outward reformation, whose states and hearts were never changed,
and when he had some small intervals, oh, what large promises did he make! what a new man, a reformed man, he would be! but when in time his terrors and sickness wrought off, he was sevenfold worse than before. Sometimes the awakened sinner parts with some sins to make room for others, and sometimes the sinner seems to give a bill of divorce to this sin and that; but it is only because his bodily strength fails him, or because he lacks an opportunity, or because there is a more strict eye and watch upon him, or because the sword of the magistrate is more sharpened against him, or because he lacks fuel, James 4:3; he has not the money to afford it; or because some company, or some relations, or some friends lie between him and his sins, so that he must either tread over them, or else keep from his sins; or because he has deeply smarted for this sin—perhaps his name has been blotted, his credit and reputation stained, his trade decayed, his health impaired, his body wasted, etc., Proverbs 6:32-
35. By these short hints it is evident that men may attain to some outward reformation, whose states and hearts were never changed, and who were never taken into marriage union with Christ. But,
[10.] Tenthly and lastly, Many rely on their particular church party.
As of old some cried up Paul as the only deep preacher, and others cried up Apollos as the only eloquent preacher, and many cried up
Cephas as the most zealous preacher, 1 Cor. 1:10-13. "We are for the
Church of England," say some. "We are for the Baptist way," say others. "We are for the Presbyterian government," cry some. "We are for the Congregational way," cry others. I have so much charity, as to judge that some of all these different parties and persuasions are really holy and will be eternally happy, are gracious and will be glorious, are sanctified and will be saved, are now governed by Christ and will be hereafter glorified with Christ.
Judas was one of Christ's party, if I may so speak, and yet he had no part nor portion in Christ, Mat. 26:20-26. Demas was one of Paul's party, and yet he played the apostate, and turned an idolatrous priest at Thessalonica, as Dorotheus says, 2 Tim. 4:10. And Phygellus and
Hermogenes were of Paul's party, but were only famous for their relapse and apostasy, 2 Tim. 1:15. Hymeneus and Alexander were of
Paul's party, but they made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience,
1 Tim. 1:19-20. The five foolish virgins were in society with the wise, and were accounted as members of their association, and yet the door of heaven was shut against them, Mat. 25:1-2, 12. Many light, slight, and vain people went with the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, even a mixed multitude that embarked in the same journey with them, and yet never arrived at the land of promise,
Exod. 12:38; Num. 11:4.
O my friends, it is not a man's being of this party or that, this church or that, this way or that, this society or that—which will bring him to heaven, without a spiritual union and communion with Christ, 1 Pet.
1:4; Heb. 1:2. He who would enjoy the heavenly inheritance must be espoused to Christ, the heir of all things: "For he who has the Son has life, and he who has not the Son has not life," 1 John 5:12. This marriage-union between Christ and the soul is set forth to the life, throughout the book of Solomon's Song, Cant. 2:16. Though the marriage-union between Christ and the soul is imperceptible to the eye of reason, yet it is real, 1 Cor. 6:17. Things in nature often work insensibly, yet really. We do not see the hand move on the dial, yet it moves. The sun exhales and draws up the vapors of the earth insensibly, yet really, Eccles. 11:6. Now this marriage-union between
Christ and the soul includes and takes in these following particulars
First, This marriage-union between Christ and the soul, includes the soul's giving a present bill of divorce to all other lovers—sin, the world, and Satan. [Consult these scriptures: Hosea 14:8; Isaiah 2:20, and 30:22; Psalm 45:10; Exod.12:33; Isaiah 59:20.] Are you seriously and sincerely willing forever to renounce these, and be divorced from these? There is no mixing between Christ and them. Sin and your souls must part—or Christ and your souls can never meet! Sin and your souls must be two—or Christ and your souls can never be one!
You must in good earnest fall out with sins—or else you can never in good earnest fall in with a Savior! The heart must be separated from all other lovers—before Christ will take the soul into his bed of loves.
Christ takes none into marriage-union with himself, but such as are cordially willing that all old former leagues with sin and the world shall be forever broken and dissolved. Your cordial willingness to part with sin—is your parting with sin in divine account.
