THe sweetest mu­sique consists of discords. It is so with the Harmonie of Gods Word in generall, and [Page 2] with this Chapter in particu­lar. In the former part to the 12. verse, God stands as it were upon Mount Eball pronoun­cing his curses; from the 12. verse to the end, he stands as it were upon Mount Gerizim proclaiming his mercies; in the former as upon Mount Si­nai, thundring in his Judge­ment; in the latter part as up­on Mount Sion, alluring in many sweete and Evangeli­call promises, of which his text is the summary and Epi­tome of the rest. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse. The matter included in this text is this.

That there is a spirituall be­trothing of Christ unto every truely beleeving soule, which will more fully appeare, if we [Page 3] consider these three particu­lars.

First the precedent of this 1 spirituall Marriage.

Secondly, the nature and 2 essence of it, or the par­ticulars wherein it consist­eth.

3. The Consequents of 3 it.

The precedent of this spi­rituall 1 Marriage, which is this; that before Christ vouchsa­feth to espouse himself to any soule, there must be a separa­tion betwixt that soule and every beloved sinne; as the woman must bury her former husband before shee can be marryed to another: so the Soule must bury all former beloved sinnes, that it may be betrothed to Christ. Every [Page 4] Christian before the act of this spirituall betrothing is wedded to one sinne or a­nother, which walkes with him in the day, sleepes with him in the night, that lyes in his bosome, and is as deare to him as his wife, but before Christ espouseth himselfe unto that soule, there must be a bill of divorcement drawne betwixt it, and all other dar­ling sinnes, and endeared cor­ruptions to give entertaine­ment to Christ alone. The Harlot could be content the living childe should be divi­ded. 1 King. 3.26. whereas the true mother of the childe had rather part with all the childe, than to have the childe divided. The Devill like the Harlot can be content to have [Page 5] halfe the heart, because hee knowes, if hee hath halfe the heart, by this meanes hee shall enjoy the whole; but Christ like the true mother of the Childe, will have all or none, though a broken heart be his delight, yet a divided heart is odious unto him, hence is it that Christ before he vouchsafeth this favour of espousing himselfe to any soule, requires there should be a divorcement of all sinne to give entertainement to himselfe alone, this is expres­sed by the Psalmist, Psal. 45.11.12. Hearken O daughter and consider, incline thine eare: forget also thine owne people, and thy Fathers house. So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty, for he is thy Lord God, and wor­ship [Page 6] thou him: Our Prophet, v. 16. of this chapter, shewes the truth of this, that Christ in his love will permit no corrivall: Thou shalt call me Ishi and call me no more Bau­li; Cornel. de Lap. in Hos. 2.16 Par. in eundem locum. why not Bauli as well as Ishi? they signifying both the same thing, sounding as much as my Lord, my husband: the reason was because Baal was the name of an Idoll, now God doth so abhorre that an Idoll should have the least communication and corriva­lity with him, that hee would not be called by the name of an Idoll, so offensive is the very name of another lover unto him. So Hosea 14.8. Ephraim being once espoused to God, cryes out, what have I to doe any more with Idols: so [Page 7] the Apostle perswading the Romans to put on the Lord Iesus Christ, hee bids them first to abjure surfetting and drunkennes, chanbering and wan­tonnesse, and so to put on the Lord Iesus Christ.

Consider the nature and 2 essence of this spirituall mar­riage, and the particulars wherein it doth consist, which are three. First in that neere 1 and intimate conjunction, that is betwixt Christ and every beleeving soule, which is so great and intimate, that Christ and a beleever are sayd to bee one: Ephes. 5.32. they two shall be one flesh, this is a great mystery, but I speake of Christ and his Church, saith the Apostle. Now this union is not a meere notionall and in­tellectuall [Page 8] union, that consists only in the understanding, and without the understanding is nothing, nor yet a conjuncti­on of affection onely, as Io­nathan and David are sayd to have one soule and heart, but it is a true and reall union; nor yet such a reall union as if there was an union of sub­stance and person, for so ma­ny beleevers there are, so many distinct persons there are, and all distinct from the person of Christ and his God-head, which is incōmunicable; but this union is a reall, mysticall, and spirituall union, caused two wayes.

1 First in regard of Christ by his spirit.

2 Secondly, in regard of us by a true, vivificall, and ju­stifying [Page 9] faith.

First on Christs part, by his 1 Spirit, for as in the members of the body they are all di­stinct amongst themselves, and doe all differ from the head, yet ab unâ eadémque for­mâ informante, from one and the same soule informing the head and all the members, all they are made one compositum. So it is with Christ and be­leevers: beleevers are distinct persons and distinct from the person of Christ, yet by one and the same Spirit, abiding in Christ and beleevers they be­come one, this the Apostle intimates, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spi­rit, so Saint Iohn that Disci­ple that leaned on Christs breasts, and thence suckt ma­ny [Page 10] a spiritual truth, makes the participation of the Spirit an evidence of Christs abiding in beleevers, and of their abi­ding in Christ, 1 Iohn 3.24.

2 Secondly, this union is cau­sed on beleevers part by the grace of faith, so saith the Pro­phet, I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse, some would have this word faithfulnesse re­ferred to God, and so to note the truth of Gods promise of espousing himselfe unto his Church, but others better take this word faithfulnesse, to note the grace of justifying faith; for I finde the word here used in the originall [...] to be referred to the saving faith of the just, Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by his owne faith, so that the meaning of the Prophet [Page 11] in this place is this: whereas verse 19. he saith in regard of God, this espousing is in ju­stice and mercy, so on belee­vers part, it must bee in faith and obedience, so that it is faith which is the applicato­ry instrument of this great benefit of this spirituall Mar­riage; for God will so espouse himselfe in justice and mercy, as that the beleever must re­ceive this grace by faith.

This spirituall betrothing 2 consists in that mutuall cove­nant that is made betwixt Christ and a beleever, in the day of their espousalls, Ezek. 16.8. I entred into covenant with thee, saith the Lord, and thou becamest mine, which co­venant is that Christ will bee to the soule a loving and care­full [Page 12] husband, and the soule must be to Christ a morige­rous and an obedient spouse, this mutuall covenant the Apostle expresseth fully, Ephes. 5.24.25, Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved his Church, there is the covenant on Christs part: Wives be sub­ject to your husbands as the Church is subject unto Christ; there is the covenant on the beleevers part: this covenant is expressed by this Prophet, verse last: I will be your God and ye my people.

3 It consists in that recipro­call interest that Christ claimes in a beleever and a beleever in Christ, Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his: my beloved is mine, there is the beleevers interest in [Page 13] Christ, and I am his, there is Christs interest in a beleever. A beleever doth not by faith so lay hold on Christ as a man with his hand layes hold on a Pillar or tree, for a man may lay hold on a tree, and the tree never lay hold on him againe; but he layes hold on Christ so by faith, that by the same act of faith he is ap­prehended by Christ againe: this the Apostle intimates, Phil [...]p. 3.13. I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus: here is [...] and [...] an apprehen­ding and a being apprehended of Christ, and therefore this mutuall apprehending of a beleever by Christ, and of Christ by a beleever, is lively [Page 14] expressed by the metaphor of kissing and saluting, Cant. 1.2. Let him kisse me with the kisses of his lippes; here the Church would have Christ to kisse her. Psal. 2. ult. Kisse the Sonne: here Christ desires a kisse of his Church; in this saluting and kissing, there is a mutuall embracing and touching of one another, this expresseth the manner of the worke of faith in apprehending Christ, for by faith the soule so em­braceth Christ that by the same Act of faith it is embra­ced by Christ againe, this is that mutuall interest as the beleeving soule challengeth Christ to be its Bridsgroome, so it gives Christ an interest in it selfe to bee his faithfull and obedient spouse, and this [Page 15] distinguisheth the fals spouse of Christ from the true spouse: there is never an hy­pocrite and nominall Christi­an, that hath no more of Christianity than the outside and title, but he will be ready to claime interest in Christ; crying I hope in my God, my Christ, my Jesus; but the question is, whether Christ hath interest in him, if not, his claiming of interest in Christ will availe him nothing. Mat. 7.22.23. Many will say to Christ at the last day; Lord, Lord, we have Prophesied in thy Name, we have in thy Name cast out Devils, and done many won­derfull workes: here is a faire interest in Christ pretended, but Christ disclaimes them as having no interest in them: [Page 16] I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity. But it is otherwise with the true Christian and sincere belee­ver: as he is able to say that Christ is his Saviour, Lord, and Bridesgroome, so is he a­ble to affirme by the Testi­mony of his Conscience, that Christ hath interest in him as his obedient servant and faithfull spouse, thus we see the particulars, wherein this spirituall Marriage doth con­sist.

3 This spirituall Marriage will further appeare, if in the third place wee consider the consequents of this spirituall espousing. The consequents 1 are of two kindes. First, some are mutuall and reciprocall betwixt Christ and beleevers. [Page 17] Secondly, some are proper 2 and peculiar either to Christ, or to his Church and belee­vers. 1. the mutuall and reci­procall 1 consequents betwixt Christ and beleevers are these. The first is that mutu­all 1 delight and content that Christ takes in his Spouse, and his Spouse in Christ. This the Prophet Isaiah expresseth on Gods part that his people should be called Hephzibah, that is, my delight is in her: and thy land Beu­lah, that is, married, and affir­meth that as the Bridsgroome rejoyceth over his Bride; so the Lord would rejoyce over his people: this delight is so great that Christ takes in his Spouse, that Christ affirmes hee was ravished in his heart [Page 18] by his Spouse, Cant. 4.9. and acknowledgeth himselfe to bee bound in her galleries. Cant. 7.5. That is tyed in bonds of love towards his Spouse: and as Christ de­lights thus in his Spouse, so the satisfied soule delights in Christ, and that many wayes. First in the contem­plation of his person, his beauty and comelinesse, Cant. 5.10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thou­sand. 2 Secondly, Christs Spouse delights in his presence. Cant. 2.3. I sate down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruite was sweete to my taste. So Da­vid makes this his chiefe de­sire, and his onely desire to dwell in the house of God. Psal. 27.4. and this he desires [Page 19] that he may behold the beau­ty of the Lord. Thirdly,3 Christs spouse delights in hearing her bridsgroomes voyce. Cant. 2.8. It is the voyce of my beloved. This is the Churches acclamation for joy at the hearing of Christs voyce, the word of Grace and the Gospell. Christ gives this as an eare-marke to his sheepe; My sheepe heare my voyce, and follow me, Iohn 10.3.4. and the Baptist makes this a signe of a friend to the Bridsgroome that hee stan­deth by and rejoyceth great­ly because of the Brides­groomes voyce. Iohn 3.29. Fourthly, Christs Spouse de­lights 4 in his Lawes: His de­light (saith David) is in the Law of God, speaking of the [Page 20] blessed man. Psal. 1.2. Thy Lawes are my delight, my Coun­sellours, sweeter than the Honey and the Honey combe, dearer than thousands of gold and silver. 5 Psal. 119. Lastly a beleever de­lights in communing with Christ and speaking unto him in prayer: heare what sweete expressions have pro­ceeded from a sanctifyed soule. Lord I have loved the habitation of thine house: I was glad when they sayd, let us goe to the house of the Lord, which is the house of prayer.

2 The second consequent of this spirituall marriage that is mutual betwixt Christ and his spouse, is cohabitation, [...]. Arist. Eth [...]c. l. 8. c. 5. a cohabitation is necessary to the making & conserving of true friendship, much more to the [Page 21] preservation of conjugall affe­ction, therefore [...]. Arist. lib. 2. Oeconomic. c. 2. Aristotle thinketh nothing to be more due to bee performed of an husband to his wise, than an holy society: this blessed so­cietie is maintained betwixt Christ and his spouse, expres­sed by Christ. Iohn 15.4. A­bide in me, and I in you, and by his Disciple whom he loved. 1 Iohn 3. ult. He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him, and he in him. This society is performed on Christs part when hee is present by his spirit in the Temple of the beleevers heart, confirming, comforting, and refreshing of him by his spirit, in the assurance of his love, so Christ told his Disciples he would not leave them Or­phans, [Page 22] but he would come un­to them and be with them to the end of the world, though not in his personall presence, yet by the Comforter his ho­ly spirit; againe this mutuall society is performed on the soules part with Christ, whilst the soule with Henoch and Noah walkes with God, having God alwayes be­fore its eyes, alwayes aw­ed with an apprehension of his glorious presence, con­forming it selfe to his will in all things, often hearing him speake in his house, often speaking unto him by prayer, often frequenting his Sacra­ments, often communing with holy meditations, hea­venly soliloquies and ejacu­lations, this is the second [Page 23] consequent.

