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<DATE>2014-11-13</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE WEDDING GARMENT: Or, The Honourable <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tate of MATRIMONY.</P>
<P>Delivered in a Wedding-Sermon, under the&s;e following Heads.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>I. Shewing that it is a Divine In&s;titution, and our ble&s;&s;ed Saviour him&s;elf, here pa&s;s'd under the Simi|litude of a Bridegroom, and the Church his belo|ved Spou&s;e.</ITEM>
<ITEM>II. This &s;hews that Per&s;ons thus joyned, &s;hall re|main &s;potle&s;s and undefiled.</ITEM>
<ITEM>III. A Man &s;hall not only provide Food and Raiment, Nece&s;&s;aries of this Life; but likewi&s;e by his up|right Conver&s;ation, become a Pattern of Piety to his Wife and Family, of whom he is the Head.</ITEM>
<ITEM>IV. The Womans Duty, as &s;he is the Wife of one Husband, in the Fear of God, to honour and obey.</ITEM>
<ITEM>V. As they are united together in this ble&s;&s;ed State, both their Duties is to bear with one another, that they may live in Love and Concord here, and at length be crown'd with eternal Joy in another World.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<Q><BIBL><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eb. 13.4.</HI></BIBL> Marriage is honourable in all, and the Bed undefiled.</Q>
<P>By <HI>Robert Ru&s;&s;el,</HI> of <HI>Wadhur&s;t</HI> in <HI>Suffex.</HI></P>
<P>Printed for <HI>J. Blare,</HI> at the <HI>Looking-gla&s;s</HI> on <HI>London-Bridge.</HI> 1692.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="2" REF="2">
<HEAD>THE Wedding Garment, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Mark 10.39.</HI></BIBL>
<P>And they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h: &s;o then they are no more twain, but one Fle&s;h. Whom therefore God hath joyned together, let no Man put a&s;under.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>THE Occa&s;ion of the&s;e Words of ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ble&s;&s;ed Saviour, may be taken from that Que&s;tion which the Phari&s;ees ask|ed him; <HI>Ver.</HI> 1.2. but it was only to tempt him, &s;aying, <HI>Is it lawful for a Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to put away his Wife?</HI> Je&s;us an&s;wered him <HI>Ver.</HI> 3. <HI>What did Mo&s;es command you.</HI> An<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> they &s;aid, <HI>Ver.</HI> 4. <HI>Mo&s;es &s;uffered to write a Bi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Divor&s;ement, and to put her away. An<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Je&s;us an&s;wered and &s;aid unto them,</HI> Ver&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>that for the hardne&s;s of your Hearts he wr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> you this Precept: But from the beginning of th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Creation God made them Male and Femal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> Ver. 6. And then he adds here in my Tex<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="3" REF="2"><HI>For this Cau&s;e &s;hall a Man leave Father and Mather, and cleave to his Wife: And they main &s;hall Be one Fle&s;h: &s;o then they are no more twain, out one Fle&s;h. Wh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m therefore God hath joyned together, let no Man put a&s;under.</HI> I might in&s;i&s;t upon all the&s;e three Ver&s;es, but the main &s;cope and drift of my Di&s;cour&s;e &s;hall be only on the middle mo&s;t of them, which is this.</P>
<P><HI>And they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h: &s;o then they art no more twain, but one Fle&s;h.</HI> From this Text of Scripture, we may learn what Unity there is betwixt Man and Wi&s;e, when they are joyned together in Marriage. <HI>And they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h: &s;o then they are no more twain, but one Fle&s;h. Whom therefore God hath joyned together, let no man put a&s;under.</HI></P>
<P>The Doctrine which I &s;hall ob&s;erve from the&s;e Words, is thi.</P>
<P>That Man and Wi&s;e being joined together by God in the holy State of Matrimony, they cannot, mu&s;t not, and ought not to be parted. <HI>For this Cau&s;e,</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t, <HI>&s;hall a man leave Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife And they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h: &s;o then they are no more twain, but one Fle&s;h. Whom there God hath joined together, let no man put a&s;under.</HI></P>
