七月二十二日
我作你们的丈夫。（耶3：14）
基督耶稣与他的民借着婚姻的关系结合起来。他爱他的教会像爱一个童贞女一样，她还受捆锁的时候他就爱她了。他劳苦工作，像雅各爲拉结的缘故一样，直到爲她偿付完了她的赎价，现在他用他的圣灵寻找她，使她认识他，幷爱他，他等羔羊婚筵的荣耀日子来到，好彼此欢聚。尊荣的新郎现在还没有使他所爱的、完全的新妇进到父前得到天上的尊贵，他还没有使他所爱的妻子和王后得到当得的荣尊：她还在悲哀的世界上作客旅，还寄居在基达的帐棚里；但她现在已是耶稣的新妇和佳偶了，乃是他心所宝，他眼所贵，写在他的手上，与他成爲一体的。他在地上向她尽了丈夫的一切爱情的责任。
他供给她一切的需要，偿付了她所欠的一切债，准她使用自己的名字，幷分享他的富足。他绝不会向她变心变节。他从不说休她的话，因爲他说“休妻的事……都是我所恨恶的”。死亡只能分割人与人的联系，但它幷不能断开这种属灵的婚姻关系。
人在天堂上虽然幷无嫁娶的事，像天使一样；但是有一个例外，因爲在天上基督要和他的教会一同吃婚姻的筵席。这种结合是永久的，所以也是最亲密的一种婚姻。丈夫的爱虽然洁净而热烈，但比起我们主耶稣基督心中的火就显得微弱而冷漠了。基督爲了爱教会所以离了父，亲自爲她成爲肉身，降卑爲人，这种结合超出了人类的一切婚姻关系。“……基督是教会的头，他又是教会全体的救主。”
July 22
“I am married unto you.” — Jeremiah 3:14
Christ Jesus is joined
unto His people in marriage-union. In love He espoused His Church as a chaste
virgin, long before she fell under the yoke of bondage. Full of burning
affection He toiled, like Jacob for Rachel, until the whole of her
purchase-money had been paid, and now, having sought her by His Spirit, and
brought her to know and love Him, He awaits the glorious hour when their mutual
bliss shall be consummated at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Not yet hath the
glorious Bridegroom presented His betrothed, perfected and complete, before the
Majesty of heaven; not yet hath she actually entered upon the enjoyment of her
dignities as His wife and queen: she is as yet a wanderer in a world of woe, a
dweller in the tents of Kedar; but she is even now the bride, the spouse of
Jesus, dear to His heart, precious in His sight, written on His hands, and
united with His person. On earth He exercises towards her all the affectionate
offices of Husband. He makes rich provision for her wants, pays all her debts,
allows her to assume His name, and to share in all His wealth. Nor will He ever
act otherwise to her. The word divorce He will never mention, for “He
hateth putting away.” Death must sever the conjugal tie between the most
loving mortals, but it cannot divide the links of this immortal marriage. In
heaven they marry not, but are as the angels of God; yet there is this one
marvellous exception to the rule, for in Heaven Christ and His Church shall
celebrate their joyous nuptials. This affinity as it is more lasting, so is it
more near than earthly wedlock. Let the love of husband be never so pure and
fervent, it is but a faint picture of the flame which burns in the heart of
Jesus. Passing all human union is that mystical cleaving unto the Church, for
which Christ left His Father, and became one flesh with her.
