Ecumenical Christian Library

  • Loading…

My Beloved Is Mine, and I Am His

166623 min read

CANT. 2. 16.

IN this Book of the Canticles, we see the love of Christ and his Church, running toward each other in a full torrent.

The Text contains three general Parts.

  • 1 A Symbol of affection, my beloved.
  • 2 A term of appropriation, is mine.
  • 3 An holy resignation, I am his.

Doct. That there is a conjugal union between Christ and beleevers.

The Apostle having treated at large of marriage, he windes up the whole chapter thus, Eph. 5. 32. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church: what nearer than union? what sweeter? there is a twofold union with Christ,

1 A natural union; this all men have, Christ having taken their nature upon him, and not the Angels, Heb. 2. 16. but if there be no more, than this natural union, it will give little comfort; thousands are damned, though Christ be united to their nature.

2 There is a sacred union, whereby we are mystically united to Christ; the union with Christ is not personal; if Christs essence were transfused into the person of a beleever, then it would follow, that all which a beleever doth, should merit.

But the union between Christ and a Saint, is,

1 Faederal;1 my beloved is mine; God the Father gives the bride, God the Son receives the bride, God the Holy ghost tyes the knot in marriage; he knits our wills to Christ, and Christs love to us.

2 This union is vertual; Christ unites himself to his spouse, by his graces and influences, Iohn 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace: Christ makes himself one with the spouse, by conveying his Image, and stamping the impress of his own holiness upon her.

This union with Christ, may well be called mystical, it is hard to describe the manner of it; as it is hard to shew the manner how the soul is united to the body, so how Christ is united to the soul; but though this union be spiritual, it is real: Things in nature work often insensibly, yet really, Eccles. 11. 5. we do not see the hand move on the Dial, yet it moves; the Sun exhales and draws up the vapours of the earth insensibly, yet really; so the union between Christ and the soul, though it be imperceptible to the eye of reason, yet is real, 1 Cor. 6. 17.

Before this union with Christ, there must be a separation; the heart must be separated from all other lovers; as in marriage there is a leaving of Father and Mother, Psa. 45. 10. Forget also thine own people, and thy Fathers house; So there must be a leaving of our former sins, a breaking off the old league with hell, before wee can bee united to Christ, Hos. 14. 8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with Idols? or as it is in the Hebrew, with sorrows:2 Those sins which before were looked upon as lovers, now they are sorrows; there must be a divorce, before an union.

The end of our conjugal union with Christ is twofold.

1 Co-habitation; this is one end of marriage, to live together, Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts; it is not enough to give Christ a few complemental visits in his ordinances, hypocrites may do so; but there must be a mutual associating; we must dwell upon the thoughts of Christ, 1 Iohn 3. 24. he that dwelleth in God; married persons should not live asunder.

2 Fructification, Rom. 7. 4. That ye should […] married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God: the Spouse brings forth the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, Gal. 5. 22. Barrenness is a shame in Christs spouse.

This marriage-union with Christ, is the most noble and excellent union.

1 Christ unites himself to many; in other marriages there is but a person taken, but here millions are taken; alas, else poor souls might cry out, Christ hath married himself to such an ones person, but what is that to me? I am left out; no, Christ marries himself to thousands; ‘tis casta polygamia, an holy and chaste polygamy; multitudes of persons doth not defile this marriage-bed; no poor sinner, but bringing an humble beleeving heart, may be married to Christ.

2 In this holy marriage, is a nearer conjunction, than can be in any other, in other marriages, two make one flesh, but Christ and the beleever make one spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord, is one spirit: now as the soul is more excellent than the body, and admits of far greater joy; so this spiritual union, brings in more astonishing delights and ravishments, than any other marriage-relation is capable of; the joy that flows from the mystical union, is unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8.

3 This union with Christ never ceaseth. —Foelices ter & amplius,3 quos irrupta tenet copula—

Other marriages are soon at an end, Death cuts asunder the marriage-knot, but this conjugal union is eternal: thou that art once Christs spouse, shalt never be a widdow more,4 Hos. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever: to speak properly, our marriage with Christ begins, where other marriages end, at death.

