1.84-85 the Near Conjunction of Man and Wife Together

Section 1.84. Of the Near Conjunction of Man and Wife Together.

Doctrine 2. The nearest of all other are husband and wife one to another. Every clause in the forenamed law proves as much.

1. Parents must be left for wife: who nearer than parent and child? if man and wife be near than the nearest, then they are the nearest of all.

2. A man is glued to his wife. This metaphor sets forth the nearness of a thing as well as the firmness of it: for things glued together are as one entire thing.

 3. Man and wife are one flesh: many of one are made two, but no two so nearly and truly made one as man and wife.

Reason. As God has limited a propinquity*, and unity of things, so are they to be accounted: but God has thus nearly knit man and wife together, and made them one flesh. Those whom God hath joined together, says Christ of man and wife: [Matt 19:6] in which respect matrimonial conjunction is called the covenant of God: [Prov 2:17] so as this covenant cannot be released by any, no not by the mutual consent of man and wife (Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder) yet may many other covenants made between party and party, be released and disannulled by mutual consent of both parties.

Mutual Transgressions of Man and Wife Most Heinous

Use 1. This shows that the transgressions of man and wife one against another are of all the most heinous, more than of friend, fellow, brother, child, parent or any other. Who would not cry fie upon that child that hates his parent, or fie upon that parent that hates his child? The heathen and savages would not think them worthy of human society. What then may be thought of the man that hates his wife, or the wife that hates her husband? Apply this to all other transgressions: and well note how the Lord is a witness thereof. [Mal 2:14]

Monstrous to Make Debate Between Man and Wife

Use 2. This also shows how monstrous a thing it is to sow any seeds of discord, and stir debate between man and wife. The devil's instruments they are therein, and a diabolical spirit is in them. For Satan most labors to unloose those knots which the Lord knits most firmly. Children of several venters, and several friends of each party, are much faulty herein. Cursed be they all before the Lord. [1 Sam 16:19]

All Duties Between Man and Wife to be Cheerfully Performed

Use 3. This near conjunction between man and wife is a great motive to stir them both up, cheerfully to perform all the duties which God requires of either of them. For thereby they do duty, and show kindness to their own flesh. No man may hide himself from his own flesh [Isa 58:7] at large: that is, no man may neglect any duty of mercy, or justice to his neighbor who is of the same stock that he is: shall then an husband or wife hide themselves from one another who in the nearest respect that possibly can be are one flesh? not because they come from one flesh, but because they come into one flesh.

 Hitherto of the literal sense of this verse.

The mystical follows.

Section 1.85. Of the Matrimonial Conjunction of Christ and the Church.

The forenamed ancient marriage law is here applied mystically to Christ and the church, as is evident by the next verse, where the apostle having reference to this verse says, This is a great mystery. [Eph 5:32] There is then a mystery contained in it. But of what, or of whom is that mystery? The apostle himself makes answer, in these words: I speak concerning Christ and the church.

The mystery in general is this,

Christ and the church are to one another an husband and wife.

The particulars of this mystery are these.

The matrimonial conjunction between Christ and the church is a most preeminent, firm, near conjunction.

First of the general.

The many espousal, and matrimonial titles, which in scripture are given to Christ and the church in mutual relation of one to another, evidently show that they are joined together by the honourable, inseparable and inviolable bond of marriage: He is styled a bridegroom, she a bride: [John 3:29] he well beloved, she love: [Song 1:13,15] he an husband, she a wife: [2 Cor 11:2] he an head, she the body: [Eph 5:23] both one flesh. [Eph 5:31]

The Things Which Make Christ and the Church Fit to be Husband and Wife

2. All things requisite to join man and wife together, do fitly concur between Christ and the church.

1. They are persons fit to be joined. Though Christ be God, yet for this end he became man: [John 17:19] and though the church were impure, yet for this end is she cleansed and sanctified.

 2. They have their parent's consent: for God is the common father of both. [John 20:17] And God has given Christ to the church, [Rom 8:32] and the church to Christ. [John 6:39]

3. They have given their mutual consent each to other. [Song 2:16]

4. He bears an husband-like affection to her, and she is willing to yield a wife-like subjection to him. [Eph 5:23-24]

 5. He has given her many favours and gifts as pledges of his love: [Eph 4:8] and she in testimony of her faithfulness was under the law circumcised, and is under the gospel baptized: and does bind herself with all the sacred bonds and covenants which God to that purpose has sanctified.