A third consequent mutu­all betwixt Christ and a be­leever, is a mutuall bearing of one anothers burden, [...], &c. Arist. l. 2. Oe­conomicae. [...]n principio. A good husband saith the Phi­losopher, undertakes the care of things abroad, a good wife undergoes the burden of domesticke affaires and busi­nesses to bee done within doores, and thus hath the wise disposer of all things appointed man and wife their severall employments agree­able to their severall sexes and distinct conditions. So­lomon speaking of the wife, saith that she should be as the pleasant Hind and young Roe, now, asCervi & Cervae cum fre­tum ad insu­lam transeunt pascuorum gra­tia, sic se ordi­nant, ut onera capitum suorum quae gestant in cornibus super invicem por­tent, ita ut po­sterior super anteriorum cer­vice projecta, caput collocet, & vicibus id agere dicuntur, ita invicem onera sua portantes fretum transeunt ad terrae stabilitatē. Aug. q. [...]1. Augustine notes, [Page 24] the Hart and Hinde are ser­viceable, one to another in bearing one anothers burden. It is so with Christ and his Church, he takes the burden off his Spouse, and layes it upon himselfe, and gives his Spouse a command to take upon her his yoke. Math. 11.28. Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden, and I will ease you, here Christ bea­teth the yoke of his spouse, v. 29. Take my yoke upon you, here Christ enjoyneth his spouse to take up his yoke as he hath borne here; the yoke that Christ beareth for his spouse, is the yoke of sinne, and the burden of Gods wrath under which all the creatures in heaven, and upon earth, would have sunke downe to [Page 25] have undergone, therefore Christ both God and man undertakes to beare it for his spouse, and the burden and yoke that Christ imposeth on his spouse to beare is the yoke of obedience, called Christs yoke, because he him­selfe hath borne it, he him­selfe enjoynes it,Is dat qui­mandat, qui ju­bet, illo juvat. and hee himselfe supports his spouse in bearing of it, this yoke of Christ doth his spouse wil­lingly beare in performing universall, cheerefull, sincere and constant obedience to all Christs commands in full purpose and desire of the heart, in the earnest endea­vour of the whole man, which Evangelicall obedi­ence Christ accepts and ac­counts as perfect obedience [Page 26] for his owne sake.

4 The fourth consequent of this spirituall marriage of Christ and his Spouse, is that mutuall adhaering and 1 cleaving to one another in ar­dency ofQuam quae­ris aliam inter sponsos necessi­tudinem, vel connexionem praeten amari & amare. Bern. Ser. 31. in Cant. affection and dearest love. First, for the love of Christ to a beleever it is transcendent, and differing from a Christians love to Christ. First in time: second­ly in degree: thirdly as a cause differs from an effect. First in time, Christs love is the preventing love, and this magnifies the love of Christ; it is a chiefe porperty of great love when it is [...]. Arist. l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. preventing and therefore the Apostle Iohn calls it love indeede that Christ loved us first.

Secondly, Christs love dif­fers [Page 27] and exceedes the love of his Spouse in degree, he being the fountaine of love, and the love of a Christian but a streame flowing from that fountaine, hee the Sonne of Righteousnesse. Mal. 4.2. From whom the beames of mercies flow dayly upon the hearts of his beloved ones; their love being but a beame comming from that Sonne, therefore God is sayd to bee love it selfe in the abstract, in regard of the transcenden­cie of his love surpassing the love of all. Thirdly, Christs 3 love differs from a Christians love, as the cause differs from the effect for the love of a Christian to Christ is no­thing but an heavenly sparke kindled by the fire of Gods [Page 28] Spirit and the fervencie of his affection to a Christian: the heate that is in the inferiour region of the ayre, is nothing but an effect of the reverbe­ration of the beames of the Sunne upon the earth, the heate of a Christians heart that burnes within him, with a love and zeale to the Lord Jesus, is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sunne beames of Christs mercies shed abroad in the heart of a beleever. Our cloathes in the morning receive heate first from our bodies, but being heated by our bodies, they keepe our bodies warme all the day following: A Chri­stians heart must first be cloa­thed with the sunne of righte­ousnesse, and so warmed with [Page 29] his beames, being but once throughly warmed, it ever af­ter glowes within towards Christ in love againe: now as Christ beares a love to a Christian farre exceeding the love of the fondest Brids­grome to his endeared Spouse, so there is a retalia­ting affection in every belee­ving soule towards Christ. We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heate, as to imagine Christs love bestowed upon a soule without this affection in the heart, to whom Christ hath made his love knowne by be­trothing himselfe. [...] Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4. Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved againe: And againe in another place [Page 30] affirmes that to bee true friendship where love is [...]. Arist. l. 2. magni. moral. c. 11. reciprocall, if then love a­mongst friends be mutuall much more betwixt [...]. Arist. l. 2. Oeconomie. c. 2. man and wife, betwixt Christ and his Spouse, the very name of Bridsgroome calls for love.Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio. It is the observation of a Father, sometimes God calls himselfe by the name of a Father, sometimes by the name of a Master, some­times by the name of a Brids­grome, when he would pro­duce a filiall feare in the hearts of his children, hee calls himselfe by the name of a Father. If I be a Father where is my feare? when he would produce homage and service in his servants hee calls himselfe by the name [Page 31] of a Lord. If I bee your Master and Lord, where is me honour and service? When hee would beget love and affection in them hee stiles himselfe a Brids­groome. If I bee a Brids­groome where is my love? Now this love that a Chri­stian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ, hath severall di­stinct properties, whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ.

First, it is such a love 1 that will drive the soule to sicknesse in case the thing loved bee delayed. Conticles cap. 1. vers. 5. I am sicke of love, saith the Church concerning Christ [Page 32] her Bridsgrome: this sicke­nesse of the soule for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for de­sire of Christ, whom the soule loveth, this the wise man expresseth, Pro. 13.12. Hope deferred, maketh the heart sicke, now the soule hoping for those soule-transporting plea­sures to bee found in the ap­prehension of Christs favour and sense of his presence, and yet obtaines not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soule, upon this the heart begins to faint and languish, and to bee sicke of love: the desire of a Chri­stian towards Christ is not any faint and remisse desire, but a longing desire, such a de­sire that stretcheth the affe­ction [Page 33] to the highest straine, and therefore expressed in Scripture by the metaphors of thirsting, gasping, panting, now as experience teacheth in some cases, longing brings danger when the thing lon­ged for is not obtained; whereas an ordinary desire will not hurt in the deniall of the thing desired: as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed, as fainting, sownding, languishing, it is so in spiri­tuall longing for Christ, the soule thirsting for Christ, and finding him not, falls a sownding, fainting and grows to a kinde of Sprituall sicknesse for love and desire of Christ.

This love is a kinde of do­ting [Page 35] love that carries the soule to a spirituall distracti­on, this we may see in Peter, who in the transfigration was so transported with affe­ction, so ravished with the love of Christ, that like a man spiritually distracted he knew not what hee sayd, saith the text, Marke 9.6. So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven, he speakes like a man besides himselfe for the present. 2 Corinth. 12.2.3. and 5. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeares agoe, whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth: such an one caught up to the third heaven: and I knew such a man, whether in the body, or out of the body I cannot [Page 34] tell, God knoweth. verse 5. Of such an one will I glory, of my selfe I will not glory: here wee see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kinde of spirituall distracti­on in love to Christ, and heaven, whereunto hee was caught.

This love in the third place is aAmat pro­fecto castè quae ipsum, quem a­mat, quaerit, non aliud quid praeter ipsum. Bern. Serm. 7. in Canti [...]. Sponsa non pe­tit libertatem, non mercedem, non haeredita­tem, sed oscu­lum more pla­nè castissimae sponsae, ac sacrum spirantis amorem, nec [...]omnino valen tis flammam dissimulare, quam patitur, osculetur, inquit, me oscu­lo oris sui, quasi dicat, quid mihi est in coelo, & a te quid volui super terram. Bern. ibid. free love whereby the beleeving soule cleaves unto Christ for himselfe and those glori­ous excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ, this property distinguisheth it from thatCave anima, ne, quod absit, me­retrix dicaris, si munera dantis plus quam amantis affectum diligis. Aug. medit. l. 2. c. 4. meretritious [Page 36] and mercenary love in world­lings, that follow Christ as Christ upbraided some of the same stampe for the fishes and bread wherewith hee fed them. Iohn 6.26. This hired love theCum magno calumniatore habemus nego­tium, si quaerit singere quod non est, ut in Iob. quanto magis objicere quod est? Aug. de temp. Serm. 234. Devils objected against Iobs sincerity; Doth Iob feare God for nought? but Iob cleaving to God upon the dunghill, and in the lowest condition, proved the Devill in that particular as hee was from the beginning, to be a lyar.

The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroome of his soule is, that it is a strong and peremp­tory love; it will carry a Chri­stian through allAmemus nos Christum ejusque semper quaeramus am­plexus, & facile videbitur omne difficile, brevia putabimus uni­versa quae lon­ga sunt. & ja­culo illius vul­nerati perho­rarum momen­ta dicemus: Heus, me quia pereginatio mea prolonga­ta est. Hier. scribeus ad Eu­stochium. difficul­ties and straights to Christ. The love of Rachel carried [Page 37] Iacob through 14. yeares of hard service, the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Labans service had in it. Cant. 8.6.7. It is sayd to be as strong as death, that conquers the greatest gy­ant and the mightiest Mo­narch: zeale, that is, love in­flamed is as inexorable as hell it selfe, it is sayd to have fiery coales that pierce the heart, which fiery coales of love all the waters, be it a de­luge and inundation of mise­ries and calamities, persecu­tions, and temptations, are not able to quench. Love is of that strength that it facilitates the greatest difficulties. This we see in the ordinary bodily recreations, many men take a [Page 38] pleasure in a toyle as in hun­ting, running, leaping, ringing, wrastling, and the like, and all out of love to these recreati­ons, much more is the love of Christ able to sweeten the hardest duty that Christ im­poseth upon his Spouse. What was it that made the fiery faggots to those blessed witnesses of the truth to seeme as beds of Roses? but love. What made the Disci­ples to forsake all? but Christ, and that love they beare to him. What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison, and the Apostles to returne from the Councill rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suf­fer for Christ? but love to Christ. What made the re­nowned Champion Stephen [Page 39] valiant in the midst of death? but the sight of the Sonne of God, standing at the right hand of his father, and I am perswaded that if it had beene offered to Stephen that hee should have beene delivered from his present paine, upon condition he should have beene deprived of his present vision of Christ, by the ope­ning of the heavens, the love of Christ, would not have suffered Stephen to have ac­cepted of deliverance upon such condition, so we reade of those strong ones in faith though weake in sexe, they would not accept of delive­rance in the middest of their torturings that they might obtaine a better resurrection. Heb. 11.35. To conclude [Page 40] this, Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peeres of hell it selfe. Rom. 8.35. Who shall se­parate us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or naked­nesse, or perill, or sword? as if he had sayd, shall this or that, if there be any more put them all into the scale, and weigh but the love of Christ against them all, and they shall bee found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus.

5 The fifth property, the love of Christs Spouse is a bounti­full love, this the Apostle. 1 Cor. 13.4. makes a proper­ty of true Charity, that it is bountifull: [...]. Arist. Ethic. l. 8. c. 13. bounty is the fruite of love, and it is exer­cised [Page 41] towards any thing ac­cording to love: if a man love his body, nothing is thought too dainty to feede it, too gorgeous to cloath it; if a man love his pleasure, no­thing is counted too deare to maintaine it: so where there is any true conjugal affe­ction in a Christian heart, that heart will rellish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ, it will downe with frequent prayer, humble and dayly confession of sinne, zealous and Godly walking with God, sincere universall, and constant obedience to Christ, though it be with the parting of the most dearely beloved sinnes, that soule will thinke no teares of repen­tance, no hearing, reading, [Page 42] singing, no duties publicke or private too much, whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced, and its love to Christ better expressed. Luke 7.47. Mary Magdalen is sayd to love much, and this her great love was expressed to Christ, by her bounty in wa­shing his feete, in anointing his head, in wiping his feete with the haires of her head, and Christ himselfe accepts of her washing, anointing, kissing and all other of her acts of bounty, as Chara­cters of her great inward af­fection.

6 The sixth property of this love is that it is intire, as Mo­ses his serpent devoured all other serpents, because his serpent was from God, so the [Page 43] love of God being from God eates and consumes the love of all things besides, as it is sayd of Ioseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court, and in the land of Aegypt than himselfe, the like may be sayd of Christ in a beleeving heart, there is none greater than Christ, he is the Pilot that governes the ship, the King that go­vernes the whole man, the Master and Lord that keepes the house of a sanctified heart, to whom, as King and Lord, all the powers of the whole man submit, all doe homage, all performe respect, feare, and love, and if there be love bestowed upon any o­ther thing besides Christ, as upon our selves and our neigh­bours, [Page 44] yet it is for Christs sake and in subordination to him, whom to love in due measure, is to love without measure.

7 The seventh property of a Christians soules love to Christ is, that it is a constant love, it is no great matter to professe love to Christ, when nothing comes in competi­tion with him, but when plea­sure, profit, liberty, and pre­ferment comes in the way that either a man must for­sake these or the profession of his love to Christ then for to cleave unto Christ proves our love to be conjugall. The young man in the Gospell made many shewes of his love to Christ, but when Christ bad him goe and sell [Page 45] all that he had, he went away sorrowfull. The Rulers ma­ny of them professed faire love to Christ, but yet when it came to this passe, that they which con­fessed Christ must be cast out of the Synagogue,Iohn 12.42. they would not confesse him any longer, so that it is constan­cie in our love to Christ that proves our love to bee a true conjugall affection. Thus much of the consequents of this spirituall marriage, which are mutuall betwixt Christ and his spouse, the conse­quents that are proper and peculiar follow, and these are either

Such as are exparte sponsi, 1 on Christs part.

