5 Wives, as Chrìí loved the Church, and gave himfelf for it, that he might fanaifie and cleanfe it by the wafbing vf Water. Chrift upon the Crofs had merit enough to purchafe, and love enough to intend, A. nd Wifdom enough to choofe the. greateft benefit for us ;. and what did he purchafe, intend, and choofe, but to fanaifie and cleanfe us by the waffling of water through the Word ? And laftly, we mutt re- ceive him to the Ends for which God offereth him ; that is, to be Lord and Huf- band ; which importeth a forfaking all others, and a devoting and giving up our felves to Chriff, to live in his Love and Obedience. t. Before there can be a Receiving, there mutt be a Renouncing of all other Loves. Chrift will be entertained alone. The Husband cannot endure a Corri- val and Competitor. And the Marriage content implyeth an Elecaiott and Choice, which is a renouncing all others, and a preferring him alone. So the Marriage Covenant riinneth, Hof. ;. 3. Thou (halt not be for another, but fhalt be for me. . So Pfal. 45. ro, xi. Hearken, 0 Daughter, and confider ; incline thine ear : Forget al- fo thine own people, and thy Fathers Houfe. So (hall the King greatly defre thy Beau- ty : for he is thy Lord, and werlhip thou him. All that do confider what is offer- ed in Chrifts name, and content to the motion, they muft forfake all their old wayes, their old Corruptions, and old Paillons, and old Affeaions ; and ferioufly think of leaving all their worldly Pleafures and Vanities ; they mutt, not flick at their clroiceft Interefts, moft pleafing Lufts, and dearth Sins; though it be a right Hand, and a right Eye, Mat. 5. 29. If we content to take Chriff, and retain our old Loves fill, we fhall be little the better for being Chriftians. 2. You muff give your felves up to him, to live in his Love and Obedi- ence. There are two Grand Duties we muft refolve upon, if we enter into this Relation: Conjugal Love, and Conjugal Obedience. (L) Conjugal Love. There is no want of love on Chrifts part, Ifa. 62. 5, fis a Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, fo Pail thy God rejoyce over thee. Now this Love muff be mutual ; as he in us, fo we in him. Now Conjugal Love is fuch a Love as is greater to the Yoke - fellow than to any other. So our Love to Chriff is a Superlative Love. We mutt not only love him, not lefs than other things, nor equal with other things, but above them ; cleaving to him alone. Some love Chrift lefs than other things ; they love him a little, but love the World better ; Honour and Greatnefs better, yob. 12. 42. How can you believe that feek honour one of another ? Pleafure, 2 Tim. 3. 4. Lovers of pleafure, more than lovers of God. Profit, 2 Tim. 4.1.o. Demas bath forfaken us, and embraced the prefent World. Some love Chrift, but love other things equal with him. They are divided: 'cis a nice cafe; hard to fay which bath the Maffery: they make a pother with Religion, but never feel the true force of it. But the true Conjugal Affeffion is fuperlative, Pfal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee ? and there is none on Earth that I defare befides thee. Phil. 3.8, g, ro. I count all things but dung and drofs, for the ex- cellency of the knowledge of fefus Chrift my Lord. They preferre Jefus Chrift be- fore all things in the World. Betides, as an Husband, he muft have this Love. (2.) This is a Lord that muff have Conjugal Obedience, Eph. 3., 23, 24. The Husband is the head of the Wife, as Chrift is the Head of the Church, and the Savi- our of the Body. Therefore as the Church is fubjei? to Chrift, fo let Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing. I urge it, as Wives are fubje& to their Husbands in every thing, fo let the Church and each believing Soul be to Chriff. Surely if you confent to marry to Chrift, you muff reckon upon it, that you are no long- er your own to difpofe of, and therefore henceforth you muff no more live to your felves. Chriff is accepted and received for Lord, Col. 2. 6. and as fuch you muft confent to ferve and obey him. Pfal. 45. 12. He is thy Lord, worfhip thou him. You muff take him fo as never to be afhamed to own him ; take him for better, for worfe, take him and his Crofs, Mat. 16.24. take him and his yoke, Mat. 11.29. take him and his Spiritual Laws, Yoh. 14. 21. You are to be obedient to Chrift in all things. You are no more to do what you will, but what tvill pleafe the Lord, r Cor. 7. 30. In fhort, you muff obey him, if you will have benefit by him, Heb. 5. 9. Thirdly, Tis fpoken of with refpelt to its Prefent State in this World. The Re- lation is begun, but 'tis not pnblickly Solemnized. 2 Cor. I I. 2. I have Efpoufed you to one Husband, that I may prefent you as a chaff Virgin to Chrifi : The Church is Sponfa, not 8 SE K MO NS uponthe SERM.VIM
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