Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 1.pdf/165

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into the nostrils, flows, and gives him the power to will, think, and act. The human male and female are both, taken together, called Adam, or man (Gen. v. 2), so that neither, without the other, is truly man: the male, by his form, and masculine energy, representing the understanding; and the female, by her form, softness, and gentleness, shadowing forth the will, with its expression of tenderness and love. In the regenerating Christian, love and wisdom have a mutual tendency to unite, and become a one. Such union, when formed, is the marriage that is unbroken and everlasting. The wisdom of the male seeks for, and desires union with, the love of the female, while the female desires a union with the wisdom of the male. When such is accomplished, all that belongs to each is cheerfully given to the other. The happiness is mutual, lasting, yea everlasting. In such a marriage, it may be said of the male and female that he is the wisdom of her love, and she the love of his wisdom. Surely, if these things are so (and who will say they are not?) then marriage must be the source of true felicity on earth, containing the brightest hopes in futurity.

"When after the long vernal day of life
Enamour'd more, as more remembrance swells
With many a proof of recollected love,
Together down they sink in social sleep;
Together freed, their gentle spirits fly
To scenes where love and bliss immortal reign."

Kind reader! seek first the union of goodness and truth in thine own bosom, and then thou wilt certainly "Come unto the marriage."