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quently brought in, this would be no Confinement of Luft at all; but loofe Men would change their Wives as frequently as they do their Mistresses, and Marriage would be only a Cloak for Whoredom, under a more fpecious Name. Certainly God Almighty's Defign in the Institution of Marriage, among other things, was to confine that natural Inclination of Luft, that it should not be vagrant like that of the Beafts, but limited to the Ends of raifing an Holy Seed, and likewife of living according to the Principles of Purity. (3.) If we confider married Perfons as they are mutual Helps to one another, in managing a common Estate for the benefit of themfelves and their Children; there is nothing can fo well qualify them to answer that End, as the being linked together by an infeparable Bond, which joins their two Interests in one, and helps them to go on fweetly Hand in Hand together for their common Advantage, the Wife having no Profpect of thriving, but by the thriving of the Hufband, nor the Hufband, but that the Wife must be admitted to a fhare of his Profperity; fo that by this Chriftian wife Conftitution, they are not fo much as under the Temptation of drawing two contrary Ways, their Interefts being perfectly one and the fame. But now, upon a Suppofition of these frequent Diffolutions of Marriage, each Party would have a different Interest to carry on; The Woman upon the Profpect of parting, nay, upon the bare Suppofition of the Probability, or even Poflibility of it, would think it but Prudence to provide for that time, and to feather her Neft, by pilfering and purloining from her Hufband's Eftate, as much as she could, while they are together. (4) Marriage was inftituted

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for the mutual Love and Comfort of the Parties, that fuch a facred Friendship might ease and fweeten the feveral Troubles and Uneafineffes of Life. Now its being a perpetual lafting Bond of Amity, contributes very much to this: They know now if they have any Differences, their best, nay their only way, is to make them up, for that they have no other Door to creep out at; and therefore, inftead of driving on the Quarrel to a Rupture with a Perfon to whom they are tied for Life, their Reafon teacheth them to be reconciled as foon as is poffible, and to make each other happy in their Cohabitation, fince it cannot be by their Parting: Whereas if it were otherwise, Quarrels will be made and fomented on purpose to make way for a final Breach.

2. As the Ends of Marriage could not be attained, (and then Marriage would be little better than a State of Concubinage) fo this difcrediting, and making light of Marriage, would be attended with divers other very great Inconveniencies. Particularly the weaker Sex, after having left Father and Mother, after having been deprived of their Portion and their Honour, must be turned off like a caft Mifs, to ftrive with Solitude and Discontent all the reft of their Life. The moft Sacred Friendships must be diffolved, and in old Age, to be fure, when the want of Charms, and abounding of Infirmities, do moft call for Help and Comfort, then should Mankind and Womankind be left most deftitute. And which of the two, may it be prefumed, would prove the better Help meet; Whether the Companion for Life, the infeparable Friend for better, for worse, or the Temporary Companion? But I have faid en ough

enough for this first part of our Saviour's Doctrine in this Matter, to account for the forbidding of Divorces for every light Cause.

(2.) I fuppofe there is no Occafion to fay much for the other part of it, the permitting them in cafe of the Breach of the Marriage Covenant: for as in all Covenants, when one of the Parties breaks the fundamental Articles, the other is abfolved if he pleases; fo it is very fit that it should be in this great Marriage-Covenant; efpccially confidering what an intolerable Hardship it would put on the innocent Party, to be obliged to love and trust one that betrays him; to maintain and provide for an adulterous Brood, 'and to have his Right made away to Strangers. It is certainly very neceffary that fomething fhould be left in his Power to diftinguish between a true and a falfe Wife; and there is no reason they fhould be both treated alike; and there is reafon too, that a Diftinction be made between fuch leffer Failings, which are confiftent with Conjugal Honefty, and that Grand Treafon of being unfaithful to the Marriage Covenant.

3. From what has been faid, it will be no hard Matter to folve any Objections that can be brought against this Doctrine of our Saviour's. For, first, If it fhould be objected, that there are many other Caufes of Divorce befides the Breach of the Marriage Covenant, fuch as natural Difabilities, Precontracts, the being within the Degrees of Affinity or Confanguinity, fet by the Laws of God; Snares laid by the Wife to the Life of the Hufband; infuperable Ill-nature, and proud imperious Behaviour. All this, upon the Doctrine already explained, may cafily be accounted for: first, as for Pre-contracts, natural Difabilities, and Kindred within

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within the prohibited Degrees, it may fuffice to remember what has been faid, that our Saviour is not difcourfing of the Impediments which hinder Marriage from being lawfully contracted, but of the Caufes which are fufficient to diffolve a lawful Marriage. Secondly, As for Pride, Paffion, Peevifhnefs, and Ill-humour, while these common Infirmities do not extend to an Enmity to the Husband, or to a Breach of Fidelity to him, they are a proper Subject to be managed and cured by Patience, Good-humour, and a Mixture of Love and Authority, and the Advice of Friends; but the laft Remedy must be referved for the Fundamental Breach of the Marriage-Covenant. As for Attempts upon Life, they are fuch Odious and extraordinary Cafes, that they ought not to be put; for I believe they scarce ever happen, but where the Woman's Affection is totally alienated, and she is likewife guilty of the other fort of Trangreffions, for which Divorces are permitted; or if they break out into Overt-Acts, human Laws have provided other more fevere Punishments for them, which will fet the innocent Perfon at Liberty; or if they have not broke out into any dangerous Facts, but confift within the Bounds of angry Words, though very provoking, there are other ways of a Man's fecuring himself, and working a Reformation in her, provided she be true to him in the main, without going to the Extremity of a Divorce, or Total Separation.

I fhould now, in the laft Place, draw fome Inferences or Corollaries from what has been faid; but that I may not too much exercise your Patience, I fhall but briefly name them, leaving the further Improvement of them to your own Meditations.

1. First

1. First then, from our Saviour's retrenching a Permiffion concerning a great Liberty of Divorce, which, because of the Hardness of their Hearts, Mofes had made to the Jews; we may obferve, that our Saviour doth not only act the Part of a good Interpreter of the Law, but fometimes makes ufe of the Authority of a Legislator too.

2. From the Prohibition to part, except on the Account of Adultery, which diffolves the Marriage-Bond, we may obferve how facred and inviolable our Saviour would have the State of Marriage to be. He makes it a Covenant for Life; and this should teach us two Things. ft. With what Deliberation, Prudence, and Circumfpection, we should enter into that lafting State. If we be but to make a Voyage of fix Weeks, or two Months, with a Master of a Ship, we inform ourfelves carefully whether he is a Man of a good Temper or not; and if he is of a furly morofe Difpofition, we do not care, even for fo little a time, to put ourfelves in his Power; how much more Reason is there for this nice Enquiry in choofing a Companion for Life? 2. After we are engaged, this Doctrine teaches us with what Sweetnefs and Friendliness of Temper we ought to behave ourselves, fo as to make the Journey of Life pleafant, both to ourselves, and to this our infeparable Companion. What a deal of Patience, and Good-humour, and Self-denial, is requifite to bear with the Uneafineffes, and to go pleasantly through the Difficulties of fuch a Relation, where, when we are once engaged, we must make the beft of it; there is no Help but cultivating of it into a perfect Friendship to make it easy and pleasant. If this were duly confidered, inftead of fnarling

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