THE MYSTICAL MATCH BETWEEN Christ and his Church.  
BY The late learned and reverend Divine.  
JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Lincoln's Inn.  
The leading Sermon to that Treatise of his called The Church's Marriage.  CANT. 63. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. 
LONDON, Printed for Francis Eaglesfield, and are to be sold at the Marigold in S. Paul's Churchyard. 1648.   

To the Christian Reader.  
WHen the Sermons of this reverend Divine entitled the Church's Marriage, were first published, this Sermon was not come to the hands of those who were instrumental in setting forth the work: who yet were willing rather to send it so abroad, then that so many excellent truths should be lost. This Sermon since, coming to my hands, taken by a skilful scribe from the Author's mouth, I thought fit to add it to the rest, lest the work should seem a body without a head. My pains is saved for speaking any thing concerning the worthy Author, or his Works, it is sufficiently done by those reverend Divines that have been the publishers of them, therefore commending this to thee, and thyself to God's blessing, I rest  
Thine in any Christian office T S.   

THE CHURCH'S MARRIAGE.  EPHES. 5. 32. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and concerning the Church. 
THE point out of these words is this, that, There is a match between 
Doct. There is a match between Christ and the Church  Christ and the Church: and consequently, between Christ and every particular man that is a member of the true body of Christ; this is the great Mystery the Apostle tells us of in this place. To open which, let us consider wherein this match 
It consisteth in five things.  consisteth, what similitude it hath with the ordinary marriage which is between a man and his wife here upon earth, it consisteth in these five things.  
First, as in marriage there must be consent of 
1 Consent of Parents.  the parents, so here, the Father hath given his Son to us, and likewise he hath given us to the Son; wherein we are to consider the great mercy of God, that he would bestow his own Son upon us, which is the reason why the Apostle saith in Ephes. 1. Blessed be God, even the Father 
Ephes. 1.  of our Lord jesus Christ, that hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ, that is, that hath given us his own Son, and with him all things else, and Him likewise for us, when we were cast away men. That thus he should give us to his Son, and match us with him, that is the first thing.  
The second thing in marriage, is the mutual consent of the parties themselves that are to match 
2 Consent of parties.  together, wherein we are in the first place to consider, the consent of the Son, the Husband, because we know that the man is the suitor, he begins, and if he had not, who could have known the mind of the LORD JESUS, that he would match so low, that he would match with sinful dust and ashes, except himself had declared it, his Church seeks not first to him, not because modesty forbids it, but because she knew no such thing, that there was such an Husband for her; she indeed had most need to seek, because she stood in need of such an Husband, Christ matches with her, not for any need he had of a wife, but only for the need his wife had of him. Now his Father from eternity had ordained this Wife for his Son, and therefore he must have her, and he could have no other. Therefore, first see if 
1 Christ's consent.  the Son be willing, for this he hath declared it plainly in his Word. We are Ambassadors, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. beseeching you in Christ's stead, 
2 Cor. 5. Matth. 22.  to be reconciled to God, and in Matth. 22. you see all were invited to the Marriage, and all those speeches; Go preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven, and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden: and that in Revel. 22. Let whosoever will 
Revel. 22.  come; this I say, declares the consent of the Son that he is willing.  
Now, secondly for our consent, we have that 
2 Our consent wrought. 1 By discovering our danger.  wrought by the holy Ghost, by a double work.  
One is a work of the holy Ghost, discovering to us the thraldom, and bondage, the death and danger wherein we are, and also discovering to us our own sinfulness, which is necessary, because a man is ready to be conceited of himself, and so is somewhat coy, and unwilling to yield to the suit of Christ, but when the holy Ghost hath showed a man what he is, that he is such a one as he never thought himself to be, he than begins to think, that he is unworthy that the Lord should vouchsafe him so much favour; he is ready to say as Abigail said to David, when she was spoken to, to be his wife, Lord what am I, that thou shouldest so far respect me? Let thy handmaid wash the feet of my Lords servants, I am worthy of no better office; I say, this is one work of the holy Ghost, thus to prepare us to this match.  
The other is to present Christ unto us, and to 
2 Presenting Christ.  fit him above all the world for us in our apprehensions, which is done by the work of the holy Ghost manifesting Christ, and his beauty; when Christ comes to join our love, he is fain to use his skill to join us: and all that we can do to set him at, is nothing, except the holy Ghost show you jesus Christ, and except withal, he make a secret impression upon the heart, except there be a secret instinct wrought in us, causing us to long after Christ, we shall never bring our hearts to consent to this Marriage. Now therefore, as there goes a secret virtue from the Loadstone, that makes a secret impression upon the iron, and when that is done, the iron rests not, but draws near to the Loadstone, so the holy Ghost that is sent from the Father, makes an impression upon our spirits, that we have no rest till we obtain Christ. This is called in Scripture, a Drawing to Christ; None comes to me except the Father draw him, that is, except the Father work powerfully upon him, and make him willing to come: for that is the meaning of drawing, when the Lord turns as it were the will of a Lion, makes him a Lamb, when he gives another will.  
This consent must not be mental only, kept 
3 What consent it must be,  within the breast, but there must be an expression of this consent, and it is in a mutual covenant; so than the third thing is the Covenant between Christ and us, which is an everlasting covenant on both sides, an everlasting covenant on Christ's part to be ours, to bestow himself on us and all that is his, whether salvation, remission of sins, sanctification, glory, his death, obedience, all he did or is, all is ours: and again, a covenant on our part, to give up ourselves to him, and this for ever, and all that is ours: as our sins are made his, so all the good we receive from him, we promise to employ to his service. Now, this is but as the Espousals.  
The fourth is that union that follows upon this, 
4 Onion.  and the solemn celebration of the Marriage which is done in Baptism, when you were asked this question, even as it is in ordinary marriage, Will you have this man to your wedded husband, will you take him for better and for worse, will you be content to renounce all others and to be alone to him, to serve and obey him? so in Baptism it was asked: Will you be content to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, to renounce the world, the flesh and the Devil? etc. When men were of riper years and converted, this was answered to by word of mouth from the party himself, and now when you are baptised young, it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are underage, which when they come to age they use not to disavow, but are obliged to confirm it: of that force is Baptism unto us. This I say, is the solemnising as it were of the nuptials between Christ and us, when we are baptised into his Name, when we leave the former name that we had before; as a wife doth, we forsake father and mother and cleave to him, so that a man is no more sui juris, but is given up to this Husband, to live after his will, to be subject to him in all things, and take him even as he taketh us; he takes us to keep us in sickness and in health, not to cast us off, notwithstanding our infirmities, but to keep to us and communicate himself alone to us, and not to reprobate men cast off; so we take him with all crosses and afflictions, that attend the profession of him, to follow him through thick and thin, as well in adversity as in prosperity, to keep the soul chaste to him, and not to prostitute it to any lust or any creature.  
The last, is the consequents of this Marriage and union, we have part in his goods, whatsoever 
5 Consequents of it.  is his, is ours, and ours is made his, our debts are made his, and again, all his honours and riches, and privileges are made ours, there is an union between the parties, My beloved is mine, and I am his, and then we have interest in all that is his.  
We come now to apply this, and make some use of it.  
First, if there be such a match, between Christ and every believer, so that no man is partaker of 
Use 1. To see that we have Christ himself ere we apply his benefits.  any thing that is Christ's, except he hath him first; then take heed of applying the benefits of Christ preposterously to thyself, for except thou have him first, it is but a vain conceit to think any thing of his belongs to thee, to think of remission of sins and adoption, and all the privileges, and to apply them to thyself, and to think when thou art but once persuaded of it, to think so, that they are presently thine, I say, this is but a mere dream and conceit, except thou be married to Christ, that thou have the Lord himself, thou hast nothing to do with any thing that is his, He that hath the Son hath life, and all things pertaining to life and Godliness, but he that hath not the Son, hath nothing, neither life, nor any thing else. Therefore that you be not deceived, you must look on this as the ground of all your comfort: am I married to Christ? Is the match made between me and him? if it be not, know that whatsoever thou thinkest of forgiveness of sins, of any blessing, spiritual or temporal that it is thine, thou dost but deceive thyself therein with vain words, it is not thy persuasion, that makes the match, this is a point of great weight, therefore examine thyself strictly herein.  
You will say, how shall I know it? 
Quest. Answ. How to know we are matched to Christ.   
I answer, you shall know it by this.  
First, consider whether thou have the consent of the Son: for that is the first thing, as was said, thou must consider, whether the Son have given his consent our no: Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his consent, but dost thou believe 
1 By Christ's consent which is accompanied.  that? hast thou applied this word to thyself? there are two things which bear record with the Son that he is willing to match with us, and that is the Word and the Spirit: and consider if both have come home to thy heart yea or no, to testify this.  
First, I say, Christ he hath declared his will to match with us in his Word: for though there be 
1 With the Word.  no particular promise to john or Thomas, or to any particular man, to say Christ is willing to marry thee, yet there is the general that includes the particular, as we find the substance of this general, All that receive him shall be saved; then says the Soul, but I am one that am contained under this general, this general speaks to me as well, and that as surely and as certainly, as if a Messenger were sent from heaven to assure me that the Son is willing to match with me, for thou must look what ground thy faith hath had, whether thou didst find such a word as this, and whether thou canst apply it to thyself, and hast laid hold upon it, and by resting on it, hast put thy seal to it, that God is true in such a speech as this: For you must know my beloved, that Faith must have a word, that is the proper object of Faith, for if Faith had nothing else for its object but a persuasion, or fancy of our own, faith were but a weak thing, for it would alter according to the object and ground upon which it is pitched: now a man's own opinion it is changeable, and mutable, but therefore we are said to be rooted and grounded in faith because it hath a sure foundation, there is a rock for faith to be built on, which the gates of Hell cannot prevail against: now the rock upon which faith is built, it is the Word of God, so that that faith, whereby thou believest thou art justified, that thou art grafted into Christ, that thou art matched with him, that he is become thy Husband, I say even that faith of thine must have a Word of God to be grounded upon, thou must find something in the Word that must testify to thee that Christ is willing to match with thee, for you know there is no match without mutual consent, and therefore the first thing when thou comest to be married to him, is to know that there is such a match, and that the Son is willing to match with thee.  
Now how should any man in the world know that, except he declare himself? and how canst thou know he hath declared it, but from some word, from somewhat that he hath revealed in the Scripture, to which all those places that I named before do serve, Go preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven, and Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, etc. and we are Ambassadors 
Mat. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19  beseeching you to be reconciled. These and the like are the sure Word of God upon which thy faith must be grounded, so that thou comest to say thus to thyself, well, whatsoever come of it, I am sure there is a corner stone, on which whosoever is built, shall not be ashamed nor deceived, I am sure of it from a word that the Lord hath confirmed with a seal, and with an oath, and therefore I rest upon it. And it is not a bare word, that Christ hath given to assure us of this, which is a sign it is a hard thing for us to believe it, it is no easy thing, for there is added to the word a seal, and it is confirmed with an oath, so than that is the first thing thou art to consider, whether thy faith hath been pitched upon some such word, and whether thou hast applied that word to thyself or no.  
In the next place beside this word, there is a witness from the spirit, there is a wondrous work 
2 The spirit  of the Holy Ghost, which saith to a man's heart, be of good comfort, fear not, I am thy salvation. If you say to me what needs the witness of the spirit? is not the Word enough? if Christ declare himself so far that in plain terms he is willing to match with us, what need the special witness of the Holy Ghost?  
I answer, there is very great need of it, because 
Answ. Necessity of the witness of the spirit.  the Word of itself is not able to comfort, and quicken and relieve us, it is not able to beget in us peace, and joy, and righteousness, but it is even like a dead letter, it is a cold dead thing, able to do nothing with the heart of man without the Spirit, this we find by experience, the clearest arguments, and the most comfortable that the Scripture useth to comfort a man in distress that hath his Conscience troubled with the apprehension of his sin, and of God's wrath, they are all nothing till it please God to send his own Spirit to bear witness to a man's spirit.  
You will say, what is this witness of the Spirit? 
Quest.   
I answer, it is a certain divine expression of Christ to the soul, whereby a man is secretly assured 
Answ. Witnesses of the spirit what.  without any argument or reason, that he is his salvation: for you must know, that there are indeed two things besides that confirm this truth to us, that is, the ground we have in the Word, and the effects and fruits of sanctification, but both these do it by way of argument; for when a man argueth thus, I see this general proposition, All that believe shall be saved, but I am one that believe, therefore I am one that am contained under the general pardon; this I say, is by way of argument. So again, I find in myself the fruits and effects of sanctification, and I am sure none are sanctified, but they are also justified, and they have received the Spirit of Christ, therefore I know I am one that belongs to him, all this is but the witness of our own spirits, for these are but collections, that our own spirits gather as a conclusion from the premises; but now the witness of the Spirit, the witness of the holy Ghost, it is a distinct thing from this, therefore Rom. 8. 16. it is said, to witness 
Rom. 8. 16.  together with our spirits, and therefore is a distinct witness from our spirits, that indeed witnesseth the same things, but the witness is distinct from that of our own spirit, and that is without any argument or reason at all, being a secret manifestation made to the soul, whereby we are comforted and assured, that our sins are forgiven, and that Christ is willing to match with us. Now consider if thou wouldst know whether thou be one that is matched with jesus Christ, whether thou have this double witness or no, of the Word and of the Spirit.  
You will say, hath every one this secret testimony? 
Quest.   
I answer, that every one hath it in some degree, 
Answ. Every one hath it in some degree Rom. 8. 16.  more or less, for that same in Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits, is a general proposition, it concerns all believers, even with every man's spirit, the Holy Ghost bears witness, but then we must take the words in the right sense; It is true, in some the Spirit speaks more evidently and audibly, with joy unspeakable and glorious, the flashes of comfort are much more bright and glorious to some then to others, and such special witnesses of the HOLY GHOST are very rare, and dispensed to us for some special purposes, commonly after some great humiliation or prayer, or to prepare us for some great enterprise, or some special conflict, they are even as the apparitions to Abraham, and jacob, and Paul, were, Acts 23. 11. Be of good courage Paul, thou must bear witness of me at Rome, etc. so when he was at Corinth, 
Acts 23. 11  Paul be of good comfort; I am with thee. Acts 18. 9 All these were on special occasions: so I say there are some special witnesses of the HOLY 
Acts 18. 9  GHOST, when the HOLY GHOST speaks evidently, and these are dispensed to us according to the good pleasure of God, and commonly it is added for some special purpose: now I say, not that every one hath this kind of testimony, but every one hath so much witness from the HOLY GHOST as doth uphold his spirit, that Christ is willing to match with him, that he hath or may have interest in him, and in all the privileges of his death; this I say, every one hath more or less, although those special degrees of the evident speaking of the Holy Ghost, are dispensed but to some, and to those that have it, but for a special time: this is the first thing.  
The second thing thou art to inquire into (if thou wouldst know if there be any such match, 
2 By our own consent.  between Christ jesus and thee,) what thy own consent hath been and is, which herein is not in words only, but is given then, when they heart and affections do, or can make this answer, that thou art willing to match with the Lord jesus, and this I give as a sign to examine thy heart by; for it is not in the power of any man living to bring his heart to this consent, nor is any creature able to do it, you may as well bring fire and water to agree together, as to bring the heart of a natural man to be willing to match with the Lord, but it is a special work of the holy Ghost that must mould the spirit a new, and break all in pieces, and cast thee into a new frame, that must make thee willing to come into so near a Communion with the LORD JESUS, for our spirits are quite contrary to it.  
Only concerning this, take this caution, that it is not so much what thou art willing to say in 
Caution.  any case or condition, for it may be a man may be willing sometimes to match out of fear, or hope, or out of some by respect, I say, he may be willing to do any thing; and to be married to jesus Christ, but it is another thing when a man can say, that it is the inward bent of his will, to have it done, it is the bend of his inward affection, the stream of them runs that way; this must be wrought by the Holy Ghost. And take 
Our consent must not be.  heed thou be not deceived in it, for there are many unsound and false conceits, some there are that are willing to match with jesus Christ, when they are in extremity, when they are on their 
1 Only in extremity.  deathbed, when they know not how to shift for themselves, but alas, such a consent is far off from being a right consent, there is no freedom in this consent, that contract that is made thorough threatening, it is but a compelled and constrained consent, this is not that which thou canst ground on, and yet this is a frequent thing, when men are in straits, that they know not what to do, than they are willing to match with Christ. Besides it may be a man is willing to match with jesus Christ for a time, to serve him for a fit, for 
2 Not for a fit.  a month or a year, but art thou willing to make an everlasting covenant with him? you know that such a covenant is required in Marriage, that women give up themselves to their husbands so long as they live together. Now ordinarily when a man considers this seriously, What, must I forsake my pleasure for ever? must I live to jesus Christ, and no more to myself? must I bestow all my time upon him, and have no more liberty? here a man makes a stand, he is not willing to make such a covenant with him, such an everlasting Covenant; therefore consider whether thy consent be for perpetuity. Moreover, it may be thou art willing to match with him in some good mood, when thou art in a good fit, but that 
3 In good moods.  may be but a flash. There are many that for a fit in some good mood, when their hearts are wrought on, by some powerful preaching of the Word, or some transient action of the holy Ghost, they are willing to match with jesus Christ, but this holds not.  
Besides again, many are willing to match with Christ hereafter, but they are not content to do 
4 hereafter.  it for the present, but you know it is essential to the Marriage Covenant, that it be in verbis de praesenti, for the present, that is, I do take this man for my wedded husband, etc. not that I promise I will, but that I am willing at this time, to give up myself to him, this present resigning of one's self; this is the consent that makes the Marriage. But 
Errors in men's consent.  that we may show all these false consents, I will run thorough them briefly.  
First, there is in some an error concerning the person, when men are ready to take jesus Christ, 
1 In the person.  and yet do not conceive aright of him. Whereas the Lord hath dealt plainly with us, as if he meant not to circumvent us, and tells every man aforehand, that if he will match with him, he must make account to take up his Cross, and deny himself, he must make account to be wholly to him. Now, when a man looks on Christ, and conceives him under another notion, and thinks he shall live another kind of life more free and loose, and thinks this strictness is not required at his hands by Christ, now there is an error in the person, and that makes the Marriage frustrate; therefore take heed you be not deceived in this, for thou must know this, that when thou art once married to the Lord, than thy will must be subject to his will, thou must be content to obey him in all things, thou must be content to forgo all, and resisine up thyself to him, and live no longer to thyself, but to him.  
Yet, there is another error, that commonly 
2 When we take not the Lord alone.  runs along with men's consent when it is not right, which is, when a man is not willing to take the Lord alone, but joins others with him, when a man will so match with jesus Christ, that he seeks other things too, when he will seek honours with him, and seek wealth, and seek the pleasures of this world. Now, if thou match with Christ, know this, that thou must be content with him alone, thou must not join pleasures, and Christ together, thou must not join covetousness, and him together, thou must not seek praise with men, and think to match with jesus Christ, thou must be content to be divorced from all other things and be to him alone, and take heed, that this deceive thee not.  
And lastly consider, whether this consent that 
3 Imperfect consent.  thou give, be a perfect consent; for there is a certain imperfect consent that deceives many, when a man hath (as I may so speak) a kind of wambling that way, but it doth not boil up to that full height of resolution, when a man makes some kind of offer, he makes well toward it, but he doth not fully resolve to match with the Lord jesus, and this is that, that excludes many from this match, that, though they have a kind of willingness and velleity, yet it doth not come to a fixed, solid, peremptory resolution. Now, you must know this, that whosoever matcheth with jesus Christ, must be so fully resolved, that he must be shaken off again with nothing: this resolution when it is imperfect and by halves, when thou doubtest whether thou shouldest do it or no, this is a consent that is not accepted, all this while there is an error on thy part, this is the second thing to be considered, as thou must consider whether thou believest the consent of jesus Christ, so I say in the second place, if thou wouldst know whether there be a match between jesus Christ and thee, consider what thy own consent is, and take heed thou be not deceived in it.  
Thirdly, to know whether there be a match 
3 Way to know we are matched to Christ by our union.  between the Lord and thee, consider whether there be an union made between you and him: now, this union with Christ, it is not merely a relative union, such as is between husbands and wives, but besides this, there is a real union, when CHRIST sends his Spirit into the heart; therefore thou must consider, whether thou have the Spirit of thy Husband dwelling in thee or no, for except thou have the holy Ghost to dwell in thy heart, it is impossible that there should be any match, for there will be always jars and dissensions between you, when thou hast the same Spirit, than there is the same will, the same desires, you love and hate the same things; therefore in considering, whether there be a match or no, this is a great thing, it will not deceive you, 
By the Spirit.  consider whether thou have the Spirit of thy husband. I find that the Apostle in all his Epistles, he takes this as the sure argument to persuade himself and others, that they were grafted into Christ, that they had received the earnest of the Spirit, I need not name to you particular places, they are so exceeding frequent. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. Rom. 8. but if you have the Spirit, you are sure you have the Son. Consider therefore, whether 
Rom. 8.  you have this Spirit in you or no, whether thou walk according to the Spirit or the flesh, guided and led by the Spirit of Christ in all, for that is the way to know if thou have the Spirit. A man may walk after the vanity of his own heart, A man may walk after the vanity of his own mind, when yet he hath some good motions and good desires; so that if thou wouldst try thyself, whether thou hast the Holy Ghost, the spirit of thy Husband, thou shalt find it by thy constant course, as you have it, Gal. 5. If you have the spirit, live in the Spirit, that is, consider what thine ordinary course is, whether thou be guided by the 
Gal, 5.  Holy Ghost or no.  
To know whether this spirit dwell in us or no, we must not take it upon conceit and fancy, but 
The work of the Spirit in us.  you shall find it by real and sure effects. If you have the Spirit, he will be as fire in you, I will Baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, that is, the Holy Ghost shall be as fire; now the nature of fire is, to discover itself where it is. If the Spirit be in thee, he will be as the Pilot in the ship, he will direct thy course, and build up the Kingdom of Christ in thy heart, that is the third thing, consider whether thou have the Spirit of the Son.  
