John Calvin: The World as a Theater

23 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, John Calvin, Romans, Thankfulness, Uncategorized

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Genesis 1:1, glory, God's glory, Gratitude, John Calvin, Sermons, thankfulness, The World as Theater, theater of glory

Therefore, because God has put us in this world as in a theatre, to contemplate his glory, let us acknowledge him to be such as he declares himself to us, and because he gives us the second instruction which is even more familiar in his word, let us be more confident and stirred with a burning zeal to aspire unto him until we reach that goal, and let us be aware that this world was created for that purpose and that our Lord has placed us here and has favored us with living here and enjoying all the things he has created.

Now, the sun was not made for itself and is even a creature without feeling. The trees, the each, which produces food for us — all of that works for man. The animals, although they move and have some feeling, do not do for all that have this high capacity to understand what belongs to God, for they do not discriminate between good and evil. We also see that their life and death are for men’s use and service.

Jean Calvin, “The Triune God at Work (Gen. 1:1-2)” in Sermons On Genesis, Chapters 1:1-11:4: Forty-Nine Sermons Delivered in Geneva between 4 September 1559 and 23 January 1560, trans. Rob Roy McGregor (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, ©2009), 6.

However, we need note here that we are more than cursed and abominable if we, being masters and possessors of all the good things God has bestowed upon us, do not at least show gratitude as we worship him and confess that everything comes from.

Id., at p. 10. This is the great indictment of humanity:

²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

²⁴Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Romans 1:21–25 (ESV)

Stephen’s Speech as Legal Argument/Story Part I

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by memoirandremains in Acts, Genesis, Uncategorized, Worship

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Abraham, Acts, Acts 7, Argument, Genesis, Genesis 12, Genesis 17, Narrative, Stephen

First, the structure of Steven’s Speech in Acts 7

THE CHARGE:

Acts 6:8–15 (ESV)

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

DETAILS:

CONCLUSORY CHARGE:
This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,

EVIDENCE:
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us

LOGIC STRUCTURE:

IF
Stephen said Jesus will (a) destroy the temple and (b) change Moses customs

THEN
Stephen is blaspheming.

Therefore, Ste

STEPHENS DEFENSE

Stephen anchors his defense in the promise of God to Abraham:

A. God’s appearance to Abraham

1. Acts 7:2–3 (ESV)
2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’
2. God promises Abraham a homeland
It is probably safe to say that Stephen also implies the totality of the promises made to Abraham.

3. This scene is roughly paralleled by the God of glory’s appearance to Stephen at the end of the story:

Acts 7:54–60 (ESV)

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

B. Abraham’s Obedience (v. 4)
Acts 7:4 (ESV)
4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living.

C. God explains the delay in the promise being fulfilled/Covenant of Circumcision

1. Acts 7:5–6 (ESV)
5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.

2. Acts 7:8 (ESV)
8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

2. Genesis

Stephen’s order matches Genesis:

Genesis 17:1–14 (ESV)

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

9 And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

THE SAVOIRS/REJECTIONS

At this point, Stephen a series of three saviors who are rejected: Joseph, Moses & and then Jesus. The odd movement here is between the Temple to Jesus

George Whitefield Sermons, Walking With God.1

25 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, George Whitefield, Hebrews, Preaching

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George Whitefield, Introduction, Preachers, Preaching, Sermon Introduction, Sermon Strucutre, Sermons

This will be an analysis of the structure and content of Whitefield’s sermon “Walking With God” based upon Genesis 5:24, “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took him.”

The Introduction:

Whitefield begins the sermon by posing an issue, which the sermon will resolve:

Various are the pleas and arguments which men of corrupt minds frequently urge against yielding obedience to the just and holy commands of God.

He then restates and narrows the issue:

But, perhaps, one of the most common objections that they make is this, that our Lord’s commands are not practicable, because contrary to flesh and blood;

He then narrows the point further by turning it into an accusation in the mouth of those who refuse obedience:

and consequently, that he is ‘an hard master, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has not strewed’. These we find were the sentiments entertained by that wicked and slothful servant mentioned in the 25th of St. Matthew; and are undoubtedly the same with many which are maintained in the present wicked and adulterous generation.

Notice that at the end of this section he puts the complaint into the mouth of some who are hearing him. Whitfield knows the objection presented and he allows the one who would reject the message Whitfield brings. Whitefield effectively says to such a one, I’m talking to you.

