand in ſo near a Relation to him.—
III. The miſerable Condition of ſuch as cannot yet ſay, their Maker is their Huſband.—
And IV. I ſhall conclude with a general Exhortation to all ſuch unhappy Souls, to come and match with the dear Lord Jeſus.—And Oh! may that God who bleſſed Abraham's Servant, when he went out to ſeek a Wife for his Son Iſaac, bleſs me, even me alſo, now I am come, I truſt, relying on divine Strength, to invite poor Sinners, and recal Backſliders to my Maſter Jeſus!—
And Firſt, I am to ſhew, what muſt paſs tween Jeſus Chriſt and our Souls before we can ſay, Our Maker is our Huſband.
But, before I proceed to this, it may not be improper to obſerve, that if any of you, amongſt whom I am now preaching the Kingdom of God, are Enemies to inward Religion, and explode the Doctrine of inward Feelings, as Enthuſiaſm, Cant and Nonſenſe, I ſhall not be ſurprized, if your Hearts riſe againſt me whilſt I am preaching, for I am about to diſcourſe on true vital and internal Piety; and an inſpired Apoſtle hath told us, that the natural Man diſcerneth not the Things of the Spirit, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.—But, however, be noble as the Bereans were; ſearch the Scriptures as they did: lay aſide Prejudice; hear like Nathaniel, with a true I… elitiſh Ear; be willing to do the Will of God, and then you ſhall, according to the Promiſe of our deareſt Lord, know of the Doctrine, whoit be of God, or whether I ſpeak of myſelf.—
I would further obſerve, that if any here expect fine Preaching from me this Day, they will, in all probability, go away diſappointed—For I came not here to ſhoot over Peoples Heads; but, if the Lord ſhall be pleaſed to bleſs me, to reach their Hearts. Accordingly I ſhall endeavour to cloath my Ideas in … plain Language, that the meaneſt Negro … Servant, if God is pleaſed to give a hearin… Ear, may underſtand me; for I am certain if the Poor and Unlearned can comprehen…, the Learned and Rich muſt.—
This being premiſed, proceed we to our firſt general Head, viz. To ſhew what … paſs between Jeſus Chriſt and our Souls, … fore we can ſay, our Maker is our Huſband.
Now, that we may Diſcourſe more pertinently and intelligibly upon this Point, it may not be amiſs, under this Head, to conſider, what is neceſſary to be done, before a Marriage between two Parties amongſt our ſelves, can be ſaid to be valid in the Sight of God and Man—And that will lead us in a familiar Way, to ſhew, what muſt be done, or what muſt paſs between us and Jeſus Chriſt, before we can ſay, our Maker is our Huſband.—
And Firſt, In all lawful Marriages, it is abſolutely neceſſary, that the Parties to be joined together in that holy and honourable Eſtate, are actually and legally freed from all Pre-engagements whatſoever.—A Woman is bound to her Huſband, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſo long as her Huſband liveth. The ſame Law holds good in reſpect to the Man. And ſo likewiſe, if either Party be betrothed and promiſed, tho' not actually married to another, the Marriage is not lawful, till that Pre-engagement and Promiſe be fairly and mutually diſſolved.—Now, it is juſt thus between us and the Lord Jeſus—For, we are all by Nature born under, and wedded to the Law, as a Covenant of Works.—Hence it is, that we are ſo fond of, and artfully go about, in order to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of our own—It is as natural for us to do this, as it is to breathe—Our firſt Parents, Adam and Eve, even after the Covenant of Grace was revealed to them in that Promiſe, the Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head, reached out their Hands, and would again have taken hold of the Tree of Life, which they had now forfeited, had not God drove them out of Paradiſe, and compell'd them, as it were, to be ſaved by Grace—And thus all their Deſcendants naturally run to the Tree of Life, and want to be ſaved, partly at leaſt, if not wholly, by their Works. And even gracious Souls, who are inwardly renewed, ſo far as the Old Man abides in them, find a ſtrong Propenſity this way.—Hence it is, that natural Men are generally ſo fond of Arminian Principles.—Do and live, is the native Language of a proud, ſelfrighteous Heart.—But before we can ſay, our Maker is our Huſband, we muſt be divorced from our old Huſband, the Law; i. e. we muſt renounce our own Righteouſneſs, our own Doings and Performances, in Point of Dependence, either in Whole or Part, as Dung and Droſs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.—For thus ſpeaks the Apoſtle Paul to the Romans, Chap vii. 4. Ye alſo are become dead to the Law (i. e. as a Covenant of Works) by the Body of Chriſt, that ye ſhould be married to another, even to him, who is raiſed from the Dead.—As he alſo ſpeaketh in another Place, I have eſpouſed you, as a chaſte Virgin to Jeſus Chriſt. This was the Apoſtle's own Caſe— Whilſt he depended on his being a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and thought himſelf ſecure, becauſe, as to the outward Obſervation of the Law, he was blameleſs; he was an entire Stranger to the divine Life: But when he began to experience the Power of Jeſus Chriſt's Reſurrection, we find him, in his Epiſtle to the Philippians, abſolutely renouncing all his external Priviledges, and all his Phariſaical Righteouſneſs; Yea, ſays he, doubtleſs, and I count all Things but Loſs, nay but Dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own Righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, the Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith. And thus it muſt be with us, …'re we can ſay our Maker is our Huſband.—Tho' we may not be wrought upon in that extraordinary Way in which the Apoſtle was, …et we muſt be dead to the Law, we muſt be eſpouſed as chaſte Virgins, to Jeſus Chriſt, and count all external Priviledges, and our moſt ſplendid Performances (as was before obſerved) only as Dung and Droſs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
But further, before a Marriage among us an ſtand good in Law, both Parties muſt not only be freed from all Pre-engagements, but …ere muſt be a mutual Conſent on both Sides▪We are not uſed to marry People againſt their Wills.—This is what the Jews called Betr…thing, or Eſpouſing, a Thing previous to the Solemnity of Marriage.—Thus we find, the Virgin Mary is ſaid to be eſpouſed to Joſeph, before they actually came together, Mat. i. 18. And thus it is among us—Both Parties are previouſly agreed, and as it were, eſpouſed to each other, before we publiſh, what we call, the Banns of Marriage concerning them. And ſo it will be in the ſpiritual Marriage, between Jeſus Chriſt and our Souls—Before we are actually married or united to him by Faith; or, to keep to the Terms of the Text, before we aſſuredly can ſay, that our Maker is our Huſband, we muſt be made willing People in the Day of God's Power, we muſt be ſweetly and effectually perſuaded by the Holy Spirit of God, that the glorious Emanuel is willing to accept of us, juſt as we are, and alſo that we are willing to accept of him upon his own Terms, yea, upon any Terms.—And when once it comes to this, the ſpiritual Marriage goes on apace, and there is but one Thing lacking to make it compleat.—And what is that? An actual Union.
