# Best-match, or, The incomparable marriage between the Creator & the creature

THE
Best Match:
ON
THE INCOMPARABLE MARRIAGE
Between Creator & the Creature.
A
SERMON,
PREACHED AT
A SACRAMENTAL SOLEMNITY,
AT CULLROSS
About the year 1722.
On ISAIAH liv. 5.
Thy Maker is thy Husband.
By Mr. RALPH ERSKINE,
Late Minister of the Gospel Dunfermline
THE FIFTH EDITION.
FALKIRK:
PRINTED BY JOHNSON,
And sold at his shop. East side of the Post-Office.
MNDCCC.VI.
SERMON.
O-O
Isiah liv. 5.
Thy Maker is thy Husband.
THE prophet Iſaiah having largely diſconrſed of the ſufferings of Christ, and the bleſſed fruits and effects of them; among which, one is, that he ſhould have a numerous feed to believe on him; and that, when the Jews reject him, the Gentiles ſhould gladly receive him: and thus foreſeeing, by the ſpirit of prophesy, the glorious ſtate of the Gentile church, he breaks forth into a ſong of triumph in the beginning of this chapter; where the prophet directs his ſpecch to the church and ſpouſe of God in theſe words, "Sing, O barren, thou that didſt not bear; break forth into ſinging, and cry aloud, thou that didſt not travail with child: for more are the children ut the deſolate than the children of the married wife, ſaith the Lord."— Where we have a magnificent and glorious promiſe of the fertility and felicity of the Gentile church; and this is enlarged to the fifth verſe. which con- tains the word of our text; where we have the reaſon of her happineſs and fruitfulneſs who was formerly a barren widow, "For thy Maker is thy Huſband" He who made thee out of nothing, and therefore can eaſly fulfil all theſe promiſes, how unlikely foever they ſeem to be; he who made thee a people, yea; which is more, who made ​thee his people, he will own thee as his ſpouſe, and act the part of an huſband to thee.
I shall defer any further introduſtion and expli cation, and alſo whatever might be laid concerning the external relation betwixt Chriſt and the viſible church, my chief deſign being, at this time, only to ſpeak a little to that internal ſpiritual marriage-re- lation betwixt Chriſt and the inviſible church, or Chriſt and the believer, as it is repreſented under the formality of a marriage: and what I would offer upon this ſubject, I lay before you in this doc- trinal proportion.
"That there is a marriage-relation betwixt Chriſt and believers wherein he ſupplies the place of a huſband unto them, and they the place of a bride and ſpouſe to him.”
In proſecuting whereof, I would do these things, I. Prove, That there is ſuch a marriage relation betwixt Chriſt and believers. II. Speak to the nature of this marriage. III. Give the reaſons, why Chriit comes under ſuch a relation to his people IV. Make ſome application of the ſubjeft.
I. We are to confirm the doftfine, that there is a marriage-relation betwixt Chriſt and believers. This will appear from theſe two conſiderations.
I. From the compellations given to Chriſt, with relation to believers. How frequently doth the ſpouſe call him her Huſband in the book of the Song? “As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, ſo is my Beloved among the ſons —My Beloved is mine and I am his” Song ii 3 16. And, ſays the apostle 1 Cor. xi 1. "I have eſpouſed you to one huſband, that I may preſent you as a chaſle virgin unto Chriſt".
​2. The marriage-relation betwixt Chriſt and believers, appears from the compellations given to believers in ſcripture, with reſpect to Chriſt. How frequently calls he her “his love, his ſpouſe” in the book of the Song? Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my ſitter, my spouse. How fair is thy love, my ſiſter, my spouse!" Song iv. 9, 10. In Rev.xix 7. the church (or believers in the collective capacity) is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife: "The mar- riage of the Lamb is come, and the bride hath made herſelf ready.” We need not ſtand to prove that which is ſo evident; we need ſay no more to confirm it. than to repeat the text, “Thy Maker is thy Huſband.” Therefore I come.
II. To ſpeak of the nature of this marriage: and here we would briefly conſider, 1. The parties mar- ried 2. The terms of this marriage 3. The pro- perties of the marriage. 4. The effects of it. 5. How the match is carried on. 6 How it is concluded.
1ll. I ſay, let us conſider, the parties married; who is the Bridegroom, and who is the bride.
1. Then, the Bridegroom is the wisdom of God; and all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge are found in him: he knows all the wants of the bride, and is ready to ſupply them.—On the ether hand the bride, before her matching with him, is the moſt arrant fool out of hell: her folly is diſeovered, by continuing to refuſe to match with him; in refuſing to give her conſent to this heavenly Bridegroom.