Fourthly, if thou wouldst know whether Christ have matched with thee, then be sure of this, that 
4 Way by sanctification.  he hath washed thee from thy filthiness, look to that as another mark whereby thou mayst discern it: For though JESUS CHRIST marry thee when thou art in thy blood, yet when thou art married once, he suffers thee not to continue so, but he will cleanse and wash thee from it, as we see in this Chapter, the Apostle exhorts Husbands to love their Wives, as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify, and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word, that he might presentit to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy without blemish; mark it, when Christ hath married thee, his end is, to present thee pure, to wash thee. Now consider whether thou find thyself cleansed from thy filthiness, and from all filthiness, for when he washeth any, he washeth them from top to toe, though not fully in respect of degrees, yet he suffers not any spot or wrinkle, to remain constantly upon them. For the meaning is, not that this wishing is perfected suddenly, when we come to heaven, there shall not be the least wrinkle at all: but notwithstanding he so washeth them here, that there is no spot remains, 
How far the Saints are washed.  that is, they allow not themselves in any sin, that they wallow not in any puddle, he so cleanseth them from every sin, that it doth not abide there, a believer is still purifying himself, though he be still defiled; therefore consider with thyself, whether Christ have thus cleansed thee from all pollution of flesh and spirit. Beside in this washing, he doth not only cleanse thee from all outward defilements, but he will wash thee from thy filthy nature, not only from the outward stains, but from that swinish nature: for though a swine be washed clean, if she retain her nature, she will be ready to fall into the next puddle she meets with; but now when Christ washeth his Church, he washeth them from the filthiness of their nature, even every man whom he washeth: Therefore consider if thou find this purifying of the Holy Ghost or no; for whosoever is washed by Christ, there is a certain simplicity and plainness of heart, that though he fall into sin, yet his heart is upright with Christ, as we see in 2. Cor. 11. 3. 4. I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I have prepared you for one husband, to present 
2 Cor. 11. 3, 4.  you a pure Virgin to Christ, I fear least as the Serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Mark, the Apostle speaks of the Church, as it is in this life, my endeavour is to present you as a Virgin, what is that? that you be not corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, but that you may have a plain heart, that hath no deceit, that there be not a double mind. Christ so far cleanseth, that the heart is upright in every thing, therefore by that thou shalt know whether thou be washed or no, for though jesus Christ marry us when we are Ethiopians, yet when he hath married us, he puts a beauty upon us. Consider whether this beauty be put on thee or no, whether thou be so washed from thy filthiness, that there doth a new beauty appear, that that natural blackness of thine be removed throughout: indeed it is removed but in part for degrees, but yet there is a general, throughout removing of it all over.  
Lastly, if thou wouldst know whether thou be matched or no with him, consider whether thou 
5 The wedding garment. Matth. 22.  have the wedding garment. In Mat. 22. and Luke 14. you shall find the parable of the King inviting men to the marriage of his son, and there are many that come, but one of them wanted a wedding garment: What is the meaning of that? many men come to the wedding for cheer, many for the benefit they might receive, or such by respects, because they would do as others do, because they might escape censure; many motives there might be to bring men to this marriage feast: but now to have the wedding garment, that is the trial.  
Now what is the wedding garment?  
It is a wedding affection, it is to love the Bridegroom 
Wedding garment what▪  himself, his person, for we are not only guests, we are not so to understand it, but such guests as withal are married to the Son. Now he that comes to this wedding without a conjugal wedding affection, he comes without the wedding garment; therefore consider with thyself whether thou have that affection or no.  
You will say, what is this marriage affection? 
Quest. Ans. 1. Marriage affection what? 1 To prefer Christ.   
I answer, it is such an affection whereby a man pitches on Christ, he chooseth him before all others, as his Husband: the wedding affection, is such an affection, as when one prefers her husband before all others: Consider whether there be such an affection, that thou canst prefer jesus Christ, before all things in the world besides.  
Again consider, whether thy affection be fixed 
2 To look to his person.  on his person: for the affection of an harlot may be towards her husband's goods, and toward the commodities and benefits by him; but art thou able to love the person of jesus Christ, so as to delight in him, and desire his presence, and seekest him, so that thou carest not for any thing so thou mayst have him? this is to have a wedding conjugal affection: but this is not all that makes the marriage garment.  
Consider besides what boldness thou hast in his presence, for perfect love casts out fear: now by 
3 Boldness.  perfect love, is not meant only love in the perféction, that is grown to a height, (such we shall not have, till we come to heaven) but by perfect love is to be understood sincere love: therefore if thou wouldst know if thou have the wedding garment, whether this conjugal affection be wrought, thou shalt know it by the boldness thou hast with thy husband: wilt thou say, thou art married to him, and yet darest not speak to him, but lookest on him, as on a judge, as a hard Master, or a stranger? that thou darest not ask any thing of, or if thou dost, thou knowest not whether thou shalt obtain it? there is a certain boldness and familiarity goes along with this, is there such a disposition put into thy heart?  
Besides this is not all, there do withal accompany this all spiritual graces, that clothe thy 
4 Spiritual graces.  soul, that do alter the habit of it, for there is something understood in the similitude of a garment, as importing the very clothing that the soul wears, when it hath another habit than it had before. Now this clothing is a particoloured garment made of all the graces of the Spirit; therefore if thou wouldst know whether thou have this wedding garment or no, thou must look to every grace, for the Image of God is nothing else, but the bundle and heap of all graces: as the old man, the image of Satan, and the first Adam is the heap of all corruptions; so this wedding garment, this Image of the new Adam, it is that which consists of all the graces, these must clothe thy soul.  
And now beloved, when this is done, the second thing that we are to do after this examination, is,  
To persuade every man to be content to take 
Use 2. To persuade, men to take Christ.  jesus Christ for his Husband. If already you be in Christ, we have no more to do, but to exhort you, but to continue and intend that desire, and affection, and love to your Husband; but if upon this examination you find you are yet strangers, I say the next use we are to make of it, is to bring your hearts to a willingness to match with him. Now to persuade you to this, I will pitch briefly on these three particulars. 
Motives. I Our necessity of him.   
First, consider whether thou be able to live without a husband or alone? The truth is, thou must marry of necessity, or thou art undone; for it is the case of every man which is said of the Captive woman in Deut. 21. when they had overcame a City, if there were a woman among them 
Deut. 21.  to whom they had a favour, they might marry her if they would, if she consented, she saved her life by it. I say, that is the case of every man living, that when we were all exposed to death, jesus Christ had a favour to us, and we must marry him or we die for it. Now therefore when he shall be a suitor to thee, consider what thou hast to say, art thou able to live without him? art thou able to pay thy ransom? certainly thou art not able, and is it not then a madness in thee to refuse? Consider what is thy debt, and consider thou 
1 Our debt  art bound to pay the utmost farthing which the Lord requires at thy hands: when a man considers seriously of this, that every idle word, every sin of omission, or that is committed, is a debt, and stands upon his own score, and that himself is not able to pay, this will make a man begin to look about him. My beloved, all the afflictions, that we have in this life, they are but a paying the use money required for the debt, the main debt remains entire, that must be 
Simile.  paid at that day, the day of wrath, at the day of declaration of the just judgement of God; therefore consider first thy debt, and withal consider thy poverty. 'Tis true, though thou wert in debt, if 
a Poverty.  thou hadst somewhat to pay it, it were another matter. And indeed, many men are puffed up with a conceit, and think they have something to pay, and this is the case of all hypocrites, that think they have some good works, they have done many good things, they come to Church duly, etc. But you must know that all this will not pay your debt, as it is Revel. 3. I counsel thee to buy of me gold, that thou mayest be rich. 
Revel. 3.  Till a man hath a husband, till he have jesus Christ, all the works he doth are little worth.  
ay, but though a man be in debt, and have not 
Object.  a penny to pay his debt, yet there is usually a time given, a man is not cast presently into prison.  
I answer, though thou be not, yet thou art in 
Answ. Though a man in debt be not imprisoned, he is in fear.  danger all the time; and it is a miserable thing to live in another man's danger, to be in danger of an enemy, when a man shall have many writs out against him, and knows not when the Sergeant will seize upon him; I say, put the case he be not arrested, yet he is in continual fear; this is thy case before thou be under this covert, before thou be matched to this thy husband Christ: when thou hast him, thou art safe, but in the mean time thou art in continual fear. As Heb. 2. 14. 
Heb. 2. 14:  it is given as a reason, Why Christ took part with the children, that he might deliver them, that for fear of death, were all their life long subject to bondage; So that though a man be not cast into prison, he is all his life time subject to bondage. Now if it were but to be delivered from this fear, and bondage that every other man is in, it were a great motive to move us to this. ay, but is there not 
Quest.  some bail, may not a man flee from this arrest?  
I answer no, every man without Christ is like 
Answ. No bail or escape from this danger.  a woman that is friendless, that hath none to stand for her, that is destitute of wisdom, that hath no counsel to direct her. We are destitute of righteousness, we have none to speak for us, we are destitute of sanctification, we have none to cleanse us, from our leprosy; we are destitute of redemption; therefore you know it is said, jesus Christ is made Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption: which implies thus much, that 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  till we be married to him, we have neither wisdom, we have no righteousness to speak for us, we have none to cleanse us, we have none to redeem us; this is the first thing to move thee to it.  
Secondly, when thou hast well pondered this 
2 Motive. The excellency of Christ.  first motive, that thou art not able to live alone without a husband, I say, consider secondly the excellency of thy husband, who it is that is a suitor to thee. And here first look on Christ himself, with all his Attributes, and how that the Lord himself will become thine; consider 
1 Himself and his attributes.  the infinite wisdom of Christ, his Almighty power, consider his eternity; consider whatsoever is in him, and think with thyself, that all this is in Him, who offers himself to be my husband, and all this shall be mine, all this is for my use, and advantage; this is a great motive to win us to match with him, as you know in earthly marriages, the excellency of a husband, the parts that are in him, those that are inherent in his very person, is the greatest motive of all other: think therefore of all Christ's excellencies, draw to yourselves some Idea of him, and think all these are mine, for my use, as his wisdom to give me direction, his power and strength for my protection upon all occasions, whatsoever is in him is mine, he himself is become my portion; this is a great motive to us.  
Besides this, consider that thou hast not only 
2 What we have by him.  the person of Christ alone, with all his Attributes, but how much comes with him, which add to this; as the immunity thou hast by matching with Christ, that when thou art once matched with him, thou art under covert, thy 
1 Our immunity.  debts are paid, thou art out of all danger. My beloved, if it were but to be freed from those injuries, and wrongs that a woman is subject unto, from potent enemies that are able to hurt her upon all occasions, you know it is a great motive to move her to match. Now jesus Christ frees us from all those great enemies of our salvation, as it is Luke 1. 74. That being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, we might serve him in holiness 
Luke 1. 74.  and righteousness all the days of our lives. This we have by him, that when Satan shall come to us, and arrest us, we may say to him, I am now under covert, thou must go to my husband, he is bound to pay my debts. My beloved, we consider not what a benefit this is, what it is to have jesus Christ at such a time, when you come to die, when you shall be arrested by death; now to have the Lord jesus to undertake all your debts, now to be under covert it is a great matter; as you know (to express it to you a little what it is,) judas when he had committed that great sin, he was indicted and arrested, he had none to flee to; Peter when he had committed a sin, he had a covert to go to, and you all know the difference that was between their conditions in the events upon both; Saul and David if you look on them in their distress, David had a covert to go to when he was in distress, (for I speak not now of the debt of sin, but of all calamities in which you shall have a husband to be a refuge for you,) I say, David when he was in distress upon any occasion, when his City was burned and his Wives taken, he had a covert to fly to; but when Saul was in distress, he had none, he went to the Lord, but he had no answer. I say, it is a great matter to consider this, that we have a covert, that when the Lord shall rain down fire and brimstone upon us, when there is no rock to shelter us, now for jesus Christ to be a covert to us. We know the Egyptians when they were in that deadly storm of hail, the Israelites were in their houses under covert, and looked out, and saw the danger they were in, and they then knew the benefit what it was to be under shelter: such is the condition of all those that are in Christ.  
Besides this immunity, consider all those great privileges that do come by him, for this 
2 Privileges and riches.  is not all; but when you have matched with him, he will make you rich, he will make you heirs of all things, all the precious promises belong to 
1 In promise.  you, which it may be you reckon a small matter; but the promises of God are most precious, and will make one rich, as you know a man that hath nothing but bills and bonds, and evidences, may be very rich, though he have not a penny by him; so to have all the promises belong to us: now as soon as we were in Christ, there is not a promise in all the book of God, but it belongs to us; that is the misery of another man that is not in Christ, there is not one promise his. Therefore till thou have him, thou hast nothing.  
And besides the hope of the promises, consider 
2 In possession.  what you have for the present, what dowry he brings with him, in 1 Cor. 3. Wherefore let no 
1 Cor. 3. ult.  man rejoice in men; for all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the world, etc. all is yours, and you are Christ's. Mark, here is the expression of that dowry, that Christ brings with him an Inventory of the wealth of a Christian, saith he, when once you are matched to Christ, all that is his belongs to you; Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, all his servants, all are bestowed on you, to wait upon the Spouse, as it were; he hath given all to you, all those gifts are bestowed on them for your sakes: besides, the world is yours, that is, as far as it is good for you, the world and all things in the world are so a Christians; though he have but little of it, yet indeed the world is his; other men are the worlds: if we speak properly, the world is not said to be any man's, but only a Christians; for his use, he is the master of it. Indeed, whilst a man is in his minority, (you know the heir doth not possess his goods, because it is the time of his education, so) it may be thou hast not full possession: It is dispensed to thee as the Lord sees meet, because it is the time of thy nurture and education, thou art in thy minority, but yet the world is thine. Then he goes on, life or death, that is, all this life is bestowed on a Christian for his advantage: to another man it is not so; the longer he lives, it is the worse for him, he hath the further reckoning; it doth but make his sin ripe, and but lay up a treasure of wrath for him; so that all a man's life long, he doth but gather sticks to make a fire to consume him at the last day. But now in the portion of a Christian, this is one thing, that jesus Christ bestows upon him, that all his life is for his advantage; all the good works he doth, all those shall be remembered, all those shall go along with him and bring a sure reward; and then not only life is his, but death is also. My beloved, it is a strange thing, that this should be reckoned among the dowries, and commodities, and privileges that Christ bestows on his Spouse, to bring death with him; yet this is a great privilege, that he bestows death on us; for what were the condition of a Christian if death were not? were it not the most miserable of all other? for if there were no death, there should be no Resurrection: therefore death must needs be a very great advantage: it is that, that makes way for us, to deliver us out of all the miseries of this life, and to give us possession of that everlasting Kingdom that is provided for us. Whether they be things present, or things to come, that is, all that belong to this present life, and not only those, but those that belong to the life to come, all those are yours: this is that we have by Christ. 
3 The life we shall lead with him.   
And lastly consider, how fair a life you shall live with him, in what plenty; that there is nothing that your heart can desire, but you shall have it; In that security, that you need fear no enemy; whereas other men have a thousand fears, a Christian hath this benefit, he makes the Lord his dread, that he need fear nothing; but he is delivered from the hands of all his enemies. Consider with what contentment thou shalt live, that thou hast such a husband that is an adequate object (that I may so say) that shall fill thy soul, that when thou hast him, thou needest not thirst after any thing besides. That is the great benefit that is promised, that thou shalt Thirst no more, that is, when a man is married to the Lord jesus, he is so filled and satisfied with contentment, that he lets all other things go: if he have them so it is; if he want them, it is no great matter: he hath one that is contentment enough to him, he hath one that is instead of all.  
But you will say, if I have this husband, I 
Object.  must live in subjection to him; our wills must be subject to his will; our liberty must be taken from us.  
My beloved, what if it be? you must consider 
Answ. What kind of subjection we are in to Christ.  what kind of subjection it is, it is such a subjection as whereby the members are subject to the head: now do you think it any burden, for the members to be subject, and to be ruled by the head? it is a natural subjection, that is, such a subjection as is convenient for you; therefore if you complain, you have lost your liberty, know it is quite contrary when you have matched with Christ, now you are delivered from bondage and set at liberty.  
ay, but you will say, it is a pleasant thing for a 
Object.  man to do what he will; liberty is a sweet thing, and to part with this, and now to live under a husband, it is a hard case.  
For this my beloved I beseech you consider, that it is true, for a man to live as he will, if his 
Answ. Liberty in evil hurtful.  will be right, it is a great benefit; but for a Frantic man to do what he will, for a man whose will is set upon things hurtful to himself, for such a man to have his will, it were better he were restrained: and this is the case of every man till he be matched with the Lord jesus: therefore that you may know what this liberty is, we will put you but this case; you must know that every man is married to one of these two husbands, either he is subject to the law of righteousness, or to the law of sin; either he is in bondage to the flesh or to the spirit, either he is subject to Christ, or else he is subject to Satan. Now consider which of these two thou wouldst choose, whether to be subject to the law of sin, or to Christ: and that you may know which to choose, I will express it to you by this; It is as when a sick man lies between the Physician and the disease, he must needs be subject to one of 
Simile.  them: the disease counsels him to do one thing, the Physician another: now consider which of these two thou wouldst obey.  
You will say, I would do what I list, I would do as my disease suggests to me, and would have me do: that seems easy for the present, but will not this increase thy bondage, and pay thee with death in the end? on the other side, if thou be content to be subject to the Physician, and have thy will subject to his, doth not this draw to liberty and restore health, and bring thee to life? therefore consider what a small objection that is, and consider withal, what you will choose; for I say, every man must be subject to one husband; and that you may see the difference of these husbands, consider that in Romans, 7. you 
Rom. 7.  shall find there, that whosoever is not married to Christ, is subject to another husband, that is, the Law. Know you not brethren, that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? for the woman that is subject to a man is bound by the Law to the man while he liveth, and if she take another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the man be dead, she is freed from the Law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she take another man. This is but the similitude: but the meaning is, before ever a man be married to Christ, he is married to the Law, and he cannot be married to Christ jesus, till he be dead to the Law; and when he is dead once to that, than he may be married to him. Now you shall see the reddition of this similitude: so you brethren are dead to the Law by the body of Christ, that you might be married to another, to him that was raised from the dead, that you might bring forth fruit unto God. For when you were in the flesh, the motions of sin that are by the Law had force in your members to bring forth fruit unto death, etc. The meaning is this, that till a man be matched to jesus Christ, the Law of God, the moral Law that is written in every man's conscience, it rules there like an hard husband, a severe cruel husband, that sets an hard task to do, and gives no strength at all to do it, and therefore it brings forth death: for when the Law commands a man to do a thing, he hath no ability to perform it: and withal it doth signify unto him, that if he do not perform it, he shall be cursed; this is to be subject to the Law: and so a man lives in bondage all his time; so that whosoever is not married to Christ, he is all the while subject to an evil conscience, to the Law that suggests what he should do, with threatening him if not; and when conscience tells him, that he hath not performed it, it is a continual vexation, a burden and a grief to him: but now when he is married to Christ, than he serves in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter, as it follows there, that is, he doth every thing freely, he doth it out of choice, he doth that which his own spirit caries him to; look what commandment he hath, he hath some ability to perform it.  
Again, he serves a kind husband, that takes every thing in good part, that will not pay him with death, as his first husband doth. I say consider this, and let it be the second motive.  
The third thing I will conclude with, is, the danger of refusing him, wherein I thought to have been 
3 Motive, the danger of refusing.  large, but I can but touch it. I say consider this, that if thou refuse, it is the greatest sin that thou canst commit: for thou must know this, that when the Lord jesus Christ shall become a suitor to 
Refusing Christ, the greatest sin.  thee, for thee then to refuse, thou provokest him to anger. I dare say, it goes beyond all the sins thou hast committed; for know this, he is not a bare suitor, but a suitor that hath paid dear for his wife; he hath purchased thee at a dear price, with the shedding of his own blood: so that if thou wilt not hear his suit, he looseth not only his labour in suing, but the price that he paid for thee, for the very blood of jesus Christ shall be put upon thy score. To have the Lord as suing to thee thus despised, you know, Rom. 2. 4. 6. Despising 
Rom. 2. 4. 6.  the patience of God, treasures up wrath against the day of wrath. Now despising kindness is greater, and the contempt of it, doth more incense the Lord to anger. Now therefore when the Lord shall be a suitor to us, one would think we should rather be suitors to him: but when he shall condescend to be a suitor to us, and be refused, think what a provocation it is; I will give you but one instance, that you may know what it is to refuse this suit. The jews when Christ came in the flesh, it is said, He came to his own, he made offer of himself, but his own received him not, but refused him, they would none of him. john, 1. He came to his own, but 
joh. 1.  his own received him not, you see how Christ took this at their hand, you see, For this the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost. Compare now all the 
The greatest sin of the jews, and had the greatest punishment.  sins of the jews, and all the punishments that were upon them before this time, they were nothing to this.  
For first you see, that for sixteen hundred years 
1 The wrath of God hath been on them longest for it.  well-nigh, the wrath of God hath laid on them; take the times of the Lords wrath formerly upon that nation, it may be for seventy years, or for forty years, as in the time of the judges, and in the captivity of Babylon, what was that to this wrath?  
Secondly, in those times, though they were in captivity, and were hardly used, yet the nation 
