§. 85. Of the matrimoniall coniunction of Chriſt and the Church. to §. 94. Of applying the word to our ſelues.

§. 85. Of the matrimoniall coniunction of Chriſt and the Church.

The forenamed ancient mariage law is here applied myſtically to Chriſt and the Church, as is euident by the next verſe, where the Apoſtle hauing reference to this verſe ſaith, This is a great myſterie. There is then a myſterie contained in it. But of what, or of whom is that myſterie? The Apoſtle himſelfe maketh anſwer, in theſe words: I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.

The myſterie in generall is this,

Chriſt and the Church are to one another as husband and wife.

The particulars of this myſterie are theſe.

The matrimoniall coniunction betwixt Chriſt & the Church is a moſt Preheminent coniunction.

Firme

Neere

Firſt of the generall.

The many eſpouſall, and matrimoniall titles, which in Scripture are giuen to Chriſt and the Church in mutuall relation of one to another, euidently ſhew that they are ioyned together by the honourable, inſeparable and inuiolable bond of mariage: He is ſtiled a Bridegroome, ſhe a Bride: he Welbeloued, ſhe Loue: he an Husband, ſhe a Wife: he an Head, ſhe the Body: both one fleſh.

2. All things requiſite to ioyne man and wife together, doe fitly concurre betwixt Chriſt and the Church.

1. They are perſons fit to be ioyned. Though Chriſt be God, yet for this end he became man: and though the Church were impure, yet for this end is ſhe cleanſed and ſanctified.

2. They haue their parents conſent: for God is the common father of both. And God hath giuen Chriſt to the Church, and the Church to Chriſt.

3. They haue giuen their mutuall conſent each to other.

4. He beareth an husband like affection to her, and ſhe is willing to yeeld a wife-like ſubiection to him.

5. He hath giuen her many fauours and gifts as pledges of his loue: and ſhe in teſtimony of her faithfulneſſe was vnder the Law circumciſed, and is vnder the Goſpell baptized: and doth binde her ſelfe with all the ſacred bonds and couenants which God to that purpoſe hath ſanctified.

6. He hath prepared places of habitation for them both together, and ſhe earneſtly deſireth to be with him.

Behold another euidence of Chriſts admirable loue to the Church, and of the neere vnion betwixt Chriſt and her. The former was that ſhe was his body. This, that ſhe is his wife: well might the Church ſay as Abigaile did, Behold, let thine handmaid be a ſeruant to waſh the feet of the ſeruants of my

Lord: and as the prodigall child, Make me as one of thine hired

ſeruants: or as the Baptiſt, I am not worthy to ſtoope downe to

vnlooſe thy ſhoe-latchets. What a fauour then is it to be made his ſpouſe, his wife, his Queene. Great was the fauour which Ahaſh-veroſh ſhewed to Eſther, when he made her his wife: he was a great Monarch, reigning from India to Ethiopia ouer 127 prouinces: but Eſther was a poore orphane and captiue: yet was not this fauour comparable to Chriſts: for there was no ſuch diſparity and inequality betwixt Ahaſh-veroſh and Eſther, as betwixt Chriſt and the Church: neither is Eſthers aduancement to be compared with the Churches: and yet there was ſome cauſe in Eſther to moue Ahaſh-veroſh to doe what he did, for ſhe was very beautifull, and louely, and worthy to be loued: but in the Church when Chriſt firſt caſt his loue on her, there was no ſuch thing. No patterne of loue can be giuen any way comparable to this.

Let the Church therefore, and all that profeſſe themſelues to be of the Church, take ſuch notice hereof, as they may endeuour to carry themſelues worthy of this honour and aduancement: not to wax proud and inſolent thereupon, but to deſpiſe all vaine and worldly toies: to anſwer loue with loue, as the Church is ſet forth in Salomons ſong; to be ſubiect to her husband, to reuerence and obey him, and to performe all duties appertaining to ſuch a wife: ſeeking by all good meanes to maintaine the honour of her place. The Church is made a patterne of dutie to all wiues: if ſhe ſhould faile, greater

inconuenience would follow from thence, then from Vaſhties diſobedience.