<P>Now in my farther pro&s;ecution of this &s;ub|ject, I &s;hall proceed after this Order.</P>
<PB N="4" REF="3">
<P> Fir&s;t, I &s;hall &s;hew you who they be that are joyned together by God.</P>
<P>Secondly, That tho&s;e that are thus joined by God, they mu&s;t not, nor ought not to be parted.</P>
<P>Thirdly, The rea&s;on why they cannot, and mu&s;t not be parted, is becau&s;e of the near U|nion that is betwixt them, <HI>for they twain are one Fle&s;h.</HI></P>
<P>And la&s;tly, I &s;hall make &s;ome u&s;e of it by way of Application.</P>
<P>I begin with the fir&s;t.</P>
<P>Who they are that are joined together by Good; they are &s;uch as joyn together in Mar|riage, according to God's own Word; that is, for tho&s;e Cau&s;es for which Matrimony was at fir&s;t ordained: I will name the&s;e three.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, It was ordained for the Propagation of Children, that they might be brought up in the fear of the Lord. God hath ordained Marriage for the Increa&s;e of Mankind, that his Name might be glorified in them, and by them.</P>
<P>Secondly, God hath ordained Marriage for the preventing of Sin, and the avoiding of Fornication; this is one chief end why Ma|trimony was ordained. Now mark, the Words of <HI>St. Paul,</HI> where he treats concern|ing Marriage, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7.1, 2. <HI>Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good
<PB N="5" REF="3">for a Man not to touch a Woman. But neveethe|le&s;s,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>to avoid Fornication, let every Man have his own Wife, and let every Woman have her own Husband.</HI> It is good for a man not to touch a woman, becau&s;e thereby the Devil is apt to be tempting &s;uch to &s;in. But yet when a man hath not the Gift of Conti|nency; when he cannot contain &s;o as to keep his Body pure and undefiled, then let him marry, nay upon that Ca&s;e, he mu&s;t and ought to marry, for he &s;ins if he doth not marry; nay, in not marrying, he commits a double &s;in: 1. the &s;in of Fornication or A|dultery, which he runs him&s;elf into, having not the Gift of Continency. Secondly, He &s;ins, in that he lives in a neglect of that holy Ordinance which God hath ordained and in|&s;tituted for the preventing of &s;in; indeed Ma|trimony is a thing in it &s;elf indifferent, for a man &s;ins not, let him marry or not marry; for &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Ver.</HI> 27. <HI>Art thou loo&s;ed from a Wife, &s;eek not a Wife? Art thou bound to a VVife, &s;eek not to be loo&s;ed? St. Paul</HI> &s;peaks there of indifferency, when a Man hath Pow|er over his Will, and hath a Gift to contain, and keep his Body the pure and clean Temple of the Holy Gho&s;t; nay, in that, a &s;ingle Life of the two is the be&s;t; for, &s;aith he, <HI>Ver.</HI> 38. <HI>He that giveth her in Marriage doth well; but he that giveth her not in Marriage doth better.</HI>
<PB N="6" REF="4">And the Apo&s;tle wi&s;heth that all were, even as he is, that is &s;ingle: And the rea&s;on he gives, is this, <HI>That &s;uch &s;hall have trouble in the Ple&s;h,</HI> Ver. 28. for Ver 32. <HI>He would have them without Carefulne&s;s; for he that is unmarried car|eth for the things of the Lord, how bemay plea&s;e the Lord: But he that is married, careth for the things of the World, how he may plea&s;e his VVife.</HI> So in that re&s;pect an unmarried Life is the be&s;t of the two: But yet &s;aith the &s;ame Apo&s;tle, <HI>If he be married he hath not &s;inned, not yet doth he &s;in if he marries not.</HI> But yet when a Man hath not the Gift of Continency, when a Man and a Virgin burns in Lu&s;t one towards another, and yet doth not marry, they &s;in double; for be&s;ides the &s;in of Forni|cation, they &s;in again&s;t that holy Ordinance which God hath ordained for the preventing of &s;in. You may &s;ee it plain in re&s;pect of o|ther &s;ins, as Drunkenne&s;s and Murder: &s;up|po&s;e God hath given Means for the prevent|ing of the&s;e &s;ins, though the Means are indif|ferent in them&s;elves, they may be u&s;ed, and they may not; but yet when a Man through Temptation, runs into the&s;e &s;ins of Drunken|ne&s;s and Murder, and may u&s;e Means to pre|vent it, he &s;ins not only in the gro&s;er act, but he &s;ins in not u&s;ing the Means to prevent it. So it is in re&s;pect of Marriage; the Apo&s;tle ha|ving told them, <HI>Ver.</HI> 8. that it is good for