2 The Bridegroom is the eternal Son of God, the King’s only Son; “The King made a marriage for his Son: He is the blood-royal of heaven.— On the other hand, What is the bride’s pedigree? She needs not boaſl of her deſcent; ‘thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite." Eſek. xvi 3. There is a vaſt: difference here.
​3. The Bridegroom is the Heir of all things: He hath all riches, the unſearchable riches of Chriſt. But what is the bride worth before he match with her? She is worſe than nothing, poverty itſelf; and not only a beggar, but in debt, and Chriſt is willing to pay her debt.
4. The Bridegroom is comely and glorious. All the ſeraphims and cherubims above, all the ſons of men in the world, all the crowned heads on earth, in all the circumſtances of glory, are but little black pieces of earth, compared with this glorious Bride- groom. On the other hand, What is the bride, before he match with her? Even as black as the devil can make her. Not only a leopard, Spotted here and there, but an Ethiopian, wholly black and ugly. When caſt forth in the open field, to the loathing of her perſon, ſhe is a ſpectacle of horror and miſery! yet then it is a marriage-day, and a time of love.
5. What are the terms of the marriage? the articles of it on his part and her part? The turns on her part, through the whole belong to Chriſt, yet, to ſpeak of terms in an improper ſenſe he requires of her what he worketh in her; namely,
1. That ſhe be devorced from all other huſbands, and give up with all other lovers and idols; parti- cularly, that ſhe be divorced from the law, that ſhe may be married unto Chrift: ſhe must not obey the law from a principle of her own ſtrength; nor as a covenant of works, that, by obedience, she may purchaſe a title heaven; nor to gratify a natural conſcience; nor merely to eſcape hell, and make a righteonſneſs of her obedience: ſhe muſt be divorced from that huſband.
2. Upon her part it is required, that ſhe be ſatiſ- fied with this Huſband alone, as the great portion of the ſoul; that he may have no rival, no competi tor in her affections, none to ſit on the throne with ​him: ſhe muſt keep the chief room for the Son of God. Again, on his part, he contract,
1. That he will make over himſelf to her; all he is, all he hath, ail he hath purchaſed, all he hath promiſed: he will make over to her all the bleſſings of the everlaſting covenant. O this is a ſweet ar- ticle, and a large charter indeed!
2. He contracts to perform all the glorious offi- ces of a huſband to her; to provide for her, protect her, direct her, pity her, clothe her, to encourage and comfort her; and to do all for her ſhe needs. This is the ſum of the contract; for, to ſpeak pro- perly, Chriſt is all, and does all in this matter; and our part is done by him in us, Hoſ ii. 19 20. "I will betrothe thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betrothe thee unto me in righteoulneſs, and in judgment and in loving-kindneſs, and in mercies; I will even be- trothe thee unto me in faithfulneſs, and thou ſhalt know the Lord.” Chriſt ſigns the contract for him and her both “I will betrothe thee unto me in righteoufneſs;"I will fulfil the law,, and ſatisfy God’s juftice. "I will betrothe thee unto me in loving kindneſs" though there be nothing in thee to invite my love, but much to challenge my averſion, yet I will overcome all thy imperfections, and ſet my love upon thee “I wi11 betrothe the unto me in mercies:’’ in pardoning mercy, ſanctifying; mercy, ſupporting mercy, comforting mercy. But left the bride think, that when ever The ſins, there may be a divorce, ſhe may break and go away, there- fore it follows, “I will betrothe thee unto me in faithfulneſs.” He pledges his veracity for fulfilling the articles on her part and his both. But then, godly, What are the properties of this marriage?
1. It is a very myſterious marriage, that the Cre- ator ſhouid take the work of his hands for a bride; not only when in its primitive and virgin integrity, ​as it dropt out of his creating hands, but when palluted with the poiſon of the devil, the venom of the old ſerpent, that he ſhonld take her for a bride; “Thy Maker is thy Huſband." This is a wonder- ful conjunction! It a glorious angel ſhould be matched with a creeping worm, and a king with a beggar, it would nor be ſuch a wonder; but the Maker to join himſelf to the work of his hands, exceeds all! There cannot be a greater diſtance conceived be- twixt any two things, than betwixt a Creator and that which is brought out from the barren womb of nothing, a creature; and yet they are in a marr- iage-relation; “Thy Maker is thy Huſband!"