This is abſolutely neceſſary in every lawful Marriage among Men.—There muſt be a Joining of Hands before Witneſſes, e're they can be deemed lawfully joined together.—Some Men indeed of corrupt Minds, are apt to look upon this as a needleſs Ceremony and think it ſufficient to be married, as they term it, in the Sight of God.—But whence Men get ſuch Divinity, I know not.—I am poſitive, not from the Bible; for we there read that even at the firſt Marriage in Paradiſe, there was ſomething of outward Solemnity; God himſelf (if I may ſo ſpeak) being there the Prieſt.—For we are told, Gen. ii. 22. that, after God had made the Woman, be brought her unto the Man.—And indeed, to lay aſide all Manner of outward Ceremony in Marriage, would be to turn the World into a Den of brute Beaſts—Men would then take, or forſake, as many Wives as they pleaſed, and we ſhould ſoon ſink into as bad and brutal State, as thoſe Nations are now in, amongſt whom ſuch Practices are allowed of, and who are utterly deſtitute of the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.—Whoever has experienced the Power of his Reſurrection, I am perſuaded will never plead for ſuch a licentious Practice—For the Terms made uſe of in Scripture, to repreſent he myſtical Union between Chriſt and his Church, ſuch as, our being joined to the Lord, and married to Jeſus Chriſt, are all metaphorical Expreſſions, taken from ſome analagous Practices amongſt Men.—And as Perſons when married, tho' before twain, are now one Fleſh; ſo thoſe that are joined to the Lord, and can truly ſay, our Maker is our Husband, in the Apoſtle's Language, are one Spirit.—This was typiſied in the original Marriage of our firſt Parents.—When God brought Eve to Adam, he received her with Joy at his Hands, and ſaid, this is Bone of my Bone, and Fleſh of my Fleſh.—They had there, primarily, but one Name—For thus ſpeaks the ſacred Hiſtorian, Gen. v. 1, 2.—In the Day that God created Man, he bleſſed them, and called their Name Adam.—And why? becauſe they were one Fleſh, and were to have but one Heart.—The ſelf-ſame Terms are made uſe of in Scripture, to expreſs the Believer's Union with Jeſus Chriſt—We are called Chriſtians, after Chriſt's Name, becauſe made Partakers of Chriſt's Nature.—Out of his Fulneſs, Believers receive Grace for Grace—And therefore, the marriage State, eſpecially by the Apoſtle Paul, is frequently made uſe of, to figure out to us the real, vital Union, between Jeſus Chriſt and regenerate Souls.—This is termed by the Apoſtle, Eph. v. 32. A great Myſtery.—But great as it is, we muſt all experience it, before we can ſay aſſuredly, that our Maker is our Husband.—For what ſays our Lord, in that Prayer he put up to his Father before his bitter Paſſion? Father, I will that thoſe whom thou …aſt given me, ſhall be where I am, that they may be one with thee, even as thou, O Father, and I are one, I in them, and they in me, that we all may be made perfect in One.—Oh infinite Condeſcenſion! Oh ineffable Union! Hence it is, that Believers are ſaid to be Members of his Body, of his Fleſh, and of his Bones—Hence it is, that the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of himſelf, ſays, I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. What an Expreſſion is that? How much does it comprehend? And, that we might not think this was ſomething peculiar to himſelf, he puts this cloſe Queſtion to the Corinthians; Know ye not, that Chriſt is in you, unleſs you be Reprobates? Agreeable to what he ſays in his Epiſtle to the Col…ſſians, Chriſt in you, the Hope of Glory.—And hence it is, that our Church, in the Communion-office, directs the Miniſter to acquaint all thoſe that receive the Sacrament worthily, that they are one with Chriſt, and Chriſt with them; that they dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them—Words that deſerve to be written in Letters of Gold, and which evidently ſhew, what our Reformers believed all Perſons muſt experience, before they could truly and aſſuredly ſay, that their Maker is their Husband.—
From what then has been delivered, may not the pooreſt and moſt illiterate Perſon here preſent eaſily know, whether or not he is really married to Jeſus Chriſt. Some indeed, I am afraid, are ſo preſumptuous as to affirm, at leaſt to inſinuate, that there is no ſuch Thing as knowing, or being fully aſſured, whilſt here below, whether we are in Chriſt or not—Or at leaſt, if there be ſuch a Thing, it is very rare, and only the Priviledge of the primitive Believers.—Part of this is true, and Part of this abſolutely falſe.—That this glorious Priviledge of a full Aſſurance is very rare, is too, too true.—And ſo it is equally too true, that real Chriſtians, comparatively ſpeaking, are very rare alſo.—But that there is no ſuch Thing, or that this was only the Priviledge of the firſt Followers of our bleſſed Lord, is directly oppoſite to the Word of God.—We know, ſays St. John, ſpeaking of Believers in general, that we are his, by the Spirit which he hath given us; and, He that believeth hath the Witneſs in himſelf; Becauſe you are Sons, ſaith St. Paul; God hath ſent forth his Spirit into …our Hearts, even the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father—Not that I dare affirm, that there is no real Chriſtian, but what has this full Aſſurance of Faith, and clearly knows, that His Maker is his Husband—In ſpeaking thus, I ſhould undoubtedly condemn ſome of the Generation of God's dear Children, who thro' the Prevalence of Unbelief, indwelling Sin, ſpiritual Sloth, or it may be, for Want of being informed of the Priviledges of Believers, may walk in Darkneſs, and ſee no Light—therefore, tho' I dare not affirm, that a full Aſſurance of Faith is abſolutely neceſſary for the very Being, yet I dare aſſert, that it is abſolutely neceſſary, for the Wellbeing of a Chriſtian—And for my own Part, I cannot conceive, how any Perſons, that pretend to Chriſtianity, can reſt ſatisfied or contented without it.—This is indeed ſtopping ſhort, on this Side Jordan, with a Witneſs—And gives others too much Reaſon to ſuſpect, that ſuch Perſons, however high their Profeſſion may be, have, as yet, no true ſaving Grace at all.—Men, whoſe Hearts are ſet on this World's Goods, or, to uſe our Lord's Language, the Children of this World▪ act not ſo—I ſuppoſe there is ſcarce a ſingle Merchant in this great Congregation, eſpecially in theſe troublous Times, that will venture out either his Ship or Cargo, without firſt enſuring both againſt the Violence of an Enemy, or a Storm—And I ſuppoſe there is ſcarce a ſingle Houſe, of any conſiderable Value, in any populous Town or City, but the Owner has taken out a Policy from the Fire-Office, to inſure it, in Caſe of Fire—And can I be ſo irrational as to think, that there is ſuch a Thing as ſecuring my Goods, and my Houſe, and that there is no ſuch Thing as inſuring, what is infinitely more valuable, my precious and immortal Soul? Or if there be ſuch a Thing, as undoubtedly there is, what Fooliſhneſs of Folly muſt it needs be in Men, that pretend to be Men of Parts, of good Senſe, and ſolid Reaſoning, to be ſo anxious to ſecure their Ships againſt a Storm, their Houſes againſt a Fire, and at the ſame Time, not be unſpeakably more ſolicitous, to take a Policy out of the Aſſurance-Office of Heaven; even the Seal and Witneſs of the bleſſed Spirit of God, to enſure their Souls againſt that Storm of divine Wrath; and that Vengeance of eternal Fire, which will at the laſt deciſive Day come upon all thoſe, that know not God, and have not obeyed his gracious Goſpel? To affirm therefore, that there is no ſuch Thing as knowing that Our Maker is our Husband; or that it is a Priviledge peculiar only to the firſt Chriſtians, to ſpeak in the mildeſt Terms, is both irrational and un…riptural. Not that all who can ſay, their Maker is their Husband, can give the ſame clear and diſtinct Account of the Time, Manner, and Means of their being ſpiritually united and married by Faith to the bleſſed Bridegroom of the Church—Some there may be now, as well as formerly, ſanctified from the Womb—And others, in their Infancy and Non-age, as it were ſilently converted—Such perhaps may ſay, with a little Scotch Maiden, now with God, when I aſked her, whether Jeſus Chriſt had taken away her old Heart, and given her a new One, Sir, It may be, ſaid ſhe, I cannot directly tell you the Time and Place, but this I know, it is done.