N01720:47
A glorious espousal. A brief essay, to illustrate and prosecute the marriage, wherein our…
A glorious espousal. A brief essay, to illustrate and prosecute the marriage, wherein our great Saviour offers to espouse unto himself the children of men. And thereupon to recommend from that grand pattern a good carriage in the married life among them. : An essay proper and useful in the hands of those who travel on the noble design of espousing the souls of men unto their Saviour. But more particularly and seasonably to be presented, where a marriage is upon a celebration.
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for B. Gray, 1719
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly; Tho' the Hearty speaking of ONE WORD, will Espouse thee to thy SAVIOUR, yet sensibly feel, yet sensibly own, thy self unable to speak that One Word, until thy SAVIOUR shall please to enable thee. The Faith, by which we come into an Espousal to our SAVIOUR, has this very truly affirmed of it, It is the Gift of GOD. Soul, If thou wouldst have it given thee, the way is to count it so. Wouldst thou be Espoused unto thy SAVIOUR? Thy SAVIOUR must then hear that cry from thee, Cant. I. 4. O Do Thou draw me. In the Day when thy SAVIOUR does Espouse thee, He must also Quicken thee. Thou art lying Dead in Trespasses and Sins, putrefying in thy Sepulchre, when thy SAVIOUR says, I would Marry my self unto thee. Until He do Himself bring thee into the Life of GOD, and speak a Word of Life into thee, thou art not fit for His Embraces. What canst thou do till He Quicken thee? The first Effect of thy ⟨p. 24⟩Quickening from Him, will be, thy being made willing to be Espoused unto Him. Such is thy Corruption, such is thy Malignity, such is the Enmity of thy Carnal Mind against thy SAVIOUR, & such an Aversion hast thou for an Espousal unto Him, that tho' the speaking of ONE WORD would bring it about, yet thou wilt never speak it, until He bring thee to it, until He help thee to it. Lydia was not Espoused unto her SAVIOUR, until, The Lord opened the Heart of Lydia. Prostrate in the Dust, cry from thence unto thy SAVIOUR; O my SAVIOUR, subdue my Will; give a New Heart unto me; Let it be a Day of thy Power with me, that shall make me willing to be Thine. I perish, I perish, if thou art not stronger than I, & if thou do not prevail over me.
Secondly; Tho' the Hearty speaking of ONE WORD, will Espouse thee to thy SAVIOUR, yet sensibly feel, yet sensibly own, thy self unable to speak that One Word, until thy SAVIOUR shall please to enable thee. The Faith, by which we come into an Espousal to our SAVIOVR, has this very truly affirmed of it, It is the Gift of GOD. Soul, If thou wouldst have it given thee, the way is to count it so. Wouldst thou be Espoused unto thy SAVIOUR? Thy SAVIOUR must then hear that cry from thee, Cant. I. 4. O Do Thou draw me. In the Day when thy SAVIOUR does Espouse thee, He must also Quicken thee. Thou art lying Dead in Trespasses and Sins, putrifying in thy Sepulchre, when thy SAVIOUR says, I would Marry my self unto thee. Until He do Himself bring thee into the Life of GOD, and speak a Word of Life into thee, thou art not fit for His Embraces. What canst thou do till He Quicken thee? The first Effect of thy