hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Here you have from the lips of your Saviour an account of what marriage is. He tells us, that in the beginning of the world God made two persons, a man and a woman. Therefore, marriage is between one man and one woman. If one man has more than one wife, he sins against God. He does what God did not intend that he should do. Our Saviour says also, that this one man and this one woman, though two persons, became by marriage oneone flesh. It cannot therefore be God's intention, that a man should take unto him more than one woman. Our Saviour does not say, they three, or they four, or they five, shall be one flesh. He says, they two, they two persons shall be one flesh. Here again, you find that a man cannot, without sin, take to himself more wives than one. Our Saviour says also, what God hath

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joined together, let not man put asunder. Marriage, therefore, is a thing ordered by God. God hath joined together. Marriage is not appointed by man. It is appointed by God. It is not a form, a ceremony. It is the joining of two persons in a holy union according to the will of God himself. And remember, Jesus Christ says also: let not man put asunder. It is not owing to man: therefore, man cannot put an end to it. Marriage is appointed by God: and when once it takes place, man cannot disannul nor destroy it.

You see what marriage is. As soon as the world was made, marriage was. God blessed it. It has the blessing of God upon it. God made them male and female, and God blessed them. It is not owing to the laws of this country or that country. It is the law of God, that one man and one woman should be joined together for life. They are not to be put asunder by man. They may get tired of each other, though

they ought not, and if they are good Christians, they will not. They may see others, whom they may like better, though this ought not to be the case. But they have been joined together by God; and man, that is, even they themselves cannot put themselves asunder. They are still married persons in the sight of God, and by separating, they commit a great sin before him. They act against his will. They do that which he has ordered them not to do. They put asunder, as far as they can, those whom he hath joined together.

All good Christians, therefore, have always treated marriage with great respect. The whoremonger may laugh at it. The adulterer may break its vows: and with them the commandments of the Lord; but good Christians revere it, keep to it, know no man, and no woman but in a state of marriage.

I wish your condition in life were such,

that you could be married, as all good Christians are. But pray, think a little and consider, whether you may not make your marriages like ours as much as possible. Why should you not promise each other, in the presence of witnesses, to keep together as long as you live? Why should you not pray to God to bless you both, and give you his grace to keep your promises? Why should not such promises be made in singleness of heart? Your comforts will be much increased by this happy resolution, and your domestic peace will be secured. If you knew you were obliged to keep to each other till death, you would submit, you would not think of changing. It is because you see others roving from one to another, that you think of doing the same. But if you would only think it your duty to confine yourself to one, and that one as long as you live, you would be satisfied. You would say, a good Christian behaves so and so I am determined that I will behave.

Our Saviour told his disciples more about marriage, which I will, with God's help, relate to you at another time. For I wish much to set you right on this most important part of your Christian duty. Your notions about it are, I fear, very wrong and very imperfect. Besides, I know that marriage, rightly observed and respected, has done more in all countries, to change savages into civil, wellordered, well-behaved people, than any thing else.

I conclude with entreating you, my friends, to live in this respect like good Christians. To be sure, you see many bad examples around you. But you know, as I have always told you, and most solemnly warned you, that every one is to answer for himself to God. When we appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, it will be no excuse for any of us to say, I saw such a person, and such a person doing so, and therefore I did so. This