not his claiming of interest in Christ will availe him nothing Mat. 7.22.23 Many will say to Christ at the last day Lord Lord we have Prophesied in thy Name we have in thy Name cast out Devils and done many wonderfull workes here is a faire interest in Christ pretended but Christ disclaimes them as having no interest in them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity But it is otherwise with the true Christian and sincere beleever as he is able to say that Christ is his Saviour Lord and Bridesgroome so is he able to affirme by the Testimony of his Conscience that Christ hath interest in him as his obedient servant and faithfull spouse thus we see the particulars wherein this spirituall Marriage doth consist This spirituall Marriage will further appeare if in the third place wee consider the consequents of this spirituall espousing The consequents are of two kindes First some are mutuall and reciprocall betwixt Christ and beleevers Secondly some are proper and peculiar either to Christ or to his Church and beleevers 1. the mutuall and reciprocall consequents betwixt Christ and beleevers are these The first is that mutuall delight and content that Christ takes in his Spouse and his Spouse in Christ This the Prophet Isaiah expresseth on Gods part that his people should be called Hephzibah that is my delight is in her and thy land Beulah that is married and affirmeth that as the Bridsgroome rejoyceth over his Bride so the Lord would rejoyce over his people this delight is so great that Christ takes in his Spouse that Christ affirmes hee was ravished in his heart by his Spouse Cant. 4.9 and acknowledgeth himselfe to bee bound in her galleries Cant. 7.5 That is tyed in bonds of love towards his Spouse and as Christ delights thus in his Spouse so the satisfied soule delights in Christ and that many wayes First in the contemplation of his person his beauty and comelinesse Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand Secondly Christs Spouse delights in his presence Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruite was sweete to my taste So David makes this his chiefe desire and his onely desire to dwell in the house of God Psal 27.4 and this he desires that he may behold the beauty of the Lord. Thirdly Christs spouse delights in hearing her bridsgroomes voyce Cant. 2.8 It is the voyce of my beloved This is the Churches acclamation for joy at the hearing of Christs voyce the word of Grace and the Gospell Christ gives this as an eare-marke to his sheepe My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me Iohn 10.3.4 and the Baptist makes this a signe of a friend to the Bridsgroome that hee standeth by and rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridesgroomes voyce Iohn 3.29 Fourthly Christs Spouse delights in his Lawes His delight saith David is in the Law of God speaking of the blessed man Psal 1.2 Thy Lawes are my delight my Counsellours sweeter than the Honey and the Honey combe dearer than thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. Lastly a beleever delights in communing with Christ and speaking unto him in prayer heare what sweete expressions have proceeded from a sanctifyed soule Lord I have loved the habitation of thine house I was glad when they sayd let us goe to the house of the Lord which is the house of prayer The second consequent of this spirituall marriage that is mutual betwixt Christ and his spouse is cohabitation (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethâ—c l. 8. c. 5. a cohabitation is necessary to the making conserving of true friendship much more to the preservation of conjugall affection therefore (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. 2. Oeconomic c. 2. Aristotle thinketh nothing to be more due to bee performed of an husband to his wise than an holy society this blessed societie is maintained betwixt Christ and his spouse expressed by Christ Iohn 15.4 Abide in me and I in you and by his Disciple whom he loved 1 Iohn 3. ult He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him This society is performed on Christs part when hee is present by his spirit in the Temple of the beleevers heart confirming comforting and refreshing of him by his spirit in the assurance of his love so Christ told his Disciples he would not leave them Orphans but he would come unto them and be with them to the end of the world though not in his personall presence yet by the Comforter his holy spirit againe this mutuall society is performed on the soules part with Christ whilst the soule with Henoch and Noah walkes with God having God alwayes before its eyes alwayes awed with an apprehension of his glorious presence conforming it selfe to his will in all things often hearing him speake in his house often speaking unto him by prayer often frequenting his Sacraments often communing with holy meditations heavenly soliloquies and ejaculations this is the second consequent A third consequent mutuall betwixt Christ and a beleever is a mutuall bearing of one anothers burden (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist l. 2. Oeconomicae â—â—n principio A good husband saith the Philosopher undertakes the care of things abroad a good wife undergoes the burden of domesticke affaires and businesses to bee done within doores and thus hath the wise disposer of all things appointed man and wife their severall employments