to live comfortably in the world, there must be both in the man, and also in the woman, industry, and frugality; for otherwise, if one hath a hundred thousand a year, it might all, and more than all, be spent in excess; and if the man be extravagant, the woman and her family must suffer; and likewise, if the woman is extravagant, and lives to excess, that man cannot thrive in the world; so that both must manage their affairs with frugality and industry; and then no doubt, but through the blessing of God, they may be very happy in one another, and in their outward affairs, and in Christ Jesus the Lord; but then the blessing of God must be sought chiefly, and above all.

Also the very old marrying with the very young, is mostly attended with inconvenience, as daily experience teaches, for too generally such matches are on the one side for riches; for where do we find a young man that marries a poor old woman, or a young woman that marries a poor old man? And how often have we heard young ones say, "They would never marry old ones any more?" And one may well suppose, they had not married those old ones they did, if it had not been for their riches; and many times Providence has disappointed them in the enjoyment of what they so much sought for.

We now suppose our blooming young man and woman well married and settled in the world, according to their own, and their parents and relations, liking and choice; and now, according to the apprehension of themselves and others, they are in a happy state, and are really so in one another. Oh! the love and endearments of such a pair, who can fully express it! It hath something of the resemblance of the state of our first parents in Paradise; and happy, yea, thrice happy would they be, that make it their care and study to live so, and do live so until they die; and then when one of these happy entire lovers dies, it sometimes happens that the other cannot survive long, but shortly doth die too.

But as our parents in Paradise, so we in this paradisiacal state, have the same subtil, serpentine spirit to war withal; for satan envies us this happiness, and uses all

his craft and subtilty to break the love and strict union between man and wife, and to turn it to hatred and bitterness; so that instead of dying for one another, they wish one another dead; and sometimes the innocent sufferer dies indeed, with sorrow and grief; and the survivor meets with one who pays off all former scores.

In order to circumvent our grand enemy and keep to our first love as much as lies in our power, we must strictly avoid anger, jealousy, intemperance, wilful separation, and the one too much insisting in his or her will, against the other's, &c. But in cases dubious or difficult, the Author of all things hath given the decisive power to the male, because the female was first in the transgression; but it were better these two had but one will, as they are one flesh, and that there was no other power between them two, but the sweet and cordial power of love; in that mortals (especially when it is in that which is divine) ever were, and still are, and always will be, happy.

1st. Anger ought as much as possible to be avoided, between a man and his wife. In a heat or rage, that may be done or said in an instant, which one or both may have occasion to repent of all their days; and when once done, it cannot be undone. Again, and as often as a man is angry. with his wife, or a woman with her husband, (without a suffcient cause) so often do they make work for repentance, and without which the fault cannot be done clean away. Let the angry person remember the good advice contained in sacred record, "Let not the sun go down upon thine anger." Eph. iv. 26. And if it was not to go down upon the anger of the common people, much less ought it between a man and his wife. And let special care be taken that both be not angry together, for that would be the way to fire the whole house presently, so that the house would be too hot to hold them.

2d. Jealousy. Oh, cruel Jealousy! Jealousy is cruel as the grave, and burns as a fire in the soul, and will cer tainly consume it, if it be kept alive. It ought indeed to be carefully watched against, and each person to avoid

all actions that might give or have any umbrage that way. A free, open disposition, would mightily help to quench the burning flames of jealousy. And love, sincere love, will mightily circumvent our fiery enemy, the prince of evil flames, who strives to stir up that (and not only that, but other) and all false fires whatsoever. If we would live in peace and love, let us put on charity; and that will lead us to put the best construction, and not the worst, on the words and actions one of another. This is a safe and good general rule for a man and his wife to observe; and not only for a man and his wife, but for all others, on all occasions of difference. For what sad work would it make in the world, and who could escape from censure, if the worst constructions were put on all their free words and discourses? Yet some may be censured deservedly notwithstanding. Oh! but this divine love is such a wonderful thing, it will quench the darts of the devil, and he cannot wound us while this prevails.