2 Their Nation is dispersed.  was still kept together, and restored again; now they are scattered to all nations of the earth, so that this very sin of the jews in refusing jesus Christ, you see how the Lord was offended with it, as the Apostle expresseth it, the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost: mark it, for it is your own case, that when we preach the Gospel, and offer Christ, we are the friends of the Bridegroom: our business is, to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ, and when you will not hear, but refuse when we beseech you to be reconciled, you commit the same sin that the jews did, when they would not receive Christ: this is the case of every man that refuseth, you know those that were bid to the wedding; the text saith, The King was exceeding angry, and pronounced this, that not one that was bid should taste of the Supper: thus for a man to refuse, we know not what God will do to that man: we cannot distinguish of the time: secret times belong to him: but for a man to refuse at any time, when he is invited to come to Christ jesus, either by the preaching of the Word, or by the secret motions of the Spirit, it is a dangerous thing. Who knows whether ever thou shalt be invited more? as you see when they refused, the Lord did not send the second time, but pronounced this peremptory conclusion, and sentence upon them, Not a man that was invited should come.  
An objection may be made, which I will an 
Object. The consideration of the benefits by Christ, serve.  swear, and so proceed: which is concerning these motives I have given, & that is, whether we may use such to our hearts, to move us to take Christ, as to consider the privileges and liberty we shall have with him; for will some say, we are bound to match with Christ merely out of love to his person: how shall these be used as motives then?  
These motives serve notwithstanding to two 
Ans.  ends.  
First they are a good introduction to lead us to 
1 To lead us to match with him.  the match: for when we make a tender of Christ, men will not hearken to us; as many a woman will not hear of such a suitor; but when she is told, that he hath such an estate, that he will bring her to such an house, thus and thus furnished, that she shall have these and these commodities by him, it may be that will win her thus far as now to see him, she is content now that he should come, and be a suitor, she is content to confer with him; so I say, this is that that brings every man first to look after Christ jesus, to admit him as it were, to be content to see his person, to give him leave to confer with them; therefore that is one use to be made of them. 
2 To make us more willing.   
The second use of such motives is, when a man hath resolved on the match, it is a great help to make him the more willing. When a man or a woman hath resolved on this match, and withal considered these and these additions, I say they add, they help well to his resolution: so that when respect to his person, hath once set the compass, these considerations of punishment and reward, they are good to fill the sails, and to carry the ship along, and to drive it to the Haven; although still the principal motive be a mere respect unto his person. I say that use these have, to bring us to look to Christ. But when once they have brought us to the knowledge of Christ, to be acquainted inwardly with him, now the heart of every man is to be content with him alone, though there be nothing beside, and indeed it is that which makes the match, only these helps are good additions, these draw us on to make our consent and choice, and willingness the more full, and perfect: but this but by the way, only to answer that objection.  
Now to come to the main impediments that 
3 impediments that hinder from Christ.  hinder men from Christ, it is worth all our considerations, to see what it is that keeps men off, which is not only profitable to bring them in, that are yet strangers, but also to confirm those that are already entered into covenant with the Lord jesus, and you shall find one of these three things keep men off.  
Some there are that never heard of the Lord jesus, some there are that hear of such an offer, but 
3 Sorts of men. 1  cannot believe it, some again that do believe it, yet are not willing to live under him, but would live according to their liberty, they are not willing to change their condition, even as sometimes there is a Proclamation out for pardoning of Pirates, it may be there are many Pirates that never heard of this Proclamation, these cannot come in, they know it not, and this is the case of those to whom the Lord jesus is not preached or remain ignorant of him.  
Secondly, there are some other Pirates, that 
2.  hear of it, but they believe it not, they think it is but a trap to get them in, they cannot believe that those great rebellions that they have committed can be forgiven. There is a third sort that believe 
3.  it, that make no question but they shall be pardoned if they come, but they think it a better course to live by piracy still, rather than to come in under the law to live in subjection, they think they shall live a poorer life and be more restrained, they are not willing to change their condition. Now for the first of these, we have nothing to do with 
1  them, for we speak to none but those that have heard of the Proclamation, that know well enough there is such an offer made, therefore our business is with the two second.  
First I will begin with those that will not believe, that there is such a pardon; that cannot 
2 Those that will not believe pardon.  think that the Lord jesus is willing to match with them, this is a common case, many a man when he looks on his rebellions, is ready to say, why; is it possible that I may be admitted to match with the Lord jesus? I that have an heart so hard, such lusts? I that have committed such rebellions against him. Yes, whosoever thou art, I am bold to say to thee, (and thou must think it as true, as if Christ himself should speak from heaven) that if thou dost come in, thou shalt be received.  
Oh! but is it possible that such a wretch as I am 
Quest.  may be advanced & raised to such a degree of honour  
Yes, it is most possible, the Lord jesus may 
Answ. Christ willing to receive great sinners. Deut. 21.  have a favour to thee, it is our message to come and tell thee so much, only thou must do as the captive woman in Deut. 21. when any had a favour to a woman that was taken captive, she must put off her old clothes, she must put on new apparel, she must be washed and purified, and pair her nails, and so she must become his wife; so I say to thee, the Lord is willing to match with thee, only thou must change thy raiment, thou must wash thee and pair thy nails, etc. Therefore beloved, let none in this case be discouraged, as indeed we are exceeding apt to be, and ready to do in this case, as Gideon, when the Angel appeared to him, and told him he should do great matters, that he should judge Israel, that he should deliver them out of the hands of the Midianites, what saith Gideon? Lord (saith he) What am I and my father? he is one of the poorest in Manasses Tribe, and I am the least in my father's family, and is it possible that I should be raised to such honour? yes saith the Lord, it shall be done, I will confirm it, thou hast my word, and I will confirm it by miracle, as you know he did by the burning of the Sacrifice, and by the dew on the Fleece, when all the earth was dry. I say, the same is our case, when we hear such a thing as this, that we shall be made Queens, that we shall match with Christ, when a man is little in his own eyes, he wonders at it; I say, the Lord will make it good to thee, thou shalt have a word and a miracle to confirm it, for indeed beloved, it is a thing that needs a miracle, that the Son of God, the Lord jesus, should come, and match with such wretches as we are. 
1   
You will say, where is this word?  
You shall find it in Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly, 
He hath given his word for it. Rom. 4. 5.  I will take but that place only, Abraham believed in him that justifieth the ungodly, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousness, that is though thou be an ungodly man, though thou be a Pirate, a Rebel, it is no matter, the Lord will match with thee notwithstanding, and pay all thy debts and justify thee; indeed after that, he will sanctify thee, and change thy heart; but yet this is thy comfort, that though at present thou be ungodly, yet notwithstanding he will match with thee. Beloved, this is a sure word, and this is our great consolation, that though we be in our blood, yet then the Lord makes the match: indeed afterwards he washeth and cleanseth us: therefore say not, I am black, and therefore the Lord can have no delight in me, and what can he see in me, to marry with me? for he will marry with thee even then. Only when he hath married thee, than he will change thy nature, he will change the skin of the Blackmore, than he will put a new beauty on thee, this is thy comfort, that there is this difference, between the marriage of Christ, and the marriage among men, when we come to match, we must find beauty, first some amiable thing in the party; but the Lord looks on us, when we are the most loathsome creatures in the world, and then he makes the match, and after he puts that beauty on us, that may cause him to delight in us.  
You will say, here is the Word, but where is the 
2 Confirmed it by miracle.  miracle to confirm this?  
I answer, this very word hath a miracle going along with it, and you shall see them put together in Matth. 4. 23. where you shall see the Lord jesus 
Mat. 4. 23.  when He came to His own, to make a tender of Himself, in what manner He comes, saith the Text, He went about preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, that is, to tell men this good news, that if they would match with Him, they should have a Kingdom: Here is the Word, and see the Miracle follows, He went about preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing sicknesses, and diseases, there is the miracle, that seeing it would be a wondrous thing that the Lord should match with dust and ashes, that He should bestow Himself thus freely on us, saith the Lord, if you will not believe me for the words sake, yet for the Miracles sake, you see what I do, I that preach this.  
But you will say, these Miracles were wrought long ago, if they were done now, it were another thing.  
Beloved, it is all one, for know that this word and miracle went then together, the word is as ancient as the miracle, therefore you must make the same use of them now, as you would have done then; indeed if the word were now delivered, and the miracle wrought long ago, it were another case, but when he that said the word, at the same time confirmed it with these miracles, this may work belief.  
You will say, this miracle confirms it in general, if the Lord should speak personally to me, and say, I will be thy Husband, this were to purpose.  
Beloved, consider, it is all one, because you have this general, He bids the Gospel be preached to every Creature; therefore, thou art sure thou art in that number: consider that the word of promise also, which word you all know, that Whosoever believes shall be saved, that is, whosoever will take his pardon 
Pardon offered to all.  shall be saved, and nothing keeps men from salvation, but the refusing it; therefore say not, he that commits such and such sins, shall be damned, but he that takes not the pardon shall be damned: Beloved, this is a matter of great consolation, this is that that is our Freehold, we have a sure word, and this is the Gospel that we have to preach, that whatsoever the rebels be, and whatsoever the sins are, yet they may come in, and be received.  
ay, but my sins are great, as red as scarlet? 
Object. Answ.   
What if they be? they shall be as snow.  
But I have often committed them. 
No sin excepted.   
What if thou have? He that said to thee, thou shalt forgive thy brother to seaventy times seven times, sure He is able to forgive to seaventy thousand times seven times.  
But my sins are exceeding great as the mighty mountains. They shall be drowned in the bottom 
Ob. Answ.  of the Sea, that is as able to drown mountains, as the least hill.  
Oh! but they are exceeding many; I am guilty of all variety of sins, there is scarce any gross sin, but I have committed it.  
There is as great variety and multitudes of mercy, to cover and swallow them.  
You will say, This is possible if my heart were soft, able to repent; but I have a hard obdurate heart.  
If thy heart be hard, he can take away that stony heart, 
God can soften the heart.  and give thee a fleshy heart; this he hath promised: Why now what hast thou to do? even to lay fast hold on this word, as they did on the horns of the Altar, and even go and say to the Lord, Lord I will hold me here. Lord, it is thy word, thou canst not deny it, Lord, if thou wilt kill me, here I will die, I will not let my hold go: I say, if thou do but take hold of this word, That He justifieth the ungodly, and whosoever will believe shall be saved: if thou take this hold, I assure thee, my life for thine, it is impossible, but the Lord should in the end give thee this answer, Be of good comfort, thy faith hath saved thee I deny not, but that the Lord may hold off for a while, for a time he may keep off, and give thee hard words, and say as he did to the woman of Canaan, that he is not sent to such a dog as thou art; but if thou persist as she did, and keep close to this word of promise, then after thou shalt receive the same answer that she did, Thy faith hath saved thee, be of good comfort.  
But you will say, if it be thus, this seemeth to be a very easy thing. Is there no more to do?  
I answer, yes: and thou must mark diligently, that thou run not away with a false conceit 
He that comes in to Christ must  now.  
First, thou must take out this pardon. You 
1 Take out his pardon.  know a pardon in Law though the Prince give it, if it be not taken and sued out, it will do a man no good.  
Again, this pardon hath certain conditions, thou must remember the conditions; if thou wilt have the pardon, thou must observe the covenants and conditions.  
Lastly, know that this pardon may be for a certain time, after which the pardon may be out of date.  
For the first of these, you will say, what is it to take out the pardon?  
Beloved, it is this, when a man hath seen his 
To take out the pardon what.  sins and knows his need, and his rebellions (for that is first required) as you know whosoever pleads a pardon, must know himself guilty, and then seeketh a pardon, prayeth earnestly day and night and giveth not over, beseecheth the Lord to forgive his sins, and also if he stay long (as sometimes he doth, as we see in that Parable of the man that was in bed with his children, and loath to rise) yet thou must continue knocking, and not give over till he give thee.  
What is it, he will give me (you will say?)  
That is, till he give thee a secret assurance, till he send His Spirit from Heaven, to say to thy soul in thee, I am thy salvation, till he give thee some secret comfort, when thou hast that once, than thou hast taken out thy pardon. But till there be some calming of thy conscience, some secret answer of the Spirit, though there be a pardon contained in the Word, thou hast not taken it out; for thou takest it not out, till the Lord gives it out: and when thou once gettest this secret hint, thou hast thy pardon sued out. Now let Satan and thine enemies come, thou mayst be bold to plead thou hast thy pardon, and it shall never be taken from thee; that is the first thing, To take out thy pardon.  
The second is, there is a condition required after taking it: there is this condition in it, you 
2 He must be no longer a rebel.  must be no longer rebels, you must come in, and be subjects, and serve and obey your King. I say, you must remember this, therefore thou must go to the Lord, and say, I know well there is such a condition in the pardon, I am content to enter into covenant with thee; so that that which is past may be cleared, I resolve for the time to come to serve thee, and fear thee, and obey thee; I say, if thou canst bring thy heart to this purpose and resolution, thou hast kept the condition.  
But you will say, How shall we do to keep 
Quest.  it? it is one thing to purpose, but to keep it is hard.  
I will be bold to say, take no care for that, 
Answ. If the purpose be sincere God will give ability.  if thy purpose be sincere; I say this to any, let his purpose be sincere, and his resolution without deceit and pretences to serve the Lord, to cleave to Him as an Husband; then, I say, the Lord hath undertaken to give thee a new heart still, and he will enable thee to keep it: bring thou a well bottomed new resolution, so as to say, I will give up myself in obedience; and the LORD hath promised, it is one part of the Covenant, wherein he hath promised not only to forgive, but in Ezech. 36. He will give a new heart, and a new spirit: 
Ezech. 36.  be thou but willing to take him, and thou shalt be able to do that which thou hast undertaken.  
Well, the last thing is the time of the pardon, 
3 The time of the pardon.  there may be a time when the pardon is out of date.  
You will say, what is that time? 
Quest. Ans. 1 The time of life.   
Know that there is a double time, one is the time that is revealed to us, that are the Ministers of the Gospel, that is, the time of this life, for we can say nothing else to any man but this, At what time soever, while thou livest, thou repentest, thou shalt be saved.  
But than you must know, there is another time 
2 The time of the offer.  besides this, a time that is not revealed to us, but known only to the Lord Himself, which may be thy time, and is that distance of time, which is between the first and the last offer.  
It is indeed the very offer itself, the very opportunity that God gives to thee, the very time of the tender of Christ to thy soul. Now this is only known of the Lord himself, what that distance of time is between the first offer and the last that ever he will make to thee, and after this time this pardon is out of date to thee, though not to another, it is too late for thee to come in.  
You will say, what ground is there for this, 
Quest. A time only known to the Lord. Answ.  that there is such another time, that is only known to the Lord?  
My beloved, it is a point worth the considering, therefore you shall see a ground for it, 2 Cor. 6. 2. when the Apostle had exhorted them 
2 Cor 6. 2.  there, Not to take the Grace of God in vain, saith he, This is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation, implying, that all time is not the accepted time, for then there needed no distinction; but when he saith, This is the accepted time, there is a secret intimation, that when salvation is offering for aught thou knowest, this is so the accepted time, as that when that is past, there is no more opportunity. So in Hebr. 3. When it is called to day, that is, when the offer is making, that is the 
Heb. 3.  time.  
Now to give you some instances of this, as well as we give you grounds from the Word, in 
Instances of some that lost this time Gen. 4. Caine.  Gen. 4. God saith to Cain, If thou do well, shalt thou not be accepted? but now after that time Cain was accursed and a brand set on him, the Lord gives him over, he was excluded from the presence of the Lord for ever; there was a secret time after, which the Lord made the offer no more. That was the case of Saul, there was a 
Saul.  time, I say, God's time, with Saul, was the time between the first offer and the last, when he bid Samuel pray no more for him, and he told Samuel resolutely and peremptorily, I have rejected him, and now there was no more hope. And this was the case of the jews, when he bade jeremiah not to pray for them, saith he, I have resolved to destroy 
The jews  them, the time now is past. And this was the case of jerusalem, If thou hadst known the things that belong to thy peace, in that thy day! if you ask what that day was? I say you shall find the very period of it, Acts 13. 40. you 
Act. 13. 40  shall see there, when the offer was made fully (that was the Lords great mercy to them, he doth not give over a man, till he have made the clearly and fully) in Ver. It was necessary we should speak the word first to you; but since you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we turn to the Gentiles; you may see their refusing before. The jews they were full of envy, and spoke against the things that He spoke; after this time the Lord made no more offer: this I say, was there case, and it is resembled in the Parable of them that were invited and refused; the inviters were sent forth no more unto them. It was the case of Capernaum, and those Cities to whom the seaventy were sent; if they would not receive 
Capernaum  them, they were to shake the dust of their feet against them.  
Beloved, I beseech you consider this, for it is a matter of very much moment to think with 
To take heed of neglecting this time.  yourselves, what know I whether this be the very time when the Lord makes the last offer, and that how ever, it will not last ever. So you see S. Paul to the Hebr ends Chap. 3. when he had 
Heb. 3.  said, there is a certain day, he brings his proof, saith he, did not the Lord do so with your fathers in the Wilderness? Now you shall see with those in the Wilderness, the Lord took ten refusals at their hands, These ten times you have rebelled against me, and then he would endure no longer. So the Lord deals at other times: it may be he will take but five refusals at another, it may be twenty at another, it may be but one or two at a third man's hand. I say, you must be exceeding careful and wary, for the end of this Doctrine is to teach you to take heed of refusing Christ jesus, of letting the opportunity slip, 〈◊〉 heed of refusing the time of the offer of Christ, the accetped time, when the Lord offers Christ in the Word, and by his Spirit accompanying it, it is dangerous to refuse. To conclude this point, consider, when the Lord himself shall be a suitor; beloved, we should be suitors to him, but he is pleased to be a suitor to us. And consider, that whereas other women use to bring portions to their husbands, he is pleased to buy us, and to give us portions, and can you find in your heart to refuse?  
You will say; if I were sure the Lord would 
Object.  take me.  
Beloved, you shall see how far he goes, 
Answ.  that we may put you out of all doubt.  
First, he hath made a very clear declaration 
That God is ready to receive sinners.  of his good will: he saith, Whosoever will come, shall be saved, he shall be taken in, whosoever will come. This is not all, but he goes further than that, he 
1. He hath declared it.  hath not only set up such a Quicunque vult, but he sends home to us, he calls and invites us, go, call and invite them to the marriage. This is not 
2. He entreats it.  all, but he goes yet further, he beseecheth us, he becomes a downright suitor, 2 Cor. 5. We are 
2 Cor. 5. 19  Ambassadors in Christ's stead, to beseech you to be reconciled. Nay beloved, more than this, he is not a cold, but an importunate earnest suitor, Go, compel them to come in, saith he, that is, with the strongest arguments you can use: he doth not rest here, here is as much as he can do by fair means: but then he tries the other, to see what he can do by foul means, than he lays a command upon men, 1 john 1. 3. This is the Commandment, 
3. Commands it.  that we believe in his Son; he commands all men living to come in, and take Christ, and receive the pardon. And it is not a bare command, but he adds a threatening; if they will not 
1 joh. 1. 3. 4. Threatens if we come not in  take him, they shall be damned: which is the greatest threatenings that can be. Consider, wilt thou refuse now? I will say but this in a word, if thou wilt for all this, it shall be the greatest matter against thee at the day of judgement: take all sins, the grossest Idolatry, and adultery, and whatsoever else: they shall not be so much laid to thy charge when thou comest to lie on thy death-bed, as this; that Christ was preached, that there was so many offers made, and yet thou wouldst none of him. Therefore consider this, and say not nay, alas, such conditions are required on my part, as I cannot perform them; for beloved, there is nothing required on thy part but sincerity. Indeed that is required: thou must 
Nothing required but sincerity.  not think when thou art matched to thy husband, to live as if thou wert a maid still; thou must not think to match with thy husband, and to live as thou list, thou must not think to swear still, and follow the lust of uncleanness still, and to follow thy drunkenness and good fellowship still, thou must not think to match with the Lord jesus, and break the Sabbath and neglect holy duties, and violate thy conscience, thou must know, that all thy old clothing, as I said before, must be put off, and not only so, but thy nails must be pared, that is, those thoughts that thou reckonest less sins, vain thoughts, idle thoughts, negligent performance of holy duties, or whatsoever is of that nature, these nails must be pared, there must be a sincere heart, to resolve to do all this. But so much for those second sort of men, that will not believe there is such a pardon, that yet cannot think the Lord jesus is willing to match with them; and to pass by the great sins that they have committed.  
But now for the third sort, which is indeed of 
3 Those that believe but will not come in.  the greatest company of men; for we find not so many men doubt, whether they shall be forgiven or no, but though they know there is a pardon, and that the Lord will match with them, yet they are willing to live as they did, they are not willing to come under his subjection to live by his Laws. Now besides consider, what is the cause of this, what keeps men off from this.  
First, you shall find one great general cause is Inconfideration: this is the fault of young men, 
I Hindrance inconsideration.  that have a thousand vanities in their heads, and never think of matching with Christ, and of their spiritual estate: And not of them only, but of others too, who as they are held off by pleasures, so others by business, as appears in those invited to the marriage: one went about his merchandise, another to his Oxen, and never considered, they never took to heart this their inviting to the marriage: consider that in Deut. 32. 27. When 
Deut. 32. 27  Moses had made an exhortation, that they should not receive the strange Gods of the people, but come into covenant and be married to him (for that is the scope of the Chapter) threatening withal, that when they should provoke him to jealousy, he would provoke them; saith he, Oh that you were wise to consider your latter end, as if he should say; this is the cause that you come not in, and keep not close to the Lord, Oh that you were wise to consider; for it is a man's wisdom to consider this, for a wise man stands as one upon the top of an high hill or a rock, and so he looks round about him, and sees all events before they come, whereas a fool is taken unawares by death, he is arrested, and judgement comes upon him on the sudden as a snare: therefore I say, thou must consider. And yet this is the usual case of men, they go on in a secure sleep in sinning whilst death and judgement breaks in upon them, which by consideration might be prevented. Therefore if you ask me what you must consider, I say, consider if this be not thy case, as it is of many men, many owe more than they are worth, more than they know how to pay: now if they would but consider their case, and but cast up their accounts, it may be they might seek out for a match to discharge all, but they neglect it, and are secure, & an arrest comes on them and they are cast into prison, and now it is too late. Therefore I say to every man of you, consider thy debts, thy sins, yea, consider those sins thou thinkest are passed so many years since, that lie still, and thou hearest no more of them, I say, consider them, and bring them to mind, and consider what a sleeping sin is. You may see it in the case of joab, when he had committed those foul murders of Abner and Amasa, the Lord let it sleep for a time, and joab was secure; but you see in due season, he having not sued out his pardon, the arrest came upon him, and Solomon slew him. And such was the case of the sin of Shemei that he committed against David, it lay a sleep for a time. Such was the case of Joseph's brethren, in that they did against joseph, many years together it lay quiet, when it awakened, they saw what it was with anguish. Therefore consider what a sleeping sin is, the forgetfulness of which maketh men secure. Men commit sins, and they are in health, and forget them, and so not considering their debts, they regard not this match, and go not about it.  
