N01720:50
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.
But then thy Resignation of thy self unto thy SAVIOUR must accompany it. In ONE WORD Resign thy self unto Him: Resolve to be His; Engage to be For Him and not for another. Thy SAVIOUR, willing to be Thine, does also propound This; Art thou willing to be Mine? And now let that ONE WORD heartily come from thee; Psal. CXIX. 94. Lord, I am Thine, save me. The Point is gained. Yea, but in this Act of Resignation there must and will be nothing less than thy very All included. Resign thy Spirit unto Him, and say, O my SAVIOUR, I desire that all the Faculties of my Soul may be filled with thee, and used for thee. Resign thy Body unto Him, and say, O my SAVIOUR, I desire that my Earthly Tabernacle may be a Temple for thee, and all the Organs of it, the Instruments of thy Righteousness. Resign to ⟨p. 27⟩Him all thy Possessions, all thy Capacities▪ and say, O my SAVIOUR, I desire that all my Talents may be ever employed according to thy Direction, and for the service of thy Kingdom. All this is in that ONE WORD, Lord, I am Thine. But Remember, Thou art as well to Renounce as to Receive. Taking thy SAVIOUR for thy Espoused Lord, all other Lords and Lovers are to be shaken off: All Creatures to be abandoned. No more must any Creatures be to thee, what is to be found in a Glorious CHRIST alone: And the Temptations of Satan must be no longer hearkened unto. Thy Soul must now say, Lord, Other Lords, even the Flesh, & the World, and the Devil, have had a dominion over me; But now Thou only shalt be my Lord and my God. Thy Language must be that; Hos. XIV. 8. What have I any more to do with Idols?. This ONE WORD has tied the Indissoluble Knot. Thou art without any more ado Espoused unto thy SAVIOUR.
But then thy Resignation of thy self unto thy SAVIOUR must accompany it. In ONE WORD Resign thy self unto Him: Resolve to be His; Engage to be For Him and not for another. Thy SAVIOUR, willing to be Thine, does also propound This; Art thou willing to be Mine? And now let that ONE WORD heartily come from thee; Psal. CXIX. 94. Lord, I am Thine, save me. The Point is gained. Yea, but in this Act of Resignation there must and will be nothing less than thy very All included. Resign thy Spirit unto Him, and say, O my SAVIOUR, I desire that all the Faculties of my Soul may be filled with thee, and used for thee. Resign thy Body unto Him, and say, O my SAVIOUR, I desire that my Earthly Tabernacle may be a Temple for thee, and all the Organs of it, the Instruments of thy Righteousness. Resign to