<PB N="7" REF="4">them if they continue even as he is: But &s;aith he, <HI>Ver.</HI> 9: <HI>If they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn:</HI> That is, to burn in Lu&s;t. Mark ano|ther Scripture, which I &s;hall hint unto you, and that is in <HI>Heb.</HI> 13.4. <HI>Marriage is honou|rable in all things, and the Bed undefiled; but VVhoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge.</HI> Mark it, Marriage is honourable, the Mar|riage-Bed is honourable, and Children are a great Ble&s;&s;ing; but as for Whoremongers and Adulterers, they &s;hall not e&s;cape God's ju&s;t Judgments. That's the &s;econd Cau&s;e why Matrimony was ordained; it was ordained for the preventing of Sin, and the avoiding of Fornication.</P>
<P>Thirdly; It was ordained for the mutual Society, Help and Comfort that Man and Wife ought to have of one another, both in Pro&s;perity and in Adver&s;ity. Now this is the fir&s;t Cau&s;e that the Scripture mentions, why Matrimony was ordained, it is <HI>Gen.</HI> 2.18. <HI>God &s;aid, it is not meet that the Man &s;hould be alone, but that there &s;hould be an Help-meet for him: So the Lord God cau&s;ed a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam, and he &s;lept, and the Lord o|pened his Side, and took out a Rib, and of that Rib made he VVoman.</HI> It is true, <HI>Adam</HI> had all &s;orts of living Creatures with him to keep him company, as all &s;orts of Bea&s;t and Fowls,
<PB N="8" REF="5">and Fi&s;hes; but none of the&s;e was fitting to be a Help meet for him; therefore it plea&s;ed God to make one of his Likene&s;s to be a Help and Comfort to him; and from this we mu&s;t learn, that when a Man and a Woman is join|ed together in Marriage, they ought to be a Help and Comfort to one another as long as they live together. Thus I have fini&s;hed the fir&s;t Particular, and &s;hewed you who they are that are joined together by God; that is, tho&s;e that join together according to God's Laws; or when they u&s;e Matrimony, for tho&s;e three Cau&s;es for which it was ordained: Which is, 1. For the Propagation of Children. 2. For the avoiding of Fornication. 3. To be a Help and Comfort one to another.</P>
<P>Secondly, My &s;econd Particular is this, That tho&s;e whom God hath thus joined together, mu&s;t not, nor ought not to be parted. There are but two Cau&s;es in the Scripture for Man and Wife lawfully to part. The 1. is mentioned by the Apo&s;tle, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7.15. <HI>VVhen Man and VVife can by no po&s;&s;ible means agree, but live in continual Strife and Debate, and in danger of one another Lives, then they, if they will, may part a&s;under: For,</HI> &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>a Brother or a Si&s;ter is not under Bondage in &s;uch Ca&s;es; but God hath called us unto Peace.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The other Cau&s;e is mentioned by our ble&s;|&s;ed Saviour; <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.32. for the Cau&s;e of For|nication;
<PB N="9" REF="5">when he tells the Phari&s;ees, <HI>That who&s;o will put away his Wife, let him write her a Bill of Divorcement. But I &s;ay unto you, who|&s;oever putteth away his VVife, &s;ave for the cau&s;e of Fornication, cau&s;eth her to commit Adultery.</HI> This teacheth us, that for the cau&s;e of Fornication a Man may lawfully put away his Wife: And the rea&s;on of it is very good, for as long as Man and Wife faithfully keep the Marriage-Bed, and remain true and con&s;tant one to the other, he to her, and &s;he to him, they two re|main one Fle&s;h; but when &s;he once for&s;akes his Bed, and goes after other Lovers, then the U|nion is broken, they are no longer one Fle&s;h, and therefore may lawfully be parted; but for no other Cau&s;e than this may a Man put away his Wife: <HI>VVhom therefore God hath joined to|gether, let no man put a&s;under.</HI> Con&s;ider this, that Man and Woman ought not to be parted; not only after they are joined in Marriage, but before, even as &s;oon as the Contract is made betwixt them. For con&s;ider, when once a Man and his Virgin hath made a Contract and Bar|gain one with another, in the Pre&s;ence of God, to remain for ever true and con&s;tant one to ano|ther, I tell you, they are as truly Man and Wife as if they were never &s;o much married; for publick Matrimony was ordained by Law, on|ly to confirm the Contract before Men, which they have made in the &s;ight of God: And upon
