An old divine says, “They that enter into marriage, cast a die of the greatest contingency, and yet of the greatest interest in the world, next to the last throw for eternity. Life or death, felicity or lasting sorrow, are in the power of marriage.—A woman, indeed, ventures most; for she hath no sanctuary to retire to.—The man can run from many hours of sadness, yet he must return to it again, and when he sits among his neighbours, he remembers the dejection that is in his bosom, and sighs deeply.—After the hearts of the man and wife are endeared and strengthened, by a mutual confidence and experience longer than artifice and presence can last, there are a great many remembrances, and some things present, that dash all little unkindnesses in pieces.—Let man and wife be careful to stifle little things, that as fast as they spring they be cast down and trod upon; for if they be suffered to grow, by numbers, they make the spirits peevish, and the society troublesome, and the affections loose and easy by an habitual aversion. Some men are more vexed with a fly than with a wound; and when the gnats disturb our sleep, and the reason is disquieted but not perfectly awakened, it is often seen that he is fuller of trouble than if, in the day-light of his reason he were to contest with a potent enemy. In the frequent little accidents of a family a man’s reason cannot always be awake; and when the discourses are imperfect, and a trifling trouble makes him yet more restless, he is soon betrayed to the violence of passion.—Let them be sure to abstain from all those things which by experience and observation, they find to be contrary to each other.—Let the husband and wife avoid a curious distinction of _mine_ and _thine_; for this hath caused all the laws, and all the suits, and all the wars of the world.—Let them who have but one purse, have but one interest.—There is nothing that can please a man without love; for nothing can sweeten felicity itself but love.—No man can tell, but he that loves his children, how many delicious accents make a man’s heart dance in the pretty conversations of those dear ones; their childishness, their stammering, their little angers, their innocence, their imperfections, their necessities, are so many little emanations of joy and comfort to him that delights in their persons and society.—A man should set a good example to his wife.—Ulysses was a prudent man, and a wary counsellor, sober and severe; and he formed his wife into such imagery as he desired; and she was chaste as the snows upon the mountains; diligent as the fatal sisters; always busy and always faithful, she had a lazy tongue and a busy hand.—A husband’s chastity should be unspotted, his faith inviolable, for this is the “Marriage Ring;” it ties two hearts by an eternal band; it is like the cherubim’s flaming sword, set for the guard of paradise.”