PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

2. What a situation of mind,at the time is I1lCOllsistent
with it.
s. By what subsequent behaviour it is yiolated.
ThE' hus~and promises on his part, "to love, com~
fort, honour, and keep his wife ;" the wife on hers~
"to obey, serve, love, honour, and keep her hus ..
band;" in every variety of health, fortune, and con.
dition; and both stipulate, "to forsake all others,
and to keep only unto one another, So long as they
both shall live." This promise is called the nlarriage
vow; is witnessed before God and the congregation;
accompained with prayers . to Almighty God for his
blessing upon it; and attended with such circum ..
stances of devotion and solemnity, as place the obli ..
f!ation of it, and the guilt of violating it, nearly up-
~n the same foundat:on with that of oaths. .
The parties by this vow engage their personal fidelity
expressly and specifically; they engagp. Iik,-~ise
to consult and promote each other's happiness; the
wife, moreover, promises cbediel1ce to her husbandf'
Nature may have made and left the sexes of the bu.:
man species nearly equal in their faculties, and perfectly
so in their rights; but to, guard against tho~e
competitions which equality, or a contested superiority
is aimost sure to produce, the Christian scriptures
enjoin upon the ~iife that obedience which she here
promises, and in terms so peremptory and absolute,
that it seems to extend to every thing not criminal"
or not entirely incon~istent with the woman's happiness.
" Let the wife," says 8t- Paul, 'f be subject
to her OWl! husband in every thing." "The orrJaA
'1~ r:l[ of a meek and quiet spirit (sa}'s the ApOS1ii: Y·c ..
ft~r, speaking of the dut? of wives) is in the sight of
· GOll of great price." No ,,'ords e\"er expressed the
trllC merit of the female character ~o ,veIl as these.
The connition of human life will not permit u~ to
say, that no one can conscientiously marry, who does
nor prefer the person at the altar to an other men or
'\~Onlen in the \,"orld: but vIe can Illve no difficulty
. 111 pronouncin; (wh~ther \\"C ! ... :spc:ct the end of the