SERMON

A

XII.

CHRIST the Believer's Husband.

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ISAIAH liv. 5.

For thy Maker is thy Husband.

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LTHOUGH believers by nature, are far from Gon, and children of wrath, even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to him again by the blood of JESUS CHRIST. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of any man living, fully to conceive, the nearness and dearness of that relation, in which they stand to their common head. He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Behold, says the blessed JESUS in the days of his flesh, " my mother and my brethren." And again after his refurrection, "go tell my brethren." Nay sometimes he is pleased to term believers his friends. "Henceforth call I you no longer servants, but friends." "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." And what is a friend? Why there is a friend that is nearer than a brother, nay, as near as one's own foul. And "thy friend, (fays God in the book of Deuteronomy) which is as thy own foul." Kind and endearing appellations these, that undoubtedly bespeak a very near and ineffably intimate union between the LORD JESUS and the true living members of his mystical body! But, methinks, the words of our text point out to us a relation, which not only comprehends, but in respect to nearness and dearness, exceeds all other relations whatsoever. I mean that of a Husband. "For thy Maker is thy husband; the LORD of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Ifrael, the God of the whole earth shall he be called."

These words were originally spoken to the people of the Jews, confidered collectively as a peculiar people, whom our LORD had betrothed and married to himself; and they seem to be spoken, when religion was on the decline among their churches; when they had, in a great measure, loft that life and power, which they once experienced; and their enemies began to infult them with a "where is now your GOD?" Such a state of things muft undoubtedly be very afflicting to the true mourriers in Zion; and put them upon crying unto the LORD, in this their deep distress. He hears their prayer, his bowels yearn towards them; and in the preceding verse, he assures them, that though the enemy had broken in upon them like a flood, yet their extremity should be his opportunity to lift up a standard against him. "Fear not, (fays the great Head and King of his church) for thou shalt not be afhamed (finally or totally); neither be thou confounded, (difsipated or dejected, giving up all for gone, as though thou never shouldst see better days, or another revival of religion) for thou shalt not (entirely) be put to shame;" though for a while, for thy humiliation, and the greater confufion of thy adverfariçs, I suffer them to triumph over thee: "For thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widow-hood any more;" i. e. I will vouchsafe you fuch another glorious gale of my blessed Spirit, that you shall quite forget your former troubled widow-state, and give your enemies no more occafion to infult you, on account of your infant-condition, but rather to envy you, and gnash their teeth, and melt away at the fight of your unthought-of glory and profperity. And why will the infinitely great and condescending JESUS deal thus with his people? Because the church is his spouse; "For, (as in the words just now read to you) thy Maker is thy husband; thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Ifrael;" and therefore he loves thee too well, to let thy enemies always trample thee under foot. LORD of Hosts is his name, the God of the whole earth shall he be called;" and therefore he is armed with fufficient power to relieve his oppreffed people, and overcome and avenge himfelf of all their haughty and infulting foes..

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This feems to be the prime and genuine interpretation of the text and context, especially if we add, that they may have a further view to the latter-day glory, and that bleffed state of the church, which the people of Gon have been looking for

in all ages, and the speedy approach of which, we undoubtedly pray for, when we put up that petition of our Lord's, "thy kingdom come."

But, though the words were originally spoken to the Jews, yet they are undoubtedly applicable to all believers in all ages, and, when inlarged on in a proper manner, will afford us suitable matter of discourse both for finners and for faints; for such as know God, as well as for such who know him not; and likewife for those, who once walked in the light of his bleffed countenance, but are now backslidden from him, have their harps hung upon the willows, and are afraid that their beloved is gone, and will return to their fouls no more. Accordingly, without prefacing this discourse any farther, as I suppose that a mixed multitude of faints, unconverted finners, and backfliders, are present here this day, I shall endeavour so to speak from the words of the text, that each may have a proper portion, and none be fent empty away.

In profecuting this design, I will,

I. Endeavour to shew, what must pass between JESUS CHRIST and our fouls before we can fay, "that our Maker. is our husband."

II. The duties of love which they owe to our LORD, who stand in so near a relation to him.

III. The miferable condition of fuch as cannot yet say, "their Maker is their husband." And

IV. I shall conclude with a general exhortation to all fuch unhappy fouls, to come and match with the dear LORD JESUS. And O! may that God who blessed Abraham's servant, when he went out to seek a wife for his fon Ifaac, bless me, even me also, now I am come, I trust, relying on divine strength, to invite poor finners, and recal backssiders, to my Master JESUS!

And First, I am to shew, what must pass between JESUS CHRIST and our fouls before we can say, " Our Maker is our husband."

But before I proceed to this, it may not be improper to ob

serve, that if any of you, amongst whom I am now preaching

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the kingdom of God, are enemies to inward religion, and explode the doctrine of inward feelings, as enthusiasm, cant and nonfenfe, I shall not be furprized, if your hearts rise against me whilft I am preaching, for I am about to discourse on true, vital, internal piety; and an inspired apostle hath told us, " that the natural man difcerneth not the things of the spirit, becaufe they are spiritually difcerned." But, however, be noble as the Bereans were; search the Scriptures as they did; lay afide prejudice; hear like Nathaniel, with a true Ifraelitish ear; be willing to do the will of God; and then you shall, according to the promise of our dearest LORD, "know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

I would further observe, that if any here do expect fine preaching from me this day, they will, in all probability, go away disappointed. For I came not here to shoot over people's heads; but, if the Lord shall be pleased to bless me, to reach their hearts. Accordingly, I shall endeavour to cloath my ideas in such plain language, that the meanest negro or servant, if God is pleased to give a hearing ear, may understand me; for I am certain, if the poor and unlearned can comprehend, the learned and rich must.

This being premised, proceed we to shew what must pass between JESUS CHRIST and our fouls, before we can fay, " our Maker is our husband."

Now, that we may discourse more pertinently and intelligibly upon this point, it may not be amiss to confider, what is necessary to be done, before a marriage between two parties amongst ourselves, can be said to be valid in the fight of GOD and man. And that will lead us in a familiar way, to shew what must be done, or what must pass between us and JESUS CHRIST, before we can say, "our Maker is our husband."

And First, In all lawful marriages, it is abfolutely neceffary, that the parties to be joined together in that holy and honour able eftate, are actually and legally freed from all pre-engage. ments whatsoever. "A woman is bound to her husband, (faith the apostle) so long as her husband liveth." The fame law holds good in respect to the man. And so likewife, if either party be betrothed and promised, though not actually married to another, the marriage is not lawful, till that preengagement and promife be fairly and mutually dissolved. Now,