There is another part of security, wherewith men are involved, and that is, they think they 
2 Me think their estate good enough.  have matched already with jesus Christ, they think they are in an estate good enough, and to come now to make a change of it, they think strict preciseness, and more than needs.  
And this one thing keeps many thousands off from matching, that they think their debts are paid, that they are in good estate, and they think that they are under covert. But to answer it in a word, I wish thee to consider those plain places of Scripture, Gal. 5. 24. Whosoever is in Christ, hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts: and that in 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whosoever is in Christ 
Gal. 5. 24  is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things 
2. Cor. 5. 17.  are become new: and that jam. 2. 10. If a man fail 
jam. 2. 10  but in one point, (willingly and constantly) he is guilty of the breach of the whole law: in Ezech. 18. 
Ezek. 18. 10  10, etc. The new translation doth not so well express it as the old; If he beget a Son, if he do any of these things, though not all, if he beget a Son that is atheife, or a shedder of blood, if he do one of these things, if not all, but either he eat upon the mountains, or have defiled his neighbour's wife, or have oppressed the poor, etc. if he have done but one of these, he shall die the death, his blood shall be upon his head. Not to name more; I say, out of this I gather, 
He that allows himself in the least sin, is not matched to Christ  that he that allows himself in the least sin, he that respects not all the Commandments, and the least small particle in them, that man is not yet matched with the Lord jesus, and therefore do not deceive yourselves with vain words, to think that these excluding signs, and marks, and rules that we give, are inventions of our own, that we are too strict beyond our Commission. Beloved, this plain Word by which you shall be judged at the last day, makes it plain to you, that except there be such a general reformation, except you be new in all points, except all your lusts be crucified, except you respect all the Commandments, and every particle thereof, unless that there be a general sincerity, certainly you are excluded. Therefore I say, take all these together, that though thou be quiet for a while, and free from the arrest, that yet thou art not out of danger, thy sin is but laid asleep, etc. I say, if a man do but seriously consider with himself, if he sit down, but one half hour, and consider what the shortness of his life is, what his danger is, and think there is another place that he must live in, for eternity, and then consider this, I may be surprised on the sudden, as the foolish Virgins; the Bridegroom came when they did not look for him; and if he do, what is thy case? know this, that it is too late to be matched at that time; as when the destroying Angel came, it was too late to sprinkle the door-posts with the blood of the Lamb; but the time of it, is the time of the Passe-over; he will come at midnight, when thou lookest not for him; and if it were to be done at that instant, no man should be damned; know this, that it must be done before; therefore consider seriously, and lose not your souls by inconsideration. But to proceed a little further to another impediment: for when a man hath considered the match, he begins to make objections against it, as,  
First, he looks upon his husband, and he sees 
Object.  he must live in a poor and mean condition, he 
3 Impediment, the crosses that follow.  must take up his Cross, and be despised, and contemned, and trampled upon, and when he begins to think of this, he is unwilling to match: for saith he, I am not willing to live after this fashion.  
To this I may answer in a word; for the Lord 
Answ.  himself gives a very direct and quick answer to this; saith he, I will deceive none of you, I will 
Those that have Christ must be content to suffer.  deal plainly with you, if you match with me, I say, your condition will be very base, and mean, and Blessed is he that is not offended with that mean condition. I confess, if you match with me, you must take up your cross, you must be persecuted, and despised, and hated of all men; therefore saith he, choose you, I leave it to you to make your own choice; if you will not match, you may choose. But says he, he that is not willing to lose his life, and part with father and mother, and let lands, and credit, and liberty, and all go, he is not worthy of me. Wherein he implies, that the Lord is worthy to be matched with, notwithstanding all this base condition, and that thou art unworthy of him, that stickest at it. And if thou didst know who he was, thou wouldst notwithstanding match with him to choose. If the Bridegroom, the Lord jesus, should come in glory with his Bridegroom's apparel, if he should come decked with ornaments, with thousands of his Angels about him, every man would be willing to match with him; but here is the trial what thou wilt do at this time, it appears not yet what he is, and what he will do, while he is now covered with a base outside, now he is hid. But yet he deals plainly you see with us. I remember a Story of Crates, the Philosopher, when a virgin desired to match with him, he takes this course, he goes to her, and tells her, and shows her his crooked-back, his staff, and his satchel, and saith this to her, this is thy husband, and thy portion, wilt thou be content to take such an one as I? she persisted: but when she had him, she knew she had another manner of husband than she looked for. I use it but for a resemblance; for after this manner doth the Lord jesus deal with us. You must suffer the cross, and go out of the Camp; this is your husband, this is your portion, the cross is your jointure. Now thou mayst choose, if thou wilt match with him, so it is. I say now to every man that is willing, that persists for all this; thou shalt have the King of heaven for thy husband, thou matchest with such an one, as shall make thee happy for ever, this is thy happiness, thou shalt have thy worst first, the best is reserved for afterward: with the world it is quite otherwise; there you have the best first, and the worst follows after: Therefore here is the trial; all the matter is to love Christ, in a base and mean estate, and I say this to thee, thou shalt have the same answer from Christ one day, that if thou be not content to match with him in a mean condition, if thou wilt not take him for worse, thou shalt never have him for better; if thou wilt not have him in a low condition, thou shalt not have him in a glorious. Rom. 8. 
Rom. 8. 17  17. he saith, those that suffer with him, shall also be glorified with him: and so on the contrary, he that doth not suffer with him, that is, he that is not content to take him with sufferings, and with the Cross, he shall never reign, and be glorified in heaven with him.  
But yet men will still say, are not these hard 
Object.  conditions that goes with this match? if otherwise, I should much desire it. And every man is content to have the kernel, but he would not trouble his teeth with the hardness of the shell.  
And indeed, there are in appearance hard conditions. For he must be taken for a Lord, and an husband; and for this cause many will not take him, this keeps many off.  
And who would not be religious, if he thought it an easy thing to be religious? Men think they shall be tired and straitlaced, and never be able to endure the yoke.  
But yet I say to every man that thinks so, he 
Ans. These seeming hard conditions are easy.  shall not find it so, these conditions thathou thinkest so hard, are easy.  
First, the Lord hath said in plain terms; if thou wilt believe his Word, that His yoke is easy, and his burden light: I will make it plain to thee, thou shalt not deny it. There are but two things that make the burden of Christ, that is his Law, to be hard, and that is either. 
2 Things make the law of Christ hard.   
The contrariety, or, The disproportion.  
For, there is nothing makes a thing hard, but one of these two.  
One is the contrariety between our wills; the reluctancy between our wills and Gods. Christ 
1 Contrariety  will have one thing, and we another: hence comes the difficulty. If our wills were the same, then there were no difficulty, than a man lives as he would, as he list. But beloved, if thou match with him, he will give thee another will; he will take away that reluctancy and renitency, he will take away thy old nature, thou shalt have a new nature, and a new will, and so then they are easy.  
The other is from disproportion: if a man have a great burden, and a little strength, the burden 
2 Disproportion.  proves heavy, why? not because the burden is in itself heavy, but because there is but little strength. Now know, that Christ is such a husband, as that what he gives in charge, he will give strength to do it; this I touched the last time, in comparing the two husbands, Rom. 7. see there our first husband, the Law, to which 
Rom. 7.  every man is married, till he be matched to Christ; that is an hard yoke, he commands much and gives no strength to perform it, it commands all things exactly. But the other husband requires but Evangelicall obedience, he commands, but that is possible, and gives strength to do it. When again thou servest him in newness of spirit; he will raise up thy strength, and make a fitness, and suitableness, and proportion between thy strength and it; therefore thou shalt find no such difficulty in the thing, if thou resolve on the match once, so as thou shouldest never fear the hardness of the burden, that thou shouldest not be able to obey thy husband.  
In setting out the other impediments that keep men off from being willing to match with Christ, we will keep still the same order, and to the similitude here, as we have done hitherto. 
Ob.   
The next impediment is, that we shall not 
4 Impediment, we have little for the present.  have any great dowry for the present: there is much promised, but we shall enjoy but little of it yet; though we shall have much hereafter, yet we have it not now; this is a great impediment, and keeps off many men. It is the case of many; they think with themselves: if I match now with Christ, I have much promised, that I shall have heaven, and many things to come hereafter; but for the present, I must forsake my pleasure, my profit, my delights. Now answer this, and all is done. But beloved, it must be Christ himself, that 
Ans.  must answer it: though we be the instruments, and the means, yet except he speak with us, it will do no good; the Lord himself must be his own spokesman; yet I answer, it is true indeed, the great dowry is to come, ye must wait for it; this time is a time of serving, as jacob, he served fourteen years for Rachel before he had her, and because he loved her, he thought the time short, he was willing to serve so long. Now if thou love Christ, if thou prise him above all; then thou wilt be willing to stay for him; and those that will not stay, it is a sign they do not love Christ, and therefore thou art not worthy of 
Why Christ makes us stay.  him. You must know, that Christ makes us thus to stay a time, to know and try his Spouse before he match with her, (indeed the match is now, but I speak of that glorious match with the Lamb at his second coming, when we shall receive the full dowry) which the Apostle speaks of, jam. 1. 12. verse, Blessed is he that endureth 
james 1. 12  temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive a Crown of life, which he hath promised to those that love him, and wait for his appearing. Beloved, ye must be content to believe for a time, enjoying is not yet come. Christ will try our patience, our faith, he will try whether his Spouse will take his word or no, whether she will rest upon him, whether she will believe him: this is that, I say, that holds off many men, because they shall have nothing here, But therein they do not look upon the whole life of man; we look but upon part; we only care to provide for a short time here, and not for the whole life of man, which is eternal: and this is that which makes us to err; as the cause of all error in all the actions of men, is because they look upon some part of a business, 
'Cause of all error.  and not upon all. When a man looks upon some part of a case, and not upon every part, this makes them judge amiss: so in this spiritual case we err, because we do not look upon the whole life of man, to provide for our good hereafter, as well as the present. The reason is, because as the Apostle saith, 2 Pet. 1. and 9 Ver. 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  We are purblind, and cannot see a far off. Indeed, this is the case of all that match with Christ, they have the worst for the present, the best is reserved. Indeed worldlings they have the best for the present, and the worst is reserved. Consider of it which is best, an heir that is in his minority is content to serve and do as a servant doth, because he knows, notwithstanding there is a difference between him and a servant, he shall, he knows, when he comes to age, enjoy his lands, and therefore he is contented, though as yet he is used as a servant. Indeed, if he knew he should not live to enjoy his lands; but die before he comes to age, than it were somewhat, if he were discontented to live so: but we shall be sure to live unto them, we shall enjoy them; as in that 2. Epistle to the Corinth. 4. 17. 18. For the momentany lightness of 
2. Cor. 4. 17. 18.  our tribulation prepareth for us an eternal weight of Glory: while we look not upon things that are seen, but upon things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. The time that we are to be here is short, if we consider it with eternity; and beloved, if we did but seriously think of the time we are to be here, and eternity hereafter, we should not so much stick upon these earthly things as we do.  
But to come nearer, and answer it to purpose; if thou accept of this match, thou shalt have 
Christians enjoy more than Worldlings for the present. Mar. 10. 29. 30.  more, even for the present, than the full vintage of the men of this world, as in that 10. Chapter of Mark, 29. 30. There is no man that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, for my sake and the Gospels, but he shall receive now in this time an hundred fold; houses, brethren, sisters, fathers, mothers, and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come life everlasting: even with persecutions a man shall receive an hundred fold. If you ask how can that be, that a man with persecution shall receive an hundred fold in this life? for answer, we must compare this place with the 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, and 
2 Cor. 6. 10.  yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things: though they have a sorrowful time outwardly, yet they have abundance of inward joy, which they have in the grace and favour of God. This is your usual Proverb, He is rich whom God loves. Though a man loose credit with the world, and praise with men, and estimation, which keeps many men off; yet thou shalt have joy in God, peace of conscience, which is an hundred times better. But you will say, what if they be put into prison? shall they then have 
Object. Answ.  an hundred fold in this life? yes, for their imprisonment is better than worldly men's liberty. It is said, that when joseph was put into prison, that the Lord went in with him, and was with him, and therefore it was no prison: for what is it that makes it a prison? The Lord's absence, a man hath more joy in a prison wherein God is, then in a Palace without God; as you may see in Saul; when the Lord was departed from him, his Palace was but a prison to him. Brethren, if you believe this, that you shall have more for the present, if ye will accept of this match, you will not any longer stand out. But if you will not believe, for all that I have said, we have no more to say to you in brief, but this: thou shalt have thy portion in this life, as the Prodigal son, he would have his portion presently: well, if you will have your portion, ye shall have it, as in that 17. Psal. 14. The men of this world, who have their 
Psa. 17. 14.  portions in this life. You shall have your portions in this life, thou shalt have thy belly filled with treasures: but remember that terrible sentence, Thou hast thy reward. Therefore it is no marvel, that worldlings live so contentedly, with so much outward ease; it is no marvel, I say, for their Father hath given them their portion.  
Another impediment is; when parents have provided a fit match for their children, and come and 
5. Imped. The heart is set to match with others.  propound it to their children, than they are promised to another, their hearts are set upon others: and this is a great impediment in this, and it is common. Now the Lord comes to propound this match to thee; but thou canst not forsake those things that thy affections are set upon, thou hast made another choice, thy heart is set upon these outward things, thou hast promised thy love and delight to them, and thou must now refuse the suit of the King's Son. This one day will lie heavy upon thy conscience, when as this Christ that thou hast now rejected, shall come to judgement, and shall sit upon his glorious Throne, and shall pronounce that heavy sentence, Depart from me ye cursed; and then thy conscience shall tell thee, oh he was once a suitor to me, but I had made another choice, a worse choice; which than thou findest, though it seemed pleasant for the time, yet indeed his service would have been more pleasant and profitable, for he would have thee live but according to the rule, in temperance, sobriety, in diligence, in thy calling, and such like, which would have kept thy body in health, and preserved thy estate; and now thou hast wasted thy body in fornication, and uncleanness, and hast wasted thy goods in drunkenness and good-fellowship, and all riotous living: and so if we should stand to compare every particular service of each husband, we should find that our obedience to our right husband, is more pleasant than that we have now chosen; nay, we 
Comfort in Christ's service.  should find that the worst actions that Christ commands, are far more pleasant than the best of the other; as take sorrow for sin, that we count the worst and the hardest duty, yet even in that there goes along with it a secret sweetness, and comfort; those that have any experience in it, know it to be true: but when as thou yieldest obedience to thy other husband, even in the midst of thy carnal delights, thy heart is sad, there is a kind of perplexity goes along with it: this we shall find in all the actions we do to this wrong husband, a secret griping and stinging of conscience; and besides this, we shall at length be paid with death.  
But in our obedience to our right husband, 
Reward of it.  moreover and above our comfort in his service, he will give us wages and rewards, eternal life, and all the comforts appertaining thereunto. But in brief, if you will not yield, if you will not be ruled, God will do with you as parents do with rebellious children, if they are stubborn, and match against their will; when as neither promises, nor persuasions will do any good, what will they do? Why, they will disinherit them. So if ye will be stubborn, and neither persuasions nor promises will do no good with you, but notwithstanding all this, you will not remove your affections from off your choice; your Father shall disinherit you, you shall lose your Kingdom, you shall be damned; if you will not cut off your right hands, and cut out your right eyes that offend you, ye shall keep them, but ye shall go to hell with them. If you will not believe us, we have no more to say to you, ye shall lose your birthright.  
Another impediment, if so be we find we stand in 
6 Imped. We will not match yet.  need of an husband to pay our debts, yet we are not disposed to marry yet. But know, if thou wilt not take the time before the time be past, thou shalt sit long enough without suitors. Christ he is a suitor by his Spirit, and we are his friends to persuade you to match with him. Now consider how that He only must persuade: we may persuade long enough; if no other do persuade you, you will never be won: but there is another, the Lord himself, he is his own spokesman, and must be, or else you will never be won. And therefore, take heed of deferring when thou findest the Holy Ghost a suitor to thee, and that Christ speaks to thy heart, take heed of refusing, his Spirit shall not always strive with man: if he knock but once, open to him, perhaps he will knock no more. Take heed of delays and puttings off, bidding Christ come another time; for we commonly say, delays are dangerous. If thou dost, thou mayst lose thy suitor, and Christ may let thee sit all thy life time, and never be a suitor to thee again. There is indeed a time, when all would match with Christ in their extremity at their deaths, as the foolish Virgins, they came when it proved too late, the doors were shut. When the arrest comes upon us, than we would match with Christ, but than it is too late, then Christ will not match with thee; then we may fly to the horns of the Altar, as joab did, but then Christ will say, as Solomon did of joab, Go fall upon him, and kill him, even there. There is a refuge in the City, but thou must be a Citizen there, before the avenger of blood comes. Then is not a time to marry with Christ, then is a time to call to mountains to fall upon you and cover you, and furthermore whereas thou sayest, thou wilt hereafter match with Christ, but not yet, what knowest thou but that thy soul may presently be taken from thee? and therefore you see what a deal of folly men show in their puttings off.  
Another impediment is. When the parties are 
7 Impediment. men do nor like Christ.  brought together, to see one another; many times they do not like one another: and this is a common case: and so it is in this spiritual match; when men come to look upon the Lord, they do not like the Lord: well, if this be thy case, if it be thus with thee, the Lord will not be so much as a suitor to thee, he counts thee an enemy. There is an antipathy between the Lord 
Enmity. double.  and many, there is an enmity; but you must know, in this there is a twofold enmity; one out of ignorance, as Paul, says he, I was a Blasphemer, and a persecutor, but now I am received to mercy, because I did it ignorantly through unbelief. If he had known the Lord, he would not have persecuted him. But secondly, there is also a wilful enmity against the Lord: they know the Lord, and yet they do not like him. But these men will deny this, and say, this is not the cause they come not in, whatsoever is the cause. Well, do not deceive thyself; if thou love the Lord, thou wilt love his Image, thou wilt love his children which are his Image. If thou hatest those that bear his Image, thou hatest the Lord himself. And therefore do not deceive thyself: if thou bearest a secret hatred and dislike of that strictness and holiness, that is in the Saints; if thou hast an inward grudge to that which is God's Image, thou hatest God himself.  
But perhaps thou wilt say, I hate him because he is an hypocrite; if he were the child of God I would love him, but I hate his hypocrisy.  
But take heed, that when thou strikest an hypocrite, a Saint lies not a bleeding; so also when a man lieth under a sharp and powerful Ministry, and thou bearest hatred and dislike of it, thou hatest the Lord himself, whose ordinance it is. This was the case of the jews, when the Apostles had showed them the Lord jesus, and they saw all was rejected, what followed? we have no more to say to you, Christ would no longer be a suitor to them. Seing ye reject us, and will not receive this word of salvation, lo now we turn to the Gentiles, and those that will receive us. And therefore brethren, take heed of disliking the Lord, when he comes a suitor to you, do not lay false aspersions upon him, and his ways, and children, do not believe false aspersions laid upon him by others; as those that were sent to spy Canaan, they brought up evil reports of that Land; what followed? not only they were excluded out of the Land, but also all those that believed them.  
Now thus we have showed you the match, and given you some trials to know, whether you are matched with Christ or no, as also what may stir you up to accept this match, if ye find upon examination, that ye are not matched with him, also the impediments that keep men off from the match: that if any of them be your case, ye may remove it. But brethren, all this can do nothing to procure this match; this will not work upon you, except the Lord be his own spokesman to win your love, he it is that must win you. Men are like dead men when we speak to them; but if Christ speak not by his Spirit, they are dead still; it is he that must show you your debt and your danger, and the beauty and excellency of your husband, and must remove the impediments.  
And seeing that now you are to receive Christ 
digression to the Sacrament.  offered in the Sacrament, this point may be a great help to strengthen your faith. When a man promises to match with one, this helps well forward to the match: but when the man is in the Church, and offers himself to match with thee, than we cannot choose but believe it: He that eateth and drinketh this unworthily, he is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord: therefore do not take it hand over head, but examine whether thou standest in need of Christ, canst thou set a price upon him, as the chiefest thing thou wantest? The great match is made in Baptism: this is but the renewing of the Nuptials, and new Acts of taking and receiving Christ. Consider then, if thou have matched with Christ before, else if thou comest hither, this is a great provocation to the Lord: for that which is required of thee now, is, that thou take Christ with more willingness, still that thou come with more desires and longing after the Lord jesus, or else thou dost receive unworthily. Consider every time thou comest, of what need thou standest in of Christ, and in this thing thou must take some pains with thy heart, every time thou comest, to see more need thou standest in of Christ, and also examine strictly what thou hast done amiss, and work thy heart to unfeigned sorrow, and make up all breaches before thou comest, as thou dost with men, which is a very commendable thing, and if thou have any request to put up to him, this is a special day of hearing. Whatsoever jewel thou wouldst have to beautify thyself, that is, whatsoever graces thou wantest to beautify thy soul, what change of raiment thou wouldst wear to adorn thy conversation, what temptation hath long haunted thee, thou canst not be rid of, ask of thy husband now upon this day; this is the marriage day; this is a fair opportunity to ask any thing of thy husband: ask thy husband now, he will not deny thee, nay whatsoever thou wantest for this life, for thy body, ask it now, for all is thine; whatsoever thou desirest, any gift for soul or body, whatsoever it be that thou wouldst have him to take from thee, that hurts thee, or whatsoever thou wouldst have him give thee, to do thee good, ask it: I dare be bold to say, he will not deny thee; for if Herod because of his oath, would not deny the daugh ter of Herodias, even to the half of the Kingdom, dost thou think that thy husband will deny thee any thing, that hath given himself to thee? hath he given thee the great? and dost thou think that he will deny thee the less, if it be good for thee? if he do deny thee, it is because it is not convenient; or else, thou dost not ask it in due time, or else he will give thee a better thing.   

