N02580:22
The mystical marriage. A brief essay, on, the grace of the Redeemer espousing the…
The mystical marriage. A brief essay, on, the grace of the Redeemer espousing the soul of the believer. / By the late Reverend Dr. Cotton Mather. ; Approved by several pastors of our churches, as a present, proper to be offered unto our young people: and very particularly when the celebration of a marriage affords an agreeable occasion for it.
Boston N.E.: printed for N. Belknap, 1728
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
The Infinite Son of GOD, Espoused the Nature of Man, when the Word was made Flesh, and he condescended so far as to take a Man in One Person with Himself. The Almighty King, overlooking all the Tribes of Created, and even of Angelic Beings, Espoused unto Himself a Queen, from the Family of Mankind.—Lord what are we? And what is our Fathers House? This He did, tho' He saw the Depravation which Mankind by a Fall from God comes to Sink into. A Thing which, Oh! how should we celebrate the Grace! Grace! that we see shining in it! What an Honour does it put upon the Humane Race! And how should it Encourage our Approaches unto our GOD.
But now, the GOD-MAN, or Immanuel, is upon the Glorious Design of Espousing to Himself a Church of People, culled and called out of Mankind, into the Faith of Him. There is a CHURCH of Believers on Him, a People formed for himself, to show forth his praise, whom in a Mystical MARRIAGE He reckons Himself Espoused unto. This Church is by that Lamb of GOD Expressly called, his WIFE: And Effectually bringing this People into a Reconciliation with God, He says, Jer. III.14. I Marry my self unto you. Th•se with whom we are principally now concerned, would be little edified; with the Traditions among the Jews, of the Marriage between Tipheret and Maleuth, [So the Jewish Theology calls the Messiah, and his Church] which we apprehend represented in the Song of Solomon, and in the Forty-fifth Psalm of his Father David, ⟨p. 5⟩which that Song was built upon. Tis enough to say, That People brought into the Life of GOD, have that word fulfilled unto them; Hos. II.18, 19. I will espouse thee unto me for ever; yea, I Will espouse thee unto me in Justice, and in Judgment, and in Loving-Kindness, and in Mercies. I will even espouse thee unto me in Faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord.
But now, the GOD-MAN, or Immanuel, is upon the Glorious Design of Espousing to Himself a Church of People, cull'd and call'd out of Mankind, into the Faith of Him. There is a CHURCH of Believers on Him, a People formed for himself, to shw forth his praise, whom in a Mystical MARRIAGE He reckons Himself Espoused unto. This Church is by that Lamb of GOD Expressly called, his WIFE: And Effectually bringing this People into a Reconciliation with God, He says,