This is the rather to be regarded becauſe it is not only a matter of inſtruction but of triall alſo, ſhewing both what they which are of the Church ought to doe, and alſo what indeed they will doe. Wherefore no prophane perſon that lightly eſteemeth the Lord Ieſus, no Idolater that caſteth his loue on other husbands, no ſwearer or blaſphemer that diſhonoreth the great Name of Ieſus, none that any way are rebellious againſt him, none that hate, ſcorne, ſcoffe, or hurt any of his members, can haue any comfort in this aduancement of the Church, becauſe they haue no part therein, nor right thereunto.

But great is that comfort which the true Saints may receiue therein. For by vertue of this matrimoniall bond,

1. Chriſt is made a yoakefellow with his Church, and her companion. Vnder all the burdens which are laid vpon her, he putteth his ſhoulder to make it the more eaſie: yea, the great burdens of Gods wrath, the curſe of the law, and ſinne the cauſe thereof, hath he ſo taken on him, as he hath cleane freed his Church from them, becauſe they would elſe haue cruſhed her downe to hell.

2. Chriſt is as her champion to anſwer all challenges ſent vnto her, as her aduocate to plead and anſwer all the complaints that ſhall be made againſt her, as her ſuretie to diſcharge all her debts: the Church being couert-baron vnder Chriſt, he is as her ſelfe, all in all for her, and to her.

3. All his honours, goods, priuiledges are hers: ſhe hath a right to them, and her part in them, ſhe is a coheire with him (Rom. 8. 17.) a Queene becauſe he a King (Pſal. 45. 9.) and all glorious, as was noted, verſ. 27.

4. He will aſſuredly performe all the offices of an husband, as to loue her, beare with her, prouide for her, with the like. Able he is to doe all, for he is omnipotent: willing alſo he muſt needs be, becauſe willingly he hath taken vpon him this place: he hath made himſelfe a patterne to other huſbands: will he not then doe that himſelfe which herequireth of others?

If euer any wife might receiue comfort in a match, the Church may receiue comfort in this match.

The benefit of this match will yet more liuely appeare by a particular conſideration of the three forenamed properties of this matrimoniall bond, the preheminencie, firmneſſe, and neereneſſe thereof.

§. 86. Of Chriſts leauing his Father and mother for his ſpouſe.

I. The preheminencie of the matrimoniall bond betwixt Chriſt and the Church herein appeareth, that

Chriſt left his Father and his mother for his ſpouſe the Church. As Chriſt is God, God is his Father; as man, the Virgin Marie was his mother. Now the leauing of his Father muſt be taken only by way of reſemblance, in that he came from the place of his Fathers habitation, to the place where his Spouſe was. The Scripture ſaith, that he was in the boſome of his Father:

by him, as one brought vp with him, his daily delight, reioycing alway

before him: yet deſcended he into the loweſt parts of the earth

where his ſpouſe was. He came out from the Father, and came into

the world.

But truly and properly did he preferre his Spouſe before his mother. For when he was inſtructing his Spouſe, and his mother came to interrupt him, he ſaid to his mother, who is my

mother? and to his Spouſe, behold my mother.

Of the ſame minde muſt the Church, and all that are of the Church be vnto Chriſt: ſhe muſt forget her owne people, and fathers

houſe. Seeing Chriſt hath gone before vs, and giuen vs ſo good an example, what an high point of ingratitude would it be for vs, to preferre father, mother, or any other before Chriſt our husband? Note what he ſaith in this caſe, He that loueth

father or mother more then me, is not worthie of me. And againe, If any come vnto me, and hate not his father and mother, he cannot

be mine. To hate here, is to be ſo farre from preferring father & mother before Chriſt, as rather then not to loue Chriſt, to hate father and mother. Or, ſo intirely to loue Chriſt aboue all, as our loue of parents in compariſon thereof to be an hatted. Thus Leui ſaid vnto his father and mother, I haue not ſeene him:

for they obſerued the word, and kept the couenant of Chriſt.