Whitefield does not something which would not perhaps be the first move of a preacher. Rather than try to argue with them on the basis of some shared value, Whitefield states God knows and has answered this objection in the Scripture:

The Holy Ghost foreseeing this, hath taken care to inspire holy men of old, to record the examples of many holy men and women; who, even under the Old Testament dispensation, were enabled cheerfully to take Christ’s yoke upon them, and counted his service perfect freedom.

Whitefield then begins to lay out the persons who prove his point:
The large catalogue of saints, confessors, and martyrs, drawn up in the 11th chapter to the Hebrews, abundantly evidences the truth of this observation. What a great cloud of witnesses have we there presented to our view? All eminent for their faith, but some shining with a greater degree of luster than do others. The proto-martyr Abel leads the van.

At this point, Whitefield slows to consider Enoch. First, he notes the extraordinary thing about Enoch.

And next to him we find Enoch mentioned, not only because he was next in order of time, but also on account of his exalted piety; he is spoken of in the words of the text in a very extraordinary manner. We have here a short but very full and glorious account, both of his behavior in this world, and the triumphant manner of his entry into the next. The former is contained in these words, ‘And Enoch walked with God’. The latter in these, ‘and he was not: for God took him’. He was not; that is, he was not found, he was not taken away in the common manner, he did not see death; for God had translated him. (Heb. 11:5.)

Next, Whitefield considers what little can be surmised about Enoch.

Who this Enoch was, does not appear so plainly. To me, he seems to have been a person of public character; I suppose, like Noah, a preacher of righteousness. And, if we may credit the apostle Jude, he was a flaming preacher. For he quotes one of his prophecies, wherein he saith, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him’.

However, Whitfield does not allow his imagination to stray, and contents himself with God’s commendation of the man:

But whether a public or private person, he has a noble testimony given him in the lively oracles. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews saith, that before his translation he had this testimony, ‘that he pleased God’; and his being translated, was a proof of it beyond all doubt. And I would observe, that it was wonderful wisdom in God to translate Enoch and Elijah under the Old Testament dispensation, that hereafter, when it should be asserted that the Lord Jesus was carried into heaven, it might not seem a thing altogether incredible to the Jews; since they themselves confessed that two of their own prophets had been translated several hundred hears before.

Rather than running to some anecdote from 5,000 sermon illustrations, Whitfield has spent the opening section raising an issue directly and then looking to the Scripture for an example which illustrates and answers the issue raised in the first sentence. Too often, the introduction to the sermon is merely a time for bad story telling or jokes.

Having introduced his subject Whitfield then closes the introduction and sets out what he will develop at length:

But it is not my design to detain you any longer, by enlarging, or making observations, on Enoch’s short but comprehensive character: the thing I have in view being to give a discourse, as the Lord shall enable, upon a weighty and a very important subject; I mean, walking with God. ‘And Enoch walked with God.’ If so much as this can be truly said of you and me after our decease, we shall not have any reason to complain that we have lived in vain.

Whitefield has done a great deal in this introduction. First, he has raised a topic which the sermon will answer. Second, he has provided some general Bible knowledge, by using the Scripture as the basis for his illustration and discussion. Third, he has shown that walking with God is a laborious or painful thing. Fourth, he has set out the hope of the Gospel as illustrated by Enoch’s example. In the remainder of the sermon, Whitefield will set out how both a believer and one who is not yet a believer may walk with God.

Cain and Able (Genesis 4)

24 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, Lectures

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Cain and Abel, Genesis 4, Lectures, Sermons

Genesis 4:1–16 (ESV)

Cain and Abel

4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” ²And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. ³In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, ⁴and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. ⁶The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? ⁷If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. ¹¹And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” ¹³Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. ¹⁶Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Philo, On The Creation.12

18 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, Greek, Greek Translation, New Testament Background, Philo

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Greek, Greek Translation, New Testament Background, NT Background, On the Creation, Philo

The previous post may be found here:https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/philo-on-creation-11/

But not the great Moses: He taught the fundamental distinction between those things which can be seen and those ungenerated. Now, all that is perceived originates and changes; never remaining in its state. But the unseen which is perceived by the mind holds as close as brother and kinsman—eternally.