THE CHURCH'S CARRIAGE, OR DUTY.  
DELIVERED IN SUNDRY Sermons at Lincoln's Inn.  
By the late learned and Reverend Divine, JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Immanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher at Lincoln's Inn.  
Published by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thomas Ball, B ● in Divinity.  EPHES. 5. 33. Let the wife see that she reverence her husband. 2 COR. 11. 2. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ. 
LONDON, Printed by R. Badger for N. Bourne, at the Royal Exchange, and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes-head-Alley, in Pater noster-Row.   

THE CHURCH'S CARRIAGE.  EPHES. 5. 22. 23. 24. 
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the Saviour of the body.  
Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  
THE Scope of the Apostle is, to show that wives ought to be subject to their husbands, which he enforceth 
Scope,  upon them with this argument; for so is the Church to Christ. My scope is only to speak of the latter: for whereas formerly I pressed men to receive jesus Christ; now because the chiefest thing they stick at is, being subject to him (which yet is a thing necessary, if they receive him aright) for men having lived all their lives at liberty, would do still, although it be the condition of those that are married to Christ, to be subject to him, as it is of the woman to be to the man, as appears by that law first given. 3 Gen. 16. Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee, that is, 
Gen. 3. 16.  thy will shall be subject to his. Now this Text shows both, that the Church is subject to Christ▪ and the reasons why it should be so: there are three things in it.  
That every man that takes Christ is subject to 
1  him: that is laid down positively in the Text▪ the Church is subject to Christ.  
That every man that takes him aught to be so. 
2   
That it is best for them so to be: and to that end the Apostle gives two reasons, for he is their 
3  head and Saviour.  
I will bind up all into one point, that,  
Every one that doth, or will take Christ, he is, and aught to be subject to him, and it is best for him so 
Doct. Every one that takes Christ ought to be subject and it is best for him.  to be.  
He that takes Christ, is subject to him; for so soon as there is an union made between the soul and Christ, so soon there is a power goes out from him, which bows and fashions the heart, and makes it willing to keep his Laws, it causeth such a motion in the heart, as is in the members from the head: so soon as the will is willing to do a thing, there is a readiness also in the members, and the reason is, because there is the same spirit that is in the head transfused into the members, and so here the same spirit is communicated from Christ by virtue of this union to the members, and as soon as that union shall be perfect, and the Spirit shall dwell in all fullness in us, than we shall have a full readiness to obey him.  
Now because it is but in part; therefore in regard of the degrees of it, there is much wanting in this readiness to obedience, yet so, as there is in some measure some such inclination, though the members are weak and paralytical, and contrary humours are in them, which much hinder their readiness; yet so as there is an inclination in the mind, an intrinsical aptness to be subject to Christ in all things. 
2   
That he that takes Christ ought to be subject. Now thou art matched with him, thou art engaged, thou hast covenanted with him, Cor. 7. 23. 
1 Cor. 7. 23.  He is thy Lord, and hath bought thee, and thou hast sold thyself to him, yet he hath bought thee of thyself, so as thou art not tui juris. It is an usual thing for men to bethink with themselves, how shall I bestow this day? and men forger that they are servants; for they are not to spend it in what is pleasant and profitable for themselves, for God hath bought them of themselves, and as a servant is to ask his master every morning what work he would have him to do that day, so are ye; not a jot of strength is thine own.  
The last is, that is is best for men to be subject to him, and if men were persuaded that it were best for them now at this time to be subject to him, they would come in: but it is one thing to think it generally best, and best for me at this time in my particular case. Now this is it, I will show you, and take the reasons in the Text.  
Because he is an head, and that in four respects.  
In regard of Sovereignty. 
1 Best for men to take Christ. Reas.   
In regard of preeminency and excellency.  
Because he gives life to the Church, as the head doth to the body. 
1 He is a head   
Because he is a guide to the Church, as the 
1 He is their Sovereign  head is to the members.  
Because he is their Sovereign Lord and Prince, for this subjection is in nature to be subject to him that is our Lord, and whom we find set over us, and we think it no disparagement to be so. To subject ourselves to an equal indeed, we may and do think much at it: therefore now think, that he is a Prince, and thou art a base creature; and dost thou think much to be subject to him? all disobedience comes from this; that we think ourselves too good to obey him: as he said, so men say secretly in their hearts, who is the Lord, that I should obey? and this they do in every sin.  
And whereas it may be said, there are many great men set over men, which they will say, they see no great reason why they obey them; I am of more excellent parts than he: this may be objected against many Kings; and indeed, unless they do excel, obedience doth not come off willingly, nor naturally.  
Therefore in the second place consider, he is a 
2 A head of preeminence. Col. 1 18. 19  head for preeminence, Col. 1. 18. 19 He is the head of the body, the Church, that in all things he might have the preeminence; for it pleased the Father, that in him all fullness should dwelled, that as in the head there are all the excellencies of the body in all fullness, the senses and the understanding, etc. so in him: now if a man had all excellencies in all fullness above all other men, all the world would obey that man. See it in beasts; an Eagle being the excellentest of fowls, nature hath made it the King of all: and were there such a man among men, there would be no resistance in nature to such an obedience to him. Now Christ is such an one, full of wisdom, full of love and meekness, etc. such an one as thy heart can wish.  
In the third place, all this is for thy profit, if 
3. For their profit.  thou be obedient to him, for thou mightest say, why should I obey him? what is all this his excellency to me? when we see the government we live in to be for our good, than we are willing to submit: if we had such a Governor as is mentioned in judges, that would spend his fatness and his sweetness for us, him we would obey. Now jesus Christ hath spent his fatness for your good, and all this fullness that is in him, is for the good of the body, Ephes. 1. ult. speaking of Christ and the body, he calls the body the fullness of 
Ephes. 1. ult.  him who filleth all in all.  
The body is the fullness of him; for as the head makes not a complete man without the body, so nor Christ without his Church, and yet lest this might be thought too much to be spoken of the body, that it should be the fullness of Christ, therefore withal he shows that it is Christ which fills the Church, It is the fullness of him who fills all in all, emptying out his fullness into them, filling all with all the excellencies that are in himself. No excellency is in him, but he stamps it upon the body; for he received it for their sakes. As the common Conduit receives not water for itself, but for others; so is he the common Conduit of Grace, a head which communicates the same life to his members he hath in himself, which was the third thing.  
But ah! you will say I have no need of all this, nor of being subject to him; yes but thou hast, 
4 Their guide  for thou canst not live without him: for as the Husband is said to be the guide of the Wife, He is the guide of thy Youth, as the Scripture speaks; so is he to thee, and without him we are in this world like men in the wide sea without a guide; if left alone, we shall fall upon some rocks, or sands or other, and so perish: He is thy guide, and there is reason to be subject to a guide, a folly to leave thy guide in a wood, and step out of the way from him. Nay he is a guide that doth guide thy feet in the ways of peace; the ways he will lead thee in, lead into prosperity and peace.  
The second reason in the text is, He is the Saviour of his Church, he hath saved them already from 
2 Reas. He is the Saviour of his Church.  the guilt and power of their sins, and he is so continually, and thy safety consists in being obedient to him: look how many acts of disobedience, so many steps from under thy shelter into the storm, from out of the shade into the scorching Sunshine. All the commandments we 
His commandments for our good.  have from him, are things, by which our lives are maintained: as fishes live in the water, so we in the commandments, for they are our elements: so as withdrawing thyself from the commandments and going out of them, tends to destruction; and it is as if a man should see a fish going out of the water: every such motion tends to death. If therefore a man would consider when he is about to commit a sin, that this act tends to death, and that to be subject to the commandment is my safety, he would certainly keep within compass: if the commandments tended to destruction, we ought to do them; for what are we but God's vassals? he hath bought us. As they in the old Law might do what they would with their servants they had bought with their money, so might God: but when every commandment shall tend to thy good, so as thou canst not devise a better way for thyself than to obey them, wilt not thou much rather be subject? 10. Deut. 13. In 
Deut. 10. 13  the former verses he had shown that God had done great things for them, and therefore might do as other masters, that command their servants that which is for their own advantage, and not for their servants; and so God might do, and thou oughtest to be subject to him: but says he in the thirteenth verse, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to keep the commandments of the Lord which he commands thee for thy good? Thou mayst think that to sanctify the Sabbath is not for thy good, but now thou mayst think happily by thy travel on that day, and plotting thy business to further thy wealth: or suppose that God bid thee be bold for him, and stand out for the profession of the truth, thou thinkest it may be thereby thou shalt lose much; and that by stepping out of his way, thou mayst take in some convenience, or balk some cross, which for doing his will would befall thee; but thou art deceived, thou shalt find that this shall be for thy ruin, and though thou canst not see how this should be for thy good; yet shut thine eyes, believe it, for it will be so.  
The use is, to exhort you to be willing to come 
Use. To exhort to come in to Christ.  to Christ: You see this great objection taken away, that men are loath to be subject to him. I will further show what it is to be subject, and so add motives.  
If you would know what subjection is.  
Subjection is, when an inferior willingly submits to a superior, there are two things in 
1 Subjection what.  it.  
It must be between an inferior and a superior; 
1 To a superior willingly.  for if a superior doth it, it is not subjection, but yielding; if an equal doth it, it is an agreement, compact, not a subjection.  
It must be willingly, or else it is not said to be subjection: to be carried captive is not to be made subject, but when a man submits out of an inward inclination of his Will, than it is said to be obedience and subjection.  
The second thing is, what we must be subject 
2 We must be subject unto.  to, and they are three things, first the counsel of Christ. Secondly, the Commandments of Christ. Thirdly, his providence, to be willing to be disposed of by him. And these three do answer to all that is in a man. For 1. there is his mind or understanding; now to that answers counsel. Secondly, there is his will; to that answers commandment. Thirdly, affections; they answer to his providence.  
First, we must be subject to the Counsel of 
1 The counsel of Christ.  Christ, that is, to think his ways, and what he commands, to be the wisest and the best way. And this is one thing a Wife owes to her Husband, to be subject to his opinion: and Paul, when he would express his obedience, says, I consulted not with flesh and blood, that is, with my own reason; but I brought my mind into subjection to Christ's mind: I was willing to think his way the best, in 2 Cor. 10. 5. This is called Subjection, namely, 
2 Cor. 10. 5.  the bringing of every thought into subjection. The original of disobedience is refractoriness of thoughts, whereby a man thinks his way better than God's way, and therefore chooseth it, for every man doth what he thinks best, and therefore in Pro. 23. 4. Solomon counselling men not to 
Pro. 23. 4.  labour to be rich, because a man would say in his own thoughts, why, it is good to be rich, therefore says he, Cease from thine own Wisdom, that is, submit thy wisdom to Gods, he knows what is better for thee: walk in thy calling without seeking inordinately to be rich; and if God cast riches upon thee, so it is. And so likewise a man that thinks credit in regard of gifts, learning, parts, a goodly thing, cease from thine own wisdom, it being but as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an empty thing, a thińg blown up by men's breaths: seek not after it, follow his counsel. And thirdly, so for pleasure, thou thinkest this or that thing to be most pleasant, cease from thy own wisdom, abstain from it, and thou shalt have it some other way.  
The second thing are his commands: if thou seest he hath commanded a thing, which thou seest 
2. His commands.  no reason for, nay, thou seest a reason against it, yet do not question it. The will of man is still objecting. See this now in Adam and Saul. In the commandment given to Adam, there is nothing but a mere command, 'tis likely he saw no reason for it, yet see how God chargeth him, hast thou eaten of that I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat? Saul thought he had good reason on his side, to spare the kine for sacrifice, but did not I command thee the contrary? The servant is not to examine his master's ground, but to do his will.  
Lastly, we must be subject to, his providence, and all the passages of it. Look what variety of 
3. His providence.  conditions, of sickness and health, good report and ill report thou goest through. God requires that all thy affections should be subject without murmuring; if he will have thee lie under an ill report without cause a long time, it is his providence, submit; and whereas men will say, if I were thus or thus in such a condition first, than I would be content; what is this, but to make his will Regulam regulatam?  
The third thing are motives to be subject.  
From the nature of subjection; which is as it 
Motives to this subjection.  was defined, that the inferior aught to be subject to the superior; so as there is reason for this, 
1 From the nature of subjection.  if thou be an inferior to him, and when a man sees reason, he will not be stubborn. Now, that there is reason for this, look through the whole universe. That which is most base is lowest, and if there should not be such a subordination, what confusion would there be, as if the waters should overflow the earth, or the fire possess the place of the air? As in the body of nature; so political; if servants should not be subject to their masters, inferiors to superiors, what confusion would it breed? Eccles. 10. 5. 6. for the servant to be on horseback, and the master on foot, this 
Eccles. 10. 5. 6.  is an evil, and a folly. So in the body of man, for the humours to be predominant, it brings sickness and death; so in the soul, for reason to be below, and the affections above, what disorder is it? So that there is reason, that in all things the inferior should be subject to the superior.  
Consider who it is you are to be subject to.  
It is to him that is able to do you much good, 
2 Who we are subject unto.  and one that is willing to recompense thee to the utmost. Why are men so willing to be subject 
1 One that is able to do us good.  to Kings, and do them service? because they are able to advance them; and therefore men will do any base offices for them, even violate their consciences: but in being subject to God, thou shalt not be subject to base, but honourable services, and thou shalt get much by it also. As Balak said to Balaam, Am I not able to prefer thee? so may I say of God, and of others, even of Kings, as Saul said of David, Can David give you Vineyards, & c? Can Kings give you what God can give you? why is there such seeking to the Court, but that men are persuaded of getting profit and honour? And is it not God that sets up whom he will, pulls down whom he will? doth whatsoever he will in the earth, and in the sea? which if considered, men would be ambitious of serving him.  
Secondly, he is able to do you much hurt: 
2 He is able to do us much hurt 1 Pet. 5. 6  and that is another reason of our subjection to Princes, and therefore, 1. Pet. 5. 6. he bids us humble ourselves under his mighty hand; that is, God hath a mighty hand, able to bring you into subjection, and therefore do it willingly, Humble yourselves. Do you provoke him to anger? are you stronger than he? is he not able to bring you down? In Ezechiel there be four Emblems of his power; God compares their great men to Eagles, the masters of all birds; to Cedars, that overshadow all the trees of Eden; to Dragons, that do live in the water, and do drink it up as a river; and to an excellent Cherub; now God to show his power, says, that he will deplume that Eagle, lop the boughs of that Cedar, uncover that Cherub, put a hook into the nostrils of that Dragon: so that God is able to do the greatest men in the world hurt.  
Thirdly, God is exceeding munificent, his goodness is great. If one hath a father that is 
3 His munificence.  full of goodness, an ingenuous son would not disobey him, because he would not grieve him; now God will spare thee, as a father spares his son that serves him: he will keep thee still in the house, notwithstanding all thy rebellions.  
Last motive is taken from ourselves. It is for thy good to be subject to him: which if men 
3 Motive from ourselves.  throughly apprehend, they would not stick, though it were a thing burdensome to them. If a Physician prescribes thee an hard diet, to which thou hast no good will in itself; yet if thou be told it is for thy good, than thou art willing; and thus it is with the Commandments. But say, is not liberty an excellent thing? is it not better to live as a man lists? Indeed if the mind of a man were framed as it ought to be, it were so; but seeing thy heart is possessed with errors, etc. it is not best for thee to be at liberty, for one that is well in his wits, it is good to be at liberty, but not for one in a frenzy; again, for thee to follow thine own will, is to subject thyself more to the disease, but when thou dost what God commands thee, thou dost follow the prescript of the Physician. For every man lies as it were Inter morbum & medicum; if thou subject thyself to God, thou growest out of bondage to the disease to further life and liberty, but when thou obeyest thyself, thou art brought in bondage to sin, which is the disease of thy soul. Now bondage properly is this; when one is subject to one that is not our proper Commander, or when it is to our hurts; and therefore now to be subject to a Father is not bondage, so not to God, he being our natural and proper Commander. Now one of these two you must be subject to, either the law of sin, or of righteousness. Consider now which of these is bondage, which liberty.  
Every creature hath a certain rule given it, and so long as it keeps close to that rule, so long it is well with it: and so it is with men, whilst they are subject to the Law, which is their proper rule; to be subject to the contrary rule, that is bondage. But thou wilt say, I find it a pleasant life, to be subject to my lusts. But what is the reason of that? because it is agreeable to the present disposition of thy soul: but yet know this, that thou hast another radical disposition in thee, in which thou wert created, to 
It is pleasant.  which the Commandments are more pleasant than the satisfying of thy lusts. As now take the constant disposition of thy body; meat, and drink is pleasant to it, but indeed in a time of sickness, 
1 It is agreeable to the soul.  not meat, but something else is more pleasant; yet so as the pleasantness of meat to one in health; is the greater of the two. Now this is a rule in Philosophy, that those things that are agreeable to nature are jucunda per se, and all times, the other not so, and but for a fit, and so now sin is pleasing to thee, but whilst thou art in such an humour. Now the things that God commands agree to the first constitution of thy soul, and therefore they are the better choice, and in themselves more pleasant, and the obedience to them, is like the obedience of the members to the head, but the obedience of them to sin is the wring them the wrong way.  
Again▪ peace is pleasant. Psal. 133. 1. It is a 
2 It brings peace. Psal. 133. 1.  pleasant thing for Brethren to dwelled in unity. Discords in a family are unpleasant. Now whilst thou obeyest sin, it breaks thy peace with God thy Head, and thou livest an unquiet life, but as it is, Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to the rule of 
Gal. 6. 16.  God's Commandments, peace is upon them, and that is pleasant. Again, it brings jesus Christ into 
3 It brings Christ into the soul.  the soul; and he brings joy with him, for when he comes into the heart, he comes as the Sun into a room with light, and joy, and peace. I find one similitude more in the words, to express our union with Christ: and indeed the Scripture is much in expressing of this union, now it is a sure rule, that what the Scriptures bestow much words on, we should have much thoughts on, and what the Holy Ghost urgeth most, we should prise most, as in this union with Christ, which is the foundation of our Salvation and of all graces.  
Now different similitudes in Scripture do express some new thing, as is this, that he is the Head and Saviour of the body. It will bring to our minds some other differing notion concerning this union than the former did, it will bring new light that we shall see further into the riches of this glorious mystery.  
The point is, that Christ is the Head, and Saviour 
Doct. Christ is the head and Saviour of his Church and every member. 1 Cor. 11. 3.  of his Church, and of every member. I add this last, for so you shall find it. 1 Corinth. 11. 3. That the Head of every man is Christ: and this similitude shows that the union betwixt Christ and us, is more than the union of a politic head and body, so as we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, as it is in the thirtieth verse of this Chapter.  
In that Christ loves and cherisheth every one 
1  united to him, as every man doth his own flesh. Put case a member be more deformed than another, there be an Vicer in it; yet a man loves it, because it is his flesh.  
He is sensible of all the pain, and ease they 
2  feel, as the Head is, of what the Members do.  
He communicates Sense and Motion to every man; without him, every man being dead, 
3  and not able to move a step, in the ways of God.  
He guides, directs, counsels every member up on all occasions, suggests wisdom what to do. 
4   
But there are three other special respects, in regard of which he is called an Head.  
In regard of authority. Ephes. 1. 22. God hath appointed him over all things to be Head, He hath 
1 Eph. 1. 22.  committed the Kingdom of the Mediatorship to his Son.  
In regard of preeminence. Col. 1. 18. 
2 Col. 1. 18.   
In regard of influence of life, Ephes. 1. 23. his headship is made to consist in this, in filling his 
3 Eph. 1. 23.  body, which in itself is a dry empty thing, and he fills them all, that is, every corner, and secondly with all, that is, all variety of graces; so as they have nothing, but what they have from him.  
The use of these three in particular, secondly, in that he is a head in general.  
If Christ be so a head, as he is a Governor and 
Use 1. To be obedient to Christ as a head.  commander; it is easy to know what follows then; let us be obedient and live according to his laws, in those doxologies which are given to Christ, this is one, To him be all dominion: all the dominion that is in parents over their children, Kings over their people, are but rivulets out of that Sea. In the 9 of Isay, 6. the Government is said to be upon 
Isay, 9 6.  his shoulder, so as he rules all the world, only with this difference, that he rules his Church with an inclinative disposition, as the head rules the members, but others with a rod of Iron, so as he brings all under his feet, and makes them stoop, and it is profitable for us to consider what division we are of; for First, there are some of the kingdom of his son, translated into his kingdom. 1 Col. 
Col. 1.  others are as Cain, vagabonds, lawless persons, that are not the Lords portion, and though these do what they list; yet thou must do as by a rule, from morning: till night, in all thy business, undertake no action but by rule: there is not the least action but there is rule for it in the general find out that rule, so use recreations, eat and drink by rule.  
If you object, that there are some things which 
All things to be done by rule.  a man may do animi causâ; so the Apostle says, he would not for his mind sake. I answer, you must even do these things by rule. 'tis true that a man may have in his choice to do a thing, or not to do a thing; for then a thing is indifferent: yet there is a rule to be looked to in these things, viz. That Christ hath given a man this liberty: so men should order their speeches by rule; not to be vain at any time, not in the least word. But you will say, this is a bondage. Answer: no, but it is for thy benefit; for the more thou walkest 
Object. Ans. It brings peace. Isay, 9 7.  by rule, the more peace shall be upon thee. It is observable, 9 Esay, 7. that these two things are put together; Of the increase of his government, and of his peace there shall be no end: to this end, to show that as his government increaseth in men's hearts and is enlarged, so as a man is made more subject to him, so also peace increaseth. In those that are most subject, there is most peace: and therefore he is called the Prince of peace; for where he rules as a Prince, there is that peace which he, as a mighty Prince, is able to procure to you. And to this purpose is that copulation of being a Head and a Saviour in the Text, as I have observed before: if any man goeth from out of his government, he shall find thorns, unquietness, and restlessness of spirit: if they walk by the rule, they shall have perfect peace, perfect mercies: if you walk unevenly with him, he will walk unevenly with you.  
Is he a Head in regard of excellency; not only 
Use 2. To choose. Christ for a head.  because God hath put him into the highest place, but because he hath a fitness in him, all fullness? choose him then, take him before any thing else; for he is the best, and will preponderate whatsoever comes in competition with him. There are no excellencies, that are in the creatures, which are out of him, but all in him. And therefore thou must choose him altogether, and make him the adequate object of thy soul, in whom thou art fully satisfied▪ bring thy heart to this frame, to be content to be stripped of every thing, thinking it enough to have the Lord; 2 Col. 10. And ye are complete in him, who is the 
Col 2. 10  head of all Principality and power: his scope is this; in the 6. verse before, he had exhorted them: that as they had taken Christ, (it being the same word that is in john, 1. 12.) so they would walk in him, 
joh 1. 12.  being fully contented with him; and let no man deceive you in Philosophy, that is, whereas men teach you excellent rules of moral Philosophy; yet reckon not these as excellencies added to Christ, but abound you in faith in him, for we are complete in him; if any thing were wanting in him, than indeed we might seek out to other things. Learn to apply this to your particular occasions; say, I care for no man's friendship, nor wealth; it is enough, I have the Lord alone; I am complete in him, look for all from him; and than you will do all for him. He that looks for any thing; from the creature, will do so much for it. Every benefit hath an office joined, and so much men serve sin, as they look for pleasure from it, and so much service as is done to the creature, so much is taken off from God; and therefore say, I will not apply myself to you, but to Christ. And so if a man be to preach the Gospel, he that thinketh himself complete in Christ, will not care for man's day: so if a man come to some action of trial, wherein he shall lose some special friends, and get great enemies, if he think himself complete in Christ, he cares not. So in walking in the exercise of a man's calling, if a man thinks himself complete in Christ, he will think it enough to do his duty; so as men may receive profit by it, and as for wealth, he leaves that to the Lord, in whom he is complete.  
But you will say, how shall I live in this world 
Quest:  then? I have credit to look to, and wife and children.  
Ans. God is able to do abundantly for you, if 
Answ. God supplies what. we lose for him.  you have him. When Moses was content to let Pharaoh go, and his great place in Egypt go, and so suffer affliction with the people of God, God made him a greater Prince than ever he was; so Christ, because he endured the shame, and the speaking against, and the meanest condition that ever man had, therefore 2 Phil. God gave him a great Name above all names. Abraham let his 
Phil. 2.  Country go, but God gave him a greater Country, and in his seed made him heir of the world; so if a man be a Minister of the Word; let him not think with himself, how to provide best for himself, but how he may do most good; and therefore not to take care for preferment or maintenance, in the 10. of Matth. 10. Luke, when Christ 
Mat. 10. Luk. 10.  sent his Disciples out to preach the Gospel, He bids them take no money, nor no scrip, to maintain them, nor no staff to defend them from injuries, nor salute any man by the way, that is, do not stand upon officious compliments to get friends. You go about the Lords work, and I will provide for you, and therefore he repeats this 22. Luk. 35. when he was going out of the world, ask them if when he did send them out thus, they did lack any thing, to which they answered, no. Then learn by this, not to look after maintenance; and this may be said to every Minister of the Gospel; prefer Christ, and he will prefer you. Every one desires a preeminence, a place above his brethren; the way to get it, is to be for Christ: Of his own will be begot us, that we might be the first fruits of all the creatures. When a man hath chosen Christ, than he is made the chief of the creatures, he excels all others, as Roses and Lilies excel thorns; so that if you choose and make him your Head, he will make you the Head and chief of all things else. 
Use 3. To draw influence from him. Ephes. 4. 15, 16.   
From this, that he is a Head in regard of influence, a Head that fills all in all; that then we would be careful to draw from him, that which may fill us, and this is the use is made of this, 4. Ephes. 15, 16. Let us follow the truth in love, that we may grow up in him in all things, who is the Head, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, etc. The scope of the Apostle is to show us, we should grow, and how to grow; adding this motive to it, to stir them to it, that Christ is their head, able to fill every empty crevice, and that should stir them up to bring their hearts to him, that so you may grow up into him, that is, when you hear he is a Head that fills you, stand not at a stay, but grow up to him, there being as great a necessity for you to grow, as for others to come in: and therefore (says he) continue not children: if they ask how they should grow up into him; he bids them follow the truth in love, that is, as you get more light into divine truths, and have your hearts affected with them, which is meant by love, so much is added to you; grow then, for otherwise how is it said, that the Word doth build us up? as S. Paul, when he told those that He was to leave them, and they knew not what to do when he were gone, to grow, he tells them this, I leave you to God, and the Word of his grace, to build you up. Now how doth the Word do it, but by revealing truth, new truths? which if they affect the heart, men grow up into Christ.  
In that it is said, grow up into Him, it is added, to difference that growth which is out of Him 
2 To grow up in Christ.  in moral Virtues; men may grow in them, and yet not grow up into CHRIST: but to grow up into Him, is to grow more emotied of ourselves and self-conceits, and fuller of him, so as he may be greater in us; for we define Grace otherwise then the moral Philosophers define Virtue; they define it to be that which frames the soul to right reason, that is, to do that which is best 
Definition of moral virtue.  for himself and his converse with men; but we grow in another manner, to be that which frames and exerciseth every faculty of the soul to the Lord, and therefore there is no growth in grace, unless it be into Christ, doing all for him, unless we be taken off of our own bottom, and set upon him. Now there are things further mentioned in that place, as means of this growth.  
To receive all from him, from whom as the 
1 To keep the heart nigh Christ.  words are, etc. and therefore to keep the heart nigh to him; that therefore which hinders growth is that which causeth distance betwixt God and us. Now the cementing qualities that do join us to him, are faith and love, and that which looseneth us from him is self dependence, and self seeking, and all things else which thrust in betwixt God and you, as vain hopes and vain fears.  
Keep in the fellowship of the Saints, for they receive from Christ only, as they are knit and 