This then is our dutie, that we ſuffer not any naturall affection and dotage on our parents to ſwallow vp that loue we owe to Chriſt, as Pharaohs ill-fauourèd and leane-fleſhed kine eat

vp the ſeuen well-fauoured and fat kine. How much leſſe ſhould any loue of this world, of the profits, promotions, or pleaſures of this world, draw away our hearts from Chriſt; ſhould we not rather ſay and doe as the Apoſtles did, Behold, we haue for ſaken

all and followed Chriſt?

§. 87. Of the indiſſoluble vnion betwixt Chriſt and the Church.

II. The firmneſſe of that bond whereby Chriſt and the Church are ſaid to be glued together, is greater and more inuiolable then that whereby man and wife are ioyned together: Death parteth man and wife: but death cannot make a diremption betwixt Chriſt and the Church: ſo as we may well from this metaphor inferre, that Chriſt and the Church are inſeparably

knit together. I will betroth thee vnto me for euer, ſaith Chriſt vnto the Church. The couenant which Chriſt maketh with his Church, is an euerlaſting couenant. The mountaines ſhall depart,

and the hils be remoued, before his kindneſſe ſhall depart from the Church.

The ſtedfaſtneſſe and vnchangeableneſſe of his will, is the only cauſe thereof. Whom he loueth, he loueth vnto the end.

His gifts and calling are without repentance. He is not like the hard hearted Iewes, who vpon euerie ſleight occaſion would put away their wiues. The Lord hateth putting away. Though therefore the Church, through her weakneſſe, doe depart from him, and play the harlot, yet returne againe to me, ſaith the Lord.

Learne we by this patterne to cleaue cloſe vnto the Lord, which is a dutie moſt due to Chriſt who cleaueth ſo cloſe to vs, and therefore oft expreſſed in the Scripture.

Three vertues there are which are of ſpeciall vſe to this purpoſe, Faith, Hope, Loue.

Faith is the hand whereby we lay faſt hold on Chriſt, and as it were knit him to our ſelues, as he by his Spirit knitteth vs to himſelfe. This maketh vs reſt and repoſe our ſelues on him for all needfull things: and not to leaue him for any thing.

Hope is the anchor, which holdeth vs faſt againſt all the ſtormes of Satan, ſo as they can neuer driue vs out of our harbour, which is the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

Loue is the glue and ſoader which maketh vs one with Chriſt: for it is the propertie of loue to vnite thoſe that loue one another in one. Ionathans ſoule was knit with the ſoule of

Dauid. For why? Ionathan loued him as his owne ſoule. He that loueth is well pleaſed with him whom he loueth, and ſeeketh alſo to pleaſe him, that they may mutually delight one in another. Were theſe three vertues well rooted in vs, we would ſay, who ſhall ſeparate vs from the loue of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation,

or diſtreſſe, &c.

§. 88. Of the equall priuiledge of all the Saints.

III. Concerning the phraſe, whereby the neereneſſe of man and wife is ſet forth (they two ſhall be one fleſh) it may be demanded how this can be applied to Chriſt and the Saints, who are more then two?

Anſw. Chriſt by one Spirit knitteth vs all into one bodie, and ſo maketh all ioyntly conſidered together one Spouſe. The multitude of Saints doth no more imply many wiues, then the multitude of members which the naturall bodie of a wife hath. This point then teacheth vs, that

In the myſticall mariage betwixt Chriſt and the Church, all and euerie of the Saints haue an equall priuiledge. Some are not Concubines, ſome wiues, nor ſome more loued, or preferred to another, but all one wife. All are one in Chriſt Ieſus.

Neither the Father that gaue them all, nor the Sonne who tooke them all, ſaw any thing in one more then in another; their meere grace moued them to doe what they did. Well may euerie one apply all the forenamed priuiledges vnto themselues: and not one emulate another.