<PB N="10" REF="6">this account the publick u&s;e of Matrimony is very nece&s;&s;ary, becau&s;e, if they are not married according to the Laws of the Church of <HI>Eng|land,</HI> then they might join them&s;elves together by way of Contract, and then go off, and prove fa&s;&s;e one to another, and the Laws of Man never reach them: for man cannot have a|ny a&s;&s;urance that &s;uch are joined together by way of Contract, until it is confirmed by Marriage. But let &s;uch con&s;ider, that when once the Contract and Promi&s;e is made betwixt them, they twain immediately become one Fle&s;h, they are &s;treight Man and Wi&s;e toge|ther; and though they are not publickly marri|ed as yet, yet let them know, they cannot law|fully be parted, though the Laws of Man does not bind them from parting, yet the Laws of God doth; for God, who &s;eeth and knows all things, takes Notes of what pa&s;&s;es betwixt them; and therefore, though they do e&s;cape Mans Laws, yet they &s;hall not e&s;cape the ju&s;t Judgment of God. That Example is mo&s;t dreadful, of a Maid, who made a Contract and Promi&s;e with one who&s;e Name was <HI>Bateman,</HI> it was &s;o firm, that there pa&s;&s;ed a piece of Gold betwixt them to confirm it, and then after all, &s;he unfaithfully left him, and went and was married to another; but in &s;o doing, &s;he ruined him, and brought God's dreadful Judgments upon her &s;elf. And &s;ome Parents there are,
<PB N="11" REF="6">who go about to hinder their Childrens Mar|riage, when the Knot of Love and Unity is pa&s;t between them, and by that means they bring them to Ruine. Thus we &s;ee, that when once Man and Woman is joined together, and be|come one Fle&s;h, they cannot lawfully be part|ed, <HI>For whom God hath joined together, let no Man put a&s;under.</HI> Thus for the &s;econd Particular, That tho&s;e whom God hath joined together, they cannot, mu&s;t not, and ought not to be parted.</P>
<P>Thirdly, A <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">rd thing con&s;iderable in the Text, is the rea&s;on why they that are joined by God cannot be parted; and that is becau&s;e of the near Union that is betwixt them; <HI>They twain are one Fle&s;h, &s;o then they are no more twain, but one Fle&s;h.</HI> There was a near Union betwixt <HI>Adam</HI> and his Wife, becau&s;e &s;he was made out of him; <HI>For the Lord God cau&s;ed a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam, and then he opened his Side, and took out a Rib, and clo&s;ed up the Fle&s;h in&s;tead thereof;</HI> and of that Rib he made Eve his Wife, and by that means they became one Fle&s;h, and as near a Union there is betwixt Man and Wife that is joined together in Marriage: therefore for this Cau&s;e, &s;aith Almighty God, <HI>Gen.</HI> 2.21. <HI>&s;hall a Man leave Father and Mother, and cleave to has Wife: And they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h.</HI> Compared with <HI>Mark</HI> 10.7. <HI>Mat,</HI> 19.6. <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.31. Now the Unity between Man and Wife
<PB N="12" REF="7">may be con&s;idered in the&s;e Three Re&s;pects.</P>
<P N="1">1. In re&s;pect of the Contract and Promi&s;e that is made betwixt them, to be true and faithful one to the other, and to for&s;ake all o|thers, and keep together as long as Life &s;hall la&s;t. Now in this re&s;pect they become one Fle&s;h; for when once they break their Marri|age Covenant in for&s;aking the Marriage-Bed, and going after Harlots, then their Union is broken, they are no longer one Fle&s;h.</P>
<P N="2">2. Man and Wife being joined together in Marriage, become one, in re&s;pect al&s;o of the near Relation that is betwixt them: for when once a Man and a Woman is joined together in Wedlock, then who&s;oever is related to one, be|comes al&s;o related to the other; as in particular, his Father becomes her Father, his Mother be|comes her Mother, his Brethren her Brethren, his Si&s;ters her Si&s;ters; his Children which he had before they came together, now in re&s;pect of their Union, they become her Children al&s;o.</P>
<P>Thirdly and la&s;tly, Man and Woman being joined together in Marriage, become one al&s;o, in re&s;pect of the Sub&s;tance and earthly Endow|ments: His Hou&s;e becomes hers, his Land hers, his Money hers, and her Hou&s;e, and Land, and Money is al&s;o hers; &s;o that what&s;oever is his, is al&s;o hers, and what&s;oever is hers, is al&s;o his; and who&s;oever is related to the one, is al&s;o rela|ted to the other. Now in all the&s;e Re&s;pects,
<PB N="13" REF="7">Man and VVoman being joined together are one. Now con&s;ider, that who&s;oever you be that are not only married, but are already en|tered into a Covenent and Contract one with another, your Relation is &s;o near that you can|not lawfully be parted. And &s;o I have gone through the&s;e three particular Branches of the Text: 1. VVho they are that are joined by God. 2. They that are thus joined by God, cannot, nor ought not to be parted. 3. The Rea&s;on why they ought not to be parted, is be|cau&s;e they are one Fle&s;h: <HI>For they twain are one Fle&s;h; &s;o then they are no more twain, but one Fle&s;h. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put a&s;under.</HI> Thus much for the doctrinal Part.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="application">