In this life is but the contract; the Iews had a time set between their espousals and marriage, sometimes a year, or more: in this life is but the affiancing and contract, promises are made on both sides, and love passeth secretly between Christ and the soul; he gives some smiles of his face, and the soul sends up her sighs, and drops tears of love: But all this is but a praevious work, and something tending to the marriage, the glorious compleating and solemnizing of the Nuptials, is reserved for heaven; there is the marriage-supper of the Lamb, Rev. 19. 9. and the Bed of glory perfumed with love, where the souls of the elect shall be perpetually solacing themselves, 1 Thes. 4. 17. then shall we ever be with the Lord; so that death doth but begin our marriage with Christ.

Use 1 If Christ be the head of the body Mystical,5 Ephes. 1. 22. then this Doctrine doth behead the Pope, that man of sin, who usurps this prerogative, to be Ecclesiae caput, the head of the Church, and so would defile Christs marriage-bed; what blasphemy is this? two heads is monstrous; Christ is head, as he is husband, there is no vice-husband, no deputy in his room: The Pope is the Beast in the Revelation, (Ca. 13. 11) to make him head of the Church, what were this, but to set the head of a Beast, upon the body of a Man?

Use 2 Is there such a conjugal union,6 let us try whether we are united to Christ.

1 Have we chosen Christ to set our love upon? and is this choice founded upon knowledge?

2 Have we consented to the match? ‘tis not enough that Christ is willing to have us, but are we willing to have him? God doth not so force salvation upon us, as that wee shall have Christ whether wee will or no; we must consent to have him; many approve of Christ, but do not give their consent: and this consent must be,

1 Pure and genuine, we consent to have him for his own worth and excellency, Psa. 45. 2. Thou art fairer, than the Children of men.

2 It must be a present consent, 2 Cor. 6. 2. now is the accepted time; if we put Christ off with delayes and excuses, perhaps he will come no more, he will leave off wooing, his spirit shall no longer strive, and then poor sinner what wilt thou do? when Gods wooing ends, thy woes begin.

3 Have we taken Christ, faith is vinculum unionis, the bond of the union; Christ is joyned to us by his spirit, and we are joyned to him by faith: Faith tyes the marriage-knot.

4 Have we given up our selves to Christ? thus the spouse in the Text, I am his; as if she had said, all I have is for the use and service of Christ; have we made a surrender? have wee given up our name and will to Christ? when the Devil solicites by a temptation, do we say, we are not our own, we are Christs, our tongues are his, wee must not defile them with oathes, our bodies are his temple, we must not pollute them with sin: if it be thus, it is a sign the Holy ghost hath wrought this blessed union between Christ and us.

Use 3. Is there this Mystical Union? then from hence we may draw many Inferences.

Infer 1. 1. See the dignity of all true believers· they are joyned in Marriage with Christ, there is not only assimilation, but union, they are not only like Christ, but one with Christ; This honor have all the Saints: A King marrying a Beggar, by virtue of the union she is ennobled and made of the Bloud-Royal; […] wicked men are united to the Prince of darkness, and he settles Hell upon them for their Jointure: So the godly are divinely united to Christ, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19. 16. By virtue of this Sacred Union, the Saints are dignified above the Angels, Christ is their Lord, but not their Husband.

Infer 2. 2. See how happily all the Saints are married; they are united to Christ, who is the best Husband, Cant. 5. 10. The chief of ten thousand. Christ is a Husband that cannot be parallel’d, 1. For tender care. 2. For ardent affection.

  1. For tender care: The Spouse cannot be so tender of her own soul and credit, as Christ is tender of her, 1 Pet. 5. 7. He careth for you. Christ hath a debating with himself, a consulting and projecting how to carry on the work of our Salvation; he transacts all our affairs, he minds our business as his own; indeed he himself is concerned in it; he brings in fresh supplies to his Spouse; if she wanders out of the way, he guides her; if she stumble, he holds her by the hand, if she falls, he raiseth her; if she be dull, he quickens her by his spirit, if she be froward, he draws her with cords of love; if she be sad, he comforts her with promises.

  2. For ardent affection: No Husband like Christ for love: The Lord saith to the people, I have loved you; and they say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Mal. 1. 2. But we cannot say to Christ, wherein hast thou loved us? Christ hath given real Demonstrations of his love to his Spouse: He hath sent her his Word, which is a Love-letter; and he hath given her his Spirit, which is a Love-token: Christ loves more than any other Husband.