This affordeth inſtruction to the more eminent in the Church, that like proud dames they inſult not ouer others, as if they were their hand-maids: and conſolation to the meaner ſort, that they may vphold themſelues, and poſſeſſe their ſoules with patience, and not enuie, or grieue at the outward proſperitie and priuiledges of others. In the greateſt priuiledge they are equall to the greateſt.

This of the parties coupled to Chriſt. For theſe words (they two) ſhew that all the Saints are but one: Chriſt is the other of the two. The next words (are one fleſh) ſhew how neere thoſe Saints are to Chriſt.

§. 89. Of the neere vnion betwixt Chriſt and the Church.

The maine point here to be noted is, that

Chriſt and the Church are moſt neerely linked together. What can be neerer, then that two ſhould come into one fleſh?

This is ſomewhat more then to be of Chriſts fleſh. That ſhewes we are as it were cut out of Chriſt: this ſhewes that we are againe knit to him. That was a preparation vnto this: this is as the conſummation and perfection of all. Many metaphors are vſed to ſet forth the neere vnion betwixt Chriſt and his Church, but this ſurpaſſeth them all. As here we and Chriſt are ſaid to be one fleſh, ſo in another place, one ſpirit. Well therefore might the name and title Chriſt be giuen to this Spouſe of Chriſt.

It was noted on a like ground to this, that of all other perſons the tranſgreſſion of a wife againſt an husband is moſt hainous. What then are the tranſgreſſions of the Church againſt Chriſt? As we are much more bound vnto Chriſt for the priuiledges we receiue from him as an Head and Husband, and ſo our Sauiour hauing made with vs an euerlaſting couenant of mariage, then for thoſe we receiued from him as our Creator, Lord and Maſter: ſo are the rebellions now committed againſt him more monſtrous. To Adam that broke the firſt couenant whereby like a rebellious childe and ſeruant he ſinned againſt his Father and Maſter, mercy and pardon was giuen: but to ſuch as now breake the bond of this euerlaſting couenant, and make a totall and finall deſertion, vtterly renouncing this Husband, or by their adulterie cauſe him to giue them a bill of diuorce, there remaineth no more ſacrifice

for ſinnes; but a certaine fearfull looking for of iudgement, and fierie indignation which ſhall deuoure the aduerſaries. This is to be noted, to make vs the more circumſpect ouer our waies, reſiſting ſinne in the beginning, and looking diligently leſt any

man fall from the grace of God; and giuing no place at all vnto

the Deuill. Satan will moſt endeuour to diſſolue the neereſt

bonds that God maketh. This then being the neereſt of all, we ought to be the moſt carefull in preſeruing it.

§. 90. Of the myſterie of the vnion of Chriſt and the Church.

EPHES. 5. 32. This is a great myſterie: but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.

THis verſe is a concluſion of that excellent digreſſion which the Apoſtle hath made concerning the neere vnion of Chriſt and the Church.

In it two points are to be noted.

1. A patheticall exclamation (This is a great myſterie.)

2. A particular application of the forenamed law (but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.

Here firſt note that

The vnion betwixt Chriſt and the Church is a great myſterie.

The Apoſtle could not haue ſaid more of it then to call it a myſterie, a great mysterie.

A myſterie is a diuine ſecret.

A Secret it is in two reſpects.

1. Becauſe it is not knowne.

2. Becauſe it is vnſearchable: the depth of it cannot be fathomed.

It is a Diuine ſecret, for two other reſpects.

1. Becauſe it could not haue beene opened but by diuine reuelation.

2. Becauſe when it is opened it cannot be conceiued but by the illumination of the Spirit. That Spirit which openeth and reuealeth the myſterie, muſt alſo open the eies of our vnderſtanding to diſcerne aright of it.

It is further ſaid to be a great myſterie.