Such as ere ex parte sponsae, 2 [Page 46] on a beleevers part.

1 First, such as are on Christs 1 part, which are two, 1. A com­munication 2 of secrets. 2. A communication of goods. 1 First a communication of se­crets:The 1. conse­quent on Christs part. Christ will communi­cate those secrets to a belee­ving soule espoused unto him, that hee will not communi­cate to a stranger: a man will communicate much to his friend according to the Pro­uerbe, [...]: All things amongst friends are common, but much more will a man communicate to the wife of his bosome: Da­lilah, Sampsons wife could get the meaning of the riddle out of Sampson, that all the Phili­stines could not finde out: so is the Spouse of Christ privie [Page 47] to those secrets that all the wise and learned, being not espoused to Christ, are igno­rant of. The secrets of the Lord are to them that feare him. Psal. 25.13. He revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets, Amos, 3.7. My beloved had me into his Chambers, saith the Spouse of Christ, Cant. 1.4.Cant. 1.4. ope­ned. Now as Chambers are places of safety, as the Prophet sheweth, Isay 26.20. Come my people, enter into my chamber: so chambers are places of greatest secrecie, hence in Scripture they are called pri­vie chambers, and secret pla­ces opposed to the house top. 2 King. 6.12. Luke 12.3. Mat. 6.6. for Christ then to have his Spouse into his Chambers is nothing else [Page 48] but to make her privie to his secrets, for this priviledge our blessed Saviour broke forth into a Doxologie unto his father. Mat. 11.25. I thanke thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Quest. What are those secrets that Christ will communicate to his Spouse, that hee will not communicate to a soule that is not married to him?Solution.

Dic nobis tu qui preparas quid preparas: replebiniur bo­nis domus tuae, sed quib [...]s bo­nis? vine, olco, f [...]umento? sed haec novimus videmus & fa­stidimus, id quae­rimus quod o­culus non vidit Bern. Serm. 11. in Caniic.Such secrets as Eye hath not seene, neither eare heard, nei­ther can it enter into the heart of man to conceive. 1 Cor. 2.9.10. to instance in some particu­lars. The first secret is the pardon of sinne, the most blessed newes and most joy­full [Page 49] tidings that can come to the soule of a reasonable crea­ture, when the soule with He­man, Psal. 88.7. lyeth crying day and night under the in­dignation of the Lord, with David roaring for very dis­quietnesse of Spirit, with Iob the arrowes of the Lord drin­king us its spirit, then for Christ to whisper unto the soule in secret by his Spirit, and to say unto it, Spouse be of good comfort, Thy sinnes are forgiven thee, this is a se­cret Christ will communi­cate to none, but unto his spouse.

But some may say, how may a poore soule know whe­ther this voyce of Christ by his spirit be not a delusion of Satan?

[Page 50] Answ. It is true that the de­vill can suggest falsely into his owne children, what Christ in truth suggests into the hearts of his owne people, and that often he can counter­ferfeite this testimony of the Spirit concerning the pardon of sinne, putting in thoughts of comfort, mercy and remis­sion of sinne, and of peace to the soule, when God makes himselfe ready for Warre. But by this may Christs voyce comforting the soule be knowne from Sathans flat­teries and false perswasions,How Christs voyce is known from Sathans illusion, con­cerning the pardon of sin. from the time and condition the soule is in, when these thoughts of Mercy and ti­dings of pardon of sinne come unto the soule, if the soule (as before) be in a dis­consolate [Page 51] condition by rea­son of the sense of the bur­then of sinne, and deepe ap­prehension of Gods wrath, then for the soule to receive comfort, and to entertaine thoughts of mercy, lifting up the soule as it were from the gates of hell, to the suburbs of heaven; this is a good signe it is the work of Christ and his voyce by his Spirit communicating this secret of mercy and pardon of sinne, because this is against the policy of Sathan to comfort the soule, and to lift it up when it is in sinking through the sense of Gods wrath, but on the contrary, his ordinary course is when the soule is in heavinesse, dejection and an­guish, and inclining to despe­ration, [Page 52] to follow the soule close, to drive it into the further degree of despaire, till it be swallowed up of it. But if the soule shal have thoughts of mercy, and assurance of salvation suggested into it, when it hath never felt the burden of sinne, the spirit of bondage, never beene truely humbled for sinne, this is a signe of an illusion of Sathan to drive the soule to pe­rish by presumption, which is a more frequent Rocke, against which the soule splits it selfe, than despera­tion.

2 The second secret is the experimentall knowledge of the worke of regenerati­on, a secret and mysterie that few are privie unto. [Page 53] Nicodemus though a teacher in Israel, yet ignorant in this point till Christ instructed him in it, and at Christs first relating of it unto him it seemed aWhat a pa­rable is regene­ration to many even old men, Masters, and teachers, and rulers in Israel, who knew no other nativity but one of A­dam and Eve, no progenie of God and his Church, no o­ther parents but such as beger earthly chil­dren to a natu­rall life, &c. D. Taylor on Tit. p. 65. riddle unto him, till Christ shewed him how, and in what manner it was wrought, Iohn 3.4.5. Many can talke of the dangers of Warre, of the wonders of the Sea, of the Indies and remote places, who yet never were in warre, upon the sea, or in any fore-mentioned Countries, but they that have beene in hot skirmishes of warre, that have gone down into the deepe, and occupied ships in the great waters, they that have seene the Indies and remote places; have bought their knowledge at a deare [Page 54] rate of hard labour, great dan­ger and long travaile, the dif­ference of these is this, the one know by heare-say, by reading, and the like, the o­ther by experience: it is so in present case, we may heare one speaking of regeneration, another disputing of it, and both ignorant of it in re­gard of any experimentall knowledge, but the true Chri­stians knowledge of the work of grace is experimentall, he can tell the method that God used in the new framing and 1 regenerating of his heart. First that God humbled him by the terrour of the Law, and so unbottomed his heart, and tooke him off on himselfe, by a thorough conviction of his lost condition out of Christ, [Page 55] that God broke his heart in pieces by the hammer of his Word, and threatning of the Law, that then he thawed and dissolved his frozen heart, by the sweete Evangelicall pro­mises, and those comfortable Revelations of the Lord Je­sus, the Lord of life, unto his soule, that hee then formed Christ day by day, mortifying his sinne by degrees, and every day giving the soule a greater measure of inward quickning and vivification to the life of holinesse and righteousnesse; this secret worke of regene­ration, Christ communicates onely to his Spouse.

But how shall I know may some say,Quest. whether Christ hath commonicated this secret worke of regeneration to me or not?

[Page 56] Answ. There are many things that go for regeneration in the world that are no more true regene­ration than the picture that Michal layd in the bed for David was like unto David, whereby she would have delu­ded the messengers of Saul, as morality, cessation from gros­ser sinnes, partiall obedience and the like; all which and many are but faire colours to paint over an unregenerate 1 heart. For first, regeneration is a renewing of the inward man, these the slicking over of the outward man, rege­neration is a mortifying of the inward Principles of cor­ruption, and a killing of sinne at the roote, these but like so many loppings and plashings of sinne in the [Page 57] branches, regeneration is a metamorphosing of the heart, these but changes of the outward conversation in some measure, againe these differ from regeneration in the cause. Civill honesty,1 cessation of grosse sinnes, partiall obedience and the like, may proceede first from education, as they did who lived in Luthers time, be­came Lutherans: so many being stems growing of a religious stocke, brought up under carefull and religi­ous Masters, tutors, and guardians, are many times civilised, and yet made not at all acquainted with the secret worke of mans regeneration, than that which goes any further than the [Page 58] outward carriage and conver­sation. 2 Secondly, cessation from grosse sinnes may pro­ceede from a naturall kinde of conscience that may bee even in men that are but in the state of nature,1 Cor. 5.1. so Paul speaks of such a fornication as was not named amongst the Hea­thens, that is, the Heathens made conscience of such a kinde of fornication. Abime­lech an Heathen abstained from Sarah, Abrahams wife, and God ascribes it to the in­tegrity of his heart. Gen. 20.6.Num. 22.18. Balaam that wicked sorce­rer would not at the first goe against the Commandement of the Lord for an house full of gold and silver; so Hazael 2 King. 8.13. Is thy servant a dogge that I should doe this [Page 59] thing; he abhorres it at the first hearing as an horrid wic­kednesse, becomming a dog better than a man: by all which instances it appeares that a man may abstaine from many grosse sinnes, out of a naturall and carnall consci­ence, whereas regeneration brings reformation from a conscience purified and sprin­kled with the blood of Christ. These things to wit morality, &c. may proceed from ingenuity of nature, and from a restraining grace that God puts into the hearts of many unregenerate men, which grace if God should not give it to some men, man by nature would be more [...]. Arist. l. 1. Pol. c. 2. savage than the Beare, more truculent than the Tyger, [Page 60] more cruell than the Wolfe of the morning, more brutish than the beasts of the For­rest. These may proceede in the fourth place from feare of the losse of reputation, men are loath to bee counted the scumme of the world, the raffle of the people, the ba­sest of their generation, hence the feare of disgrace swayes their hearts to a more restrai­ned life, from the grosser pol­lutions of the world, but re­generation proceedes from other principles, not meerely from education (though that is a meanes many times ap­pointed by God to further it) not from ingenuity of nature, feare of ignominy, but from the worke of Gods Spirit, opening the eyes of the un­derstanding, [Page 61] ransaking the conscience, and laying it na­ked, subjugating the rebelli­ous will, turning the streames of the affections into the right channels, and upon the right objects, purifying and cleansing the whole man in all the powers of the soule and members of the body, this secret worke that is knowne to few doth Christ acquaint his Spouse with all, that the Spouse is able to say concerning the recovery of Spirituall sight, and other parts of regeneration, as the blind man of his corporall fight.Iohn 9.25. One thing I know and that by experience, that I was blind in my soule and now I see, that I was dead in sinne, but now I am alive and borne [Page 62] againe unto God.

3 The third secret that Christ reveales unto his spouse is the deformity of sinne; man in state of nature lookes upon sinne not as it is in it selfe, the greatest evill, but as it hath the forme of some counterfeit good; for as the Devill can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light, so can he transforme his workes, and put on them a faire glosse, to make them more vendible commodities to vent to the men of this world in exchange for their precious soules: neither is the Devill more readie to de­ceive, than man subject to be deceived in his view and judging of sinne, as theVoluntatis propensi auto­ritatem vitiis quaerit, & quod malum est bo­num aut bono proximum esse fuadet. Aug. Serm. 12. de Tempore. Father observes, perswading [Page 63] himselfe that the sinne hee is tempted unto is either no e­vill, or not so great an evill as really it is.Hypocrit [...] vitrum ponit loco veri mar­gariti. Ifidorus Pelien siot. l. 2. Epist. 24. An hypo­crite (as one well observeth) puts a glasse in place of a pearle, that is, sheweth forth his counterfeit and worthlesse performances as if they were precious things, and if hee hath committed sinne, with the harlot hee wipeth his mouth, saying what evill have I done? but when Christ once espouseth himselfe un­to a soule, hee takes off the faire colours wherewith sinne hath shadowed it self withall, and presents him to the soule in its owne proper shape and ugly hue: so as the Prophet Ahijah, 1 King. 14.6. disco­vered the wife of Ieroboam [Page 64] disguised, so the soule endued with the Spirit of Christ can discerne the deformity of sinne though never so cun­ningly and curiously disgui­sed by the Art of Sathan: from this true sight of sinne, ariseth that detestation of sinne in the heart of a Christian, that he thinkes it a more fearefull sight to behold the horrid face of sinne committed in his soule, than to behold the Lake of Brimstone in the lowest hell: hence was it that holyEt si multi gehennam om­nium malorum supremum atque ultimum putant. Ego tamen sic censeo, sic affi­duò predicabo, multo acerbius esse Christum offendere, quam gehennae malis vexari Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. 37. Chrisostome affirmed this to bee a truth that hee would dayly Preach. That it was a more bitter and intolle­rable thing to offend Christ than to be tormented with the flames of hell it selfe.

4 The fourth secret that [Page 65] Christ communicates to his Spouse is the vanity and emp­tinesse of the Creatures. Man lookes upon the world, and the vanity thereof as a glori­ous and amiable object, hee lookes upon worldly things as his substance, his profit, his glory, but Christ shewes unto his Spouse that riches in steade of being glo­rious, are but as thicke clay.Hab. 2.6. ope­ned in what re­gard riches compared to clay. Hab. 2.6. which is, first a common thing at every mans doore: secondly, a soyling thing: thirdly, a slippery thing. So riches but com­mon blessings, polluting the possessors of them, and defi­ling their Consciences, slip­pery they are also and incon­stant, taking wings they flye away. Againe Christ sheweth [Page 66] his spouse that wordly things are not substance but shad­dowes, Psal. 39.6. not pro­fits but losses being compa­red with the true gaine, Luke 16.11.12. A naturall man priseth pleasure as his great Diana, preferment as the top of happinesse, but Christs Spouse is acquainted with this secret by her husband, that the one is vanity, and the other but a spiders web. He that is unskilfull in the Arts and Sciences and lookes upon the earth, thinkes it to be some spacious and great body, and admires it for its immensity: but let the Ma­thematitian come and com­pare the earth and the heavens together, he knowes upon in­fallible demonstrations, that [Page 67] the body of the earth is but like a [...], Arist. l. 1. Meteorolog. c. 14. point or nothing being compared with the cir­cumference of the heavens: So let a man never instructed by Christ; looke upon earth­ly things, hee admires them for their excellencie; but let a Christian (whom Christ hath taught this lesson of the vanity of the creature) come to judge of these outward and sublunary things and com­pare them with heavenly things, with grace, with Christ, with glory, with hea­ven, hee findes them being weighed with these to bee lighter than vanity it selfe. Let Paul be judge, who ac­counted all things but dung in regard of Christ.