  3. Christ puts upon his Bride a richer Robe, Isa. 61. 10. He hath cloathed me with the garments of Salvation, he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness. In this Robe God looks upon us as if we had not sinned: This is as truly ours to justifie, as it is Christs to bestow: this Robe doth not only cover, but adorn: Having on this Robe we are reputed righteous, not only as Angels, but as Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 21. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

  4. Christ gives his Bride, not only his Golden Garments, but his Image: He loves her into his own likeness: An Husband may bear a dear affection to his Wife, but he cannot stamp his own Effigies upon her; if she be deformed, he may give her a Vail to hide it, but he cannot put his beauty upon her: But Christ imparts the beauty of holiness to his Spouse, Ezek. 16. 14. Thou wert comely through my comeliness. When Christ marries a soul, he makes it fair, Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my Spouse. Christ never thinks he hath loved his Spouse enough, till he can see his own face in her.

  5. Christ dischargeth those debts which no other Husband can: Our sins are the worst debts we owe, (if all the Angels should go to make a Purse, they could not pay one of these debts) but Christ frees us from these; he is both an Husband and a Surety; he saith to Justice, as Paul concerning Onesimus, If he ows thee any thing, put it upon my score, I will repay it, Philem. 19.

  6. Christ hath suffered more for his Spouse, than ever any Husband did for a Wife; he suffered poverty and ignominy: He who crowned the heavens with stars, was himself crowned with (Chrysost) thorns: He was called a companion of sinners, that we might be made companions of Angels; he was regardless of his life; he leaped into the Sea of his Fathers wrath to save his Spouse from drowning.

  7. Christs love doth not end with his life. He loves his Spouse for ever, Hos. 2. 19. I will betroath thee unto me for ever. Well may the Apostle call it, a love that passeth knowledge, Eph. 3. 19.

Infer 3. 3. See how rich believers are, they are matched into the Crown of Heaven, and by virtue of the Conjugal Union all Christs riches go to believers, Communion is founded in Union. Christ communicates his Graces, Iohn 1. 16. As long as Christ hath it, believers shall not want; and he communicates his Priviledges, Justification, Glorification: He settles a Kingdome upon his Spouse for her Joynture, Heb. 12. 28. This is a Key to the Apostles Riddle, 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing, yet possessing all. By virtue of the Marriage-Union, the Saints are interested in all Christs riches.

Infer 4. 4 See how fearful a Sin it is to abuse the Saints; it is an injury done to Christ, for beleevers are mystically one with him, Act. 9. 4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me; when the body was wounded, the head being in heaven cryed out; in this sense men crucifie Christ afresh, Heb. 6. 6. because what is done to his members, is done to him; if Gideon was avenged upon those who slew his brethren, Iudg. 8. 21. will not Christ much more bee avenged upon those that wrong his Spouse? Will a King endure to have his Treasure rifled? his Crown thrown in the dust? his Queen beheaded? will Christ bear with the affronts and injuries done to his Bride? the Saints are the apple of Christs eye, Zac. 2. 8. and they that strike at his eye, let them answer it, Isa. 49. 26. I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine.

Infer 5. 5 See the reason why the Saints do so rejoyce in the Word and Sacrament, because here they meet with their Husband Christ; the Wife desires to be in the presence of her Husband: The Ordinances are the chariot in which Christ rides, the lattice through which he looks forth and shews his smiling face; here Christ displaies the banner of love. Can. 2. 4. The Lords Supper is nothing else but a pledge and earnest of that eternal communion the Saints shall have with Christ in heaven: Then he will take the Spouse into his bosome; if Christ be so sweet in an Ordinance, when we have but short glances, and dark glimpses of him by saith, Oh then, how delightful and ravishing will his presence be in heaven, when we shall see him face to face, and be for ever in his loving embraces?

4 This mystical union affords much comfort to beleevers,7 in several cases.

1 In case of the dis-respects and unkindnesses of the world, Psa. 55. 3. In wrath they hate mee: but though we live in an unkinde world, wee have a kinde Husband, Ioh. 15. 9. As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you: What Angel can tell how God the Father loves Christ? yet the Fathers love to Christ, is made the copy and pattern of Christs love to his Spouse; this love of Christ, as far exceeds all created love, as the Sun out shines the light of a Torch; and is not this matter of comfort? what though the world hates me, yet Christ loves me.