1. Simply in it ſelfe, becauſe the matter thereof is deepe, difficult, waightie, and of great moment.

2. Comparatiuely in relation to other myſteries: no myſterie reuealed in Gods word comparable to it.

Let vs not preſume to meaſure it with the line of our owne reaſon. It being a great myſterie, it is aboue our capacitie: yet becauſe it is reuealed we muſt beleeue it, as we doe the

myſteries of the Trinitie, of Chriſts eternall generation, of the perſonall vnion of his two natures, of the proceeding of the holy Ghoſt, with the like; becauſe the word hath reuealed them, though we cannot fully ſee the reaſon of them. Herein lieth a maine difference betwixt our eſtate in this world and in the world to come: here we muſt beleeue what we know but in part: there we ſhall perfectly know whatſoeuer is to be beleeued. Preachers can but in part make knowne this myſterie, and hearers can but in part conceiue it, let vs therefore wait for perfect vnderſtanding of it, till all things be perfected in Chriſt: but in the meane time beleeue without doubting or wauering, that which is reuealed of it.

In our meditation of this myſterie, let vs conceiue no carnall, no earthly thing of it, becauſe it is a myſterie: it is altogether ſpirituall and heauenly. From the naturall vnion of our head and bodie, and from the matrimoniall vnion of man and wife, we may and ought to take occaſion by way of reſemblance, to helpe our vnderſtanding in the vnion of Chriſt and his Church: for this end are theſe reſemblances vſed, and by this meanes may our vnderſtanding be much helped, as by the outward elements and rites which are vſed in the Sacraments: but if becauſe of theſe compariſons we draw this which is only and wholly ſpirituall, to any carnall matter, we ſhall make that to be a thicke miſt, and darke cloud, which is giuen for a light.

The dotage of our aduerſaries is here plainly diſcouered. They make our vnion with Chriſt meerely carnall. For they conceit it to conſiſt in a corporeall commixtion of Chriſts fleſh with ours, by our eating his fleſh with the teeth of our bodies, and drinking his bloud downe our throats, and digeſting both in our ſtomacks as our bodily food, that ſo it may turne into our ſubſtance. Thus they ſhew themſelues like the dull-headed Capernaitans, and like ignorant Nicodemus. There is a great deale of groſſe abſurditie, but no great myſterie in that conceit.

§. 91. Of the Popes vſurping to be Spouſe of the Church.

The Apoſtles application of this myſterie to Chriſt and the Church, diſcouereth two groſſe errours of the Papiſts.

One, that they make the Pope a Spouſe of the Church. With what face can any apply that to the Pope and the Church,

which the Apoſtle ſo expreſly ſaith is meant of Chriſt and the Church? yea, what arrogant preſumption is it, to attribute that to mortall ſinfull man, which is proper to the eternall and holy Sonne of God? Is not this to conferre Chriſts prerogatiues vpon himſelfe, and ſo make himſelfe plaine Antichriſt? Who gaue the Church to the Pope, or the Pope to the Church? When did ſhe giue her conſent? (I ſpeake of the true Catholike Church of Chriſt.) What hath he done for her? or rather what hath he not done againſt her? The diſtinction of Imperiall and Miniſteriall Spouſe, cannot here ſerue the turne. As the metaphor of an head, ſo much leſſe the metaphor of a Spouſe will admit a miniſteriall Spouſe. As he is an adulterer that taketh vpon him to be a miniſteriall husband, ſo is ſhe an adultereſſe that yeeldeth her ſelfe to ſuch an one. The Apoſtle ſaith, I haue eſpouſed you to ONE husband.

§. 92. Of the falſe Sacrament of Mariage.

The other error is, that Mariage is a Sacrament: the maine ground whereof they haue taken from this text, which ground by the Apoſtles application of this myſterie to Chriſt and the Church, is as plainly remoued, as if the Apoſtle had purpoſely ordered his ſtile, to preuent this erroneous collection: as if he had ſaid, That none may miſtake this myſterie, and apply it to a matrimoniall coniunction of man and woman together, know that I meane no ſuch thing: the myſterie which I ſpeake of, is concerning Chriſt and the Church. I maruell how they dare miſapply that which is ſo plainly expreſſed. Though the Apoſtle had not ſo clearely ſhewed his minde and meaning, yet the verie thing it ſelfe would lead vs ſo to iudge of it. For, that which in Chriſt

and the Church is a great myſterie, in man and wife is but a ſmall matter. The vulgar Latine tranſlation firſt led them into this error, for it tranſlateth the word myſterie, a Sacrament. But a tranſlation is no ſufficient ground to proue a doctrine. Beſides the word Sacrament vſed by that Tranſlator, hath as large an extent as a myſterie: if they ſhould make euerie thing which he tranſlateth Sacrament, a proper Sacrament of the Church, there would be many more Sacraments then the Papiſts themſelues doe make.

