beginning, made them (a) male and (a) female?" as intending to prevent both polygamy and divorce; "and said," at least by Moses, if not by Adam himself, divinely instructed into the ends and obligation of marriage in all ages; "for this cause," or on account of engaging in the married state, "shall a man leave his father and mother," the nearest relation he has hitherto sustained, " and cleave to his wife," a more intimate relation still," and they twain shall be one flesh." "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh." A stronger expression it was not possible to employ. As though it had been said, nothing should separate, but that which separates the soul from the body, and even the component parts of the body from each other. "What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

For the nature and intimacy of this connection, therefore, our Lord refers to the original design of the Creator himself, just as Malachi had done before him. Indeed it is not unworthy of remark, that, as introductory to that glorious dispensation, when Elias was to come and restore all things, in preparation for his Lord, who was to confirm and establish them, the last of the prophets abounds. with reference to first principles. To the honor due to a father-the honor due to a master-respect to a civil governor to man's common descent from Adam; nay to his original creation by God, he appeals. So in the passage referred to, as quoted both by the Saviour, and the prophet whose authority he thus sanctioned, the reasoning goes back, not to Moses merely, or to any peculiarity in the Mosaic economy; not to Abraham or the covenant made with him, but to the creation of man at the beginning. It points directly at the special design of the Creator himself, in the formation of the first pair, and explains the intimacy of the connection which God. had formed, with a view to the best interests of the

human family. Yes, the formation of the first woman, not out of the dust of the ground, but out of the first man, was evidently intended to impress on our minds the necessity for this union being entire, and that in order to the end he had in view. "Did not he make one?" says Malachi, "yet had he the residue" or abundance "of the Spirit. And wherefore one? that he might seek" and so secure a godly seed." Does not the prophet here remind the Jew of the first institution of marriage, precisely as the Messiah himself did afterwards? "He tells them

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that God made but one man at first, the word rendered one being masculine; and made the woman out of him, when he could have created another out of the ground, or more if he had pleased-thus instructing them that this was the true pattern of marriage, ordained for true and undivided affections, as best serving the end he had in view, namely, the religious education of children."* And why was this? Was it that his life-giving power was exhausted in Adam? certainly not. With him was there abundance of power, and the residue of the Spirit; "but as he meant that a godly posterity should be trained up, this would best be done," and could only in general be done,"by the joint care of both parents living together in love, and uniting their instructions, and example, and prayers, for that end."+

A connection, however, so intimate and endearing, must have been intended, in the first instance also, to produce corresponding good to the parties themselves. So it has been said, that "though single life may make a man like an angel, marriage, in very many things, makes the Christian pair like Christ." The latter, indeed, seems to be one intention of the Almighty, according to an interesting passage in the New Testament Scriptures.

It is manifest from it, that marriage is symbolical of one of the greatest mysteries in our religion; and, therefore, that of which it is symbolical, is employed by the inspired writer at once to illustrate and enforce the relative obligations of both wife and husband, Read over the entire Thus we know that

passage in Ephesians v. 22-33.

the Saviour descended from the bosom of his Father, and, contracting with our nature, we became a church; not only the bride, but the spouse, as indissolubly united to him. This church he purifies by his blood, giving the Spirit as an earnest of perfect conformity to his image, and heaven at last, as an inheritance in which to enjoy and display this conformity to himself. Meanwhile this spouse he fosters and cherishes; lodges near to himselfproviding for all necessities-relieving all sorrows-resolving all difficulties, and guiding her through life; or, in one word, he has condescended to become at once the husband and the head of his church. In this profoundly mysterious case, the indissoluble union consists in his boundless love and her entire obedience, as well as the interchange and interweaving of interests, common to both: He taking upon him our nature, our condition, our interest, and we in return participating in his. Great then as this mystery is affirmed to be, marriage is employed by Paul to symbolize it: so that it is not only divine in its institution; not only sacred in its union, and honorable in its appellation, but symbolical in its signification, and religious in its end. You observe, however, that the inspired writer having closed his allusion, immediately adds, "Nevertheless," i. e. though the former discourse was intended casually to explicate the conjunction of Christ and his church, yet it hath in it this distinct and substantial duty, "let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

In perfect conformity with these sentiments, is the rule laid down in Scripture to the Christian for the formation of this union. Although the fear of God in every age must have been a sufficient guide, it was far too important a subject to be overlooked by the Saviour of our race, in his design to establish a kingdom of righteousness and peace in this unprincipled and rebellious world. In the earliest ages, he well knew, that consequences the most dreadful had ensued from indifference to this subject. Accordingly no sooner do we read of the sons of God taking to themselves partners in life, "of all which they chose," that is, without any regard to their principles in so doing, than it is immediately added, "Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Yes, their disregard to principle in this important step, hurried on the wickedness of the antediluvian world, till the earth became so corrupt before God, that the end of all flesh came before him. The same disregard to principle in this matter, the Saviour also knew, had well nigh prevented the restoration of the Jewish economy after the captivity, and rendered it, even at last, a task of the most formidable and appalling description to Ezra and his friends. Almost despairing of success, even after all his unwearied labors, when he heard of this dereliction of principle, he rent his garment and his mantle, nay, even plucked off the very hair of his head and of his beard, and sat down in an astonishment of grief.

Our blessed Lord, therefore, at once, by the character of his subjects, and the nature of his kingdom, made provision against such an evil. In its progress over the world, whether Jewish or heathen, it might indeed lay hold of but one party, a husband, or a wife, already united; and though he enjoined the union in this case to remain, giving prospect, too, of the conversion of the other party; yet the union, once dissolved by

death, whatever liberty was enjoyed, must be subject to one condition. In the case supposed in Scripture, it happens to be the female to whom allusion is made, but the law is one. ried to whom she will, only in the Lord." For a literal precept, on the part of our Lord, there had been no necessity whatever, the nature and genius of his own. kingdom being regarded; and the incidental manner in which this injunction occurs, is, to the intelligent reader of Scripture, the strongest confirmation of the rule in all cases where marriage is in prospect, and when there has been no engagement previous to conversion. The inspired writer is manifestly recognizing, by the way, a general rule the universal moral obligation of the Christian.

"She is at liberty to be mar

Should any reader startle at this exposition, not to say object to it, I can only now say, that, in such a case, the disposition to appreciate, and the spirit to imbibe, the intimations of the divine record, will be found, on reflection, at a low ebb indeed, if not altogether wanting. Such a reader has yet to learn and to study the nature and the genius of the Messiah's kingdom. No, the Saviour, without doubt or controversy, evidently intended, in every age, to lay hold of this his own institution, not only preserving it in its original purity, but employing it as one powerful auxiliary to his kingdom; and disregard to him in this one matter alone, by any community, must ever work the ruin of vital Christianity there.

Thus, upon entering on one of the most important relations common to man, and in taking a step which is by far the most important in regard to this life, it is certainly not a little remarkable, that divine revelation should suggest to both parties the absolute necessity of personal religion. For never let it be forgotten, that, if the Christian is bound in this step by one indispensable requisite,