THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB. OR A Treatise concerning the spiritual espousing of Christ, to a believing Soul, wherein the subject is fully handled in the nature of it, in the effects, privileges, symptoms, with the comforts that arise to a believer from this relation, wherein also the excellency of Christ, and many other spiritual truths flowing from the subject are by way discovered.  
By BENJAMIN KING, Minister of God's Word at Flamsteed in Hartford-shire.  Revel. 21.9. Come hither, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. 
LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes, for R.H. 1640.   

TO The Right Worshipful, truly Worthy, and very much honoured Knight and Baronet, St Thomas Barrington, and to his truly virtuous Lady, Grace, Mercy, and Peace from the Fountain.  
Right Worshipful  
MAny are those Relations that Christ the Prince of Peace stands in towards believers, He a Father, they his children, he a Shepherd, they his sheep, he an head, they his members, he a King, they his Subjects, he a Lord, they his Servants, he a general, they his Soldiers, he an husband, they his spouse; and amongst all these relations, not one enricheth the believing heart with more heavenly consolation than this, of being a husband to his Church, for by this the believer becomes assured of all things his heart can desire, of Communion with Christ, of protection, preservation, maintenance, spiritual and temporal, yea of heaven itself Christ's spouses' jointure: of this most comfortable subject I have published this small treatise, and the cause enforcing me to the publication thereof, was the earnest request of some special and near friends, whose affections were much moved with the Subject handled in the Pulpit: to satisfy their desire (being no less to me than a command) and for the comfort and Edification of God's Church, I have endeavoured to publish the notes somewhat more fully handled than in the Pulpit, hoping that none will despise Timothy for his Youth, considering that out of the mouth of Babes the praise of God is perfected. Although I want not some private respects to enforce me to dedicate this my labour unto your Worships, as that I may give some open testification of my grateful mind to you both, for those personal favour received, yet the chiefest reason was because this Treatise seems to be due to you both, who are joined together not only in the common bonds of Matrimony, but as Aquila and Priscylla, Zacharie and Elizabeth married together in the Lord and to the Lord Jesus, as to one Husband: this relation to Jesus Christ appears by that high respect you show to the spokesmen and faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, by your Piety and Zeal for the honour of the Lord jesus. Let Caesar and Pompey contend for superiority in fading and vanishing greatness. Let your Worships contend with an holy ambition for the obtaining and retaining of God's favour, and an humble acquaintance and communion with his heavenly highness, by keeping Faith and a pure Conscience.  
Let the men of this world, whose sole portion is in this life, glory that they are crowned with a concurrence of present felicities. Let your Worship's glory be, that together with a confluence of worldly contentments, the God of heaven hath crowned you with his Mercy and Grace in Christ, and esteem it your chiefest Honour that God hath made you Honourable with the Bereans for your love to the truth; with jabez for your Piety and Devotion, and that he hath made you Noble with Theophilus for your love to God, his People, his Laws, his Cause, which love of truth, piety, and devotion; love to God and his cause, shall give a lustre to all your other greatness, and shall be able in the day of trial and account, to make you stand like an unmoveable Rock with triumphing confidence before the terror of the last day, when all other worldly greatness without the former shall shrink in the wetting, and shall wish itself so little it could not be seen; in that shall call to the Mountains to fall upon it and to cover it. The great God of heaven and earth, replenish your Noble hearts with a daily increase of heavenly hordes of Grace, and treasures of Comforts in the practice of Holiness, and perseverance in well doing, which may give you an earnest of those inexhaustible treasures of joy and happiness, reserved in the highest heavens for all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, this shall be the daily prayer of him who humbly desires to be accounted  
Your Worship's truest friend and servant for the good of your Souls: BENJAMIN KING.   

THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB.  Hosea 2.20. I will betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness. 
THe sweetest music consists of discords. It is so with the Harmony of God's Word in general, and 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, thundering in his Judgement; in the latter part as upon Mount Zion, alluring in many sweet and Evangelicall promises, of which his text is the summary and Epitome of the rest. I will betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness. The matter included in this text is this.  
That there is a spiritual betrothing of Christ unto every truly believing soul, which will more fully appear, if we consider these three particulars.  
First the precedent of this spiritual Marriage.  
Secondly, the nature and essence of it, or the particulars wherein it consisteth.  
3. The Consequents of it.  
The precedent of this spiritual Marriage, which is this; that before Christ vouchsafeth to espouse himself to any soul, there must be a separation betwixt that soul and every beloved sin; as the woman must bury her former husband before she can be married to another: so the Soul must bury all former beloved sins, that it may be betrothed to Christ. Every Christian before the act of this spiritual betrothing is wedded to one sin or another, which walks with him in the day, sleeps with him in the night, that lies in his bosom, and is as dear to him as his wife, but before Christ espouseth himself unto that soul, there must be a bill of divorcement drawn betwixt it, and all other darling sins, and endeared corruptions to give entertainment to Christ alone. The Harlot could be content the living child should be divided. 1 King. 3.26. whereas the true mother of the child had rather part with all the child, than to have the child divided. The Devil like the Harlot can be content to have half the heart, because he knows, if he hath half the heart, by this means he shall enjoy the whole; but Christ like the true mother of the Child, 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 himself to any soul, requires there should be a divorcement of all sin to give entertainment to himself alone, this is expressed by the Psalmist, Psal. 45.11.12. Harken O daughter and consider, incline thine ear: forget also thine own people, and thy Father's house. So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty, for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou him: Our Prophet, v. 16. of this chapter, shows the truth of this, that Christ in his love will permit no corrival: 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 Idol, now God doth so abhor that an Idol should have the least communication and corrivality with him, that he would not be called by the name of an Idol, so offensive is the very name of another lover unto him. So Hosea 14.8. Ephraim being once espoused to God, cries out, what have I to do any more with Idols: so the Apostle persuading the Romans to put on the Lord jesus Christ, he bids them first to abjure surfeiting and drunkenness, chanbering and wantonness, and so to put on the Lord jesus Christ.  
Consider the nature and essence of this spiritual marriage, and the particulars wherein it doth consist, which are three. First in that near and intimate conjunction, that is betwixt Christ and every believing soul, which is so great and intimate, that Christ and a believer are said to be one: Ephes. 5.32. they two shall be one flesh, this is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and his Church, saith the Apostle. Now this union is not a mere notional and intellectual union, that consists only in the understanding, and without the understanding is nothing, nor yet a conjunction of affection only, as jonathan and David are said to have one soul and heart, but it is a true and real union; nor yet such a real union as if there was an union of substance and person, for so many believers there are, so many distinct persons there are, and all distinct from the person of Christ and his Godhead, which is incommunicable; but this union is a real, mystical, and spiritual union, caused two ways.  
First in regard of Christ by his spirit.  
Secondly, in regard of us by a true, vivifical, and justifying faith.  
First on Christ's part, by his Spirit, for as in the members of the body they are all distinct amongst themselves, and do all differ from the head, yet ab unâ eadémque formâ informante, from one and the same soul informing the head and all the members, all they are made one compositum. So it is with Christ and believers: believers are distinct persons and distinct from the person of Christ, yet by one and the same Spirit, abiding in Christ and believers they become one, this the Apostle intimates, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit, so Saint john that Disciple that leaned on Christ's breasts, and thence sucked many a spiritual truth, makes the participation of the Spirit an evidence of Christ's abiding in believers, and of their abiding in Christ, 1 john 3.24.  
Secondly, this union is caused on believers part by the grace of faith, so saith the Prophet, I will betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness, some would have this word faithfulness referred to God, and so to note the truth of God's promise of espousing himself unto his Church, but others better take this word faithfulness, to note the grace of justifying faith; for I find the word here used in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be referred to the saving faith of the just, Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by his own faith, so that the meaning of the Prophet in this place is this: whereas verse 19 he saith in regard of God, this espousing is in justice and mercy, so on believers part, it must be in faith and obedience, so that it is faith which is the applicatory instrument of this great benefit of this spiritual Marriage; for God will so espouse himself in justice and mercy, as that the believer must receive this grace by faith.  
This spiritual betrothing consists in that mutual covenant that is made betwixt Christ and a believer, in the day of their espousals, Ezek. 16.8. I entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord, and thou becamest mine, which covenant is that Christ will be to the soul a loving and careful husband, and the soul must be to Christ a morigerous and an obedient spouse, this mutual covenant the Apostle expresseth fully, Ephes. 5.24.25, Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved his Church, there is the covenant on Christ's part: Wives be subject to your husbands as the Church is subject unto Christ; there is the covenant on the believers part: this covenant is expressed by this Prophet, verse last: I will be your God and ye my people.  
It consists in that reciprocal interest that Christ claims in a believer and a believer in Christ, Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his: my beloved is mine, there is the believers interest in Christ, and I am his, there is Christ's interest in a believer. A believer doth not by faith so lay hold on Christ as a man with his hand lays hold on a Pillar or tree, for a man may lay hold on a tree, and the tree never lay hold on him again; but he lays hold on Christ so by faith, that by the same act of faith he is apprehended by Christ again: 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 jesus: here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an apprehending and a being apprehended of Christ, and therefore this mutual apprehending of a believer by Christ, and of Christ by a believer, is lively expressed by the metaphor of kissing and saluting, Cant. 1.2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips; here the Church would have Christ to kiss her. Psal. 2. ult. Kiss the Son: here Christ desires a kiss of his Church; in this saluting and kissing, there is a mutual embracing and touching of one another, this expresseth the manner of the work of faith in apprehending Christ, for by faith the soul so embraceth Christ that by the same Act of faith it is embraced by Christ again, this is that mutual interest as the believing soul challengeth Christ to be its Bridsgroom, so it gives Christ an interest in itself to be his faithful and obedient spouse, and this distinguisheth the falls spouse of Christ from the true spouse: there is never an hypocrite and nominal Christian, that hath no more of Christianity than the outside and title, but he will be ready to claim 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 avail 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 wonderful works: here is a fair interest in Christ pretended, but Christ disclaims them as having no interest in them: I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity. But it is otherwise with the true Christian and sincere believer: as he is able to say that Christ is his Saviour, Lord, and Bridsgroom, so is he able to affirm by the Testimony of his Conscience, that Christ hath interest in him as his obedient servant and faithful spouse, thus we see the particulars, wherein this spiritual Marriage doth consist.  
