CHA P. VIII,

MARRIAGE.

Wdition of the divine appointment of marriage

HETHER it hath grown out of fome tra

in the perfons of our firft parents, or merely from a defign to imprefs the obligation of the marriage contract with a folemnity fuited to its importance, the marriage rite, in almoft all countries of the world, has been made a religious ceremony; although marriage in its own nature, and abftracted from the rules and declarations, which the jewish and Christian fcriptures deliver concerning it, be properly a civil contract and nothing more..

With refpect to one main article in matrimonial alliances a total alteration has taken place in the fashion of the world; the wife now brings money to her husband, whereas anciently, the hufband paid money to the family of the wife; as was the cafe among the Jewish patriarchs, the Greeks, and the old inhabitants of Germany. This alteration has proved of no fmall advantage to the female fex ; for their importance in point of fortune procures to them in modern times, that affiduity and refpect, which are always wanted to compenfate for the in

* It was not, however, in Chriftian countries required that marriages fhould be celebrated in churches till the thirteenth century of the Chriftian æra. Marriages in England during the ufurpation were folemnized before juftices of the peace, but for what purpofe this novelty was introduced, except to degrade the clergy, does not appear.

The ancient Affyrians fold their beauties by an annual auction. The prices were applied by way of portions to the more homely. By this contrivance all of both [forts were difpofed of in marriage.

feriority

feriority of their strength, but which their perfonal attractions would not always fecure.

Our business is with marriage, as it is established in this country. And in treating thereof, it will be neceffary to state the terms of the marriage vow, in order to discover,

1. What duties this vow creates.

"

2. What fituation of mind at the time is inconfiftent with it.

3. By what fubfequent behaviour it is violated. The hufband promifes on his part, " to love, "comfort, honour and keep his wife;" the wife on hers," to obey, ferve, love, honour and keep "her husband;" in every variety of health, fortune, and condition; and both ftipulate" to for

fake all others, and to keep only unto one another, "fo long as they both fhall live." This promife is called the marriage vow; is witneffed before God and the congregation; accompanied with prayers to Almighty God for his blefling upon it; and attended with fuch circumftances of devotion and folemnity, as place the obligation of it, and the guilt of violating it, nearly upon the fame foundation with that of oaths.

The parties by this vow engage their perfonal fidelity exprefsly and fpecifically: they engage likewife to confult and promote each other's happiness; the wife, moreover, promtifes obedience to her hufband. Nature may have made and left the fexes. of the human species nearly equal in their faculties, and perfectly fo in their rights; but to guard againft thofe competitions which equality, or a contested fuperiority is almoft fure to produce, the Chriftian fcriptures enjoin upon the wife that obedience which fhe here promifes, and in terms fo peremptory and abfolute, that it feems to extend to every thing not criminal, or not entirely inconfiftent with the woman's happinefs. "Let the wife," fays St. Paul," be fubject to her own "hufband

* husband in every thing." "The ornament of "a meek and quiet fpirit (fays the fame Apostle, fpeaking of the duty of wives) is in the fight of "God of great price." No words ever expreffed the true merit of the female character fo well as thefe.

The condition of human life will not permit us to fay, that no one can confcientiously marry, who does not prefer the perfon at the altar, to all other men or women in the world: but we can have no difficulty in pronouncing, (whether we refpect the end of the inftitution, or the plain terms in which the contract is conceived) that whoever is confcious, at the time of his marriage, of fuch a diflike to the woman he is about to marry, or of fuch a fubfifting attachment to fome other woman, that he cannot reasonably, nor does in fact, expect ever to entertain an affection for his future wife, is guilty, when he pronounces the marriage vow, of a direct and deliberate prevaricátion; and that too, aggra vated by the prefence of thofe ideas of religion, and of the Supreme Being, which the place, the ritual, and the folemnity of the occafion, cannot fail of bringing to his thoughts. The fame likewife of the woman. This charge must be imputed to all, who, from mercenary motives, marry the objects of their averfion and difguft; and likewife to thofe who defert, from any motive whatever, the object of their affection, and, without being able to fubdue that affection, marry another.

The crime of falfehood is alfo incurred by the man, who intends, at the time of his marriage, to commence, renew, or continue a perfonal commerce with any other woman. And the parity of reason, if a wife be capable of fo much guilt, extends to her.

The marriage vow is violated, 1. By adultery.j

II. By

II. By any behaviour, which, knowingly, renders the life of the other miferable; as defertion, neglect, prodigality, drunkenness, peevishnefs, penurioufnefs, jealoufy, or any levity of condu& which administers occafion of jealousy.

A late regulation in the law of marriages in this country, has made the confent of the father, if he be living, of the mother, if the furvive the father, and remain unmarried, or of guardians, if both parents be dead, neceffary to the marriage of a perfon under twenty-one years of age. By the Roman law, the confent et avi et patris, was required fo long as they lived. In France, the confent of parents is neceffary to the marriage of fons, until they attain to thirty years of age; of daughters, until twenty-five. In Holland, for fons, till twenty five; for daughters, till twenty. And this diftinction between the fexes appears to be well founded, for a woman is ufually as properly qualified for the domeftic and interior duties of a wife or mother at eighteen, as a man is for the bufinefs of the world and the more arduous care of providing for a fa 'mily, at twenty-one.

The conftitution alfo of the human fpecies indieates the fame diftinction.*

* Cum vis prolem procreandi diutius hæreat in mare quam in foemina, populi numerus nequaquam minuetur, fi feriùs venerem colere inceperint viri.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

OF THE DUTY OF PARENT S.

HAT virtue, which confines its beneficence Thin the walls of a man's own houfe, we

have been accuftomed to confider as little better than a more refined felfifhnefs; and yet it will be confeffed, that the fubject and matter of this clafs of duties are inferior to none, in utility and importance: and where, it may be afked, is virtue the most valuable, but where it does the most good? What duty is the moft obligatory, but that, on which the moit depends? And where have we happiness and mifery fo much in our power, or liable to be fo affected by our conduct, as in our own families? It will alfo be acknowledged, that the good order and happiness of the world are better upheld, whilft each man applies himself to his own concerns and the care of his own family, to which he is prefent, than if every man, from an excels of mistaken generofity, fhould leave his own bufinefs, to undertake his neighbour's, which he must always manage with lefs knowledge, conveniency and fuccefs. If, therefore, the low eftimation of thefe virtues be well founded, it must be ewing, not to their inferior importance, but to fome defect or impurity in the motive. And indeed it cannot be denied, but that it is in the power of a jociation, fo to unite our children's intereft with our own, as that we fhall often purfue both from the fame motive, place both in the fame object, and with as little fenfe of duty in one purfuit as in the other. Where this is the cafe, the judgment above ftated is not far from the truth. And fo

often