674 THE C H U R C H COMPARED To A W IF E. Book IV. folf ':>.V:J, the Hufband of the Church, and hence Zioli is faid to be i1':>lJ):J, Beulah, that i_s, married, Ifa. lx1i. 4, 5· ·'· N ote, 'Ihe Church of Chrifl is the Wife of Cbrifl. M E T A P I-I 0 R. PARALLEL. I. A Wife is one who bath made I. so the Church, and every true Chrifiian, hatil a fokmn Contract with, and . made a folemn Contr:rct or Covenant with, is married to an I-Iufband. and is married to the Lord Jefus. Rom. vii. I S· I!. A vVoman that entereth into II. So a gracious Soul in this fpiritual Marriaae a Marriage-Relation with an Hufgives itfelf to Chrill:, and Chrifi gives Minfelf~o band, gives hedelf wholly to him. the Soul. I will be thine, faith Chrifi, to love The Hufband gives himfelf to thee, thine to fave thee, thine to crown thee, and l ier, ·and !he by way of return gives make thee happy; I, with all my Riches, and rich herfelf unto him; they conlent to Treafures of Grace and Glory, will be fully thine, rake each other. and for ever thine. And on the other Hand, the Soul by way of return gives itfelf unto Chrift: I will be thine, ·faith every fincere C<~nvert, I will be for thee, and not for another. Hence it is faid, 'Ihey gave themfelves to the Lord, 2 Cor. viii. 5· Blefi'ed Jefm, faith .the Soul, fuch as !"am ai>d have, I give to th.ee ; I am a poor forry Piece, infinitely unworthy to wa!h the Feet of the Servants of my L ord , 0 how undeferving then of thy Acceptation! My bell is too bad, my all is too little for thee: But fince it is thy pleafure to accept of fuch a Gift, I do witl<t my whole Soul give myfelf, my Strength, my Time, my Talents, and all I have, am, or can do, for the Glory of rhy haly N ame. Ill. A faithful Wife, in marry- ]1). So all true Chril\ians renounce Sin, Self, ing. berfelf to one Hu{band, re- .and the l.aw in point of J ufiification, and all Lo– nounceth all other Men, and keeps vers what(oever, an.d k eep themfelves ch.afte and herfelf cha!\e and faithful tO him. faithful to Chrifi. Wherefore, Brethrtn, ye alfo arc become dead to the L aw by the Body of Chrifl, that ye jhould be married to another, even to him 'I!Jho is rifen from the Dead, that we jhouid bring forth Fruit unto God, R om. vii. I5· IV. The\<Vife obeyeth and reIV.. So the Chucch obeys ancl reverences the verenceth her Hufband ; as Sarah, Lord Jefus Chrifi, and owns him to be her Lord. who called her Hufband L ord. V. A faithful Wife !\rives to pleafe her Hufband, But jhe that is married, careth. how jhe may pleafe her Htifband, 1 Cor. xii. 3~· VI. A Wife by marrying an ·Hufband is interefted in hisE!\ate, and hath a legal Right to what is t.his. · · ·VII. A Wife, by -marrying an Hufband, is brought into a near •Union and Communion with him: '!'bey are no more /wail;, but one .:Piejh, Matt. xix. 6. V. So the Church, and each true Chrifiian, flri~es to.pleafe the Lord Jefus. '!'hat Je may walk ·worthy of th.e Lord in all wellplea/ing, being fruit– ful in e·very good Work, &c. Col. i. I O. VL So the Soul, .by marrying of Chrifi, is in– terefied into all Chri!l's Riches; he hath a fure, a .new Covenant-Right to whatfoever Chrifi hath; the Riches both .of Grace and Glory .are b.ecom.e ,his hereby. · VII. So the Church, and eac·h true Chrifiian, by entering into a Marriage R elation with the Lord Jefus, is brought into a very near Union and Con– j un&:ion with him. For this caufe foal! a Man leave Father and Mgther, and jhall join unto his Wife, and they two jha/1 be one Flejh. '!'his is a great MJflery, -but I [peak concerning Chrijl ""d the Church, I Cor. vi. I ?· Hence the Apofile faith, He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit, Eph. v. 3I· This is a moO: blefi'ed Union, a full Union, a lafiing Union; (1.) a full Union. The whole Perfon of Chrifi is joined to the whole Perfon of a Believer, and the whole Perfon of a Be– Jieve"is joined.to the who.le Perfon of Chr.ifi. Not only Cbrifi's :human Nature is ,joined to a Bcliever, but his divine Natl~re alfo; and fo _not only the Body of a Be– liever is joined to Chnfi, but h1s Soul JS JOined alfo. This may adm1mfi.er much Con– folation to dying Saints: The .Body, as ,well ,as the Soul, is the Lord's, and therefore !hall not be loO:, he will raife it up at the lafi: Day. From hence ChriO: fympathizetil with his People, he feels and is fenfible of all their Sorrow.s, he looks upon their Suf– ferinas as his·Sufferings. I was an bungred, and ye gave me no Meat; I was thirfly, and ye gave~1e no Drink.; naked, and ye clothed .me not: Sick, and in Prifon, and )'e vifited tilt .not, M4/t.xxv . .35• 36. In all.their /f.fflittior.s he was a.fflifled, I{a. lx.iii. 9• :Vlli. Th~
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