6. He has prepared places of habitation for them both together, [John 14:3] and she earnestly desires to be with him. [Rev 22:17,20]

An High Favor to be the Spouse to Christ

Use 1. Behold another evidence of Christ's admirable love to the church, and of the near union between Christ and her. The former was that she was his body. This, that she is his wife: well might the church say as Abigail did, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord: [1 Sam 25:41] and as the prodigal child, make me as one of thine hired servants: [Luke 15:19] or as the Baptist, I am not worthy to stoop down to unloose thy shoe-latchets. [Mark 1:7] What a favor then is it to be made his spouse, his wife, his Queen. Great was the favor which Ahasuerus showed to Esther when he made her his wife: he was a great Monarch, reigning from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces: but Esther was a poor orphan and captive: yet was not this favor comparable to Christ's: for there was no such disparity and inequality between Ahasuerus and Esther, as between Christ and the church: neither is Esther's advancement to be compared with the church's: and yet there was some cause in Esther to move Ahasuerus to do what he did, for she was very beautiful, and lovely, and worthy to be loved: but in the church when Christ first cast his love on her, there was no such thing. [see Sections 33-34] No pattern of love can be given any way comparable to this.

Direction—How Christ's Spouse Must Carry Herself

Use 2. Let the church therefore, and all that profess themselves to be of the church, take such notice hereof, as they may endeavor to carry themselves worthy of this honor and advancement: not to wax proud and insolent thereupon, but to despise all vain and worldly toys: to answer love with love, as the church is set forth in Solomon's Song; to be subject to her husband, to reverence and obey him, and to perform all duties appertaining to such a wife: seeking by all good means to maintain the honor of her place. The church is made a pattern of duty to all wives: if she should fail, greater inconvenience would follow from thence, than from Vashti's disobedience. [Esther 1:16, etc.]

Trial—Who are Christ's Spouse

Use 3. This is the rather to be regarded because it is not only a matter of instruction but of trial also, showing both what they which are of the church ought to do, and also what indeed they will do. [see Section 24] Wherefore no profane person that lightly esteems the Lord Jesus, no idolater that casts his love on other husbands, no swearer or blasphemer that dishonors the great Name of Jesus, none that any way are rebellious against him, none that hate, scorn, scoff, or hurt any of his members, can have any comfort in this advancement of the church, because they have no part therein, nor right thereunto.

Consolation—The Privileges of Christ's Spouse

Use 4. But great is that comfort which the true saints may receive therein. For by virtue of this matrimonial bond,

1. Christ is made a yokefellow with his church, and her companion. Under all the burdens which are laid upon her, he puts his shoulder to make it the more easy: yea, the great burdens of God's wrath, the curse of the law, and sin the cause thereof, has he so taken on him, as he has clean freed his church from them, because they would else have crushed her down to hell.

2. Christ is as her champion to answer all challenges sent unto her, as her advocate to plead and answer all the complaints that shall be made against her, as her surety to discharge all her debts: the church being covert-baron under Christ, he is as herself, all in all for her, and to her.

3. All his honours, goods, privileges are hers: she has a right to them, and her part in them, she is a coheir with him, [Rom 8:17] a queen because he a King [Ps 45:9] and all glorious, as was noted. [Eph 5:27]

4. He will assuredly perform all the offices of an husband, as to love her, bear with her, provide for her, with the like. Able he is to do all, for he is omnipotent: willing also he must needs be, because willingly he has taken upon him this place: he has made himself a pattern to other husbands: will he not then do that himself which he requires of others?

 If ever any wife might receive comfort in a match, the church may receive comfort in this match.

The benefit of this match will yet more lively appear by a particular consideration of the three forenamed properties of this matrimonial bond, the preeminency, firmness, and nearness thereof.

*propinquity [prəˈpɪŋkwɪtɪ] n.

1. nearness in place or time

2. nearness in relationship

[from Latin propinquitās closeness, from propinquus near, from prope near by]