—And indeed it is not ſo very material, tho' no Doubt it is very ſatisfactory, if we cannot relate all the minute and particular Circumſtances, that attended our Converſion; if ſo be we are truly converted now, and can ſay, the Work is done, and that, …ur Maker is our Husband—And I queſtion, whether there is one ſingle adult Believer, now on Earth, who lived, before Converſion, either in a Courſe of ſecret or open Sir, but can, in a good Degree, give an Account, of the Beginning and Progreſs of the Work of Grace in his Heart.—What think ye? Need I tell any married Perſons in this Congregation, that they muſt go to the Univerſity, and learn the Languages, before they can tell whether they are married or not? Or, if their Marriage was to be doubted, could they not, think you, bring their Certificates, to certify the Time and Place of their Marriage; and the Miniſter that joined them together in that holy State? And if you are adult, and are indeed married to Jeſus Chriſt, tho' you may be unlearned, and what the World terms illiterate Men, can not you tell me the Riſe and Proceſs, and Conſummation of the ſpiritual Marriage, between Jeſus Chriſt and your Souls? Know you not the Time, when you were firſt under the Drawings of the Father, and Jeſus began to woo you for himſelf? Tell me, O Man, Tell me, O Woman, knoweſt thou not the Time, or at leaſt, knoweſt thou not, that there was a Time, when the bleſſed Spirit of God, ſtripped thee of the Fig-leaves of thy own Righteouſneſs, hunted thee out of the Trees of the Garden of thy Performances, forced thee from the Embraces of thy old Huſband the Law, and made thee to abhor thy own Righteouſneſs, as ſo many filthy Rags? Canſt thou not remember when, after a long Struggle with Unbelief, Jeſus appeared to thee, as altogether lovely, One mighty and willing to ſave? And canſt thou not reflect upon a Seaſon, when thy own ſtubborn Heart was made to bend; and thou wa…t made willing to embrace him, as freely offered to thee in the everlaſting Goſpel? And canſt thou not, with Pleaſure unſpeakable, reflect on ſome happy Period, ſome certain Point of Time, in which a ſacred Some-thing (perhaps thou could'…t not then well tell what) did captivate, and …ll thy Heart ſo that thou could'…t ſay, in a Rapture of holy Surprize, and Exta…y of divine Love, My Lord and my God; my Beloved is mine, and I am his▪ I know that my Redeemer liveth; or, to keep to the Words of our Text▪ My Maker is my Husband.—Surely, amidſt this great and ſolemn Aſſembly, there are many that can anſwer theſe Queſtions in the Affirmative—For theſe are Tranſactions, not eaſily to be forgotten; and the Day of our Eſpouſals is, generally, a very remarkable Day; a Day to be had in everlaſting Remembrance.
And can any of you indeed, upon good Grounds ſay, that your Maker is your Huſband… May I …ot then (as it is cuſtomary to with Perſons Joy, who are juſt entered into the Marriage State) congratulate you upon your happy Change, and wiſh you Joy, with all my Heart? Sure am I, that there was Joy in Heaven on the Day of your Eſpouſals: And why ſhould not the bleſſed News occaſion Joy on Earth? May I not addreſs you in the Language of our Lord to the Women that came to viſit his Sepulchre, All hail! for ye are highly favoured.—Bleſſed are ye among Men, bleſſed are ye among Women!—All Generations ſhall call you bleſſed.—What? Is your Maker your Husband? The Holy One of Iſrael your Redeemer? Sing, O Heavens, and rejoice, O Earth! What an amazing Stoop is this! What a new Thing has God created on the Earth! Do not your Hearts, O Believers, burn within you, when meditating on this unſpeakable Condeſcenſion of the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity? Whilſt you are muſing, does not the ſacred Fire of divine Love kindle in your Souls? And, out of the Abundance of your Hearts, do you not often ſpeak with your Tongues, and call upon all that is within you, to laud and magnify your Redeemer's holy Name? Is not that God-exalting, Self-abaſing Expreſſion frequenly in your Mouths, Why me, Lord, why me? And are you not often conſtrained to break out into that devout Exclamation of Solomon, when the Glory of the Lord filled the Temple, And will God indeed dwell with Man Ungrateful, rebellious, ill-and Hell-deſerving Man! Oh, my Brethren, my Heart is enlarged towards you! Tears, while I am ſpeaking, … ready to guſh out—But they are Tears of Love and Joy—How ſhall I give it vent? How … I ſet forth thy Happineſs, O Believer, th… Bride of God!—And is thy Maker thy Husband? Is his Name the Lord of Hoſts? Whom …en … thou fear? And is thy Redeem… the Holy One of Iſrael, the God of the whole Earth ſhall he be called? Of whom then ſhouldſt thou be afraid? He that toucheth thee, toucheth the very Apple of God's Eye—The very Hairs of thy Head are all numbered, and it is better, that a Man ſhould have a Mi…ſtone tied round his N… ▪ and be drowned in the Sea, than that be ſhould juſtly offend thee.—All hail, (I muſt again repeat it) thou Lamb's Bride! For thou art all glorious within, and comely, thro' the Comelineſs thy heavenly Bridegroom hath put upon thee—Thy Garment is indeed of wrought Gold; and, e're long, the King ſhall bring thee forth with a Raiment of Needle-work, and preſent thee Blameleſs before his Father, without Spot, or Wrinkle, or any ſuch Thing.—In the mean while, well ſhall it be with you, and happy ſhall ye be, who are married to Jeſus Chriſt—For all that Chriſt has is yours—He is made of God to you, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and eternal Redemption—Whether Paul, or C…phas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or Things preſent, or Things to come; all are yours.—All his Attributes are engaged for your Preſervation, and all Things ſhall work together for your Good, who love God, and, by being thus married to the Lord Jeſus, give an evident Proof that you are called according to his Purpoſe.—What ſay you? When you meditate on theſe Things, are you not frequently ready to cry out, what ſhall we render unto the Lord for all theſe Mercies, which of his free unmerited Grace, he hath been pleaſed to beſtow upon us? For, tho' you are dead to the Law, as a Covenant of Works, yet you are alive to the Law as a Rule of Life, and are in, or under the Law (for either Expreſſion ſeems to denote the ſame Thing) to your glorious Huſband, Jeſus Chriſt.