<HEAD>The APPLICATION.</HEAD>
<P>THE fir&s;t and main U&s;e that I &s;hall make of this Point, &s;hall be of Exhortation. 1. I exhort you e&s;pecially, you that are newly entred into the holy State of Matrimony, that you would live together, as becomes tho&s;e that are joined by God in that holy State, in the per|forming of tho&s;e Duties which God hath re|quired of one to the other: for as there are &s;everal Duties which Parents and Children, Ma&s;ters and Servants owe one to the other: &s;o
<PB N="14" REF="8">there are &s;everal Duties which Husbands and Wives owe one to the other. Now there are &s;ome Duties which Husbands o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e unto their Wives, and al&s;o there are &s;ome Duties which Wives owe unto their Husbands: I &s;hall but ju&s;t name them.</P>
<P N="1">1. There are &s;ome Duties which Husbands owe unto their Wives: 1. Is endearing Love, like unto the Love of Chri&s;t unto his Church, as you are commanded, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.25. <HI>Husbands love your Wives, even as Chri&s;t loved his Church, and gave him&s;elf for it:</HI> not giving them bitter Speeches, reviling them, and railing at them for their good Coun&s;el; but let your Speeches and Behaviour toward her, be &s;weet, meek and loving, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3.19 <HI>Husbands love your VVives, and be not bitter again&s;t them.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Live with your Wives, and do not de|part from them: 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3.7. <HI>Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge.</HI> So, <HI>Prov.</HI> 5.18, 19. <HI>Rejoyce with the VVife of thy youth: Let her be as the loving Hind, and plea&s;ant Roe; let her Brea&s;t &s;atisfie thee at all times, and be thou ravi&s;hed always with her Love.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. They ought to do their Endeavour, as far as they are able, to provide for their VVives Food and Raiment, and to nouri&s;h and cheri&s;h the was their own Bodies: <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.28, 29. <HI>So ought Men to love their VVives as their <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Bodies; for he that loveth his VVife, loveth
<PB N="15" REF="8">him&s;elf for no man ever yet hateth his own Fle&s;h, but nouri&s;heth it, and cheri&s;heth it.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Another Duty which Husbands owe unto their VVives, is Faithfulne&s;s to the Bed, in keeping their Marriage Covenant, in cleaving to none but to their VVives, <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 3.3.</P>
<P N="5">5. Protection of them from VVrongs, and covering their Infirmities, as <HI>David</HI> defended his two VVives, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 30.18. Al&s;o care to plea&s;e them in all lawful things.</P>
<P>Sixthly, and la&s;tly, A la&s;t Duty which I &s;hall mention, that Husbands owe to their VVives, is to pray with them, and for them, to perform Family Duties with them every Night and Morning, in Reading and Praying.</P>
<P>Beloved Friends, if you are entered now in|to the holy State of Matrimony, and are joined to a VVife, O be you careful to help her in the way to Heaven! If &s;he be ignorant, in&s;truct her in the ways of God, which will make for her everla&s;ting Peace; and timely admoni&s;h her of &s;uch &s;ins as you know her to be guilty of, and exhort her to Repentance. And do you al&s;o encourage her in the way of well do|ing.</P>
<P>Friends, If you meeting here in the State of VVedlock will but be an occa&s;ion of your meeting together in Heaven. O it is then a happy Meeting, indeed! O let it be your care to make it &s;o! VVill it not be a joyful thing for
<PB N="16" REF="9">you and your VVife to meet at la&s;t in Heaven? O now you have a happy Opportuni|ty to help one another in the way thither, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3.7. <HI>Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life, that your Prayers be not hindered.</HI></P>
<P>But as there are Duties which Husbands owe to their VVives, &s;o, 2. There are &s;ome Du|ties which VVives owe unto their Husbands. I &s;hall but ju&s;t name them.</P>
