Page:Best-match, or, The incomparable marriage between the Creator & the creature.pdf/21

( 21 ) bands, particularly from the law. Ye muſt be dead to the law, that ye may be married to another huſ- band, even to Chriſt. But you will ſay, What is it to be dead to the law? I anſwer, It is not to lay it aſide as the rule of obedience, life, and converſation; I but to be dead to the law, is to be ſenfible that the law cannot ſave us as a covenant of works. It is to diſclaim all hopes of being juſtified by the law, or by our works or obedience to it. I ſee Chriſt, the glorious huſband, hath brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſs, anſwering the law fully: this is the garment I muſt put on, and caſt off my old filthy rags.

2. Hid thou given a cordial conſent upon the contraſt-day? Can you ſay you was enabled to take him, as the Pſalmiſt, “O my ſoul! thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord;” and thou art my God my Head, my Huſband? Have you given a rational and ſupernatural conſent? a deliberate, chaſte, ſtayed, ſolemn, peremptory conſent? Did you ſay it with an air of heaven, that he was yours, and ſhall be ſo for ever? It is true, perſons may be matched to Chriſt who cannot condeſcend on the preciſe time; the Spirit may work ſome way that we cannot know; yet it is his ordinary way with his bride, after many toſſings, to break in with raviſh- ing, conquering ſweetneſs, to draw forth her ſoul to a ſolemn remarkable cloſing with him, and con- ſenting to him. Have you then been engaged to make over yourſelf to the Bridegromn, by an unre- ſerved reſignation of yourſelf to him, that you will not only take him wholly, and for ever, for holineſs and happineſs, for light and life, for grace and glory, but alſo make over yourſelf to him, ſoul ard body, whatever you are whatever you hove been? Have you been thus made to yield yourſelves unto the Lord? Are you one with him? Have you one ſpirit