agreeable to their severall sexes and distinct conditions Solomon speaking of the wife saith that she should be as the pleasant Hind and young Roe now 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 stabilitateÌ„ Aug. q. â—1 Augustine notes the Hart and Hinde are serviceable one to another in bearing one anothers burden It is so with Christ and his Church he takes the burden off his Spouse and layes it upon himselfe and gives his Spouse a command to take upon her his yoke Math. 11.28 Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you here Christ beateth the yoke of his spouse v. 29. Take my yoke upon you here Christ enjoyneth his spouse to take up his yoke as he hath borne here the yoke that Christ beareth for his spouse is the yoke of sinne and the burden of Gods wrath under which all the creatures in heaven and upon earth would have sunke downe to have undergone therefore Christ both God and man undertakes to beare it for his spouse and the burden and yoke that Christ imposeth on his spouse to beare is the yoke of obedience called Christs yoke because he himselfe hath
borne it he himselfe enjoynes it (e) Is dat quimandat qui jubet illo juvat and hee himselfe supports his spouse in bearing of it this yoke of Christ doth his spouse willingly beare in performing universall cheerefull sincere and constant obedience to all Christs commands in full purpose and desire of the heart in the earnest endeavour of the whole man which Evangelicall obedience Christ accepts and accounts as perfect obedience for his owne sake The fourth consequent of this spirituall marriage of Christ and his Spouse is that mutuall 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 beleever it is transcendent and differing from a Christians love to Christ First in time secondly in degree thirdly as a cause differs from an effect First in time Christs love is the preventing love and this magnifies the love of Christ it is a chiefe porperty of great love when it is (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. preventing and therefore the Apostle Iohn calls it love indeede that Christ loved us first Secondly Christs love differs and exceedes the love of his Spouse in degree he being the fountaine of love and the love of a Christian but a streame flowing from that fountaine hee the Sonne of Righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 From whom the beames of mercies flow dayly upon the hearts of his beloved ones their love being but a beame comming from that Sonne therefore God is sayd to bee love it selfe in the abstract in regard of the transcendencie of his love surpassing the love of all Thirdly Christs love differs from a Christians love as the cause differs from the effect for the love of a Christian to Christ is nothing but an heavenly sparke kindled by the fire of Gods Spirit and the fervencie of his affection to a Christian the heate that is in the inferiour region of the ayre is nothing but an effect of the reverberation of the beames of the Sunne upon the earth the heate of a Christians heart that burnes within him with a love and zeale to the Lord Jesus is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sunne beames of Christs mercies shed abroad in the heart of a beleever Our cloathes in the morning receive heate first from our bodies but being heated by our bodies they keepe our bodies warme all the day following A Christians heart must first be cloathed with the sunne of righteousnesse and so warmed with his beames being but once throughly warmed it ever after glowes within towards Christ in love againe now as Christ beares a love to a Christian farre exceeding the love of the fondest Bridsgrome to his endeared Spouse so there is a retaliating affection in every beleeving soule towards Christ We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heate as to imagine Christs love bestowed upon a soule without this affection in the heart to whom Christ hath made his love knowne by betrothing himselfe (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4. Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved againe And againe in another place affirmes that to bee true friendship where love is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. magni moral c. 11. reciprocall if then love amongst friends be mutuall much more betwixt (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconomie c. 2. man and wife betwixt Christ and his Spouse the very name of Bridsgroome calls for love (l) Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio It is the observation of a Father sometimes God calls himselfe by the name of a Father sometimes by the name of a Master sometimes by the name of a Bridsgrome when he would produce a filiall feare in the hearts of his children hee calls himselfe by the name of a Father If I be a Father where is my feare when he would produce homage and service in his servants hee calls himselfe by the name of a Lord. If I bee your Master and Lord where is me honour and service When hee would beget love and affection in them hee stiles himselfe a Bridsgroome If I bee a Bridsgroome where is my love Now this love that a Christian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ hath severall distinct properties whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ First it is such a love that will drive the soule to sicknesse in case the thing loved bee delayed