Only concerning this, take this caution, that it is not so much what thou art willing to say in 1any case or condition, for it may be a man may be willing sometimes to match out of fear, or hope, or out of some by respect, I say, he may be willing to do any thing; and to be married to Jesus Christ, but it is another thing when a man can say, that it is the inward bent of his will, to have it done, it is the bent of his inward affection, the stream of them runs that way; this must be wrought by the Holy Ghost. And take 2heed thou be not deceived in it, for there are many unsound and false conceits, some there are that are willing to match with Jesus Christ, when they are in extremity, when they are on their 3death-bed, when they know not how to shift for themselves, but alas, such a consent is far off ⟨p. 14⟩from being a right consent, there is no freedom in this consent, that contract that is made through threatening, it is but a compelled and constrained consent, this is not that which thou canst ground on, and yet this is a frequent thing, when men are in straits, that they know not what to do, then they are willing to match with Christ. Besides it may be a man is willing to match with Jesus Christ for a time, to serve him for a fit, for 4a month or a year, but art thou willing to make an everlasting covenant with him? you know that such a covenant is required in Marriage, that women give up themselves to their husbands so long as they live together. Now ordinarily when a man considers this seriously, What, must I forsake my pleasure for ever? must I live to Jesus Christ, and no more to my self? must I bestow all my time upon him, and have no more liberty? here a man makes a stand, he is not willing to make such a covenant with him, such an everlasting Covenant; therefore consider whether thy consent be for perpetuity. Moreover, it may be thou art willing to match with him in some good mood, when thou art in a good fit, but that 5may be but a flash. There are many that for a fit in some good mood, when their hearts are wrought on, by some powerful preaching of the Word, or some transient action of the holy Ghost, they are willing to match with Jesus Christ, but this holds not.
Onely concerning this, take this caution, that it is not so much what thou art willing to say in 1any case or condition, for it may bee a man may bee willing sometimes to match out of feare, or hope, or out of some by respect, I say, he may be willing to doe any thing; and to bee married to Iesus Christ, but it is another thing when a man can say, that it is the inward bent of his will, to have it done, it is the bent of his inward affection, the streame of them runnes that way; this must bee wrought by the Holy Ghost. And take 2heede thou bee not deceived in it, for there are many unsound and false conceits, some there are that are willing to match with Iesus Christ, when they are in extremity, when they are on their 3death-bed, when they know not how to shift for themselves, but alas, such a consent is farre off ⟨p. 14⟩from being a right consent, there is no freedome in this consent, that contract that is made thorow threatning, it is but a compelled and constrained consent, this is not that which thou canst ground on, and yet this is a frequent thing, when men are in straits, that they know not what to doe, then they are willing to match with Christ. Besides it may bee a man is willing to match with Iesus Christ for a time, to serve him for a fit, for 4a moneth or a yeere, but art thou willing to make an everlasting covenant with him? you know that such a covenant is required in Marriage, that women give up themselves to their husbands so long as they live together. Now ordinarily when a man considers this seriously, What, must I forsake my pleasure for ever? must I live to Iesus Christ, and no more to my selfe? must I bestow all my time upon him, and have no more liberty? here a man makes a stand, hee is not willing to make such a covenant with him, such an everlasting Covenant; therefore consider whether thy consent be for perpetuity. Moreover, it may bee thou art willing to match with him in some good mood, when thou art in a good fit, but that 5may bee but a flash. There are many that for a fit in some good mood, when their hearts are wrought on, by some powerfull preaching of the Word, or some transient action of the holy Ghost, they are willing to match with Iesus Christ, but this holds not.
- 1Caution.
- 2Our consent must not be.
- 31 Only in extremity.1 Onely in extremity.
- 42 Not for a fit.
- 53 In good moods.3 In good moodes.