<P>The Fir&s;t, Is to love them above all others in the VVorld: VVives are commanded to love their Husbands, <HI>Tit.</HI> 2.4.</P>
<P N="2">2. To be faithful to their Husbands, in re|ference to their Marriage Covenant, to their E&s;tate, or to any Secret their Husbands intru&s;ts them with, 1 <HI>Tim</HI> 3.11. <HI>Even &s;o mu&s;t the VVives be, &s;ober, grave and faithful in all things.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. VVives owe to their Husbands Reverence, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.33. <HI>Let the VVife &s;ee that &s;he reverence her Husband.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. VVives mu&s;t be &s;ubject to their Husbands in all lawful things, as unto Chri&s;t, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.22.24. <HI>VVives, &s;ubmit your &s;elves unto your own Hu&s;|bands, as unto the Lord.</HI> So <HI>Ver.</HI> 24. <HI>As the Church is &s;ubject unto Chri&s;t, &s;o let the VVives be unto their own Husband, in all things.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Another Duty, is Carefulne&s;s to plea&s;e their Husbands, &s;uiting them&s;elves to their Di&s;|po&s;itions.</P>
<P N="6"><PB N="17" REF="9"> 6. To help her Husband to provide for their Family. Now this is a Character which <HI>Solo|mon</HI> gives of a good Wife, <HI>Prov.</HI> 31.27. <HI>She looketh well to the ways of her Hou&s;hold, and eat|eth not the Bread of Idlene&s;s.</HI></P>
<P>Sevently and la&s;tly, A la&s;t Duty which Wives owe to their Husbands, is to give ear to their godly Coun&s;els and Admonitions, to re|prove and admoni&s;h them of their wicked Vices, to teach them the ways of God, if they are ig|norant; to exhort them to repent, to encou|rage them in well-doing, and help them in their way to Heaven, and to pray for them. This is a godly Coun&s;el which St. <HI>Peter</HI> gives to Wives, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3.1, 2. <HI>Ye Wives, be in &s;ub|jection to your own Husbands, that if any obey not the Word, they al&s;o may without the Word be won by the Conver&s;ation of the Wife: Whil&s;t they be|hold cha&s;t Conver&s;ation coupled with Fear.</HI> The&s;e are tho&s;e Duties which Husbands and Wives owe one to another. And that &s;hall &s;uffice for my fir&s;t U&s;e, which is of Exhortation.</P>
<P>I will make but one U&s;e more, and that &s;hall be of In&s;truction. Now from this Subject, con|cerning the Union betwixt Man and Wife, we may learn the&s;e two things.</P>
<P N="1">1. The Union betwixt Chri&s;t and his Church, whereof every Saint is a Member; for, as &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5. <HI>As the Husband is the Head of the Wife, even &s;o Chri&s;t is the Head
<PB N="18" REF="10">of the Church.</HI> Therefore he exhorts Men to love their Wives, even as Chri&s;t loved the Church, and gave him&s;elf for it; the Church calls Chri&s;t her Husband, and Chri&s;t calls her his Spou&s;e. Now in this re&s;pect St. <HI>Paul</HI> quotes the Words of our ble&s;&s;ed Saviour, in the Words before my Text, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.31. <HI>For this Cau&s;e &s;hall a Man leave Father and Mother, and be joyned to his Wife, and they twain &s;hall be one Fle&s;h.</HI> But then afterwards the Apo&s;tle calls it a My&s;te|ry, and then &s;hews them his meaning, <HI>Ver.</HI> 33. that he &s;peaks concerning Chri&s;t and his Church, for as it is in regard of Man and Wife, before a Man takes her to be his Wife, he is as it were a Stranger unto her; but as &s;oon as e|ver they are entred into a Covenant one with a|nother, and make a Contract with one another, then they are united and become one. Thus it is betwixt Chri&s;t and a Member of his Church; all the time a Man is out of Chri&s;t, and in his natural E&s;tate, he is a meer Stranger to Chri&s;t, and to all his Benefits; but as &s;oon as ever he hath covenanted to be Chri&s;t's, as &s;oon as ever as he hath made a firm Contract, and is married to Chri&s;t, then he becomes one with Chri&s;t, then Chri&s;t is his, and he is Chri&s;t's; Chri&s;t is in him, and he in Chri&s;t: This the Apo&s;tle proves, 1 <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">or.</HI> 6.16.17. <HI>VVhat, know ye not that he that is joined to an Harlot is one Body? for two (&s;aith he) is one Fle&s;h: But he that is joined to the Lord, is
<PB N="19" REF="10">one Spirit.</HI> As there is a fle&s;hly Union betwixt a Man and Woman when they are joined in Mar|riage, even &s;o there is a &s;piritual Union be|twixt Chri&s;t and a Believer; when they are joined by Faith, when a Believer is joined to Chri&s;t by Faith. Now I &s;hall compare the Uni|on betwixt Chri&s;t and his Church, to the Union betwixt Man and Wife in the&s;e Re&s;pects.</P>