Conticles cap. 1. vers 5. I am sicke of love saith the Church concerning Christ her Bridsgrome this sickenesse of the soule for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for desire of Christ whom the soule loveth this the wise man expresseth Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke now the soule hoping for those soule-transporting pleasures to bee found in the apprehension of Christs favour and sense of his presence and yet obtaines not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soule upon this the heart begins to faint and languish and to bee sicke of love the desire of a Christian towards Christ is not any faint and remisse desire but a longing desire such a desire that stretcheth the affection to the highest straine and therefore expressed in Scripture by the metaphors of thirsting gasping panting now as experience teacheth in some cases longing brings danger when the thing longed for is not obtained whereas an ordinary desire will not hurt in the deniall of the thing desired as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed as fainting sownding languishing it is so in spirituall longing for Christ the soule thirsting for Christ and finding him not falls a sownding fainting and grows to a kinde of Sprituall sicknesse for love and desire of Christ This love is a kinde of doting love that carries the soule to a spirituall distraction this we may see in Peter who in the transfigration was so transported with affection so ravished with the love of Christ that like a man spiritually distracted he knew not what hee sayd saith the text Marke 9.6 So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven he speakes like a man besides himselfe for the present 2 Corinth 12.2.3 and 5. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth verse 5. Of such an one will I glory of my selfe I will not glory here wee see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kinde of spirituall distraction in love to Christ and heaven whereunto hee
was caught This love in the third place is a (m) Amat profecto castè quae ipsum quem amat quaerit non aliud quid praeter ipsum Bern. Serm. 7. in Cantiâ— Sponsa non petit libertatem non mercedem non haereditatem sed osculum more planè castissimae sponsae ac sacrum spirantis amorem nec â—omnino valen t is flammam dissimulare quam patitur osculetur inquit me osculo oris sui quasi dicat quid mihi est in coelo a te quid volui super terram Bern. ibid. free love whereby the beleeving soule cleaves unto Christ for himselfe and those glorious excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ this property distinguisheth it from 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 stampe for the fishes and bread wherewith hee fed them Iohn 6.26 This hired love the (o) Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium si quaerit singere quod non est ut in Iob. quanto magis objicere quod est Aug. de temp Serm. 234. Devils objected against Iobs sincerity Doth Iob feare God for nought but Iob cleaving to God upon the dunghill and in the lowest condition proved the Devill in that particular as hee was from the beginning to be a lyar The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroome of his soule is that it is a strong and peremptory love it will carry a Christian through 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 straights to Christ The love of Rachel carried Iacob through 14. yeares of hard service the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Labans service had in it Cant. 8.6.7 It is sayd to be as strong as death that conquers the greatest gyant and the mightiest Monarch zeale that is love inflamed is as inexorable as hell it selfe it is sayd to have fiery coales that pierce the heart which fiery coales of love all the waters be it a deluge and inundation of miseries and calamities persecutions and temptations are not able to quench Love is of that strength that it facilitates the greatest difficulties This we see in the ordinary bodily recreations many men take a pleasure in a toyle as in hunting running leaping ringing wrastling and the like and all out of love to these recreations much more is the love of Christ able to sweeten the hardest duty that Christ imposeth upon his Spouse What was it that made the fiery faggots to those blessed witnesses of the truth to seeme as beds of Roses but love What made the Disciples to forsake all but Christ and that love they beare to him What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison and the Apostles to returne from the Councill rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ but love to Christ What made the renowned Champion Stephen valiant in the midst of death but the sight of the Sonne of God standing at the right hand of his father and I am perswaded that if it had beene offered to Stephen that hee should have beene delivered from his present paine upon condition he should have beene deprived of his present vision of Christ by the opening of the heavens the love of Christ would not have suffered Stephen to have accepted of deliverance upon such condition so we reade of those strong ones in faith though weake in sexe they would not accept of deliverance in the middest of their torturings that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 To conclude this Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peeres of hell it