The Church
Christ'sBride. Being called Christ's bride imports . first , the abandonment of their original connections and conditions . A bride leaves father and mother , and all her kindred and natural relations , for her husband , who henceforth becomes her partner in life and object of her chief regard . The church does the same for Christ . As he loved and gave himself for her , so she renounces all , as is duty bound , for him . Hence the exhortation addressed to her in the 45th Psalm "Hearken , O daughter , and consider , and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people , and thy father's house ; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty , for he is thy Lord , and worship thou him ." They who constitute the true spiritual church of Christ were originally far off , aliens and strangers , enemies to God and Christ , and without hope ,- having no love to him , no desires after him . At that period they served other lovers . In the day of conversion , however , they obtain such a discovery of the attractive glories of his person and character as overcomes their enmity , captivates their affections , and draws them to him irrestibly , yet willingly , with cords of love . Then they renounce other Lords , casting off their subjection to them , and transferring their allegiance and homage to the King of Zion , their Divine and only rightful Lord .
They renounce likewise all other lovers , including all objects in their own nature sinful , but all those objects which , though in themselves lawful , were idolized by them , or were objecte of teir inordinate attachment . Among the latter are included natural relations .They forsake their own people and their father's house . Not that they cease to love them , or that they love them less than they did before . On the contrary , they love them much more , with a purer and more tender affection than they formerly did , while in a state of unregeneracy . They have ceased , however , to love them more than Christ , or to allow any of them to occupy so high a place as he now does in their hearts . Accordingly , they have often at his call parted from them , like Abraham , who , at the Divine command left his country and kindred , and went to sojourn in a strange land . When also the feelings and desires of earthly relations interfere with the will of Christ , believers in right exercise will rather offend them than offend him , and rather forfeit their approbation than forfeit his . Many have submitted for his sake to be disowned and disinherited by their kindred , and have their names cast out as evil .
They renounce likewise all other lovers , including all objects in their own nature sinful , but all those objects which , though in themselves lawful , were idolized by them , or were objecte of teir inordinate attachment . Among the latter are included natural relations .They forsake their own people and their father's house . Not that they cease to love them , or that they love them less than they did before . On the contrary , they love them much more , with a purer and more tender affection than they formerly did , while in a state of unregeneracy . They have ceased , however , to love them more than Christ , or to allow any of them to occupy so high a place as he now does in their hearts . Accordingly , they have often at his call parted from them , like Abraham , who , at the Divine command left his country and kindred , and went to sojourn in a strange land . When also the feelings and desires of earthly relations interfere with the will of Christ , believers in right exercise will rather offend them than offend him , and rather forfeit their approbation than forfeit his . Many have submitted for his sake to be disowned and disinherited by their kindred , and have their names cast out as evil .
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