Light matter, nor fuffer their Refentments to rife to that height upon any occafion whatfoever, as to abate the leaft Spark of Conjugal Affection towards them, but to nourish and cherish them, even as the Lord the Church. In a word, To do all the kind Offices they can for them in their Civil Capacities, and to help and forward them by all means poflible, in the way that leads to Heaven; that as they are united in the Flefh, fo they may likewife be united in the Spirit, and rais'd and rewarded together at the General Refurrection.

And as Love is the Great Duty, fo is it likewife the Chief Happinefs of a marry'd State. I do not mean that Love whereby the loves me, but that wherewith I love her; for if I myself have not a Cordial Efteem and Affection for her, what Hap pinefs will it be to me to be belov'd by her? or rather, what a Mifery wou'd it be to be forced to live with one I know I cannot love? As ever therefore I defire to be happy, I muft perform my Duty in this Particular, and never aim at any other End, in the choice of a Wife, or expect any other Happiness in the enjoyment of her, but what is founded in the Principle of pure and inviolable Love. If I fhou'd court and marry a Woman for

Riches,

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Riches, then, whenever they fail, or take their flight, my Love and my Hapiness muft drop and vanifh together with them. If I chufe her for Beauty only, I fhall love her no longer than while that continues, which is only till Age or Sickness blafts it, and then farewel, at once, both Duty Delight.2'uran// edi of hi But if I love her for her Vertues, and for the fake of GOD, who has enjoin'd I it as a Duty, that our Affections thou'd not be alienated or feparated by any thing but Death; then, tho' all the other fandy Foundations fail, yet will my Happiness remain entire; even tho' I fhou'd not perceive those mutual returns of Love which are due to me from her upon the fame Bottom. But O! the Happiness of that Couple whofe Inclinations to each other are as mutual as their Duties; whose Affections, as well as Perfons, are link'd together with the fame Tye. This is the chief Condition requir'd to make the State of Matrimony happy or fhall be the chief Motive duce me to enter into it.

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defirable, and with me to inFor tho' it be no Happinefs to be belov'd by one I do not Love, yet it is certainly a very great one to be belov'd by one I do. If this then be my Lot, to have mutual Expreffions of Love from the Perfon I fix my

Affections upon, what Joy and Comfort will it raife in my Heart, with what Peace and Amity fhall we live together here and what Glory and Felicity may wer not promife ourselves hereafter? What is here faid of the Duty in chufing and loving of a Wife, may be likewife apply'd to the Woman's Duty in chufing and loving her Hufband. But being not fo immediately concern'd in this, I pafs on to my next Refolution.

RESOLUTION III.

I am refolv'd, by the Grace of GOD, to do my endeavour to give to GOD, whatsoever Children He Shall I be pleas'd to give to me, that as they are mine by Nature, they may be His by Grace.

Have fometimes wonder'd at the Providence of GOD, in bringing fo many Millions of People out of the Loins of one Man. And cannot but make this ufe of it, even to ftir up myself to a double Diligence, in bringing up my Chil dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. For who knows but the Salvation

of

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of Ten Thousand Souls may depend upon the Education of one fingle Child.

If I train up my Son in the Ways of Religion, and teach him what it is to keep a Confcience void of offence towards GOD, and towards Man, He will then not only have an inward fenfe of his own Duty, but take all poflible care to inftil, it into others, whether Children or Servants, that are committed to his Charge: And these again will do the fame to theirs, by teaching them to walk in the fame Path, till, by degrees, the Piety and Holiness of one Man has diffus'd itself to all fucceeding Generations. But now, on the other hand, if I neglect the Care. of my Sons Education, and fuffer the Leprofy of Sin and Wickednefs to taint 7 and corrupt him, 'tis great odds, without an extraordinary Interpofition of Divine Grace, but the Infection may spread itself over all my Pofterity; and fo draw down upon me the Curfes and Accufations of Ten Thousand Souls in Hell, which might otherwife have been Praifing and Bleffing GOD for me to all Eternity in Heaven. Hence is it that I am refolv'd to endea your to be a Spiritual, as well as Natural Father to my Children; yea, to take more Care to get a Portion for their Souls in Heaven, than to make Provifion for their Bo

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Children learn nothing that is Evil or Sinful at Home, fo likewife that they do not come into fuch Company Abroad, where their Innocence may be affaulted with Swearing, Curfing, or any kind of Profane or Obfcene Difcourfe, which the generality of our Youth are fo obnoxious to. Or, at leaft, if this is not wholly to be avoided, to prevent thefe poifonous Weeds from taking Root in the Heart, to take all opportunities of difcourfing to them of GOD and CHRIST, of the Immortality of their Souls, and the future State they are to be doom'd to in another World, when they have lived a little while in this; That, according as they grow in Years, they may grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ. And when they come to Years of Difcretion, capable of doing farther Honour and Service to GOD and their Country by fome Calling or Profeffion; I must be fure to place them in fuch a one as may be no hindrance to that High and Heavenly Calling which they have in CHRIST JESUS, but rather contribute to further and promote it; that being like tender Plants engrafted into the true Vine, they may bring forth much Fruit to GOD's Glory, to my Comfort, and their own Salvation.: 1.

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