This spiritual Marriage will further appear, if in the third place we consider the consequents of this spiritual espousing. The consequents are of two kinds. First, some are mutual and reciprocal betwixt Christ and believers. Secondly, some are proper and peculiar either to Christ, or to his Church and believers. 1. the mutual and reciprocal consequents betwixt Christ and believers are these. The first is that mutual delight and content that Christ takes in his Spouse, and his Spouse in Christ. This the Prophet Isaiah expresseth on God's 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 Bridsgroom rejoiceth over his Bride; so the Lord would rejoice over his people: this delight is so great that Christ takes in his Spouse, that Christ affirms he was ravished in his heart by his Spouse, Cant. 4.9. and acknowledgeth himself to be bound in her galleries. Cant. 7.5. That is tied in bonds of love towards his Spouse: and as Christ delights thus in his Spouse, so the satisfied soul delights in Christ, and that many ways. First in the contemplation of his person, his beauty and comeliness, Cant. 5.10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand. Secondly, Christ's Spouse delights in his presence. Cant. 2.3. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. So David makes this his chief desire, and his only desire to dwell in the house of God. Psal. 27.4. and this he desires that he may behold the beauty of the Lord. Thirdly, Christ's spouse delights in hearing her bridsgroomes' voice. Cant. 2.8. It is the voice of my beloved. This is the Church's acclamation for joy at the hearing of Christ's voice, the word of Grace and the Gospel. Christ gives this as an eare-marke to his sheep; My sheep hear my voice, and follow me, john 10.3.4. and the Baptist makes this a sign of a friend to the Bridsgroom that he standeth by and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridesgroomes' voice. john 3.29. Fourthly, Christ's Spouse delights in his Laws: His delight (saith David) is in the Law of God, speaking of the blessed man. Psal. 1.2. Thy Laws are my delight, my Counselors, sweeter than the Honey and the Honey comb, dearer than thousands of gold and silver. Psal. 119. Lastly a believer delights in communing with Christ and speaking unto him in prayer: hear what sweet expressions have proceeded from a sanctified soul. Lord I have loved the habitation of thine house: I was glad when they said, let us go to the house of the Lord, which is the house of prayer.  
The second consequent of this spiritual marriage that is mutual betwixt Christ and his spouse, is cohabitation, 
(a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. Eth●c. l. 8. c. 5.  a cohabitation is necessary to the making & conserving of true friendship, much more to the preservation of conjugal affection, therefore 
(b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. lib. 2. Oeconomic. c. 2.  Aristotle thinketh nothing to be more due to be performed of an husband to his wise, than an holy society: this blessed society is maintained betwixt Christ and his spouse, expressed by Christ. john 15.4. Abide in me, and I in you, and by his Disciple whom he loved. 1 john 3. ult. He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. This society is performed on Christ's part when he is present by his spirit in the Temple of the believers 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, but he would come unto them and be with them to the end of the world, though not in his personal presence, yet by the Comforter his holy spirit; again this mutual society is performed on the soul's part with Christ, whilst the soul with Henoch and Noah walks with God, having God always before its eyes, always awed with an apprehension of his glorious presence, conforming itself to his will in all things, often hearing him speak 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 consequent.  
A third consequent mutual betwixt Christ and a believer, is a mutual bearing of one another's burden, 
(c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. 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 domestic affairs and businesses to be done within doors, and thus hath the wise disposer of all things appointed man and wife their several employments agreeable to their several sexes and distinct conditions. Solomon speaking of the wife, saith that she should be as the pleasant Hind and young Roe, now, as 
(d) Cervi & 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 stabilitatem. Aug. q. ●1.  Augustine notes, the Hart and Hind are serviceable, one to another in bearing one another's burden. It is so with Christ and his Church, he takes the burden off his Spouse, and lays it upon himself, and gives his Spouse a command to take upon her his yoke. Math. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you, here Christ beateth the yoke of his spouse, v. 29. Take my yoke upon you, here Christ enjoineth his spouse to take up his yoke as he hath borne here; the yoke that Christ beareth for his spouse, is the yoke of sin, and the burden of God's wrath under which all the creatures in heaven, and upon earth, would have sunk down to have undergone, therefore Christ both God and man undertakes to bear it for his spouse, and the burden and yoke that Christ imposeth on his spouse to bear is the yoke of obedience, called Christ's yoke, because he himself hath borne it, he himself enjoins it, 
(e) Is dat quimandat, qui jubet, illo juvat.  and he himself supports his spouse in bearing of it, this yoke of Christ doth his spouse willingly bear in performing universal, cheerful, sincere and constant obedience to all Christ's 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 for his own sake.  
The fourth consequent of this spiritual marriage of Christ and his Spouse, is that mutual adhaering and cleaving to one another in ardency of 
(f) Quam 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 believer 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, Christ's love is the preventing love, and this magnifies the love of Christ; it is a chief porperty of great love when it is 
(g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 2. Rhet. c. 9  preventing and therefore the Apostle john calls it love indeed that Christ loved us first.  
Secondly, Christ's love differs and exceeds the love of his Spouse in degree, he being the fountain of love, and the love of a Christian but a stream flowing from that fountain, he the Son of Righteousness. Mal. 4.2. From whom the beams of mercies flow daily upon the hearts of his beloved ones; their love being but a beam coming from that Son, therefore God is said to be love itself in the abstract, in regard of the transcendency of his love surpassing the love of all. Thirdly, Christ's 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 spark kindled by the fire of God's Spirit and the fervency of his affection to a Christian: the heat that is in the inferior region of the air, is nothing but an effect of the reverberation of the beams of the Sun upon the earth, the heat of a Christians heart that burns within him, with a love and zeal to the Lord Jesus, is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sun beams of Christ's mercies shed abroad in the heart of a believer. Our  in the morning receive heat first from our bodies, but being heated by our bodies, they keep our bodies warm all the day following: A Christians heart must first be clothed with the sun of righteousness, and so warmed with his beams, being but once throughly warmed, it ever after glows within towards Christ in love again: now as Christ bears a love to a Christian fare exceeding the love of the fondest Bridsgrome to his endeared Spouse, so there is a retaliating affection in every believing soul towards Christ. We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heat, as to imagine Christ's love bestowed upon a soul without this affection in the heart, to whom Christ hath made his love known by betrothing himself. 
(h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4.  Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved again: And again in another place affirms that to be true friendship where love is 
(i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 2. magni. moral. c. 11.  reciprocal, if then love amongst friends be mutual much more betwixt 
(k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 2. Oeconomie. c. 2.  man and wife, betwixt Christ and his Spouse, the very name of Bridsgroom calls for love. 
(l) Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio.  It is the observation of a Father, sometimes God calls himself 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 filial fear in the hearts of his children, he calls himself by the name of a Father. If I be a Father where is my fear? when he would produce homage and service in his servants he calls himself by the name of a Lord. If I be your Master and Lord, where is me honour and service? When he would beget love and affection in them he styles himself a Bridsgroom. If I be a Bridsgroom where is my love? Now this love that a Christian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ, hath several distinct properties, whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ.  
First, it is such a love that will drive the soul to sickness in case the thing loved be delayed. Conticles cap. 1. vers. 5. I am sick of love, saith the Church concerning Christ her Bridsgrome: this sickness of the soul for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for desire of Christ, whom the soul loveth, this the wise man expresseth, Pro. 13.12. Hope deferred, maketh the heart sick, now the soul hoping for those soule-transporting pleasures to be found in the apprehension of Christ's favour and sense of his presence, and yet obtains not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soul, upon this the heart gins to faint and languish, and to be sick of love: the desire of a Christian towards Christ is not any faint and remiss desire, but a longing desire, such a desire that stretcheth the affection to the highest strain, 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 denial of the thing desired: as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed, as fainting, sounding, languishing, it is so in spiritual longing for Christ, the soul thirsting for Christ, and finding him not, falls a sounding, fainting and grows to a kind of Spiritual sickness for love and desire of Christ.  
This love is a kind of doting love that carries the soul to a spiritual 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 he said, saith the text, Mark 9.6. So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven, he speaks like a man besides himself for the present. 2 Corinth. 12.2.3. and 5. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, 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 tell, God knoweth. verse 5. Of such an one will I glory, of myself I will not glory: here we see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kind of spiritual distraction in love to Christ, and heaven, whereunto he was caught.  
This love in the third place is a 
(m) 
Amat 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 believing soul cleaves unto Christ for himself and those glorious excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ, this property distinguisheth it from that 
(n) Cave anima, ne, quod absit, meretrix dicaris, si munera dantis plus quam amantis affectum diligis. Aug. medit. l. 2. c. 4.  meretritious and mercenary love in worldlings, that follow Christ as Christ upbraided some of the same stamp for the fishes and bread wherewith he fed them. john 6.26. This hired love the 
(o) Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium, si quaerit singere quod non est, ut in job. quanto magis objicere quod est? Aug. de temp. Serm. 234.  Devils objected against jobs sincerity; Doth job fear God for nought? but job cleaving to God upon the dunghill, and in the lowest condition, proved the Devil in that particular as he was from the beginning, to be a liar.  
The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroom of his soul is, that it is a strong and peremptory love; it will carry a Christian through all 
(p) Amemus 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 straits to Christ. The love of Rachel carried jacob through 14. years of hard service, the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Laban's service had in it. Cant. 8.6.7. It is said to be as strong as death, that conquers the greatest giant and the mightiest Monarch: zeal, that is, love inflamed is as inexorable as hell itself, it is said to have fiery coals that pierce the heart, which fiery coals 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 pleasure in a toil as in hunting, running, leaping, ringing, wrestling, 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 seem as beds of Roses? but love. What made the Disciples to forsake all? but Christ, and that love they bear to him. What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison, and the Apostles to return from the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ? but love to Christ. What made the renowned Champion Stephen valiant in the midst of death? but the sight of the Son of God, standing at the right hand of his father, and I am persuaded that if it had been offered to Stephen that he should have been delivered from his present pain, upon condition he should have been 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 read of those strong ones in faith though weak in sex, they would not accept of deliverance in the midst of their torturings that they might obtain a better resurrection. Heb. 11.35. To conclude this, Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peers of hell itself. Rom. 8.35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? as if he had said, 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 be found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus.  