Upon that which is perceived he bestowed the familiar name “genesis.” Since the world is both seen and perceived, it must necessarily have had a genesis.

Thus, it was not for nothing that wrote of this genesis with special reverence for the work of God.

Greek Text & Notes

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Philo, On Creation.10

01 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, Greek, Philo

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Creation, Genesis, Greek Translation, New Testament Background, On Creation, Philo

Both a Father with his offspring and an artist with his artwork aim for perseverance: first, by driving off — by any contrivance— loss and injury; and then a strong desire to provide — in any way — that which is needful and profitable: now, no such relationship ever exists between that which has never come into existence and one who is not the Maker.

The prior post may be found https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/philo-on-creation-9/

Greek Text & Notes:

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Philo, On Creation.9

25 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, Greek, New Testament Background, Philo

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Genesis, Greek Translation, Moses, NT Background, On Creation, Philo

So, that part which suffers of itself can neither live nor move; rather it moves, is conformed and lives by means of the mind — which recasts it as a perfect work: the world.

Some say the world is unbegotten — those who don’t realize that they are undercutting the obligation and necessity of piety: foreknowledge. For reason says that the Father and Creator concerns himself with what has been brought to be.

τὸ δὲ παθητὸν ἄψυχον καὶ ἀκίνητον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, κινηθὲν δὲ καὶ σχηματισθὲν καὶ ψυχωθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ νοῦ μετέβαλεν εἰς τὸ τελειότατον ἔργον, τόνδε τὸν κόσμον· ὃν οἱ φάσκοντες ὡς ἔστιν ἀγένητος λελήθασι τὸ ὠφελιμώτατον καὶ ἀναγκαιότατον τῶν εἰς εὐσέβειαν ὑποτεμνόμενοι τὴν πρόνοιαν· τοῦ μὲν γὰρ γεγονότος ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τὸν πατέρα καὶ ποιητὴν αἱρεῖ λόγος·
As in the preceding verse (8), I have translated “patheton” as the part which suffers. It is possible to translate this as “that which is passive”. However, Philo does use the word “that which suffers”. In addition, he seems to be setting up a contrast between passions and reasons — that which suffers & the mind. The parts are passive & active, but such a translation seems to miss passion/reason contrast.

metaballo: literally to change & to throw. It is used in the NT to refer to a change in thinking (metaphorically). It is more than just to “transform” (Yonge) for which there is an adequate Greek word.; it is more like “trans-throw”. I have opted for “recast” to reach for some active transformation. Colson & Whitaker simply translated it as “change” which seems too weak.

Pronoian: foreknowledge, forethought. The word for knowledge or thought looks and sounds similar to the the word for “mind”. Noia (thought) and nous (mind). Thus, there is a bit of pun: by denying the operation of the mind, such persons deny the intention of the mind.

The previous post can be found here:https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/philo-on-creation-7/

Philo, On Creation 3-5

07 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Genesis, Greek, Literature, New Testament Background, Philo

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Creation, Greek, Greek Translation, Moses, New Testament Background, NT Background, On Creation, Philo

The previous post in this series may be found here.

Now, just as I explained, the start of Moses’ account is most remarkable, since it concerns the making of the cosmos, showing the cosmos in conformity to the law: the law also to the cosmos. The man regulated by that law, being conformed to the purpose and practice of nature, becomes a citizen of the cosmos which is so administered.

Now, the intellectual beauty of making the cosmos is such that no poet, no writer would be able to praise. It exceeds speech and hearing; being greater – more august – than any mortal means could possibly adapt.

Yet this must not be a cause for silence. Rather, on account of the one loved by God, we must speak even beyond our ability. We will take nothing of ourselves. In place of much, we will come to what little is possible for human thought driven by love and desire for wisdom.

Greek Text & Notes:

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Apollo 8, Let There Be Light

26 Thursday Dec 2013

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A Wedding Sermon of Thomas Manton

14 Thursday Nov 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Genesis, Preaching, Thomas Manton

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Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Genesis 2:22, Preaching, Preparation for Marriage, Puritan Preaching, Thomas Manton, wedding sermon

Volume 2 of Thomas Manton’s collected works contains “A Wedding Sermon” based upon Genesis 2:22. Manton notes especially that God brought the woman to the man, “And brought her unto the man.”