1. As for this ſuppoſed Sacrament, no Papiſt could euer

ſhew when or where God ordained it to be a Sacrament. Nay, they agree not among themſelues about the time, how long it hath beene a Sacrament. Some of them hold, that euer ſince the firſt inſtitution of mariage in Paradiſe, it hath beene a Sacrament. But the greater number of Papiſts hold it to be a Sacrament of the new Teſtament vnder the Goſpell, becauſe their Tridentine Councell hath ſo decreed it. Where we may note how the greater number of them, when two abſurdities are queſtioned, are readie to fall into the worſt. Vnder the Law the nonage of the Church needed, and had more Sacraments then vnder the Goſpell: yet that which was in vſe as much vnder the Law as vnder the Goſpell, and had then as much to make it a Sacrament as now, was then none, yet now is one.

2. As they cannot ſhew where it was ordained for a Sacrament, ſo neither can they ſhew what is the Sacramentall ſigne thereof. Some make carnall copulation to be it. But there may be a true mariage, though the parties maried neuer know each other.

Others make the Parents giuing to be the ſigne. But they hold that that is a true mariage, which is done without parents conſent.

Others the Prieſts bleſſing. Yet they hold the mariage of Infidels and Heretiques who haue no Prieſts, to be a true mariage.

Others, the conſent of the parties themſelues. Thus ſhall a partie adminiſter a Sacrament to himſelfe.

Others, other things. Thus they wanting the light of Gods word, one ſtrayeth in one by-path, another in another, and none of them hit vpon the right.

3. A like difference there is about the forme of this Sacrament.

4. If other poſitions deliuered by them concerning matrimonie be noted, a man would thinke that they ſhould be farre from making it a Sacrament. They preferre virginitie before it. Yea, they account it a kinde of pollution. They hold it vnlawfull for Prieſts, Monks, Nuns, and ſuch like holy orders (as they eſteeme them) to marie: ſo as there is a Sacrament, whereof their holy ones may not partake. The order of

Prieſthood is a Sacrament (in their account) yet that order keepeth from mariage, ſo as one Sacrament fighteth againſt another. Yea, Infidels may be partakers of a Sacrament, and ſo their holy and precious things ſhall be denied to their holy ones, and caſt vnto ſwine. Thus we ſee a rotten building erected vpon a ſandie foundation: a falſe Sacrament eſtabliſhed vpon a falſe application of this text. Can it then ſtand?

§. 93. Of the Summe of husbands and wiues duties.

EPHES. 5. 33. Neuertheleſſe, let euerie one of you in particular ſo loue his wife, euen as himſelfe: and the wife ſee that ſhe reuerence her husband.

THe Apoſtle hauing made a large digreſsion about the mutuall relation betwixt Chriſt and the Church, whom he propounded as patternes to husbands and wiues, he now returneth to the maine point intended, namely to the duties of husbands and wiues: and ſo much doth the firſt particle imply (Neuertheleſſe) as if he had thus ſaid, Though I haue a little digreſſed

into the myſterie of the vnion of Chriſt and the Church, yet neuertheleſſe doe ye, ô husbands and wiues, call to minde that which I principally aimed at, euen your duties.

This verſe then containeth a concluſion of the Apoſtles diſcourſe, concerning the duties of husbands and wiues.

Two points are eſpecially noted therein.

• 1. A declaration of their ſeuerall and diſtinct duties.

• 2. A direction to apply their owne proper duties each of them to themſelues.

Their diſtinct duties are noted in two words, Loue.

Feare.