Worthy to be remembered is that great saying of the Son of God, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." John xiii. 35. And this between a man and his wife, is doubtless highly nec essary; and without it, they must be unhappy.

3d. Intemperance is a sore evil in a marriage state; (it is bad in any, and worse in that) for it not only destroys the peace of the family, but that by which (under Providence) the family subsists, and is supported; (i. e. the increase or regular income of it) and it also destroys the health, debauches the mind, quenches cordial love, hurts posterity, in causing weakly children, destroys credit and reputation, and hath brought many a family to pov erty, ruin and disgrace. Oh, the misery intemperance brings on people and families, in drinking especially, and also in eating and apparel: it is hard to be expressed in words. Oh! what cruel hardships it brings on persons and their families, and that especially of drinking to excess, which the male kind are most guilty of. How barbarous it is for a man to be carousing in a tavern till morning, and his wife weeping by herself at home, waiting for him! And when he comes in, sometimes in great

disorder, and often in such fits, he is very mischievous, and commits much folly and outrage, of which he would be ashamed when sober. Surely, if man or woman were not wholly deprived of consideration, they would or should consider maturely, and think solidly of the evil consequences of this great evil, and sin of intemper

ance.

4th. Wilful separation between a man and his wife, is of dangerous consequence. That was very fatal to our first parents, and seems to infect their posterity to this very day. Fair Eve's leaving her dear Adam cost her dear. She had not been so open to the intrigues of vile satan, if she had had her husband with her. And though the female is generally the weaker vessel, yet her strength is greatly augmented with the presence and company of her husband; and so is the husband in the same consideration. Daily experience teaches that it is of ill consequences for women to go much abroad without their husbands, or young women, without somebody to protect and defend them from the insults of rude persons, except on family, or some other laudable concerns. Women's business being much in their own families, and men's also, to leave their wives long, without necessity on account of business, is often hurtful to both. And men and their wives to sleep separately, when in health, (or by consent, without good reasons) is very unnatural, and often tends to lessen the love and affection they ought to have for one another.

It is good for married people to advise with each other about the affairs of their families, they being so nearly related and to be subject to one another in things indif ferent; and not strenuously to insist on their own wills, one against the other: for that often breeds contempt, and discontent, and mightily tends to lessen the love and affection which they ought to have for one another. It would be well for married people to disclose their differ ences as little as may be, to any but themselves; and not to be contented or satisfied till they are made up again always remembering their marriage covenant, which is to be loving and faithful till death. Some mar

ried people have been heard to say, that the longer they lived together the more they loved one another.

As the design of the Almighty in the beginning was, in his ordinance of marriage, that the man and the woman should be help-mates to each other in divers relations: so it behoveth us to answer this great end and noble design, in his fear.

In our domestic affairs, we should draw together, and help one another; the woman in her household affairs at home, and the man in his necessary affairs abroad, seeking to God for a blessing upon their labours. And if accidents happen, or losses or crosses, by fire or water, by sea or land, the loving husband and the tender wife will help to comfort the most grieved with soft and kind expressions; such as, My dear, since it is our lot to meet such disappointments, and great losses, since we could not help it, and we are not become poor through idleness, or extravagance, let us endeavour to bear it as patiently as we can; and let us comfort and cheer up one another: we do not know but all this may be for the best and if the Almighty sees meet, he can give us more than ever we yet had: if not, let us endeavour to be contented, and try to make it up in loving one another.

And as to religion, a man and woman fearing God, may be very helpful to one another, they having many opportunities to speak their experiences to each other; and times, wherein they may read the holy scriptures, and explain the sense of particular passages and places to one another and the family, without interruption or fear of offence, or offending contending persons: and by stir. ing up one another to true religion, and the fear and worship of the most high God.

Thus living and continuing in the love, and holy fear of God, and true faith of Christ, they have good ground to hope at last to die in his favour. Oh, who would but hope to live and die like such a pair!

T. CHALKLEY.