The fifth property, the love of Christ's Spouse is a bountiful love, this the Apostle. 1 Cor. 13.4. makes a property of true Charity, that it is bountiful: 
(q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. Ethic. l. 8. c. 13.  bounty is the fruit of love, and it is exercised towards any thing according to love: if a man love his body, nothing is thought too dainty to feed it, too gorgeous to  it; if a man love his pleasure, nothing is counted too dear to maintain it: so where there is any true conjugal affection in a Christian heart, that heart will relish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ, it will down with frequent prayer, humble and daily confession of sin, zealous and Godly walking with God, sincere universal, and constant obedience to Christ, though it be with the parting of the most dear beloved sins, that soul will think no tears of repentance, no hearing, reading, singing, no duties public or private too much, whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced, and its love to Christ better expressed. Luke 7.47. Marry Magdalen is said to love much, and this her great love was expressed to Christ, by her bounty in washing his feet, in anointing his head, in wiping his feet with the hairs of her head, and Christ himself accepts of her washing, anointing, kissing and all other of her acts of bounty, as Characters of her great inward affection.  
The sixth property of this love is that it is entire, as Moses his serpent devoured all other serpents, because his serpent was from God, so the love of God being from God eats and consumes the love of all things besides, as it is said of joseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court, and in the land of Egypt than himself, the like may be said of Christ in a believing heart, there is none greater than Christ, he is the Pilot that governs the ship, the King that governs the whole man, the Master and Lord that keeps the house of a sanctified heart, to whom, as King and Lord, all the powers of the whole man submit, all do homage, all perform respect, fear, and love, and if there be love bestowed upon any other thing besides Christ, as upon ourselves and our neighbours, yet it is for Christ's sake and in subordination to him, whom to love in due measure, is to love without measure.  
The seventh property of a Christians souls love to Christ is, that it is a constant love, it is no great matter to profess 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 conjugal. The young man in the Gospel made many shows of his love to Christ, but when Christ bade him go and sell all that he had, he went away sorrowful. The Rulers many of them professed fair love to Christ, but yet when it came to this pass, that they which confessed Christ must be cast out of the Synagogue, 
john 12.42.  they would not confess him any longer, so that it is constancy in our love to Christ that proves our love to be a true conjugal affection. Thus much of the consequents of this spiritual marriage, which are mutual betwixt Christ and his spouse, the consequents that are proper and peculiar follow, and these are either  
Such as are exparte sponsi, on Christ's part.  
Such as ere ex parte sponsae, on a believers part.  
First, such as are on Christ's part, which are two, 1. A communication of secrets. 2. A communication of goods. First a communication of secrets: 
The 1. consequent on Christ's part.  Christ will communicate those secrets to a believing soul espoused unto him, that he will not communicate to a stranger: a man will communicate much to his friend according to the Proverb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: All things amongst friends are common, but much more will a man communicate to the wife of his bosom: Dalilah, Sampsons' wife could get the meaning of the riddle out of Samson, that all the Philistines could not find out: so is the Spouse of Christ privy 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 fear 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 showeth, Isay 26.20. Come my people, enter into my chamber: so chambers are places of greatest secrecy, hence in Scripture they are called privy 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 but to make her privy to his secrets, for this privilege our blessed Saviour broke forth into a Doxology unto his father. Mat. 11.25. I thank 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 he will not communicate to a soul that is not married to him? 
Solution.   

(r) 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 seen, neither ear 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 sin, the most blessed news and most joyful tidings that can come to the soul of a reasonable creature, when the soul with Heman, Psal. 88.7. lieth crying day and night under the indignation of the Lord, with David roaring for very disquietness of Spirit, with job the arrows of the Lord drinking us its spirit, then for Christ to whisper unto the soul in secret by his Spirit, and to say unto it, Spouse be of good comfort, Thy sins are forgiven thee, this is a secret Christ will communicate to none, but unto his spouse.  
But some may say, how may a poor soul know whether this voice of Christ by his spirit be not a delusion of Satan?  
Answ. It is true that the devil can suggest falsely into his own children, what Christ in truth suggests into the hearts of his own people, and that often he can counterferfeite this testimony of the Spirit concerning the pardon of sin, putting in thoughts of comfort, mercy and remission of sin, and of peace to the soul, when God makes himself ready for War. But by this may Christ's voice comforting the soul be known from Satan's flatteries and false persuasions, 
How Christ's voice is known from Satan's illusion, concerning the pardon of sin.  from the time and condition the soul is in, when these thoughts of Mercy and tidings of pardon of sin come unto the soul, if the soul (as before) be in a disconsolate condition by reason of the sense of the burden of sin, and deep apprehension of God's wrath, then for the soul to receive comfort, and to entertain thoughts of mercy, lifting up the soul as it were from the gates of hell, to the suburbs of heaven; this is a good sign it is the work of Christ and his voice by his Spirit communicating this secret of mercy and pardon of sin, because this is against the policy of Satan to comfort the soul, and to lift it up when it is in sinking through the sense of God's wrath, but on the contrary, his ordinary course is when the soul is in heaviness, dejection and anguish, and inclining to desperation, to follow the soul close, to drive it into the further degree of despair, till it be swallowed up of it. But if the soul shall have thoughts of mercy, and assurance of salvation suggested into it, when it hath never felt the burden of sin, the spirit of bondage, never been truly humbled for sin, this is a sign of an illusion of Satan to drive the soul to perish by presumption, which is a more frequent Rock, against which the soul splits itself, than desperation.  
The second secret is the experimental knowledge of the work of regeneration, a secret and mystery that few are privy unto. Nicodemus though a teacher in Israel, yet ignorant in this point till Christ instructed him in it, and at Christ's first relating of it unto him it seemed a 
(s) What 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 progeny of God and his Church, no other parents but such as beget earthly children to a natural life, etc. D. Taylor on Tit. p. 65.  riddle unto him, till Christ shown him how, and in what manner it was wrought, john 3.4.5. Many can talk of the dangers of War, of the wonders of the Sea, of the Indies and remote places, who yet never were in war, upon the sea, or in any  Countries, but they that have been in hot skirmishes of war, that have gone down into the deep, and occupied ships in the great waters, they that have seen the Indies and remote places; have bought their knowledge at a dear rate of hard labour, great danger and long travail, the difference of these is this, the one know by hearsay, by reading, and the like, the other by experience: it is so in present case, we may hear one speaking of regeneration, another disputing of it, and both ignorant of it in regard of any experimental knowledge, but the true Christians knowledge of the work of grace is experimental, he can tell the method that God used in the new framing and regenerating of his heart. First that God humbled him by the terror of the Law, and so unbottomed his heart, and took him off on himself, by a thorough conviction of his lost condition out of Christ, that God broke his heart in pieces by the hammer of his Word, and threatening of the Law, that then he thawed and dissolved his frozen heart, by the sweet Evangelicall promises, and those comfortable Revelations of the Lord Jesus, the Lord of life, unto his soul, that he then form Christ day by day, mortifying his sin by degrees, and every day giving the soul a greater measure of inward quickening and vivification to the life of holiness and righteousness; this secret work of regeneration, Christ communicates only to his Spouse.  
But how shall I know may some say, Quest. whether Christ hath commonicated this secret work of regeneration to me or not?  
Answ. There are many things that go for regeneration in the world that are no more true regeneration than the picture that Michal laid in the bed for David was like unto David, whereby she would have deluded the messengers of Saul, as morality, cessation from grosser sins, partial obedience and the like; all which and many are but fair colours to paint over an unregenerate 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 kill of sin at the root, these but like so many loppings and plashing of sin in the branches, regeneration is a metamorphosing of the heart, these but changes of the outward conversation in some measure, again these differ from regeneration in the cause. Civil honesty, cessation of gross sins, partial obedience and the like, may proceed first from education, as they did who lived in Luther's time, became Lutherans: so many being stems growing of a religious stock, brought up under careful and religious Masters, tutors, and guardians, are many times civilised, and yet made not at all acquainted with the secret work of man's regeneration, than that which goes any further than the outward carriage and conversation. Secondly, cessation from gross sins may proceed from a natural kind of conscience that may be 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 kind of fornication. Abimelech an Heathen abstained from Sarah, Abraham's 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 go against the Commandment of the Lord for an house full of gold and silver; so Hazael 2 King. 8.13. Is thy servant a dog that I should do this thing; he abhors it at the first hearing as an horrid wickedness, becoming a dog better than a man: by all which instances it appears that a man may abstain from many gross sins, out of a natural and carnal conscience, whereas regeneration brings reformation from a conscience purified and sprinkled with the blood of Christ. These things to wit morality, etc. 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 
(t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 1. Pol. c. 2.  savage than the Bear, more truculent than the Tiger, more cruel than the Wolf of the morning, more brutish than the beasts of the Forest. These may proceed in the fourth place from fear of the loss of reputation, men are loath to be counted the scum of the world, the raffle of the people, the basest of their generation, hence the fear of disgrace sways their hearts to a more restrained life, from the grosser pollutions of the world, but regeneration proceeds from other principles, not merely from education (though that is a means many times appointed by God to further it) not from ingenuity of nature, fear of ignominy, but from the work of God's Spirit, opening the eyes of the understanding, ransacking the conscience, and laying it naked, subjugating the rebellious will, turning the streams of the affections into the right channels, and upon the right objects, purifying and cleansing the whole man in all the powers of the soul and members of the body, this secret work that is known to few doth Christ acquaint his Spouse with all, that the Spouse is able to say concerning the recovery of Spiritual sight, and other parts of regeneration, as the blind man of his corporal fight. 
john 9.25.  One thing I know and that by experience, that I was blind in my soul and now I see, that I was dead in sin, but now I am alive and borne again unto God.  