The fifth secret is the ex­cellencie [Page 68] of Christ. Mark. 4.11. Christ tells his Disciples that to them it was given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God; but to them that were without all things were done in Parables, that seeing they might not see, &c. a naturall man per­ceives not the things of God and those glorious excellen­cies that are in Christ: though there be abundance of light, beauty, and glory in the Sun, yet a man that is borne blinde cannot see any of them: it is so with the natural man in re­gard of the Sonne of Righte­ousnesse.

1 First, there is abundance of light, beauty, glory, heate, re­freshing, and reviving vertue in Christ, yet none of these can the naturall man see. Cant. [Page 69] 5.9. There are some that askes Christs Spouse what she saw in her beloved, that made her sicke of love, thereby intima­ting that they for their parts saw no such amiablenesse in him, but the spouse answeres that she saw something in him that did attract her heart to him, My beloved saith she, is white and ruddie, the chiefest of ten thousand: though the men of the world see nothing in Christ desireable and amia­ble, yet his spouse sees his eminent excellencies which Christ revealeth to her by his Spirit, and therefore Mat. 16.17. Peter confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of God, and so perceiving salvation by him alone. Christ tells him that flesh and blood had not [Page 70] revealed that unto him, but his Father which is in heaven, the excellencies in Christ discerned onely of the Saints, are prised and desired onely of them, hence was it that Peter desired to abide in Christs presence; Lord whether shall we goe? thou hast the Words of eternall life: and having but a taste of Christs excellencie and glory in the transfigura­tion, he cryed, It is good to be here. Peter had beene in ma­ny excellent places for plea­sure and delight, but never said before, It is good to be here: for­getting wife, lands, and living he cryes. It is good to be here, so sweete is the presence of the Lord Jesus, especially when the soule obtaines a sight of his excellencies.

[Page 71]A sixth secret is the gaine 6 of godlinesse, a secret that the worldling is ignorant of, that counts gaine to be God­linesse, as the Apostle speakes 1 Tim. 6. A man of this world thinkes there is no profit but in purchasing of Lands and revenewes, no honour but in the favour of earthly Poten­tates, no beauty but that of the body, no pleasure but in Epicurisme, surfetting, drun­kennesse, chambering, and wantonnesse; but Christ shews his spouse againe in godli­nesse. Secondly, honour in being in favour at the Court of heaven. Thirdly, beauty in grace: and lastly pleasure in walking in the wayes of 1 God. First, Christ shewes his Spouse a gaine in godli­nesse, [Page 72] this Christ had taught blessed Paul: Phil. 3.7. those things that were gaine to him he counted losse for Christ, Christ being sufficient gaine to him as he a­voucheth,Phil. 1.21. For me to live is Christ 2 and to dye is gaine. Secondly, honour in the favour of God, this the Psalmist was ac­quainted withall. Psal. 149.9. concluding the Psalme with this Epiphonema: Such honour have all his Saints. This Saint Luke knew well, who stiles Theophilus a lover of God, most Noble Theophilus, Luke 1.3. and the Bereans more honourable than them of Thessalonica for their piety and devotion, this David knew well when hee desired rather to be a doore keeper in the house of God, than to [Page 73] dwell in the tents of the un­godly. Thirdly, Beauty in 3 grace,Non defor­mitate corporis animius faeda­tur sed pulchri­tudine animi [...] corpus ornatur. Senica. this secret Salomon knew when he affirmes Eccles. 8.1. Wisedome maketh the face to shine. Lastly, pleasure in the wayes of God, and the pathes 4 of righteousnesse: this Salo­mon avoucheth, Prov. 3.17. The wayes of Wisedome are plea­santnesse, and all her pathes peace, this David witnesseth, Psal. 119. Thy testimonies are my de­light, sweeter unto me than the honey and honey combe: to this purpose cryed holy Au­gustine; O luxuriose ubi major delecta­tio quam in Gemmè dulcis­simo deo, Aug. O thou luxurious fel­low, where is there greater pleasure to bee found than in the sweetest God, and in his service; this mystery cannot enter into the heart of a natu­rall-man, that there should be [Page 74] such pleasure in the wayes of God,Tam amant le­gem quam ho­micida carce­rem. who ordinarily loves the house of God, and the Lawes of God as a Murtherer doth the prison: as Luther was wont to say: a naturall man findes no more sweete­nesse in Christ and his wayes, than there is taste in the white of an egge. Iob 6.6. or than Barzillai found in the meate that King David would have given him to eate, 2 Sam. 19.35. but the Spouse of Christ having had a taste of Gods goodnesse, and an experimen­tall rellish of the wayes of God, and the pleasures there­of, affirmes of Gods service in generall, as David did of his service in Gods house; One day in Gods Courts are bet­ter than a thousand. So that [Page 75] as Christ sayd to his Disci­ples: he had bread they knew not of, which was to doe the will of his Father in hea­ven, the like may a beleever say to a worldly and sinnefull man, hee hath meate and drinke, pleasure and recreation that they know not of, neither did ever taste, which is to doe the will, and walke in the pathes of Christ his Lord and husband.

A seventh secret is a taste 7 of the joy of heaven, as the wicked taste of hell before they come into the locall place thereof, by most dread­full horrors of Conscience which are as flashes of that in­conceiveably tormenting fire of the Tophet, that is prepa­red for the devill and his an­gells: [Page 76] so the godly many times have a taste of that in­utterable and infinitly delight­full joy in heaven, before they take ful possession thereof: the spies that went into Canaan brought backe with them some clusters of Grapes, to shew the fruitfulnesse of the land. Christ in like manner gives the soule some clusters of Grapes, some taste of that goodnesse of Canaan above, that his Spouse feeling the delight of that Country, may not desire any continuing City here, but looke for one that is above: this taste of hea­ven sometimes God hath gi­ven to his Saints in an extra­ordinary manner, as he did to Paul in his rapture into the third heaven, unto Steven [Page 77] when the heavens were ope­ned and he saw the Sonne of God standing on the right hand of his Father, which ex­traordinary revelations with all other Euthusiasmes, Ana­baptisticall dreames and fan­cies, God communicates not to his Saints in this latter age of the world: therefore a se­cond and ordinary way wher­by God shewes the soule a sight of heaven, and a taste of the pleasure thereof is by the eye of faith, by the assurance of Salvation, by the witnesse of the Spirit with our owne Spirit, by giving the soule such an inward sense and fee­ling of his favour, and such a stedfast hope upon solide grounds of heaven, by begin­ning heavenly Musique by [Page 78] of a good conscience, and by raising up the soule by the unspeakable peace of God, and joy of the Holy-ghost: by these and the like meanes doth God give the soule a taste of heaven, and as Moses upon Pisgah saw Canaan, so in these as upon Pisgah doth Christ carry his Spouse to see Canaan that is above, the joynture that he will install his spouse into.

The second consequent on Christs part.The second consequent on Christs part is a communica­tion of goods, as a man by his marriage endues his wife with all his worldly goods, so Christ endues his spouse with his goods. All things are common, saith theAnima quae diligit Deum sponsa vocatur haec enim duo nomina, sponsa & sponsus, maximè in [...]i­cant internos affectus, hic e­nim omnia communia sunt, una haereditas, una domus, una mensa, unus le­ctus, una caro. Bern serm. 7. in Cantio. Father, betwixt man and wife, one in­heritance, one house, one [Page 79] Table, one bed, one flesh: the goods that Christ com­municates to his Spouse are of three sorts. First externall, there is communication of outward comforts so farre forth as shall conduce to his owne glory and the good of his spouse. Hosea 2.21. In that day, to wit of his marri­age with his people, I will heare the heavens, the heavens shall heare the earth, the earth shall heare the corne, wine, and oyle, and they shall heare Israel: and the Apostle speaking of the beleeving Corinthians, to whom Christ was espoused, tells them 1 Cor. 2.21. All things were theirs, Paul, Apol­los, things present and to come: the ground of this was because they were Christs and [Page 80] Christ Gods. Secondly, inter­nall. In Christ to his Spouse there is a communication of grace. Iohn 1.16. Of his ful­nesse we receive grace for grace: in Christ there is a fulnesse of grace, there is not onely [...] a sufficiencie, but [...] a redundancie of grace, as Plato distinguisheth. In Christ, there is not onely the fulnesse of a vessell that may be full in it selfe, but if it part with any liquor to o­ther vessels, its owne proper fulnesse is diminished, but al­so there is a fulnesse of a fountaine that is not onely full in it selfe and for it selfe, but it can communicate to o­thers in its fulnesse without diminution of its owne pro­per fulnesse, this kind of ful­nesse [Page 81] is in Christ the foun­taine of grace and inexha­stible wel-spring of Life, this fulnesse of grace in Christ was that oyle wherewith hee is said to be annointed above his fellowes, and not by mea­sure, for that oyle was not any typicall and Sacramentall oyle, wherewith the Priests, Prophets, and Kings were annointed in the Old Testa­ment, but the Spirituall oyle of Gods grace, called the oyle of gladnesse, which oyle was powred on Christs head in so plentifull a manner that like the oyntment powred on Aarons head, it went downe to the skirts of his garment. Psal. 133.2. so this oyle of Gods grace powred on Christ the head of his spouse [Page 82] distils into the skirts of his garment, into his meanest member, so that there is no humility, meekenesse, pati­ence, love, heavenly minded­nesse nor any other grace in Christ, but some influence of that grace distils into the heart of every one espoused unto him, hence the Apostle affirmes 2 Cor. 9.8. that God is so full of grace, and hath such a sufficiencie, that is, ful­nesse to others: in the origi­nall the Apostle emphatical­ly expresseth this by triplica­ting the word [...].2 Cor. 9.8. opened. First, [...], not in one, but in every necessitie. Secondly, [...], not some­times but at every time. Thirdly, [...], not some sufficiencie, but a sufficiencie [Page 83] of every grace. Eternall. In Christ there is a communi­cation of glory to his spouse. Christ will have no glory in heaven but in part, and so far forth, as his spouse is capable of, he willAnina quae nunc pannoso vestitu, ac ser­vili habitu regi putatur, in reg­no caelorum regina & nobi­lis Regi astans reperitur Basil. l. de vera. virg. communicate that glory unto his spouse. So Iohn 17.22.24. Christ saith to his Father, The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one as wee are one; and againe, Father I will that they also whom thou hast gi­ven me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee, for thou lovedst me before the founda­tion of the world.

The consequents ex parte sponsae, The conse­quents ex parte sponsae. or on the beleevers part, follow which are two

First a whole change.

[Page 84]Secondly, a familiar ac­quaintance with Christ.

1 A whole change answera­ble to the change in a woman after shee is espoused to her husband, which is of three things.

1 Of Name.

2 Of Quality and Nature.

3 Of Barrennesse into Fruit­fulnesse.

There is a change of name in a woman newly espoused,Martia redi­re voleus ad Catonū mari­tum, ait, da tau­tum nomen in­ane Connubii, liceat tumulo scripsisse, Cato­nis Martia. Luc. l. 2. women change their owne name into the name of their husbands, so the Roman womē tooke the name of their hus­bands, sovaler. l. 10 Isaiah. 4.1. Iohn. 19.25. Caja from her husband Cajus, Tullia from her husband Tullius, and the like. So amongst the Iewes Mary of Cleophas, to wit the wife of Cleophas: hence some [Page 85] thinke the Spouse in the Can­ticles is called Sulamitis or Su­lamite. q. d. Solomonia from Solomon her husband. In like manner doth Christs Spouse change her name being once married to him. Abram en­tring into covenant with God changed his name into Abra­ham, Sarai into Sarah. Iacob prevailing with Christ chan­ged his name into Israel; Si­mon must be called Peter, Saul converted was called Paul: so every soule espoused to Christ hath a new name; of a childe of perdition called a sonne or daughter of God by adoption; of a limbe of Sa­than a member of Christ, of a vessell of wrath, a vessell of honour, of an aliant and stran­ger from Christ becomes a [Page 86] Christian, so that as Naomi sayd in another case:Iohn 15.15. Call me no more Naomi, but call me Ma­rah, for the Lord hath afflicted me: so may the Spouse of Christ say on the contrary, call me no more Marah but Nao­mi for the Lord hath visited me, no more desolate and for­saken but Hephziba, but Beu­lah, the delight of the Lord, the Spouse of Christ,May 62.4.5. as the Prophet speakes.

