(2.) Consider the profit. Whatever a believer loseth by the way, he is sure to have it at the end of his journey : Mat. xix. 28, ' Jesua said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in tlio regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' You will be no losers by God at the last.
A AVEDDING SERMON.
And hroiirjlit her unto the man. — Ge^t. II. 22.
The words belong to tlic story of the first marriage that ever was cele- brated in tlie world, between the first man and the first woman ; a marriage made by God himself in paradise, who, when he built the rib taken from Adam into a woman, from a builder becometh her bringer : He hrought her unto the man, saith the text.
God's bringing Eve to Adam implieth five things : —
1. His permission, allowance, and grant ; for that Adam might thankfully acknowledge the benefit as coming from God, God himself brought her ; whether in a visible shape, as prefiguring Christ's incarna- tion, and with what ceremony he brought her — since the Holy Ghost hath not expressed it, I shall not now inquire ; it is enough that God brought her to give her to him as his insejiarable companion and meet- helper. This bringing was the full bestowing her upon him, that they should live together as man and wife.
2. His institution and appointment of marriage as the means of pro- pagating mankind. God's adduxit is, by our Saviour's interpretation, conjimxit: jMat. xix. G, 'Those whom God hath joined together,' &c. Otherwise what need this bringing, for she was created just by him in paradise, Avhen Adam was fallen into a deep sleep ; not in another place ; which showeth that marriage is an honourable estate. God was the first author of it ; his act hath the force of an institution.
3. For the greater solemnity and comely order of marriage. Adam did not take her of his own head, but God brought her to him. When we dispose of ourselves at our own wills and pleasures, being led there- unto by our own choice, without consulting with God, or upon carnal reasons, without the conduct of God's providence, we transgress the order which God hath set in the first pi-ecedent of marriage, and cannot expect that our coming together should be comfortable. Much more doth it condemn the unnatural filthiness of whoredom, whereby men and women join and mingle themselves together without God, the devil and their inordinate lusts leading them. God would not put Adam nnd Eve togetlier without some regard, as he did the brutish and unreasonahle creatures; but doth solemnly, as it were, bring the manness by the liand to the man, and deliver lier into liis hands, liav- ing a more honourable regard and care of them. God cannot abide that brutish coming togetlier as the horses do, neighing, in the rage of unbridled lusts, upon their mates, Jer. v. 8. No ; Adam stayeth till
Gen. II. 22.] A WEDDING SERMON. 1G3
she is Lroiight to him. PliIs honour and special favour God voucli- safeth mankind above all other creatures ; he himself, in his own per- son, maketh the match, and bringeth them together.
4. To dispense his blessing to them. The woman was created on the sixth day, as appeareth Gen. i. ; and it is said that when he had ' created them male and female, he blessed them,' ver. 28. He doth enlarge things liere, and explaineth what there he had touched briefly. Wlien he had made the woman, he brought her to the man, and blessed them both together ; showing thereby that when any enter into this estate, they should take God's blessing along with them, upon whose favour the comfort of this relation doth wholly dci)end. Those whom God bringeth into it are likely to fare best, and they that resign them- selves up into his hands, to be disposed of by him, surely take the readiest way to obtain the happiness they expect.
5. For a pattern of providence in all after-times. It is worth the observing, that Christ reasoning against polygamy, from ver. 24, com- pared with Mat. xix. God having abundance of the spirit, as the pro- phet speaks, Mai. ii. 15, brought the woman to one man, though there was more cause of giving Adam many wives for the speedier peopling of the world, than there could be to any of his posterity. As Christ observeth the number, so we may observe the thing itself. It is God's work still to give every one his marriage companion ; he bringeth the \voman to the husband, and every husband to his wife, that meet as they ought to do. His providence doth mightily and evidently govern all circumstances that concern this affair, as we shall show you by and by.
The point which I shall insist on is this : —
Luct That marriages are then holily entered into, when the parties take one another out of God's hands,
I. I will show you in what sense they are said to take one another out of God's hands.
II. Why this is so necessary to be observed.