The third secret that Christ reveals unto his spouse is the deformity of sin; man in state of nature looks upon sin not as it is in itself, the greatest evil, but as it hath the form of some counterfeit good; for as the Devil can transform himself into an Angel of light, so can he transform his works, and put on them a fair gloss, to make them more vendible commodities to vent to the men of this world in exchange for their precious souls: neither is the Devil more ready to deceive, than man subject to be deceived in his view and judging of sin, as the 
(o) Voluntatis propensi autoritatem vitiis quaerit, & quod malum est bonum aut bono proximum esse fuadet. Aug. Serm. 12. de Tempore.  Father observes, persuading himself that the sin he is tempted unto is either no evil, or not so great an evil as really it is. 
(w) Hypocrite vitrum ponit loco veri margariti. Ifidorus Pelien siot. l. 2. Epist. 24.  An hypocrite (as one well observeth) puts a glass in place of a pearl, that is, sheweth forth his counterfeit and worthless performances as if they were precious things, and if he hath committed sin, with the harlot he wipeth his mouth, saying what evil have I done? but when Christ once espouseth himself unto a soul, he takes off the fair colours wherewith sin hath shadowed itself withal, and presents him to the soul in its own proper shape and ugly hue: so as the Prophet Ahijah, 1 King. 14.6. discovered the wife of jeroboam disguised, so the soul endued with the Spirit of Christ can discern the deformity of sin though never so cunningly and curiously disguised by the Art of Satan: from this true sight of sin, ariseth that detestation of sin in the heart of a Christian, that he thinks it a more fearful sight to behold the horrid face of sin committed in his soul, than to behold the Lake of Brimstone in the lowest hell: hence was it that holy 
(x) Et 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 be a truth that he would daily Preach. That it was a more bitter and intolerable thing to offend Christ than to be tormented with the flames of hell itself.  
The fourth secret that Christ communicates to his Spouse is the vanity and emptiness of the Creatures. Man looks upon the world, and the vanity thereof as a glorious and amiable object, he looks upon worldly things as his substance, his profit, his glory, but Christ shows unto his Spouse that riches in stead of being glorious, are but as thick clay. 
Hab. 2.6. opened in what regard riches compared to clay.  Hab. 2.6. which is, first a common thing at every man's door: secondly, a soiling 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 fly away. Again Christ showeth his spouse that worldly things are not substance but shadows, Psal. 39.6. not profits but losses being compared with the true gain, Luke 16.11.12. A natural man prizeth pleasure as his great Diana, preferment as the top of happiness, but Christ's Spouse is acquainted with this secret by her husband, that the one is vanity, and the other but a spider's web. He that is unskilful in the Arts and Sciences and looks upon the earth, thinks 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 knows upon infallible demonstrations, that the body of the earth is but like a 
(y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 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; look upon earthly things, he admires them for their excellency; 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, he finds them being weighed with these to be lighter than vanity itself. Let Paul be judge, who accounted all things but dung in regard of Christ.  
The fifth secret is the excellency of Christ. Mark. 4.11. Christ tells his Disciples that to them it was given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; but to them that were without all things were done in Parables, that seeing they might not see, etc. a natural 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 blind cannot see any of them: it is so with the natural man in regard of the Son of Righteousness.  
First, there is abundance of light, beauty, glory, heat, refreshing, and reviving virtue in Christ, yet none of these can the natural man see. Cant. 5.9. There are some that asks Christ's Spouse what she saw in her beloved, that made her sick of love, thereby intimating that they for their parts saw no such amiableness in him, but the spouse answers that she saw something in him that did attract her heart to him, My beloved saith she, is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand: though the men of the world see nothing in Christ  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 Son of God, and so perceiving salvation by him alone. Christ tells him that flesh and blood had not revealed that unto him, but his Father which is in heaven, the excellencies in Christ discerned only of the Saints, are prised and desired only of them, hence was it that Peter desired to abide in Christ's presence; Lord whether shall we go? thou hast the Words of eternal life: and having but a taste of Christ's excellency and glory in the transfiguration, he cried, It is good to be here. Peter had been in many excellent places for pleasure and delight, but never said before, It is good to be here: forgetting wife, lands, and living he cries. It is good to be here, so sweet is the presence of the Lord Jesus, especially when the soul obtains a sight of his excellencies.  
A sixth secret is the gain of godliness, a secret that the worldling is ignorant of, that counts gain to be Godliness, as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 6. A man of this world thinks there is no profit but in purchasing of Lands and revenues, no honour but in the favour of earthly Potentates, no beauty but that of the body, no pleasure but in Epicurism, surfeiting, drunkenness, chambering, and wantonness; but Christ shows his spouse again in godliness. Secondly, honour in being in favour at the Court of heaven. Thirdly, beauty in grace: and lastly pleasure in walking in the ways of God. First, Christ shows his Spouse a gain in godliness, this Christ had taught blessed Paul: 
Phil. 3.7.  those things that were gain to him he counted loss for Christ, Christ being sufficient gain to him as he avoucheth, 
Phil. 1.21.  For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Secondly, honour in the favour of God, this the Psalmist was acquainted withal. Psal. 149.9. concluding the Psalm with this Epiphonema: Such honour have all his Saints. This Saint Luke knew well, who styles 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 he desired rather to be a door keeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of the ungodly. Thirdly, Beauty in grace, 
(q) Non deformitate corporis animius faedatur sed pulchritudine animi ● corpus ornatur. Senica.  this secret Solomon knew when he affirms Eccles. 8.1. Wisdom maketh the face to shine. Lastly, pleasure in the ways of God, and the paths of righteousness: this Solomon avoucheth, Prov. 3.17. The ways of Wisdom are pleasantness, and all her paths peace, this David witnesseth, Psal. 119. Thy testimonies are my delight, sweeter unto me than the honey and honey comb: to this purpose cried holy Augustine; 
O luxuriose ubi major delectatio quam in Gemmè dulcissimo deo, Aug.  O thou luxurious fellow, where is there greater pleasure to be found than in the sweetest God, and in his service; this mystery cannot enter into the heart of a naturallman, that there should be such pleasure in the ways of God, 
Tam amant legem quam homicida carcerem.  who ordinarily loves the house of God, and the Laws of God as a Murderer doth the prison: as Luther was wont to say: a natural man finds no more sweetness in Christ and his ways, than there is taste in the white of an egg. job 6.6. or than Barzillai found in the meat that King David would have given him to eat, 2 Sam. 19.35. but the Spouse of Christ having had a taste of God's goodness, and an experimental relish of the ways of God, and the pleasures thereof, affirms of God's service in general, as David did of his service in God's house; One day in God's Courts are better than a thousand. So that as Christ said to his Disciples: he had bread they knew not of, which was to do the will of his Father in heaven, the like may a believer say to a worldly and sinful man, he hath meat and drink, pleasure and recreation that they know not of, neither did ever taste, which is to do the will, and walk in the paths of Christ his Lord and husband.  
A seventh secret is a taste of the joy of heaven, as the wicked taste of hell before they come into the local place thereof, by most dreadful horrors of Conscience which are as flashes of that inconceiveably tormenting fire of the Tophet, that is prepared for the devil and his angels: so the godly many times have a taste of that inutterable and infinitely delightful joy in heaven, before they take full possession thereof: the spies that went into Canaan brought bacl with them some clusters of Grapes, to show the fruitfulness of the land. Christ in like manner gives the soul some clusters of Grapes, some taste of that goodness of Canaan above, that his Spouse feeling the delight of that Country, may not desire any continuing City here, but look 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 when the heavens were opened and he saw the Son of God standing on the right hand of his Father, which extraordinary revelations with all other Euthusiasmes, anabaptistical dreams and fancies, God communicates not to his Saints in this latter age of the world: therefore a second and ordinary way whereby God shows the soul a sight of heaven, and a taste of the pleasure thereof is by the eye of faith, by the assurance of Salvation, by the witness of the Spirit with our own Spirit, by giving the soul such an inward sense and feeling of his favour, and such a steadfast hope upon  grounds of heaven, by beginning heavenly Music by of a good conscience, and by raising up the soul by the unspeakable peace of God, and joy of the Holyghost: by these and the like means doth God give the soul 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 jointure that he will install his spouse into.  

The second consequent on Christ's part.  The second consequent on Christ's 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 the 
(a) Anima 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 Table, one bed, one flesh: the goods that Christ communicates to his Spouse are of three sorts. First external, there is communication of outward comforts so fare forth as shall conduce to his own glory and the good of his spouse. Hosea 2.21. In that day, to wit of his marriage with his people, I will hear the heavens, the heavens shall hear the earth, the earth shall hear the corn, wine, and oil, and they shall hear Israel: and the Apostle speaking of the believing Corinthians, to whom Christ was espoused, tells them 1 Cor. 2.21. All things were theirs, Paul, Apollo's, things present and to come: the ground of this was because they were Christ's and Christ Gods. Secondly, internal. In Christ to his Spouse there is a communication of grace. john 1.16. Of his fullness we receive grace for grace: in Christ there is a fullness of grace, there is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sufficiency, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a redundancy of grace, as Plato distinguisheth. In Christ, there is not only the fullness of a vessel that may be full in itself, but if it part with any liquor to other vessels, it's own proper fullness is diminished, but also there is a fullness of a fountain that is not only full in itself and for itself, but it can communicate to others in its fullness without diminution of its own proper fullness, this kind of fullness is in Christ the fountain of grace and inexhastible wellspring of Life, this fullness of grace in Christ was that oil wherewith he is said to be anointed above his fellows, and not by measure, for that oil was not any typical and Sacramental oil, wherewith the Priests, Prophets, and Kings were anointed in the Old Testament, but the Spiritual oil of God's grace, called the oil of gladness, which oil was poured on Christ's head in so plentiful a manner that like the ointment poured on Aaron's head, it went down to the skirts of his garment. Psal. 133.2. so this oil of God's grace poured on Christ the head of his spouse distils into the skirts of his garment, into his meanest member, so that there is no humility, meekness, patience, love, heavenly mindedness 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 affirms 2 Cor. 9.8. that God is so full of grace, and hath such a sufficiency, that is, fullness to others: in the original the Apostle emphatically expresseth this by triplicating the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
2 Cor. 9.8. opened.  First, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not in one, but in every necessity. Secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not sometimes but at every time. Thirdly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not some sufficiency, but a sufficiency of every grace. Eternal. 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 will 
(b) Anina 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 john 17.22.24. Christ saith to his Father, The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one as we are one; and again, 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 me, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  
The consequents ex parte sponsae, 
The consequents ex parte sponsae.  or on the believers part, follow which are two  
First a whole change.  
