Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
and fidelity on the other. The husband should provide for his wife without encouraging profuseness; watch over her conduct without giving her vexation; keep her in subjection without making her a slave; love her without jealousy; oblige her without flattery; honour her without making her proud; and be hers entirely, without becoming either her footman or her slave. In short, they have equal rights and equal claims; but superior strength gives the man dominion; affection and subjection entitle the woman to love and protection. Without the woman, man is but half a human being; in union with the man, the woman finds her safety and perfection. How few wives feel it their duty to pray to God to give them grace to behave as wives! How few husbands pray for the grace suited to their situation that they may be able to fulfil its duties! The like may be said of children, parents, servants, and masters. As every situation in life has its peculiar duties, trims, &c., so to every situation there is peculiar grace appointed. No man can fulfil the duties of any station without the grace suited to that station. The grace suited to him, as a member of society in general, will not be sufficient for him as a husband, father, or master. Many proper marriages become unhappy in the end, because the parties have not earnestly besought God for the grace necessary for them as husbands and wives. This is the origin of family broils in general; and a proper attention to the apostle's advice would prevent them all. Those who imagine they can encounter the cares of life with just the same measure of grace which was sufficient for them in a single state, will find themselves greatly mistaken. For to every situation in life peculiar and suitable grace is requisite. Most new-married people, even among those who are religious, think nothing of this. Hence it is often found that the new-married pair soon decline in the divine life; and, instead of getting forward, either go halting in the heavenly road, or turn back to the world. I am perfectly of Solomon's opinion, that "he who findeth a wife findeth a good thing." Even in any circumstances, matrimony is better
than celibacy; and hence I execrate the addition made here by the Targum, and some other would-be menders of the word of God, who have added "good;" a truth, indeed, that a child could have told; a truism and an actum agere very unworthy of the wisdom of Solomon; for most assuredly he that finds a good thing finds a good thing. Please to enter this beautiful criticism in your adversaria. God pronounces the state of celibacy to be a bad state, or, if the reader please, "not a good one:" "And the Lord God said, It is not good for man to be alone." This is God's judgment. Councils, and fathers, and doctors, and synods have given a different judgment; but on such a subject they are worthy of no attention. The word of God abideth for ever. God made the woman for the man, and thus he has shown us that every son of Adam should be united to a daughter of Eve to the end of the world. God made the woman out of the man, to intimate that the closest union and the most affectionate attachment should subsist in the matrimonial connection; so that the man should ever consider and treat the woman as a part of himself; and as no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and supports it, so should a man deal with his wife; and on the other hand, the woman should consider that the man was not made for her, but that she was made for the man, and derived, under God, her being from him; therefore the wife should see that she reverence her husband. Gen. ii, 23, 24, contain the very words of the marriage ceremony: "This is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone: therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." How happy must such a state be where God's institution is properly regarded, when the parties are married, as the apostle expresses it, "in the Lord;" when each, by acts of the tenderest kindness, lives only to prevent the wishes, and contribute in every possible way to the comfort and happiness of the other! Marriage might still be what it was in its original institution, pure and suitable; and in its first exercise, affectionate and happy: but how few such marriages are there to be found! Passion, turbulent and irregular, not religion; custom founded by these irregularities, not reason; worldly prospects, originating and ending in selfishness and earthly affections, not in spiritual ends, are the grand
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than celibacy; and hence I execrate the addition made here by the<br />
Targum, and some other would-be menders of the word of God, who<br />
have added "good;" a truth, indeed, that a child could have told; a truism<br />
and an actum agere very unworthy of the wisdom of Solomon; for most<br />
assuredly he that finds a good thing finds a good thing. Please to enter<br />
this beautiful criticism in your adversaria.<br />
God pronounces the state of celibacy to be a bad state, or, if the reader<br />
please, "not a good one:" "And the Lord God said, It is not good for man<br />
to be alone." This is God's judgment. Councils, and fathers, and doctors,<br />
and synods have given a different judgment; but on such a subject they<br />
are worthy of no attention. The word of God abideth for ever. God made<br />
the woman for the man, and thus he has shown us that every son of Adam<br />
should be united to a daughter of Eve to the end of the world. God made<br />
the woman out of the man, to intimate that the closest union and the most<br />
affectionate attachment should subsist in the matrimonial connection; so<br />
that the man should ever consider and treat the woman as a part of<br />
himself; and as no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and<br />
supports it, so should a man deal with his wife; and on the other hand, the<br />
woman should consider that the man was not made for her, but that she<br />
was made for the man, and derived, under God, her being from him;<br />
therefore the wife should see that she reverence her husband. Gen. ii, 23,<br />
24, contain the very words of the marriage ceremony: "This is flesh of my<br />
flesh, and bone of my bone: therefore shall a man leave his father and his<br />
mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."<br />
How happy must such a state be where God's institution is properly<br />
regarded, when the parties are married, as the apostle expresses it, "in the<br />
Lord;" when each, by acts of the tenderest kindness, lives only to prevent<br />
the wishes, and contribute in every possible way to the comfort and<br />
happiness of the other! Marriage might still be what it was in its original<br />
institution, pure and suitable; and in its first exercise, affectionate and<br />
happy: but how few such marriages are there to be found! Passion,<br />
turbulent and irregular, not religion; custom founded by these<br />
irregularities, not reason; worldly prospects, originating and ending in<br />
selfishness and earthly affections, not in spiritual ends, are the grand