part, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." Yet, proceeding upon that positive law, and applying it to the case in question, by virtue of my apostolic power to bind and loose, to open and shut, to expound and resolve obligations, I now lay it down to you Christians as the order of the Gospel, that when hea thens have been married according to the civil forms prevailing in their country, should one of them afterwards becomes a Christian, that marriage is not dissolved. It continues in all its force. Were it otherwise, not only would matrimony cease to be a civil institution, which it ever is, however fitly associated with religious ceremonies, and its obligations enforced by religious motives, but strong temptation would thereby be held out to heathens to make the cloak of an insincere profession of Christianity, the means of effecting an unjust divorce from a lawful union; thus introducing hypocrisy, disorder, and impiety into the most important relation of soci ety, and into the very bosom of the church of the living God," the pillar and ground of the truth," and of all righteousness!

But 2ndly, in v. 15, the Apostle writes, "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." Here the case is inverted. Before he spoke of the Christian party as not allowed to put away or separate from the unbelieving wife or husband-now he speaks of the latter chusing to divorce him or herself from the former, by availing themselves of the licence of separation, which the civil law may allow in such cases. With us, under Christian government, the law of the land and the law of Christianity are the same; but both under the Jewish and heathen governments the case was otherwise; large room for divorce was and is allowed, and the practice thereof very generally extended. However superfluous therefore these directions of the Apostle may seem as applied to us European Christians, they are far from irrelevant or unimportant when referred either to the early days of Christianity, when all the world was heathen or Jewish, or at the present day, to nations still involved in the darkness, and practising the evils of paganism. It has, in this country, already become a question, requiring the immediate application of the Apostle's decisive reply to the Corinthians, and therefore, important to be thoroughly examined. His rule plainly then appears to be this, that the Christian party is only absolved from the obligations of the matrimonial contract by the act of the unbelieving party, in using a power of divorce allowed by the civil law, if by that law such power be conferred: if not, then of course, both the Christian and civil law hold the marriage good and binding; if otherwise, then "a brother or sister is not under bondage in such a case;" i. e. in a case where the other, the heathen party resolves upon a separation, and actually does separate from the Christian husband or wife. The Apostle's words are, "If the unbelieving depart, &c." The original is, 'if he voluntarily, or by his own act, be separated, or put asunder, let him be so separated or put asunder,' and clearly supposes an entire divorce of person, interests, and affection. It would admit of some serious consideration, however, how far the mere act of the unbeliever, leaving, forsaking, and abandoning the Christian party, without legal forms of divorce, would apply in this case, and whether the Christian wife or husband is then absolved from all conjugal obligation, and free to marry with another. At least there can be no doubt, that all possible means should be employed to induce a reconciliation, and due time allowed for natural sentiments and habitual affection to work upon the receding party, before such a step be taken as a second marriage. And where the civil law does not decide, there the Christian church, by its usual authorities, should enjoin the neces sary caution and delay upon its members, nor permit a second marriage, till at least the continued avowal of the absenting person and other circumstances establish the determined intention not to reunite with the Christian

partner. Then I think the apostle's words go to dissolve the latter from all further obligation. In this country, especially where passions are strong, judgment weak, and the party a novice, it is as highly expedient to come to a settled conclusion, as to afford due time for the return of the heathen separatist.

Before leaving this branch of the subject, we must call attention to the motives assigned by the apostle for the forbearance and hesitation recommended by him, namely, the peace to which Christians are called, and the hope of effecting the conversion of a heathen partner to the faith of Christ. 1st, while he enjoins the necessary delay to allow for a change of purpose in the heathen, indignant at the secession of a wife or husband from the superstitions of their forefathers, yet asserts, such delay having been granted, and every effort made to effect a reconciliation, if the unbeliever will absolutely and finally separate, that a sister or brother, i. e. a Christian man or woman, is no longer, in that case, under the bondage of the former union, or held by its obligations, but is free to chuse another partner, he still subjoins, "but God hath called us to peace;" by this brief but expressive conclusion, setting in the strongest light the duty of Christians to seek and maintain peace by all means; and if in all respects, and with all men, how much more with those to whom they have been united by the closest, most affectionate, and most influential ties possible! And if in any case, surely here, habit, nature, the remembrance of past kindness, and affectionate intercourse, perhaps too the additional ties of a common offspring, will, if due season be allowed, call back in numerous instances, after the first feelings of resentment have subsided, the separating wife or husband to the Christian partner, who has been induced only by the force of conscience and the power of truth, to embrace a religion which the other yet sees not either false or injurious. But again, St. Paul urges as a second motive in this question, the probability of ultimately inducing the unbeliever, to embrace a faith proved to be excellent, and therefore divine, by its happy effects upon the believer; verse 16," For what knowest thou, O wife, whe ther thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?" Now observe, these words are addressed only to a Christian wife or husband already such, and as a motive for indul gent forbearance and delay, when the heathen party has forsaken and separated from the other, and for the use of all affectionate and engaging means to persuade to a return and reconciliation. Here is nothing rela tive to far different cases, to which the words are too often most griev ously and erroneously misapplied, as where a Christian would allege the hope of happily influencing and converting a heathen partner as an excuse for marrying such; or where, among professed Christians, a pious person would employ the same delusive argument to sanction-a union with an irreligious man or woman. Such an application of the Apostle's words is a manifest abuse of them, and only a cloak to hide the leaning of a passion or attachment, which may not piously or safely be indulged. The Christian world is universally agreed, that such unions are unlawful, and too general experience has sadly proved that the influence, instead of being on the side of truth and religion, has usually been on that of falsehood and the world. Many a pious man and woman have lost all or much of the religious peace, comfort, and steadiness before possessed, when unhappily self-deluded by this weakest of all plausible reasonings, into an ill assorted marriage; few have been the contrary cases, where the heathen or the worldling has imbibed the spirit and principles of true Christianity from a pious partner. Equally lamentable too have been the effects upon the religious education, principles and after-life of the children of such unions, who have been the fatal sufferers in both worlds, it is to be feared, of such open violations of this Divine precept, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with dark

