This also may have place here for pressing this as a duty, that God is so formal, express, distinct and legal, (to say so) in all the business of mans salvation, viz. Christ must be a near kinsman, to whom the right of redemption doth belong; he must be chosen, called, authorized and sent, Covenants formally draw between the Father and him, the Father accepting payment and satisfaction, giving formal discharges, all done clearly and expressly. Shall the Lord be so express, plain and peremptory in every part of the business, and shall our part of it rest in a confused thought, and we be as dumb beasts before him? If it were a marriage between man and wife, it would not be judged enough, although there were consent in heart given by the woman, and known to the man, if she did never express so much by word, being in a capacity to do so. Now this Covenant between God and man, is held out in Scripture as a marriage between man and wife, Hos. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 2. The whole Song of Solomon speaketh it. The Lord useth similitudes, to signify unto us what he intends, and surely this is a special requisite in Marriage, that the wife give an express and explicit consent unto the business: The man saith so, I take thee to be my lawful wife, and do oblige my self to be a dutiful husband: The woman is obliged on the other ⟨p. 116⟩Part, to express her consent, and to say, Even so I take thee to be my lawful husband, and do promise duty and subjection: It is so here; The Lord saith, I betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt call me Ishi, my husband, Hosea 2. I will be for thee as a head and husband if thou wilt not be for another, Hosea 3. the man ought to answer, and say, Amen, So be it, Thou shalt be my God, my head, and Lord, and I shall and will be thine, and not for another, Cant. 6. 3. And so this making of this Covenant with God, is called, a giving of the hand to him, as the word is, 2 Chron. 30. 8. which doth hint a very express, formal, explicit and positive bargaining with God. So then, we conclude it to be an incumbent duty, and a very approved practice, necessary for the quieting of a mans mind, and his more comfortable being in Covenant with God, and more fully answering Gods condescendence and offer in that great and primary promise. I will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
This also may have place here for pressing this as a duty, that God is so formal, express, distinct and legal, (to say so) in all the business of mans salvation, viz. Christ must be a near kinsman, to whom the right of redemption doth belong; he must be chosen, called, authorized and sent, Covenants formally draw between the Father and him, the Father accepting payment and satisfaction, giving formal discharges, all done clearly and expresly. Shall the Lord be so express, plain and peremptory in every part of the business, and shall our part of it rest in a confused thought, and we be as dumb beasts before him? If it were a marriage between man and wife, it would not be judged enough, although there were consent in heart given by the woman, and known to the man, if she did never express so much by word, being in a capacity to do so. Now this Covenant between God and man, is held out in Scripture as a marriage between man and wife, Hos. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 2. The whole Song of Soloman speaketh it. The Lord useth similitudes, to signifie unto us what he intends, and surely this is a special requisite in Marriage, that the wife give an express and explicite consent unto the business: The man saith so, I take thee to be my lawful wife, and do oblige my self to be a dutiful husband: The woman is obliged on the other ⟨p. 116⟩Part, to express her consent, and to say, Even so I take thee to be my lawful husband, and do promise duty and subjection: It is so here; The Lord saith, I betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt call me Ishi, my husband, Hosea 2. I will be for thee as a head and husband if thou wilt not be for another, Hosea 3. the man ought to answer, and say, Amen, So be it, Thou shalt be my God, my head, and Lord, and I shall and will be thine, and not for another, Cant. 6. 3. And so this making of this Covenant with God, is called, a giving of the hand to him, as the word is, 2 Chron. 30. 8. which doth hint a very express, formal, explicite and positive bargaining with God. So then, we conclude it to be an incumbent duty, and a very approved practice, necessary for the quieting of a mans mind, and his more comfortable being in Covenant with God, and more fully answering Gods condescendence and offer in that great and primary promise. I will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