Secondly, a familiar acquaintance with Christ.  
A whole change answerable to the change in a woman after she is espoused to her husband, which is of three things.  
Of Name.  
Of Quality and Nature.  
Of Barrenness into Fruitfulness.  
There is a change of name in a woman newly espoused, 
(c) Martia redire voleus ad Catonū maritum, ait, da tautum nomen inane Connubii, liceat tumulo scripsisse, Catonis Martia. Luc. l. 2.  women change their own name into the name of their husbands, so the Roman women took the name of their husbands, so 
(d) valer. l. 10 Isaiah. 4.1. john. 19.25.  Caja from her husband Cajus, Tullia from her husband Tullius, and the like. So amongst the jews Mary of Cleophas, to wit the wife of Cleophas: hence some think the Spouse in the Canticles is called Sulamitis or Sulamite. q. d. Solomonia from Solomon her husband. In like manner doth Christ's Spouse change her name being once married to him. Abram entering into covenant with God changed his name into Abraham, Sarai into Sarah. jacob prevailing with Christ changed his name into Israel; Simon must be called Peter, Saul converted was called Paul: so every soul espoused to Christ hath a new name; of a child of perdition called a son or daughter of God by adoption; of a limb of Satan a member of Christ, of a vessel of wrath, a vessel of honour, of an alien and stranger from Christ becomes a Christian, so that as Naomi said in another case: 
john 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 speaks.  
The second change is of Nature and quality. A woman in the time of her virginity may be addicted to vain sports, and pastimes, which after her espousing to an husband she abhors; so a Christian before he come to be betrothed to Christ may be given to many vain delights of flesh and blood, which after his betrothing to Christ he abandons and abhors. The Apostle speaking to the believing Romans espoused to Christ. Rom. 6.21. affirms that they delighted in those things in their natural estate, whereof being in Christ they were ashamed. What fruit had you in those things whereof ye are now ashamed: the like change in that young convert of whom S. 
(e) Ambros. l. 2. de praviten. c. 2●  Ambrose maketh mention which answered his quondam Courtesan 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 a sinner made a Saint, of a vassal of my base lusts made a vessel of honour, and the very Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ: such a change was in Paul that Ananias wondered he should be sent to Saul when he heard what evil he had done to the Saints, 
Acts 9.13.  and Paul himself confesseth, Gal. 1.13. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even above measure he had made havoc of the Saints, yet the same Saul of a persecutor becomes a Preacher, of an enemy he became a friend to Christ, the like change in Mary Magdalen, whose soul was as a burrow to harbour unclean spirits, as a cage of unclean birds, and afterwards was made a Temple of the holy Spirit, and her heart a palace to entertain the Lord Jesus with the dearest affection: so powerful is the Lord Jesus to make his Spouse like unto himself. 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 itself through his very garments, and the same Jesus Christ being now transfigured in full glory in heaven, is so full of grace, that he can communicate grace to his meanest member. Moses may marry an Aethiopian, but he cannot change her blackness; Christ making love to a poor soul of an Aethiopian dye, full of Leopard's spots, can so change this soul and renew it day by day till he make it a pure virgin, and present it unto himself without spot and wrinkle. Ephes. 5.27. so the Lord affirms, Ezek. 16.7.8. that when he passed by his people, he saw them wallowing in their blood, but he soon washed them and made them beautiful.  
The third change is of barrenness into fruitfulness. A woman, though barren in the time of her virginity, grows after marriage for the most part fruitful, that her children like Olive branches sit round about her Table, so a Christian, though before his marriage with Christ he be fruitless and barren in good works, yet after this spiritual betrothing grows fruitful and abundant in the work of the Lord. This the Apostle makes the end of believers marriage with Christ, that they may bring forth 
(f) Dum 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 fruitfulness in good works one fruit of a believers union with Christ. john 15.5. It cannot be denied but that an unregenerate person not betrothed to Christ may do some works, and bring forth some fruits good for the matter, but these works and fruits brought forth before his spiritual Marriage, are but like the children a woman bears before her marriage, which are bastards and illegitimate brats that cannot inherit, so the good works of unregenerate men are illegitimate and cannot 
(g) Articles of Religion. Article. ●3.  inherit being brought forth out of Spiritual wedlock, and not flowing from the right root, which is faith in Christ.  

The second consequent on the believers part.  The second consequent on the believers part is a familiar acquaintance with Christ, that a believer can upon all occasions in the greatest straits go unto Christ, and make his wants known unto him. Such an acquaintance had Moses with God. 
joshua. 20.12.  Exod. 17.11. by the holding up of whose hand Israel prevailed: such an acquaintance had joshuah, who by his prayer caused the Sun to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moon in the valley of Ajelon, and such an acquaintance and intimateness hath the Spouse of Christ with Christ, that upon all occasions, if any thing perplex and molest the soul, it can go unto Christ and make its case known unto him, with a full persuasion that he will relieve and comfort it, neither hath the soul acquaintance only with Christ, but by Christ with the Father and the blessed Spirit: as Isaac taking Rebecca to be his wise brought her into his mother's tent, Gen. 24.67: So Christ marrying a believing soul, brings that soul into his Father's presence to have acquaintance with him; this the Apostle sweetly expresseth. Ephes. 3.12. 
Ephes. 3.12. opened.  In whom we have boldness and access; the word boldness in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and it signifieth boldness of face in speaking, showing that a believer by Christ hath boldness to go to God by prayer, again the Apostle saith, in him, that is Christ, we have not only boldness but access: in the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies such an access which is by manuduction as Isaac took Rebecca; so Christ takes the soul espoused to him by the hand, and leads it into his Father's presence, and into acquaintance with him, so that the soul which before this spiritual marriage was a stranger to God, and God an angry God with the soul through sin, now apprehends God in Christ reconciled and an indulgent Father: and last of all the Apostle showeth how the believer hath this boldness of speech, this access, and this confidence, it is by faith of him, faith is the eye of the soul by which the soul looks upon God reconciled. Now as to the bodily sight there is required not only a well disposed Organ, but a 
(h) Arist. l. 2. de Anima. c. 7.  perspicuous medium, a lightsome air or the like, through which the species of the visible object, must be received into the Organ of the eye: so in the spiritual sight of the soul which it hath of God, there is required a diaphanous and perspicuous medium, which is Christ the mediator, through whom the soul by faith sees him that is invisible, it is Christ that draws near unto God for his friends. john 20.17. and they draw near to God by Christ. Heb. 10.19.22. 
The application of this subject.   
The application of this point is fourfold, the first is for instruction in two particulars. First, it teacheth the dignity of the Saints. Secondly, the duty of the Saints. First their 
(i) Vnde 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 stock of Saul that was King of Israel, 1 Sam. 18.18. Who am I, etc. greater honour and dignity it is to match into the stock of God even unto his only begotten son, and so to be called the King's daughter, Psal. 45. The King's Spouse and beloved; well may the soul enter into an holy admiration of this favour; and cry out with the Psalmist, Lord what is man? or the Son of man that thou so regardest him, and hast crowned him with so great a favour, as to be called the Spouse of Christ; who (as Abigail said to David offering marriage) I am not worthy to wash the feet of the Lords Servants. It was a great dignity for Ruth to be espoused to Boaz; but a greater honour and favour for a poor soul to be married to Christ, whose nature is goodness, whose greatness is infiniteness, whose power is omnipotency, whose work 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 comparison. Secondly, this point teacheth the duty of the Saints, that seeing they are the Spouse of Christ. First then they must adorn themselves that Christ may take delight in them; all delight proceeds from some correspondency in comeliness, affection, and action. The Heathen 
(k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 1. Oec. c. ●.  Philosopher could say that dissimilitude of manners, and diversity of carriage is not apt either to beget or preserve love and delight: so that Christ may take content and delight in his Saints espoused unto himself, they must adorn themselves whereby they may become like unto him, he is clothed with holiness and righteousness as with a garment, he is full of beauty and enamouring comeliness, that like then may rejoice in like, the soul must be adorned that Christ may say of the soul as Samson did of Dalilah. judg. 14.3. She pleaseth me well; this the Psalmist sweetly expresseth, Psal. 45.14. The King's daughter shall be brought unto the King in a raiment of needle work, so shall the King, that is Christ, take pleasure in her beauty: if it be asked what this needlework of divers colours is. I answer not any outward ornament mentioned Esay 3.18.19.20. not that strange apparel condemned by the Prophet, Zephan. 1.8. 
