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the way of truth, thy judgments have I laid before me.' 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

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DUTIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

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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;' bastening from the altar to the tomb.

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UNIV. OF

WIFE S ADVOCATE:

A DISCOURSE,

PREACHED

ON A MARRIAGE OCCASION.

'Husbands, love your Wives, and be not bitter against them."

'Husbands, love your Wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it.'-Paul.

'True greatness is always tender and sympathising.'- Lavater.

PREFACE.

WHEN the Author, if he may be excused a reference to himself, quite a youth, first went to London, and was all anxiety to hear the preachers of the famed metropolis, he was told by a friend, if he wished to hear a good doctrinal sermon, he must hear -; if an experimental, he must hear; and if a practical, he must hear. And he well remembers simply asking, 'But is there no minister here who preaches all these? I should rather hear him.

This mode, he is conscious, he has always aimed and endeavoured to follow himself: and by this criterion he is willing to be judged, not indeed by an occasional hearer, but by his regular and constant attendants. The following discourse, therefore, is not to be taken as a specimen of his preaching, but as a part; the propriety and usefulness of which, are to be viewed in alliance with other parts, and in harmony with the whole.

A minister, who, like Epaphras, would stand perfect and complete in all the will of God,' must inculcate the relative duties.

And he will find his advantage in enforcing them connectedly. Each party will the better receive - especially admonition and reproof; when the corresponding party is addressed at the same time, and in the same manner: because it will show that the preacher has no private aim; and is no respecter of persons.

The apostles invariably adopted this method. If they addressed servants, they always addressed masters. If they exhorted children, they always exhorted parents also. It was the same with regard to the conjugal relations.

Bath, December 1, 1829.

DISCOURSE.

Malachi ii. 13-15.

And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good-will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

It has been the lot of some very good men, to live in very bad times. And this was the case with Malachi. Even then, indeed, some were found,' who feared the Lord, and thought upon his name.' And they were graciously noticed and distinguished by him: They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I shall make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.'

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