point also enlarged on. The worst of the evil is, that both fell into the snare by an improper way; Christ and his church were no ingredients of their choice. The folly of entering into marriage from worldly or improper motives fully dilated on.

2. Man and wife are equally concerned to avoid all offences of each other in the beginning of their conversation. Every little thing can blast an infant blossom: this topic enlarged on. After the hearts of man and wife are endeared and hardened by mutual confidence and experience, there are many remembrances, and some things present, that dash all little unkindnesses in pieces.

3. Let man and wife be careful to stifle little things, that, as fast as they spring up they may be cut down and trod on; for if they be suffered to grow in numbers, they make the spirit peevish, the society troublesome, and the affections loose by an habitual aversion.

4. Let them be sure to abstain from all those things which by experience and observation they find to be contrary to each other: this enlarged on.

5. Let them carefully avoid a curious distinction of mine and thine: for this hath caused all the laws, and all the suits, and all the wars in the world let them have but one person and one interest : this enlarged on.

These are the duties of them both, which have common regards and equal necessities and obligations; indeed there is scarcely any matter of duty, but it concerns them both alike, and what in one is called love is in the other called reverence; and what in the wife is obedience, is in the husband duty: this topic carried on to the end.

PART II.

The next inquiry is more particular, and considers the power and duty of the man: let every one of you so love his wife, even as himself. She is as himself, the man hath power over her as over himself, and must love her equally.

A husband's power over his wife is paternal and friendly, not magisterial and despotic. The wife is under conduct and counsel; for the man's power is founded in the understanding, not in the will or force this topic enlarged on, and illustrated by quotations, &c. And therefore, although there is just measure of subjection and obedience due from the wife to the husband, yet nothing of this is expressed in the man's character, or in his duty: this enlarged on. So that we cannot discourse of the man's right without describing the measures of his duty that therefore follows next.

2. Let him love his wife, even as himself: that is his duty and the measure of it too. Be not bitter against her. And this is the least index and signification of love: a civil man is never bitter against a friend or a stranger, much less to him who enters under his roof and is secured by the laws of hospitality. But a wife does all that and more; she quits all her interests for his love; she gives him all she can give, and is as much identified with him as another person can possibly be this state dilated on. Now he is worse than a viper,

PART 111.

X

who for reverence of this sacred union will not abstain from bitterness the injustice and impropriety of brutal conduct in a husband towards his wife forcibly described.

The marital love is infinitely removed from all possibility of such rudeness it is a thing pure as light, sacred as a temple, lasting as the world. That love which can cease was never true. The happiness of a man who is blessed by conjugal love beautifully described. Instances given of persons who have made the greatest of sacrifices for their wives.

But the cases in which this can be required are so rare and contingent, that Holy Scripture does not instance the duty in this particular but it contains in it, that the husband should nourish and cherish her, making all the cares and evils of life as light and easy to her as possible by his love, &c.

3. Hither also is to be referred that he secure the interest of her virtue and felicity by a fair example: proneness of the woman to imitate her husband's ideas described and illustrated.

4. Above all other instances of love, let him preserve towards her an inviolable faith, and unspotted chastity; for this is the marriage ring, which ties two hearts by an eternal band, &c. This is a grace that is secured by all acts of heaven, by the defence of the laws, the locks and bars of modesty, honor and reputation, fear and shame, interest and high regards: this topic enlarged on.

These are the lines of a man's duty: the duties of the woman next described.

1. The first is obedience; which, because it is no where enjoined that the man should exact it, but is often commanded her to pay, gives demonstration that it is a voluntary cession which is required; such a cession as must be without coercion and violence on his part, but on fair inducements, and out of love and honor on hers: this state of obedience, and the usefulness of it, &c. described. Concerning its measures and limits we can best take accounts from Scripture. The Apostle says, in all things as to the Lord. St. Jerome mistook this, when he translated it, ut ancilla domino: real meaning of it, that religion must be the measure of a wife's obedience and subjection.'

For although, in

But in this also there is some peculiar caution. things necessary to faith and holiness, the woman is subject to Christ alone, who only is the Lord of conscience; yet as it is part of the man's office to be a teacher, guide, and master, it will relate much to the demonstration of affection, if she obey his counsels, imitate his virtues, is directed by his wisdom, &c.: this topic enlarged on and illustrated.

2. The next line of the woman's duty is compliance, which St. Peter calls the hidden man of the heart; the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit; and to it he opposes the outward and pompous ornament of the body; this is to be limited by Christian modesty, and the usages of the more excellent and severe matrons: folly of this extravagance dilated on the brightest ornaments of a wife described; and the folly of those husbands who are pleased with the indecent gaieties of their wives, illustrated.

3. Remember the days of darkness, for they are many: the joys of the bridal chamber are quickly past, and the remaining portion of the state is a dull progress, without variety of joys, yet not without the change of sorrows: but that portion, which shall enter into the grave, must be eternal. Conclusion.

SERMON VIII.

APPLES OF SODOM; OR, THE FRUITS OF SIN.

ROMANS, CHAP. VI. VERSE 21.

What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

PART I.

THE Son of Sirach prudently advised, concerning judgment made of the felicity or infelicity of men, Judge none blessed before his death; for a man shall be known in his children. This thought dilated on; and various instances of profligate unworthy descendants of great and virtuous parents quoted: so that he who is cursed in his children cannot be reckoned among the fortunate.

What is here said concerning families in general is most remarkable in the retinue and family of sin for it keeps a good house, which is full of company and servants; it is served by the possessions of the world, courted by the unhappy, flattered by fools, made the end of human designs, and feasted all the way of its progress, &c.

