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to GOD's holy Ordinance; which, if I may expound in very plain Words, is, according to the true intent and meaning of the first Institution, and that is in the Sense of God himself, to be a Help meet to one another.
Upon the whole, the Matrimonial Duty is all reciprocal; 'tis founded in Love, 'tis performed in the heighth of Affection; its most perfect Accomplishment consists not in the Union of the Sexes, but in the Union of the Souls; uniting their Desires, their Ends, and consequently their Endeavours, for compleating their mutual Felicity.
All the subjection and subordination in the World, without this mutual Affection, cannot give one Dram of Satisfaction or Enjoyment. How remote our Notions of Marriage in general are to these Things, and how little the present Age seems to understand them, or at least to regard them, I need not enquire; 'tis too visible in almost every Family: Nor indeed can it be otherwise, except by some rare Example of Virtue and good Humour meeting on both Sides, which, as Marriages are now made, is very unlikely to happen; 'tis a Lottery of a thousand Blanks to a Prize.
Not one in five hundred of those that now marry, really understand what they marry for; I cannot give the detail of their general Account, and of the Answers they would give to the Question without Blushes, not at them, but for them; I do not mean Blushing in the Sense that I generally take the Word in this Book, but I mean blushing for the Folly and Ignorance of the People.
Ask the Ladies why they marry, they tell you 'tis for a good Settlement; tho' they had
