The Resurrection-Day the Saints' Marriage-Day

    THE RESURRECTION-DAY THE SAINTS' MARRIAGE-DAY

    "The Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" Re 19:7.

    THE Resurrection-day is the Saints' Marriage-day; this is their espousal-day: for "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ," 2Co 11:2. But that will be the day of the solemnization of their Marriage union with Jesus Christ.

    PARALLELS.

    I. THERE is, or ought to be, a most endeared love in those parties who intend to marry one another. Nay, they, before the Marriage-Day, mutually give up themselves one to the other; sometimes in a solemn mariner, before witnesses, they are espoused: so the soul of a believer is spiritually united to Jesus Christ whilst in this world. A Saint loves Christ dearly, and Christ a Saint. Nay, and in baptism, in a most solemn and sacred manner, before many witnesses, the soul is publicly espoused to the Lord Jesus; and in the day of the resurrection shall be the solemnization of the sacred marriage.

    II. The Marriage-Day is much longed for by those who in hearty affection are espoused to one another; so the godly long for that Day, when the spiritual Marriage shall be consummated between Christ and them.

    III. The bride in the Marriage-Day is usually richly adorned; if a princess, or a person of a noble and honourable descent, she is excellently clad and adorned with rare and costly jewels, that the bridegroom may take the more delight in her; so the Church, and consequently every godly Christian, shall in the Day of the Resurrection be most richly clothed with robes of immortality. "The Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready, and to her was granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white," &c., Re 19:7-8. "The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold, she shall be brought to the king in raiment of needle-work," &c., Ps 45:13-14. Some by these white and glorious robes understand the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ; others, the righteousness of sanctification: some others conclude they are both intended, and not only so, but also those heavenly robes, with which the bodies of the Saints shall be clothed in the Day of the Resurrection, which none are able to describe; however, all conclude the Church in that Day shall shine forth so in glory and beauty, that men and angels shall admire her. No bride ever appeared in such splendour, or so richly clothed and adorned, as the bride, the Lamb's wife shall, when the Marriage of the Lamb is come.

    IV. In a Marriage-Day the bride and bridegroom have a full and perfect enjoyment of each other; and there is nothing in the world where there is so full communication of one creature to another, saith Mr. Burroughs, as there is in that condition of Marriage; so in the Day of the Resurrection, when the Church shall be Married to the Lord Jesus, the godly shall have a full and perfect enjoyment of him, whom they so dearly love, the Lord Christ in that Day will communicate of himself to his people in such a manner, that it is inconceiveable; whatsoever may delight them, rejoice their hearts, or add to their perfect happiness, he will not withhold from them. They have now only the joy and comforts of his Spirit; but then they shall have the joy and comforts of his person. "Where I am, there also my servants shall be." "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also," Joh 14:3.

    V. A Marriage-day is a jeyful Day: so will the Marriage-day of the Lamb be: "Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the Marriage of the Lamb is come," Re 9:6-7. The bridegroom rejoiceth in the bride, and the bride in the bridegroom; "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee," Isa 62:5.

    VI. In a Marriage-day the bridegroom and the bride have very great attendance, and are greatly honoured: so Christ and the Church shall have great and glorious attendance in the Day of the Resurrection, viz., all the angels of heaven. He shall come in the glory of the Father with all the holy angels. The same retinue the one shall have, the other shall have likewise.

    VII. The bride commonly makes great preparation for the Marriage-day to have all things ready; so the godly make all due preparation for the appearance of Jesus Christ, that they may be accepted of him in that Day: "The Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his bride hath made herself ready," Re 19:7.