2. This marriage is very difficult and hard. It is true, there it nothing too hard for Omnipotency; yet the human nature of Chriſt had much to do with it: though he was ſupported by the divine nature, yet he behoved to ſwim through the river of his own blood before he could get his bride. He ſatisfied the juſtice of God, and eſtabliſhed a new covenant. All this was to be done, in order to his marriage. 3 This marriage is an indiſſolvable marriage. Death diſſolves other relations, but it increaſes this intimate union. Nothing ſhall ſeparate Chriſt and the believer: “I am perſuaded,” ſaith Paul, “that neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord,” Rom. viii. 38, 39.
4thly, What are the effects of this marriage?
1. The first and immediate effect is, a moſt cloſe union betwixt Chriſt and the believer. This union, although it be, in ſome reſpeſt, leſs than a perſonal union, yet it is more than a political union, more than a moral union; it is a very cloſe union. The Bridegroom, Chriſt, gives his bride his own Spirit; ​communicates vital influences, from the glorious Head to her; and ſhe cleavee, by faith and love, cloſe to him: and God promiſeth, that he will make the houſe of Iſrael cleave cloſe to him, as a girdle to the loins of a man, Jer. xiii. 11. He makes his ſpouſe, in ſpite of all her folly, in ſpite of all her enmity, in ſpite of all her enemies and temptations, to cleave cloſe to him.
2 Another effect of this union is, ſweet com- munion, and mutual fellowſhip. He feaſts with her, and ſhe with him: He blows upon her garden, quickens and animates her graces; and then he comes and eats his pleaſant fruits.
3. Another effect is, familiarity (which is coinci- dent with the former): He treats them not as ſtrangers, but as friends; and not as friends only, but as his own ſpouſe: He communicates to her, and ſpeaks comfortably and kindly to her. It is a, wonder what condeſcenſion God will make ſome- times; and the believer again can be more familiar with God, than with the whole world; and can tell to God what he can tell to none elſe. Thus you ſee ſome of the effects of this marriage.
5thly, How was the match carried on?
I anſwer, in a word, On his part it was carried on thus:
1. He gave the Father his hand, and engaged to him in the covenant of redemption, from eternity, that he would do all things neceſſary for accompliſh ing the marriage.
2. Becauſe there muſt be an union of natures betwixt the Bridegroom and the bride; (it was not poſſible that we could be matched with the divine nature;) therefore he becomes a man, and takes on our nature, that there might be an union of natures.
3. Becauſe the bride is a ſlave, he pays her ran- ​ſom, ſubſtitutes himſelf in her room, takes on her debt, and pays all that ſhe owed to juſtice and then takes on with her. But, on cur part, juſt nothing at all: we had no hand in the covenant of redempt- ion: no hand in the contrivance of ſalvation; we knew nothing. about the buſineſs; we had no thoughts of a Redeemer, deſerved nothing but pure wrath: we were lying with full contentment in the devil's territories, when Chriſt was carrying on the match.
6thly, How is the marriage concluded on his part?
1. He sends forth his ambaſſadors to court for him, as Abraham did his ſervant for Iſaac; and there is a great work, indeed, to make her give her conſent. Let angels in heaven unite their topics of perfuaſion, they could not prevail with one ſoul, if a converting day were not come: but they muſt always ſpeak fair to her. How rhetorical was Abrabam’s ſervant for his master? “He hath but one child, and that child hath great riches.” He ſecks no portion with Rebecca, only her conſent. Thus be rhetoriſes and flouiſhes exceedingly, and perſuades with the greatest motives. But yet the ambaſſadors of Chriſt have a larger commiſſion, if our eyes were opened to ſee it: they are ſent forth to make love to the bride, and in his name to commend Chriſt.
