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ſom, ſubſtitutes himſelf in her room, takes on her
debt, and pays all that ſhe owed to juſtice and then
takes on with her. But, on cur part, juſt nothing
at all: we had no hand in the covenant of redempt-
ion: no hand in the contrivance of ſalvation; we
knew nothing. about the buſineſs; we had no
thoughts of a Redeemer, deſerved nothing but pure
wrath: we were lying with full contentment in
the devil's territories, when Chriſt was carrying
on the match.
6thly, How is the marriage concluded on his part?
1. He sends forth his ambaſſadors to court for him,
as Abraham did his ſervant for Iſaac; and there is
a great work, indeed, to make her give her conſent.
Let angels in heaven unite their topics of perfuaſion,
they could not prevail with one ſoul, if a converting
day were not come: but they muſt always ſpeak fair
to her. How rhetorical was Abrabam’s ſervant for
his master? “He hath but one child, and that child
hath great riches.” He ſecks no portion with
Rebecca, only her conſent. Thus be rhetoriſes
and flouiſhes exceedingly, and perſuades with the
greatest motives. But yet the ambaſſadors of Chriſt
have a larger commiſſion, if our eyes were opened
to ſee it: they are ſent forth to make love to the
bride, and in his name to commend Chriſt.
2. He concludes the marriage thus. The bride
being wretchedly ignorant of her true happineſs,
therefore his Father diſtreſſes her with the debt that
ſhe owes to him: and the wretched perſon is forced,
for ſometime, to mount Sinai; and there God deſ-
cends in all the circumſtances of terrible majesty!
he thunders curſes againſt her; “Curſed is every
one that continueth not in all things which are
written in the book of the law to do them,” Gal.
iii l0 God exacts all the debts; confidence roars,
and the devils are let looſe; ſhe fears hell and wrath;