2 The second change is of Nature and quality. A wo­man in the time of her virgi­nity may be addicted to vaine sports, and pastimes, which after her espousing to an hus­band shee abhorres; so a Christian before hee come to be betrothed to Christ may be given to many vaine [Page 87] delights of flesh and blood, which after his betrothing to Christ he abandons and ab­horres. The Apostle speaking to the beleeving Romans espoused to Christ. Rom. 6.21. affirmes that they deligh­ted in those things in their naturall estate, whereof being in Christ they were ashamed. What fruite had you in those things whereof ye are now asha­med: the like change in that young convert of whom S.Ambros. l. 2. de praviten. c. 2 [...] Ambrose maketh mention wch answered his quondam Curti­zan that came to him with this salutation, Ego sum: It is I: the blessed young con­vert newly espoused to Christ answered, At Ego non sum Ego, I am not I. I am wholly changed into another Man, of [Page 88] a sinner made a Saint, of a vassall of my base lusts made a vessell of honour, and the very Spouse of the Lord Je­sus Christ: such a change was in Paul that Ananias won­dred he should be sent to Saul when he heard what evill he had done to the Saints,Acts 9.13. and Paul himselfe confesseth, Gal. 1.13. that [...] even above measure hee had made havocke of the Saints, yet the same Saul of a perse­cutor becomes a Preacher, of an enemie he became a friend to Christ, the like change in Mary Magdalen, whose soule was as a burrough to harbour uncleane spirits, as a cage of uncleane birds, and after­wards was made a Temple of the holy Spirit, and her heart [Page 89] a pallace to entertaine the Lord Jesus with the dearest affection: so powerfull is the Lord Jesus to make his Spouse like unto himselfe. Moses his face may shine, but the glory of his face could not make his garments glo­rious that were about him. Christ his body upon Mount Tabor was transfigured and the glory thereof displayed it selfe through his very gar­ments, and the same Jesus Christ being now transfigu­red in full glory in heaven, is so full of grace, that hee can communicate grace to his meanest member. Moses may marry an Aethiopian, but hee cannot change her blacke­nesse; Christ making love to a poore soule of an Aethiopian [Page 90] dye, full of Leopards spots, can so change this soule and renew it day by day till hee make it a pure virgin, and present it unto himselfe with­out spot and wrinckle. Ephes. 5.27. so the Lord affirmes, Ezek. 16.7.8. that when he passed by his people, he saw them wallowing in their blood, but hee soone washed them and made them beauti­full.

3 The third change is of bar­rennesse into fruitfulnesse. A woman, though barren in the time of her virginity, growes after marriage for the most part fruitefull, that her chil­dren like Olive branches sit round about her Table, so a Christian, though before his marriage with Christ he bee [Page 91] fruitlesse and barren in good workes, yet after this spiritu­all betrothing growes fruit­full and abundant in the work of the Lord. This the Apostle makes the end of beleevers marriage with Christ, that they may bring forthDum anima adhaeret sponso suo, & audit verbum ejus, & ipsum com­plectitur, sine dubio ab ipso semen suscipit, inde nascetur generosa pro­genies, inde pu­dicitia orietur, inde justitia, inde patientia, inde mansuetu­do, & charitas atque omnium virtutum proles veneranda suc­cedet. Origen. Hom. 20. in 25. Numb. fruits unto God. Rom. 7.4. and our Saviour makes fruitfulnesse in good workes one fruite of a beleevers union with Christ. Iohn 15.5. It cannot be de­nyed but that an unregenerate person not betrothed to Christ may doe some workes, and bring forth some fruites good for the matter, but these workes and fruites brought forth before his spirituall Marriage, are but like the chil­dren a woman beares before her marriage, which are ba­stards [Page 92] and illegitimate brats that cannot inherite, so the good workes of unregenerate men are illegitimate and can­notArticles of Religion. Article. [...]3. inherite being brought forth out of Spirituall wed­locke, and not flowing from the right roote, which is faith in Christ.

The second conse­quent on the be­leevers part.The second consequent on the beleevers part is a familiar acquaintance with Christ, that a beleever can upon all occa­sions in the greatest straights goe unto Christ, and make his wants knowne unto him. Such an acquaintance had Moses with God.Ioshua. 20.12. Exod. 17.11. by the holding up of whose hand Israel prevailed: such an acquaintance had Io­shuah, who by his prayer cau­sed the Sunne to stand still [Page 93] upon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Ajelon, and such an acquaintance and in­timatenesse hath the Spouse of Christ with Christ, that upon all occasions, if any thing perplexe and molest the soule, it can goe unto Christ and make its case knowne unto him, with a full perswasion that he will re­lieve and comfort it, neither hath the soule acquaintance onely with Christ, but by Christ with the Father and the blessed Spirit: as Isaac taking Rebecca to be his wise brought her into his mothers tent, Gen. 24.67: So Christ marrying a beleeving soule, brings that soule into his Fa­thers presence to have ac­quaintance with him; this the [Page 94] Apostle sweetely expresseth. Ephes. 3.12.Ephes. 3.12. opened. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse; the word boldnesse in the Originall is [...], and it signifieth bold­nesse of face in speaking, shewing that a beleever by Christ hath boldnesse to goe to God by prayer, againe the Apostle saith, in him, that is Christ, we have not onely bold­nesse but accesse: in the Origi­nall it is [...], which sig­nifies such an accesse which is by manuduction as Isaac took Rebecca; so Christ takes the soule espoused to him by the hand, and leads it into his Fathers presence, and into ac­quaintance with him, so that the soule which before this spirituall marriage was a stranger to God, and God an [Page 95] angry God with the soule through sinne, now appre­hends God in Christ reconci­led and an indulgent Father: and last of all the Apostle sheweth how the beleever hath this boldnesse of speech, this accesse, and this confi­dence, it is by faith of him, faith is the eye of the soule by which the soule lookes upon God reconciled. Now as to the bodily sight there is requi­red not onely a well disposed Organ, but aArist. l. 2. de Anima. c. 7. perspicuous medium, a lightsome ayre or the like, through which the species of the visible ob­ject, must be received into the Organ of the eye: so in the spirituall sight of the soule which it hath of God, there is required a diaphanous and [Page 96] perspicuous medium, which is Christ the mediator, through whom the soule by faith sees him that is invisible, it is Christ that drawes neere unto God for his friends. Iohn 20.17. and they draw neere to God by Christ. Heb. 10.19.22.The application of this subject.

1 The application of this 2 point is fourefold, the first is 1 for instruction in two parti­culars. First, it teacheth the dignity of the Saints. Se­condly, the duty of the Saints. First theirVnde tibi ô humana anima unde tibi hoc, unde tam in aestimabilis glo­ria, ut ejus spon­sa merearis esse in quem deside­ [...]ant Angeli prospicere? unde tibi hoc, ut ipse fit sponsus tuus cujus pulcritu­dinem Sol & Luna mirantur, ad cujus nutum universa mu­tantur. Bern. Ser. 2. Dom, 1. post. Epist. 1. digni­ty. David thought it a great dignity to match into the stocke of Saul that was King of Israel, 1 Sam. 18.18. Who am I, &c. greater honour and dignity it is to match into the stocke of God even unto [Page 97] his onely begotten sonne, and so to be called the Kings daughter, Psal. 45. The Kings Spouse and beloved; well may the soule enter into an holy admiration of this fa­vour; and cry out with the Psalmist, Lord what is man? or the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him, and hast crow­ned him with so great a fa­vour, as to bee called the Spouse of Christ; who (as Abigail sayd to David offe­ring marriage) I am not wor­thy to wash the feete of the Lords Servants. It was a great dignity for Ruth to bee espoused to Boaz; but a grea­ter honour and favour for a poore soule to be married to Christ, whose nature is good­nesse, whose greatnesse is in­finitenesse, [Page 98] whose power is omnipotencie, whose worke is mercy, whose anger is ju­stice, whose throne is subli­mity, whose will is equity, whose life is felicity, and whose age is eternity. Let the heavens stand amazed at this honour and favour with­out 2 comparison. Secondly, this point teacheth the duty of the Saints, that seeing they are the Spouse of 3 Christ. First then they must adorne themselves that Christ may take delight in them; all delight proceedes from some correspondencie in comeli­nesse, affection, and action. The Heathen [...]. Arist. l. 1. Oec. c. [...]. Philoso­pher could say that dissimili­tude of manners, and diver­sity of carriage is not apt ei­ther [Page 99] to beget or preserve love and delight: so that Christ may take content and delight in his Saints espoused unto himselfe, they must adorne themselves whereby they may become like unto him, hee is cloathed with holinesse and righteousnesse as with a gar­ment, he is full of beauty and enamouring comelinesse, that like then may rejoyce in like, the soule must bee adorned that Christ may say of the soule as Sampson did of Dali­lah. Iudg. 14.3. She pleaseth me well; this the Psalmist sweet­ly expresseth, Psal. 45.14. The Kings daughter shall bee brought unto the King in a ray­ment of needle worke, so shall the King, that is Christ, take plea­sure in her beauty: if it be as­ked [Page 100] what this needleworke of divers colours is. I answere not any outward ornament mentioned Esay 3.18.19.20. not that strange apparell con­demned by the Prophet, Zephan. 1.8. [...]. Arist. l. 2. Oeconom. c. 1. These outward ornaments are not the orna­ments wherewith Christs Spouse must be cloathed, that Christ may take delight in her, these make the soule many times more deformed in the sight of Christ, these are the worlds Livery, which the servants of the world for the most part are cloathed withall; therefore the Psalmist, Psal. 45.13. expresseth what the ornaments of Christs Spouse are. The Kings daugh­ter is all glorious within, the [...]. Septuagints read the words [Page 101] thus; All the glory of the Kings daughter is within. A beleever in outward appearance hath little glory, therefore the Church complaines. Cant. 1.5. I am blacke but comely, blacke in the opinion of the world not seeing my beauty which is inward; blacke through persecution and the scorching flames thereof, but comely in the eyes of Christ, who lookes on my inward beauty that cannot be seene by the world: so then the inwardIn sola ani­ma pulchritudo, & turpitudo apparent, & ideo is solus verè puicher est, qui est vir­tute praeditus Clem. Ale [...]an. Padog. l. 2. c. 12. Illis ampla sa­tis forma pudi­citia. Tibullus. Elig. l. 1. Eleg. 2. Palchritudo tua fit bona vita, stude itaque placere Christo, non pretiosis vestibus, sed bonis [...]oribus non pulchritu­dine carmò, sed pulchritudine mentis. Beru. de modo be­ne vivend [...]. Sor. 9. Ezek. 16.8.9.10. ornaments wherewith Christs Spouse must adorne her selfe are the heavenly dispositions, vertues, qualities, and graces of the soule; as humility, meekenesse, temperance, cha­stitie, brotherly kindnesse, heavenly mindednesse, and [Page 102] the like. This the Apostle inti­mates, Col. 3.12.13. Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffering, &c. put on, the word in the origi­nall is [...], put on as a garment or ornament, and the garment it selfe is a concati­nation of graces, a troope of heavenly vertues; as mercy, kindnesse, humility, &c. this is the needle worke of divers colours wherewith the Kings daughter must bee adorned when she is presented to the King, called a needle worke of divers colours, in regard of the variety of graces that this needle-worke consists of, as also noteing the glory of this ornament of grace and [Page 103] holinesse, for as diversity of colours in needleworke, so variety of graces make a soule more beautifull and glori­ous, every grace having its distinct beauty and luster, and all of them being joyned to­gether in one soule, one grace gives a glory unto another, all of them together shining in the soule, like so many dia­monds in a Ring. Secondly,2 this teacheth the Saints, a se­cond duety to preserve their spirituall chastitie, and to car­ry themselves as pure virgines towards their husband Christ: the Apostle tels the beleeving Corinthians, that he was jea­lous over them with godly jealousie; for he had espoused them to one husband,2 Co [...]. 11.2. that he might present them as a [Page 104] chaste virgin to Christ, and this jealousie that Paul had over the beleeving Corinthians, should every beleeving soule have over it selfe, that Christ may have no occasion to bee jealous of the soules entire affection to himselfe alone: therefore more than ordinari­ly vigilant must the Saints be that are espoused to Christ, to avoyd spirituall fornicati­on, which isSi suscepe­ri:, o homo, in cubili animae tuae adulterum diabolum, me­retricata est a­nima tua cum diabolo, si spi­ritus irae, si invi­diae, si superbiae, si impudicitiae ingressus fuerit ad animam tu­am, & receperis cum, & consen­seris ei loquen­ti, & in corde tuo delectatus fueris his, quae tibi secundum suam mentem suggerit, meretri­catus es cum eo. Origen hom. 12. in Levit. c. 2. In nulla par­te oportet virginem adulteram esse, non lingua, non auribus, non oculo, non alio omnino sensu, imo neque cogitatione, sed corpus quidem velut templum▪ quoddam aut thalamum sponsi habeat praeparatum. Basil. l. de vera virg. committed when the soule prostitutes it selfe to the least sinne, and en­tertaines the least lust with consent and delight. If thou shalt receive, saith Origen, into the chamber of thy soule the [Page 105] devill, thy soule hath played the adulteresse with the devil, if the spirit of anger, envie, pride, immodestie, and the like shall enter into thy soule, and thou shalt entertaine and hear­ken unto it, and be delighted with it and the suggestions thereof, thou hast commit­ted whoredome with it. Al­though the soule may com­mit spirituall adultery with any sinne, yet more hainously with these three particular sinnes.