But then if we look to what are the children of this splendid family, and see what issue sin produces, it may help to untie the charm. Sin and concupiscence marry together, and feast highly: but the children of their filthy union are ugly and deformed, foolish and ill-natured: the Apostle calls them shame and death. These are the fruits of sin, the apples of Sodom; fair on the outside, but within full of ashes and rottenness. And the tree with its fruits go together if you will have the mother, you must take the daughters. What fruit had ye then? That is the question.

:

In answer to which we are to consider, I. What is the sum total of the pleasures of sin: II. What fruits and relishes it leaves behind by its natural efficiency: III. What are its consequences by its demerit, and the superadded wrath of God, which it hath deserved.

I. 1. If then it be considered what pleasures there are in sin, most of them will be found to be very punishments. To pass over the miseries ensuing from envy, or murder, or a whole catalogue of sins, every one of which is a disease in its constitution and nature, we may observe, that nothing pretends to pleasure but the lust of the flesh,

ambition, and revenge: these alone cozen us with a fair outside; and yet, on a survey of their fruits, we shall see how miserably they deceive us.

2. For a man cannot take pleasure in the lusts of the flesh, unless he be helped forward by inconsideration and folly. We see evidently that grave and wise persons, men of experience and consideration, are extremely less affected with lust and loves, &c. than the hair-brained boy: this topic dilated on.

3. The pleasures of intemperance are nothing but the relics and images of pleasure, after that nature hath been feasted for as long as she needs, and as long as temperance waits, so long pleasure also stands by but as temperance begins to go away, having done the ministries of nature, every morsel, and every fresh goblet, is still less delicious, and cannot be endured, but as men force nature by violence to stay longer than she would: this topic enlarged on; and the fatal effects of intemperance described.

4. With pretenders to pleasure there is so much trouble to bring them to act an enjoyment, that the appetite is above half tired before it comes. It is necessary that a man should be wonderfully patient who is ambitious; and no one buys death and damnation at so dear a rate as he who fights for it, enduring heat and cold, and hunger; and who practises all the austerities of the hermit, with this difference; that the one does it for heavenly glory, the other for uncertain honor and an eternity of flames: this passion farther dilated on; and that of revenge discussed, which is pleasant only to a devil, or to a man who has the same accursed temper.

5. These sins, when they are entertained with the greatest fondness from without, must have very little pleasure, because there is a strong faction against them: something that is within strives against the entertainment; and they sit uneasy on the spirit, when the man is vexed that they are not lawful: this illustrated, &c.

6. The pleasure in the acts of these few sins that do pretend to it, is a little limited nothing, confined to a single faculty, to one sense, &c. and that which is the instrument of sense, is the means of its torment by the faculty through which it tastes, by the same it is afflicted; for so long as it can taste, it is tormented with desire; and when it can desire no longer, it cannot feel pleasure.

7. Sin hath little or no pleasure in its very enjoyment, because its very manner of entry and production is by a curse and a contradiction it comes into the world like a viper, through the sides of its mother, by means violent and monstrous: this enlarged on.

8. The pleasures in the very enjoyment of sin are infinitely trifling and inconsiderable, because they pass away so quickly: if they be in themselves little, this makes them still less; but if they were great, this would not only lessen the delight, but change it into torment, and load the sinner's spirit with impatience and indignation: this dilated on.

9. Sin hath in its best advantages but a trifling, inconsiderable pleasure because not only God and reason, conscience, honor, interest, and laws do sour it; but even the devil himself, overruled

by God, or by a strange malice, makes it troublesome and intricate; so that one sin contracts another, and vexes the man with a variety of evils, &c.

10. Sin has so little true relish, and so trifling a pleasure, that it is always greater in expectation than it is in the possession. If men could see this beforehand, they would never pursue it so eagerly.

11. The fruits of its present possession, the pleasures of its taste, are less pleasant, because no sober person, no man that can discourse, likes it long. He approves it in the height of passion, and under the disguise of a temptation; but at all other times he finds it ugly and unreasonable: the remembrance at all times abates its pleasures and sours its delicacies: this topic dilated on. Concluding remarks.

PART II.

II. Second general consideration. What fruits and relishes sin leaves behind by its natural efficiency. These are so many, as must needs affright the soul, and scare the confidence of every considerate

person.

It is said that our blessed Saviour shall present his church to God without spot or wrinkle. Many have been the opinions concerning the nature of that spot or stain of sin these recounted. But it is not a distinct thing, or inherent quality, that can be separated from the other evil effects of sin, which St. Paul comprises under the scornful appellation of shame: these now reckoned by their more proper names.

Man was first

1. The first natural fruit of sin is ignorance. tempted by the promise of knowlege: he fell into darkness by believing that the devil held forth to him a new light. It was not likely that good should come from so foul a beginning: the man and the woman already knew good; and all that was offered to them was the experience of evil. Now this knowlege was the introduction of ignorance: when the understanding suffered itself to be so baffled as to study evil, the will was so foolish as to fall in love with it; and they conspired to undo each other. For when the will began to love it, then the understanding was set on work to commend, advance, approve, believe it, and to be factious in behalf of the new purchase.

It is not here meant that the understanding of man received any natural diminution; but it received impediment by new propositions: it lost and willingly forgot what God had taught, went from the fountain of truth, and gave trust to the father of lies. The devil indeed grew more quick-sighted in abusing us; but we became more blind by that opening of our eyes.

The philosophy of this mischief, or the connexion of causes between sin and ignorance, may be omitted: but it is certain, that whether a man would fain be pleased with sin, or continue quiet under it, or persuade others to be so, he must do it by false proposi