Paſs we on therefore to the Second General Head, under which I was to ſhew, what Duties of Love they owe to Jeſus Chriſt, who are ſo happy as to be able to ſay, my Maker is my Husband.
I ſay, Duties of Love—For being now married to Jeſus Chriſt, you work not for Life, but from Life.—The Love of God conſtrains you, ſo that, if there was no written Law, or, ſuppoſing Jeſus wou'd ſet you at Liberty from his Yoak, ſo far as Grace prevails in your Hearts, you wou'd ſay, we love our bleſſed Bridegroom, and will not go from him.—
And now then, what does the Lord require of you? That we may ſpeak on this Head, as plainly as may be, we ſhall purſue the Method we begun with; and, by carrying on the Allegory, and examining, what is required of truly Chriſtian Wives, under the Goſpel, infer, what our Lord may juſtly demand of thoſe, who are united to him by Faith, and can therefore ſay, our Maker is our Huſband.—
And here let us go to the Law and to the Teſtimony.—What ſays the Scripture? L… ▪ the Wife, ſays the Apoſtle, ſee that ſhe Reverence her Huſband.—It is, no doubt, the Duty of married Women, to think highly of their Huſbands.—From whom may Huſbands juſtly command Reſpect, if not from their Wives? The Apoſtle's Expreſſion is Emphatical—Let the Wife ſee, that ſhe reverence her Huſband; thereby implying, that Women, ſome of them at leaſt, are too prone to diſreſpect their Huſbands; as Michal, Saul's Daughter, deſpiſed David in her Heart, when ſhe tauntingly ſaid, 2 Sam. vi. 20. How glorious was the King of Iſrael to Day, who uncovered himſelf to Day in the Eyes of the Hand-maids of his Servants, as one of the vain Fellows ſhameleſly uncovereth himſelf.—
This is a Source and Fountain, from whence many domeſtick Evils frequently flow.—Women ſhould remember the Character Huſbands ſuſtain in Scripture.—They are to them, what Chriſt is to the Church.—And it is mentioned to the Honour of Sarah, that ſhe called Abraham, Lord.—Shall I have a Child who am old, my Lord being old alſo? It is remarkable, that there are but two good Words in that whole Sentence, my Lord (for all the others are the Language of Unbelief) and yet thoſe two Words the Holy Ghoſt mentions to her eternal Honour, and buries, as it were, the reſt in Oblivion.—Even as Sarah, ſays St. Peter, obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.—An evident Proof how pleaſing it is in the Sight of God, for Women in the married State, to reverence and reſpect their Huſbands.—Not that Huſbands therefore ſhould Lord it over their Wives, or require too much reſpect at their Hands—This wou'd be unchriſtian, as well as ungenerous, indeed.—They ought rather, as God has taken ſuch Care to keep up their Authority, commanding their Wives to reverence and reſpect them; they ought, I ſay, to be doubly careful, that they live ſo holy and unblameable, as to lay their Wives under no Temptation to deſpiſe them.—But to return from this Digreſſion.—Does the Apoſtle ſay, Let the Wife ſee that ſhe reverence her Huſband?—May I not pertinently apply this Caution to you, who are married to Jeſus Chriſt? See to it, that you reverence and reſpect your Huſband—I ſay, ſee to it▪ —For the Devil will be often ſuggeſting to you hard and mean Thoughts againſt your Huſband.—It was thus he beſet our …other Eve, even in a State of Innocence.—He wou'd fain perſuade her to entertain hard Thoughts of her glorious Benefactor.—What, ſays he, …as God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of the Trees of the Garden? Has he been ſo cruel to put you here in a beautiful Garden, only to vex and teize you? This he made uſe of as an Inlet to all his ſucceeding Inſinuations—And this Trade he is ſtill purſuing, and will be purſuing, 'till the very End of Time.—Beſides, in the Eyes of the World, Jeſus Chriſt has no Form or Comelineſs, that they ſhould deſire him; and therefore, unleſs you watch and pray, you will be led into Temptation, and not keep up ſuch high Thoughts of your bleſſed Jeſus, as he juſtly deſerves—In this you can never exceed.—Women, perhaps▪ n…y ſometimes think too highly of, and, through Exceſs of Love, idolize their earthly Conſorts.—But it is impoſſible for you to think too highly of your heavenly Huſband, Jeſus Chriſt.—
Further, what ſays the Apoſtle, in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians? ſpeaking of the marriage State, he ſays, The Wife is the Glory of her Husband; as tho' he had ſaid, a Chriſtian-Wife ſhou'd ſo behave, and ſo walk, as to be a Credit to her Huſband—As Abigail was an Honour to Nabal, and by her ſweet Deportment, made up, in ſome Degree, for her Huſband's Churliſhneſs—This is to be a Help-meet indeed—Such a Woman will be praiſed in the Gate; and her Huſband get Glory, and meet with Reſpect on her Account. And ought a Woman to be the Glory of her Huſband? How much more ought you, that are the Lamb's Bride, ſo to live, and ſo to walk, as to bring Glory, and gain Reſpect, to the Cauſe and Intereſt of your Huſband Jeſus? This is what the Apoſtle every where ſuppoſes, when he wou'd draw a Parallel between a temporal and ſpiritual Marriage—The Woman, ſays he, is the Glory of her Husband, even as the Church is the Glory of Chriſt—Agreeably to this, he tells the Corinthians, whether you eat or drink, or whatſoever you do, do all to the Glory of God; and as he alſo beſpeaks the Theſſalonians, 1 Theſſ. ii. 11, 12. As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every One of you (as a Father doth his Children) that ye wou'd walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom, and his Glory—What an Expreſſion is here! That ye wou'd walk worthy of God—Oh! How ought this, and ſuch like Texts▪ to ſtir up your pure Minds, O Believers, ſo to have your Converſation in this World, that you may be, what the Apoſtle ſays ſome particular Perſons were, even the Glory of Chriſt—You are his Glory; he rejoices over you with ſinging; and you ſhould ſo walk, that all, who know and hear of you, may glorify Chriſt in you.—
