Part 102

This is absolutely necessary in every lawful marriage among men. There must be a joining of hands before witnesses, ere they can be deemed lawfully joined together. Some men indeed of corrupt minds, are apt to look upon this as a needless ceremony, and think it sufficient to be married, as they term it, in the sight of GOD. But whence men get such divinity, I know not. I am positive, not from the Bible; for we there read that even at the first marriage in paradise, there was something of outward solemnity; GOD himself (if I may so speak) being there the priest. For we are told, _Genesis_ ii. 22. that, after GOD had made the woman, “he brought her unto the man.” And indeed, to lay aside all manner of outward ceremony in marriage, would be to turn the world into a den of brute beasts. Men would then take, or forsake as many wives as they pleased, and we should soon sink into as bad and brutal a state, as those nations are, amongst whom such practices are allowed of, and who are utterly destitute of the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Whoever has experienced the power of his resurrection, I am persuaded will never plead for such a licentious practice. For the terms made use of in Scripture, to represent the mystical union between CHRIST and his church, such as, our being “joined to the LORD,” and “married to JESUS CHRIST,” are all metaphorical expressions, taken from some analogous practices amongst men. And as persons when married, though before twain, are now one flesh; so those that are joined to the LORD, and can truly say, “our Maker is our husband,” are in the apostle’s language, one spirit. This was typified in the original marriage of our first parents. When GOD brought _Eve_ to _Adam_, he received her with joy at his hands, and said, “this is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” They had there, primarily, but one name. For thus speaks the sacred Historian, _Genesis_ v. 1, 2. “In the day that GOD created man, he blessed them, and called their name _Adam_.” And why? because they were one flesh, and were to have but one heart. The self-same terms are made use of in Scripture, to express the believer’s union with JESUS CHRIST. We are called Christians, after CHRIST’s name, because made partakers of CHRIST’s nature. Out of his fulness, believers receive grace for grace. And therefore, the marriage state, especially by the apostle _Paul_, is frequently made use of, to figure out to us the real, vital union, between JESUS CHRIST and regenerate souls. This is termed by the apostle, _Ephesians_ v. 32. “A great mystery.” But great as it is, we must all experience it, before we can say assuredly, that “our Maker is our husband.” For what says our LORD, in that prayer he put up to his Father before his bitter passion? “Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, shall be where I am, that they may be one with thee; even as thou, O Father, and I are one, I in them, and they in me, that we all may be made perfect in one.” O infinite condescension! O ineffable union! Hence it is, that believers are said to be members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Hence it is, that the apostle speaking of himself, says, “I live, yet not I, but CHRIST liveth in me.” What an expression is that? How much does it comprehend? And, that we might not think this was something peculiar to himself, he puts this close question to the _Corinthians_; “Know ye not, that CHRIST is in you, unless you be reprobates?” Agreeable to what he says in his epistle to the _Colossians_, “CHRIST in you, the hope of glory.” And hence it is, that our church, in the communion-office, directs the minister to acquaint all those who receive the sacrament worthily, that they are one with CHRIST, and CHRIST with them; that they dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in them. Words that deserve to be written in letters of gold, and which evidently shew, what our reformers believed all persons must experience, before they could truly and assuredly say, that “their Maker is their husband.”