N01720:65
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.
A COROLLARY.
BUT it will be a very proper Thing to make an Improvement of the ESPOUSAL between our SAVIOUR and His People, for the Direction of Persons in the Married State, what should be their Carriage towards one another in it.
When the Gracious ENDS for which the Married State is Instituted, have c•me into an Enumeration, the Servants of GOD have demanded a Room for this; To be ⟨p. 40⟩a Lively Exhibition of the Union between our SAVIOUR and His People. It is impossible for Married Persons, more compendiously and more effectually to consult their own Welfare, & make their Yoke easy & pleasant unto them, than by perpetual endeavours to Exhibit what passes between a Glorious CHRIST, & the Church, whereof He says, I Marry my self unto it.
And indeed, the Crime of Adultery [I have seen an Horrible Thing, saith the Lord!] has in this thing a very singular Aggravation. As it is the blackest and vilest Injustice that can be committed, and a most Flagrant Perjury violating a most solemn Oath of GOD; So it is an abominable Breach upon that Conformity to the Union between our SAVIOUR and His People, where of Marriage is Ordained for an Exhibition. Shall not I visit for such Things, saith the Lord, & shall not my Soul he avenged on the Married, who do such Things? Indeed, tho' some Countries make it Capital, yet for the most part, An Evil & Adulterous Generation so prevails, that the Crime rarely meets with any due Punishment among the Children of Men, But GOD will not let this wickedness