ness, and what concord hath Christ with Belial, or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel" or unbeliever? How can there be that union of heart and mind, that consent of opinion and practice, that common effort at mutual advancement in piety and grace, as well as exertion" to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," between such parties as are not agreed in the first principles of a genuine Christianity? What comfortable freedom of soul and interchange of sentiment, what common hopes and fears and aids entertained and mutually rendered. by parties estranged in the very first essential to a close, entire, and lasting union? Should the Christian party remain firm, hold fast the spirit and practice of genuine piety unimpaired, (which is, alas! very far indeed from probable,) yet what grief must that person experience in the irreligion of one so nearly connected, perhaps the positive aversion to, and scorn of true Christianity, nay possibly, the discouragement and persecution of it in the wife or husband, the children and servants, of the common household! What unhappy influence must the offspring receive from the one party, however assiduous and zealous the other may be to inculcate and exemplify true piety and virtue! Such are the evils likely to arise, nay actually arising in most cases of the kind, alike to the man or to the woman; to the latter more especially, inasmuch as she is so much more in the power of an unbelieving, worldly, or vicious husband, and so much less qualified to guard herself from the false reasonings he may employ to work an unhappy change in her religious views; who may even restrain her freedom of access to the means of grace, and to the society of the servants of the Lord, who might help and encourage her in maintaining the faith and holding fast the profession and love of it steadfast unto the end. What wonder if in such a case she should be left to the sad experience of sorrows, sins, and sufferings against which she was warned in vain both by the Divine word and by her Christian friends and pastors! We dare not say to God, "Lead us not into temptation," if we ourselves madly rush into it. "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God," said our blessed Saviour, when the evil one would have had him expose himself, uncalled by Providence, to a gratuitous danger. Oh! then let no Christian man or woman presume to tempt God by a marriage with one that fears not Him, which must be a future subject of deep regret and sorrow, however it terminate, and under the most favourable circumstances; nor in like manner, let a Christian be permitted or allow himself to marry a heathen, with the uncertain hope of gaining a convert to Christianity. Far otherwise are we instructed, however, when the case is that of parties already united: the believing one must then not depart from, or abandon, the unbelieving, as long as the latter is willing to live with his or her former partner. "How knowest thou," how far a faithful, conscientious, affectionate, gentle conduct and fulfilment of all conjugal duties may not eventually be successful in producing a salutary conviction in the mind, and alteration of the sentiments of the husband or the wife now in native blindness and unbelief? "Show out of a good conversation your works with meekness of wisdom," that if any believe not the word, they also may with out the word," otherwise than by the direct influence of religious teaching, "be won by the conversation of the wife or husband, while they daily be hold your chaste and virtuous behaviour," and experience your affectionate solicitude for their spiritual welfare. Where these means are tried in such a case, sanctioned and blessed as they are and must be by divine grace, there is much encouragement to look for the happiest results, and that encouragement is a satisfactory argument for the self-denying patience enjoined. 3rdly: A third observation of the Apostle is noticed in the 14th "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, &c."*

verse,

A necessary adherence to our "Fundamental Rules," which forbid the insertion of any piece, "advocating the peculiarities of a particular denomination," prevents the insertion of our correspondent's observations on this clause.-ED.

