exists the same relation as between a man and his ivife. The Lord Jesus Christ is " a Bridegroom, and the Church is his bride." This is the language both of the Old Testament' and the Newk: and between them exists a closer union than ever existed between a man and his wife : for they are, by their union, made " one flesh1;" but Christ and his Church are " one spirit™." They too, inasmuch as Christ has taken upon him our nature, may be called one body ; so that, in reference to Christ, it may be said of us, " We are members of his body, even of his flesh and of his bones." But I say again, that, in- asmuch as we have a spiritual union with Christ, our connexion with him is closer than any that can exist between persons joined in the marriage bond; who, though owe flesh, may be, and too often are, far from being united in spirit.
By virtue of the union of Christ with his Church, she par- takes of all the privileges which a marriage union can convey. He is entitled to the entire possession of our whole hearts : and we become partakers of all his honours, and all his wealth, and all his influence, and all his love. Nothing can be con- ceived as enjoyed by a woman in virtue of the marriage rela- tion which she has entered into, that is not imparted to us in the richest possible abundance, as soon as we believe in Christ. On the other hand, there are the same obligations entailed upon us. The Lord Jesus Christ, if I may so speak, as bound in covenant to us, will order every thing for our good : and we, as given up to him in covenant, are bound to " forsake all for him11," and " to live for him, and not for another0." To serve him, and honour him, and glorify him, must from henceforth be our supreme happiness, our only care. This is plainly set forth by the Psalmist, who says, " Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house ; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou himp."]
2. The greatness of this mystery —
[It is indeed " great," whether we consider it as a specu- lative truth, or whether we regard it in its practical importance. As a speculative truth, how wonderful is it that the God of hea- ven and earth should become a man, and take into union with himself such worthless and corrupt creatures as we ; submit- ting to the lowest depths of misery, in order to raise us to the highest throne of his glory! That he should acknowledge such a relation between himself and us, and make that relation the means of communicating to us all that felicity, is a mystery
' Isai. liv. 5. k John iii. 29. l ver. 31.
m 1 Cor. vi. 17. n Luke xiv. 33. ° Hos. iii. 3.
P Ps. xlv. 10, 11. VOL. XVII. 1. E