Subjection, is another Duty, that is enjoined maried Women, in the Word of God—They are to be ſubject to their own Huſbands in every▪ Thing, i. e. every lawful Thing—For, ſays the Apoſtle, the Husband is the Head of the Wife, even as Chriſt is the Head of the Church: And knowing how unapt ſome baſe Minds wou'd be, to ſubmit to the Huſband's Authority; he takes Care to inforce this Duty of Subjection, by many cogent and powerful Arguments—For Adam was firſt made, and not Eve—Neither was the Man made for the Woman, but the Woman for the M…n—And again, The Man was not firſt in the Tranſgreſſion, but the Woman—Upon which Accounts, Subjection was impoſed on her, as Part of her Puniſhment—Thy Deſire, ſays God, ſhall be to thy Husband, and …e ſhall …ule, tho' not tyranize, over thee—So that▪ to …ſe the Words of pious Mr. Henry, Thoſe, who attempt to uſurp Authority over their Husbands, not only contradict a divine Command, but thwart a divine Curſe—And if Women are to be ſubject to their own Huſbands in every Thing, how much more ought Believers, whether Men or Women, to be ſubject to Jeſus Chriſt—For he is the Head of the Church—He has bought her by his Blood—Believers therefore are not their own; but are under the higheſt Obligations to glorify and obey Jeſus Chriſt, in their Bodies, and their Souls, which are his—Add to this, that his Service as it is admirably expreſſed in one of our Collects, is perfect Freedom—His Commandments, holy, juſt, and good—And therefore, it is your higheſt Priviledge, O Believers, to ſubmit to, and obey them—Earthly Huſbands may be ſo mean, as to impoſe ſome Things upon their Wives, merely to ſhew their Authority; but it is not ſo with Jeſus Chriſt—He can and does impoſe nothing, bu… what immediately conduces to our preſent, as well as future Good—In doing, nay, in ſuffering for Jeſus Chriſt, there is a preſent unſpeakable Reward—And therefore I may ſay to Believers, as the bleſſed Virgin ſaid to the Servants, at the Marriage of Canaan; Whatſoever he ſays unto you▪ do it—For his Yoke is eaſy, and his Burden is light.—And I believe, it might eaſily be proved in a few Minutes, that all the Diſorders, that are now in the World, whether in Church or State, are owing to a Want of being univerſally, unanimouſly, chearfully, and perſeveringly conformed to the Laws and Example of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
Again, Faithfulneſs in the marriage State, is ſtrictly enjoined, in the Scriptures of Truth—Marriage, ſaith the Apoſtle, is honourable in all, and the Bed undefiled—But Whoremongers and Adulterers, God will judge—Nay, Adultery is an Iniquity to be puniſhed by the Earthly Judges; it diſſolves the marriage Relation—For the Man has not Power over his own Body, but the Woman; neither has the Woman Power over her own Body, but the Man—The Heathens themſelves have been taught this by the Light of Nature; and Adultery, among ſome of them, is puniſhed with immediate Death—And ought married Perſons to be thus careful, to keep the Marriage-Bed undefiled, how carefully then ought Believers to keep their Souls chaſte, pure and undefiled, now they are eſpouſed to Jeſus Chriſt? For there is ſuch a Thing as ſpiritual Adultery—O ye Adulterers, and Adultereſſes, ſaith St. James—And God frequently complains of his People's playing the Harlot—Hence it is, that St. John, in the moſt endearing Manner, exhorts Believers to keep themſelves from Idols—For the Luſt of the Eye, the Luſt of the Fleſh, and Pride of Life, are always ready to ſteal away our Hearts from Jeſus Chriſt. And every Time we place our Affections upon any Thing more than Chriſt, we do undoubtedly commit ſpiritual Adultery—For we admit a Creature to rival the Creator, who is God over all, bleſſed for evermore—Little Children, therefore, keep yourſelves from Idols.—
But it is Time for me to draw towards the Cloſe of this Head—Fruitfulneſs was a Bleſſing promiſed by God to the Firſt happy Pair: Encreaſe and multiply, ſays God, and repleniſh the Earth—Lo Children, and the Fruit of the Womb, ſays the Pſalmiſt, are a Gift and Heritage, which cometh of the Lord—And ſo, if we are married to Jeſus Chriſt, we muſt be fruitful—In what? In every good Word and Work—For thus ſpeaks the Apoſtle, in his Epiſtle to the Romans,—Wherefore my Brethren, …e alſo are become dead to the Law, by the Body of Chriſt, that ye ſhould be married to another, even to him who is raiſed from the Dead—What follows? That we ſhould bring forth Fruit unto God—Glorious Words, and proper to be conſidered in a peculiar Manner, by ſuch who wou'd explode the Doctrine of Free Juſtification, as an Antinomian Doctrine, as tho' it deſtroyed good Works—No, it eſtabliſhes, and lays a ſolid Foundation, whereon to build the Super-ſtructure of good Works—Timothy is therefore commanded to exhort Believers, to be careful to maintain good Works—And herein, ſays our Lord, is my Father juſtified, that ye bring forth much Fruit—Let your Light ſhine before Men, that they may ſee your good Works, and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven; with a Multitude of Paſſages to the ſame Purpoſe.—
Moreover it is required of Wives, that they n… only love, and reverence their Huſbands, but that they alſo love and reſpect their Huſband's Friends—And if we are married to Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall not only reverence the Bridegroom, but we ſhall alſo love and honour the Bridegroom's Friends—By this ſhall all Men know, ſays our Lord, that ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another—By this we know, ſays his beloved Diſciple, that we have paſſed from Death to Life, becauſe we love the Brethren—Obſerve, the Brethren, indefinitely, of whatever Denomination—And this Love muſt be without Diſſimulation, with a pure Heart fervently—This was the Caſe of the primitive Chriſtians—They were all of one Heart, and of one Mind—It was ſaid of them (Oh that it could be ſaid of us!) See how theſe Chriſtians love one another! ▪ They were of the ſame Spirit, as a good Woman in Scotland was, who when ſhe ſaw a great Multitude, as is cuſtomary in that Country, coming from various Parts, to receive the bleſſed Sacrament, ſaluted them with a Come in ye Bleſſed of the Lord, I have a Houſe that will hold a Hundred of you, and a Heart that will hold Ten Thouſand— Let us go and do likewiſe.—