2. He concludes the marriage thus. The bride being wretchedly ignorant of her true happineſs, therefore his Father diſtreſſes her with the debt that ſhe owes to him: and the wretched perſon is forced, for ſometime, to mount Sinai; and there God deſ- cends in all the circumſtances of terrible majesty! he thunders curſes againſt her; “Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them,” Gal. iii l0 God exacts all the debts; confidence roars, and the devils are let looſe; ſhe fears hell and wrath; ​and God declares, in the goſpel, that the wretched bankrupt ſhall go to priſon, and ly eternally in hell, if ſhe do not take on with his Son, marry him, and believe on him. Thus the bride is forced to an ex- tremity: ſome have more, ſome have leſs of this law-work; but all are humbled and broken, in ſome meaſure, who are married to Chriſt: he ſends forth his Spirit and convinces the world of ſim. But this would not do either; and therefore,
3. The Bridegroom ſees that nothing but con- dſcenſion will do it; and ſo he appears in all his glory: when the bride is fail of fears, perplexities, and anxieties; when the terrors of God are ſur rounding her, and the arrows of the Almighty drinking up her ſpirits, and when ſhe is crying out. What ſhall I do? Whether ſhall I go? Then the Bridegroom appears in all his excellency and glory, and ſays, “Behold me, behold me!” And ſhe gets a view of him, that raviſhes her heart, and enlarges her ſoul: then it is that the Spirit is ſent to deter- mine her to conſent. The manifeſtation of his glory does enlighten her mind and ſpirit; and immediately grace, upon the will, draws out the whole heart alter him: ſo that if the bride could be grieved and pained upon the marriage-day, it would be for her ſolly in refuſmg him ſo long.—But what is done upon the bride's part, for concluding the match ? Nothing at all; but the whole ſoul is enabled to acqueſce in a Redeemer: and the believer is ready, at ſnch a time, to ſay, “He is my Lord, my God, my ſtrength, my all" and ſhall be for ever.— Thus you have a brief ſcheme of the nature and way of this marriage.
Having ſpoken but very briefly to the former heads, I ſhall here, before I proceed to the reaſons of the doctrine, offer a few remarks upon the time of this marriage-union betwixt Chiſt and believers ​We told you how this match was concluded and compleated by Chriſt; and now we ſay, there is a ſtated duty and time for the concluding thereof: and upon this head we may remark,
1ſt. That there is a twofold day we are to con- ſider in this marriage, namely, the day of eſpouſals on earth, and the day of conſummation in heaven; and we may compare theſe two together in a few words, 1. The day of eſpouſals here is uſhered in With a very dark morning, or rather an evening, upon the bride’s part, with the wrath of God, and the law. As it was ſaid, “The evening and the morning was the day;” ſo, in this contract, the evening of legal terrors, at leaſt ſome humiliation, uſhers in the morning: But as to the conſummation, there is a great deal of glory before it, the ſoul be- ing taken to heaven already, and the body ſleeping ſweetly in the grave, a bed where the Bridegroom lay three days before her. 2. In the day of eſpou- ſals, when the perſon gets a victory over corruption, and finds little ſtirring of it, no ſenſible working of it, yet there is a party within, at the ſame time, that oppoſe the match, and which will afterwards get out its head, and will be ſiill aſſaulting the believer, while he is on earth: But, in the day of conſum- mation, there is no ſuch thing; no enemy, no ſin, no corruption; but the whole ſoul goes out wholly upon the Bridegroom. 3. The eſpouſals are carried on ſecretly; it may be, the perſon is fitting at your ſide, and you do not ſee, nor know when Chriſt is making up the match; or, perhaps, on his knees at home, there is a ſecret tranſacton: But the con- ſummation will be before millions of angels, millions of ſaints, millions of ſpectaions. Here is a great dif- ference; after the day of eſpouſals is over, the bride may give in any qaint look to her old lovers, looking back to Egypt departing from her huſband, doubting ​of his love, diſtruſting his word, fearing his diſpenſa- tions: But, after the conſummation, no ſhadow of ſin no ſhadow of jealouſy, no ſhadow of miſtakes, or fears, can overtake her for ever; no cloud can intervene, for the ſun of righteouſneſs ſhall never be eclipſed any more. But then,
2ad. A ſecond remark is, that the preciſe time of the eſpouſals is condeſcended on by the Bridegroom and his Father, from all eternity; the very moment when the bride ſhall be made to ſign the contract, and flee to Chriſt, and pour out her whole ſoul upon him; that preciſe moment is agreed upon betwixt the Father and the Son, in the covenant of redemption, from eternity.
3d. We remark, that the Bridegroom waits pati- ently for that moment that is agreed upon betwixt the Father and the Son; he longs for it he deſires it. The believer many times is ready to think, O, Chriſt is not willing! I have ſet days apart, I have gone to my knees, I have ſought him in and about this and the other ordinance, and yet I could not cloſe with him: I have been almoſt dipt in hell with affliction, yet my heart was never melted; ſurely Chriſt is not willing. O let us flee the borders of blaſplemy! The Lord Jefus is willing, but the fulneſs of time is not yet come: there is a ſet moment of his coming to his people, and for this they are to wait; yea, for this he waits himſelf, according to that ſcripture, which I ſhall read to them that cannot get that in duties and ordinances, which they have been long looking for, Iſa. xxx. 18. “Therefore will the Lord wait, that he maybe gracious unto you; and there- fore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: For, the Lord is a God of judgenent; bleſſed are all they that wait for him." He will wait upon the very moment of time, for the day ol ſalvation; he knows the proper ſeaſon. The ​crane, the ſwallow, and the ſtork, know their ſea- ſons, by the natural inſtinct God hath given them; and will he not know his own ſeaſon? Yea, he waits to be gracious.