<P N="1">1. Before a Man was joined to his Wife by a Marriage Covenant, it may be his Love was &s;et upon others be&s;ides her; but now being en|tered into a Marriage Covenant with her, now he for&s;akes all his other Loves, and cleaves ful|ly and wholly to her, and remains true and con|&s;tant to her &s;o long as they both &s;hall live. So it is betwixt Chri&s;t and a Believer; all the time that he was out of Chri&s;t, he had many Lo|vers, the World was his Lover, the Fle&s;h was his Beloved, his carnal Plea&s;ures his merry Companions, his &s;inful Delights, all the&s;e were his Lovers. Ay, But now he hath made a Co|venant with Chri&s;t to be his, now he is married to Chri&s;t by Faith, and therefore now he for|&s;akes all his other Lovers, he ca&s;teth them all out of his Heart, and cleaves fully and wholly to Chri&s;t. Now he is content to for&s;ake Father and Mother, and all what&s;oever is near or dear unto him for Chri&s;t's Sake; now Chri&s;t him|&s;elf &s;aith, <HI>Mat.</HI> 10.37. <HI>He that for&s;aketh not, he that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; he that loveth Son or Daugh|ter
<PB N="20" REF="11">more than me, is not worthy of me.</HI> So al&s;o he that loveth any one, doting on Lu&s;t more than Chri&s;t, is not worthy of him. So, <HI>Luke</HI> 14.26. <HI>He that hateth not Father and Mother, yea, and his own Life too, for my &s;ake, cannot be my Di&s;ciple.</HI> That is, when they &s;tand in compe|tition with Chri&s;t, they that would be Chri&s;t's Spou&s;e, mu&s;t take him, not only as their Hu&s;|band, but al&s;o as their Lord and Saviour, their Lord and Ma&s;ter, to be ruled and governed by him, and for&s;ake all &s;inful Delights which are dear and plea&s;ant to them for his Sake.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Union betwixt Chri&s;t and his Church, is compared to the Union betwixt Man and Wife, in re&s;pect of the new Relation and Bene|fits which comes by this Union. When once a Virgin is betrothed to a Man, then who&s;oever is related unto him, doth al&s;o become related to her; his Father is her Father, his Brothers and Si&s;ters, becomes her Brothers and Si&s;ters, his Hou&s;e is her Hou&s;e, his Land her Land; &s;o what&s;oever is his, becomes hers.</P>
<P>Thus it is, when a Believer is married unto Je&s;us Chri&s;t, then that Believer is immediately received into a new Relation; for God, who is the Father of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, becomes his Father, and he being united to Chri&s;t, be|comes God's adopted Son; the Spirit of God is his to comfort him, and at the la&s;t, the Kingdom of Heaven &s;hall be his, and he &s;hall
<PB N="21" REF="11">be a Co-heir with Chri&s;t, and reign with him for ever and ever. Believers, when once they are married unto Chri&s;t, then all things be|comes theirs; as it is, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3.22, 23. <HI>VVhe|ther Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the VVorld, or Life, or Death, or things pre&s;ent, or things to come, all are yours: And you are Chri&s;ts, and Chri&s;t is Gods.</HI> Indeed a wicked Man, though he enjoys mo&s;t of the World, yet he can claim a Right to nothing; but a Saint, though he enjoys lea&s;t, yet he hath a Right to all things; but on the other &s;ide, a Sinner that is out of Chri&s;t, he is of all others the mo&s;t mi&s;erable, for God is none of his, and Chri&s;t is none of his, and he hath no Right to Heaven, nor no Right to any thing but Hell and Damnation.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, As when a Man and his Wife is join|ed together in Marriage, they cannot lawfully be parted; even &s;o there is no parting Chri&s;t and a Believer a&s;under; for &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Rom.</HI> 0.38. <HI>For I am per&s;waded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things pre&s;ent, nor things to come, nor Heighth, nor Depth, nor any other Creature &s;hall be able to &s;eparate us from the love of God, which is in Chri&s;t Je&s;us our Lord.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. From the Union that is betwixt Man and Wife that are joined in Marriage, we may learn &s;omething al&s;o concerning the Union that &s;hall be betwixt the Saints hereafter in Heaven. As Man and Wife being joined together in Marri|age,
