' 314 C H R I S T A B R I D E G R 0 0 M. Book II. METAPHOR. Ill. Other Lovers and Bride– grooms mind their own Advantage and Intereft in feeking a Wife. IV. 'The Beauty that another Bridegroom finds in his Spoufe, is not tranfmitted from him unto her; he cannot confer Beauty, nor more comely Features ; if /he be hard– favored, deformed, and ugly, fo fue muft remain. V. Some are not very confrant in their Love ; they cool in their Affection, and love not always alike, nor to the End. VI. A princely Bridegroom pro– vides not the Wedding-Garments for his Bride, he is not at the charge of adorning her ; the Bride doth procure her own Attire, her Robes, Rings, and coftly Ornaments. VII. Other Bridegrooms die, and leave their Wives and dear Conforts Widows, and their Chil– dren fatherlefs. D IS PAR IT Y. Ill. Jefus Chrifr did all to raife us to Honor. There could be no Addition to his Glory and Happinefs; it was our lntere11 and Advantage h.e fought, tn all he paffed through, and endured. 1V. J efus Chrift finds Sinners very ua]y and deformed, in Head and Heart, in Face a.;'d Fea– ture ; but he tranfmits or transfers his glorious Beauty unto them. Hence the Church's Beauty IS fa1d to be perfell, through that Comelinefs the Lord bath put upon her, Ezek. xvi. i4. He makes the Soul that was polluted, clean ; chat was de– formed, very beautiful and amiable to look upon. V. J efus Chrift is unchangeable in his Love: I have loved thee with an everlajfing Love, there– fore with Loving-kindnefs have I drawn thee, Jer. xxxi. 3· He will reft in his Love : Having loved his own that were in the World, he loved them unto · the End, John xiii. r. VI. J efus Chrifr is at all the Charge of cloath– ing and adorning the Church, and every fincere Believer and Member thereof. VII. J efus Chri£1: never dies : he was dead, but dies no more: He ever livetb to make Inter– cef/ion for tts, Heb. vii. 25. He will never leave Zion a Widow, nor her Children Orphans. I will not leave you comfortlefs. I N F E R E N C E S. I. WE may infer from hence, how infinitely Sinners are obliged and beholden unto Gop, in providing fuch a great and good Match for them. Did ever any King manifeft fuch Kindnefs to vile and wicked Traitors, as to fend his own Son to die for them, that they might be interefted in all the Bleffings of his Court and Kingdom? God propounds Chrift to us as a Spoufe and Bridegroom. II. Moreover, how infinitely are we obliged to Jefus Chrift, for bearing fuch Good– will unto us, to pafs by the fallen Angels, and fix his Eye upon poor fallen Man; to come into the World, and expofe himfelf to all thofe bafe Affronts, Shame, Sorrow, and Death itfelf, that he might accomplilh this glorious Defign of Love and Marriage– union with us! ll!. It /hews what great Folly, and horrid Ingratitude, thofe Sinners are guilty of, -that £light and contemn this Offer. Which may lead you to confider: 1. What is your State without Chrift? If you have not Chrift, what have you? No Life, no Light, no Pardon, no Peace, no God, no Glory. You a~e without all true Good, if you are without God and Chri£1:. SineJummo bono, nihil bonum. (1.) Is it not Folly to prefer Bondage to Sin, and Satan before a Marriage-State with Jefus Chrifl:? rather be the Devil's Slave and Vaffal, than Jefus Chrifl:'s deareft Confort? (2.) Is it not great Folly to refufe fuch an Offer, that will make you happy for ever, if embraced, and when there is no other way of being happy ? If this Offer be rejected thou art undone, and muft be damned. (3.) Is it not great Folly to value the Lufts of the Flelh, and Pleafures of this World, above Chrift? to value the greateft Evil above the chiefeft Good? 2. It is D"reat Ingratitude. Hath Chrift done all this, and wilt thou flight him at ]aft ? Shalt'he come to thy Door, and wilt thou /hut him out? Is there no room for him in the Inn ? Shall he lie in the Stable ?Shall Satan command the Heart, and Chnft only !i"ave the Lip?
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