The fourth is that union that follows upon this, 1and the solemn celebration of the Marriage which is done in Baptism, when you were asked this question, even as it is in ordinary marriage, Will you have this man to your wedded husband, will you take him for better and for worse, will you be content to renounce all others and to be alone to him, to serve and obey him? so in Baptism it was asked: Will you be content to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, to renounce the world, the flesh and the Devil? &c. When men were of riper years and converted, this was answered to by word of mouth from the party himself, and now when you are baptized young, it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are under-age, which when they come to age they use not to disavow, but are obliged to confirm it: of that force is Baptism unto us. This I say, is the solemnizing as it were of the nuptials between Christ and us, when we are baptized into his Name, when we leave the former name that we had before; as a wife doth, we forsake father and mother and cleave to him, so that a man is no more sui juris, but is given up to this Husband, to live after his will, to be subject to him in all things, and take him even as he taketh us; he takes us to ⟨p. 6⟩keep us in sickness and in health, not to cast us off, notwithstanding our infirmities, but to keep to us and communicate himself alone to us, and not to reprobate men cast off; so we take him with all crosses and afflictions, that attend the profession of him, to follow him through thick and thin, as well in adversity as in prosperity, to keep the soul chaste to him, and not to prostitute it to any lust or any creature.
The fourth is that union that followes upon this, 1and the solemne celebration of the Marriage which is done in Baptisme, when you were asked this question, even as it is in ordinary marriage, Will you have this man to your wedded husband, will you take him for better and for worse, will you bee content to renounce all others and to bee alone to him, to serve and obey him? so in Baptisme it was ask't: Will you bee content to deny ungodlinesse, and worldly lusts, to renounce the world, the flesh and the Devill? &c. When men were of riper yeeres and converted, this was answered to by word of mouth from the party himselfe, and now when you are baptized young, it is even as it is in marriages which are made when the parties are under-age, which when they come to age they use not to disavow, but are obliged to confirme it: of that force is Baptisme unto us. This I say, is the solemnizing as it were of the nuptials betweene Christ and us, when we are baptized into his Name, when wee leave the former name that wee had before; as a wife doth, wee forsake father and mother and cleave to him, so that a man is no more sui juris, but is given up to this Husband, to live after his will, to bee subject to him in all things, and take him even as hee taketh us; hee takes us to ⟨p. 6⟩keepe us in sickenesse and in health, not to cast us off, notwithstanding our insirmities, but to keepe to us and communicate himselfe alone to us, and not to reprobate men cast off; so we take him with all crosses and afflictions, that attend the profession of him, to follow him through thicke and thinne, as well in adversity as in prosperity, to keepe the soule chaste to him, and not to prostitute it to any lust or any creature.
- 14 Union.4 Vnyon.
