It is observable, the great strength that there is in a civil Ordinance, one would think there should be more in a spiritual Ordinance: How comes it ⟨p. 306⟩to pass, that two, that it may be a month or two before were mere strangers, and yet they coming to join in marriage, if it be a true joining, their hearts close more together, then to Father or Mother, to their children, that came out of their own bodies, or brother, or sisters that lay in the same womb, they cannot have their hearts so knit together, as these two have: From whence comes this? From the virtue of Gods Ordinance; if it were not an Ordinance of God, it could not produce such an effect: If marriage, which is an Ordinance of God in civil things, and so a civil Ordinance, have such power to unite the heart, how much more spiritual Ordinances, and communion, which is the highest Ordinance for uniting the heart? and therefore we should look for more then a natural power in it: For people to love one another, and to do good to one another, hath a natural power to unite the heart; But do you look upon this communion as having the greatest power to unite the heart, by virtue of an Ordinance, that so all who have suffered never so much to join with you, may see all recompensed up to the full, and never have a repenting thought for that they have suffered and ventured.
It is observable, the great strength that there is in a civil Ordinance, one would think there should be more in a spiritual Ordinance: How comes it ⟨p. 306⟩to pass, that two, that it may be a moneth or two before were meer strangers, and yet they coming to joyn in marriage, if it be a true joyning, their hearts close more together, then to Father or Mother, to their children, that came out of their own bodies, or brother, or sisters that lay in the same womb, they cannot have their hearts so knit together, as these two have: From whence comes this? From the vertue of Gods Ordinance; if it were not an Ordinance of God, it could not produce such an effect: If marriage, which is an Ordinance of God in civil things, and so a civil Ordinance, have such power to unite the heart, how much more spiritual Ordinances, and communion, which is the highest Ordinance for uniting the heart? and therefore we should look for more then a natural power in it: For people to love one another, and to do good to one another, hath a natural power to unite the heart; But do you look upon this communion as having the greatest power to unite the heart, by vertue of an Ordinance, that so all who have suffered never so much to joyn with you, may see all recompenced up to the full, and never have a repenting thought for that they have suffered and ventured.