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The second question to which St. Paul replies in this chapter is, whether second marriages are allowed to Christians. We see in verses 10, 11, that he allows not divorce or separation among Christians, except for the single cause which our Lord says alone can justify it, conjugal infidelity," And unto the married I command, yet not I but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband." This is the general rule of duty. 'But, and if she depart," if after every effort to curb ill temper or conduct, and to restrain from this last desperate procedure of separation, if either from long proved utter incompatibility of temper, ill usage, or other serious reason, she depart, even yet, the one only ground allowed not existing, "let her remain unmarried." There can be no divorce save for that; she is not at liberty to contract a second marriage, for she is not released from the first. "Let her therefore remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife." Both stand on the same ground in this respect. Here the Apostle gently insinuates not merely the unlawfulness of positive divorce, but the extreme inexpediency, for reasons already considered, even of the minor separation of persons and abode. Nay further, if unhappily such a disunion has taken place, the equal duty of every due disposition, and endeavour to return to conjugal intercourse and harmony. Reconciliation is the next virtue to uninterrupted matrimonial connexion, and it ought by all means to be aimed at, and if in any way possible, effected. Where any genuine Christianity prevails, it will not be difficult to compass it. But, a legal separation having taken place by legitimate divorce, or the death of one party having released the other from the obligations that continued during life, then the Apostle declares in v. 39, "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." The converse holds good of the husband on the death or legal divorce of the wife. The question is at once decided in the affirmative, that it is lawful to Christians to marry a second time, and if a second, of course, on the same principle, a third or oftener. He adds two cautions-1st, in v. 40 "But she is happier, if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God,"i. e. of course on the same consideration of the troublous times then arisen which he had adduced before as a reason for deferring any marriages whatever, and perhaps also in the case of second marriage for other reasons also, such as an undivided attention to the education of the children of a first marriage, if any exist, or a more entire devotion to spiritual improvement, particularly where persons are no longer young, and some others. The expediency formerly brought forward should therefore here also be estimated by such as would lead a tranquil and godly life: and where neither the necessity of support, nor superior advantages for religious improvement, or for the protection of the children of a former marriage do not exist, it is more consonant to the views and feelings both of nature and Christianity, to abstain from second matrimonial connexions, still more if thereby former difficulties would probably be increased and aggravated. His second caution is in the end of the 39th v. 66 only in the Lord." Here he renews the solemn advice before given at large, that Christians may not wed but with Christians, the religious only with the religious. Therein alone is their security for stability and advance in grace.

In conclusion, let me persuade all who read these observations, to bring their own circumstances, acts, and characters to the touchstone of these Apostolic instructions. Amid much that is, as we have seen, of peculiar application to days and countries of heathen ignorance and superstition, there is not less of universal force in all ages and nations. To us as Christians these lessons of holy writ are of supreme importance. The married are called to learn the spirit of purity, of piety, of forbearance, of kindness, of considerate indulgence, and of forgiving meekness and peaceableness to which

Christian husbands and wives are eminently called; nor will any plea of provocation, or fault in others, excuse or palliate the same or equal faults in ourselves. God hath called us to peace and holiness, to charity and faith; and these divine graces must ever go together, mutually supporting and enlivening each other. Let the married then search their hearts, ways, and households, and learn wisdom, benevolence, and justice; to rule with kindness, to submit with meekness; and all " provoke one another only to love and to good works."

Let the unmarried and widowed, whether men or women, weigh well the serious import and duties of the married state ere they venture to enter or re-enter upon it-a false step here is too often irretraceable, and may fill a whole after-life with sin, sorrow, and affliction. Let them cultivate the favour of God, communion with the Saviour, and those graces of Christianity and of the heart, which alone will render wise, good, or happy in either single or married life; and let them learn, "whatsoever they do, to do all to the glory of God," employing all prudence, piety, and patience, ere a decision be made in a matter so seriously affecting not only all future life on earth, but eternal life hereafter. Let Christians of all conditions be bright examples to the heathen and patterns to those converts from among them who are yet but novices, weak, and unconfirmed in Christian principles and practice and may the Holy Spirit of God" animate the whole body of the church, that all in their vocations and offices" may shew forth his praise, and honor his commands.

HAVARENSIS.

GENTLEMEN,

IV.-The Four Júgs of the Hindus.

To the Editors of the Calcutta Christian Observer,

Should you think a few particulars concerning the four Júgs or ages of the Hindus would prove interesting to your readers, the following short account, which I have extracted chiefly from the Sri Bhágbat and the Rámáyan, are at your service.

The duration of the earth, according to the Hindu shástras, is 4,300,022 years. These are divided into four ages, or Júgs, viz. the Satya Júg, corresponding with the golden age of the Greeks: the Tretá Júg, with that of silver; the Dwápar Júg, with that of brass, and the Kali Júg, with that of iron.

;

The Satya Júg, or age of truth and excellence, lasted 1,700,028 years. Men were then 21 cubits high, and lived 100,000 years. The following virtues were prevalent on the earth: truth, love, devotion, and benevolence; men were never discontented; they were compassionate, friends of all, considered all alike, were not subject to the empire of the senses; they were pious, and most anxious by means of meditation and austerities to obtain a knowledge of the Supreme Being, and absorption into his essence.

The Tretá Júg followed. Its duration was 1,200,096 years. Men were then 14 cubits high, and lived 10,000 years. One fourth part of the excellence which was found on the earth vanished Falsehood, deceit, discontent, covetousness, and divisions began to away. reign amongst a part of mankind; piety lost much of its spiritu