First, withIdololatria est mystica & spiritualis ani­mae cum idolis fornicatio. Com. a Lap. in Ezek. 6.9. Idolatrie, for 1 of this God professeth him­selfe to be a jealous God, Isay 42.8. I am Iehovah and my glo­ry will not I give to another; and of this doth the Lord often complaine that his people had gone a whoring after [Page 106] Idolls and strange gods. Levit. 17.7. Ezek. 6.9. Neither is there any one kinde of Spi­rituall fornication more di­stastfull to the Bridesgroome of the soule, than for rhe soule to be difiled with this sinne, therefore Ezek. 36.25. it is joyned with filthinesse, from all your filthinesse, and from all your Idolls, will I cleanse you, saith the Lord.

Secondly, with covetous­nesse and inordinateMundi a­mor & Dei, pa­riter in tuo corde cohabi­tare non pos­sunt, quemad­modum iidem oculi coelum pariter & ter­ram nequaquam aspiciunt. Aug. (vel quisquis est au­ctor) libro de duodecim abu­sionibus gradu. 7. love of the world, this is the se­cond sinne with which the soule more hainously com­mits spirituall fornication: this the Apostle Iames clea­reth, Iames 4.4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know yee not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever [Page 107] therefore will bee a friend of the world is an enemie of God, this spirituall adultery with the world is so much more grievous than carnall adulterie; by how much God, who is contemned is more great and excellent than man to whom a wife hath be­trothed her selfe.

A third sinne is corporall 3 uncleannesse. 1 Cor. 6.15. the Apostle shewes this, affir­ming that a man by this sinne takes the members of Christ and makes them the mem­bers of an Harlot: this sinne by Gods owne verdict takes away the heart. Hosea 4.11. and so alienates the affection from the Lord Jesus. Behold then the duty of the Saints, as to avoyd all sin; so especially [Page 108] these three sinnes with which especially and more grie­vously, the soule commits spirituall fornication; as al­so to present themselves as chasteVirginitas mentis est in­tegra fides, so­lida spes, since­ra charitas, Aug. 11.13. in Iohan. Iom. 9. virgines to the Lord Jesus Christ their dearest bridesgroome: This point in­structs the Saints in a third duty to walke before Christ in al manner of well pleasing; propounding Christs word and example as a patterne of their lives. This duty of a wife the Heathen [...], Arist. l. 2. Oeconom. c. 1. [...]. Hesiod. Philosopher found out, affirming that a well ordered woman ought to esteeme the carriage of her husband to be a Law of her life imposed by God, though this rule faile in case the manners of the husband be ungodly and corrupt, yet in [Page 109] the present instance betwixt Christ and his Spouse it failes not, Christs life being a patterne of purity and per­fect holinesse and absolute obedience in every particular: therefore saithNupsisti Christo incede scoundum spon­si tui volunta­tem. Tertul. de velandis, virg. c. 16. Christianismus est invitatio di­vinae naturae. Nyssen. tract. de profess. Chrystia. Tertullian. Halt thou married thy selfe to Christ, walke according to the will of thy husband: this observancie and pleasing car­riage was eminent in the Church. Psal. 123.2. Behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their Master, and as the eyes of a mayden, unto the hand of her Mistresse, even so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God. Christ would have his Spouse to be knowne to bee his Spouse, even by her out­ward carriage, by her holinesse towards God, and righteous­nesse [Page 110] towards man, by her meeke, humble, courteous and mercifull carriage towards al, expressing in her life, the life of her husband Christ.

Vse 2 In the second place, the con­sideration of this point may be a ground of tryall and ex­amination, whether a poore soule be espoused to Christ or no: which it may doe by these severall symptomes of this spirituall marriage.1. Symptome. A soule married to Christ is de­jected and grieved, for the want of the sense of Christs presence in the soule. Mat. 9.13. Our Saviour makes this an evident property of the Spouse of Christ, that shee fasts and mournes at the de­parture of the bridegroome. The Disciples of Iohn asked [Page 111] Christ why they fasted, but his Disciples fasted not, Christ seemes to tell them that they had reason to fast and mourne because their Ma­ster was now in prison, and they deprived of his presence, but as yet his Disciples en­joyed the presence of their Master, the delightfull resi­dence of their endeared Bride­groome, but the time should come that the case should be altered, that I the Bride­groome of their soules shall be taken from them, and then they should fast and mourne, that being a fit time for deje­ction and sadnesse of heart; now as it was with the Disci­ples of Christ in regard of Christs corporall presence, so it is with every beleever in [Page 112] regard of Christs spirituall presence, they enjoyed for a while his corporall presence, exceedingly rejoycing in the fruition of it, drinking in with great delight the graci­ous words and saving do­ctrine that flowed from his blessed lippes, with great ad­miration, beholding his glo­rious miracles which he did by his divine power, but when once this blessed bridegrome of their soules was taken from them, it was a day of much heavinesse and sadnesse, of fasting and mourning; it is so with the beleeving soule in regard of Christs spirituall presence, sometimes Christ gives the soule [...] sensible fee­ling and apprehension of his sweetest residence in it, at [Page 113] which time the soule takes a full draught of unspeakeable and ravishing joy, at other times Christ for some reasons best knowne unto himselfe, withdrawes himselfe in regard of any sense and feeling of his presence by the soule: now at this time the soules former songs are turned into sighes, its melodie into mourning, its feasting into fasting, all its former joy for the presence of Christ its Bridegroome, into saddest dejection for the withdrawing of the Bride­groomes presence; hence it is that the Spouse of Christ is so often in Scripture called a Dove, which is of a mourne­full nature, when shee wants the Societie of her mate;Cant. 2.14. Esay 38.14. Esay 58.11. of the like carriage is Christs [Page 114] Spouse in the absence of Christ, see the Churches car­riage,Cant. 3.1.2.3. [...]ened. Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loved, I sought him, but I found him not. By night, that is, by solitary and deepest meditation, upon my bed, that is, when shee thought her selfe sure of her beloved, sup­posing him to be with her, she misseth his company, then she by her meditation and prayer, falls a seeking of him but findes him not: doth she not sit still as content to bee deprived of the presence of her bridegroome? No, shee now resolves to arise and to goe about the Citie and the streetes, (noteing her diligent search) to seeke him whom her soule loved, and yet shee [Page 115] findes him not, will she yet leave off enquiring having lost so much labour? No, she resolves upon a third enquiry after Christ of the Watch­men, and keepers, to wit, of the Ministers of Christ, and yet not finding Christ she is yet impatient of Christs de­lay and absence, neither the society of her brethren, or of Ministers could comfort her troubled spirit for the want of Christ, and therefore she still persists in her seeking till at last shee found him to her soules refreshing: behold in this instance the true Cha­racter of the Spouse of Christ, that shee is affected with the losse of his presence, and will not be satisfied with­out the fruition of it againe. [Page 116] wouldst thou then, O doubt­full soule, be assured that thou art espoused to Christ: exa­mine how thy heart stands affected for the want of the inward apprehension of Christs presence in thy soule; if wanting Christs residence thou canst be of a cheerefull heart, of a carelesse minde to­wards Christ, of a slow and se­cure carriage in seeking of him in his Word, Sacraments, or any other of his Ordinances, it is an evident signe as yet thou never enjoyest such an husband as Christ, who after his espousalls with the soule leaves such an impression of his love, and such a liking of his presence and communi­on, that let the soule bee de­prived but a while of Christ, it [Page 117] cannot rest till it hath gotten him againe by the nearest em­bracings of Faith.

A second symptome of 2 this Spirituall marriage is this, as it may be discovered by the affection of sorrow, as in the first place, so by the af­fection of desire. A soule married to Christ hath a lon­ging desire of full communi­on with Christ in heaven; as a woman betroathed to an husband longs for the actuall and publicke solemnising of her espousalls, when she may enjoy that familiar society with him as to live in one house, eate at one table, sleepe in one bed, and to bee unto him his bosome friend: it is so with Christs spouse being once betrothed to him, shee [Page 118] desires the consummation of the marriage in heaven, where she may rest and repose her selfe, in a more neere commu­nion, in the armes and bo­some of Jesus Christ: al­though the soule bee betro­thed unto Christ upon earth, yet the fellowship is not so great, and communion so in­timate with Christ upon earth, as the soule shall have with Christ in hea­ven.

Hence SaintIam de­sponsata es illl, ô anima, jam nuptiarum prandium cele­bratur; nam cana quidem in caelo paratur. Born. Serm. 2. Dom. 1. post. Epiph. Bernard affirmes that in this life the marriage dinner is onely celebrated, but in heaven the marriage Supper is prepared, where the soule shall be fed with rarer dain­ties and be satisfied even to a spirituall inebriation, with [Page 119] the fulnesse of Gods house. In this life, whilst the Marri­age dinner is only celebrated, there may be want of wine, as at the Marriage of Cana in Galilee, Christ himselfe being present, but not at the Marri­age supper in heaven, though in Cana yet not in Canaan a­bove.

At the Marriage in Ca­na of Galilee, although the mother of Jesus told him of the want of wine,Iohn 2.4. ope­ned. that hee might see the scarcity supply­ed; yet Christ answered her, his houre was not yet come, that is, the convenient time of do­ing that Miracle was not yet come; but when the Master of the Feast and Bridegroome began to be ashamed of their scarcity, and that the Miracle [Page 120] might the better be taken no­tice of, then Christ gave him plenty enough. In like man­ner in this life, whilst the marriage dinner lasts, there may be want of wine, that is, want of the sense of Christs presence, his favour and love, and therefore the Spouse cry­eth, Cant. 2.5. Stay me with flaggons, and the reason is, be­cause the houre is not yet come when Christ useth to give the soule such plenty, but he reserves that plenty for heaven, when he fills the soule with the wine of incon­ceivable pleasure and joy in his presence, when hee will turne all the waters of affli­ctions, into the wine of con­solation, and the soule shall have accesse to Christ, the [Page 121] fountaine of all comforts, there to fill and satisfie it selfe with what the heart is capable of, there being then a more intimate communion be­twixt Christ and a beleever in heaven, than upon earth, a more intimate fellowship and a fuller participation of that unspeakeable content that the soule takes in Christ; the soule cannot butQuemad­modum Iaco­bus magna cum alacritate mi­gravit in Egyp­tum ut ibi vide­ret gloriam Io­sephi. Gen. 45.18. sic nos ad caelum propere­mus ut ibi vide­amus gloriam Christi Chem. Harm. Evang. p. 1679. long for and desire with Paul to be dis­solved and to be with Christ: with Iacob it cannot but waite for the Salvation of God: with Simeon it cannot but de­sire to depart in peace, where it may see Christ face to face, and never lose that beatificall vision of him againe. Hence was it that goodQuid hic faciemus? cur non ocyus mi­gramus? cur non hinc avolamus? Monica the mother of Augustine cry­ed, [Page 122] what doe we here? why depart we not swifter? why flye we not away from hence? Hence was it that her sonneMori desi­dero ut videam Christum salu­tare meum: vi­vere renuo ut cum Christo vivam. Chem. ha [...]m. Evang. p. 1675. Augustine sayd, I desire to dye, that I may see Christ my Saviour, I refuse to live, that I may live with Christ. It is with a beleeving soule in this life, as with a man in a journey in a strange Country, who though at his Inne, where he lodgeth, he hath a warme Chamber, good fire, whole­some victualls, a soft and re­freshing bed, yet he is ever and then thinking on home, his thoughts and meditations e­ver and then speaking thus within him: true it is, I have a good lodging, kinde enter­tainement, wholesome victu­alls, but what are all these to [Page 123] my fare at home, my bed at home, to the society of my wife and children at home, home though homely is ever in his minde, ever in his de­sires: so it is with a Christian espoused to Christ, though he enjoyes a confluence of all outward comforts, though hee takes great delight in this life, and as it were swimmes in all worldly con­tentments; having a loving wife, dutifull children, faith­full servants, his barnes stuft with graine, his pastures stockt abundantly with Oxen and sheepe, his coffers reple­nished with the most preci­ous of metalls, so that hee lackes nothing that can give an honest heart content, yet he cannot but bee ever and [Page 124] then thinking within him­selfe, I have wife, children, lands, livings, but what are these to the society with my sweetest Saviour, and most delightfull Bridegroome; de­siring to leave all to bee with Christ which is best of all. Examine thy heart, O soule, by this property. Is there any thing in the world so deare unto thee, be it wise, sonne or daughter, land or house, yea life it selfe, that thou art not content to leave, that thou mayst have that intimate communion with Christ in heaven? Thou mayst justly feare thou never wast espou­sed to Christ, neither ever hadst any acquaintance with him, for if thou hadst, the best of worldly excellencies [Page 125] could not retaine thy soule from a desire to bee with Christ in heaven.