Theſe two, as they are diſtinct duties in themſelues, ſo are they alſo common conditions which muſt be annexed to all other duties. Loue as ſugar to ſweeten the duties of authoritie, which appertaine to an husband. Feare as ſalt to ſeaſon all the duties of ſubiection which appertaine to a wife. The Apoſtle therefore hath ſet them downe as two marks for husbands and wiues to aime at in euerie thing wherein they haue to deale one with the other.

Of theſe I will more diſtinctly ſpeake in the treatiſes of the particular duties of husbands and wiues.

§. 94. Of applying the word to our ſelues.

The direction for a particular application of their owne proper duties to either of them is here eſpecially to be noted. In this direction two things are to be obſerued.

1. That euery particular perſon apply to himſelfe that which by a Miniſter is indefinitly deliuered to all. Euery one

of you in particular, ſaith the Apoſtle: which is as much as if he had thus more largely expreſſed his minde, I haue laid downe ſuch generall duties as all husbands and wiues without exception of any of what ranke or degree ſoeuer they be are bound vnto; which though by name I haue not ſeuerally deliuered to euerie one, one by one, but generally to you all, yet doe euerie one of you apply thoſe things to your ſelues in particular.

2. That euery one apply his owne peculiar dutie vnto himſelfe. Loue being peculiar to an husband, to him he ſaith, Let him loue his wife: and reuerence being peculiar to a wife, to her he ſaith, let the wife ſee that ſhe reuerence her huſband.

The direction in euery of thoſe ſeuerall Epiſtles which were ſent to the ſeuen Churches of Aſia, (in theſe words, He that

hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches) doth teach euerie member in any of thoſe Churches to apply to himſelfe that which was deliuered to the whole Church: ſo doth a like exhortation which Chriſt with an exclamation made to the people whom he taught in parables: and this declaration of the extent of Chriſts counſell, what I ſay to

you, I ſay to all. To this purpoſe many precepts giuen to whole Churches, and to all ſorts of people are ſet downe in the ſingular number as giuen to one, as, Awake THOV that

ſleepeſt. THOV ſtandeſt by faith: be not thou high minded &c.

The life and power of Gods word conſiſteth in this particular application thereof vnto our ſelues. This is to mixe faith with hearing: faith, I ſay, whereby we doe not only beleeue the truth of Gods word in generall, but alſo beleeue it to be a truth concerning our ſelues in particular: and thus will euery precept thereof be a good inſtruction and direction

on to vs to guide vs in the way of righteouſneſſe: euery promiſe therein will be a great incouragement, and conſolation to vs to vphold vs, and to make vs hold on: and euery iudgement threatned therein will be a curbe, and bridle to hold vs in, and to keepe vs from thoſe ſinnes againſt which the iudgements are threatned. But otherwiſe, if we bring not the word home to our own ſoules, it will be as a word ſpoken into the aire, vaniſhing away without any profit to vs. Nothing maketh the word leſſe profitable, then the putting of it off from our ſelues to others, thinking that it concernes others more then our ſelues.

That we may make the better vſe of this doctrine, let vs obſerue both what are generall duties belonging to all Chriſtians, and apply them as particular to our ſelues: and alſo what duties appertaine to ſuch perſons as are of our place, calling, and condition, and more eſpecially apply them to our ſelues: let all manner of husbands, and all manner of wiues of what ranke or degree ſoeuer they be that ſhall read the duties hereafter following, know that they are ſpoken to them in particular. Let Kings and Queenes, Lords and Ladies, Miniſters and their wiues, Rich men and their wiues, Poore men and their wiues, Old men and their wiues, Young men and their wiues, all of all ſorts take them as ſpoken to them in particular. It is not honour, wealth, learning, or any other excellency, nor meanes of place, pouerty, want of learning, or any other like thing that can exempt an husband from louing his wife, or a wife from reuerencing her husband. He that ſaith euery one, excepteth not any one. Therefore euery one in particular doe yee ſo. The like application may be made to all Parents and children, Maſters and ſeruants, concerning their duties.