From this he concludes,

“That marriages are then holily entered into,

when the parties take one another out of God’s hands.”

This doctrine presents a problem, for we do not receive a spouse as Adam received his. God does not create a spouse and visibly bring such a one to us. How then can we be said to receive our spouse from God? He answers the question by two points:

I. For the first, they take one another out of God’s hands two ways.

1. First, we must seek to glorify God in choosing a spouse. If in all things we must seek God’s glory, we must especially do so when it comes to marriage:

A man’s chief end should be discovered in all his actions, as it must guide me in my meat, and drink, and recreations, and the ordinary refreshments of the natural life, or else I do not act as a Christian. So much more in my most important and serious affairs, such as marriage is, and upon which my content and welfare so much dependeth. Certainly, he that would take God’s blessing along with him, should make choice, in God’s family, of one with whom he may converse as an heir with him of the grace of life.

2. Second, we may be said to take our spouse from God’s hand when we see our spouse as an action of God’s providence. Now all things are matters of God’s providence; however, God does claim a greater and more immediate interest in marriage, Prov. 19:14, ‘Riches and honours are an inheritance from our fathers; but a good wife is from the Lord.’

A wife that is a wife indeed—one that deserveth that name—he that findeth her, it is a chance to him, but an ordered thing by God. He hath not only experience of God’s care, but his goodness and free grace to him in that particular. Well, then, God must be owned, sought, glorified, in this particular. The husband, in the catalogue and inventory of his mercies, must not forget to bless God for this, and the wife for the husband. The Lord was gracious in providing for me a good companion; I obtained favour from the Lord. God is concerned in this whole affair, he brought the woman to the man; he giveth the portion, which is not so much the dowry given by the parents, which is little worth, unless his blessing be added with it, as all the graces and abilities by which all married persons are made helpful one to another.

II. Why is this so necessary a duty?

1. We must give God glory for the comfort of the marriage:

A. It will be a great engagement upon us to give God all the glory of the comfort we have in such a relation, when you do more sensibly and explicitly take one another out of God’s hands.

B. It is the way to lose our comforts, when we do not own and acknowledge God’s hand in them. We are drowned in sense, inured and accustomed to second causes, so that God’s hand is invisible and little regarded, we know it not, or heed it not. Now that we may look up and own the first cause, and give him his due honour, it is good to have explicit and actual thoughts in the receiving of our mercies, so as to take them out of God’s hand; to draw aside the veil and covering of the creature, that you may remember the giver.

2. We must use our relations for God’s glory.

A. That we may carry ourselves more holily in our relations, it is good to see God’s hand in them. Every relation is a new talent [from the parable of Matthew 25] wherewith God intrusteth us to trade for his glory; and to that end we must make conscience to use it.

B. The Christian religion maketh a man conscientiously careful and tender of his duty to man, not from a natural principle, or from our own ease, peace and credit, but from the conscience of our duty to God.

C. God puts us into relations to see how we will glorify him in them; there is something more required of you than as single Christians. God that puts a man into the ministry, requireth that he should honour him, not only as a Christian, but as a minister. …God will have honour by you as a wife, or as a husband; you have a new opportunity to make religion amiable, that the unbelieving world may see how profitable the heavenly life is to human society.

3. That we may more patiently bear the crosses incident to this state of life if God call us to them

A. The married life hath its comforts, and also its encumbrances and sorrows.

B. Now it will sweeten all our crosses incident to this condition, when we remember we did not rashly enter into it by our own choice, but were led by the fair directure and fair invitation of God’s providence; we need not much be troubled at what overtaketh us in the way of our duty, and the relations to which we are called. That hand that sent the trouble will sanctify it, or he will overrule things so that they shall work for our good. If God call us into this estate, he will support us in it.

C. We tempt God when we venture upon a state of life which he hath not called us to, and have not his warrant; but when it is not good for us to be alone, and the Lord sends an helpmate for us, he will not forsake us.

4. Seek God’s help by prayer.

A. We may with the more confidence apply ourselves to God, and depend on him for a blessing upon a wife of God’s choosing, or a husband of God’s choosing. We have access to the throne of grace with more hope, because we have given up ourselves to his direction: Prov. 3:6, ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’

B. It is a blessed thing to be under God’s conduct, to be led on or led off by so wise, and powerful, and all-sufficient a guide; for such he delights to do them good, and taketh pleasure in his resolutions to prosper them. Sometimes they shall have a taste of the evils of the world, but they shall not be ruined by them. They may fall, but they shall not be dashed in pieces; it is an allusion to a vessel that gets a knock, but is not broken by the fall.