In the third place,3. Symptome. this Spi­rituall marriage is discovered by the affection of love. [...] &c. Aust. l. 2. Oeconom. c. ultima. A soule married to Christ loveth all that have any alli­ance with Christ. A wife that truely loves her husband, loves her husbands kindred and friends, in like manner are the friends of Christ deare unto his Spouse: now who they be that have alli­ance and friendship with him Christ himselfe declares. First, that those are his bre­thren, Marke 3.35. who doe the will of God, whose Fa­ther is his Father, whose God is his God; and for his friends Christ shewes who they be, [Page 126] Iohn 15.14. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you: as it was betwixt Iehosa­phat and Ahab. 2 King. 3.7. when they agreed together to goe against Moab to battell, Iehosaphat sayd, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses, so is it with all the members of Christ that are espoused to him. Christs cause is their com­mon cause; Christs friends their friends, embracing Christ with the dearest affe­ction, and mutually one ano­ther for Christs sake. By this mayest thou examine thy self whether thou beest espoused to Christ or not, to wit, by thy love to all those that stand in the same relation to Christ as thou dost: seest thou a [Page 127] poore member of Christ, in the wrinckles of whose face, as in so many lines, thou mayest read Lectures of mi­serie and want; here is a friend of Christ, if thou beest the Spouse of Christ, thou canst not but have some pitty, love, and compassion on this his friend, seest thou any eminent for grace, holy in life, frequent in duty, zealous for piety and purity of heart, this is a friend of Christ, standing in the same relation to Christ, as thou doest, if thou beest es­poused to him, and therefore thou canst not but love him for the image of Christ thou seest in him.

In the third place, the con­sideration Vse 3 of this point serves for consolation to Christs [Page 128] Spouse in many particulars. 1 First against the clamour of the guilt of sinne. Christ be­ing an husband to the Soule undertakes all its debts: the Widdow of the Prophet. 2 Kings 4.1.2. complaines that the Creditour was come to take her sonnes captives; but the Spouse of Christ needes feare no such arrest of any creditour, the soule hath ma­ny creditours that out of Christ it is subject and lya­ble to satisfie: the Law ar­rests the soule, with a cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them, Gal. 3.10. Againe Conscience arrests the soule and seconds the Law with this assumption, that the soule hath not [Page 129] continued in the Law but broken it: the Devill will ar­rest the soule with many ac­cusations; Death and Hell have their arrests too, but Christ being the husband of the soule, becomes the un­dertaker for all these arrests and debts by sinne, Sathan, Conscience, Death, or Hell; when the Law shall urge its [...] and rigorous exa­ction of perfect obedience, then may the beleeving soule answere, my husband Christ hath payd it for me: when the Law calls for penalty up­on the violation of it selfe, the beleever may answere, Christ my husband hath payd it for me, who is made unto me wis­dome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption, & as the Apostle [Page 130] speakes, 1 Tim. 2.6. gave him­selfe not onely [...] but [...] a ransome, but a coun­ter-ransome for all my sinnes, and thus in all other arrests may the soule stop all in Christ: so that as good Onesi­mus was loath to returne to his Master Philemon, to whom once he had beene an unpro­fitable servant, but when once he knew that Paul had written his Epistle to Philemon, to tell him that whatsoever Onesimus owed him he should set it on Pauls score,Philem. v. 18. Onesimus might then with boldnesse returne to his Master Philemon againe: in like manner a poore soule considering how it hath of­fended God, is loath to come before or into his presence: but when it considers againe [Page 131] that whatsoever it is indeb­ted to God it is set on Christs score, then may the soule with boldnesse goe to God, and stop the mouth of all accusers in the world, who can lay nothing to the charge of Gods elect, seeing it is God that justifieth.

Secondly, this may com­fort 2 the soule against the feare of spirituall enemies, the wife that hath a rich and powerfull husband, thinkes her selfe safe from reproaches, injuries, and abuses of others: farre more safe is the soule that is married to Christ, from being hurt by the attempt of ene­mies, or by any assaults of any spirituall adversaries, for Christ is able to vindicate the cause of his oppressed Spouse [Page 132] to the utmost. Protection is one priviledge the wife hath by her husband, therefore saith Ruth to Boaz, Ruth. 3.9. ope­ned. Spread thy skirt over thine handmaide, for thou art a neere kinsman: Spread thy skirt over me, that is, be my protector in being my hus­band; Christ will not be wan­ting to his Spouse in any comfort or succour that a wife expects from her hus­band, much lesse in protecti­on, one of the meanest duties of a loving husband, there­fore Ezek. 16.8. when once the time was, the time of love betwixt the Lord and his people, he saith, he spread his skirt over his people, and co­vered their nakednesse; let then the Spouse of Christ be dayly assaulted by Sathan, [Page 133] the world, and the remainder of corruption, and let the soule goe to Christ, as Ruth to Boaz, Spread thy skirt over thy servant, for thou art my husband, Lord, and Master, and the Spouse of Christ shall be safe under the wings of Christ, that all the powers of darkenesse, and powers of hell it selfe, shall not be able to pull Christs Spouse out of his Armes.

This may comfort the be­leeving soule, that being once espoused it shall be for ever espoused to Christ, Hosea 2.19. I will betroth thee unto my selfe for ever, saith the Lord un­to his people.Ruth. 3. [...]. Naomi may be deprived of her husband Elimelech in a strange land, be­cause Elimelech was a man sub­ject [Page 134] to the like mortality as all of his owne species are, but the soule once married to Christ can never bee deprived of him, who being both God and man, is he who was, and is, and shall be unto all eter­nity, so that which Babylon sayd in a proud and presump­tuous manner, Esay 47.8. I shall not see widdow-hood, that upon good grounds and not presumptuously may the soule espoused to Christ af­firme of it selfe: I shall sit as Queene and never suffer spirituall Widdow-hood, so that the condition of belee­vers in this marriage estate with Christ, is farre better than that of Adam in Para­dise. Man in his innocencie was espoused to God, but [Page 135] then God left in man a power to dissolve this matrimoniall knot, and man breaking the Covenant there was a dvorce drawne, now God is so farre pleased out of his super-abun­dant mercy and compassion (not to be found in any but a God infinitely good) to treat of a second marriage to the soule of man divorced from him,Ier. 3. [...]. which marriage is groun­ded upon a more sure founda­tion even upon Christ, and in Christ he is pleased to bee married to the soule, not for a certaine time to be at last ex­pired, but for all eternitie, not now leaving the Matrimoniall covenants in mans own custo­die, but undertaking the kee­ping of them himselfe. To conclude this, if it be such an [Page 136] happie thing for man and wife so to live together,Faelices ter & amplius quos irrupta tenet copula, nec ma­lis divulsus que­rimoniis supre­ma citiùs solvit a nor dic. Hor. that the bond of love be not bro­ken till death it selfe doth breake it, then farre greater happinesse and comfort for a beleeving soule to thinke, that this bond of Spirituall wed­locke shall not be broken by death it selfe, but remaine indissolveable to all eterni­tie.

Ʋse 4 In the fourth place this point serves for exhortation. It may be a ground of per­swasion to every one that is as yet an aliant from Israel, a stranger from God, from his promises, his Christ, that he would accept of Jesus Christ to be the husband of his soule, and so his soule may be the Spouse of Christ, and [Page 137] so have interest in all the sa­ving promises of the Gospell, and be made a member of the Common-wealth of Israel, and of one that was a farre off made nigh to God in Christ by Spirituall alliance. Iohn 3.29. the Baptist stiles him­selfe a friend of the Bride­groome. 2 Cor. 11.2. Paul, as the [...] or spokesman of Christ, tells the Corinthians that he was jealous over them, for he had espoused them to one husband that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ. Every Mi­nister of the Gospell with the Baptist should be a friend of the Bridegoome, with Paul a spokesman for Christ, this the Apostle sheweth, 2 Cor. 5.20. that he and the rest of his [Page 138] function were Ambassadors for Christ, as though Christ did entreate others by them to be reconciled to him; for as great persons, as Empe­rours and Kings, dwelling in remote places from the vir­gin Ladies whom they would espouse unto themselves, send entreaties of marriage by their Ambassadors, who use to carry their lively pictures and portratures of their per­sons, and so present them to the women they desire to be espoused unto: in like man­ner the Lord Jesus the great King, whose Throne endureth for ever, and whose Scepter is a right Scepter, keeping his Court in heaven and that be­ing his glorious Throne where his chiefe residence is, [Page 139] and his greatest glory display­ed, he offering conditions of Marriage to poore soules, sends them by the Ministers of the Gospell his Ambas­sadors, and hath put into their hands the word of his Gospell (Christs love Letter) in which his glorious excel­lencies and treasures of in­comparable benefits, dwelling in him in a plentifull manner are evidently set forth, which the Ambassadors of Christ opening and declaring to the people, cannot but shew forth the excellencies of his per­son, of his riches, honour, beauty, and all other desira­ble qualities in a Bride­groome. Oh then that God would be pleased (having ap­pointed me an unworthy [Page 140] messenger to this great digni­tie as to be his spokesman) to make me an instrument of perswading some poore, blind, and naked soules to accept of Christ to be their husband, who is able to inrich them with what their soules can desire, and now what argu­ments shall I use to perswade such to this Marriage?Gen. 24.35.36. Abra­hams servant going to take a wife for his Masters sonne Isaac that he might perswade Rebecca and her friends the more forceably, the one to goe with him, and the other to part with her, he tells them that the Lord had blessed his Master Abraham greatly, &c. and so by this Argument ob­taines his request in perswa­ding Rebecca to goe with him, [Page 141] and her friends to part with her. The great God of hea­ven imploying mee his un­worthy servant to intreate a Spouse for his sonne, I can use the same arguments that Abrahams servant did, I wish it might be with the same successe. My Master the Al­mighty God of Abraham, of Isaac, and Iacob, is exceeding great (his greatnesse being in­finitenesse) and he is excee­ding rich, not onely with Abraham in flockes and heardes, in silver and gold, the cattle upon a thousand Mountaines being his,Psal. 50.12. but he is the possessour of heaven and earth it selfe, the great Commander and Soveraigne Lord of the whole world, rich in himselfe, unspeakeable, [Page 142] incomprehensible and incon­ceiveable glorious eminen­cies, and this God hath one onely begotten son, and unto him hath he given all his ri­ches, as in the 2 Psalme, and the 8. verse. Aske of me and I will give thee the uttermost parts of the earth for thy posses­sion; the sonne of God instal­led into his Fathers inheri­tances offers himselfe to bee married to thy poore soule, whosoever thou art, that wilt accept of him to bee thy Bridegroome: Oh that thy soule with Rebecca would ac­cept of this match without farther delay! The [...]. Arist. Ethic. l. 9. c. 1. Philo­sopher tells us that sometimes a lover findes fault that he loves above measure, and yet is not loved againe, where­as [Page 143] he hath nothing in him that is amiable or worthy of love. Christ indeede may complaine that he offers love to many a poore soule, and yet findes no love againe; neither can the soule alleadge this for a reason of unkinde­nesse to Christ againe, that there is nothing in Christ that is lovely; for in Christ there is nothing that is not worthy of the greatest love that can lodge in a mortall breast: what lovely quality can the soule desire in an hus­band, that are not in Christ? Doth the soule desire riches? With me are riches, Prov. 8.18. saith Wisedome it selfe. Doth it desire Nobility of Birth? God the Father wit­nesses his sonnes Nobility. [Page 144] Thou art my Sonne, this day have I begotten thee, Psal. 2.7. Doth it desire beauty? Christ is fai­rer than the Sonnes of men, Psal. 45.2. Desires the soule pow­er in an husband for prote­ction? All power is given unto him of the Father, twelve Legi­ons of Angels are at his com­mand, and Legions of De­vills were constrained to crouch unto him; hence also by the Prophet was he called Wonderfull and Powerfull, Esay 9.6. Desires the soule goodnesse in an husband? Christs lippes are full of grace, Psal. 45.2. He is a very foun­taine of goodnesse. Desires it yet Wisedome? Christ is Wisedome it selfe, Wisedome of the Father, and made Wise­dome to every beleever, 1 Cor. 1.30. [Page 145] Lastly, desires it glory in an husband? Christ is the King of glory, Psal. 24.8.10. The Apostle remarkeable sets downe all these amiably qua­lities together, Heb. 1.2.3. God hath in these last dayes spo­ken unto us by his Sonne, behold his Nobility, whom he hath ap­pointed heire of all things, be­hold his Riches, by whom also he made the world, behold his Wisedome, who being the brightnesse of his Fathers glory, and expresse Image of his Person, there is his beauty and uphol­ding all things by the Word of his Power, when he had by himselfe purged our sinnes, there is his goodnesse, sate downe at the right hand of the Majestie on high, there is his glory. More­over all these excellencies are [Page 146] in Christ, so they are in him in a moreNecessario efficitur in Deo omnium rerum in esse perfecti­ones, easque perfectissimas perfectissimo modo. Zan. de natura Dei. l. 3. c. 7. eminent man­ner. Many excellencies may be in the creatures by partici­pation from God, but they are not so in the creatures as in Christ: many excellencies are sprinkled up and downe in the Creatures, in an imperfect manner, as some creatures excell in beau­ty, some in power, some in wisedome, but all these and many more that are diverse and opposite perfections and vertues in the Creatures, are al in Christ in a most per­fect and eminent manner: there is as the Apostle af­firmes One manner of glory in the Sunne, another of the Moone, another of the Starres; yet what glory the Moone hath [Page 147] or the starres, they receive it for the most part from the Sunne, and all their glory meetes in the Sunne in a full manner: so it is with the crea­tures in heaven, as of Angels and Saints, another of crea­tures under the heaven, yet what glory is found in these creatures they have it from God, and Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse; and meetes in him as in a center of perfe­ction, making one perfect ex­cellencie and excellent per­fection. And now O humane soule, what is there in the world in which thou canst finde these things that are to be found in Christ? why dost thou then wed thy heart to riches, honour, pleasure, thatBern. serm. in iliud. Ecce nos reliquimus om­nia. Anima, in­quit, rationalis caeteris omni­bus occupari potest, repleri non potest. Anima ratio­nalis facta est capax majesta­tis tuae, ut a te solo, & a nullo alio possit re­pleri, Aug. in Soliloq. c. 30. cannot satisfie thy [Page 148] soule, and slightest Christ in whom are treasures of riches, supercoelestiall honour, in­conceiveable pleasures? Why doest thou give Christ the lowest place in thy heart, that deserves the highest? Why puttest thou the creature a­bove the Creator, who at the first gave thee dominion over the creature? What shall I say to perswade thee to for­sake all other lovers, to give entertainement to Christ, that he may espouse himselfe to thy soule? I cannot speake more impressively than in the words of theQuid per multa vagaris, [...]omuncio quae­rendo bona ani­mae tur & cor­poris tui? Ama unum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona, & sufficit: desidera sim­plex bonum, quod est omne bonum & satis est. Aug. vel quisquu est au­ctor. l. de Spit. & Anima. Father. Why doest thou, O man, wander up and downe by many things, by seeking the good of thy soule and body? Love that one God in which are all [Page 149] good things, and it sufficeth: desire that one good which is every good, and it is enough. And now me thinkes I per­ceive some soule, with Agrip­pa, almost perswaded to be a Chri­stian, to accept of Christs of­fer, and willing to match with him, but yet fearing and secretly saying within it selfe, I am afraide that Jesus Christ will not match himselfe with me, who have nothing in mee that may move Christ to love me, and I finde so much de­formity in my soule by sinne, so much filthinesse in my in­ward man, that Christ, I feare, will turne away his eyes from me, as an unfit object of his love. To this I answere, what saw God in his people that might move him to love [Page 150] them. Ezek. 16.5.6. They lay tumbling in their blood, in their filthinesse, and abominati­ons, and then was the time of love when God pittied them, and entred into covenant with them, and they became his owne. It is not with Christ as with a man, in choosing a Spouse: man lookes after proportion and portion: but Christ regards not the soule for any thing in it selfe, for he hath riches and beauty enough for himselfe, and the soule his Spouse too: If the soule hath any riches or righteousnesse of its owne, Christ will not marry him­selfe unto it, and therefore the Apostle affirmes that the Is­raelites going about to esta­blish their owne righteous­nesse, did not submit them­selves [Page 151] to the righteousnesse of God, which is the righteousnesse of Christ layd hold on by faith, Rom. 10.3.4. As therefore Abraham sayd, Gen. 14.23. unto the King of Sodom, that he would not take from him so much as a thread, lest the King of So­dom should say, I have made A­braham rich: so Christ, when he Marries himselfe to any soule, he will not have with it the least righteousnesse of his owne, lest the soule should boast of it selfe, or that it had any riches but what it got by its Marriage with Christ. Therefore in that thou sayest thou art poore, base, blinde, naked, miserable, and wretch­ed, and if withall thou art truely sensible of this thy po­verty, thy filthinesse and [Page 152] wretchednesse, touched also with a deepe apprehension of thine own unworthines to be joyned in Marriage to Christ, thou hast spoke a word ere thou wert aware, that may give thee comfort and hope, that thou art such a one to whom Christ will espouse himselfe: wert thou rich in thine owne conceite as the Church of Laodicea, Non habet quo intret gra­tia, ubi meri­tum occupavit. Bern. in Cantie. Serm. 67. Christ would despise thee, but being vile in thine owne eyes he will sooner regard thee, who useth to fill the hungry with good things, and to send the rich emp­ty away: to resist the proud, but to give grace to the humble: there is nothing that winnes re­spect more from God, than for the soule to bee truely humble. To him will I looke, [Page 153] even to him that is of a contrite and humble spirit: Isaiah. 57.15. I dwell in the humble heart, though God dwells in the highest heavens, yet withall in the lowest heart, and therefore saith Mary: Luk. 1.48. He had respect to the low estate of his hand-maide. Excel­lent is the expression of HolyAltus est Deus, humilis est Christianus. Si vult ut altus Deus v. cine­tur illi, ille humilis sit, magna mysteria, fratres, Deus su­per omnia est. Erigris te & non illum tangis, humilias te, & ipse ad te de­scendit. Aug. in Psal. 34. Augustine to this purpose, God is high, (saith he) a Chri­stian is low, if he desires that the high God should come neare him, let him be lowly. A great mystery: brethren (saith he) God is above all; thou liftest up thy self and yet touchest him not, thou hum­blest thy selfe, and he descends unto thee: so then as Abi­gails speech to David desiring Marriage of her, that she was not worthy to wash the feete [Page 154] of Davids servants; allayed not Davids affection, neither hindred her preferment; nei­ther will thy poverty (if thou beest truly sensible of it) hin­der thy espousing to Christ, who, as theNullum eli­git dignum sed eligendo efficit dignum. Aug. cont. Iuli. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. Father notes, chooseth none worthy of him­self, but by choosing them ma­keth the worthy. To conclud this: it was a good policie in the Gibeonites, Iosh. 9.4, 5, 6. that they might move Ioshuah to enter into covenant with them, they workt wittily, ta­king old sackes upon their Asses, and wine bottles old and rent, old shooes and gar­ments. It would be as good a policie for a poore soule in moving Christ to enter into league and covenant with it, to come unto Christ with an [Page 155] abased, naked and ragged heart, rent in peeces with deepe contrition, and sense of Gods wrath, for this is the most ready way, for the soule to finde favour in the eyes of Christ, whose order is first to deject, then to erect and raise up, first to wound by the sense of misery, and then to heale by the sense of Mercy: first to make the soule apprehen­sive of its owne misery and then to bestow himselfe upon the soule to enrich it.