<PB N="22" REF="12">are one in a natural &s;ence, even &s;o the Saints, the Spou&s;e of Chri&s;t, are one in a &s;piritu|al &s;ence; the Saints are both one with Chri&s;t, and one with another; the Union betwixt the Saints are &s;o near, that they make but one Church Militant hear on Earth, and they &s;hall make but one Church Triumphant in Heaven. Now in <HI>Mat.</HI> 22.23, 24, 25, 26. <HI>The Sadduces, which &s;ay there is no Re&s;urrection, came to Chri&s;t, and asked him, &s;aying, Ma&s;ter, Mo&s;es &s;aid, if a Man die, having no Children, his Brother &s;hall marry his VVife, and rai&s;e up Seed unto his Brother. Now, &s;aith he, there were &s;even Brethren, and the fir&s;t, when he had married a VVife, decea&s;ed, and having no I&s;&s;ue, left his VVife unto his Brother: Likewi&s;e the &s;econd al&s;o, and the third, unto the &s;eventh: And la&s;t of all the VVoman died al&s;o. Therefore, &s;ay they, in the Re&s;urrection, who&s;e VVife will &s;he be of the &s;even, for they have all had her.</HI> But then &s;ee what our Saviour an&s;wer|ed them, <HI>Ver.</HI> 29.30. <HI>Ye do err in your Hearts, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God: For in the Re&s;urrection they neither marry, nor are given in Marriage; but are like the Angels of God.</HI> This therefore was a very &s;illy Que&s;tion which the Phari&s;ees asked our Saviour Chri&s;t, as if in Heaven there were Marrying and giving in Mar|riage; whereas there &s;hall be no need of them, for all Ordinances &s;hall then vani&s;h away all the Saints in Heaven &s;hall be &s;o near united to|gether,
<PB N="23" REF="12">&s;o there &s;hall be none of the Union of Marriage. Now when Chri&s;t told the Phari&s;ees, that in the Re&s;urrection they neither marry, nor are given in Marriage; is as much as if he had told them in plain Words, you ask who&s;e Wife &s;he &s;hall be of the &s;even; why as many of the &s;even as were married to Chri&s;t; that is, if &s;he were al&s;o married to Chri&s;t; &s;o many of them &s;he will own for her Husbands, and no more; if they were all married to Chri&s;t, then &s;he will own them all for her Husbands. As a godly Father will own none of all his Children at the Re&s;urrection, but &s;uch of them as were God's Children; even &s;o the godly Husband will own none of his Wives, though he have had never &s;o many VVives, but &s;uch of them as were Married to Chri&s;t. So al&s;o, if a VVife has had never &s;o many Husbands, yet at the Re&s;urrection, &s;he will own none of them, but &s;uch as were married to Chri&s;t at the Re|&s;urrection; the&s;e &s;even Husbands, as many of them as were married to Chri&s;t, &s;hall own one another as Brethren: And they &s;hall own her as their VVife, and &s;he &s;hall own them as her Husbands; and be&s;ides, when this VVoman, and the&s;e her Husbands &s;hall meet in Heaven, there &s;hall be as near a Union betwixt the&s;e Brethren, as there &s;hall be betwixt &s;he and them; yet there &s;hall not be a greater Union betwixt the&s;e Bre|thren, or betwixt them and their VVife, then there &s;hall be betwixt them and all the re&s;t of
<PB N="24" REF="13">the Saints, the greate&s;t part of which were before Strangers unto them here upon Earth; for I told you before, that all the Saints in Heaven &s;hall make but one triumphant Church; Chri&s;t and they make but one Body; Chri&s;t is the Head, and they are all Members, and therefore there mu&s;t needs be a near Union betwixt all Chri&s;t's Members in Heaven; there &s;hall not only be a near Union betwixt near Relations, as Husbands and VVives, Parents and Children; but among&s;t all the Saints in general: there &s;hall be a nearer and &s;weeter Union among&s;t all the Saints in Heaven, than ever there was betwixt Man and VVife here upon Earth; for the lo|vinge&s;t Couple that ever lived, have had &s;ome Strifes, &s;ome Jars and Tumults, &s;ome Feuds and Debates in &s;everal Points; but when once we come to Heaven, we &s;hall then be all per|fectly agreed, then we &s;hall all with one Heart and Mind, rejoyce one with another, and that for ever.</P>
<P>Let therefore Man and Wife &s;o live together in this VVorld in&s;tructing, exhorting, and admoni&s;hing one another, and praying with, and for one another, and helping one another in the way to Heaven; and then at la&s;t you &s;hall meet together in everla&s;ting Glory, and &s;it down to re&s;t with <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac</HI> and <HI>Jacob;</HI> where you &s;hall behold God Face to Face; in who&s;e Pre&s;ence there is fulne&s;s of Joy, and at who&s;e Right|hand there are Plea&s;ures for evermore.</P>
<CLOSER><HI>Which God of his Mercy grant unto us all.</HI> Amen.</CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="13">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