4th Remark. That when the time comes, then there is a ſweet conjunction of all circumltances to conclude the work; all things work pleaſantly to- gether to compleat the match; conſcience goes right to work, the word is made lively, the Spirit acts powerfully and ſweetly in the ſoul: there is an au- ſpicious conjunction of all favourable circumſtances, for determining the bride, and drawing out her heart.
5th Remark. That there are ſeveral ſigns and characters of this day, by which it may be known. What are the ſigns of it? you will ſay. I ſhall not ſtand on this, only it is a day of light; great light breaks in upon the mind: it is a day of love; much love is let in upon the heart: it is a day of power, wherein the bride is perſuaded and over- come; diffulties are ſurmounted, enemies conquer- ed, and the bride’s will is moulded into a compliance. It is a day of amaſement! O what an extaſy of wonder is raiſed in the perſon's heart! I was blind, now I ſee; I was dead, now I live; I was weak, now I am ſtrong; this morning, perhaps, I was under afflection, and under the terror; of God, and now he hath raviſhed me with the conſolations of his Spirit: I was already of hell, now I have the hope of heaven and eternal life O what a day of wonder is it! Laſtly, it is a day of vows; the ſoul will be ready to break forth in ſuch a day,crying, What shall I ſpeak for him? What ſhall I ſuffer for him?
A Sixth and laſt remark on this head is, Thar, in this ſtated day of eſpouſals, the Bridegroom mani- fests his glory to the bride. When he intimates to the ſoal, “Thy Maker a thy Huſband" he ſhews ​his glory: his abſolute glory, his comparative glory, his relative glory: they are all one upon the matter, yet there is a formal different conſideration of them, I. His abſolute glory is manifeſted. What does the ſoul ſee, that is matched and married to Chriſt? Alas! ſome ſee nothing but dreams and fancies; but when the believer is matched with Chriſt, he fo deals with him as with Moſes, he makes all his glory to paſs before him: The perſon gets a view of the glorious attributes of the Son of God. 2. He manifeſts his comparative glory: “Thou art more excellent than hills of prey.—Fairer than the ſons of men.” The bride, the believer, ſees him “As the apple-tree among the trees of the woodevery way incomparable; whatever he be compared to, he excells it. If he be a lilly he is the lilly of the valley; if he be a roſe, he is the roſe of Sharon; if he be a plant, ne is the plant of renown; if he be a phy- ſician, he is the phyſician of value; if an advocate, he is an advocate with the Father: he is repreſented without any parallel. 3. His relative glory is ma- nifeſted: he is diſcovered as a glorious Prieſt, a glor- ious Prophet, a glorious King, a glorious Huſband, a glorious Redeemer and SavTour; and there will be a light of his glorious fulneſs in all theſe relations, and the glorious fitneſs of that ſuffciency and fullneſs, all tinted for the ſoul: and thus revealing himſelf, he removes all jealouſes and miſtakes from the bride, ſupplies all her wants, heals all her diſeaſes, and out-bids all his rivals, who can offer nothing to allure the ſoul, while he can, and doth ſay, I am All-ſufficient to help thee.
III. We come now to the third thing propoſed, namely, To offer ſome reaſons of the doctrine, why Chriſt comes under a marriage-relation to believers.
I anſwer, 1. His own ſovereign will is the heſt reaſon why he comes under a marriage relation in ​this cafe: "Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeems good in thy fight,” Matth. xi. 26. Hiſ actions are not to be examined at the bar of our reaſon: “ He hath mercy, becauſe he will have mercy.”
2. His love to them makes him come under ſuch a relation to them; I have loved thee with an
everlaſting love; therefore with everlaſting kindneſs have I drawn thee ” Love is the motive that en- gages him; love brought him out of heaven for them; love nailed him to the croſs for them; love laid him in a grave for them; and love engages him to a marriage-relation with them.
3. He does it for the glory of his own free grace, mercy, and love. As love and mercy was his motive, ſo it was his end, that he might diſplay and diſcover it to the uttermoſt. This attribute is at its utrnoſt line. Infinite wiſdom could have contrived a thou- ſand worlds, and infinite power could have made them; but the love of God hath gone to its ut- moſt height; it is not poſſible for Chriſt to give a greater demonſtration of his love than he hath done, in giving his life for the bride, and entering into a marriage relation with her.
