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Show We .·annot- k_now €hri.ft w ourt, The latter Is that which I intend; but fulfer a word or two upon the former: t. Chrifl may ~efaid to betheiu whom he hath feparatcd from the Pagan-world rnto a,Chttrch-!iate, to whom he hath committed his Oracles, fent his Gofpel, granted hi_s Ordinances: In this fenfe I r.ke thofe Texts, G, l, 3 .27. AJ many 4f h&ve been baptized tntoC!mft: Rom. 6: 3. A1 many as were bapti:r:ed into Jejill Chri(i were b;ptrzed znt• h11 death. Blp!tfm and outward Profeilion in a lenle make Chrifl outJ, and U4 hi<: in. which lenle there is nothing more evident than that God calls the whole Nation ofllrael hif,and all their Children hi>·-my Children: every one will undcrlland how a people thus enrolled in. Gods Regiller, and by outward Profetlion given up to God, and by the Lord fo far owned as that he fends Miniflers as his Embalfadours to entreat tltem r~ 1 be reconciled to God, grants them his Golpol exercifeth them 1 unda the cares of a more lpecial Providence, ll~~ds nearlier rela. red to Chrifl than Pagans that never heard of Chrifl or having ~card ~f hi~, mock and bialpheme him! Now rhe~ Propofitlon: 15 true In thts fenfe ; men can pretend no Relation Chriil flandeth. in to them, without fome giving up of themlelves unto him pto· portion'd to fuch·~ Rela~ion. Pag~n.s can ~!aim not~ing in G:hrifl,, ~~ey ca~not call hrm rher~ Head, dim ~avrour; But perfEin~who rn Bapttfm have been dedrcated to Chn!l, or who by an outward profetfion own Ch'ri_fl, and have given up their names to him, and call th~mfelves, by hrs ~arne, they .m~y fa.y h~ i4 theirJ; . t~at is; fo far rherrs, aS'~H~y a-re !irs: Bur rhrs rs no_r-rliar_ ~ - intepd1 rhough1 hy many th1s rs made enough. It may rn, rlus fence, be faid of many, that Chrifr if their~, and they are hi1;wllo yor may• perilh fon ever. The E vangelfl f~ith, Chrifi came an:ong(l hi< ow11 , John r. r r. He came among(i bu own, and they remvtd7um .n•t : hi1 ow~~: and yet they were Unbelievers, and fo not capable .of Salvation i~ that flare. Bbt yet I fay, before men can lay an7l dairo ·t O'\ Chrill; , they mull be able to fay, they are hi< ina prqportr~nable fenfe as to to which they lay and tnake that claim to him., · 2 , Bur fecondly, There is a far other and nearer Relation which a• Soul may h~ve to Cbri/1. and he to it,.as hois the bead ofth• Elea,. and ofBdievers. This I called Spiritualandreal; lnd e~~ , rhe o-, ther had a prf>portionable reali_ty rn it, Chrifl i.s a,-real ·headrto ~he whole vifible·Church: !fur thiS is th~r,Rel"'iSri-ti1. C'~rjA,wliich aJon~! will truly fiand the Soul ia l!ead ·; rliis is 'rlia: whrchcis the con· jugal jHgal union,,or refulteth from it. J"heorher relation of Chrill to us and us to him, lignifies little or nQ{hing, bl!t as a means in order unto this. Chrill is no-where faid to be married to an unbelieving Soul, or robe in an unbelieving Soul; he is laid ind eed to be be· trothed to his Church; (which confifis of believers and unbelie ·llle>S : ) to all thefe he hath a relation, to the t1t1C Believer, a conjugal Relation: but till the Soul befPi•illtaUyunitel:i io him, he never is irs, nor it nev.er is his by a conjugal Relation, Now rhus a Soul becometh his, 1. By a cordial acceptation of him ;,. hil GofPel, offm of himfelf ull- ,to it~ ' .2 • • By an afJual pttr{uit'JJf that acCfptation, and [urrendrr uf itl{ elf unto Ghri(l in abedience ·to hir Commandr, and devotiNg of it fclf u<to bi1 [crvic1. J. I fay tirll, By a cordial acceptation •f him, in bi1 GofP<'l-ojfrrJ of himfclf1unto him. This the ·Scripture calls .a.Receiving of,Chri(l, a b<mgwilling, .a la)linghold on the Lord1 ·Covenanr. 1Chrifl (in the <preaching df.rhe1Gofpel ~ .cometh . as a W.ooer to every one of.your Souls. The-Apollle, ,y.ou;know,,ftileth us Minillers, 2 1Cor. 5· 20. tWe ar.e-EwbafPiiOJtu{o• Cb,ift,-qs ~hough 'Got/did befeech you by m, .,.,, pray ,you,'irt rCbrijiJ flt~d!bereconciled unt•·God. Jndeed in the perfecting o[ ~his Union, •he ufer~ .another ,e:ctr4ordinary ln/fr•mmt, ~hat is; his rnofl rholy Spill!, to whom the hQnour of this work',belonge!h; Ids he who .puttoth in hif ,band by-~qe hole oftbe door: lPtjrllplontt, iand.ApoUo.J<matmtb, but belt is that giveth the. , encreafc. We bring' the ffit:Jfpel-for.<;es before the City, ,buriJe<t<f/ itth it, ; we are the :leiger Embaff~dourJ, be is the extraordinary .Envoy that comescwith arfpecial Gommilfion to this .or 1har Soul. ,But yet the Soul a<ll:eth freely, and out of choice.as "rational A·· gent; . the WheeJ ,moves whillb aughtio move firfl in all ratio!llll .¥\gents as .to all rational. acts>, ( J 'mean the will, i) but the Spirtt •is the •whetJ rwithin the· ,.,,!Jcel. 11he ·Soul becomes willing, •bur how it comes to1>e williru;,it doth not know, but cryes out Gr.ace,Grace; This.is,rhe ,Lords,doing, and it is marvtllous in our eyes. And ,that this may not feem firange to you, ·it is bur co•refpondent to atmore co.mmon wark of:God,in ordinary maruages• btrween men and .• women .:. Jiia·ve y.ou nc,ver known any Woman thai hath been follicitcd'in marriage, .and it may be hath received the mo1ion, the lirll motions,carelefly or contemptuoufly; yet it may be !he hath known as mu,h.ofthe man, then as af· tcr, |