2 Fellowship with the Saints.  compacted together: if the branch be divided from the tree and the root, there is no growth. Let them look to it that take no heed of their company. There are many mutual duties to be performed together, by which the Saints grow▪ be one of their fellowship in conference, prayer, etc. if thou wouldst grow.  
By that which every joint furnisheth to us. There 
3 Sinews by which grace is conveyed.  are certain Commissurae, bands and sinews, by which grace is conveyed, by which is meant all those vehicula of grace, all the ordinances of God: he therefore that prays most, hears most conscionably, and is in company of those most which excel in grace, whence something will drop that may increase grace and truth, such men grow most; though Christ be the fountain, yet grace is conveyed by these as the means: therefore using these means, look up to him to open the fountain.  
There is an effectual power, a nutritive faculty in every one that hath life in him, which is a 
4 A Nutritive faculty in Christ's members.  means of growth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, by which a man makes use of every thing suggested to him, still receives profit from the word read or preached, or from God's providence, some nutriment from them all: as you say of good wits, that they make use of every thing, so of good hearts, and that is according to the measure in every part; yet so as the least bud hath this effectual power in its measure to draw from the root, as well as the greatest branches; some have a greater measure, because they take in not for themselves, but digest and deliver it to others; for in the body there are some members, that receive for themselves, and for distribution, as the liver, heart, etc. And therefore think with thyself, I have a greater degree in the Church of God, therefore I must look to receive more than others, or else there will be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I must pray more and read more, that so growing more in thyself, thou mayst be able to distribute unto others. Let me add this, take heed you do not dead this effectual power, for than you will not be able to draw much, or else not to concoct it. You will say, how may it be deadened? by worldly mindedness, or by Sin not repent of.  
This weakens the nutritive faculty, the more 
How this faculty is weakened.  spiritual every man is, the better conscience that he keeps, and that will quicken the nutritive faculty, for what makes a member to draw nourishment, but emptiness and hunger? so that the more we thirst after other things, the less we shall draw from Christ.  
The use is of Trial whether you be in Christ or 
4 Use. To know if we be in Christ by our subjection.  no, by your obedience and subjection to him. The Church, that is, every member of it, is subject unto Christ and obedient unto him in all things. That which God maketh a rule of his own judgement, as that by which he judgeth of every man, that is a sure rule for every man to judge himself by that which we shall be judged by; at the last day, is a sure rule to apply to ourselves for the present. Now by our obedience and works, he judgeth us, He will give to every man according to 
Rom. 2.  his works, Rome, 2. that is, he will not look to their good meanings and profession, but to their actions and works, because our real taking of Christ appeareth in them. Isay. 1. 19 If ye consent and 
Isay. 1. 19●  obey, ye shall eat the good things of the Land, that is, if ye will consent to take jehovah for your Lord and King, if you give consent, there is the first thing. But that is not enough; but if you also obey, the consent that standeth in the inward act of the mind, the truth of it will be seen in your obedience, in the acts of your lives, if you consent and obey You shall eat the good things of the land, that is, you shall take of all that he hath, that is good and convenient for you, for than you are married to him in truth, and have an interest in all his goods. The Lord would have sacrifice exactly performed, but the Prophets make light of that, in comparison of obedience, and the complaint of the Lord is of your disobedience, you are a disobedient and rebellious people, Your neck is like an iron sinew, you pluck away the shoulder, and will not obey. It is not a sacrifice which was a typical taking of Christ, but obedience must go with it: so in the new Testament, the two main things the Apostles beat upon, were Faith and 
Faith and obedience go together. Act. 20. 21▪  new obedience, fruits worthy of amendment of life, Acts, 20. 21. The Apostle sums all his preaching in these two things, repentance towards God, and Faith towards jesus Christ, and he joins them together, because they are never severed. That was his business, if you should have heard him confer or preach, you should have heard him beat upon these two, Faith and obedience, or subjection to the commandments. So it was the scope of john Baptist, he preached the baptism of repentance, and the washing away of sins, now they would be ready to take the sweet, therefore he tells them they must be obedient, and he urgeth it on particulars, as they that are soldiers must offer no wrong to any, and so of the rest, the Lord will not take any thing of an enemy, a stranger, 2 Cor. 8. 12. He that giveth alms, 
2 Cor. 8. 12.  and giveth not his person first to the Lord, the Lord accepteth it not, but yet on the other side, works must justify our faith: it is but an empty faith, except it hath an actual real obedience accompanying it. It is a dangerous rock to think our sins are forgiven, and we have accepted Christ, and have good meanings, and yet we have no obedience accompanying this: he that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh, and walketh after the spirit, and he that is in Christ, is subject unto him in all things. Aristotle saith, not he that had a strong body, but he that run well, had the crown in the Olympian games, it was not an athletical ability, but he that wrestled best: and it is the similitude the Apostle himself alludes to, and takes 
1 Cor. 9  up, 1 Cor. 9 towards the end. Exhorting to strictness of obedience unto Christ, as without which a man will lose his labour. It is well expressed in the parable of the sons, one said he would go into the vineyard, there were good intentions; the other said he would not: he that said he would, and went not, went besides the reward; and he that said he would not, but went, it was he that received the reward. It is not good desires, but actual performing of obedience that shall provide a Crown for you. And good reason why trial 
Trial is from obedience.  should be taken by this, for trial is in difficult things. To profess and know much, are easy, but to bring your affections into subjection, to wrestle with lusts, to cross your wills, and yourselves, upon every occasion, this is hard. The Lord looketh that in our lives we should be serviceable to him, and useful to men; that which is within, the Lord and our brethren are never the better for it; but the outward obedience flowing thence, glorifies God, and doth good to man. The Lord will have this done. What else is the end of our preaching, our planting, 
It is the end of preaching.  and watering, but that the trees may be filled with sap? And what is the end of that sap, but that the tree may bring forth fruit? what careth the husbandman for leaves or barren trees? not only the thorns, are cast into fire, but barren trees. Therefore look to your fruits, and deceive not yourselves. It is a common error for men to think their estates good, when in the mean time they walk after the stubbornness of their hearts: they that do the will of the Lord 
The end of every grace.  shall be saved. What is the end of every grace, but to mollify the heart, and make it pliable to some commandment or other? Look how many commandments, so many graces there are in virtue and efficacy, although not so many several names are given them. The end of every such grace is to make us obedient, as the end of temperance is chastity; to bow the heart to those commands, be ye sober, etc. not in chambering and wantonness, etc. When the Lord commandeth us not to be angry with our brother, the end of meekness, and why the Lord infuseth it: is to keep us from unadvised, rash anger, so faith the end of it, is to take Christ jesus, to make us obedient to the command of the Gospel, which commands us to believe in him; so as all graces do join together, but to frame and fashion the soul to obedience. Then so much obedience as is in your lives, so much grace in your hearts, and 
So much obedience so much grace.  no more: therefore ask your hearts, how subject you are to the Lord in your lives; it was the counsel that Francis Spira gave to them about him, 
Spira.  saith he, Learn all of me, to take heed of severing faith and obedience; I taught justification by faith, but neglected obedience, and therefore is this befallen me. I have known some godly men whose comfort on their death beds, hath been not from the inward acts of their mind, which 
Comfort from obedience.  apart considered, might be subject to misapprehensions, but from the course of obedience in their lives issuing thence. Let Christians look to it, that in all their conversation, as they stand in every relation, as Scholars, tradesmen, husbands, wives, look to this, that when they come to die, they have been subject in all things: this will afford solid comfort. What will you say, when Satan chargeth you with this? it is true you have large promises, and he that believeth shall be saved, but than you must have been obedient and bring forth fruits; and when you look upon your lives, and find not these fruits, where are you? But you will say then, there is none but 
Quest.  may doubt himself, for who can say his obedience is perfect? I answer, it is not so much the perfection, as the sincerity that is required. But how shall we know that, you will say?  
First consider, whether thou be obedient in every 
Trial of sincerity.  thing. This is in the words of the Text, therefore 
1 Looking to every command.  I mention it first, he that hath taken Christ, there is never a commandment, but he is subject to it: though he fail in the performance of the commandments, yet never an one but he is subject to; as for example, the Lord hath commanded to sanctify the Sabbath, not to forsake the fellowship of the Saints; to pray continually; to take heed how we hear; to wash our hearts from evil thoughts and lusts. When an obedient heart, one that hath taken Christ truly, hears these commands, he is obedient to every one of them, he goeth about the business, as an obedient servant about his master's service; though he may be overtaken with negligence and some contrary passion, yet he goeth about it. I mean, he doth it as well as he is able. Another will not set himself to do the business, but is ready to expostulate the matter with God, and say, The commandment is too strict, or else he refuseth by plain stubbornness. As for example, that commandment, Take heed how you hear, that is, let not one instruction fall to the ground, see that you work it upon your hearts; a disobedient heart goeth not about this, he dareth his ears for an hour; but when the Sermon is done, there is an end: so that other, to pray continually; it may be he prayeth not alone, nor with his Family, or if both, yet in a sleight and negligent manner, as good never a whit, as never the better: so also, let your communication be always gracious; such an one thinks it a needless thing to be so strict and indiscreet, he is not, nor will not be subject: this is disobedience. Mark the generality, and think it no more than needs, when the Scripture there saith, We must be subject to him in every thing; that is, not only to the main commandment, but to every part of it: he that hath said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, hath said, Thou shalt not have an adulterous heart, or eye, or thought, or dalliance. Now if thou be subject to the main, if thou neglect the smallest as thou countest them; thou art disobedient, and thou art one to whom God will render vengeance, 2 The. 1. 7. 
2 Thes. 1. 7.  For it is to them that know not the Lord, or that will not obey him, though they know that he will do this unto them, ver. 8. and I ask you if you know not, that there is such a commandment as this, Redeem the time, etc. where is thy obedience to it, thou that triflest away thy precious time, and makest no conscience of it? If the Lord hath said, He that doth his work negligently, shall be cursed, what shalt thou be, that dost it not at all? Students that lose their time, and will not be obedient to that command, hath not the Lord commanded you here to be subject in all things? so he hath said, Forsake not the fellowship of the Saints, that is, the element you should live in; and it is not enough only to abstain from evil company, but to frequent good: so for your speeches being gracious always: are not these commandments of the Lord? where is thy obedience therein, when thy company is idle, thy speeches vain? Likewise, pray continually, that is, at least twice a a day; it must be frequent and fervent too: when no pains is taken herein, it is a sign you are disobedient. Thus you may examine yourselves by other commandments, and pitch upon that which you are most ready to fail in. Now when I urge this as a necessary concomitant of grace, the meaning is not, that it is a perfect subjection in 
What subjection is meant.  every thing, but such, that a man doth go about it with all his soul, and make it his work. A Man's heart may be a Temple for the Holy Ghost, yet evil thoughts and lusts may pass through, but there is not a table set up there for them; sin hath not quiet possession in them, they set up no idol of riches, or pleasure, though they may be overtaken and fail in giving due respect to these commands, yet they draw not out, they spin not the thread of any sin throughout the course of their lives. Whatever it be, if a man lie in it from day to day, it is disobedience. And your purposes must be resolute, the divorce must be full without any secret linger after the lust forsaken, though by an accident you may be overtaken by it, yet this is your resolution, there is sincerity seen, another giveth them over but for necessity, with a month's mind to return to them again: as Phaltiel, that when the King sent for his wife, sent her, because there was a necessity of it, but yet went weeping after her, 2 Sam. 3, 16. so it is with us, we 
2 Sam. 3. 16  let go our sins, but go weeping after them: the heart is not clear of them. And consider well the ground of it, why it must be in every thing, in thoughts and words, and why disobedience in 
Why universal obedience is required.  the smallest commandment, as in idle words, not endeavouring to keep your hearts clean, your affections pure, doth thus put a man out of the stare of grace, and that such have not taken Christ, is because all the commandments are equally commanded, and though they fall upon differing objects and so are different, in respect of the Commanders will, and therefore by the same reason, a disobedience to the smallest, is a disobedience, as well as to the greatest. Now the threatenings are against disobedient persons, because every disobedient person casteth away the Lord, as Saul did, that is, he refuseth to have him his governor. Now he that doth so, cannot be saved: for he hath not taken Christ for his Head and Husband; Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet faileth in one point, 
jam. 2. 10.  he is guilty of all, that is, it is a disobedience to the Commander, in what commandment soever it be, though but in one thing, thou hast refused the Lawgiver, and art a rebel against him: standing out against any one thing, makes a rebel against a Prince, if he stubbornly refuse to obey in one thing, as well as in a thousand.  
A second rule to try our sincerity of subjection 
2 Trial in the manner of our subjection.  is to consider the manner of it. Consider whether you be subject, as the wife is to her husband, which is the main thing intimated in this subjection here: there is a great difference between being subject in the outward man out of necessity, and: to obey from the heart the form of doctrine, etc. It is one thing to be subject as a servant, another thing to be subject as a wife, who is subject, not of coaction or necessity, but freely and willingly out of love, because she would not grieve her husband, the Saints delight lies in communion with God, so as their hearts are not at rest, when they stand not in good terms with him; they cannot let any uneven reckonings to lie between him and them; they love him, and therefore dare not disobey him. And this ariseth from a persuasion, what ever he commandeth or inflicteth it is good, and just, and equal: then he willingly obeys and suffers. Thus the obedience of Christ, you shall see what kind of one it was, Shall I not drink the cup which my Father hath given me? that is, I would not drink this bitter cup, not only because of necessity I must, but seeing my Father's will is I should drink it, and he hath prepared it for me, I will drink it. Hence many a woman will say, shall I not do that which my husband would have me to do? he is wise and loves me, and he hath reason for what he commands: others of the Sts. have yielded obedience thus unto the Lord, as Eli, when news was brought to him that all his house should be cut off; saith he, It is the Lord, let him do as seemeth good in his eyes, it is the Lord that loveth me, taketh care of me, let him do what pleaseth him, I am content, and willing to subject myself. Another may be subject to his commandments, but it is of necessity; on the contrary, the Saints who love and prize communion with him, and would not lose it, would have no interruption. So also job 2. 10. We have received good of the Lord, 
job. 2. 10,  and shall we not receive evil? As if he should have said; Surely the Lord would not have done me so much good as already I have received from Him, if His purpose had not been good towards me: and therefore if some evil by his providence do befall me, should I not bear it quietly? If it had been from an enemy, he would have been discontent, but coming from the hand of a friend, he was willing with it. Indeed, holy men may be sometimes in a mist, and not consider the reason of the Lords Counsels, as Paul, when he was buffeted by the messenger of Satan, he was somewhat discontent, till the Lord made known to him, that he was mistaken in it, that though he took it for poison, yet it was a medicine, he thought it came from Satan; but when he saw it came from one that loved him, and it was for his good; that the grace of God and his power might appear, he willingly submitted, yea, he rejoiced in it. A good Conscience is not only to do that which is commanded; it is possible for him that hath no grace, not to dare to do somethings which are evil in secret; but a good conscience is, when a man is not willing to displease the Lord, he dareth not do it, because he loveth the Lord. He stands upon such terms with him, as a chaste wife with her Husband: Therefore he will look to make his course even, and to please the LORD in all things.  
The third rule to try it by Consider whether 
3 As to the Lord.  thy subjection be as to the Lord, or no, for his sake: as here it is said, As the Church is subject to Christ. Many think their obedience to the commandments is to the Lord, when they are deceived. It was Saul's case, it was a fair pretence to spare the cattle, for Sacrifice for the Lord: but it was but a pretence; for it was for himself indeed, that he spared them. So Balaam spoke fair, when he said, he would speak nothing but what the Lord should say to him, and that he would not curse the people of Israel, except God bade him curse them; but it was not for any love to God, but he had an eye to himself and his own honour, he knew it was in vain to curse where God did bless, and so he thought thus with himself, if he should curse them without the command of the Lord, he should but discredit himself, and lose his labour, wages and all, for his curse would take no effect: therefore he would not go till God commanded him to go: likewise it may be, he desired to die the death of the righteous, so as all was out of self-love. Likewise Amaziah was subject to the Lord, walking in all the ways of David, but all was done to other ends than David did. But you will say, it is hard to discern, when a man doth obey the commandment, 
Quest.  whether it be to the Lord or no: how therefore shall we know it?  
Consider after any failing in thy obedience, 
Answ. When our obedience is to the Lord.  or commission of any sin, what it is that troubleth thee, the offence against God, or the harm, discredit, etc. redounding unto thyself? You shall see the falseness of Saul his heart in this, the disobedience of the Lord never troubled him, though he seemed a while affected with offending the Lord, but he after showed that it was only the loss of his credit which he was tender of; for when Samuel would have left him, and he thought some dishonour would redound to him, that was it that troubled him; he desires not so much that God would pardon, as that Samuel would honour him; come says he with me, and let us go and offer Sacrifice, honour me before the people. It was not his sin and disobedience, but the loss of his credit that he stood upon. The contrary you may see in David, see his carriage under the guilt of his murder and adultery, for which he was so greatly afflicted: but how much did he slight all other things? his affliction he did bear well enough, when his own son had abuse his wives; this did not perplex him, it was his sin troubled him, as appears by that Psalm he made upon that occasion, in which you have not a word of his affliction, but his sin; it was that he was tender of. Find out therefore where thy tenderness for sin is; as a Smith, when he would try the hoof of an horse, look where it shrinketh, that is the tender part, so see what shrinketh and galleth thy heart most; if it be sin and offending the Lord, it is a sign thy eye was upon the Lord: but when thou art tender of losses, and crosses, and discredit to thyself, it is an ill sign, showing thou respectest thyself. David taxeth himself in those things which were counted no sin by men, but an honour; as the cutting off Saul's lap of his garment; it was an honour to him to come so near his adversary, and but cut off the lap of his garment. So in numbering the people, it was no outward shame or evil, but the sin that troubled him, Lord, says he, strike me, for these sheep, what have they done?  
A fourth rule whereby thou mayst try thy subjection 
4 Rule.  to the Lord, is by thy disobedience to all others; it is a rule may seem somewhat remote at the first hearing, but it is such a rule of trying subjection, that I find in the Scripture, St. Paul when he would express his subjection, he doth it by way of opposition. If I should yet please men, I were not the servant of Christ; it is a good argument of our being subject to the Lord, when we care not for displeasing others, Rom. 2. 8. as not obeying the truth, is joined with obeying unrighteousness, so as the contrary, obeying the truth is always joined with disobeying, all unrighteousness, I am. 4. 7. they are put together Submit yourselves to the Lord, and resist the Devil. He that is most subject to the Lord, is a most untractable man to man, and to all creatures else, upon every occasion, because the common course of the world is contrary to holiness, Ephes. 2. 1. which causeth others to quarrel so much with them as they do; and this ariseth from their obedience to the Lord. It is common amongst us, when we see a man easy, pliable, tractable, ready to give satisfaction and content to men, to commend him for it, as a good disposition in them; but to be so in all things, even in sinning against God, this though it is pleasing to men, it is abominable to God; it is an evident case, that they which would not do a thing, if left to themselves, because unlawful, yet to give satisfaction to friends, to their company, as Herod did, they will, that is a sign of disobedience; the more waxy the heart is to men, the more hard to the Lord. It is a sign of pusillanimity in Christians that yield so much to men, they forget themselves; there is a certain magnanimity which Christians should maintain: we are Kings, the Sons of God, therefore what is the countenance or discountenance of man? we should carry ourselves as greater men than they, we should learn regnum gerere in pectore, to carry a kingdom in our breasts. It is a common saying among men, such a man understands himself well, that is, he understandeth his place, his dignity, and carrieth himself according to it. In this we are ready to go too far, but we should learn to do thus in our obedience to God. The truth of a wife's chastity is seen in the peremptory denial of all that solicit her; the more peremptory we are in such denials of the creatures, the more subject we are to the Lord.  
Lastly, you shall try it by this, consider what 
5 Rule.  you do in those things that above all others you would not be subject in, single out that sin that is dearest to thee; though a man would be obedient in all else, yet in some things to be restrained it goes to his heart, something is more peculiar, and is that he fancies, and it goeth more near unto him to obey in that, then in any other thing▪ When the Lord would try Abraham, he tries him in that which he was most unwilling to part with. Now, says he, I know that thou fearest me, for I have tried thee in that which I know thou lovedst dear, and yet thou art content to part with it for my sake. Make the same question to you: look what it is, that above all others you would not be subject in, whether it be a matter of credit, of estate, or a lust that sitteth close, if thou wilt try whether thou be subject, so if for his sake thou canst obey the commandment, which is against it that crosseth it, for such a command the Lord gave to Abraham, and he did obey it: he that taketh Christ, taketh him for a Lord and a Saviour.  
But you will say, these rules are good, but I 
Quest.  find myself wanting, I would be subject, but I cannot bring my heart unto them, what means should I use for the doing of this?  
For this I will give some helps: for the end of these rules of trial, is not so much to shut men 
Answ. Helps to this duty.  out, or discourage them, but the end is, that finding themselves wanting, they may be stirred up the more to be diligent in the prosecution of the means, and so grow up to perfection.  
The means to beused are these.  
First, be diligent in observing where thy heart is not subject. Diligent observance of the flesh in us that is ready to rebel, when we take least notice 
1 To observe therebellion of the flesh.  of it; this is the first means. There is no work we go about, but the flesh hath an hand in it. There is some commotion and rebellion goes along with the best work we do, now to see this is a great help to obedience. We are not so much overcome by it, as by our own inobservancy. The flesh is an enemy, and nihil in host despiciendum, slight nothing of an enemies that may hurt thee, take heed the flesh deceive thee not, it is an enemy: suspect thine own heart upon every occasion; for it is ready to deceive thee; especially in things that are lawful, there thou must have a diligent eye, that there be no rebellion, that thou go not beyond thy bounds.  
Secondly, labour to have thy heart and reason 
2. To be convinced of the convenience of it.  convinced and persuaded that it is best for thee to be subject to the Lord: the Lord ruleth no where as a King, but where he rules first as a Prophet, that is, except he first persuade the heart by an inward enlightening, that it is best for the heart to be subject, the will and the affections will never yield. Therefore if there be any commandment wherein thou findest a difficulty, arm thyself with reasons out of Scripture, get those weapons the Apostle speaks of; 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, 
2 Cor. 10.  bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, that is, seek out the reasons the Scripture giveth against such a sin, and for to persuade the heart to obedience, for spiritual reasons only will work, and are mighty, moral reasons and arguments from respects to thyself, for fear of Hell, and for desire of Heaven, and the like, they may restrain the outward man, but they cannot bring the inward man into a full subjection: but spiritual reasons will make thee subject, and to obey from the heart: and yet this is not enough, they must be mighty through God: the Lord must have the setting them on, they must be brought home and applied by him. One may have many good reasons to move him to be subject to such a commandment, but except they be brought home to the conscience, by the Lord, they do no good: therefore saith the Apostle, they are mighty through God to bring down the strongs holds, and false reasonings in the understanding, for they are these strong holds: where ever disobedience is, it ariseth from some lust, and whereon is this lust grounded, but upon some false conceit, and reasoning in the understanding? Now these spiritual reasons do dissolve them: and when you see the vanity of the conceit, the lust vanisheth, when thou seest thy error, the lust will be gone, and then the mind obeyeth easily. It than runneth in the ways of God's commandments, as a wheel that is well oiled. First than you must observe narrowly, and strive to discern between the flesh and spirit, which are as close as the bones and marrow, as the inwardest parts, they are so mixed together, there is such a conjunction between the flesh and spirit in every action, as is between the marrow and bones, but you must labour to discern between them, and that is the use you must make of all the knowledge you get by the Word of God. And then secondly, thou must have a special care, and still labour with thy mind, reason, and understanding, to be persuaded that it is best to be obedient.  
And then the third and last thing is, to do somewhat 
3. Labour to bring the affections to obey.  with the affections, that is, to exercise and accustom thy stubborn affections to obey: the continuance in doing good, doth subject the affections; for as the Apostle speaks, Hebr. 5. 
Heb. 5. 14.  14. of some, That by reason of use have their wits exercised to discern good from evil, that is, men being occupied in spiritual reasons, and truths, holy conferences, etc. they are able to discern truths. So it is in the affections; for, as exercise in these things makes the understanding ready to discern, so exercise makes the will and affections as ready to be subject, for it hath the same force in one part of the soul, that it hath in another: therefore the Lord leadeth us into variety of conditions, to exercise such and such graces, that we may be subject to him in all things, for the image of God serveth but to bring the soul into obedience to God, as it did in Adam in Paradise. Now therefore, God leads us into another place, and state, and condition of life, that such a grace may be exercised in us. As the Apostle saith, james, 1. 2. 
jam. 1. 2.  Be glad when you fall into many temptations. Sometimes he bringeth sickness, sometimes disgrace, sometimes poverty, sometimes affliction in children, wives, or onething or other upon us, and all this to exercise our graces. And what is the end of this exercise, but to bow the heart to subjection, that we may be ready to obey him in all things? Now if thou wouldst exercise thyself in this manner, consider wherein thou art ready to disobey, and say: I see I want such a grace, and am ready to disobey in such a particular, I will resolve to practise the contrary. As if a man be subject to anger, and want meekness, say, well, I see I am too much subject to anger. Therefore I will set upon the exercising of this grace of gentleness, and meekness, I will not be angry with the meanest of my servants. Thus if we would do, it would save us much affliction, which otherwise the Lord is forced to bring on us for this, to make us subject to him.  
But you will say, it is grace that doth it: how 
Object.  can this custom that is but the act of a man do it then?  
It is true, it is grace that doth it, but yet it is 
Ans.  the exercise of that grace that doth it too. Heb. 5. 11, 12, 13. And that, as it increaseth and enlargeth 
Herald 5. 11, 12, 13.  grace, and intendeth those habits which we have, and makes them stronger: it is indeed those infused qualities of grace planted in the faculties of the soul that bring it in subjection: and this custom doth but stir up and increase, and intends them; but yet this exercise where graces are first wrought, will increase them and make them strong, through the assistance of Christ accompanying it. Thou shalt find this exercise will make thee strong in grace: the joints of the body bend to such a course, and often employed in it, do get an habit. So it is with the Soul. Other yokes the more they are borne, the more they weaken, but the more you bear the Yoke of Christ, either in doing or suffering, the more able you are to do it.  
Another use that we may make of this is, that 
Use. 2. To show our privilege by Christ as a head.  we should be from hence stirred up to consider that great privilege we have from Christ, for if he be a head to us, he is our guide, he is so an head to us, as an husband is to the wife▪ Now the husband is the guide of her youth, and so Christ is our guide. When a woman is young and not able to guide herself, she had need have a guide: such is the case of every man naturally: but Christ, when a man is in him, becomes a guide unto him, or as the Head guideth the rest of the members, so doth the Lord all that belong to him. This is a privilege not thought of among us. When we think of the other privileges, this of the guidance of Christ is forgotten of us. Therefore I will stand upon this great benefit, which all 
How Christ guides us.  have that are engrafted into Christ: now he guides them in all their ways.  
First, by enlightening them, so as when others 
1  are in darkness, they have their eyes in their head, and see the way before them, when as all others are blind, and want either light, or else eyes to see withal.  
Again, he sends his spirit to be a remembrancer 
