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chief End of its Inftitution, as not to enterprise the fame unadvifedly, lightly, or wantonly, to fatisfy my carnal Luft or Appetites; but reverently, difcreetly, advifedly, foberly, and in the Fear of God.

Let me feriously weigh, and confider beforehand, the folemn Vow and Promife I fhall then make, fo as never to entertain any Thoughts of it, without a fincere Purpose of Heart, and a firm Refolution of Mind to perform the fame.

Let me confider, that if I marry, my future Happiness or Mifery in Life will very much depend on the Choice I make; that with whomfoever I marry, I venture the being happy or unhappy all my Days; and that I fhall be obliged, by thy holy Laws, to love my Partner, and no other, till Death.

Let not a wild and fenfual, a heedless This is to be and inconfiderate Spirit, rule ufed by a Perfon me in this momentous Change under the Care of Parents erGuar. of my Life. [And fince I am young and under the Care and Direction of others, as I expect thy Blef fing, let me liften to their Advice and better Judgment in this Matter.]

dians.

Let Reafon and Religion, Prudence and Confideration, and above all, thy good Providence, direct my Choice; and let my

chief Ends be those for which Matrimony was ordained.

Let me chiefly aim at Religion and Virtue, Wisdom and Difcretion, and fuch other good Qualities and Difpofitions in a Partner, as are most likely to laft and continue, and not fuch only as please for a Time, and will bear little fatisfactory Reflection afterwards.

O Lord the Sovereign and wife Disposer of all Things! grant I may duly confider that a Man's Heart devifeth a Way, and` proposeth a Design to make his Life eafy and happy Yet thou, O Lord, directeft. his Steps, and determineft the Event, and giveft fuch Iffues as it pleases thee, and when thou feeft fit, many Times quite contrary to what he intended or perfuaded himself of; I know the Way of Man is not in himself, it is not in Man that walketh, to direct his own Steps.

Let me therefore in all my Ways acknowledge thee, that thou mayeft vouchfafe to direct my Paths: Let me not truft to my cwn Prudence, Care, Skill, or on any human Aid; but let me feek to engage thy good Providence on my Behalf, and only Regard to do my own Duty; because the Events are thine, and thou canst turn the

faireft

my Punish

fairest Profpects of Happiness to ment and Misery: And far be it from me, O God, to endeavour to rescue them out of thy Hand, by Fraud or Falfehood, or by ufing any dishoneft or unworthy Means to bring this or any other Purpose about; always remembering, that he that walketh uprightly, walketh furely. And let me wait thy Time, and think that always beft: for thou only knoweft what Things are joined to, and are the Confequences of other, and what is fitteft for me, and for my greatest Happiness; and haft promifed that all Things fhall work together for Good to those that love thee: in Confidence hereof, let me reft fatisfied with that State and Condition (whatever it be) that thou in thy Wisdom and Goodness fhalt order me. O Lord, vouchsafe to hear my Prayers, which I offer through the Mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen.

A Prayer for a Married Man in Behalf of his Wife.

O ALMIGHTY God and merciful Father, who by thy Wisdom and Providence has appointed the feveral Places and Stations of Men in this World; thou haft

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called me to the State of Marriage, which is honourable, because inftituted by thee; and which thou haft ordained for the Comfort and Happiness of us thy Creatures, and for many other wife and good Ends. Sanctify it to me, I humbly befeech thee, and grant that I may never abufe it to any bafe or unworthy Purposes; but fo behave myself under this, and all other Conditions of my Life, as becomes the Servant of the everbleffed Jefus.

To this End, O Lord, give me a meek and gentle Spirit, a Spirit of Love, and Kindness, and Charity, that is not eafily provoked, nor apt to entertain angry and unkind Refentments; that I may love my Wife with a hearty, and fincere Affection.

Let me never exercife that Authority thou haft given me, in a fevere, arbitrary, and tyrannical Manner; but with Kindness and Condefcenfion, Prudence and Difcretion, endeavouring, as much as in me lies, to make my Wife eafy and happy all her Days; and grant that she may never, by any Follies or Extravagance of mine, be made miferable while I live, nor left deftitute and unprovided when I die.

Make me faithful and confcientious, O

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Lord, in the Discharge of that folemn Vow and Promife which I made upon my entering into this holy State, and of those Duties which it engages me to: O let me never wander after such strange and forbidden Pleasures, nor be inordinate in the Ufe of those that are lawful; but grant that all my Actions may be governed by the Rules of Purity and Holiness, of Justice and Sobriety, having always before mineEyes that strict Account, which I must one Day give.

O let me never wafte and confume my Time and Subftance, in Surfeiting and Drunkenness, in Riot and Disorder: but grant that by Diligence and Industry, and by thy Bleffing accompanying all my Endeavours, I may be enabled to provide for my Wife and Children in fuch a Manner, as may conduce to their Happiness, both here and hereafter.

O let thy Bleffing reft upon the Head of her, whom thou haft given to be my Wife: Give her Length of Days (if it be thy bleffed Will) and increase in her ever more and more the Virtues of Meeknefs and Humility, of Kindness and Condefcenfion, and all other divine Virtues, that she may be

an

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