Once more—Perſons that are married take one another for better or for worſe, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cheriſh each other in Sickneſs and in Health.—And if we are married to Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall be willing to wear his Croſs, as well as bear his Crown—If any Man, ſays our Lord, will come after me, let him deny himſelf, take up his Croſs and follow me.—Neither will they be compelled to do this, as Simon of Cyrene was, but they will be Voluntiers in his Service, they will cry out, Crown him, Crown him, when others are crying out, Crucify him, Crucify him.—They will never leave or forſake him, but willingly follow the Captain of their Salvation, tho' it be thro' a Sea of Blood.—
I might run the Parallel ſtill further, and alſo enlarge upon the Hints already given—But I fear I have ſaid enough already, to reproach moſt Believers; I am ſure I have ſaid more than enough, to abaſh and upbraid myſelf—For alas! how vilely, treacherouſly, and ungratefully, have we behaved towards our ſpiritual Huſband, the dear Lord Jeſus, ever ſince the Day of our Eſpouſals? Had our Friends, or even the Wives of our own Boſoms, behaved to us as we have behaved to our great and beſt Friend, our glorious Huſband, we ſhould have broke off our Friendſhip, and ſued for a Bill of Divorcement long ago▪—Under our firſt Love, what Promiſes did we make him? But how frowardly have we have behaved our ſelves in his Covenant How little have we reverenced him? How often has our Beloved been to us no more tha… another Beloved? How little have we lived to his Glory? Have we not been a Shame and Reproach to his Goſpel? Have we not crucified him afreſh, and has he not been ſorely wounded in the Houſe of his Friends? Nay, has not his holy Name been blaſphemed thro' our Means? For alas! how little have we obeyed him? How careleſs and indifferent have we been, whether we pleaſed him or not? We have often ſaid indeed, when commanded by him to go work in his Vineyard, We go Lord; but alaſs! we went not—Or if we did go, with what Reluctance has it been? How unwilling to watch with our dear Lord and Maſter only one hour? And of his Sabbaths how often have we ſaid, what a Wearineſs i… this? As for our Adulteries, and ſpiritual Fornications, how frequent, how aggravated have they been? Have not Idols of all Sorts been ſuffered to fill up the Room of the ever bleſſed Jeſus in our Hearts? You that love him in Sincerity will not be offended, if I tell you, that the 16th Chapter of Ezekiel gives, in my Opinion, a lively Deſcription of our Behaviour towards our Lord.—We were like baſe-born Children, caſt out in the Field to the Loathing of our Perſons, no Eye pitied or had Compaſſion on us—Jeſus paſſed by, ſaw us polluted in our own Blood, and ſaid unto us, Live; i. e. preſerved us, even in our natural State, from Death.—And when his Time of Love was come, he ſpread the Skirt of his imputed Righteouſneſs over us, and cover'd the Nakedneſs of our Souls, entered into Covenant with us, and we became his—He waſh'd us alſo with Water, even in the Laver of Regeneration, and throughly waſhed us by his precious Blood, from the Guilt and Dominion of all our Sins—He cloathed us alſo with broidered Work, and decked us with Ornaments, even with Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt.—We did eat fine Flour and Honey at one Ordinance and another, and we fed on Jeſus Chriſt in our …earts by Faith, with Thankſgiving. In …o…t, we were made exceeding beautiful, and the Kingdom of God was erected in our Hearts.—We were renowned among our Neighbours for our Love to God, and all that knew us took Knowledge of us, that we had been with Jeſus.—But alas! how have we fallen, who were once Sons of the Morning! How have we truſted in our own Beauty, grown ſpiritually Proud, and provoked our patient, and unſpeakably long-ſuffering Lord, to Anger? Where is that ardent Love we …pake of, when we told him, that, tho' we ſhould die for him, we would not deny him in any wi…e? How deſperately wicked, and deceitful above all Things, have we proved our Hearts to be, ſince we have done all theſe Things, even the Work of an imperious Woman? Theſe are great and numerous Charges; but great and numerous as they are, there is not a ſingle Believer here preſent, but, if he knows his own Heart, may plead guilty to ſome, or all of them. But this is a tender Point—I ſee you concerned: Your Tears, O Believers, are a Proof of the Anguiſh of your Souls.—And can any of us give any Reaſon, why Jeſus Chriſt ſhould not give us a Bill of Divorcement, and put us away? May he not juſtly ſpeak to us, as he did to his Adultereſs Iſrael, in the forementioned 16th of Ezekiel; Wherefore, O Harlot, hear the Word of the Lord; I will judge thee as Women that break Wedlock, and ſhed Blood, are judged.—I will give thee Blood in Fury and Jea…ouſy, becauſe thou haſt not remembred the Days of thy Youth, but haſt fretted me in all theſe Things.—Behold therefore, I alſo will recompence thy Way upon thy Head—I will even deal with thee, as thou haſt done, which haſt deſpiſed the Oath, in Breaking the Covenant, the Marriage-Contract that was between us.—This, I am perſuaded, you will confeſs to be the Treatment, which we all moſt juſtly deſerve.—But be not overwhelmed with over-much Sorrow—For tho' the Lord our God is a jealous God, and will certainly viſit our Offences with a Rod, and our Backſlidings with a ſpiritual Scourge, yet his Loving-kindneſs will he not utterly take from us, nor ſuffer his Truth to fail. Tho' we have changed, yet He changeth not—He abideth faithful—His Loving-Kindneſs abideth for evermore.—Hark! how ſweetly he ſpeaks …o his Backſliding People of old; O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thy Help—I will …eal their Backſliding, and love them freely—And in the Verſes immediately following the Words of the Text, how comfortably does he addreſs his eſpouſed People! In a little Wrath, I …id my Face from thee for a Moment; but with Everlaſting Kindneſs will I have Mercy on thee, …aith the Lord thy Redeemer.—For this is as the Waters of Noah unto me: For as I have ſworn, that the Waters of Noah ſhould no more go over the Earth▪ ſo have I ſworn, that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.—For the Mountains ſhall depart, and the Hills be removed, but my Kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee▪ neither ſhall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath Mercy on thee—Oh that this Goodneſs may lead us to Repentance! Oh that this unparallell'd, infinite, unchangeable Love, may conſtrain us to a… univerſal, uniform, chearful, unanimous, perſevering Obedience, to all the Commands … God!