2  to them in ambiguous and difficult cases, to show them the way they are to take, and he brings some prevalent arguments and reasons to mind, to move us to do this or that, which would other wise have been forgotten; and to show us the inconveniencies that will follow of doing this or that which would otherwise have been hid from us.  
He stirreth by our consciences which are appointed to be the immediate guide of us, and the 
3  Lords deputy, whereas otherwise they would either be still, or guide amiss.  
By taking from us wrong guides, false opinions, strong, unruly, and inordinate affections, and 
4  instead of them he puts a right guide into our hearts, rectifies our judgements, puts in holy affections, which are the rudder of the soul, that turn it this way and that way. Thus there is a secret guidance, though we know it not, that the Saints have from the Lord in all their ways. This is a great privilege: for when a man is inops consilit, in a strait and exigent, and knows not which way to go, when if he should take the wrong way, it might be his undoing, then to have a guide, what a great privilege is it? When David was in Keilah, and heard that Saul would come down thither, 1 Sam. 23. he knew not what to do, whether to go or stay; then the Lord guided 
1 Sam. 23.  him. So Abraham his servant, when he went for a wife, for his Master's son, he knew not which way to go for a wife for him, nor whom to take, than did God send his Angel to guide him, as Abraham had fore told him before he went; he told him The Angel of the Lord should go before him. The want of this you may see in Rehoboam, who was in a great strait, when he asked counsel of the young men, but the Lord would not guide him, and therefore he did that which was his ruin. So Absalon when he was in b●●●●, not knowing which of the counsels given him to take, the Lord would not guide him, having a purpose to destroy him. So it is with us, there are often cases fall out wherein guidance is requisite, as in the changing our estate by marriage, place of living, the choice of our callings, wherein to be guided or misguided, is our making or undoing. There is no day, wherein we have not need of his guidance, in regard of one occasion or other: now to have this privilege to go to the Lord freely; and ask counsel of him, and to be sure to have a ready answer from him, it is a great privilege. David in all his straits went to the Lord to ask counsel, and the Lord gave him counsel: Saul went, and the Lord would not answer him by Vrim or Thummin, nor dreams, nor any way. The case of all that are in Christ, is like the case of David, if they go to him, the Lord hath bound himself to answer them; for they have some interest in the wisdom of Christ. But the case of the other, is like the case of Saul, he sends them away without, because they are strangers to him, and therefore he is not bound to answer them. And that you have such an interest, consider, 1 Corinth. 1. 30. But you are of him in 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  Christ jesus, who is made unto us wisdom, that is, God the Father hath given him to us to teach us; to make us wise, to guide and direct us in difficult cases, when we cannot instruct ourselves. The like to this is that, Isay. 9 6. Unto us a child is borne 
Isay. 9 6.  etc. But what are the benefits we shall have by that child? First he shall do miracles, wonderful things among you, for his name is wonderful. Secondly, he undoubtedly shall be your Counsellor, that is, I have given him to you, that when you want counsel and direction, you may go to him, for I have given him to you, for that end. This we may as truly expect of him, as the jews did it of the Messiah, as appears by that speech, joh. 4. 25. I know well that when the Messiah is come, he will tell us all things. This was the common opinion 
joh. 4. 25.  of the people: the jews did expect this from him, so may we: and therefore upon any exigent go thou and say, Lord, thou hast given me thy Son, and him to be wisdom to me, and appointed him to be my counsellor, and I have need of counsel and direction, and therefore Lord give me an answer, and direction. If we would press him thus, he could not deny us. Besides, in that Christ hath made himself our head, it is his office, he hath undertaken it, it belongeth to him, to guide his Church and every member of it, and can he fail in that belongeth to him?  
That which sets the price on this privilege; is the need which we have of it, none being able to guide himself. The principle of guidance is resident in the head, and is communicated to the members but upon occasion. As it is thus in the natural body, so that faculty of directing us is in Christ, and is communicated to us but upon occasion, as we need it: hence every man walketh so wisely upon every occasion as God will guide and direct him to do, in such a time, and in such circumstances; therefore wise men, we see are sometimes infatuated, take a foolish course, that a slander by, who is far inferior to them, sees plainly this to be an unwise course, this the Lord doth, that they may know, the Lord is only wise, as 1 Tim. 1. Which consider, and it will be 
1 Tim. 1. God only wise.  a great help to make us prise this privilege. Where is any man but is too well conceited of his own wisdom? but to think God is only wise, and that himself hath not a beam, nor a spark of wisdom, it is hard to persuade a man of this, but it is evident the Lord is only wise.  
For first, none can give counsel, except he knoweth the whole compass of a business, he that knoweth but part is not sit to give counsel: they that look but upon few things, but upon a corner of a business, and not round about it, are apt to mistake: now who knoweth a business thus, but the Lord above? our knowledge even in practical matters, in our own business, is but in part, as well as in things heavenly.  
Besides, Secondly our consolations depend commonly on these two things, first, the knowledge of the secrets of men's hearts, with whom we have to do. Secondly, of the future contingent events, which are to come, and to know neither is in our power, but it is the Lord only that knoweth the secrets of these men's hearts, with whom we have to do, as also the contingent things that are to come.  
When the Lord would have David go out of Keilah, saith David, will the Lords of Ketlah deliver me up? David knew not their hearts, nor no man knew, but the Lord only knew they would deliver him up into the hands of Saul, 1 Sam. 23. 11. 12. and he told him, they would do it. And again, 
1 Sam. 23. 11. 13.  he asked whether Saul would come down to Keilah, it was futurum contingens, a contingent thing, and no man could tell whether he would or not; but the Lord told, that he would come down to destroy Keilah; if any other had known these two things, he might have counselled David. Now our guidance then in such things dependeth upon the knowledge of those two things, which yet are not in our power to know, but only in the power of God, and therefore we are not able to guide ourselves. It is said, Col. 2. 3. That in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge; And they are so in Him, that they are not out of Him.  
But men have natural wisdom you will say. It is true, but they have it from Christ, All the 
Object. Answ. Natural wisdom from Christ.  light that ever was in the world, even in those which knew not Christ, it came all from him. As joh. 1. 5. The light shined in darkness, that is, in the dark places of the world, and not only in Goshen, even since the beginning of the world, and the darkness comprehended it not, and in that sense it is he who enlighteneth every man that: comes into the World. But put the case you could find out right counsels, or you had a man like Achitopel, whose counsel was as the Oracles of God, and who were able to direct you, yet to take this counsel is not in your own power, it must be given you. That which Solomon saith of the fool, He hath a price in his hand, but he hath no heart, may be said of good counsel, there is oftentimes a price put into our hands, as was into Absolon's, and Rehoboam's hands, but we are not able of ourselves to take it: therefore saith the Apostle to Timothy, 2 Tim. 2. 7. having 
2 Tim. 2. 7.  counselled him what to do, Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. As if he should say, I have given thee good counsel: but there must be another counsellor, therefore I beseech the Lord to give thee understanding, to open thine eyes, to see the rectitude of this counsel, and enable thee to apply it, and take it. Nemo per se sapit, no man by himself is able to counsel himself, there must be both a secret light, and eyes within to direct us. Many times we refuse the best, and pitch upon the worst, jer. 10. 23. The way of man is not in himself, it is not in man to direct his ways, as if he had said, it is true, for the most part, men pitch well enough upon the journey's end, and aim at happiness; but how to direct their steps, and to attain that end, it is not in them, therefore Lord I beseech thee (says he) to guide us and direct us for the best. It is every man's case, his ways are not in his own power, he is not able to see what is best and worst, and to choose the right way, and if he could in the general, yet we had need of continual guidance in the several particular passages of our lives. We are at a stand at every turning we come at, and like a man in a wilderness know not which way to go, except we have a guide at every step, Dan. 5. 23. He is the God in whose hand thy breath is, and all thy ways 
Dan. 5. 23.  &c, this is a thing we do not consider. We think indeed our lives are in God's hand, and that matters of greater moment, are of his disposing; but that every step we take should depend on him, this is that we consider not of, a man takes not a step either into good or evil, into prosperity or adversity, but the Lord guideth that step. Therefore consider your great privileges, who have the Lord for your head, your guide, and your counsellor, and as you must know this privilege, so you must make use of it, for all those our privileges we have in Christ, were not declared that you should gaze upon them only, know them, and no more: therefore go to the Lord for counsel, wisdom and direction upon all occasions.  
You will say, but how shall we do to obtain it? For this I will give you these rules. 
Quest.   
First, thou must acknowledge thine own inability, that thou art not able to guide thyself. 
Ans. How to get wisdom from God. jam. 1. 5.  james, 1. 5. If any lack wisdom, let him ask, etc. his meaning there, is not so much to show that some men want wisdom, others not, but the meaning 
1 See the want of it.  is, till a man sees he wants it, he is not fit to ask it, neither will the Lord be ready to give it. 1 Corin. 3. 18. He that is wise, must become a fool to be wise. It is true also here, thou must cease from 
1 Cor. 3. 18.  thine own wisdom, thou must confess thou art not able to guide thyself, and that therefore because thou wantest wisdom, thou askest it of him. Psal. 25. 9 He will teach the humble his way, and 
Psal. 25. 9  guide the meek in judgement, that is, those that see their own emptiness, how unable they are to guide themselves, such He is ready to teach in the way they should choose.  
Secondly, thou must also ask it of the lord 
2 Beg it of God.  You may read how God used David to this course from time to time, and put him oft to a stand when he fled from Saul, purposely that he might be accustomed to ask counsel of the Lord upon all occasions. Therefore let us learn so to do, in any hard case, when we know not which way to turn us, to go to the Lord, and say, Thou art my Husband, my Head, my Father: and whither should the Children go for counsel, but unto their Fathers? and the Wife, but unto her Husband? Now Lord counsel me and direct me what to do in this case. If you do thus, will the Lord deny you? no, why saith he, you, if your Children ask you bread, will you give them a stone? If they ask fish, will you give them a serpent? So I say to you, if you ask him counsel, will he give you poison? will he turn you into a wrong way and misguide you when you ask the right? No.  
Thirdly, you must ask in faith, that is added 
3 Ask in faith. jam. 1. 6.  in S. james, 1. 6. So as to rest and rely upon him. Thus he commanded his Disciples, that when they should be brought before Counsels and rulers of the Synagogues, they should take no thought what to say, what was the reason but this, I will have you rest upon me, for guidance and assistance? at that time I will suggest to you whatsoever is needful upon such an occasion. Now though that was extraordinary, yet it holds thus far in ordinary times and cases, that though you may use the best means you can, and take the best consultations, yet so as still to trust more to your prayers, and on God for wisdom and direction, then to your own consultations, and the means which you have used, say as jehosaphat did, although we use means, yet our eyes are toward thee; it is a prevalent argument which Asa used to the Lord, 2 Chron. 14. 11. Lord (saith he) it is nothing with thee to help with many, or with no power, 
2 Chron. 14. 11.  help us O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name are we come against this great multitude. As if he should say, I have provided an army, made all things ready, but I rest upon thee for help; therefore the Lord was present with him, gave him the victory: so we should go to the Lord and say, we have used the counsel of our best friends, and the best means we can, but yet our eyes are towards thee, and we rest on thee for direction in this case. If a man thus resteth upon God, he may say, if I be deceived, the Lord deceiveth me. If thou trustest not to the Lord, he may fail thee, for he is not bound to direct and to guide thee: it fareth with us, as with those that came to ask questions of our Saviour, curious ones; the Lord sent them away without an answer, kept himself reserved: so if we come to ask, not with resolution to rest upon the Lord, and in confidence he will direct us, we shall go without: Isay, 7. The Lord hath promised deliverance 
Isay, 7.  to Ahaz, yet tells him, if you will not believe, you shall not be established.  
Fourthly, there must be a care to please him, 
4 Labour to please God.  a constant course of obedience, else we do not trust in him: he that saith he trusteth to the Lord, and doth not obey him, doth but dissemble with him, and so the Lord accounts it no better than dissembling with him, as jer. 42. 20. 
jer. 42. 20.  Carry thyself so, that the Lord may rejoice over thee, to do thee good, and to guide thee in all exigents. And if thou wilt take his counsel in heavenly things, thou shall not want it in earthly things, Prov. 4. 6. Forsake her not (that is, Wisdom) 
Pro. 4. 6.  and she shall keep thee; love her, and she shall preserve thee; that is, if a man will preserve the uprightness of his heart in his ways, if he will walk by the rule that God hath appointed him; then wisdom shall preserve him, that is, Christ shall guide him in all his ways.  
Now there is a double guidance, one in a matter of sinning, or not sinning against God; when we are preserved from doing a thing that is unlawful, which David calls, leading in the paths of 
Psal. 23. 3.  righteousness, Psalm. 23. 3. Secondly, there is a guidance, which is a matter of blessing and comfort to us, which is called, feeding in fair pastures. In the same Psalm. 23. 2. and the second doth depend upon the first. If thou be contented to be guided by the rules the Lord gives thee, he will direct thee in the things that belong to thy own comfort and advantage. Psalm. 25. so the promise runs there, verse 12. what man is he that feareth 
Psal. 25. 5.  the Lord? him will he teach the way that he shall choose. (Him) that fears him, and keeps a good conscience in all things, our former care herein is that which stirreth up the Lord to guide us and direct us, in all our straits. There is a time when the Lord hath need of thy service, if thou wilt not fail him at his need; (as I may so speak) he will not fail thee, when thou hast need of him in thy straits. And thus to have counsel given a man in such cases as do nearly concern him, and are of great weight, it is a great privilege. And this thou shalt have, if thou wilt follow his counsel in other things. Therefore be exhorted upon this ground and motive to keep thy heart more perfect with God.  
The cause why Absalon and Rehoboam erred, was because they provoked the Lord formerly: and if thou be'st also disobedient, this shall be your punishment, that because you would not hearken to his counsel, therefore when thou needest counsel, even in those things that shall be as much as thy life, thou shalt be infatuated. The Lord hath made no promise to such a man, to show him the way he should choose.  
One thing must be added, and that is this, that in any particular case, thou must be ready to resign 
5 Get a teachable heart.  thyself up to the Lord, to take his counsel. He will not lose his labour, thou must have a heart that is pliable to him, and yield thyself up wholly to his disposing, and not set thyself to any way so, but that the Lord may take thee off it. Those among men that are governor's of others, are willing to bestow their labour on them that are pliable, but those that are of stubborn dispositions are a discouragement to them; they that walk frowardly with the Lord, the Lord will walk frowardly with them; therefore see thou resist him not in the passages of his providence, and take not the bit in thy mouth, and hold it in thy teeth, as one unwilling to be guided. So it is, men are often set on a thing upon an humour, and they will go this way, or that way, as they like, what ever come of it: but sometime the Lord in mercy barreth up the way, as we do pits that are by the way side to keep travellers from falling in, as they pass in the night. We find sometimes the door shut upon us in a course which we would enter into; sometimes he sets our conscience upon us to expostulate with us, even as the Angel did with Hagar, when she fled from her mistress. Gen. 16. 18, Hagar Sarahs' maid, says he, whence comest thou, and whither wilt 
Gen. 16. 18.  thou goe● return to thy dame, and humble thyself under her hands. As if he should have said, Hagar, think with thyself who thou art, Sarahs' maid, it was her pride caused her to run away, she thought to have been mistress, and because she could not bear the rough usage of her mistress she had forgotten her place, therefore the Angel calls her Sarahs' maid; and bids her, Go and humble thyself under her hands, and likewise says he, consider whence thou comest, from the godliest family in all the world, and consider whither thou goest, to them that know not God, that are strangers and aliens from the common wealth of Israel, and therefore return unto thy Dame. So the Lord sometimes sets our consciences to expostulate with us, why do you refuse such a course, and why do you take such a course? and it shows us the cause of our errings, as here the Angel did Hagar, for pride of heart was the cause of her flying from her mistress, therefore the Angel says, Hagar, Sarahs' maid, go and return unto thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hands; do not as johanan did when he sent to ask counsel of the Lord, whether he should go into Egypt or no, resolve aforehand what thou wilt do, he set down with himself, that whatsoever the Lord had said, he would go down into Egypt. So it is with many, though they ask counsel of the Lord, by prayer, their hearts are set upon a course, and will not be taken off. Take heed of this stiffness of disposition and frowardness of spirit, which is a frequent cause, and a cause of much misguidance immense actions, and resign thyself to the Lord, and seek counsel in the uprightness and plainness of thy heart: this resignation of ourselves to the Lord, is the way to be directed upon all occasions.  
Now to work your heart to this, consider that the way God leads thee to, how improbable soever it seems, it will be the best and safest way for thee. Many would go the contrary way: As Lot, when the Lord would have him flee to the mountain, he would go to Zoar, against God's counsel, and you see what came of it. So David for the numbering of the people, though better counsel was given him by joab. But he was set upon it, he would do it, and see what came of it. So josiah would fight with Pharoah-Necho, though better counsel was sent him from the Lord, to pass by him, and let him alone: see what came of it. Therefore take heed of this stiffness of affection, and wilfulness, and stubbornness of Spirit. The Lord may sometime give way to thy mind, but it is in judgement, not in mercy: the thing which thou hast a mind to, it may be brought to pass, but it had been better for thee to want it; as it had been for Balaam, but he would needs go up to Balaac, and therefore the Lord bade him go in his anger, seeing he would not be stayed. He deals with us as Elisha did with those, 2. King. 2. 15. That would go to seek the body of Eliah, they had many denials, but yet they were instant with him, so that in the end, he bade them go, and they went, and lost their labour, for they found him not. In all cases of difficulty learn to seek counsel of the Lord.  
These conditions observed, you shall have the use of this privilege.  
Another use is this, let every man learn from hence to be the glory of Christ. How is this drawn 
Use. 3. To give glory to Christ. 1▪ Cor. 11. 7.  from thence, you will say▪ If you look into that place in the 1 Corin. 11. 7. See how it follows upon it: Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the woman's head, as is before in the Chapter, what follows upon that? in the seventh verse, he says, the man is the image and glory of God, and the woman is the glory of the man. The meaning is this, when thou dost consider that the Lord is thy husband, and thy head, thou must think of this with thyself, and every time thou findest that passage in Scripture, it should put thee in mind to carry thyself so as thou mayst be the glory of the Lord, that is, thou must take heed of standing on thine own bottom, and seeking glory to thyself, and of shining with thine own beams, seeking any self-excellency; but as it is in the civil law, Mulier coruscat radiis mariti, the woman must shine with the beams of the man, that is, she must challenge nothing as her own, but every thing she seeks or stands for, it is in the name of her husband, therefore whatever thou hast been, or ever thou hast sought honour to thyself, and applause, and to be thought some body in the world, yet now think thus with thyself, I am the Lords now, I must give him all the praise, and carry myself so, that all my excellency may reflect upon him. And this also, that we are members, is also argument enough for it. What can the members do? there is agility in them to do many actions, but where have they all their vigour? is it not from the head? So all the wit, and learning thou hast, those excellencies thou hast, whence hast thou them? are they not from Christ? the members do that they do, but in an instrumental manner, so dost thou, what ever thou dost. Therefore consider this, and say heartily, it is not I that do this or that, but the grace of God in me, I do but actus agere, it is the influence of my head; Christ hath wrought it by me, as Paul said, that phrase is to be marked which is used in Galat. 2. He that was mighty by Peter in the Apostleship over the circumcision, was also mighty by me towards the Gentiles. The Apostle doth not say, that he, or Peter was able to do any thing, but ascribeth all to the Lord. So thou shouldest think with thyself, never say, I have done such a thing, or brought such a thing to pass, or such an excellent performance hath come from me, but say, the Lord hath done such a thing by me. In other things you do it, when you see an instrument well played on, you commend not that, but him that useth it: that is the case of every man; we are but the Lords instruments, he is mighty by us, we are but acted by the Lord. If Christ be the Head, thou must seek his glory: this the Lord is jealous of Sacrilege God, will not take at the hand of any man, he will not be robbed of his time, the Sabbath or any thing else, but of all other he can least away with this theft, robbing him of his glory, and yet as that is most tender to him, so our fingers are more itching after that. A man is greedy of applause, and if he look not narrowly to himself, is ready to take the glory to himself that belongs to the Lord. Thou must be the Lords glory, but if thou take any to thyself, and if thou stand on thy own bottom, thou art thy own glory, and not his: therefore above all things take heed of being deceived and found guilty herein. But you will say, how may I come to know it? First, consider what thy end is in thy actions, whether the demonstration of some gift God hath given thee, or for his glory, and if thou findest not out thy end, yet consider whether in matter or manner of doing, thou dost not step out of the way: if not by this, yet consider after the action is done, when any thing is well performed by thee, whether thy heart begin not to swell in thee, that is, to think better of thyself than before, that is a sign thou takest something to thyself, that belongs to the Lord. And when a man takes that to himself which is the Lords, he is not the glory of the Lord. If not by this, then,  
Lastly, consider whether thou art more troubled for that discredit that comes to thyself, or the dishonour that redounds to the Lord upon thy miscarriage at any time, consider how thou art affected with any thing. One step further you must go, and that is, not only to take nothing to yourselves, but likewise so behave yourselves that you may be an honour to God by showing forth the graces of Christ, that the Lord may boast of you, as he did of job job. 1. 8. I say thou must carry thyself so, as the Lord may glory in thee, say to Satan of thee, as he did to him of job: seest not such a man in such a town, in such a place, how zealous he is, how holy? be not a shame and reproach to him, but a praise: he looks for this from his Saints, and therefore wears them as signets on his right hand. As great men wear diamonds, and precious stones, and jewels in their ears, about their necks, and in their rings, to adorn and beautify them: so the servants of the Lord, are his jewels that he wears to make him glorious in the eyes of men: great men are known by their jewels, and so is the Lord by his Saints. Therefore it is a great motive to keep thyself unspotted of the world, to carry thyself so, that his name may be honoured, and his Gospel well spoken of: the glory of Christ is engaged in thy carriage, let it be such as becometh the Gospel.  
Again, if Christ be the head of every man, then 
Use. 4. To try if we be members of Christ.  try and consider from hence what thy condition is. If he be the head of the Church, no man within the compass of the true Church, but is a member of Christ. Consider whether thou be a member of his body, one that is guided by his Spirit or no: but how shall we know that?  
First by this, thou shalt find the same Spirit 
1  that is in Christ living and breathing in thee; thou shalt find the same disposition, and antipathy, and affections to be in thee, that are in him; abhorring that evil, and cleaving to that good he doth; for the body of the tree and the branches are not of different natures: therefore consider what similitude is between the Lord and thee. So soon as thou art a living member, the same spirit is sent into thy heart, and insinuates itself into thy soul, and makes it conformable to Christ in all things. As the fire insinuates itself into the iron, and makes it like itself. He that is in Christ, is made a new creature, and partakes of the divine nature, and is like him in all things. But if this be the rule, I fear my condition, for I find many contrary dispositions 
Quest.  in me to his Word, and contrary to Christ. Answ. Thou mayst find many rebellions 
Ans.  in thee, and yet the same disposition remain in thee, that is, in Christ. There may be swellings in the members, but yet there is a disposition of health, and strength, and vivacity that wears them out. 1 Cor. 6. 15, 16. Know you not that your bodies 
1 Cor. 6. 15, 16.  are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid, etc. that is, it is impossible it should be so, it is like that speech in Rom. 6. 1, 2. Shall we continue in sin, etc. how 
Rom. 6. 1, 〈◊〉,  shall we that are dead etc. live any longer therein? That is, as it is impossible for him that is dead to sin, to live therein: so it is impossible for him that is a member of Christ, to be made the member of an harlot. Why what say you to David's case, that fell into adultery? Answ. Though he did, he was not made the member of an harlot. For therefore you shall find in the 16. verse, be that is glued, for so the word in the original signifies, that is, adhereth to an harlot, out of the inward sway of his heart, gives his mind to any sin, he cannot be a member of Christ: though he that is a member may fall into many sins, yet he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glued, nor knit to any sin, for than he could not be a member of Christ: for if he be so, he is of the same spirit or body. Now it is impossible to be of the body of Christ; and of a contrary body too. If a man have his heart glued to any sin, he is not a member of Christ, be it a matter of credit, learning, pleasure, or delight, any lust, if thy heart be glued to it, and thou canst not get them asunder, thou art not a member of Christ. For they are not wedded to any sin, but there is a divorce between every member of Christ and sin, though they may fall one upon another, and touch each, yet they are of a mouldering nature, they will not cleave together. For he that is of God is in Christ, and hath the nature of Christ in him, that will not suffer him to sin. As take water and oil, they may violently be shaken together, and they will seem to be mixed together, and to be one, but they will not continue so long, there is no coalition, because they are of divers natures; and the one remains water still, and the other oil: so he that is in Christ cannot cleave to any sin, though sin and he may touch sometime, yet they are strangers, they cannot stand together, they cannot cleave one to another.  
Besides, consider the manner of thy obedience, all that are Christ's, obey him, after that manner that the members do the head. The headship of Christ is not an imaginary thing; he is not like the politic head of a body, but he is like a natural head, that is, there comes a natural true living influence from Christ to his members, that works upon their hearts and wills, as the head doth on the members. There is a force that insinuates itself from Christ unto them, that moves them to obedience. Members, they are not moved by argumentation, by reasons and arguments, but by a certain force that comes from the head, and from a propenseness that is in them: so those that are Christ's, are not moved by reasons simply to obedience. My meaning is, not that reasons are excluded, for they have motives and arguments to move them as well as others, but that is not all, there is a proclivitive planted in them, that makes them obedient to their Head CHRIST JESUS. Consider those words, Rom. 6. 13. Wherefore give up your members as weapons of Righteousness unto God, that is, so soon as a man is dead to sin and made alive to Christ, consider now you are made members of another body, have another head, and therefore as the members are obedient to the Head, and ready to do what ever that will have them do: so be you ready to do what ever Christ commands. As when the Head would have a thing done, the members do it willingly without any reluctancy, consider whether thy obedience be of that nature: other men are drawn to it by outward motives from the force of Arguments and Reasons, but they want this inward propenseness to be guided by Christ, as the members are guided by the Head.  
Lastly, consider whether thou seek thyself, or the good and advantage of others. For look what being a man hath, what state or condition in the Church, what frame of spirit within, such are his desires. So long as a man is not a member, but alone, so long he seeks the perfection of himself, as alone; but being a member, he seeks his good as he is a fellow member with the rest; his condition is altered, there comes another spirit into him that gives him the disposition of a member: and the well-being of a member, is not to be alone, but to be knit to the other members, and to be knit together with them to the Head.  
The Characters of a member are, first to be sociable, 
Characters of a member.  it is not the property of a member to be alone, if thou be knit unto Christ, thou canst not 
1  want fellowship with Christians, with the members of Christ. As a member of the body, if there be any disjointure made, it seeks to be knit again: so every one that is a member, cannot endure to want the fellowship of Christ; if a cloud come betwixt Christ and him, he cannot rest till he be made one with him again, or of the rest of the Saints, which are his fellow members.  
Secondly, another disposition of a member is to 
2  be useful and serviceable to the body and the rest of the members, as the hand, the eye, and the ear, in its place. So it is with every one that is a member of this body, whereas before he sought himself, and considered what did redound to himself, what profit, or credit, now the case is altered, and his thoughts are, How shall I do any thing which may glorify my Head, and advantage my fellow members? How shall I be useful to God and man?  
Lastly, a member is compassionate, hath a fellow-feeling of what befales any of the rest of the 
3.  members, it weeps with them that weep &c that is, it useth to be affected with the good or with the evil, that concerns the body of the Church, or any member of it, and this is a natural disposition that follows the nature of all members, and the spirit that is in them. As Saint Paul says, who is offended, and I burn not with grief and sorrow for it? I feel twinges when others are hurt. Consider how thou art affected with the case of the Church, whether thou find bowels of compassion in thee, and art able to take their cause to heart, and is thy heart stirred in thee, accordingly as thou seest it go well or ill with the Church? If so, thou hast the dispositions of a member, and then Christ is thy head, and all the promises made to the body of Christ, the Church, belong to thee, otherwise thou hast no interest in him.  
FINIS.   