(l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 2. Oeconom. c. 1.  These outward ornaments are not the ornaments wherewith Christ's Spouse must be clothed, that Christ may take delight in her, these make the soul many times more deformed in the sight of Christ, these are the world's Livery, which the servants of the world for the most part are clothed withal; therefore the Psalmist, Psal. 45.13. expresseth what the ornaments of Christ's Spouse are. The King's daughter is all glorious within, the 
(m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Septuagints read the words thus; All the glory of the King's daughter is within. A believer in outward appearance hath little glory, therefore the Church complains. Cant. 1.5. I am black but comely, black in the opinion of the world not seeing my beauty which is inward; black through persecution and the scorching flames thereof, but comely in the eyes of Christ, who looks on my inward beauty that cannot be seen by the world: so than the inward 
(n) In 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 Christ's Spouse must adorn herself are the heavenly dispositions, virtues, qualities, and graces of the soul; as humility, meekness, temperance, chastity, brotherly kindness, heavenly mindedness, and the like. This the Apostle intimates, Col. 3.12.13. Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, etc. put on, the word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, put on as a garment or ornament, and the garment itself is a concatination of graces, a troop of heavenly virtues; as mercy, kindness, humility, etc. this is the needle work of divers colours wherewith the King's daughter must be adorned when she is presented to the King, called a needle work of divers colours, in regard of the variety of graces that this needlework consists of, as also noting the glory of this ornament of grace and holiness, for as diversity of colours in needlework, so variety of graces make a soul more beautiful and glorious, every grace having its distinct beauty and lustre, and all of them being joined together in one soul, one grace gives a glory unto another, all of them together shining in the soul, like so many diamonds in a Ring. Secondly, this teacheth the Saints, a second duty to preserve their spiritual chastity, and to carry themselves as pure virgins towards their husband Christ: the Apostle tells the believing Corinthians, that he was jealous over them with godly jealousy; for he had espoused them to one husband, 
2 Co●. 11.2.  that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ, and this jealousy that Paul had over the believing Corinthians, should every believing soul have over itself, that Christ may have no occasion to be jealous of the souls entire affection to himself alone: therefore more than ordinarily vigilant must the Saints be that are espoused to Christ, to avoid spiritual fornication, which is 
(o) Si 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 cord 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 cogitation, sed corpus quidem velut templum▪ quoddam aut thalamum sponsi habeat praeparatum. Basil. l. de vera virg.  committed when the soul prostitutes itself to the least sin, and entertains the least lust with consent and delight. If thou shalt receive, saith Origen, into the chamber of thy soul the devil, thy soul hath played the adulteress with the devil, if the spirit of anger, envy, pride, immodesty, and the like shall enter into thy soul, and thou shalt entertain and hearken unto it, and be delighted with it and the suggestions thereof, thou hast committed whoredom with it. Although the soul may commit spiritual adultery with any sin, yet more heinously with these three particular sins.  
First, with 
(p) Idololatria est mystica & spiritualis animae cum idolis fornicatio. Com. a Lap. in Ezek. 6.9.  Idolatry, for of this God professeth himself to be a jealous God, Isay 42.8. I am jehovah and my glory will not I give to another; and of this doth the Lord often complain that his people had gone a whoring after Idols and strange gods. Levit. 17.7. Ezek. 6.9. Neither is there any one kind of Spiritual fornication more distasteful to the Bridsgroom of the soul, than for the soul to be difiled with this sin, therefore Ezek. 36.25. it is joined with filthiness, from all your filthiness, and from all your Idols, will I cleanse you, saith the Lord.  
Secondly, with covetousness and inordinate 
(q) Mundi 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 sin with which the soul more heinously commits spiritual fornication: this the Apostle james cleareth, james 4.4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God, this spiritual adultery with the world is so much more grievous than carnal adultery; by how much God, who is contemned is more great and excellent than man to whom a wife hath betrothed herself.  
A third sin is corporal uncleanness. 1 Cor. 6.15. the Apostle shows this, affirming that a man by this sin takes the members of Christ and makes them the members of an Harlot: this sin by Gods own 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 avoid all sin; so especially these three sins with which especially and more grievously, the soul commits spiritual fornication; as also to present themselves as chaste 
(r) Virginitas mentis est integra fides, solida spes, sincera charitas, Aug. 11.13. in johan. jom. 9  virgins to the Lord Jesus Christ their dearest bridsgroom: This point instructs the Saints in a third duty to walk before Christ in all manner of well pleasing; propounding Christ's word and example as a pattern of their lives. This duty of a wife the Heathen 
(s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Arist. l. 2. Oeconom. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hesiod.  Philosopher found out, affirming that a well ordered woman ought to esteem the carriage of her husband to be a Law of her life imposed by God, though this rule fail in case the manners of the husband be ungodly and corrupt, yet in the present instance betwixt Christ and his Spouse it fails not, Christ's life being a pattern of purity and perfect holiness and absolute obedience in every particular: therefore saith 
(t) 
Nupsisti 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 thyself to Christ, walk according to the will of thy husband: this observancy and pleasing carriage was eminent in the Church. Psal. 123.2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Master, and as the eyes of a maiden, unto the hand of her Mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. Christ would have his Spouse to be known to be his Spouse, even by her outward carriage, by her holiness towards God, and righteousness towards man, by her meek, humble, courteous and merciful carriage towards all, expressing in her life, the life of her husband Christ.  
Use 2 In the second place, the consideration of this point may be a ground of trial and examination, whether a poor soul be espoused to Christ or no: which it may do by these several symptoms of this spiritual marriage. 
1. Symptom.  A soul married to Christ is dejected and grieved, for the want of the sense of Christ's presence in the soul. Mat. 9.13. Our Saviour makes this an evident property of the Spouse of Christ, that she fasts and mourns at the departure of the bridegroom. The Disciples of john asked Christ why they fasted, but his Disciples fasted not, Christ seems to tell them that they had reason to fast and mourn 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 delightful residence of their endeared Bridegroom, but the time should come that the case should be altered, that I the Bridegroom of their souls shall be taken from them, and then they should fast and mourn, that being a fit time for dejection and sadness of heart; now as it was with the Disciples of Christ in regard of Christ's corporal presence, so it is with every believer in regard of Christ's spiritual presence, they enjoyed for a while his corporal presence, exceedingly rejoicing in the fruition of it, drinking in with great delight the gracious words and saving doctrine that flowed from his blessed lips, with great admiration, beholding his glorious miracles which he did by his divine power, but when once this blessed bridegroom of their souls was taken from them, it was a day of much heaviness and sadness, of fasting and mourning; it is so with the believing soul in regard of Christ's spiritual presence, sometimes Christ gives the soule● sensible feeling and apprehension of his sweetest residence in it, at which time the soul takes a full draught of unspeakable and ravishing joy, at other times Christ for some reasons best known unto himself, withdraws himself in regard of any sense and feeling of his presence by the soul: now at this time the souls former songs are turned into sighs, its melody into mourning, its feasting into fasting, all its former joy for the presence of Christ its Bridegroom, into saddest dejection for the withdrawing of the Bridegroom's presence; hence it is that the Spouse of Christ is so often in Scripture called a Dove, which is of a mournful nature, when she wants the Society of her mate; 
Cant. 2.14. Esay 38.14. Esay 58.11.  of the like carriage is Christ's Spouse in the absence of Christ, see the Church's carriage, 
Cant. 3.1.2.3. weaned.  Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loved, I sought him, but I found him not. By night, that is, by solitary and deepest meditation, upon my bed, that is, when she thought herself sure of her beloved, supposing him to be with her, she misseth his company, than she by her meditation and prayer, falls a seeking of him but finds him not: doth she not sit still as content to be deprived of the presence of her bridegroom? No, she now resolves to arise and to go about the City and the streets, (noting her diligent search) to seek him whom her soul loved, and yet she finds 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 Christ's 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 she found him to her souls refreshing: behold in this instance the true Character of the Spouse of Christ, that she is affected with the loss of his presence, and will not be satisfied without the fruition of it again. wouldst thou then, O doubtful soul, be assured that thou art espoused to Christ: examine how thy heart stands affected for the want of the inward apprehension of Christ's presence in thy soul; if wanting Christ's residence thou canst be of a cheerful heart, of a careless mind 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 sign as yet thou never enjoyest such an husband as Christ, who after his espousals with the soul leaves such an impression of his love, and such a liking of his presence and communion, that let the soul be deprived but a while of Christ, it cannot rest till it hath gotten him again by the nearest embrace of Faith.  
A second symptom of this Spiritual 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 soul married to Christ hath a longing desire of full communion with Christ in heaven; as a woman betrothed to an husband longs for the actual and public solemnising of her espousals, when she may enjoy that familiar society with him as to live in one house, eat at one table, sleep in one bed, and to be unto him his bosom friend: it is so with Christ's spouse being once betrothed to him, she desires the consummation of the marriage in heaven, where she may rest and repose herself, in a more near communion, in the arms and bosom of Jesus Christ: although the soul be betrothed unto Christ upon earth, yet the fellowship is not so great, and communion so intimate with Christ upon earth, as the soul shall have with Christ in heaven.  
Hence Saint 
(v) jam desponsata es illl, o anima, jam nuptiarum prandium celebratur; nam cana quidem in caelo paratur. Born. Serm. 2. Dom. 1. post. Epiph.  Bernard affirms that in this life the marriage dinner is only celebrated, but in heaven the marriage Supper is prepared, where the soul shall be fed with rarer dainties and be satisfied even to a spiritual inebriation, with the fullness of God's 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 himself 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, 
john 2.4. opened.  that he might see the scarcity supplied; yet Christ answered her, his hour 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 Bridegroom began to be ashamed of their scarcity, and that the Miracle might the better be taken notice of, than 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 Christ's presence, his favour and love, and therefore the Spouse cryeth, Cant. 2.5. Stay me with flagons, and the reason is, because the hour is not yet come when Christ useth to give the soul such plenty, but he reserves that plenty for heaven, when he fills the soul with the wine of inconceivable pleasure and joy in his presence, when he will turn all the waters of afflictions, into the wine of consolation, and the soul shall have access to Christ, the fountain of all comforts, there to fill and satisfy itself with what the heart is capable of, there being then a more intimate communion betwixt Christ and a believer in heaven, than upon earth, a more intimate fellowship and a fuller participation of that unspeakable content that the soul takes in Christ; the soul cannot but 
(w) Quemadmodum Iacobus magna cum alacritate migravit in Egyptum ut ibi videret gloriam josephi. 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 jacob it cannot but wait for the Salvation of God: with Simeon it cannot but desire to departed in peace, where it may see Christ face to face, and never lose that beatifical vision of him again. Hence was it that good 
(x) Quid hic faciemus? cur non ocyus migramus? cur non hinc avolamus?  Monica the mother of Augustine cried, what do we here? why depart we not swifter? why fly we not away from hence? Hence was it that her son 
(y) Mori desidero ut videam Christum salutare meum: vivere renuo ut cum Christo vivam. Chem. ha●m. Evang. p. 1675.  Augustine said, I desire to die, that I may see Christ my Saviour, I refuse to live, that I may live with Christ. It is with a believing soul in this life, as with a man in a journey in a strange Country, who though at his Inn, where he lodgeth, he hath a warm Chamber, good fire, wholesome victuals, 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, kind entertainment, wholesome victuals, but what are all these to 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 mind, ever in his desires: so it is with a Christian espoused to Christ, though he enjoys a confluence of all outward comforts, though he takes great delight in this life, and as it were swims in all worldly contentments; having a loving wife, dutiful children, faithful servants, his barns stuffed with grain, his pastures stocked abundantly with Oxen and sheep, his coffers replenished with the most precious of metals, so that he lacks nothing that can give an honest heart content, yet he cannot but be ever and then thinking within himself, I have wife, children, lands, live, but what are these to the society with my sweetest Saviour, and most delightful Bridegroom; desiring to leave all to be with Christ which is best of all. Examine thy heart, O soul, by this property. Is there any thing in the world so dear unto thee, be it wise, son or daughter, land or house, yea life itself, that thou art not content to leave, that thou mayst have that intimate communion with Christ in heaven? Thou mayst justly fear thou never wast espoused to Christ, neither ever hadst any acquaintance with him, for if thou hadst, the best of worldly excellencies could not retain thy soul from a desire to be with Christ in heaven.  
