$58 SERMONS upon Senn,' 9. betroth. As David, after he had bought Michal with the danger of his Life, yet was fain to take her away from Phaltiel, 2 Sam. 3. t 3. The Devil hath gotten Chrift's Spoufe in his own Arms; he is fain totefcue her, and oblige her to Loyalty by the in- treaties of his Spirit. Hereafter is the Day of Efpoufals ; now the Church is called the Bride, then the Lamb's Wife : Chrift's Honour, as well as our Confent, is incompleat g then he coineth to fetch her, and prefent her to God, Eph. 5.27. and bring her into his Father's Houfe. Chtift is decking her againft that Time we are to accomplith the Months of our purification, and to have Odours and Garments out of the King's War- drobe. Eflh. 1.12. (S.) We are given to him, to be Members of his Body. Here is the neareft Relation, and that which Chrift molt prizeth, next to the Title of the Son of God, to be Head of the Church. O what an honour is this to poor Creatures, that Chrift will take us in- to his own myftical Body, to quicken us, and enliven us, and guide us by his Grace ! To Angels he is a Head, in point of Sovereignty and Power; Col. 2. to. 1nd ye are compleat in him, which is the Head of all Principality and Power. But to the Church he is an Head by virtue of Myflical Union. Angels are his mrnifiring Spirits, but we his Spoufe; they ate not called his Bride, nor the Spoufe of his Bofom, nor the Members of his 'Body. In the Ephefans, the Church is called his 'Body, the Fulnefr of him that filleth all in all, Bphef t. 23. Poor Creatures are 7r2Ape an xpisís, he doth not count himfelf perfe& without us, as if he were a maimed, impetfet Chrift, till all the Church be where he is. He treateth his Myffical Body with the fame refpe& that he doth his Natural ; it is raifed, afcended, glorified, fo (hall we. For the prefent there is Come Communion between us; he is grieved in our Miferies, and we are exalted in his Glory. As there is a mutual Paffage of Spirits between the Head and the Body ; fo there is a Communion between Chrift and us by Donatives and Duties. II. How this is a ground of Eftablifhment and Confolation. t. By this Gift we have an Intereft both in God and Chrift. t John t. 3. That Which we have feen and heard, declare we unto yon, that ye aya may have Feílowfhipwith no ; and truly oar Fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefrsa Chrif. 2 John v. 9. He that abideth in the Dotïrine ofChrzfd, he hath barb the Father, and the Son. God will make good his Gift, and Chrift his Trutt. God beftowed us upon his Son, to oblige Chrift to the greater refpe& 3 and Chrift bath bought us of his Father, that the Gift might be Cure and certain. The Son loveth us, becaufe the Father required it ; the Father loveth us, becaufe the Son merited it. If Chrift be faithful to his Father, or the Father be loving and refpe&ful to Chrift, we cannot tnifcarry. We have an Intereft in the Father, who is theFountain of Mercy ; in the Son, who is the Golden Pipe and Con - veyance. God made the Eleft to be.dvlembers of Chrift's Body, that he might redeem them ; and Chrift made them Children of God's Family, that he might love them, and blefs them. Ele&ing Love, and Chrift's Purchafe, are the two Fountains of Salvation. God, who is the fupreme Judg, offended Party, firer Caute and Fountain of Bleffing, he requireth the Son to die for us; and Chrift hath undertaken it, and made good his Word. 2. God bath put the Bufinefs of out Salvation into fafe hands. He would not be defeated of his Purpo, therefore he hath given the Ele& to Chrift, that they may be quickned by virtue of that Power and Life which was given to him. He would deal with us Upon fuse Terms, and therefore took Order fufficient to attain his End ; he would not truft us with any, but his own Eternal Son. There is a Charge laid on Chrift, who is a good Depofrtory, of fuch care and fayhfulnefs, that he will not neg- le& his Father's Pledg ; of filch ftrength and ability, that nothing can wreft us out of his hands ; for he that doth it, had need of a ftronger Arm than Chrift's, John to. 28, 2p. Of filch Love, that no Work can be more pleating to him ; he loveth us fir better than we do our felves, or elfe he would never have come from Heaven for our fakes : Of fuck Watchfulnefs and Care, that his Eyes do always run to and fro throughout the Earth. Providence is full of eyes, as well as ftrong of hand. As the High-Prieft bore the Names of the Tribes upon his Breaft and Shoulder ; fo doth Chrift the Memorial of every Saint ; he knoweth their Names, and their Neceffrties ; tho many Thoufands in theWorld, yet every tingle Believer falleth under the care of Chrift, as if none be- tides him ; he knoweth them by Head and Poll, their Wants, Neceffities. They are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. 13. 8. Chrift keeps a Regifter of them. There is not only God's Book of Remembrance, but the Lamb's Book of Life. He knoweth
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