4 He does it, that he may furniſh work for the bleſſed company in the higher houſe; for, on the earth the contract is only drawn up; this is only the day of eſpouſals; heaven will be the place of the conſummation of the marriage: this is only a courting and wooing time; but the day will come, when the nuptial ſolemnity ſhall be celebrated, and that ſhall continue while the day of eternity lads. This shall ſuffice for the reaſons of the doctrine.
IV. The fourth thing was, To make ſome ap- plication; and it may be. 1. For information. 2. Lamentation. 3 Examination. 4. Exhorta- tion. Now of these in their order.
​(i.) For information. Is it ſo, that there is a marriage-relation betwixt Chriſt and believers?
1. This informs us of the infinite love of God towards loſt ſinners, in giving his own Son to be a Huſband and Redeemer unto them ; “God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him, might not periſh, but have everlaſting life,’’ John iii. 16. God ſo loved the world, as neither angels nor men can tell.
2. This informs us of the infinite love of Chriſt, in condeſcending to be a huſband to ſuch a bride. It could never have entered into the heart of the wiſeſt angel in heaven, that Chriſt, the eternal Son of God, ſhould become man; and far leſs that he Should take ſuch a filthy and deformed creature and bride by the hand, as ſinners are: it he had given us our deſerving, he would have nude his juſtice to ride in triumph over us, and hell to refound with eter- nal hollows of praiſe to incenſed juſtice; but, to the quite contrary, he hath ſo ordered, that heaven ſhall refound with eternal halelujahs of praiſe to his gracious mercy and free grace, in chaſing thoſe that were enemies, and admitting them to his bleſſed boſom.
3. This doctrine informs us of the believer’s ſafety. Having Chriſt for her huſband, who can hurt her? It is the duty of a huſband, you know, to protect and defend his ſpouſe; and Chriſt will not be wanting in this to his bride: “He will hide them in the ſecret of his preſence from the pride of men: he will keep them ſecretly in a pavilion from the ſtrife of tongues, Pſ xxxi. 20.—About all the glory I will make a defence,” Iſa. iv. 5. He covers them with the mantle of his providence, the mantle of his righteouſneſs. the mantle of his interceſſion, the mantle of his Spirit; ſure then the bride of Chriſt: is in abſolute ſafety. He hath retiring chambers for ​her, to hide her in till the day of indignation be overpaſt.
4 This doctrine lets us ſee, that believers are no ſuch mean and deſpicable perſons as the world generally takes them to be; they are Chriſt's bride, and he is their huſband: and, O what an honour is it to be married to the Son of God! Having him for an huſband, they come to be related to all Chriſt’s relations; God is their Father, becauſe he is his Father; angels are their ſervants, becauſe they are his ſervants; ſaints are their fellow-brethren, be- cauſe they are his members; heaven is their inhe- ritance, becauſe it is the kingdom of their huſband. In a word, whatever is his, is theirs; “And all things are yours, for ye are Chriſt's, and Chriſt is God’s,” 2 Cor. iii. 22, 23.
(2.) For lamentation. Is it ſo, that there is a marriage-relation betwixt Chriſt and believers? his calls for deep lamentation, in thefc two par- ticulars.
I. It calls us to lament that Chriſt ſhould have ſo few brides among us though he be wooing and courting us by the goſpel, crying, “Behold me! behold me,” Iſa. Ixv. 1. Yet where is the man or woman that is prevailed with to enter a match with this glorious Bridegroom? Though he be fairer
than the ſons of men, and condeſcends to offer marriage with ſinners, who are as black and ugly as hell itſelf, yet they ſet him at nought, and give him juſt ground for that melancholy complaint, “My people would not hearken to my voice, Iſrael would have none of me,” Pſal Ixxxi 11. And may he not appeal to the very material creation, to judge of our folly, as he did of old, to Iſrael: Jer. ii 12,13. “Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! yea, be aſtonſlhed and horribly afraid! for my people have committed two great evils: they have forſaken ​me die fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cizterns, that can held no water."
2. This doctrine may afford us matter of lamen- tation also. That believers who are espoused to him, should walk so unworthily of such a husband. You know, a wise should demean herself conform to the character of her husband; and where her carriage is base and mean, it reflects a dishonour on him. O how unsuitable is it to see st's bride blackened with the filth of hell! to see those who have stricken hands with Christ, in a marriage- covenant, joining hands with lust and idols, and defiling themselves with them!
