those who make light of moral and relative duties, contemn the will of God. 'He knows what is in man,' and what is necessary to him. Every condition lies open to his view. He sees how things blend, and how they issue; how they oppose, or how they aid each other. Though invisible to us, he sees the worm that lies at the root of our social happiness: we wonder at the effect, he sees the cause, and would remove it. He has condescended to speak: we have His judgment relative to every station and relation in life. He speaks as a sovereign who has authority to command, and he speaks as a friend who consults your welfare, and 'takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.' Again. We have reason to lament, that there is such a general deficiency among professors of religion, with regard to those duties which they owe to each other. Many, to show their love to the gospel, testify their indifference to the law. Numbers are too orthodox, or too devotional, to be moral. Morality is below their faith, or their raptures. Various things their system has taught them; but one thing it has not taught them, one thing it does not require them to learn-'to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world.' Shall ministers, by their silence, be accessary to this corruption of manners, this awful perversion of religion? Let them 'affirm, constantly, that they which have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.' Let those who stand already in the marriage relation, be willing to know, and to practise the duties which spring from it. Enter, my brethren and sisters, the temple of revelation; bow before the divine oracle; say, 'Lord, what wilt thou have ME to do.' 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.' Extract from the scripture, the mind of God concerning yourselves individually. Take home the words I have been explaining. Read, compare, resolve, reform. Let not husbands take away the duties of the wife, nor wives the duties of the husband; but let both take respectively their own, and say, 'O that rected to keep thy statutes.' 'I have chosen my feet were di the way of truth, thy judgments have I laid before me." 6 Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.' 'I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.' Let the young think of this, and let it influence their choice. Let those think of it, who are approaching this holy state. By many it is totally overlooked; and they contract marriages on considerations purely accidental, or worldly; as if they wished to marry, not to be happy; to gain each other, not to enjoy. Who forms this alliance as a Christian? Who enters it with those views and motives the gospel supplies? Who consults God in the undertaking? Who has the banns published in heaven to ascertain what impediments are pleaded there? Thus persons are often unsuitably bound together by an engagement, which can only be dissolved by death, that comes to release them from one prison, and conduct them into another. But may I not congratulate others? My beloved friends, in this important concern, you have done nothing without asking counsel of 189246K the Lord. By faith and prayer, I am persuaded you have engaged that Saviour who was present at the marriage of Cana in Galilee, to honour your approaching nuptials; and under the influence of his gracious Spirit, your mutual affections shall increase with time, and shine bright to all eternity. I look forward and see you blessing and blessed. I see you 'walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.' I see your 'children like olive-plants around your table.' I see you endeavouring to form them into characters, and to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' I see you resigning each other with the feelings and hopes of Christians. For this I say, the time is short: It remaineth, therefore, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it ion of this world passeth away;' hastening from the altar to the tomb. for the fash and you are |