5. All temporal things are subject to God’s determination.

A. we will be better able to bear losses when we understand God’s right, “ All temporal things, we receive them from God, upon this condition, to yield them up to God again, when he calls for them.”

B. We make a snare for ourselves, and receive them not in a right notion, if we do not receive them as mortal and perishing comforts, which God may demand at pleasure, and so keep the soul loose, and in a posture of submission, if God should cross us and disappoint us in them. Thus must we use all outward comforts with that weanedness and moderation as to children, estates, and all temporal blessings, &c., that will become a sense of the frailty that is in them, and the wheelings and turnings of an uncertain world.

APPLICATION

USE 1: Seek God by earnest prayer.

1. Seek God’s leave (permission):

A.God is the absolute Lord of all things, both in heaven and earth, and whatsoever is possessed by any creature is by his indulgence.

B. All that we have or use is God’s, who reserveth the property of all to himself. In distributing to the creatures, he never intended to divest himself of his right;

C. Every one of us must get a grant of God of all that he hath; the Lord he possesseth the house that we dwell in, the clothes we wear, the food we eat; and so, in the use of all other comforts, we must have a license from God, and take his leave. God is said to have given David the wives that he had into his bosom.

2. Seek God’s wisdom, Proverbs 3:5.

A. Therefore we ought chiefly, and first of all, to consult with God, and seek his direction, for he seeth the heart, and foreseeth events. We can only look upon what is present, and there upon the outward appearance. Therefore God can best direct us in our choice, he knoweth the fittest matches and consorts for every one;

B. Man would fain work out his happiness like a spider, climb up by a thread of his own spinning. But alas! all our devices and fine contrivances are gone with the turn of a besom. He that will be his own carver, seldom carveth out a good portion to himself. They intrench upon God’s prerogative, and take the work out of his hands; and therefore no wonder if their wisdom be turned into folly.

3. Ask his blessing.

A. We ask his blessing. God doth not only foresee the event, but order it; by his wisdom he foreseeth it, and by his powerful providence he bringeth it to pass. Therefore God, that hath the disposal of all events, when our direction is over, is to be sought unto for a blessing; for every comfort cometh the sooner when it is sought in prayer; and whatever God’s purposes be, that is our duty:

B. Married persons do need, and therefore should seek, Christ’s presence to their marriage, that he would vouchsafe his presence and countenance. Be sure to invite him, and take him along with you, that he may strengthen you by his grace, and dispose all providences about you for your comfort. He puts the greatest honour upon the marriage when he doth enable you to carry yourselves graciously in that relation, and to God’s glory; and he hath the power of all providences put into his hand, as well as all grace.

USE 2: Some Advice.

1. Let not God be a loser [by your marriage].

A. Don’t make marriage an idol. “God must not have an image of jealousy set up; he must still be owned as the chiefest good. A wife is the delight of the eyes, but not the idol of the heart.”

B. Don’t let marriage distract you from pilgrimage. “No; your comforts by the way in your pilgrimage must not hinder your delight in your comforts at home and in your country; this would be like a great heir in travel that should guzzle in an alehouse, and never think of returning to his inheritance.”

C. God must be more important than even our marriage. “The bond of religion is above all bonds; all bonds between husband and wife, father and children, end in death, but the bond of Christ is eternal: your children will not lose by your faithfulness to God.”

2. Let God be a gainer [by your marriage].

A. By your daily praises, and blessing God for his providence, that hath brought you into this relation: ‘I obtained favour from the Lord.’

B. Aim that your marriage be a picture of the perfect marriage of Christ and his church. Ephesians 5:25-30.

C. .] By being mutual helps to one another in the best things, by the advancement of piety and godliness. The love of Christ doth not only enforce the husband’s duty as an argument, but points forth the right manner of it as a pattern. Christ’s love is sanctifying love: so should theirs be, such a love as showeth itself by sincere and real endeavours to bring about one another’s spiritual and eternal good. Love one another, ‘as heirs together of the grace of life,’ 1 Peter 3:7.