Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Lastly, this Union unto Christ is compared unto Marriage▪ Psal. 45. Eph. 5. 32, whereby the Church hath a right and propriety created to the body, name, goods, table, possessions, purchases of Christ, and doth reciprocally become all His, resigning its will, ways, desires unto His government. Now for the discovery of this we may consider either the essentials, or the consequents of marriage. The former hath for the genus the most general requisite, consent: and that must have these differences and restrictions. First, it must be a ^amutual consent: for though Christ declare His good will, when He knocketh at our doors, and beseecheth us in the ministry of His Word; yet if we keep our distance, reject His tokens of Love and Favour, and stop our ears ⟨p. 466⟩to His invitations, there is then no covenant made; this is but a wooing, and no marriage. Secondly, it must be a ^*present consent, and in words de pr•senti, or else it is only a Promise, but no Contract. Many men, like Balaam would fain die the death of the righteous, but live their own lives; would fain belong to Christ at the last, and have nothing to do with Him ever before; would have Him out of need, but not at all out of love; and therefore for the present they put Him off: Many other suitors they have whom they cannot defer, or deny; till at last peradventure He grow jealous and weary, departs from them, and turns unto those who will esteem Him worthy of more acceptation. ^aSeeing you put the Word from you, faith the Apostle, and judge your selves unworthy of Eternal Life, Lo we turn unto the Gentiles. Thirdly, it must be free and unconstrained; for compulsion makes it a ravishment, and not a marriage. They ^bwho must be but one Body, ought first to agree in the same free and willing resolution. Many men when God