But in the second place some poore soule may object:Object 2 I am content to be married to Christ, but loath I am to part with such a sinne that affords me so much honour, credit, dignity, and riches.

To this I answere: he that [Page 156] truely accepts of Christ, must take him on his own tearmes, to be the Lord and chiefe Commander of his soule, and the soule must give a bill of divorcement to every sinne, to give entertainement to Christ alone, whereas then the soule pretends a willing­nesse to accept of Christ, and yet withall an unwillingnesse to part with some darling sinne, the reason is because the soule consults with flesh and blood, with corrupt nature, that alwayes (as Ahab sayd of Michaiah in another case) prophesieth evill to the soule, opposing it selfe against the eternall welfare thereof. Ac­cept of me, saith Christ, to be the Bridegroome of thy soule, the soule askes counsell [Page 157] of flesh and blood, whether it should obey in accepting of Christ: refuse saith flesh and blood, wilt thou forsake thy former delights, thy Dalilahs, in whose lap thou hast tooke so many a contentfull sleepe, wilt thou forsake such a way of gaine, which hath beene the maintenance of thy selfe and family? Hereupon the soule resolves upon a plaine deniall, or if not so, yet of an accepting, but not on his owne termes, yet Christ in­deede shall be called the hus­band of the soule, but withall resolves to retaine its sinnes still, which in truth is aequi­valent to a plaine refusall; would the soule then accept of Christ in his owne way, the best direction that can be gi­ven [Page 158] to the soule in such a case is, that it should not consult with flesh and blood and cor­rupt nature in this case, but to doe as Paul did, Gal. 1.16. Who upon Gods call and the Revelation of his Sonne, in him immediately obeyed, and consulted not with flesh and blood. The [...]. Arist. [...]eter. l. 1. c. 9. Philosopher tells us, it is absurd to consult about things that must bee done of necessitie: now there is nothing of greater necessity than for the soule to accept of Christ: doth Christ then offer himselfe unto thee, resolve up­on an immediate embracing of his love. Doth hee bid thee forsake thy sinnes for him, delay not the businesse, consultation and delay in this case is dangerous, we must [Page 159] fight against our affections, saithContra af­fectus non sub­tilitate sed im­petu pugnan­dum est. Seneca, not by subtil­ty of argument, but by force and violence. Our Saviours counsell is good to this pur­pose.Mat. 5.29.30. If thy right eye cause thee to offend pull it out: [...], pull it out, not pick it out, as the Eagle of the vallies doth the eye of her prey by degrees, but pull it out altogether: so if thy right hand cause thee to offend, cut it off, Math. 5.29. & 30. opened. in the originall it is [...], which signifies in the em­phasis of the word, chop it off, not saw it off by degrees, but chop it off, that is on a sudden, cut it off on a sudden, cut off thy sins that are as deare as thy right hand. Would the soule then resolve upon a divorce of sinne for Christ, and upon a peremptory will to roote out [Page 160] all sinne, let it lend no eare to Sathan, or corruption to per­swade and counsell the con­trary, but on a sudden to set upon the worke, and to part with all sinne, and thy worke might be done with lesser difficulty. It is with the soule in this businesse of parting with sinne for Christ, as it is with a boy tenderly bred, that goes to bath himselfe in the River: who if he enters in at some shallow place, and wades deeper and deeper by degrees, hee ever and then shrinkes backe, and is resol­ved to goe no further, being impatient of the coldnesse of the water, at the length out he goes againe, and leapes into the water, and on a sudden hee wets his whole body, and [Page 161] then he feeles no cold. A soule in like manner re­solves to leave its sinnes, and to accept of Christ, it begins to leave this sinne and that sinne, it findes this to be harsh to its corrupt nature to part with these beloved darlings, upon this it beginnes to con­sult with its owne deceitfull and corrupt selfe, whether it should goe on or no; corrupt nature disswads, upon this the soule returnes to its old sinnes againe: the best way for the soule suddenly to part with all sinne, even with the whole bo­dy of sinne, resolving stedfast­ly through the power of an Almighty God, never to commit the least sinne wit­tingly or willingly any more, and the soule being win­ded [Page 162] up to this firme resoluti­on and keeping it selfe so by the power of Gods spirit assi­sting, the divorce of sinne will not be so grievous, the vi­ctory lesse difficult, for when the soule once hath parted with all sinne to accept of Christ; it shall finde that sweetenesse in one houre by Christs presence, that a world of earthly and carnall delights cannot afford in many yeares. Oh then let not the secret de­light in any base and sordid lust keepe thee, O soule, from the right enjoying of thy sweetest Saviour; part with all thy sins in exchange for this precious pearle, and I will assure thee this, that although the parting with thy sinnes may seeme grievous to thee [Page 163] for the present; as the death of Absalon was to David, yet as he lost but a rebellious sonne, so dost thou lose but a treacherous enemie to thy e­ternall good:Gen. 21.12. therefore as God sayd to Abraham concerning the parting with Hagar and her sonne; Let not the thing bee grievous unto thee: no more let this parting with thy sinnes trouble thee, for thou shalt instead of carnall base and sen­suall delight in the enjoying of sinne, have an inconceive­able delight in the enjoying of Iesus Christ, the husband of thy soule, a sippe of which pleasure to be found in Christ will asswage the desire of the best of carnall delights. For as Christ saith concerning the new wine and the old,Luke 5.23, the [Page 164] contrary may be sayd of this new condition of being Mar­ried to Christ, and the old of being in the state of nature. No man having tasted the Old wine, saith Christ, cares for the New, for the old is better than the New: so no true Christian that hath got into this new condition, desires the old a­gaine; none that hath tasted this new wine of pleasure and joy to be found in Christ, de­sires to drink of the old wine of fleshly and wordly de­lights againe: heare the opi­nion ofIllud revera solum est gau­dium quod de creatore conci­pitur, cui com­parata omnis aliundèjucunditas maetor est, omne dulce a­marum est. Bernard, that is onely true joy that is concei­ved of God, to which all o­ther mirth being compared is but sorrow, all other sweete­nesse, griefe and bitternesse. Aske holyPota me domine tor­ente volupta­tis caelestis, ut nil jam munda­norum libeat degustare vene­natae dulcedi­nit. Aug. Augustine and [Page 165] he is of the same opinion, for thus he prayes unto God, Lord give me to drinke of the brooke of heavenly pleasure, that I may ne­ver taste any more of the poyson­some sweetenesse of worldly things: Aske David he is of the same minde, One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand. Last of all, let Christ himselfe be wit­nesse, who affirmes that it was his meate and drinke to doe the Will of his Father in heaven, shewing thereby that what pleasure and delight it is to be hungry and thirsty, to be refreshed with wholesome food, the same delight it was to him, and is to all his mem­bers, to walke in the wayes of God, and in obedience to his Commandements enjoying thereby the peace of Consci­ence [Page 166] in assurance of Gods love which is a continuall feast, and now, O resolute soule for Christ, art thou con­tent to accept of Christ for thy husband upon his owne termes, to be the sole Com­mander of thy heart, art thou content to be subject to him in all his Commands, be they in doing, or in suffering; I will be thy Prophet: Christ Jesus will meete thee and embrace thee for his Spouse, hee will cloath and a­dorne thee with the needle­worke of divers colours, even with the variety of graces, and when the Lord Jesus, the endeared Bridegroome of thy soule, shall come at the Last Day, he will account of thee as a wise Virgin ha­ving [Page 167] the Oyle of Grace in thy Lampe, and thou shalt enter into the Bridegroomes Chamber, there to rest in his Armes and bosome unto all Eternity.