In the third place, 
3. Symptom.  this Spiritual marriage is discovered by the affection of love. 
(z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Aust. l. 2. Oeconom. c. ultima.  A soul married to Christ loveth all that have any alliance with Christ. A wife that truly loves her husband, loves her husband's kindred and friends, in like manner are the friends of Christ dear unto his Spouse: now who they be that have alliance and friendship with him Christ himself declares. First, that those are his brethren, Mark 3.35. who do the will of God, whose Father is his Father, whose God is his God; and for his friends Christ shows who they be, john 15.14. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you: as it was betwixt jehosaphat and Ahab. 2 King. 3.7. when they agreed together to go against Moab to battle, jehosaphat said, 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. Christ's cause is their common cause; Christ's friends their friends, embracing Christ with the dearest affection, and mutually one another for Christ's sake. By this mayest thou examine thyself whether thou be'st 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 poor member of Christ, in the wrinkles of whose face, as in so many lines, thou mayest read Lectures of misery and want; here is a friend of Christ, if thou be'st the Spouse of Christ, thou canst not but have some pity, 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 dost, if thou be'st 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 Use 3 of this point serves for consolation to Christ's Spouse in many particulars. First against the clamour of the guilt of sin. Christ being an husband to the Soul undertakes all its debts: the Widow of the Prophet. 2 Kings 4.1.2. complains that the Creditor was come to take her son's captives; but the Spouse of Christ needs fear no such arrest of any creditor, the soul hath many creditors that out of Christ it is subject and liable to satisfy: the Law arrests the soul, with a cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. Again Conscience arrests the soul and seconds the Law with this assumption, that the soul hath not continued in the Law but broken it: the Devil will arrest the soul with many accusations; Death and Hell have their arrests too, but Christ being the husband of the soul, becomes the undertaker for all these arrests and debts by sin, Satan, Conscience, Death, or Hell; when the Law shall urge its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rigorous exaction of perfect obedience, then may the believing soul answer, my husband Christ hath paid it for me: when the Law calls for penalty upon the violation of itself, the believer may answer, Christ my husband hath paid it for me, who is made unto me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, & as the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. 2.6. gave himself not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom, but a counter-ransome for all my sins, and thus in all other arrests may the soul stop all in Christ: so that as good Onesimus was loath to return to his Master Philemon, to whom once he had been 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 Paul's score, 
Philem. v. 18.  Onesimus might then with boldness return to his Master Philemon again: in like manner a poor soul considering how it hath offended God, is loath to come before or into his presence: but when it considers again that whatsoever it is indebted to God it is set on Christ's score, then may the soul with boldness go 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 the soul against the fear of spiritual enemies, the wife that hath a rich and powerful husband, thinks herself safe from reproaches, injuries, and abuses of others: fare more safe is the soul that is married to Christ, from being hurt by the attempt of enemies, or by any assaults of any spiritual adversaries, for Christ is able to vindicate the cause of his oppressed Spouse to the utmost. Protection is one privilege the wife hath by her husband, therefore saith Ruth to Boaz, 
Ruth. 3.9. opened.  Spread thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near 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 secure that a wife expects from her husband, much less 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 nakedness; let then the Spouse of Christ be daily assaulted by Satan, the world, and the remainder of corruption, and let the soul go 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 darkness, and powers of hell itself, shall not be able to pull Christ's Spouse out of his Arms.  
This may comfort the believing soul, that being once espoused it shall be for ever espoused to Christ, Hosea 2.19. I will betrothe thee unto myself 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 to the like mortality as all of his own species are, but the soul once married to Christ can never be 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 said in a proud and presumptuous manner, Esay 47.8. I shall not see widowhood, that upon good grounds and not presumptuously may the soul espoused to Christ affirm of itself: I shall sit as Queen and never suffer spiritual Widowhood, so that the condition of believers in this marriage estate with Christ, is fare better than that of Adam in Paradise. Man in his innocence was espoused to God, but then God left in man a power to dissolve this matrimonial knot, and man breaking the Covenant there was a dvorce drawn, now God is so fare 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 soul of man divorced from him, 
jer. 3. ●.  which marriage is grounded upon a more sure foundation even upon Christ, and in Christ he is pleased to be married to the soul, not for a certain time to be at last expired, but for all eternity, not now leaving the Matrimonial covenants in man's own custody, but undertaking the keeping of them himself. To conclude this, if it be such an happy thing for man and wife so to live together, 
(a) 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 itself doth break it, then fare greater happiness and comfort for a believing soul to think, that this bond of Spiritual wedlock shall not be broken by death itself, but remain indissolveable to all eternity.  
Use 4 In the fourth place this point serves for exhortation. It may be a ground of persuasion to every one that is as yet an alien from Israel, a stranger from God, from his promises, his Christ, that he would accept of Jesus Christ to be the husband of his soul, and so his soul may be the Spouse of Christ, and so have interest in all the saving promises of the Gospel, and be made a member of the Commonwealth of Israel, and of one that was a fare off made nigh to God in Christ by Spiritual alliance. john 3.29. the Baptist styles himself a friend of the Bridegroom. 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 Gospel with the Baptist should be a friend of the Bridegoome, with Paul a spokesman for Christ, this the Apostle showeth, 2 Cor. 5.20. that he and the rest of his function were Ambassadors for Christ, as though Christ did entreat others by them to be reconciled to him; for as great persons, as Emperors 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 Sceptre is a right Sceptre, keeping his Court in heaven and that being his glorious Throne where his chief residence is, and his greatest glory displayed, he offering conditions of Marriage to poor souls, sends them by the Ministers of the Gospel his Ambassadors, and hath put into their hands the word of his Gospel (Christ's love Letter) in which his glorious excellencies and treasures of incomparable benefits, dwelling in him in a plentiful manner are evidently set forth, which the Ambassadors of Christ opening and declaring to the people, cannot but show forth the excellencies of his person, of his riches, honour, beauty, and all other desirable qualities in a Bridegroom. Oh than that God would be pleased (having appointed me an unworthy messenger to this great dignity as to be his spokesman) to make me an instrument of persuading some poor, blind, and naked souls to accept of Christ to be their husband, who is able to enrich them with what their souls can desire, and now what arguments shall I use to persuade such to this Marriage? 