selfe Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as if he had sayd shall this or that if there be any more put them all into the scale and weigh but the love of Christ against them all and they shall bee found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus The fifth property the love of Christs Spouse is a bountifull love this the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.4 makes a property of true Charity that it is bountifull (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. l. 8. c. 13. bounty is the fruite of love and it is exercised towards any thing according to love if a man love his body nothing is thought too dainty to feede it too gorgeous to cloath it if a man love his pleasure nothing is counted too deare to maintaine it so where there is any true conjugal affection in a Christian heart that heart will rellish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ it will downe with frequent prayer humble and dayly confession of sinne zealous and Godly walking with God sincere universall and constant obedience to Christ though it be with the parting of the most dearely beloved sinnes that soule will thinke no teares of repentance no hearing reading singing no duties publicke or private too much whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced and its love to Christ better expressed Luke 7.47 Mary Magdalen is sayd to love much and this her great love was expressed to Christ by her bounty in washing his feete in anointing his head in wiping his feete with the haires of her head and Christ himselfe accepts of her washing anointing kissing and all other of her acts of bounty as Characters of her great inward affection The sixth property of this love is that it is intire as Moses his serpent devoured all other serpents because his serpent was from God so the love of God being from God eates and consumes the love of all things besides as it is sayd of Ioseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court and in the land of Aegypt than himselfe the like may be sayd of Christ in a beleeving heart there is none greater than Christ he is the Pilot that governes the ship the King that governes the whole man the Master and Lord that keepes the house of a sanctified heart to whom as King and Lord all the powers of the whole man submit all doe homage all performe respect feare and love and if there be love bestowed upon any other thing besides Christ as upon our selves and our neighbours yet it is for Christs sake and in subordination to him whom to love in due measure is to love without measure The seventh property of a Christians soules love to Christ is that it is a constant love it is no great matter to professe love
deformity of sinne though never so cunningly and curiously disguised by the Art of Sathan from this true sight of sinne ariseth that detestation of sinne in the heart of a Christian that he thinkes it a more fearefull sight to behold the horrid face of sinne committed in his soule than to behold the Lake of Brimstone in the lowest hell hence was it that 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 bee a truth that hee would dayly Preach That it was a more bitter and intollerable thing to offend Christ than to be tormented with the flames of hell it selfe The fourth secret that Christ communicates to his Spouse is the vanity and emptinesse of the Creatures Man lookes upon the world and the vanity thereof as a glorious and amiable object hee lookes upon worldly things as his substance his profit his glory but Christ shewes unto his Spouse that riches in steade of being glorious are but as thicke clay Hab. 2.6 opened in what regard riches compared to clay Hab. 2.6 which is first a common thing at every mans doore secondly a soyling thing thirdly a slippery thing So riches but common blessings polluting the possessors of them and defiling their Consciences slippery they are also and inconstant taking wings they flye away Againe Christ sheweth his spouse that wordly things are not substance but shaddowes Psal 39.6 not profits but losses being compared with the true gaine Luke 16.11.12 A naturall man priseth pleasure as his great Diana preferment as the top of happinesse but Christs Spouse is acquainted with this secret by her husband that the one is vanity and the other but a spiders web He that is unskilfull in the Arts and Sciences and lookes upon the earth thinkes it to be some spacious and great body and admires it for its immensity but let the Mathematitian come and compare the earth and the heavens together he knowes upon infallible demonstrations that 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 looke upon earthly things hee admires them for their excellencie but let a Christian whom Christ hath taught this lesson of the vanity of the creature come to judge of these outward and sublunary things and compare them with heavenly things with grace with Christ with glory with heaven hee findes them being weighed with these to bee lighter than vanity it selfe Let Paul be judge who accounted all things but dung in regard of Christ The fifth secret is the excellencie of Christ Mark 4.11 Christ tells his Disciples that to them it was given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God but to them that were without all things were done in Parables that seeing they might not see c. a naturall man perceives not the things of God