2 It is comfort in case of weakness of grace; the beleever cannot lay hold upon Christ, but with a trembling hand; there is a spirit of infirmity upon him, but O weak Christian! here is strong consolation; there is a conjugal union, thou art the Spouse of Christ, and hee will bear with thee as the weaker vessel: will an Husband divorce his Wife, because she is weak and sickly? no he will be the more tender of her; Christ hates treachery, but he will pity infirmity; when the spouse is faint, and ready to be discouraged, Christ puts his left hand under her head Can. 2. 6. this is the spouses comfort, when she is weak, her Husband can infuse strength into her, Isaiah 49. 5. My God shall bee my strength.

3 It is comfort in case of death; when beleevers dye, they go to their Husband; who would not bee willing to shoot the Gulf of death, that they might meet with their Husband Christ? Phi. 1. 23. I desire […] to loose Anchor, and be with Christ; what though the way be dirty, seeing we are going to ou[…] friend; when a woman is contracted, she longs for the day of marriage; after the Saints funeral, begins their marriage; the body is ergastulum animae, a Prison to the soul who would not desire to exchange a Prison for a Marriage bed? How glad was Ioseph to go out of Prison to the Kings court God is wise, he lets us meet with changes and troubles here, that he may we an us from the world, and make us long for death; when the soul is divorced from the body, it is married to Christ.

4 It is comfort in case of passing the sentence, at the day of Judgement: There is a marriage union, and O Christian, thy Husband shall be thy Judge; a Wife would not fear to bee cast at Bar, if her Husband sat Judge; what though the Devil bring in many indictments against thee? Christ will expunge thy sins in his blood; he will say, shall I condemn my spouse? O what a comfort is this? the Husband is Judge: Christ cannot pass the sentence against his spouse, but hee must pass it against himself, for Christ and beleevers are one.

5 It is comfort in case of the Saints sufferings; The Church of God is exposed in this life to many injuries, but she hath an Husband in heaven, that is mindeful of her, and will turn her waters into wine; now it is a time of mourning with the Spouse, because the Bride-groom is absent, Mat. 9. 15. But shortly she shall put off her mourning, Christ will wipe off the tears of blood from the cheeks of his Spouse, Isa. 25. 8. The Lord God will wipe off tears from off all faces.

Christ will comfort his spouse after the time wherein she hath been afflicted, he will solace her with his love, he will take away the cup of trembling, and give her the cup of consolation, and now she shall forget all her sorrows being called into the banqueting house of heaven, and having the banner of Christs love displayed over her.

  1. Let me press several duties upon such as have this Marriage-Union with Christ.8

  2. Make use of this Relation;9 in two cases.

  3. When the Law brings in its Indictments against you; here are, saith the Law, so many debts to be paid, and it demands satisfaction; acknowledge the debt, but turn over all to your Husband Christ: ‘Tis a Maxim in Law, that the suit must not go against the wife as long as the Husband is10 living: Tell Satan when he accuseth thee, ‘tis true the debt is mine, but go to my Husband Christ, he will discharge it: Would we take this course, we might ease our selves of much trouble; by Faith we turn over the debt to our Husband: Believers are not in a state of Widdow-hood, but Marriage: Satan will never go to Christ, he knows Justice is satisfied, and the Debt-book cancell’d, but he comes to us for the debt that he may perplex us, we should send him to Christ, and then all Law-suits would cease: This is a believers Triumph, when he is in himself guilty, in Christ he is worthy, when he is spotted in himself, he is pure in his head.

  4. In case of desertion: Christ may (for ends best known to himself) step aside for a time; Cant. 5. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself; say not therefore Christ is quite gone: ‘Tis a fruit of jealousie in a Wife, when her Husband hath left her a while, to think he is quite gone from her: Upon every removal out of sight, for us to say (as Sion) The Lord hath forsaken me, Isa. 49. 14. This is jealousie, and it is a wrong done to the love of Christ, and the sweetness of this Marriage-Relation: Christ may forsake his Spouse in regard of comfort, but he will not forsake her in regard of union: An Husband may be a thousand miles distant from his Wife, but still he is an Husband: Christ may leave his Spouse, but still the Marriage Knot holds.