Gen. 24.35.36.  Abraham's servant going to take a wife for his Master's son Isaac that he might persuade Rebecca and her friends the more forceably, the one to go with him, and the other to part with her, he tells them that the Lord had blessed his Master Abraham greatly, etc. and so by this Argument obtains his request in persuading Rebecca to go with him, and her friends to part with her. The great God of heaven employing me his unworthy servant to entreat a Spouse for his son, I can use the same arguments that Abraham's servant did, I wish it might be with the same success. My Master the Almighty God of Abraham, of Isaac, and jacob, is exceeding great (his greatness being infiniteness) and he is exceeding rich, not only with Abraham in flocks and herds, in silver and gold, the cattle upon a thousand Mountains being his, 
Psal. 50.12.  but he is the possessor of heaven and earth itself, the great Commander and Sovereign Lord of the whole world, rich in himself, unspeakable, incomprehensible and inconceiveable glorious eminencies, and this God hath one only begotten son, and unto him hath he given all his riches, as in the 2 Psalm, and the 8. verse. Ask of me and I will give thee the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession; the son of God installed into his Father's inheritances offers himself to be married to thy poor soul, whosoever thou art, that wilt accept of him to be thy Bridegroom: Oh that thy soul with Rebecca would accept of this match without farther delay! The 
(b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. Ethic. l. 9 c. 1.  Philosopher tells us that sometimes a lover finds fault that he loves above measure, and yet is not loved again, whereas he hath nothing in him that is amiable or worthy of love. Christ indeed may complain that he offers love to many a poor soul, and yet finds no love again; neither can the soul allege this for a reason of unkindness to Christ again, 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 mortal breast: what lovely quality can the soul desire in an husband, that are not in Christ? Doth the soul desire riches? With me are riches, Prov. 8.18. saith Wisdom itself. Doth it desire Nobility of Birth? God the Father witnesss his son's Nobility. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Psal. 2.7. Doth it desire beauty? Christ is fairer than the Sons of men, Psal. 45.2. Desires the soul 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 Devils were constrained to crouch unto him; hence also by the Prophet was he called Wonderful and Powerful, Esay 9.6. Desires the soul goodness in an husband? Christ's lips are full of grace, Psal. 45.2. He is a very fountain of goodness. Desires it yet Wisdom? Christ is Wisdom itself, Wisdom of the Father, and made Wisdom to every believer, 1 Cor. 1.30. Lastly, desires it glory in an husband? Christ is the King of glory, Psal. 24.8.10. The Apostle remarkable sets down all these amiably qualities together, Heb. 1.2.3. God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, behold his Nobility, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, behold his Riches, by whom also he made the world, behold his Wisdom, who being the brightness of his Father's glory, and express Image of his Person, there is his beauty and upholding all things by the Word of his Power, when he had by himself purged our sins, there is his goodness, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, there is his glory. Moreover all these excellencies are in Christ, so they are in him in a more 
(c) Necessario 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 down in the Creatures, in an imperfect manner, as some creatures excel in beauty, some in power, some in wisdom, but all these and many more that are divers and opposite perfections and virtues in the Creatures, are all in Christ in a most perfect and eminent manner: there is as the Apostle affirms One manner of glory in the Sun, another of the Moon, another of the Stars; yet what glory the Moon hath or the stars, they receive it for the most part from the Sun, and all their glory meets in the Sun 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 Son of Righteousness; and meets in him as in a centre of perfection, making one perfect excellency and excellent perfection. And now O humane soul, what is there in the world in which thou canst find these things that are to be found in Christ? why dost thou then wed thy heart to riches, honour, pleasure, that 
(d) Bern. 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 satisfy thy soul, and slightest Christ in whom are treasures of riches, supercoelestial honour, inconceiveable pleasures? Why dost 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 persuade thee to forsake all other lovers, to give entertainment to Christ, that he may espouse himself to thy soul? I cannot speak more impressively than in the words of the 
(e) Quid per multa vagaris, homuncio 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 dost thou, O man, wander up and down by many things, by seeking the good of thy soul and body? Love that one God in which are all good things, and it sufficeth: desire that one good which is every good, and it is enough. And now me thinks I perceive some soul, with Agrippa, almost persuaded to be a Christian, to accept of Christ's offer, and willing to match with him, but yet fearing and secretly saying within itself, I am afraid that Jesus Christ will not match himself with me, who have nothing in me that may move Christ to love me, and I find so much deformity in my soul by sin, so much filthiness in my inward man, that Christ, I fear, will turn away his eyes from me, as an unfit object of his love. To this I answer, what saw God in his people that might move him to love them. Ezek. 16.5.6. They lay tumbling in their blood, in their filthiness, and abominations, and then was the time of love when God pitied them, and entered into covenant with them, and they became his own. It is not with Christ as with a man, in choosing a Spouse: man looks after proportion and portion: but Christ regards not the soul for any thing in itself, for he hath riches and beauty enough for himself, and the soul his Spouse too: If the soul hath any riches or righteousness of its own, Christ will not marry himself unto it, and therefore the Apostle affirms that the Israelites going about to establish their own righteousness, did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God, which is the righteousness of Christ laid hold on by faith, Rom. 10.3.4. As therefore Abraham said, 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 himself to any soul, he will not have with it the least righteousness of his own, lest the soul should boast of itself, or that it had any riches but what it got by its Marriage with Christ. Therefore in that thou sayest thou art poor, base, blind, naked, miserable, and wretched, and if withal thou art truly sensible of this thy poverty, thy filthiness and wretchedness, touched also with a deep apprehension of thine own unworthiness to be joined in Marriage to Christ, thou hast spoke a word ere thou wert ware, that may give thee comfort and hope, that thou art such a one to whom Christ will espouse himself: wert thou rich in thine own conceit as the Church of Laodicea, 
(f) Non habet quo intret gratia, ubi meritum occupavit. Bern. in Cantie. Serm. 67.  Christ would despise thee, but being vile in thine own 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 wins respect more from God, than for the soul to be truly humble. To him will I look, 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 withal in the lowest heart, and therefore saith Mary: Luk. 1.48. He had respect to the low estate of his handmaid. Excellent is the expression of Holy 
(g) Altus 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 near him, let him be lowly. A great mystery: brethren (saith he) God is above all; thou liftest up thyself and yet touchest him not, thou humblest thyself, and he descends unto thee: so than as Abigails speech to David desiring Marriage of her, that she was not worthy to wash the feet of David's servants; allayed not David's affection, neither hindered her preferment; neither will thy poverty (if thou be'st truly sensible of it) hinder thy espousing to Christ, who, as the 
(h) Nullum eligit dignum sed eligendo efficit dignum. Aug. count. juli. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3.  Father notes, chooseth none worthy of himself, but by choosing them maketh the worthy. To conclude this: it was a good policy in the Gibeonites, josh. 9.4, 5, 6. that they might move joshuah to enter into covenant with them, they worked wittily, taking old sacks upon their Asses, and wine bottles old and rend, old shoes and garments. It would be as good a policy for a poor soul in moving Christ to enter into league and covenant with it, to come unto Christ with an abased, naked and ragged heart, rend in pieces with deep contrition, and sense of God's wrath, for this is the most ready way, for the soul to find 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 heal by the sense of Mercy: first to make the soul apprehensive of its own misery and then to bestow himself upon the soul to enrich it.  
But in the second place some poor soul may object: Object 2 I am content to be married to Christ, but loath I am to part with such a sin that affords me so much honour, credit, dignity, and riches.  
To this I answer: he that truly accepts of Christ, must take him on his own terms, to be the Lord and chief Commander of his soul, and the soul must give a bill of divorcement to every sin, to give entertainment to Christ alone, whereas then the soul pretends a willingness to accept of Christ, and yet withal an unwillingness to part with some darling sin, the reason is because the soul consults with flesh and blood, with corrupt nature, that always (as Ahab said of Michaiah in another case) prophesieth evil to the soul, opposing itself against the eternal welfare thereof. Accept of me, saith Christ, to be the Bridegroom of thy soul, the soul asks counsel 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 taken so many a contentful sleep, wilt thou forsake such a way of gain, which hath been the maintenance of thyself and family? Hereupon the soul resolves upon a plain denial, or if not so, yet of an accepting, but not on his own terms, yet Christ indeed shall be called the husband of the soul, but withal resolves to retain its sins still, which in truth is equivalent to a plain refusal; would the soul then accept of Christ in his own way, the best direction that can be given to the soul in such a case is, that it should not consult with flesh and blood and corrupt nature in this case, but to do as Paul did, Gal. 1.16. Who upon Gods call and the Revelation of his Son, in him immediately obeyed, and consulted not with flesh and blood. The 
(i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. ●●eter. l. 1. c. 9  Philosopher tells us, it is absurd to consult about things that must be done of necessity: now there is nothing of greater necessity than for the soul to accept of Christ: doth Christ then offer himself unto thee, resolve upon an immediate embracing of his love. Doth he bid thee forsake thy sins for him, delay not the business, consultation and delay in this case is dangerous, we must fight against our affections, saith 
(k) Contra affectus non subtilitate sed impetu pugnandum est.  Seneca, not by subtlety of argument, but by force and violence. Our Saviour's counsel 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 valleys 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 original 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 dear as thy right hand. Would the soul then resolve upon a divorce of sin for Christ, and upon a peremptory will to root out all sin, let it lend no ear to Satan, or corruption to persuade and counsel the contrary, but on a sudden to set upon the work, and to part with all sin, and thy work might be done with lesser difficulty. It is with the soul in this business of parting with sin for Christ, as it is with a boy tenderly bred, that goes to bathe himself in the River: who if he enters in at some shallow place, and wades deeper and deeper by degrees, he ever and then shrinks bacl, and is resolved to go no further, being impatient of the coldness of the water, at the length out he goes again, and leaps into the water, and on a sudden he wets his whole body, and then he feels no cold. A soul in like manner resolves to leave its sins, and to accept of Christ, it gins to leave this sin and that sin, it finds this to be harsh to its corrupt nature to part with these beloved darlings, upon this it begins to consult with its own deceitful and corrupt self, whether it should go on or no; corrupt nature disswads, upon this the soul returns to its old sins again: the best way for the soul suddenly to part with all sin, even with the whole body of sin, resolving steadfastly through the power of an Almighty God, never to commit the least sin wittingly or willingly any more, and the soul being wound up to this firm resolution and keeping itself so by the power of God's spirit assisting, the divorce of sin will not be so grievous, the victory less difficult, for when the soul once hath parted with all sin to accept of Christ; it shall find that sweetness in one hour by Christ's presence, that a world of earthly and carnal delights cannot afford in many years. Oh then let not the secret delight in any base and sordid lust keep thee, O soul, from the right enjoying of thy sweetest Saviour; part with all thy sins in exchange for this precious pearl, and I will assure thee this, that although the parting with thy sins may seem grievous to thee for the present; as the death of Absalon was to David, yet as he lost but a rebellious son, so dost thou lose but a treacherous enemy to thy eternal good: 
Gen. 21.12.  therefore as God said to Abraham concerning the parting with Hagar and her son; Let not the thing be grievous unto thee: no more let this parting with thy sins trouble thee, for thou shalt instead of carnal base and sensual delight in the enjoying of sin, have an inconceiveable delight in the enjoying of jesus Christ, the husband of thy soul, a sip of which pleasure to be found in Christ will assuage the desire of the best of carnal delights. For as Christ saith concerning the new wine and the old, 
Luke 5.23,  the contrary may be said 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 again; 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 worldly delights again: hear the opinion of 
(l) Illud revera solum est gaudium quod de creatore concipitur, cui comparata omnis aliundèjucunditas maetor est, omne dulce amarum est.  Bernard, that is only true joy that is conceived of God, to which all other mirth being compared is but sorrow, all other sweetness, grief and bitterness. Ask holy 
(m) Pota me domine torente voluptatis caelestis, ut nil jam mundanorum libeat degustare venenatae dulcedinit. Aug.  Augustine and he is of the same opinion, for thus he prays unto God, Lord give me to drink of the brook of heavenly pleasure, that I may never taste any more of the poisonsome sweetness of worldly things: Ask David he is of the same mind, One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand. Last of all, let Christ himself be witness, who affirms that it was his meat and drink to do the Will of his Father in heaven, showing 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 walk in the ways of God, and in obedience to his Commandments enjoying thereby the peace of Conscience in assurance of God's love which is a continual feast, and now, O resolute soul for Christ, art thou content to accept of Christ for thy husband upon his own terms, 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 meet thee and embrace thee for his Spouse, he will  and adorn thee with the needlework of divers colours, even with the variety of graces, and when the Lord Jesus, the endeared Bridegroom of thy soul, shall come at the Last Day, he will account of thee as a wise Virgin having the Oil of Grace in thy Lamp, and thou shalt enter into the Bridegroom's Chamber, there to rest in his Arms and bosom unto all Eternity.  
FINIS.