and those glorious excellencies that are in Christ though there be abundance of light beauty and glory in the Sun yet a man that is borne blinde cannot see any of them it is so with the natural man in regard of the Sonne of Righteousnesse First there is abundance of light beauty glory heate refreshing and reviving vertue in Christ yet none of these can the naturall man see Cant. 5.9 There are some that askes Christs Spouse what she saw in her beloved that made her sicke of love thereby intimating that they for their parts saw no such amiablenesse in him but the spouse answeres that she saw something in him that did attract her heart to him My beloved saith she is white and ruddie the chiefest of ten thousand though the men of the world see nothing in Christ desireable and amiable yet his spouse sees his eminent excellencies which Christ revealeth to her by his Spirit and therefore Mat. 16.17 Peter confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of God and so perceiving salvation by him alone Christ tells him that flesh and blood had not revealed that unto him but his Father which is in heaven the excellencies in Christ discerned onely of the Saints are prised and desired onely of them hence was it that Peter desired to abide in Christs presence Lord whether shall we goe thou hast the Words of eternall life and having but a taste of Christs excellencie and glory in the transfiguration he cryed It is good to be here Peter had beene in many excellent places for pleasure and delight but never said before It is good to be here forgetting wife lands and living he cryes It is good to be here so sweete is the presence of the Lord Jesus especially when the soule obtaines a sight of his excellencies A sixth secret is the gaine of godlinesse a secret that the worldling is ignorant of that counts gaine to be Godlinesse as the Apostle speakes 1 Tim. 6. A man of this world thinkes there is no profit but in purchasing of Lands and revenewes no honour but in the favour of earthly Potentates no beauty but that of the body no pleasure but in Epicurisme surfetting drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse but Christ shews his spouse againe in godlinesse Secondly honour in being in favour at the Court of heaven Thirdly beauty in grace and lastly pleasure in walking in the wayes of God First Christ shewes his Spouse a gaine in godlinesse this Christ had taught blessed Paul Phil. 3.7 those things that were gaine to him he counted losse for Christ Christ being sufficient gaine to him as he avoucheth Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine Secondly honour in the favour of God this the Psalmist was acquainted withall Psal 149.9 concluding the Psalme with this Epiphonema Such honour have all his Saints This Saint Luke knew well who stiles Theophilus a lover of God most Noble Theophilus Luke 1.3 and the Bereans more honourable than them of Thessalonica for their piety and devotion this David knew well when hee desired rather to be a doore keeper in the house of God than to 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 Salomon knew when he affirmes Eccles 8.1 Wisedome maketh the face to shine Lastly pleasure in the wayes of God and the pathes of righteousnesse this Salomon avoucheth Prov. 3.17 The wayes of Wisedome are pleasantnesse and all her pathes peace this David witnesseth Psal 119. Thy testimonies are my delight sweeter unto me than the honey and honey combe to this purpose cryed holy Augustine O luxuriose ubi major delectatio quam in Gemmè dulcissimo deo Aug. O thou luxurious fellow where is there greater
ornaments wherewith Christs Spouse must adorne her selfe are the heavenly dispositions vertues qualities and graces of the soule as humility meekenesse temperance chastitie brotherly kindnesse heavenly mindednesse and the like This the Apostle intimates Col. 3.12.13 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering c. put on the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put on as a garment or ornament and the garment it selfe is a concatination of graces a troope of heavenly vertues as mercy kindnesse humility c. this is the needle worke of divers colours wherewith the Kings daughter must bee adorned when she is presented to the King called a needle worke of divers colours in regard of the variety of graces that this needle-worke consists of as also noteing the glory of this ornament of grace and holinesse for as diversity of colours in needleworke so variety of graces make a soule more beautifull and glorious every grace having its distinct beauty and luster and all of them being joyned together in one soule one grace gives a glory unto another all of them together shining in the soule like so many diamonds in a Ring Secondly this teacheth the Saints a second duety to preserve their spirituall chastitie and to carry themselves as pure virgines towards their husband Christ the Apostle tels the beleeving Corinthians that he was jealous over them with godly jealousie for he had espoused them to one husband 2 Co◠11.2 that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ and this jealousie that Paul had over the beleeving Corinthians should every beleeving soule have over it selfe that Christ may have no occasion to bee jealous of the soules entire affection to himselfe alone therefore more than ordinarily vigilant must the Saints be that are espoused to