There is a threefold degree of union :
An union of nature, grace, glory.
The union of nature was, when Christ took our nature upon him. The union of grace is, when we take his nature, when we partake of the divine nature. The union of glory is when we shall all be in heaven. The first is for the second, and the second for the third. Christ became bone of our bone in nature, that we might be ' bone of his bone ' with him in grace ; and so perfectly one with him in glory. We see the bride, that is the person. Here I might take occasion to speak of the sweet comfort that issues from this, that the second person in the Trinity should dignify us so much, as to take us to unity with and contract us to himself. But I will not speak much of this point, having spoken more at large of it out of the Canticles.*
* Cf. ' Bowels Opened,' Vol. II. in loc.—G.
THE CHUKCH S ECHO,
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If marriage be honourable, what is this mamage and contract which is indeed the pattern of all other ? Others are but shadows to this.
Use 1. Hence comes the sweet security and peace of the church, from this contract hetireen Christ and it; for all our debts are discharged by this. He took upon him our sins. And then the chiu-ch hath interest in him and all his in this contract and marriage which is to be consummate ; all that he is and hath is the church's. ' All is yours, because you are Christ's,' 1 Cor. iii. 21, seq. What a large comfort is this, if we had hearts to con- sider of it and to improve it ! His grace serves for the church : ' of his fulness we receive grace for gi-ace.' John i. 16. So we may say of all the privileges that Christ hath, they are first in him and then in the chm-ch. The church shines in his beams. And as it is matter of wondrous comfort, so it is likewise matter of more special comfort, in case of infu'mities. The church is a woman, therefore the weaker vessel. Now God, that bids us ' bear with the woman, as the weaker vessel,' 1 Peter iii. 7, to honour her with the honour of gentle usage, — for that honour is meant, — he that teacheth man his duty, will he not perform it himself, to bear with his church, as the weaker vessel ? Especially when it is the condition of the marriage, Hosea ii. 19, ' I will marry thee to me in mercy.' We may claim mercy as a part of our dowry by Christ, pardon- ing mercy, forbearing, pitying mercy. We make not use of this comfort when we are discouraged.
Use 2. But this teacheth us hkewise how to carry ourselves to Christ as we should do, chastely. To take heed how we judge of things, we must keep our judgments chaste. A Christian hath not liberty to riot in his 'opinion, to run at random, to see what carnal reason saith. No ; he must think what Christ thinks, and submit his judgment to him. And he must have no will of his own ; he must give it up to his contracted husband, Christ, and be content to be ruled by him in all things ; he must forget his father's house and his former condition, and not to make this marriage, as carnal professors do, a cover for their adulterous unfaithfulness. What is the course of many Christians ? They make the profession of religion a cover for their ill dealing, for their unfaithful courses. What a shame is this ! It is abominable. What makes the faults of wives worse than the fault of single persons ? Because they are contrary to covenants, besides many other inconveniences, the confusion of offspring and the like. But this is one grand difference, to make the exaggeration of the fault, it is contrary to former covenant. Those that are swearers and filthy persons, that disgrace rehgion, and yet notwithstanding cover themselves under pretence that they are contracted to Christ, they are baptized and come to the sacra- ment, &c., such wi'etched persons shall know ere long what it is to dally with religion. What is the aggravation of the faults of such persons '? They deal as fiJthy adulteresses do, they make rehgion a cover for their wretched com'ses. God is merciful, Christ died, we ai'e Christians, we are baptized, &c. This is an obligation to a stricter life. It gives men no liberty, but is a stricter bond to a holy life, the renewing of the new cove- nant again and again. Therefore there is no comfort for any such wretched persons, that countenance themselves under the profession of religion. It adds a greater degree to their ofience. 0 ye adulterers and adulteresses, saith St James, ' know ye not that the love of the world is enmity with God ' ? James iv. 4. WTien we let our hearts loose to vain things, and yet pretend that we are contracted to Christ, we are adulterers and adulteresses.
I beseech you therefore, in the name of Christ, for it is our office that
538 THE church's echo.