1

by the Prophet Malachi, his dislike of these things. And our Saviour both tells the Jews, that Moses permitted divorces at pleasure, merely "because of the hardness of their hearts," and peremptorily declares, that "whosoever shall put "away his wife, except it be for fornication, and "shall marry another, committeth adultery."2 Now, certainly, it cannot be less adulterous to marry a second, without putting away a first.

Nor is polygamy (that is, the having more wives than one at once) prohibited in Holy Writ alone, but condemned by many of the heathens themselves, who allege against it very plain and forcible reasons. It is inconsistent with a due degree of mutual affection in the parties, and due care in the education of their children. It introduces into families perpetual subjects of the bitterest enmity and jealousy; keeps a multitude of females in a most unnatural bondage, frequently under guardians fitted for the office by unnatural cruelty; and tempts a multitude of males, thus left unprovided for, to unnatural lusts. In civilized and well-regulated countries, therefore, single marriages have either been established at first, or prevailed afterwards on experience of their preferableness; and a mutual promise of inviolable faithfulness to the marriage-bed hath been understood to be an essential part of the contract; which promise is, with us, most solemnly expressed in the office of matrimony, by as clear and comprehensive words as can be devised. And unless persons are at liberty, in all cases, to slight the most awful vows to God, and the most deliberate engagements of each to the other; how can they be at liberty in this, where public good, and private happiness, are so deeply interested?

Breaches of plighted faith, as they must be (2) Matt. xix. 8, 9.

(1) Mal. ii. 14, 15, 16.

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preceded by a want of sufficient conjugal affection in the offending party, so they tend to extinguish all the remains of it; and this change will be perceived, and will give uneasiness to the innocent one, though the cause be hid. But if it be known, or merely suspected by the person wronged, (which it seldom fails to be in a little time) it produces, from the make of the human mind, in warmer tempers, a resentment so strong, in milder, an affliction so heavy, that few things in the world equal either. "For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave, the coals "thereof are coals of fire."3 And with whatever vehemence they burn inwardly or outwardly, it can be no wonder, when perfidious unkindness is found in that nearest relation, where truth and love were deliberately pledged, and studiously paid on one side, in expectation of a suitable return; and when the tenderest part of the enjoyment of life is given up beyond recal into the hands of a traitor, who turns it into the acutest misery. To what a height grief and anger on one side, and neglect ripened into scorn and hatred on the other, may carry such calamities, cannot be foreseen; but, at least, they utterly destroy that union of heart-that reciprocal confidence that openness of communication—that sameness of interests, of joys, and of sorrows, which constitute the principal felicity of the married state. And, besides, how very frequently do the consequences of these transgressions affect, and even ruin, the health or the fortune, it may be both, of the blameless person, in common with the other; and, perhaps, drive down diseases and poverty to successive generations!

These are fruits which unfaithfulness in either party may produce. In one it may produce yet

(3) Cant. viii. 6.

more. A woman guilty of this crime, who, to use the words of Scripture, "forsaketh the guide "of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her "God,"4 brings peculiar disgrace on her husband, her children, and friends; and may bring an illegitimate offspring to inherit what is the right of others; nor is the infamy and punishment to which she exposes herself, a less dreadful evil for being a deserved one. And if falsehood on the men's part, hath not all the same aggravations, it hath very great ones in their stead. They are almost constantly the tempters; they often carry on their wicked designs for a long time together; they too commonly use the vilest means to accomplish them. And as they claim the strictest fidelity, it is ungenerous, as well as unjust, to fail of paying it. All men must feel how bitter it would be to them to be injured in this respect; let them think, then, what it is to be injurious in it; and since the crime is the same when committed by them, as when committed against them, let them own that it deserves the same condemnation from the Judge of the world. "The Lord hath been "witness (saith the Prophet) between thee and "the wife of thy youth, against whom thou dealest "treacherously; yet is she the companion and the "wife of thy covenant. Therefore, take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with "the wife of his youth."5

It will be safest, but I hope it is not necessary, to add, that an unmarried man or woman, offending with the wife or husband of any one, being no less guilty of adultery than the person with whom the offence is committed, is, consequently, an accomplice in all the wickedness, and all the mischief above-mentioned; and this frequently with aggravating circumstances of the greatest.

(4) Prov. ii. 17.

(5) Mal. ii. 14, 15.

baseness, and treachery, and ingratitude, and cruelty, that can be imagined. Whatever some may plead, surely none can think such behaviour defensible; and, most surely, they will not find it so; for "marriage is honourable in all, and the "bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers "God will judge."

The crime of adultery being so great, it follows, that all improper familiarities, which, though undesignedly, may lead to adultery, and all imprudent behaviour which may give suspicion of it, is to be avoided as matter of conscience; that all groundless jealousy is to be checked by those who are inclined to it, and discouraged by others, as most heinous injustice; and that every thing should be carefully observed by both parties, which may endear them to each other. No persons, therefore, should ever enter into the marriage-bond with such as they cannot esteem and love; and all persons, who have entered into it, should use all means, not only to preserve esteem and love, but to increase it; affectionate condescension on the husband's part, cheerful submission on the wife's; mildness and tenderness, prudence and attention to their common interest, and that of their joint posterity, on both parts. It is usually, in a great measure at least, from the want of these engaging qualities in one or the other, that falsehood arises. And if that doth not, some other evil will; too likely to produce effects equally grievous, and, therefore, to be considered as equally forbidden.

But now, from the mutual fidelity required of married persons, I proceed, secondly, to the chastity and modesty required of all persons.

Supposing that only such as live single, were to be guilty with each other: yet, by means even of this licentiousness, in proportion as it prevails, the

(6) Heb, xiii. 4.

regularity and good order of society are overturned, the credit and peace of families destroyed, the proper disposal of young people in marriage prevented, the due education of children and provision for them neglected, the keenest animosities perpetually excited, and the most shocking murders frequently committed, of the parties themselves, their rivals, their innocent babes; in short, every enormity follows from hence, that lawless passion can introduce. For all sins, indeed, but especially this, lead persons on to more and greater; to all manner of falsehood to secure their success, all manner of dishonesty to provide for the expensiveness of these courses- -all manner of barbarity to hide the shame, or lighten the inconveniencies of them; till thus they become abandoned to every crime, by indulging this one.

But let us consider the fatal effects of it on the two sexes, separately. Women that lose their innocence, which seldom fails of being soon discovered, lose their good name entirely along with it; are marked out, and given up at once to almost irrecoverable infamy; and even mere suspicion hath, in some measure, the same bad consequences with certain proof. It is, doubtless, extremely unjust to work up mere imprudences into gross transgressions; and even the greatest transgressors ought to be treated with all possible compassion, when they appear truly penitent. unless they appear so, a wide distinction between them and others ought to be made. And they who contribute, whether designedly or thoughtlessly, to place good, bad, and doubtful characters all on a level, do, most preposterously, obscure and debase their own virtue, if they have any; keep guilt in countenance, and defraud right conduct of the peculiar esteem which belongs to it; thus injuring at once the cause of religion and morals, and the interests of society. But, besides the

But,