The mystical match between Christ and his churchThe mysticall match between Christ and his church

First, consider whether thou have the consent of the Son: for that is the first thing, as was said, thou must consider, whether the Son have given his consent our no: Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his consent, but doest thou believe ¹that? hast thou applied this word to thy self? there are two things which bear record with the Son that he is willing to match with us, and that is the Word and the Spirit: and consider if both have come home to thy heart yea or no, to testify this.

First, consider whether thou have the consent of the Sonne: for that is the first thing, as was said, thou must consider, whether the Sonne have given his consent our no: Now it is true that in the word he hath declared his consent, but doest thou beleeve ¹that? hast thou applied this word to thy selfe? there are two things which beare record with the Sonne that he is willing to match with us, and that is the Word and the Spirit: and consider if both have come home to thy heart yea or no, to testifie this.

1. 11 By Christs consent which is accompanied.

First, I say, Christ he hath declared his will to match with us in his Word: for though there be ¹no particular promise to John or Thomas, or to any particular man, to say Christ is willing to marry ⟨p. 8⟩thee, yet there is the general that includes the particular, as we find the substance of this general, All that receive him shall be saved; then says the Soul, but I am one that am contained under this general, this general speaks to me as well, and that as surely and as certainly, as if a Messenger were sent from heaven to assure me that the Son is willing to match with me, for thou must look what ground thy faith hath had, whether thou didst find such a word as this, and whether thou canst apply it to thy self, and hast laid hold upon it, and by resting on it, hast put thy seal to it, that God is true in such a speech as this: For you must know my beloved, that Faith must have a word, that is the proper object of Faith, for if Faith had nothing else for its object but a persuasion, or fancy of our own, faith were but a weak thing, for it would alter according to the object and ground upon which it is pitched: now a mans own opinion it is changeable, and mutable, but therefore we are said to be rooted and grounded in faith because it hath a sure foundation, there is a rock for faith to be built on, which the gates of Hell cannot prevail against: now the rock upon which faith is built, it is the Word of God, so that that faith, whereby thou believest thou art justified, that thou art grafted into Christ, that thou art matched with him, that he is become thy Husband, I say even that faith of thine must have a Word of God to be grounded upon, thou must find something in the Word that must testify to thee that Christ is willing to match with thee, for you know there is