me for ever, yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteoufnefs, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies, I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness. And it is the main defign of the miniftry of the gospel to prevail with men to give up themselves unto the Lord Christ, as he reveals his kindness in this engagement. Hence Paul tells the Corinthians, 2 Epift. xi. 2. that he had efpoufed them unto one Husband, that he might present them as a chafte virgin unto Chrift. This he had prevailed upon them for, by the preaching of the gofpel, that they should give up themselves as a virgin, unto him who had betrothed them to himself, as an Husband. And this is a relation wherein the Lord Jefus is exceedingly delighted; and inviteth others to behold him in this his glory, Cant. iii. 11. Go forth, faith he, O ye daughters of Jerufalem, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, in the day of his efpoufals and in the day of the gladness of his heart. He calls forth the daughters of Jerufalem, all forts of profeffors to confider him in the condition of betrothing and efpoufing his church unto himfelf; moreover, he tells them that they fhall find on him two things eminently upon this account. 1. Honour, it is the day of his coronation, and his fpoufe is the crown, wherewith he is crowned. For as Chrift is a Diadem of beauty, and a Crown of glory unto Sion, Ifa. xxviii. 5. So Sion alfo is a diadem, and a crown unto him, Ifa. Ixii. 3. Christ makes this relation with his faints to be his glory and his honour. 2. Delight. The day of his efpoufals, of taking poor ful fouls into his bofom, is the day of the gladness of his heart. John was but the friend of the Bridegroom, fin groom, that flood and heard his voice, when he was taking his bride unto himself, and he rejoiced greatly, John iii. 29. how much more then must be the joy and gladness of the Bridegroom himself, even that which is expreffed, Zeph. iii. 14. He rejoiceth with joy, he joys with finging. It is the gladness of the heart of Chrift, the joy of his foul, to take poor finners into this relation with himself. He rejoiced in the thoughts of it from eternity, Prov. viii. 31. And always expreffeth the greatest willingness to undergo the hard tafk required thereunto, Pfal. xl. 7, 8. Heb. x. 7, 8. yea he was pained as a woman in travail, until he had accomplished it, Luke xii. 15. because he loved his church he gave himfelf for it, Eph. v. 26. defpifing the fhame, and enduring the cross, Heb. xiii. 2. that he might enjoy his bride; that he might be for her, and the for him, and not for another, Hof. iii. 3. This is his joy, when he is thus crowned by his mother. It is believers that are mother, and brother of this Solomon, Matth. xii. 49, 50. They crown him in the day of his efpoufals,giving themfelves to him, and becoming his glory, 2 Cor. viii. 23. Thus he fets out his whole communion with his church under this allufion, and that most frequently. The time of his taking the church unto himself, is the day of his marriage, and the church is his bride, his wife, Rev. xix. 7, 8. The entertainment he makes for his faints, is a wedding fupper, Matth. xxii. 3. The graces of his church, are the ornaments of his queen, Pfal. xlv. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. And the fellowship he hath with his faints, is as that which those who are mutually beloved in a conjugal relation do hold, Cant. i. Hence Paul in deH fcribing fcribing these two, makes fudden and infenfible tranfitions from one to the other, Eph. chap. v. from ver. 22. unto ver. 32. concluding the whole with an application unto Christ and the church. It is now to be enquired in the next place, how it is that we hold communion with the perfon of Chrift, in refpect of conjugal relations and affections, and wherein this doth confift. Now herein there are some things that are common unto Chrift and the faints, and fome things that are peculiar to each of them, as the nature of this relation doth require. The whole may be reduced unto these two heads. 1. A mutual refignation of themselves one to the other. 2. Mutual confequential conjugal affections. 1. There is a mutual refignation or making over of their perfons one to another. This is the first act of communion, as to the perfonal grace of Christ. Chrift makes himself over to the foul to be his, as to all the love, care, and tenderness of an Husband; and the foul gives up itself wholly unto the Lord Christ, to be his, as to all loving, tender obedience.. And herein is the main of Chrift and the faints efpoufals. This in the prophet is fet out under a parable of himself and an harlot, Hof. iii. 3. Thou Jhalt abide for me, faith he unto her, thou shalt not be for another, and I will be for thee. Poor harlot, faith the Lord Chrift, I have bought thee unto myself with the price of mine own blood, and now this is that which we will confent unto, I will be for thee, and thou shalt be for me, and not for another. 1. Chrift gives himfelf to the foul with all his excellencies, righteousness, preciousness, graces and eminencies eminencies, to be its Saviour, Head, and Husband, for ever to dwell with it, in this holy relation. He looks upon the fouls of his faints, likes them well, counts them fair, and beautiful, becaufe he hath made them fo, Cant. i. 15. Behold thou art fair my companion, behold thou art fair, thou hast doves eyes. Let others think what they please, Chrift redoubles it that the fouls of his faints are very beautiful, even perfect through his comelinefs which he puts upon them, Ezek. xv. 14. Behold thou art fair, thou art fair particularly that their spiritual light is very excellent and glorious,, like the eyes of a dove, tender, difcerning, clear and fhining. Therefore he adds that pathetical wifh of the enjoyment of this fpoufe, chap. ii. 14. O my dove, faith he, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the fecret places of the ftairs, let me hear thy voice, let me fee thy countenance, for fweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Do not hide thyself as one that flies to the clefts of the rocks, be not dejected as one that hides herself behind the stairs, and is afraid to come forth to the company that enquires for her. Let not thy fpirit be caft down at the weaknefs of thy fupplications, let me yet hear thy fighs and groans, thy breathings and pantings to me, they are very sweet, very delightful; and thy fpiritual countenance, thy appearance in heavenly things, is comely and delightful unto me. Neither doth he leave her thus, but, chap. iv. 8. preffeth her hard to a clofe communication with him in this conjugal bond. Come with me from Lebanon, my spoufe, with me from Lebanon, look from the top of Amana, from be top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lyons dens, and the mountains of the leopards. Thou art in a wandring condition, as the Ifraelites of old, among lyons and H 2 leopards leopards, fins and troubles, come from thence unto me, and I will give thee refreshment, Matth. xi. 27. Upon this invitation the spouse boldly concludes, chap. vii. 10. that the defire of Chrift is towards her; that he doth indeed love her, and aim at taking her unto this fellowship with himfelf. So carrying on this union, Chrift freely Zin himself upon the foul. Precious and excellent as he is, he becometh ours. He makes himself to be fo, and with him, all his graces. Hence faith the spouse my beloved is mine: in all that he is, he is mine. Because he is righteoufnefs, Ifa. xlv. 24, 25. he is the Lord our righteoufnefs, Jer. xxiii. 6. Becaufe he is the wifdom of God, and the power of God, he is made unto us wifdom, &c. 1 Cor. i. 30. Thus the branch of the Lord is beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth is excellent, and comely to them that are efcaped of Ifrael, Ifa. iv. 2. This is the first thing on the part of Christ, the free donation and bestowing of himfelf upon us to be our Chrift, our beloved, as all the ends and purposes of love, mercy, grace, and glory, whereunto in his mediation he is defigned, in a marriage covenant, never to be broken. This is the fum of what is intended. The Lord Jefus Chrift fitted and prepared by the accomplishment and furniture of his perfon as Mediator, and the large purchase of grace and glory which he ha h made, to be an Husband to his faints, his church; tenders himself in the promises of the gospel to them in all his defireabler efs, convinces them of his good will towards them, and his all-fufficiency for a fupply of their wants an upon their confent to accept of him, which is all he requires or expects at |