(3) for examination. Let us try if we be thus married and related to Christ; whether he be our married, and we his bride and spouse.
I shail offer a few marks whereby we may know whether or not we be married unto this glorious husband; and they may be drawn from the consi- deration of the antecedents, the constituents, and the consequents of this marriage.
1st. Try by the antecedents to the marriage contract. Before ever Christ did contract with thee, didst thou observe him courting thy soul before this contract? Here is a courting. Now, how did Christ court you?
I. Did he court you by the austerity of the law, as with fire and sword? Did he court you by such a word as that, Thou art a cursed wretch! For, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them2 Gal. iii 10. Did he court you by such a word as that, “Cursed is every one that doth the work of the Lord negligently?". Did he court you thus, by the spirit of bondage, with the terrors of God, as cloathed with vengeance, telling thee, thou art an air of hell and wrath, a child of the devil? Did he ​court thee ſo as thou waſt ſurroundad with fear and trouble?
2. Did he court thee as by the auſterity of the law; ſo by the ſweetneſs of the goſpel, when he ſaw thee caſt down, when he ſaw thee, a poor heavy laden ſinner, like to be cruſhed under thy weights? Did he then court you with ſuch a word as that, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt?” Mat. xi. 28. Or, with ſuch a word as that, "Ho, every one that thirſteth, come to the waters; he that hath no money come, buy wine and milk without money and with- out price? Iſa. IV 1 —Flee to your ſtrong holds, ye priſoners of hope.” Did he thus court you with the goſpel offer?
3. Did he court you by his love-letters? This is another antecedent of the contract. Got you ever a love-letter ſent from Chriſt out of heaven? But you will say, What is the love-letter? Even the Bible, "Search the Scriptures, theſe are they chat teſtify of me” John v. 39. Here are the declarations of the love of Chriſt to thy ſoul: here are love promiſe's in theſe letters. Have you read and pondered them? And can you ſay that Chriſt ſpoke them into your heart? If it be a text that was preached upon, or if it be a ſingle word, O Chriſt dropt that into my heart! and I think it will go with me to my death- bed, it came to me with ſuch life and power. In a word, Got you any gifts before the marriage-con tract, ſuch as the gift of true conviction ſuch as the gift of heart contrition. the gift of real humiliation, the gift of ſelf denial, the gift of faith? Theſe are given, ſome before, ſome at the contract.
2dly, Try by the conſtituents of the marriage. I. If this marriage be made up betwixt Chriſt and thee, theo then haſt put away all lovers besides Chriſt; the right hand will be cutoff, the right eye put out; you will be divorced from all other huſ- ​bands, particularly from the law. Ye muſt be dead to the law, that ye may be married to another huſ- band, even to Chriſt. But you will ſay, What is it to be dead to the law? I anſwer, It is not to lay it aſide as the rule of obedience, life, and converſation; I but to be dead to the law, is to be ſenfible that the law cannot ſave us as a covenant of works. It is to diſclaim all hopes of being juſtified by the law, or by our works or obedience to it. I ſee Chriſt, the glorious huſband, hath brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſs, anſwering the law fully: this is the garment I muſt put on, and caſt off my old filthy rags.
2. Hid thou given a cordial conſent upon the contraſt-day? Can you ſay you was enabled to take him, as the Pſalmiſt, “O my ſoul! thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord;” and thou art my God my Head, my Huſband? Have you given a rational and ſupernatural conſent? a deliberate, chaſte, ſtayed, ſolemn, peremptory conſent? Did you ſay it with an air of heaven, that he was yours, and ſhall be ſo for ever? It is true, perſons may be matched to Chriſt who cannot condeſcend on the preciſe time; the Spirit may work ſome way that we cannot know; yet it is his ordinary way with his bride, after many toſſings, to break in with raviſh- ing, conquering ſweetneſs, to draw forth her ſoul to a ſolemn remarkable cloſing with him, and con- ſenting to him. Have you then been engaged to make over yourſelf to the Bridegromn, by an unre- ſerved reſignation of yourſelf to him, that you will not only take him wholly, and for ever, for holineſs and happineſs, for light and life, for grace and glory, but alſo make over yourſelf to him, ſoul ard body, whatever you are whatever you hove been? Have you been thus made to yield yourſelves unto the Lord? Are you one with him? Have you one ſpirit ​with him ? Are you of one faith with him, of one way with him, endeavouring to walk as he walked? “He that is joined to the Lord is one ſpirit,” I Cor. iv. 17.
