Do you desire one that is good? There is none like unto CHRIST in this regard; others may have some goodness, but it is imperfect; CHRIST’s goodness is compleat and perfect, he is full of goodness, and in him dwelleth no evil.
Do you desire one that is beautiful? His eyes are most sparkling, his looks and glances of love are ravishing, his smiles are most delightful and refreshing unto the soul: CHRIST is the most lovely person of all others in the world.
Do you desire one that can love you? None can love you like CHRIST: His love, my dear sisters, is incomprehensible; his love passeth all other loves: The love of the LORD JESUS is first, without beginning; his love is free without any motive; his love is great without any measure; his love is constant without any change, and his love is everlasting.
It was the love of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, my dear sisters, which brought him down from heaven; and which veiled his divinity in a human soul and body; for he is GOD over all blessed for ever: It was love that made him subject to hunger, thirst and sorrow; he was humbled, even unto death for you; for you who are espoused to him, he underwent the painful, shameful and ignominious death of the cross: and can you, my sisters, hear this, and not be concerned to think that the blessed JESUS underwent all this for such sinful creatures as you and I are? And when out of love he had finished the redemption on earth, as to what was needful for satisfaction; it was his love that carried him back to heaven, where he was before, that he might make application of what he had purchased, that there he might make intercession for those whom he had redeemed, and prepare a place for them, even glorious mansions with himself, in the house not made with hands, which is eternal in the heavens. It is out of love that he sendeth such tokens to his people from heaven to earth, which he conveyeth through his ordinances, by his Spirit unto them. Surely then none is so deserving as the LORD JESUS CHRIST for you to espouse yourselves unto: if you be espoused unto CHRIST he is your’s, all that he is, all that he hath; you shall have his heart, and share in the choicest expressions of his dearest love.
The LORD JESUS CHRIST, my dear sisters, doth beseech you to be his spouse. We ministers have a commission from the LORD JESUS CHRIST to invite you, in his name, unto this very thing; and CHRIST’s invitations are real; general; frequent; earnest; free.
CHRIST’s invitations of you, to be his spouse, are _real_; and as the thing is real, so you, my dear sisters, are really invited unto it. The LORD doth not mock and dissemble with you, as some pretending lovers, who dissemble love unto virgins, until they have gained their affections, and then falsely and basely relinquish them, never really intending either to espouse, or marry them: but the LORD doth really intend the thing, in his invitations of you; he never cast off any whose consent and affections he had gained. Again,
CHRIST’s invitations of you, my dear sisters, are _general_. All of you are invited, none of you are excluded; all sorts of sinners are invited; the most vile and abominable sinners, the most notorious transgressors are invited to be CHRIST’s spouse, and shall be as welcome as any unto the embraces of his love.
CHRIST’s invitations of you are _frequent_: JESUS CHRIST calls on you frequently; he hath waited on you time after time, one year after another; and he doth now invite you, by me this day, to come unto Him. Do not slight this invitation, but receive it with joy and thankfulness. Come, I beseech you, to this JESUS, who thus invites you to be his spouse. Again,
CHRIST’s invitations to be his spouse are _earnest_; he doth call upon you, and not only call, but call earnestly too; yea, he useth many arguments with you: he will press you to come unto him; he is loth to take any denial from you: he knocks, and knocks hard at the door of your hearts for entertainment; and surely you will not deny the LORD of life and glory who died for you, and gave himself for you: O my dear sisters, let this be the evening of your espousals to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
He invites you _freely_ to be his spouse, for all his invitations are free; he doth not expect a portion with you, as worldly lovers do; He wants nothing of you: nay, you must have nothing, if you be espoused unto the LORD JESUS CHRIST. If you be poor, miserable, blind, naked, JESUS CHRIST will supply all these defects of his own free mercy; he will fill and supply you with all things out of his treasury; he will make you meet for himself; he will prepare you to live with him for ever.