2. Mutual Love. This, though in a peculiar manner it be the Duty of the Husband. Col. 3.18. Husbands, love your Wives; yet it is required also of the Wife, Tit. 2.4. they must love their Husbands. Indeed this is the(u) Conjugal Grace, the great Reason, and the great Comfort ⟨p. 365⟩of Marriage. Not a sensual or doting Passion; but genuine, conjugal, and constant, out of a pure heart fervently. Not grounded on beauty, wealth, or interest; for these may soon wither and fail: nor only upon Grace and Piety; for this may decay to the least degree, and in the opinion of both parties quite disappear: but it must be grounded upon the Command and Ordinance of God, whereby of Two they are made* One flesh. So that though either of them be poor, deformed, froward; though unregenerate, wicked, Infidels; yet in Obedience to God, and in Conscience of the Marriage-Vow, which obligeth for better and for worse, they ought to love each other with a(x) superlative Love; and when the sacred knot is once tied, every man should think his wife, and every wife her husband, the fittest for them of any in the world. And hereupon the(y) Heathens took the Gall from their nuptial Sacrifices, and cast it behind the Altar: to intimate the removing of all bitterness from the Marriage-state; there should be nothing but Love.
2. Mutual Love. This, though in a peculiar manner it be the Duty of the Husband. Col. 3.18. Husbands, love your Wives; yet it is required also of the Wife, Tit. 2.4. they must love their Husbands. Indeed this is the(u) Conjugal Grace, the great Reason, and the great Comfort ⟨p. 365⟩of Marriage. Not a sensual or doting Passion; but genuine, conjugal, and constant, out of a pure heart fervently. Not grounded on beauty, wealth, or interest; for these may soon wither and fail: nor only upon Graoe and Piety; for this may decay to the least degree, and in the opinion of both parties quite disappear: but it must be grounded upon the Command and Ordinance of God, whereby of Two they are made* One flesh. So that though either of them be poor, deform'd, froward; though unregenerate, wicked, Infidels; yet in Obedience to God, and in Conscience of the Marriage-Vow, which obligeth for better and for worse, they ought to love each other with a(x) superlative Love; and when the sacred knot is once tyed, every man should think his wife, and every wife her husband, the fittest for them of any in the world. And hereupon the(y) Heathens took the Gall from their nuptial Sacrifices, and cast it behind the Altar: to intimate the removing of all bitterness from the Marriage-state; there should be nothing but Love.
- (u)First you must choose your Love, and then you must love your choice. Smith Serm.
- *Una caro, non nexu amoris, nec commixtione corporum, nec procreatione liberorum, sed vinculo conjugii. Zanch.Ʋna caro, non nexu amoris, nec commixtione corporum, nec procreatione liberorum, sed vinculo conjugii. Zanch.
- (x)[Greek or Hebrew]. Chrys. in Eph. hom. 29.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Chrys. in Eph. hom. 29.
- (y)Cael. Rhodig. l. 28. p. 1575.