Christ to avoyd spirituall fornication which 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 corde tuo delectatus fueris his quae tibi secundum suam mentem suggerit meretricatus es cum eo Origen hom 12. in Levit. c. 2. In nulla parte oportet virginem adulteram esse non lingua non auribus non oculo non alio omnino sensu imo neque cogitatione sed corpus quidem velut templum quoddam aut thalamum sponsi habeat praeparatum Basil l. de vera virg committed when the soule prostitutes it selfe to the least sinne and entertaines the least lust with consent and delight If thou shalt receive saith Origen into the chamber of thy soule the devill thy soule hath played the adulteresse with the devil if the spirit of anger envie pride immodestie and the like shall enter into thy soule and thou shalt entertaine and hearken unto it and be delighted with it and the suggestions thereof thou hast committed whoredome with it Although the soule may commit spirituall adultery with any sinne yet more hainously with these three particular sinnes First with (p) Idololatria est mystica spiritualis animae cum idolis fornicatio Com. a Lap. in Ezek. 6.9 Idolatrie for of this God professeth himselfe to be a jealous God Isay 42.8 I am Iehovah and my glory will not I give to another and of this doth the Lord often complaine that his people had gone a whoring after Idolls and strange gods Levit. 17.7 Ezek. 6.9 Neither is there any one kinde of Spirituall fornication more distastfull to the Bridesgroome of the soule than for rhe soule to be difiled with this sinne therefore Ezek. 36.25 it is joyned with filthinesse from all your filthinesse and from all your Idolls will I cleanse you saith the Lord. Secondly with covetousnesse and 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 sinne with which the soule more hainously commits spirituall fornication this the Apostle Iames cleareth Iames 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses know yee not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will bee a friend of the world is an enemie of God this spirituall adultery with the world is so much more grievous than carnall adulterie by how much God who is contemned is more great and excellent than man to whom a wife hath betrothed her selfe A third sinne is corporall uncleannesse 1 Cor. 6.15 the Apostle shewes this affirming that a man by this sinne takes the members of Christ and makes them the members of an Harlot this sinne by Gods owne verdict takes away the heart Hosea 4.11 and so alienates the affection from the Lord Jesus Behold then the duty of the Saints as to avoyd all sin so especially these three sinnes with which especially and more grievously the soule commits spirituall fornication as also to present themselves as chaste (r) Virginitas mentis est integra fides solida spes sincera charitas Aug. 11.13 in Iohan. Iom 9. virgines to the Lord Jesus Christ their dearest bridesgroome This point instructs the Saints in a third duty to walke before Christ in al manner of well pleasing propounding Christs word and example as a patterne of their lives This duty of a wife the Heathen (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconom c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Philosopher found out affirming that a well ordered woman ought to esteeme the carriage of her husband to be a Law of her life imposed by God though this rule faile in case the manners of the husband be ungodly and corrupt yet in the present instance betwixt Christ and his Spouse it failes not Christs life being a patterne of purity and perfect holinesse and absolute obedience in every particular therefore 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 thy selfe to Christ walke according to the will of thy husband this observancie and pleasing carriage was eminent in the Church Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their Master and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hand of her Mistresse even so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God Christ would have his Spouse to be knowne to bee his Spouse even by her outward carriage by her holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man by her meeke humble courteous and mercifull carriage towards al expressing in her life the life of her husband Christ Vse 2 In the
the Apostle speakes 1 Tim. 2.6 gave himselfe not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome but a counter-ransome for all my sinnes and thus in all other arrests may the soule stop all in Christ so that as good Onesimus was loath to returne to his Master Philemon to whom once he had beene an unprofitable servant but when once he knew that Paul had written his Epistle to Philemon to tell him that whatsoever Onesimus owed him he should set it on Pauls score Philem. v. 18. Onesimus might then with boldnesse returne to his Master Philemon againe in like manner a poore soule considering how it hath offended God is loath to come before or into his presence but when it considers againe that whatsoever it is indebted to God it is set on Christs score then may the soule with boldnesse goe to God and stop the mouth of all accusers in the world who can lay nothing to the charge of Gods elect seeing it is God that justifieth Secondly this may comfort the soule against the feare of spirituall enemies the wife that hath a rich and powerfull husband thinkes her