You may as soon bring east and west together, light and darkness together, heaven and hell together—as bring Christ to espouse himself to such a soul, as has no mind, no will, no heart to be divorced from his former lovers. It is a foolish thing for any to think of keeping both Christ and their lusts too. It is a vain thing for any to think of saving the life of his sins, and the life of his soul too. If sin escapes, your soul cannot escape! If you are not the death of your sins, they will be the death and ruin of your soul! Marriage is a knot or tie, wherein people are mutually limited and bound each to other, in a way of marital separation from all others; and this in Scripture is called a covenant, Proverbs 2:7. So when anyone marries Christ, he does therein discharge himself in affection and subjection from all that is contrary unto Christ, and solemnly covenants and binds himself to Christ alone; he will have no Savior and no Lord but
Christ, and to him will he cleave forever! Psalm 63:8; Acts 11:23. But,
Secondly, This marriage-union with Christ includes a hearty willingness, to take, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ for your Savior and sovereign. [John 1:12; Acts 5:31; Col. 2:6: weigh well these scriptures: Psalm 112:3, and 25:5; Hosea 2:7.] Are you willing to consent to the match? It is not enough that Christ is willing to enter into a marriage-union with us—but we must be willing also to enter into a marriage-union with him. [Many can choose Christ as a refuge to hide them from danger, and as a friend to help them in their need
—who yet refuse him as a husband.] God will never force a Christ, nor force salvation upon us, whether we will or not. Many approve of
Christ, and cry up Christ, who yet are not willing to give their consent, that he, and he alone shall be their Prince and Savior.
Though the knowledge of the other person is necessary and fit; yet it is not sufficient to marriage, without consent; for marriage ought to be a voluntary transaction of persons. In marriage we do in a sort give away ourselves, and elect and make choice for ourselves, and therefore consent is a necessary concurrence to marriage.
Now this consent is nothing else but a free and plain act of the will, accepting of Jesus Christ before all others to be its head and Lord, and in the soul's choice of him to be its Savior and sovereign. Then a man is married to Christ—when he does freely and absolutely and presently receive the Lord Jesus. Not, "I would have Christ if it did not prejudice my worldly estate, ease, friends, relations, etc." Nor is it, "Hereafter, I will accept of him when I come to die, and am in distress." But it is, "Now when salvation is offered, now while Christ offers himself, I now yield up my heart and life unto him." But,
Thirdly, This marriage-union with Christ includes a universal and perpetual consent for all time, and in all states and conditions. There is, you know, a great difference between a wife and a strumpet; a wife takes her husband upon all terms, to have and to hold, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health; whereas a strumpet is only for hire and lust. When the purse is emptied, or the body wasted and strength consumed, the harlot's love is at an end. Just so here. That acceptance and consent which ties the marriage-knot between Christ and the soul, must be an unlimited and universal acceptance and consent, when we take the
Lord Jesus Christ wholly and entirely, without any secret reservations or exceptions. That soul that will have Christ—must have all Christ or no Christ, "for Christ is not divided," 1 Cor. 1:13.
That soul must entertain him to all purposes and intents, he must follow the Lamb wherever he goes, Rev. 14:4, though it should be through fire and water, over mountains and hills. He must take him with his cup of affliction—as well as his cup of consolation, Psalm
66:12; with his shameful cross—as well as his glorious crown; with his great sufferings—as well as his great salvation, Heb. 2:3; with his grace—as well as his mercy; with his Spirit to lead and govern them— as well as his blood to redeem and justify them; to suffer for him—as well as to reign with him; to die for him—as well as to live to him, 2
Tim. 2:12; Acts 21:13; Romans 14:7-8.
Christianity, like the wind acacias, does ever draw clouds and afflictions after it. "All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," 2 Tim. 3:12. A man may have many faint wishes and cold desires after godliness, and yet escape persecution; yes, he may make some tries and attempts, as if he would be godly, and yet escape persecution. But when a man is thoroughly resolved to be godly, and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holiness, and living a life of godliness—then he must expect to meet with afflictions and persecutions. Whoever escapes, the godly man shall not escape persecution in one kind or another, in one degree or another. [Within the first three hundred years after Christ, all who made a profession of the apostle's doctrine, were cruelly persecuted.]
He who is peremptorily resolved to live up to holy rules, and to live out holy principles—must prepare for sufferings. All the roses of holiness are surrounded with pricking briars. The history of the Ten