THE TABLE.  

A  
Acquaintance. 

ACquaintance with God, how it is gotten, part 1, page, 179.    
Affections. 

Affections moderated by humiliation, 1, 91  
Affections what, 1, 120  
Affections show what is our utmost end, 1. 165  
Affections of God's children resist sin, 1, 216  
Affections subject to Christ, 2, 117    
Afflict, Afflictions. 

God Afflicts his own people, 1, 3  
Afflictions do not always follow sin, 1, 6  
Examples of Gods Afflicting his people, 1, 8  
Not to think strange th' t God afflicts his children, 1. 19  
God slow to afflict, 1, 21  
God sustains his people in affliction, Ibid,  
God brings his people thorough affliction, 1, 25  
Afflictions needful, 1, 29  
Difference of men in Affliction, 1, 31  
Afflictions why sent of God, Ibid.  
Afflictions removed in due time, 1, 34  
Humiliation wrought by afflictions, 1, 80  
To be humble in afflictions, 1, 123  
To judge of our state by the issue of afflictions, 1, 288  
In what case God afflicts his people, 1, 290    
Apostasy. 

Apostasy, the ground of it, 1, 90    
Ashamed. 

Men ashamed of the power of religion, 1, 60    
Assurance. 

Assurance not to be weakened by daily failings, 1, 122, 269    
Avoid. 

Afflictions sent not to be avoided, 1, 33     

B.  
Benefits. 

COnsideration of the benefits by Christ, what they serve for, 2, 37    
Best. 

Subjection to Christ, best for us, 2, 115    
Blaspheme. 

God afflicts his people, that his name be not blasphemed, 1, 4    
Boldness. 

Boldness to got to Christ, 2, 22     

C.  
Calling. 

DIligence in our calling, a means to humble us, 1, 130    
Christ. 

Humiliation makes us cleave to Christ, 1, 88, 99  
The Church married to Christ, 2, 1  
Motives to take Christ, 2, 23  
Benefits by Christ. 2, 27  
Impediments that keep from Christ, 2, 38    
Church. 

Comfort concerning the afflictions of the Church, 1, 63    
Choose, Choosing. 

Choosing God the way to happiness, 1, 42  
Motives to choose God, 1, 43  
God chooseth his people, 1, 48  
See God,    
Compassion. 

God hath Compassion of his people in affliction 1, 20    
Confession. 

Confession of sin required in fasting, 1, 38    
Conscience. 

Conscience of good men fight against sin, 1, 215    
Consent. 

Difference in men's consent, 1, 210  
Consent in our marriage to Christ, 2, 2, 12  
Consent, how it is wrought, 2, 3  
Consent, what it is, 2, 4  
Caution concerning our consent, 2, 13  
Error in men's consent, 2, 15    
Constancy. 

Constancy caused by humiliation, 1, 73  
Constancy in good duties, 1, 129  
Constancy in fight against sin, 1, 218    
Contempt. 

Want of fear a sign of contempt, 1, 14    
Content. 

Contentment wrought by humiliation, 1, 92    
Covenant. 

Covenant renewed in fasting. 1. 39  
Freeness of God's covenant, 1, 263     

D  
Death. 

Sin at the last brings forth death. 1, 285    
Defer. 

Dangerous to defer coming to Christ, 2, 67    
Discourage. 

Ground not to be discouraged in afflictions, 1, 32    
Difficulty. 

Difficulty of leaving sin, what it should teach us. 1, 229  
Difficulty of a Christian course, 1, 230    
Disobedience. 

Disobedience to all others to obey Christ, 1, 112     

E.  
End. 

AFfliction of God's people turned to good in the end, 1, 26  
End of actions double, 1, 158  
To make God our chief end, Ibid.  
How to know we make God our end. 1, 62    
Enmity. 

Enmity double. 2, 69    
Error. 

Error, the cause of it, 2, 63    
Excellency. 

Excellency of Christ, a motive to take him. 1, 26     

F.  
Fase. 

Humiliation makes us seek God's face, 1, 87  
To seek God's face, what, 1, 132  
How to know we seek God's face. 1, 155  
Benefit of seeking God's face, 1, 183    
Faith. 

Faith grows from humiliation, 1, 101  
Faith what, 1, 102  
Impediments to faith, 1, 268    
Fast. 

Double performance of a fast, 1, 38    
Fear. 

Fear, the nature of it, 1, 7  
Fear, the want of it provokes God, 1, 13  
Fear of the creature a snare, 1, 15  
Fear of God, how to bring our hearts to it, 1, 16  
Fear, the object of it. 1, 138  
Fear in those that are out of Christ, 2, 25    
Fellowship. 

Fellowship of the Saints. 2, 97    
Forgiveness. 

Means of conveying forgiveness 1, 260.  
Who excluded from the promise of forgiveness, 1, 263.  
Promise of forgiveness brings men to God, 1 273.  
How to be persuaded of God's readiness to forgive sins, 1, 274  
Danger of refusing the promises of forgiveness, 1, 277     

G  
Garment. 

Wedding garment, what, 2, 21    
Glory. 

The wife the glory of the husband, how, 2, 53  
Humble men give God glory, 1, 113  
Christians, how they are the glory of Christ, 1, 33    
God 

To choose the Lord for our God, 1, 41    
Grace. 

Grace to be stirred up, 1, 248  
To stir up grace what, Ibid.    
Guide. 

Christ a guide, 2, 80  
How Christ guides those that are his, 2, 119  
Necessity of Christ to be our guide, 2, 122  
We are unable to guide ourselves, 2, 126  
Guiding double, 2, 129     

H.  
Hard. 

TWo things make the law of Christ hard, 2, 60    
Hatred. 

Hatred of sin, 1, 195  
Hatred of sin what, 1, 196    
Head. 

Christ the Head of his Church, 2, 78  
To choose Christ for our Head, 2, 93    
Heart 

God fashions the heart of his people in afflictions, 1, 23  
Heart to be kept in good temper, 1, 40  
Hardness of heart, the cause of it, 1, 56  
Searching the heart, a means to humble us, 1, 128  
Turning to God with the whole heart, 1, 191  
A Christian fights against sin with his whole heart, 1, 215  
God softeneth the heart, 2, 44    
Help. 

Promises of God's help, 1, 57    
Holiness. 

Holiness what, 1, 150  
Nature of holiness, 1, 151  
Double holiness required, 1, 152    
Humble, Humiliation. 

To humble ourselves after we have sinned. 1. 53  
Humiliation double. Ibid. 134  
Way to humiliation. 1, 55  
Humiliation wrought by the Spirit. 1, 58  
Without humiliation no mercy. 1. 66  
Necessity of humiliation. 1, 67 69. 75  
Humiliation what. 1. 77, 78 116. 121  
Ingredients in humiliation. 1. 82  
Difference of humiliation. 1, 84  
Two things accompanying humiliation. 1, 89  
Ends of humiliation. 1, 99  
Means of humiliation. 1, 103  
The Lord is merciful to the humble. 1, 112  
Means to humble the heart. 1, 128  
How to know we are humbled. 1, 131  
God reveals his secrets to the humble. 1. 136  
God leaves sin in men to humble them. 1. 240  
All sins forgiven to the humble. 1, 254     

I  
jealousy. 

jealousy what. 1, 4    
Idleness. 

Idleness, a sin. 1. 198    
Illumination. 

Illumination, in turning to God 1, 192    
Endeavour. 

Endeavour accepted of God. 1, 56    
Inconsideration. 

Inconsideration hinders men from coming to Christ. 2, 53    
Influence. 

To draw influence from Christ. 2, 95    
joy.. 

joy, what. 1, 43    
judgement. 

judgements caused by the sins of the Saints. 1. 11  
judgements of God of three sorts. 1, 279  
Calamities removed in judgement. 1, 287    
justice.. 

justice of God in forgiving sin. 1, 259     

L  
Law. 

Humiliation wrought by the Law. 1, 79  
Law what. ibid.  
Use of preaching the Law. 1. 254    
Liberty. 

Liberty in sin hurtful. 2, 32    
Loose. 

We lose nothing by subjection to Christ. 2, 94    
Lord. 

When our obedience is to the Lord. 2, 110    
Love. 

God afflicts his people because he loves them. 1 4  
Love makes a man humble, 1, 54  
Humiliation makes us love God. 1, 91  
Love increased by humiliation. 1, 102    
Lusting. 

Lusting against sin in the regenerate. 1, 211     

M.  
Marriage. 

Consequents of our marriage with Christ. 2. 6  
How to know we are married to Christ. 2, 7    
Measure. 

To be afflicted in measure, what. 1, 22    
Means. 

Means limited by the end. 1, 163    
Members 

How to know we are Christ's members. 2, 137  
Law of the members what. 1, 226  
Characters of Members of Christ. 2, 140    
Mercy. 

Humiliation makes men seek Mercy. 1, 70  
Humiliation makes men give God the praise of his mercy. 1, 74  
Not to forget God in the midst of his mercies. 1, 172    
Might. 

To do Gods work with all our might. 1, 166    
Mind. 

Law of the mind, what. 1, 209    
Miracle. 

The offers of mercy confirmed by miracle. 2, 42    
Moderate. 

God Moderates, the afflictions of his people. 1, 22    
Mourning. 

Mourning for sin when it is effectual. 1, 118     

N.  
Name. 

The Lords Name called upon his people. 1, 47  
Not to pollute God's Name, 1, 59    
Nature. 

Sin agreeable to our nature. 1, 225    
Nearness 

Our nearness to God. 1, 51    
Necessity. 

Necessity we have of Christ. 2, 23    
Need. 

God afflicts us no more than Needs. 2, 29    
Negligently. 

To do Gods work negligently, what. 1, 167     

O  
Obedience. 

Exhortation to obedience. 1, 49  
Obedience from humiliation. 1, 76 114  
Faith and obedience go together. 2, 100  
Trial of our estate from our obedience. 2, 103  
Obedience universal required. 2, 107  
Obedience constant. 2, 129  
Obedience to Christ, the manner of it. 2, 139    
Observation. 

Observation of the manner of sins fight. 1, 250    
Offend. 

We must come to God though we have offended him. 1, 35    
Omission. 

Sins of Omission. 1, 202    
Ordinances. 

The end of God's Ordinances. 1, 221    
Opinion. 

What opinion to have of ourselves 1, 155. 156     

P.  
Pardon. 

Who believe not the offer of pardon. 2, 39  
Pardon offered to all. 2, 43  
Pardon taken out, what. 2, 45  
The time of offering pardon. 2, 47    
Peace. 

Subjection to Christ brings peace. 2, 89, 92    
Persecution. 

God a refuge in persecution. 1, 184    
Person. 

Person of Christ must first be looked to. 2, 21    
Pleasant. 

Sin hard to be left because it is pleasant. 1, 224  
Subjection to Christ pleasant. 2, 88    
Prayer. 

Prayer a means to get the fear of God. 1, 16  
God fits his people to prayer. 1, 23  
Humiliation makes a man pray. 1, 87  
Want of prayer causeth want of assurance. 1, 270    
Priests. 

Humiliation makes us Priests to God. 1, 76    
Present. 

Presenting sins past, a means to humble men. 1, 104, 130  
God present with them that seek his face. 1, 183  
Men think their present condition unalterable. 1, 292  
Want of present comforts keep men from Christ. 2, 61  
What Christians enjoy by Christ for the present. 2, 64    
Pride. 

Pride cause of disobedience. 1, 72    
Profession. 

Outward profession required. 1, 62    
Promise. 

Promise of mercy to whom made. 1, 119  
Promises not to be applied without humiliation. 1, 131  
Interest in the promises by turning from evil ways. 1, 186  
Promises part of our riches by Christ. 2, 28    
Profit. 

Obedience to Christ for our profit. 2, 79, 87    
Power. 

Power against sin in the regenerate. 1, 213  
Power of Christ, in mortifying our sins. 1, 235    
Purpose. 

Good purposes alone insufficient. 1. 222  
Ground of good purposes in carnal men, 1, 223  
Where purposes are sincere, God gives ability. 2, 47     

R.  
Reasons, Reasonings. 

Reasons to turn from sin. 1, 249  
False reasonings to be avoided. 1, 107    
Rebellion. 

Rebellion must be left of them that come in to Christ. 2, 46    
Reconciliation. 

To be sought in fasting. 1, 39    
Refusing. 

Danger in refusing Christ. 2, 34  
The greatest sin to refuse Christ. 2, 35    
Repentance. 

Repentance cures afflictions. 1, 23  
Repentance, what should lead us to it. 1, 37  
Actual repentance for the sins of God's children. 1, 272    
Relapse. 

Difference in the relapses of the godly, and the wicked. 1, 196 202, 205    
Resisting. 

Difference in the resisting sin. 1, 214  
Resisting of sin in the wicked. 1, 236    
Reward. 

What use we may make of promise of reward. 1, 139    
Righteousness. 

Righteousness of Christ not valued by unhumbled men. 1, 71     

S.  
Sacrifice. 

No Sacrifice accepted without humiliation, 1, 75    
Sanctified, Sanctification. 

God will be sanctified in those that draw near him. 1, 4  
Humiliation for sanctification. 1, 100  
Means of sanctification, 1, 246    
Saviour. 

Christ is the Saviour of his Church, 1, 90    
Self, selves. 

Not to serve our selves, 1, 50  
How a man may seek and serve himself, 1, 143, 149, 160.  
Why we should seek God, and not our selves, 1, 168    
Scripture. 

Studying the Scripture a means to humble us, 1, 106    
Sense. 

Sense of sin necessary, 1, 98    
Service. 

Comfort in Christ's service, 1, 66    
Severity. 

God's severity to wicked men, 1, 18    
Sinne. 

Sin great, how, 1, 194  
Sin forsaken differently, 1, 206  
Sin, ground of forsaking it, 1. 208  
Sin how taken away, 1, 271  
All calamities from sin, 1, 279  
To see sin in afflictions, 1, 28,  
Sin, to see it in its colours, 11 283  
Sin, none to be allowed, 2, 55    
Self-love. 

Motives in Scripture from self-love, 1, 143  
Difference of self-love, 1, 147    
Sinners. 

The greatest sinners may come to Christ, 2, 40, 51.    
Small. 

Small sins resisted by the godly, 1, 217    
Sorrow. 

Sorrow double, 1, 93  
Violent sorrow not always necessary, 1, 94  
Greatness of sorrow, the ground of it, 1 96  
Sorrow must abide in the heart, 1, 106    
Spirit. 

Spirit of God dwells in the humble, 1, 76  
Humiliation wrought by the Spirit, 1, 80, 109  
Witness of the Spirit, 2, 9, 10  
Degrees of the witness of the Spirit, 2, 11  
The work of the Spirit in us, 2, 18    
Spring. 

Spring of sin in our nature, 1, 237    
Striving. 

Striving against sin, 1, 241    
Sincerity. 

Syneerity required in the covenant of grace, 1, 52  
Trial of sincerity, 1, 104    
Subjection. 

What kind of subjection we give to Christ, 2, 31  
Subjection to Christ required, 2. 76  
Subjection what, 2, 82  
Motives to subjection, 2, 85  
Trial of our subjection, 2, 99, 107  
Exercise of grace brings subjection, 2, 118    
Suffer. 

Those that take Christ must be content to suffer, 2, 57    
Stubbornness 

Stubbornness against God dangerous. 2, 131     

T  
Time. 

DAnger to neglect the time of pardon, 2, 48, 50    
Truth. 

Truth of God engaged to forgive sin, 1, 256    
Turn. 

Turning to God how known, 1, 187  
Motives to turn to God. 1. 188  
Manner of turning to God, 1, 191  
Effects of turning to God, 1, 194  
No duty accepted without turning to God, 1, 219  
Turning from evil ways difficult, 1, 224  
Rules of turning from our evil ways, 1, 232  
Means of turning, 1, 242  
Double way of turning the heart from sin, 1, 245     

V  
Vain. 

THe Lord doth nothing in vain. 1, 288    
Virtue's. 

Definition of moral virtues, 2, 97    
Victory. 

Victory over sin in the godly, 1, 238  
Uncleanness, 1, 201    
Union. 

Union with Christ by marriage, 2, 5, 17    
Vow. 

Vow, the nature of it, 2, 131     

W.  
Walke. 

GOd walks among his people. 1. 5    
Washed. 

How far the Saints are washed. 2. 19    
Way. 

Evil ways not left without humiliation. 1. 71    
Wicked. 

Men ashamed of religion before the wicked. 1. 61  
Description of wicked men. 1. 264    
Wise, Wisdom. 

God only wise. 2. 123  
Wisdom of God helps to believe the promises. 1. 258  
All wisdom from Christ. 1. 124    
Word. 

Christ hath given his word to receive sinners, 2, 41     

Z  
Zeal. 

Zeal not only wanting, but disgraced. 1, 12     
FINIS.   

Perlegi has Conciones, dignásque judico quae typis mandentur.  
Tho. Weeks, R. P. Episc. Lond. Cap. domest.