selfe safe from reproaches injuries and abuses of others farre more safe is the soule that is married to Christ from being hurt by the attempt of enemies or by any assaults of any spirituall adversaries for Christ is able to vindicate the cause of his oppressed Spouse to the utmost Protection is one priviledge the wife hath by her husband therefore saith Ruth to Boaz Ruth 3.9 opened Spread thy skirt over thine handmaide for thou art a neere kinsman Spread thy skirt over me that is be my protector in being my husband Christ will not be wanting to his Spouse in any comfort or succour that a wife expects from her husband much lesse in protection one of the meanest duties of a loving husband therefore Ezek. 16.8 when once the time was the time of love betwixt the Lord and his people he saith he spread his skirt over his people and covered their nakednesse let then the Spouse of Christ be dayly assaulted by Sathan the world and the remainder of corruption and let the soule goe to Christ as Ruth to Boaz Spread thy skirt over thy servant for thou art my husband Lord and Master and the Spouse of Christ shall be safe under the wings of Christ that all the powers of darkenesse and powers of hell it selfe shall not be able to pull Christs Spouse out of his Armes This may comfort the beleeving soule that being once espoused it shall be for ever espoused to Christ Hosea 2.19 I will betroth thee unto my selfe for ever saith the Lord unto his people Ruth 3. ◠Naomi may be deprived of her husband Elimelech in a strange land because Elimelech was a man subject to the like mortality as all of his owne species are but the soule once married to Christ can never bee deprived of him who being both God and man is he who was and is and shall be unto all eternity so that which Babylon sayd in a proud and presumptuous manner Esay 47.8 I shall not see widdow-hood that upon good grounds and not presumptuously may the soule espoused to Christ affirme of it selfe I shall sit as Queene and never suffer spirituall Widdow-hood so that the condition of beleevers in this marriage estate with Christ is farre better than that of Adam in Paradise Man in his innocencie was espoused to God but then God left in man a power to dissolve this matrimoniall knot and man breaking the Covenant there was a dvorce drawne now God is so farre pleased out of his super-abundant mercy and compassion not to be found in any but a God infinitely good to treat of a second marriage to the soule of man divorced from him Ier. 3. ◠which marriage is grounded upon a more sure foundation even upon Christ and in Christ he is pleased to bee married to the soule not for a certaine time to be at last expired but for all eternitie not now leaving the Matrimoniall covenants in mans own custodie but undertaking the keeping of them himselfe To conclude this if it be such an happie 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 it selfe doth breake it then farre greater happinesse and comfort for a beleeving soule to thinke that this bond of Spirituall wedlocke shall not be broken by death it selfe but remaine indissolveable to all eternitie Vse 4 In the fourth place this point serves for exhortation It may be a ground of perswasion to every one that is as yet an aliant from Israel a stranger from God from his promises his Christ that he would accept of Jesus Christ to be the husband of his soule and so his soule may be the Spouse of Christ and so have interest in all the saving promises of the Gospell and be made a member of the Common-wealth of Israel and of one that was a farre off made nigh to God in Christ by Spirituall alliance Iohn 3.29 the Baptist stiles himselfe a friend of the Bridegroome 2 Cor. 11.2 Paul as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spokesman of Christ tells the Corinthians that he was jealous over them for he had espoused them to one husband that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ Every Minister of the Gospell with the Baptist should be a friend of the Bridegoome with Paul a spokesman for Christ this the Apostle sheweth 2 Cor. 5.20 that he and the rest of his function were Ambassadors for Christ as though Christ did entreate others by them to be reconciled to him for as great persons as Emperours and Kings dwelling in remote places from the virgin Ladies whom they would espouse unto themselves send entreaties of marriage by their Ambassadors who use to carry their lively pictures and portratures of their persons and so present them to the women they desire to be espoused unto in like manner the Lord Jesus the great King whose Throne endureth for ever and whose Scepter is a right Scepter keeping his Court in heaven and that being his glorious Throne where his chiefe residence is and his greatest glory displayed he offering conditions of Marriage to poore soules sends them by the Ministers of the Gospell his Ambassadors and hath put into their hands the word of his Gospell Christs love Letter in which his glorious excellencies and treasures of incomparable benefits dwelling in him in a plentifull manner are evidently set forth which the Ambassadors of Christ opening and declaring to the people cannot but shew forth the excellencies of his person of his riches honour beauty and all other desirable qualities in a Bridegroome Oh then that God would be pleased having appointed me an unworthy messenger to this great dignitie as