Brethren, my Heart is enlarged towards you and I could dwell a long while upon the many great and precious Invitations that are made … Backſliders, to return to their firſt Love, and do their firſt Works: But its high time for m…, if, as was propoſed, I give every one their proper Portion, to ſpeak to thoſe poor …, who know nothing of this bleſſed Bridegroom of the Church, and conſequently cannot yet ſay, My Maker is my Huſband.—
Ah dear Hearts! I pity you from my inmoſt Soul, I could weep over, and … you, tho' perhaps, you will not weep for yourſelves—But ſurely you wou'd … and howl too, did you know the miſerable Condition thoſe are in, who are not married to Jeſus Chriſt.—Will ye give me leave, I think I ſpeak it in much Love, to inform you, as was propoſed under the Third General He…, that if you are not married to Jeſus Chriſt, you are married to the Law, the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, neither of which can make you happy; but all, on the contrary, concur to make you miſerable.—Hear ye not, ye that are married to the Law, and ſeek to be juſtified in the Sight of God, partly at leaſt, if not wholly, by your own Works, what the Law ſaith to thoſe that are under it, as a Covenant of Works? Curſed be the Man, that continueth not in all Things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them.—Every …ord breathes Threatning and Slaughter to poor fallen Creatures.—Curſed, both here, and hereafter, be the Man, every Man, naturally engendered of the Offspring of Adam▪ without Exception, that continueth not, even to the very End of Life, in all Things; not only in ſome, or many, but in all Things, that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them, viz. in the utmoſt Perfection; For he that offendeth in one Point▪ is guilty of all.—So that, according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Works, whoſoever is guilty of one wicked Thought, Word, or Action, is under the Curſe of an angry Sin-avenging God.—For as many as are under the Law, are under the Curſe. And do you know what it is to be under the Curſe of God, and to have the Wrath of God abide upon you? If you did, I believe, you wou'd not be ſo unwilling to be divorced from the Law, and be eſpouſed, as chaſte Virgins, to Jeſus Chriſt? And why are ye ſo wedded to the World? Did it ever prove faithful or ſatisfactory to any of its Votaries? Has not Solomon reckoned up the Sum total of worldly Happineſs? And what does it amount to? Vanity, Vanity, ſaith the Preacher, all is Vanity, nay he adds, Vexation of Spirit.—And has not a greater than Solomon inform'd us, that a Man's Life, viz. the Happineſs of a Man's Life, doth not conſiſt in the Things which he poſſeſſeth? Beddes, know you not that the Friendſhip of this World is Enmity with God, ſo that whoſoever will be a Friend to the World, i. e. to the corrupt Cuſtoms and Vices of it, is an Enemy to God? And what better Reaſons can you give for being wedded to your Luſts? Might not the poor Slaves in the Gallies, as reaſonably be wedded to their Chains? For do not your Luſts fetter down your Souls from God? Do they not lord it, and have they not Dominion over you? Do not they ſay, Come, and ye come; Go, and ye go; Do this, and ye do it? And is not he▪ or ſhe▪ that liveth in Pleaſure, dead whilſt he liveth? And above all, how can ye bear the Thoughts of being wedded to the Devil, as every natural Man is—For thus ſpeaks the Scripture, He now ruleth in the Children of Diſobedience.—And how can you bear to be ruled by one, who is ſuch a profeſſed, open Enemy, to the moſt high and holy God? who will make a Drudge of you, whilſt you live, and be your Companion in endleſs and extreme Torment, after you are dead? For thus will our Lord ſay to thoſe on the left Hand, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.—
Will you permit me, O Sinners, that I may draw towards a Cloſe of this Diſcourſe to propoſe a better Match to your Souls—This is a Part of the Diſcourſe which I long to come to, it being my Heart's▪ Deſire, and earneſt Prayer to God, that your Souls may be ſaved—And now, O Lord God Almighty, thou Father of Mercies, and God of all Conſolations, thou God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who has promiſed to give thy Son the Heathen for his Inheritance, and the uttermoſt Parts of the Earth for his Poſſeſſion, ſend me good Speed this Day, O Lord, ſend me now Proſperity—Behold I ſtand here without the Camp, bearing a little of thy dear Son's ſacred Reproach! Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and according to thy Word let thy dear, thine only begotten Son, ſee of the Travel of his Soul, and be ſatisfied! O help me ſo to ſpeak, that many may believe on, and cleave unto thy bleſſed, thine holy Child, Jeſus.—
But who am I, that I ſhould undertake to recommend the bleſſed Jeſus to others, who am myſelf altogether unworthy to take his ſacred Name into my polluted Lips! Indeed, my Brethren, I do not count myſelf worthy of ſuch an Honour; but ſince it has pleaſed him, in whom all Fulneſs dwells, to count me worthy, and put me into the Miniſtry, the very Stones wou'd cry out againſt me, did I not attempt, at leaſt, to liſp out his Praiſe, and earneſtly recommend the ever bleſſed Jeſus to the Choice of all.—
Thus Abraham's faithful Servant behaved, when ſent out to fetch a Wife for his Maſter Iſaac—He ſpake of the Riches and Honours, which God had conferred on him—But what infinitely greater Honours and Riches, has the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus, conferred on his only Son, to whom I now invite every Chriſtleſs Sinner.—To you therefore I call, O ye Sons of Men, aſſuring you, there is every Thing in Jeſus, that your Hearts can deſire, or hunger and thirſt after—Do People in diſpoſing of themſelves or their Children in Marriage, generally covet to be matched with Perſons of great Names? Let this Conſideration ſerve as a Motive to ſtir you up to …ch with Jeſus—For God the Father has given him a Name above every Name; he has upon his Veſture, and upon his Thigh, a Name written, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and here in the Text we are told, The Lord … Hoſts is his Name—Nor has he an empty Title, but Power equivalent—For he is a Prince, as well as a Saviour—All Power is given un… him, both in Heaven and on Earth—The God of the whole Earth, ſays our Text, he ſhall be called—The Government of Men, the Church, and Devils, is put upon his Shoulders—Thrones, Principalities and Powers, are made ſubject unto him—By him Kings reign, and Princes decree Juſtice—He ſetteth up one, and he putteth down another—And of his Kingdom, there ſhall be no End.