Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/75

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anſwer for the Miſapplication of our Liberty (as Huſbands do for theirs) to God alone.

In the New Teſtament the Wife is commanded to Obey her Huſband[1]; and the Huſband to love his Wife And the latter is recommended by a divine Allegory, even the Love of Christ to his Church: And enforced in the ſtrongeſt Terms, thoſe of giving himſelf for her; but equally left to their Wills, whether they would walk according to theſe Injunctions or not. From whence I infer, that by our Laws he ſhould be under as ſtong Obligations to do his Duty, as ſhe hers: And if there had been any Retroſpect to the Commands of God, that they ſhould not be broken, 'tis to be ſuppoſed, the ſame Care had been taken as to him, as there was as to her.

I ſhall conclude all with the Words of an Author,[2] once before quoted, to whom the whole chriſtian World is indebted, and for whoſe Sake I heartily pray God to give him Life and Health, to finiſh that great Work, which he has ſo excellently well begun. His Words tho' wrote upon a different Occaſion, may yet be applicable here.

"Alas, the Severity of the Chaſtiſement

  1. Eph. v. 24.
  2. Preface to the ſecond Volume of Revelation examined, &c. p. 47.

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