A64978:57
Christ the best husband
Christ the best husband: or An invitation of young women unto Christ Delivered in a sermon to young women. By Thomas Vincent, minister sometime of Maudlins Milkstreet, London.
London: printed for George Calvert and Samuel Sprint, 1672
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Christs invitations of you to be his Spouse, are Earnest; He is very importunate with you; He doth not tacitly signify his mind, and willingness to accept of you, which would have been an infinite condescension, and sufficient encouragement for you to apply your selves unto him; but he doth call upon you, and not only call, but he doth call carnestly; yea, he useth many arguments to persuade you; and he addeth entreaties to his invitations; He giveth us Ministers a commission to beseech you that you would be espoused unto him; He is very loth to take any denial, he is very unwilling to be put off; He knocks and knocks hard at the door of your hearts, for entertainment: and as earnestness and importunity in Prayer doth prevail with the Lord for audience and an answer; so the Lords earnestness and importunity should prevail with you for acceptance of him in this desirable relation.
4. Christs invitations of you to be his Spouse, are Earnest; He is very importunate with you; He doth not tacitly signifie his mind, and willingness to accept of you, which would have been an infinite condescention, and sufficient encouragement for you to apply your selves unto him; but he doth call upon you, and not only call, but he doth call carnestly; yea, he useth many arguments to perswade you; and he addeth entreaties to his invitations; He giveth us Ministers a commission to beseech you that you would be espoused unto him; He is very loth to take any denial, he is very unwilling to be put off; He knocks and knocks hard at the door of your hearts, for enrertainment: and as earnestness and importunity in Prayer doth prevail with the Lord for audience and an answer; so the Lords earnestness and importunity should prevail with you for acceptance of him in this desirable relation.
5. Christs invitations of you to be his Spouse, are Free; He doth not expect a portion and dowry ⟨p. 26⟩with you, as many, yea, most great persons do in their applications to any upon this account, they expect something answerable to their degree and estate; but none have any thing answerable unto Christs degree, neither doth he expect any thing, he hath enough for you and him too; and you must have nothing, if you would be espoused unto him; you must be poor, and naked, and empty, and he will enrich, and clothe, and fill, and supply you out of his treasury, with all things needful to qualify you and make you meet for himself.