—Will Riches be an Inducement unto you to come and match with Jeſus? Why then I can tell you, the Riches of Jeſus are infinite—For unto me, who am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints, is this Grace given, …hat I ſhould preach to poor Sinners, the unſearchable Riches of Jeſus Chriſt—I appeal to you that are his Saints, whether you have not found this true, by happy Experience; and tho' ſome of you, may have been acquainted with him, thirty, forty, fifty Years ago, do you not find his Riches are yet unſearchable, and as much paſt finding out, as they were the very firſt Moment in which you gave him your Hearts?—Would you match with a wi…e Huſband? Haſte then Sinners, come away to Jeſus—He is the Fountain of Wiſdom, and makes all that come unto him wiſe unto Salvation; He is the Wiſdom, of the Father—The Lord poſſeſſed him in the Beginning of his Way, before his Works of old—When he prepared the Heavens, he was there; when he appointed the Foundations of the Earth, then was he with him, as one brought up with him; he was daily his Delight, rejoicing always before him.—As he is wiſe ſo is he holy, and therefore, in the Words of our Text, he is ſtiled, The Redeemer, the holy One of Iſrael—And by the Angel Gabriel, that holy Thing—The Apoſtles, addreſſing God the …ther, ſtile him his holy Child Jeſus; and the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect, and the Angels in Heaven, ceaſe not Day and Night, ſaying, holy, holy, holy.—Nor is his Beauty inferior to his Wiſdom or Holineſs; the Seraphs veil their Faces, when they appear before him—He is the Chiefeſt among Ten Thouſand, nay, he is altogether lovely. - And as he is altogether lovely, ſo is he altogether loving; his Name and his Nature is Love.—God, God in Chriſt is Love—Love in the Abſtract—And in this has he manifeſted his Love, in that, whilſt we were yet Sinners, nay, open Enemies, Jeſus, in his own due Time, died for the Ungodly—He loved us, ſo as to give himſelf for us—Oh what Manner of Love is this! What is Jacob's Love to Rachel, in Compariſon of the Love which Jeſus bore to a periſhing World! He became a Curſe for us—For it is written, Curſed is every Man that …angeth upon a Tree—What Zippora… ſaid to her Huſband improperly, Jeſus may ſay properly to his Spouſe the Church, a bloody Wife haſt thou been unto me, becauſe of the Crucifixion—For he has purchaſed her with his own Blood—And having once loved his People, he loves them unto the End—His Love, like himſelf, is from everlaſting to everlaſting—He hates putting away—Tho' we change, yet he changeth not—He abideth faithful—When we are married here, there comes in that ſhocking Clauſe, to uſe the Words of holy Mr. Boſton, 'till Death us doth part; but Death itſelf, ſhall not ſeparate a true Believer from the Love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus his Lord—For he will never ceaſe loving her, 'till he has loved her to Heaven, and preſented her before his Father without Spot or Wrinkle, or any ſuch Thing—Nay, His Love will as it were, but …e beginning, thro' the endleſs Ages of Eter…ity.—
And now, Sirs, what ſay you? ſhall I put that Queſtion to you, which Rebeckah's Relations, upon a Propoſal of Marriage, put to her? Will ye go with the Man, with the God-man, this infinitely great, this infinitely powerful, this all-wi…e, all-holy, altogether lovely, ever-loving Jeſus? What Objection have you to make againſt ſuch a gracious Offer? One wou'd imagine, you had not a ſingle One; but 'tis to be feared, thro' the Prevalency of Unbelief, and the Corruption of your deſperately wicked deceitful Hearts, you are ready to urge ſeveral—Methinks I hear ſome of you ſay within yourſelves, We like the Propoſal, but alas! we are poor—Are you ſo? If that be all, you may notwithſtanding be welcome to Jeſus—For has not God choſen the Poor of this World, to make them rich in Faith, and Heirs of his everlaſting Kingdom? And what ſays that Saviour, to whom I am now inviting you? Bleſſed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven—And what ſays his Apoſtle concerning him? Tho' he was rich, yet for our ſakes he became poor, that we thro' his Poverty might be made rich: But ſay you, We are not only poor, but we are in debt; we owe God Ten Thouſand Talents, and have nothing to pay—But that need not keep you back—For God the Father, from the Lord Jeſus, his dearly beloved Son, has received double for all Believers Sins—The Blood of Jeſus cleanſeth from them all.—But you are blind, and miſerable, and naked; to whom then ſhould you fly for Succour, but to Jeſus, who came to open the Eyes of the Blind, to ſeek and ſave the Miſerable and Loſt, and cloath the Naked with his perfect and ſpotleſs Righteouſneſs? And now, what can hinder your Eſpouſals with the dear and ever-bleſſed Lamb of God! I know but of one Thing, viz. that dreadful Sin of Unbelief—But this is my Comfort, Jeſus died for Unbelief, as well as other Sins, and has promiſed to ſend down the Holy Ghoſt, to convince the World of this Sin in particular.—If I go not away, ſaith he, the Comforter will not come unto you—But if I go away, I will ſend the Comforter, and he will convince the World of Sin—What Sin? of Unbelief—Becauſe they believe not on me.—Oh that this Promiſe may be ſo fulfilled in your Hearts, and Jeſus may ſo become the Author of divine Faith in your Souls, that you may be able to ſend me the ſame Meſſage, a good Woman in Scotland on her dying Bed ſent me, by a Friend, "Tell him," ſays ſhe, for his Comfort, that at ſuch a Time he married me to the Lord Jeſus.—This would be Comfort indeed—Not that we can marry you to Chriſt—No, the Holy Ghoſt muſt tie the Marriage Knot.—But ſuch Honour have all God's Miniſters; under Him, they eſpouſe poor Sinners to Jeſus Chriſt.—I have eſpouſed you, ſays St. Paul, as a chaſte Virgin, to Jeſus Chriſt—Oh that you may ſay, we will go with the Man—Then will I bow my Head, as Abraham's Servant did, and go with Joy and tell my Maſter, that he has not left his poor Servant deſtitute this Day.—Then I ſhall rejoice in your Felicity—For I know, my Maſter will take you into the Banquetting-houſe of his Ordinances, and his Banner over you ſhall be Love—That this may be the happy Caſe of you all, may the glorious God grant, for the ſake of Jeſus, his dearly beloved Son, the glorious Bridegroom of his Church; to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory, now and for evermore—Amen, and Amen.—