  5. Love your Husband Christ,11 Cant. 2. 5. love him, though he be reproached and persecuted: A Wife loves her Husband when in prison: To inflame your love towards Christ, consider, 1. Nothing else is fit for you to love: If Christ be your Husband, it is not fit to have other Lovers, that would make Christ grow jealous. 2. He is worthy of your love; he is of unparallel’d beauty, Cant. 5. 10. altogether lovely. 3. How pregnant is Christs love towards you? he loves you in your worst condition, he loves you in affliction: The Goldsmith loves his gold in the Furnace: he loves you notwithstanding your scars and blemishes: The Saints infirmities cannot wholly take off Christs love from them, Ier. 3. 1. Oh then how should the Spouse be endeared in her love to Christ! This will be the excellency of Heaven, our love will then be as the Sun in its full strength.

  6. Rejoyce in your Husband Christ;12 hath Christ honoured you to take you into the Marriage-Relation, and make you one with himself? this calls for joy: By virtue of the Union, believers go sharers with Christ in his riches. It was a custome among the Romans, when the Wife was brought home, she received the Keys of her husbands house, intimating, that the treasure and custody of the house was now committed to her: When Christ shall bring his Bride home to those glorious Mansions which he is gone before to Prepare for her, Iohn 14. 2. He will deliver up the keys of his treasure to her, and she shall be as rich as heaven can make her; and shall not the Spouse rejoyce, and sing aloud upon her bed? Psal. 149. 5. Christians, let the times be never so sad, you may rejoyce in your spiritual Espousals, Hab. 3. 17. Let me tell you, it is a sin not to rejoyce; you disparage your Husband Christ. When a wife is always sighing and weeping, what will others say, This woman hath a bad husband: Is this the fruit of Christs love to you, to reflect dishonor upon him? A melancholly spouse sads Christs heart: I deny not but a Christian should grieve for sins of daily incursion, but to be always weeping (as if he mourned without hope) is dishonourable to the Marriage-Relation, Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord always. Rejoycing doth credit your husband; Christ loves a chearful Bride; and indeed the very end of Gods making us sad, is to make us rejoyce; we sow in tears, that we may reap in joy: The excessive sadness and contristation of the godly, will make others afraid to imbrace Christ, they will begin to question whether there be that satisfactory joy in Religion as is pretended: Oh yee Saints of God forget not consolation, let others see that you repent not of your choice; ‘tis joy that puts liveliness and activity into a Christian, Nehem. 8. 10. The ioy of the Lord is your strength. Then the soul is swiftest in duty, when it is carried upon the wings of joy.

  7. Adorn this Marriage-Relation,13 that you may be a crown to your husband. 1. Wear a vail. We read of the spouses vail, Cant. 5. 7. This vail is humility. 2. Put on your Jewels. These are the graces, which for their lustre are compared to rows of Pearl, and chains of gold, Cant. 1. 10. These precious Jewels distinguish Christs Bride from strangers. 3. Carry your selves as becomes Christs Spouse. 1. In chastity. 2. In sanctity.

  8. In chastity: Be chaste in your judgments, defile not your selves with error, error adulterates the mind, 1 Tim. 6. 5. ‘tis one of Satans artifices, first to defile the judgement, then the conscience.

  9. In sanctity: It is not for Christs Spouse to do as Harlots; a naked breast, a wanton tongue, doth not become a Saint; Christs Bride must shine forth in Gospel-purity, that she may make her husband fall in love with her. A woman being asked what Dowry she brought her husband, answered, she had no Dowry, but she promised to keep her self chaste: so though we can bring to Christ no Dowry, yet he looks we should keep our selves pure, not spotting the breasts of our Virginity by contagious and scandalous sins.

FINIS.

Footnotes

  1. Religio nostra non miscet naturas sed personas conf[…]derat ↩

  2. […] ↩

  3. Horat. 1. Carm. 13. ↩

  4. […] ↩

  5. Vse 1. ↩

  6. Vse 2. Tryal. ↩

  7. Vse 4. Consol. ↩

  8. Vse 5. ↩

  9. 1 Duty. ↩

  10. Uxori lis no[…] intenditur. ↩

  11. 2 Duty. ↩

  12. 3 Duty. ↩

  13. 4 Duty. ↩

Backlinks