3. Can you ſay, that, upon the marriage day you got a marriage gift from the Bridegroom? Among the Jews, the bridegroom gave a marriage gift to his bride: Now, what gift got you on this marriage day? Can you ſay, indeed I got the wedding gar- ment; he clothed me with his righteoufneſs, which he ſpan out of his own bowels, weaved with his own hand, and dyed with his own blood; and thus all my guilt is covered, the curſe is done away? This is indeed what few get; yet ſome have been, and are able to ſay, I am delivered from the wrath to come; and there is no condemnation to me; and on ſuch a time I got alſo an ornament of the grace? of the Spirit, which I wear as jewels, viſt faith, love, obedience, patience, humility; and I got the promiſe of an hundred ſold here, and I am expecting more gifts yet, before the marriage be conſummate; I am expecting the aſſurance, I live in the hope of glory, I expect a ſcaled pardon of all my ſins, and I look to get the earneſt of the Spirit and more every day
4. Another constituent of the marriage-contract is, the bride, on that day, put off one vail, and puts on another. This was the Jews cuſtom, the brides pur off the vail of baſhfulneſs and put cn the vail of ſubjection. Chriſt’s bride, before the marriage, cannot look the Bridegroom in the face, is aſhamed to look upon him; but ſhe is made to put off this vail in the preſence of her former lovers, and to take Chriſt by the hand, and then ſhe puts on the vail of ſubjection whereby the promiſes in his ſtrength, to ſubject herſelf to her Huſband’s will. Have we thus promiſed to be obedient to his commands, in his own ſtrength whatever he injoins us to door ſuffer.
3dly. Try by the conſequents of this marriage. Would you know if there has been a contract be- ​twixt Chriſt and you? Try then by the immediate confequents.
1. Did you ſee the King in his beauty, and ſuch a glory and excellency in him as could not be paral- elled by all the glory of ten thouſand worlds?
2. What was your eonverſe with him on the contract-day? Can you ſay. He embraced me in his arms, and I embraced him in my heart, and there was ſweet communion and fellowſhip betwixt him and me?
3. Waſt thou crowned on the marriage-day, ſo as thou waſt known by others, as it were, to be the bride of Chriſt? The Jews not only crowned the Bridegroom, but the bride alſo. You ſee what the crown is that Chriſt’s bride ſhould have, Rev. xii. 1. “There appeared a great wonder in heaven! a woman clothed with the ſun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve ſtars.” to the bride of Chriſt is crowned with the doctrice of the twelve apoſtle.
4. The bride of Chriſt keeps at home, and de- lights in the bride-chamber. This is her delight all the days of her life, “To dwell in the houſe of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” Ordi- nances will be ſweet, being the galleries wherein the King is held.
Laſtly, and to conclude, Try by the qualities of the bride, that are alſo conſequents of the marriage.
1. If you be Chriſt's bride, then you will love the bridegroom. Love is what every wife owes to her huſband; much more doth the believer owe it to Chriſt, who hath expreſſed far more love to his bride than ever a huſband did to a wife; ‘He loved her, and gave himſelf for her.” He ſhed the hotteſt blood of his heart to ſave and redeem her. You will love him with a love of deſire : ‘With my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night:” with a love of delight: “My meditation of him ſhall he ſweet: ​with a love of benevolence, wiſhing well to his interests: "If I forget thee, O Jeruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not thee to my chiefeſt joy,” Pſal. cxxvii. 5, 6. They
that habitually love huſhand, wife, children, riches,
or any other thing, more than Chriſt, have no rea- ſon to think that they are matched with him.
2. If we be married to Chriſt, we will truſt in, and depend on our huſband. In whom can a wife truſt, if not her huſband? The believer reſts on Chriſt for grace and glory; and commits all to him, and expects all from him. The ſoul that is eſpouſ-
ed to Chriſt, looks on the infinite virtue of his blood, the infinite efficacy of his Spirit, the infinite fulneſs of his grace, dimenſions of his love, and faithfulneſs of his promiſes; and there ſees in- finite ground of hope, and rolls all on him.
Lastly, If we be married to Chriſt, we will have ſeal for his glory. Some ſacrifice Chriſt's intereit to their own honour; but the believer ſays, when under any lively influence. Let my Maſter
increaſe, and me decreaſe. Tho’ my name ſhould : never oe heard of in the world, let Chriſt, be ex alted. O! If the greateſt enemies kney what were in our Lord, they would come and join with him, as I have done. O! I wouid have all the world to adore, to have and to praiſe hime. Amen.
FINIS.
[Falkirk, T. Johnston, Printer.]
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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