and the marrying another are part of the same design; such a design is declared to be adulterous. They urge, that if the passage be understood without this connexion, the Law of Moses permitted or commanded adultery. They also urge, that a settled unfitness in the minds of two persons may be a greater obstacle to the ends of marriage, than the condemnation, mistrust, and grief occasioned by a bodily sin. But to this latter argument, it may be replied, that bodily sin may properly be made the ground of a judicial proceeding, because it is a thing capable of proof, and for the most part operating inevitably upon all persons' minds in the same man. ner, in virtue of the universal affections and habits of mankind: but that the permanent unfitness of two minds to the conjugal union is not capable of proof, since the effects of transient passion, caprice, or design, are not distinguishable from permanent unfitness of mind; and further, that it does not appear that, in any case, such unfitness may not be overcome, by cultivating those affections which religion and morality enjoin us to cultivate; kindness, gentleness, meekness, patience, cheerfulness. It may also be remarked, that the cultivation of such affections, in such a case, will be prosecuted more resolutely and successfully, if the parties believe that the marriage cannot be dissolved, merely because this task of self-cultivation is imperfectly executed; and if they further believe that such an ordinance respecting marriage is sanctioned by the Divine command.

635. It was a question among the early Christians, whether religious disbelief in Christ, on the one side, annulled the marriage. St. Paul gives his opinion, not the Divine Command. (1 Cor. vii., 12), To the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the

woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou,

O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? It is to be observed, that the Greek word by which the consent is expressed (ovvevdokei) implies mutual consent, according to the opinion of some.

It would appear, however, that if the wife or the husband were deserted on this account, St. Paul held the marriage bond to be broken. Verse 15, But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases; but God hath called us to peace.

636. Christian teaching exhorts us to moderate, and rightly direct, other bodily desires, as well as those which belong to the conjugal state. Christians are enjoined to be sober and temperate. Thus (1 Tim. iii., 2, and Tit. i., 7), A bishop must be blameless as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, temperate. So (Tit. ii., 2), Teach that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate.... The aged women likewise that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness,...not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they teach the young women to be sober. (1 Tim. iii., 8), Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. And (ver. 11), Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. (Eph. v., 18), Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (àowría, intemperance), but be filled with the Spirit.

637. But the exhortations to Sobriety imply ge

nerally Sobriety of Mind, as well as bodily temperance. We see that grave is joined with sober. So (Eph. v., 4), the Apostle forbids foolish talking and jesting (popoloyía xai cirpaneλia): though the latter disposition, in Aristotle's Ethics (there usually translated facetiousness, pleasantry, wit), is enumerated among the virtues, and described as intermediate between the opposite vices of βωμολοχία and ἀγροικία, buffoonery and churlishness.

638. The Christian condition affords special reasons for this sobriety of mind. Thus (1 Thess. v., 5), Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Pet. i., 13), Gird up the loins of your mind, and be sober. (iv., 7), The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. (v., 8), Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (Tit. ii., 11, 12), The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

639. Moderation in dress and ornaments is also enjoined. (1 Tim. ii., 9), I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety: not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. (Pet. iii., 3), Ye wives; your adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel.

640. In addition to this, are enjoined regard to domestic duties, and moderation in the enjoyment of company (Tit. ii., 3), Teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home (oixovpovs).

641. Among the duties thus enjoined upon wo

men, is that of being obedient to their own husbands (Tit. ii., 3). So (1 Pet. iii., 1), Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. And St. Paul says (Eph. v., 22), Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the hus

band is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church. In (1 Cor. xi., 7), St. Paul says, The man is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not

of the woman, but the woman of the man.

This duty, however, more properly belongs to the next chapter.

CHAPTER VIII.

CHRISTIAN PRECEPTS CONCERNING OBEDIENCE AND COMMAND.

642. THE duty of obedience of children towards their parents, which is recognized by the laws and customs of all countries, is sanctioned by Christian teaching. (Matth. xv., 3), Christ said unto them, Why do ye transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, honour thy father and mother, and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death: but ye say, that if a man refuse to his parents what they require on pretence that he has vowed it to sacred uses, and honour not his father or mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. And St. Paul, in the same manner, refers to this part of the law of Moses (Eph. vi., 1), Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well

with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. So (Col. iii., 20), Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. And disobedience is mentioned (2 Tim. iii., 2) among the signs of the perilous times that shall come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection.

643. Natural affection, thus sanctioned by religion, is termed piety by the Christian teachers; as it was by the Roman and Greek writers. This piety must show itself in acts. (1 Tim. v., 4), If any widow have children, or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents; for that is good and acceptable before God.

644. Along with the duty of obedience in children, is inculcated the duty of good and gentle government in parents. (Eph. vi., 4), Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Col. iii., 21), Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

645. There are other duties of the heads of families as provision for bodily needs. (1 Tim. v., 8), If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he is worse than an infidel. And (though said in the way of illustration) (2 Cor. xii., 14), The children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. Also government (1 Tim. iii., 4), A bishop must be one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. A family contains servants, as well as children; and Christian teaching enjoins, between them and the masters, the duties of obedience on one side, and good government on the other. (Eph. vi., 5), Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: not with